Thought it was about time I jumped on the bandwagon and started a training log!

The last 4 years in one paragraph
Ok, I decided to do something about my skinny body nearly 4 years ago now when I was topping the scales at 9st 10lbs. After wasting a year, being sucked in by "body for life" and it's false promises and such crap as "muscle and fitness magazine", I found this site and started my progress. I have read extensively on bodybuilding and, knowing what I know now, can possibly only recommend one book; "Starting strength" by Mark Rippetoe. After reading this book and following the routine for a year I really started to feel like I was getting somewhere and with the help of this forum managed to adjust my diet and training to progress even further. I now top the scales at 13st 3lbs feeling stronger and more confident than I have ever done my whole life.

My Goal
My strategy for 2008 and 2009 is to continue to pack on some size before trying to reduce my body fat percentage. I currently hold more fat than I would like and have faced the decision of trying to lose fat or carrying on with the bulking a few times, especially with the summer months approaching. With this in mind I have purchased an exercise bike and intend to do some steady paced cardio sessions on my off day mornings to try and keep my fat % down a tad. So, in theory, my plan is to add as much quality weight between now and this time next year then see where I am before possibly cutting down the fat.

Training
I currently train with a 5x5 approach and am still seeing some good strength gains in most areas, particularly squat and deadlift. I'm looking to to try a higher rep range routine at some point this year if my current plan seems to get a little stale. I have also just moved and found such a sweet little gym behind a leisure centre with a rack, oly bench, 3 or 4 bars, bumper plates and the rest so I hope this will also help my progression.

Training log ideology
I will try to make an entry with my diet and training on each workout day and if I have anything else of interest I'll add that in too. I'm mainly doing this log to benefit myself, through tracking my progress and taking on valued advice from you guys, while sharing my progress with all of you that have and will help me along the way.......

Wish me luck!
Phil

Nice write-up mate, I like your approach, I'll keep my head in this one.

Good luck with the training!

Now with PM's enabled!

Friday 16th May 2008

Legs:

Squat 5x5 @ 97.5kg (PB will hit 100kg next week as my form felt pretty solid throughout)
SLDL 5x5 @ 90kg
calve raise 4 x 15 @ 140kg (on hack squat machine thingy in new gym.... hurt like hell!!!)
Roman chairs 3x10

Training went well, looking forward to finally smashing 100kg next week, bring it on!!

Diet plan

05:00
big bowl of cheerios (we're talking glass mixing bowl)
40g whey in water
have run out of flax oil!! shopping tomorrow

08:00
1 1/2 turkey breast steaks
3 slices of wholemeal bread
lettuce and onion
small banana
satsuma

11:00
same as 08:00 with a few almonds and cashews

12:30
MRP bar (homemade) on drive home

13:00
Train

14:30
PWO shake
40g whey
20g dextrose
in water

15:30
large chicken breast
120g wholewheat pasta (dry)
salsa type sauce with onion, pepper, garlic, chilli
(made yesterday mmmmmm....!)

18:00
sirloin steak approx 200g
chips (I'm sorry blame my girlfriend no potatoes in the house for mash)
loads of peas

21:00
MRP bar
pint of semi skimmed milk

10:00
bed been a long day!!

Not the cleanest day but the cals are there, shopping tomorrow so will have plenty of nice fresh food in the house :P

ORIGINAL: 1MR

Nice write-up mate, I like your approach, I'll keep my head in this one.

Good luck with the training!

Cheers fella..

Saturday 17th May 2008

Diet plan:

08:00
Big bowl of cheerios
40g whey in water
still no flax oil shopping today!

10:00
swimming

11:00
4 whole eggs
3 slices toast with olive spread

13:30
1/2lb lean beef mince
1/2 onion
2 large wholemeal baps
large salad
cashews and almonds
(burgers!!)

16:00
50g oats
500ml skimmed milk
40g whey
tblsp flax oil (maybe ground linseeds)
green banana
(shake...... that you kinda end up eating towards the end!!)

18:30
CHEAT MEAL
large chicken breast
70g basmati rice
homemade curry sauce (tomatoes, chilli, garlic, ginger, spices and herbs)

popadums and naan bread (well you gotta have some sanity!)

21:30
Mrp bar
pint semi-skimmed milk

10:30-11:00
bed


I really need to start trying to work out how many calories I'm eating so I know where I'm at!!

Sunday !8th May 2008

Diet plan:

07:00
big bowl of cheerios
40g whey in water
Udos oil

09:00
4 whole eggs scrambled
3 slices toast with olive spread

12:00
chicken breast
baked potato
large salad
olive oil

15:00
40g whey
50g oats
25g ground linseeds
500ml semi skimmed milk
banana

18:00
chicken breast
roast potatoes
parsnips
loads of fibrous veg, brocolli, sprouts, etc

21:00
MRP bar
pint of water

10:00
udos oil
bed

I'm gonna fit in some glute activation exercises today at some point. I have been doing a lot of reading up on them the last few days and hope they will help my lordosis.

Good luck with training. Your head seems to be screwed on with your training and diet, both look good.

Glute activation article -

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-optimize-posterior-chain-power-glute-activation/

Regards
Lewis

ORIGINAL: fun meter

Good luck with training. Your head seems to be screwed on with your training and diet, both look good.

Glute activation article -

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-optimize-posterior-chain-power-glute-activation/

Thanks fun meter,

I have been reading a few of Mehdi's articles the last few days which have really opened my eyes to the lack of hip flexibility I have and how my Lordosis has been affecting my technique. I am going to try and really focus on correcting this over the coming weeks even if it means dropping the weight and getting back to basics.

I'll keep an update of my progress....

Good luck mate, you seem pretty motivated which is always a good start! And I can think of worse cheat meals than chicken curry lol. I know mine tend to be. Good luck man! I'll check back to see how your doing

Ain't Nothin But A Peanut!!

ORIGINAL: Dazzler69

Good luck mate, you seem pretty motivated which is always a good start! And I can think of worse cheat meals than chicken curry lol. I know mine tend to be. Good luck man! I'll check back to see how your doing

Haha thanks mate,

I did have 3 pints of guinness with it

ORIGINAL: shibadybob

ORIGINAL: Dazzler69

Good luck mate, you seem pretty motivated which is always a good start! And I can think of worse cheat meals than chicken curry lol. I know mine tend to be. Good luck man! I'll check back to see how your doing

Haha thanks mate,

I did have 3 pints of guinness with it

Plenty of protein and iron in Guiness tho lol

Ain't Nothin But A Peanut!!

Ha sweet I'll add it in as a dietary supplement then

What are your lifts mate?

Now with PM's enabled!

Monday 19th May 2008

Pull:

Ok first day trying hip mobility exercises and I now know I have no hip flexibility, haha. I felt like I'd just finished a leg workout after I had done them but I can see they will definitely help with my lower back pain. Once I have a bit of flexibility I will start to add in some pistols and what not.

Deads 5 reps @ 60, 90, 120, 127.5, 127.5, (lower back was giving me grief again so dropped to 90 and concentrated on my technique for 2 more sets.)
Rows 5x5 @ 70kg (felt strange but good today as I left the rubber 20's on and pulled each rep from the floor)
Curls 5x5 @ 20kg + EZ bar 10kg? maybe 7.5kg felt easy anyway
Incline DB curl 3x10 @ 10's

wasn't happy today deads are really getting to me, I can lift the weight and my form feels good but my lower back just feels like its so pumped and is uncomfortable. I think I'm going to have to have some time off from doing them heavy and really try to focus on my form and technique. I have had starting strength out again and will be reading over and over it again.

Diet plan:

05:00
cheerios
40g whey in water
udos oil

08:00
1 1/2 turkey breast steaks
3 slices wholemeal bread
lettuce
small banana
satsuma

11:30
same as 08:00
forgot my nuts!!

14:00
MRP bar

14:30
Train

16:00
PWO
40g whey in water
20g dextrose

17:00
gonna have to have some cheese on ryvitas as the missus forgot to take the salmon out early enough

18:30-19:00
salmon steak
baby potatoes
loads of broccoli and peas

21:00
MRP bar

21:30
udos oil
bed

ORIGINAL: 1MR

What are your lifts mate?

I have never tried to do any 1RM lifts, I just train at 5x5...

currently my weights and exercises are

Monday:

Deads I got to 130kg last week but have been having some issues with my lower back
row 70kg
curl 30kg

Wednesday:
Bench 70kg
Incline DB 28's
Press 40kg

Not happy with my pushing strength at all!!

Friday:
Squat 97.5kg
SLDL 90kg also giving me hell in the lower back!
Calf raise 140kg for 15 on hack squat machine thing in my new gym which gave me love bites on my traps so I'm gonna look at something else for these
roman chairs BW 3 sets of 10

I love leg day, come away feeling great, just walk like a spaz for about an hour after.

Wednesday 21st may 2008

Push:

Bench 5x5 @ 65kg easy.... have taken my weights down to try and ramp back up past ****ty 70kg plateau
Incline DB 5x5 @ 28kg
Seated DB press 20kg, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4

Crap workout really felt tired and mind wasn't in it!

Diet plan:

05:00
cheerios
40g whey in water
udos oil

1 cap SD and sachet cycle insurance

08:30
2 turkey steaks
2 slices wholemeal bread
banana

12:00
same as 08:00
cashews + almonds

14:00
Train

15:30
PWO shake
40g whey in water
20g dextrose

16:00
MRP bar on drive home

17:00
1 cap SD + cycle insurance

18:00
salmon fillet
poached egg
2 baked potatoes
spinach, leek

fairy cake

21:30
MRP bar

10:30
bed

Friday 23rd May 2008

Legs:

Didn't get much sleep last night and having to get up at 5 has killed me today. Workout went ok but really found it hard to focus and found myself daydreaming when resting between sets, didn't get fired up at all

Squat 5x5 @ 100kg - got through them ok and was pleased to finally break 100kg form could have been better though
SLDL with DB 3x10 @ 20's back still a little tender so did these today
calve raise 3x15 @ 120kg on leg press

Diet:

05:00
cheerios
40g whey in water
forgot my udos oil

1 cap SD with cycle insurance

08:00
tin of tuna
2 slices wholemeal bread
spring onion + lettuce
banana

10:30
same as 08:00

12:00
Train

13:30
PWO
40g whey in water
20g dextrose

14:00
MRP bar on drive home

15:00
Chicken pasta from last night
large breast
100g wholewheat pasta
pepper, onion, chilli, garlic, the works

17:30
50g oats
25g flax seeds ground
40g whey
in water

1 cap SD + cycle insurance

19:00
200g sirloin steak
2 potatoes mashed with olive spread
veggies, peas , brocolli

21:00
MRP bar

11:00
udos oil
bed

Third day into my SD cycle today and nothing to report Although I did weigh myself at around 19:00 yesterday before dinner and again this morning and appear to have gained nearly a kilo but it wasn't really an accurate comparison.... I would have thought I should weigh less first thing in the morning though, not more?

Tuesday 27th May 2008

Pull:

Deadlift 5x 50, 50, 90, 120, 120, 120, 1x 140.
Row 5x5 @ 60
EZ curls 5x5 @ 30, 32.5, 35, 35, 35.

Good workout today! Form was good on Deads and Rows, back didn't give grief either.

Can't be bothered typing my diet in each time now so will concentrate on tracking my workouts.

Still no noticeable effects from the SD

Friday 30th May 2008

Push:

Bench 5x5 @ 60, 62.5, 65, 67.5, 70 (Trying to get my form solid, pausing at the bottom on each rep - 0 bounce)
Incline DB 5x5 @ 30's
Press 5x5 @ 40 Too easy!!

Have a stinking cold so went easy which was very hard as my strength is definitely on the up with the SD.

Training days went to pot due to bank holiday and the man flu - will have to do legs sunday, pull next tuesday, push thursday, legs saturday then back to monday, wednesday, friday the following week.

Sunday 1st June 2008

Legs:

Squat 5x5 @ 102.5 - PB
leg curl 5x5 @ 60 - dropping SLDL has really helped my lower back and have had no pain from deads this week.
calf rotary machine thing, haha 3x15 @ 70 took me a while to work the bloody thing out but seems good enough.

SD is making my skin greasy as fcuk - only noticeable side so far though, some boil of a spot on my nose and back