The Return of the jedi-This is not Sparta. This. Is. Madness.(now incl. Race to 100kg OHP)

ORIGINAL: I Am A Myth
Are you training for strength or size mate?
Are you looking to up all your working sets up to 8 reps or just keep them to 5 for your chest?

An interesting question from Mr. A. Myth.

I usually seem to have a mix of higher and lower reps in my workout.
At present the 8/5/5 on 100/110/100 represents my absolute best, blood vessel bursting, effort. As soon as I can make 7 or 8 reps on the third set, I'll up the weight and do 100/110/110, at which point the reps will drop again at first but then work back up to decent reps ..at which point I would start the cycle again at 100/120/100.

I seem to have to work pretty hard to eke out fairly small gains but I don't mind, I really enjoy the challenge of this kind of training and I do seem to be adding some size.

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Pretty bog standard back and bi's session.
Couldn't do weighted chins as the gym's weight belt has "gone missing".
More reps than usual on back exercises which was good. Only up to 45kg for oly curls but done elbows clamped. Also did some close grip and dumbbells and finished with rope curls which I had forgotten but will definitely be doing from now on.

Also, I can reveal the world exclusive news;
Jedi has been secretly training abs for the last couple of weeks.

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Shoulders tonight.
Warmed up with isolation exercises; front and lat. raises etc. Also added in the new flavour of the month exercise which is seated rear delt rows. Have to say they are flavour of the month for a reason, lets you get in a very good position and can really concentrate on isolating the rear delts. I like 'em.

Bench.
120kg loaded and once again, up it went
...discountng a popular theory in the gym that there must've been a gust of wind or gravitational abnormality last week
Waited a minute and then tried it again.
Ah Ooh Kin L No Sah


Slunk away to far corner to do shoulder pressing.

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Legs tonight and (given that I don't seem to be running at the minute) decided to up the stakes a bit.
Massive pyramid on the leg press to start, commencing with 20reps on 150kg and peaking at 6 reps on 310kg
...which had me adding some freestyle vocalisations.
More reps than usual on the hack squat which was surprising but then suffered on leg extensions.
Ham curls and seated calf raises to finish.

Strange thing is, my legs don't feel too bad considering the workload.
Can't put this down to the glutamine as I've had to stop taking it as it was giving me chronic wind * >>>>>>
...that's the third product I've had from MP which has done this and I won't be risking anything else.
It could be co-incidence but I have no desire to try and prove that theory.

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ORIGINAL: jedi

Ah Ooh Kin L No Sah

lol better luck next time.
so, do you think MP add special "fart powder" to their products?

SQ:230 BP:162.5 DL:250 OHP:120

Chest and tri's.

Still on 100/110/100 as worksets for flat bench, this week for 8/5/6 so creeping forward.
Getting very comfortable with 90kg on the steep incline and also managed more reps on the 90lb dumbbells, shallow incline.
Plenty of dips and had to add weights to the stack for pressdowns, skulls/closegrip and rope to finish.

My old training partner was in and haven't seen him for a month.
He was shocked at how different I looked

Secretly, I knew this was partly due to me wearing a t-shirt that shrank in the drier last week

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"...those aren't the roids you're looking for..."
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Woke up this morning with a cold/lurgy so no cardio today ...again

Can't make up my mind whether I caught it at the gym or on here.

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"...those aren't the roids you're looking for..."
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so, do you think the rosehip has done you any good?
I love it.
I recommend HealthyDirect for quality, value and great service*




















*cackles gleefully, and accepts yet another backhander from HD

SQ:230 BP:162.5 DL:250 OHP:120

Hi mate, some impressive weights being used.

Glad your doing well mate.

_______________
If it has a face - Eat It.

ORIGINAL: daKensta
so, do you think the rosehip has done you any good?

I was thinking about that yesterday.
I ran out last week and thought I hadn't really noticed a massive benefit and wouldn't really bother getting any more. However, this week I have noticed some of the old twinges I'd forgotten about seem to be returning, noticeably in my lower back and shoulder. So it could be that it was working a bit better than I'd given it credit for and, not wanting to ruin your career as an HD rep, I'll probably order some more.

Overall, I'd rate it as better than glucosamine
...but the best improvement in my knees definitely came with the purchase of open supports.

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ORIGINAL: chrismac

Hi mate, some impressive weights being used.

Cheers mate.
However, it's what happens from now on that will really get things going.
I'm going to try weighted chins as soon as the belt turns up again and I'd like to get past 120kg for bench before Xmas.
I personally think my efforts on legs are the most impressive but I get no respeck coz I don't do de squat.

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This cold is a weird one.
One minute I feel as though I'm fine, the next I feel as though death would be a blessing.
No sneezing and snuffling just a sore throat and a ride on the feeling good/ feeling grim rollercoaster.

Think I'll risk training tonight

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Glad I went but certainly wasn't in record breaking mood.
Some good chins, close-grip pulldowns and low-pulley rows.
Then 45kg oly bar curls and some alternates on the 50lb dumbbells amongst other things.

Tried hitting the heavy bag but quickly surrendered.

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The lurgy came back with renewed vigour after Thursday's session and have been a complete basket case over the weekend. Was still feeling grim yesterday including this weird lower back pain which seems to be part of the virus.
Woke up feeling a lot better this morning so might risk a session on the bench tonight.

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i wouldnt push things if your ill mate.

just take it easy, which im sure you will.

get well soon

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My Journal

ORIGINAL: I Am A Myth
get well soon

Thanks mate.

I definitely felt a bit better so went in for some bench and triceps.
Managed 8 at 100kg = not too bad but it was all downhill from there. Needed a spot on 110 and could only manage 5 on my own back at 100. Incline was down and so were the dumbbells.
To be expected I suppose.

Don't feel any massive ill effects so far.

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Legs tonight and continued with the theme of being weak as a kitten.
Didn't really push it too much just getting myself in a position to be back on track next week.

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Well at least I'm consistent.
The weakness continues into back and bi's. First set of chins was okay but downhill from then on. Deliberately kept the weights back one notch and went for more reps. Was training with old training partner and we pushed each other on a bit especially on bi's which became a bit of a rep fest. Massive pump and despite not being able to do any cardio looking reasonably lean. Must be burning some fat to clear the virus

There was also a debate/intellectual discussion about whether certain '20' plates are heavier than others. I decided to settle matters once and for all by paying 20p a time to weigh the various varieties on the platform scale. Turns out the intuitions were about right.

YORK = 19.5kg
WEIDER(blue) =20kg
ULTRA = 20.25kg
WEIDER(black) = 20.5kg

This doesn't quite tell the whole story as some of the Ultras feel as heavy as the black Weiders. All in all, as it is nigh on impossible to get a matching foursome on the bar at any one time it probably evens itself out. I have resolved to avoid the Yorks from now on though just to be on the safe side.
Course the ten minutes spent in this scintillating scientific experiment would probably have been better employed in doing my ab workout which I seem to have, errr ....neglected

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Hi mate hows tricks?

Interesting fact about the 20's!!!

They should all be the same its not a difficult thing to do!

_______________
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Hi Chris

Not had a great week getting over this cold/lurgy but on the other hand, at least I have been training, others have had it a lot worse. I do generally feel as though I am approaching a mini-plateau though and will be looking at changing up a few things about the training starting from next week. Maybe some new exercises or maybe just add in a new "go for it" approach.

Was interesting about the 20's.
Can't help thinking that if some of the older ones were clean they might've been a lot closer to 20kg.
No excuse for the Y*rks though as they are the newest. A suspicious mind might think of some kind of deliberate mistake
"I like these weights they go up nice and easy. Think I'll buy some more"
..kind of thing.

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Things are looking up a bit.

Shoulders tonight was not quite so afflicted by lurgy weakness. Warmed up on isolations then got sucked into doing some quick max. bench as my mate was trying for 140 again. I wasn't going to bother after the weak week I've had but got talked into it and pressed 120 the easiest I've managed so far. Had a reasonable session shoulder pressing after that but am realising that I need to step it up a bit on shoulders really, especially the pressing. Stage one will be to significantly increase the reps I am using now and then be upping the weights next month. Would like to be getting decent reps on 70lb dumbbells before Xmas.

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Tried to get one of those cool lat spread pics for an avatar.
Failed.

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a proper lat spread is something I've still never managed either
I can spread my lats easily enough, but only doing the "carpet carrying" pose.

SQ:230 BP:162.5 DL:250 OHP:120

Looking thick mate!

For an avatar pic place the camera further away from you.

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ORIGINAL: chrismac
Looking thick mate!

Is it the hat?

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Managed to walk for two hours spread over the weekend which is the nearest I've been to cardio over the last week to ten days. Have just totally lost the desire to do any more jogging which is a shame but will just have to work round it. I am thinking of doing a proper gym cardio session this Wednesday split between cycle/treadmill/rower for less chance of getting bored.
Will just have to wait and see if it gets done or not.

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"...those aren't the roids you're looking for..."
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Cr@ppy kind of leg workout tonight.
First off I only did them on Wednesday so wasn't recovered but wanted to get my routine back on the best days. Also and here's the shocker, decided to include squats for the first time in years. The leg press has been crippling my back, I hadn't thought much about it until speaking to another lad who goes quite heavy on it and he reckons its f00ked and likely to take heavy users with it.
So it is out.
Not that the squats were much of an improvement. Between worrying about my balance, my collapsible knee and my poor back I dont think the legs actually saw much work. I think in future I'll try and do a light 20 repper a couple of times a week until I get the movement mastered.

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"...those aren't the roids you're looking for..."
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yay squats!

SQ:230 BP:162.5 DL:250 OHP:120

ORIGINAL: daKensta
yay squats!

I thought that would give you a giggle.
You'd be laughing out loud if you could actually see them

Back, butt and neck are sore as a result but not too bad for saying how long it's been.
Also, at least it's only a muscular type of pain whereas the day after heavy leg press feeling was one of all the vertebrae being pushed slightly out of whack.

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*sigh*
One of those days on the bench today. I had high hopes but they were all shattered by my performance on the first heavy set, which was 7 at 100kg. Was down a rep or two for the others on flat bench and didn't even bother trying the 90kg on incline. Was training with someone else on a very rapid turnaround of sets but I don't think that was the only reason it wasn't great.

blah blah blah non-linear progression blah blah blah
blah blah blah statistical minimum attainment blah blah blah

Still disappointed though.

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Think I can explain Tuesday's tough day on chest as not being entirely rid of this pesky cold.
It flared up again yesterday, in a kind of chesty cough type way so no cardio ...again


No, really, it did ....honest.

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Back on form again last night and had probably my best back/bi's session ever.

12/12/10 on wide grip chins
pin11/12/13/14 on the lat pulldowns
pin11/12/13 close grip row

Oly bar curls
30/40/50 ...then insane stripset from 50 down
Close grip curls and seated dumbbells to finish (plus some solid ab work).

Really enjoyed the session and will be taking this new positive mental attitude into shoulders tonight.
May also try for 2 reps at 120 on bench.

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Sounds like a nice punishing session mate!

You use weighted chins yet?

_______________
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ORIGINAL: chrismac
You use weighted chins yet?

No mate, not had a chance.
Some n*b has nicked the chain belt at the gym. Although I rip it out of the place for being a bit of a deathtrap/sh!thole when this kind of thing happens you sort of understand why the owner's heart isn't really in it anymore. He's had to put a lock on the fridge, has had a freestanding hex dumbbell set ruined by someone pinching 1 35lb dumbbell and now this
...amongst other instances.

I feckin hate people who nick stuff at the best of times but doing it within a group you know seems worse somehow.
Not least as everyone comes under suspicion.
B@stards

Course I suppose I could buy one of my own

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Not good - bloody pikeys!

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If it has a face - Eat It.

Good shoulder session.
Bad bench attempts.

Did some good isolation work; front raises, cable laterals, rear rows etc and then started warming up on bench for my attempts at a 1RM but I could tell it just wasn't happening everything felt heavy. So I bailed out but then proceeded to set new standards for my shoulder pressing. Managed 8 reps on the 60lb-ers fairly comfortably making a bash at the 70's sometime soon seem a real possibility. I think I could probably press them but it is just going to be manoeuvreing them into position where the problem might lie.

So, this week have had excellent back, bi's and shoulder workouts but less good on legs and chest.
Deduction: I've probably been over-doing it a bit on chest and legs.
Problem solved.
Elementary.

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Reasonable start to the week on legs.
Which is an improvement on last week

Had a lot of knee pain since last week's squats and was expecting to use this an excuse not to do them. I started with a pyramid of high reps on the leg press 150/190/230/270 then straight into 3 sets of 10reps at 100kg squats. Found that rather than being heroic and going ATG, I protected my knee(s) much better by going to barely parallel and emerged pain free enough to do some hack squats and leg extensions too. I would've liked to do some SLDL but had to settle for ham curls and calves just to fit everything in as I am warming up with a monster ab circuit with my mate so workouts are getting a bit lengthy.

I'll keep the squats at parallel for the time being as I go full ROM on all the machines anyway.
Some more weight on the bar should compensate

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good going with the squats.

SQ:230 BP:162.5 DL:250 OHP:120

ORIGINAL: daKensta
good going with the squats.

Thanks mate but still at the embarassing stage of benching more than I can squat
Last night was much better not getting too heroic with the depth, I just don't think my tendons will stand (or even squat) for it at the minute. Hopefully they'll start to give a bit rather than start to give in. Actually shifting the weight is no trouble at all really, so if I can get the issues of balance and pain-free positioning sorted I think I should be able to add some decent weight.

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Curioser and curioser.

Right back to bang on form with the bench like nothing ever happened.
100/110/100 for 8/6/7 which I reckon is about the best I've managed
Return of 90kg on steep incline and did the 85lb dumbbells on shallow. No dips this week as got talked into doing bent-over type cable fly sort of thing which were okay. Upped the weight on the skullcrusher/close grip superset and then did some pulldowns/pushdowns and rope to finish.

Was very pleased with workout but it took ages due to the fact that the Monday bench queue have discovered my oasis of calm and switched days. I don't fancy many more days like today so I am planning to switch to Monday next week although not sure where this leaves legs
...perhaps Friday, which will make Saturday night knee tremblers a distinct possibilty.

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