Hi guys,

I was planning on starting a journal in the summer when I started my next cycle and also pre-seaon training. However after finishing my last cycle I cant wait to start the next one and I am counting down the days!

Ive been training for around 4/5 years, 3 of them seriously. I am currently training to increase my strength. The problem I am having at the minute is because we are in the middle of rugby season my body is taking a hammering and without being chemicaly helped my progress is going to be slow if any. At the moment I am particulary finding it hard as I have just started back playing and am taking a good couple of days to recover from games.

Stats
21 years old
6'4
16st11lb
14/15% BF
Bench 4@110kg
Deadlift 4@150kg (this was before I tore my quad and have not tried yet am going to start building it back up next week)
Squat 6@120kg (same as above)

Here is what my weekly training is going to be.

Mon
AM- Intervals On Rower
PM- Weights(1)

Tues
PM- Rugby Training

Wed
AM-Light Cardio
PM- Weights(2)

Thur
PM- Rugby Training

Fri
Rest

Sat
Game

Sun
Rest

Weights
I like a simplistic approch in that I will either be training Bench or Squat/Deadlift and with only 2 assistance exercises on each day.
Weights(1)- Bench
Flys
Tricep Pulldown
Dips
Weights(2)- Deadlift/Squat
Seated Row
Pull Ups

I will be doing sets of 8,6,4 with the weights increasing. I find that this has worked best for me recently, but if anyone has any ideas on how I can alter it I shall take them on board.

No training today because ive got a game tonight. Feeling pretty good so hopefuly it will go well as it is only my 2nd game back from tearing my quad twice!

Good news is though I get to eat loads and carb up

Game went well, felt alot fitter cardio wise than I have a long time. The only problem with this was that my quad is still not 100% so I had to hold back on the sprinting which was a little frustrating when I was breaking free. All in all as happy with my performance and im going to concentrate on recovery over the weekend maybe have a a upper body session Sunday.

Over the next week im going to try and strengthen my quad, ill speak to my physio to see what she suggests or if anyone has any suggestions im that would be great.

Just come back from the gym, session went quite well was hoping to get an extra rep out on the bench but was happy with the pulldowns and flys. Been doing the same weight on these for the last couple of sessions but felt alot easier getting the reps out today.

Bench
10@70kg
8@90kg
5@105kg

Flys
8@117kg
8@124kg
8@138kg

Tricep Pulldown
8@14
8@15
6@17

Dips
10,10,10

I think im going to subsitute the flys for a tricep exercise because I think this is what is leaving my bench down. Im thinking perhaps overhead tricep press. Ill try that for a few weeks and see how it goes.

Went to the gym last night to do my back session. Was happy with the weights as havent done back for a while.


Dumbell Bent Over Row
8@35
8@40
8@45

Seated Row
8@14
8@16
8@17

Pull Ups
3,3,3

I know this is not exactly a great routine but as soon as my leg is strong enough I will start back on the deads, squats etc.

Been to the gym this morning thought I would start working on my tiny triceps.

Close Grip Bench
8@60kg
6@70kg
4@80kg

Tricep Pulldown
8@14
8@15
8@16

Yet again I know this is not much of a workout but I am keeping the training light in terms of workload this week.

Just come across this programme, read the science behind it and it seems to be sound. So as soon as I get back into training fully im going to give it a go.

Day1
1.Squat Jumps 30% 5*4
2.Squat 80% 5*4
3.Bent Over Row 80% 5*4

Day2
1.Bench Pull 80% 5*4
2.Bench Throw 10% 5*4
3.Bench Press 80% 5*4
4.Push Press 80% 5*4

The 1st days exercises are are performed 1,2-five times then exercise 3.

The 2nd days exercises are performed 1,2,3-five times then exercise 4.

Game on Saturday went ok... Starting to get pi**ed off because I still cant sprint and am having to wait for the game to slow down in the 2nd half before I can get into it. Was feeling my quad throughout the game and I am realy concious of it when running.
To give you an idea of my fitness because of my quad we were doing 4*400m sprints on Thur and every 1 was laping me on each 400m! And I only done 3
Going to try and get 2 lots of physio in this week to try and help. Probably only going to have 1 weights session this week as ive got a game on Fri.

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. Carrying a couple of pounds in this 1 as I missed around 5 weeks of cardio due to my quad.

[img=http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8425/0181je0.th.jpg]
[img=http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/82/0221zv3.th.jpg]

Think ive lost a couple pounds of fat since then. Im guessing im about 15%bf here any ideas?

So the plans for tonights training.. Im only going to have around an hour tops in the gym tonight as I am short on time.
The plan is Bench, Flys, Reverse Flys and Tricep Ext. Im a bit weary of doing any back exercises because when im doing these exercises my legs are still bearing the weight and I think its agrivating my injury.
Sets are going to be 4*8 and hopefully ill get chance to post weights up later this evening.

Tonights training went well. After doing bench, flys and tricep ext sholders were painful and tricep so went to do reverse flys and could hardly keep my hands straight. Next time I will now to do the reverse flys before the extensions.

Bench
8@60kg
8@80kg
8@90kg
8@100kg

Flys
8@117kg
8@124kg
8@138kg
8@145kg

Tricep Ext
8@14
8@15
6@17

Training tomorrow night so no weights now till maybe Sunday depends on how I feel after the game on Friday.
Physio booked for Wednesday so hopefully ill have club physio tomorrow night aswell and by next week ill be up and running fingers crossed.

With my training being in bits and pieces at the moment im going to post my goals just to give an idea where I want to be short term and long term with my training.

Short Term- Aprill
16st6lb
13%BF
Bench 8@105kg
To be deadlifting again
To be able to concentrate on my fitness without any injury worries

Long Term- End Of Pre-Season
17st
11%BF
Bench- 8@115kg
Deadlift- 8@150kg
Squat- To go deep and get my form nailed 8@130kg

If I hit these long term targets I will be landed as they will make a huge difference.

Club physio turned up and went after about 20min!!! Whats the feckin point its about the 4th time they have done that or have said they are going to be there and not turned up Its realy starting to piss me right off I mean if your not going to be there at least say and ill go else where and pay to get physio rather than not get any at all
Realy fukd off tonight for some reason(can you tell) was even fighting in training

ello mate best of luck with the journal, lifting some good weights cant wait till i can get 8x100kg !!!!
keep it up mate

Matty

My Journal < piccies added on last few pages
age:19
Deadlift:131kgx6
Squat:107.5kgx8
DB Chest Press:35kgx8
DB Overhead Press:30kgx7

Cheers buddy. Was stuck on the 90kg mark for a long time and its nice to finally bench over my body weight. Im going to have a push to see if I can get it up to 105 before my next cycle, if I do ill be laughing by the summer

Went to see the physio last night...Wasnt great news. Apparently ive got a tear in the tendon in my quad and the muscle is trying to pull the tendon away from the bone
Also because im walking a bit funny from this and putting extra strain on the other in my leg muscles ive damaged my hamstring tenon by my knee
So after Fridays game ive got to have a few weeks off!!

So I ended up playing last night and suprisingly my quad was feeling better. I think that the physio on Wed must of helped aload. Ive got 2/3 weeks off now so im just going to concentrate on physio and weights. Going to have to try and do a 4 day split upper body weights routine. Ill concentrate on hypertrophy because its a more intense training than strength and because im not running im going to have to keep an eye on my weight.

Not aching that much today I think my body is getting used to being hammerd again, because im feeling good im going to do a weights session tomorrow. Chest.
This is my 4 day split

Chest
Bench
Flys
Incline
Decline
Dips

Back+Bicep
Not much I can do....
Barbell Row
Pull Ups
Various Bicep Work


Shoulder
Shoulder Press
Lateral Raises
Front Raises
Reverse Flys

Tricep
Tricep Ext
Overhead Tricep Press (Dont realy know the proper name for this)
Tricep Kickbacks

Was limited in time tonight with my chest session. Went well considering I can hardly remember the last time I done 12 reps on anything. Had awesome pump and training was short but intense. Not used to this as havent done anything like this since probably the end of last summer.

Flys and Incline were super sets

Bench
10@60kg
12@80kg
8@90kg
6@100kg

Incline
8@60kg
8@60kg
8@60kg

Flys
8@15kg
8@15kg
8@17.5kg

ORIGINAL: G.J.H

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. Carrying a couple of pounds in this 1 as I missed around 5 weeks of cardio due to my quad.

[img=http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8425/0181je0.th.jpg]
[img=http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/82/0221zv3.th.jpg]

Think ive lost a couple pounds of fat since then. Im guessing im about 15%bf here any ideas?

BF estimate about right IMO mate. Looking good, keep at it!

13 week Road to Ibiza cutting Journal!!
3 weeks left till Ibiza!

3 years progress