Right thought i'd do an online journal this year not only so I don't forget what I did the week before but also to get some advice along the way !!
I've been training for about 2 1/2 years now - the first six months were a waste of time ( practically all isolation exercises and a million curls ! ). I then discovered MT and moved onto Frankies 3 day 5 x 5 split for about a year or so just tweaking the lifts every now and then. Then due to work committments etc and trying to get a business off of the ground I moved to a 2 day split for about a year.

Stats : I'm 23, 5'10 and 88kgs - I've done one 3 week cycle of SD and put on about 2kgs

I have just started Big Als 4 day split which does have a bit of a chest emphasis but i'm lagging here anyway but you dont know untill you've tried.

Monday 16th January

Light flat speed bench ( 5 x 15 )
70kg - 1 x 15 ( knackering - never gone above about 6 reps !! )
60kg - 1 x 15, 1 x 12
50kg - 1 x 15

Was just burnt out - will start with 60kg next week as I underestimated how taxing that would be

Incline bench ( 3 x 8 )
40kg - 3 x 8

Decline situps ( 3 x 15 )
Bw only - 3 x 15

Not a bad session although I was very weak on the bench !

Diet :

7.00 am - Whey in water, oats, cup of tea
10.00 am - egg cob
1.00 pm - ham and cheese sandwich, banana
3.30 pm Tuna cob
6.00 pm - Training
7.30 pm - homemade chicken curry

Roughly 3 litres of water thoughout the day

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Tuesday 17th January

Deadlifts ( 3 x 5 )
60kg - 1 x 8
90kg - 1 x 6
130kg - 3 x 5

Wide grip chins ( 5 x 5 )
B/w only - 3 x 3 - Awful

Bent over barbell rows ( 5 x 8 )
50kg - 1 x 8
60kg - 4 x 8

Not bad - again just trying to find the right working weights really
I'm not sure on the chins though as I cant do that many anyway and I think the Lats take a real bashing with this routine so might just do Lat pull downs ? ? Any thoughts ?

Diet

7.00am - Whey in water, oats, cup of tea
8.00am - banana
10.00am - egg cob
1.30pm - ham and cheese sandwiches, bag of chopped carrots and celery
4.00pm - tuna cob
7.00pm - Training
8.30pm - PWO Whey in water
9.00pm - Chicken pie, potatoes and peas

Roughly 3 litres of water throughout the day

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Wednesday 18th January

Today is a rest day - good job because I ache !!

Diet

7.00 - Whey in water
7.30 - Oats ( 2 packets of Oats so simple ), cup of tea
10.00 - 2 x egg cobs
2.00 - turkey sandwiches, scone
6.00 - Tuna cob, banana
7.30 - Chicken, pasta, garlic bread !

Also 2 to 3 Litres of water throughout day

If I ache this much tomorrow I might miss the heavy chest and shoulder workout ? Perhaps 4 times this week is a bit ambitious when I have only been going twice a week

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Thursday 19th January

Shoulder and triceps ached too much for a heavy bench and military press session so I missed it out - However I hope to do all four session next week !

Diet

7.00am - whey in water
7.30am - Oats in water ( 2 x packets of oats so simple )
10.00am - 2 x egg cobs
2.00pm - Turkey sandwiches, banana
4.00pm - Tuna cob
7.30pm - Fishfingers, chips and beans ( OOPS )

2 to 3 litres of water throughout day

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Friday 19th January

Squats

80kg - 1 x 5
110kg - 1 x 5
115kg - 1 x 5
120kg - 1 x 5
125kg - 1 x 5
130kg - 1 x 3


Curls

30kg - 2 x 5
35kg - 3 x 5

Leg Curls

40kg - 2 x 8
50kg - 1 x 8


Diet

7.00 - whey in water
7.30 - oats in water
10.00 - 2 x egg cobs
2.00 - Turkey sandwiches, banana
4.00 - Tuna cob
8.00 - whey in water
8.30 - Stew ( steak, potato and veg )

2 to 3 litres of water throughout the day

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Saturday and Sunday - Rest days !!

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Monday 23rd January

Flat light speed bench

60kg - 1 x 15
60kg - 4 x 10 ( think maybe 15 reps is too high ?? )

Incline bench

40kg - 1 x 8
50kg - 1 x 6 ( bit too much of a jump after all the flat benching )
40kg - 1 x 8

Decline situps

B/w only - 3 x 15


Diet

7.00 - whey in water
7.30 - Oats in water
10.00 - 2 x egg cobs
1.00 - ham sandwiches and bag of carotts/celery
4.00 - Tuna Cob
7.00 - PWO whey in water
8.00 - Chicken Bhuna and rice oh and Peshwari nan !! uummm !!

2 or 3 litres of water through out day !

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Tuesday 24th January

Deadlifts

70kg - 1 x 5
100kg - 1 x 5
135kg - 3 x 5

Rows

62.5kg - 3 x 8
60kg ( went with a wider grip as I think it may have been to narrow ) - 2 x 8

Lat pull downs

56kg - 3 x 8


Diet

7.00 - whey in water
7.30 - oats in water
11.00 - egg cob
1.00 - turkey sabdwiches, banana
4.00 - Tuna cob
5.30 - Couple of nutrigrain bars ! oops
8.30 - whey in water
9.30 - cod, chips

2 to 3 litres of water throughout day

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Wedneday 25th January

Rest day

Diet

7.00 - whey in water
7.30 - Oats in water
10.00 - 2 x egg cobs
1.30 - 2 x chicken breasts
7.00 - Roast sausages, sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips - umm !
9.30 - whey in milk

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Hey I remember you from ages ago mate.

What's this Leg Curl rubbish about? Not into SLDL's?

ORIGINAL: majorinsano
I'm not sure on the chins though as I cant do that many anyway and I think the Lats take a real bashing with this routine so might just do Lat pull downs ? ? Any thoughts ?

Some would say it's better to stick at the chins (regarded as a superior exercise) as you are going to improve eventually and become competent at them. I'd probably agree with that.

But Lat Pulldowns aren't a bad exercise at all in my opinion and they in my routine right now. That has a lot to with uncertainty about my shoulder though, and once I am fully confident with it I'll go onto chins. Chins are something I've always wanted to tackle but have never really got around to doing!

Hello mate ! Yeah well I was on here loads when i first joined - you couldn't get me off lol
I've been lurking for ages and not posting so thought it was about time I started posting again !!

No mate not a fan of SLDLs ! could never get the form right - I like the GHR's but havent got the facility at my gym at the minute !

Gonna alternate the chins with the lat pull downs for the time being untill I get better at them !!

Is that you in your sig mate ? lookin good

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Yeah, I'm back after a year away from here too... I didn't have much time for internet forums as it was my final year of uni study, and I was also quite non focused in my training during that time.

And yep, that's me there but it was about 9 or 10 months ago, with a bit more upper body size than I have now - I had a shoulder problem and couldn't train much of my upper body for over 4 months. Getting it back now though.


SLDL's - it's all in the ass, as you move down you've got to visualise it moving towards the wall behind you. Well... that's how I got overcame a phase where I couldn't find my form on that exercise.

Good luck with the Chins!

hey major, good to see you back on track mate!

Just popped in to wish you good training and edge you to work your arse off

Meat Free Meat Head

My training log (at www.sugdenbarbell.co.uk)

My Vids

Hey Vegan ! cheers mate

Thursday 26th January

Heavy flat bench

60kg - 1 x 5
70kg - 1 x 4
80kg - 3 x 3
85kg - 1 x 3
90kg - 1 x 3

Only doing 5 x 3 but trying to find the right weight as I havent benched with a bar for at least 12 months !!

Standing Military press

40kg - 1 x 5
50kg - 1 x 5,5,4,4,3

Close grip bench ( Smiths machine )

50kg - 1 x 5
60kg - 4 x 5
65kg - 1 x 4

Again just trying to find the correct working weights

Diet

7.00 - whey in water
7.30 - oats in water
10.00 - 2 x egg cobs
1.30 - tuna cob and chicken breast
5.00 - tuna cob and banana
8.30 - whey in water
9.00 - chicken, potatoes and peas

2 to 3 litres of water throughout day

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Friday 27th January

Squats

80kg - 1 x 5
110kg - 1 x 5
115kg - 1 x 5
120kg - 1 x 5
125kg - 1 x 5
132.5kg - 1 x 5

Curls

35kg - 3 x 5
37.5kg - 2 x 5

Leg curls ( I know !! )

45kg - 3 x 8

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Monday 30th January

Light flat speed bench

40kg - 1 x 8
62.5kg - 5 x 10

incline bench

40kg - 1 x 8
50kg - 2 x 8

Decline situps

B/w - 1 x 15
B/w + 10kg - 2 x 15

Think i'm getting used to a higher workload ( more reps ) now and the weights should start to creep back up !

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Tuesday 31st January

Deadlifts

80kg - 1 x 5
110kg - 1 x 5
137.5 - 3 x 5 - Had to reset grip a few times as keeps slipping

Wide grip chins

B/w only - 1 x 4,3,3

Decided to stick with these and see how I go !!

Bent over rows

60kg (wide grip) - 1 x 8,8,7,7,6

Because i'm using a wider grip now i'm finding these quite difficult but they're doing the job !!

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Thursday 2nd February

Heavy flat bench

60kg - 1 x 6
90kg - 5 x 3

Military press

40kg - 1 x 6
50kg - 1 x 5,5,4,4,4

Close grip bench ( Smiths )

40kg - 1 x 6
65kg - 1 x 5,5,5,4,4

Skullcrushers

18kg - 1 x 8
28kg - 1 x 8,5,5

Plate curls

2 x 5kg plates - 2 x 6 on each arm

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Friday 3rd February

squats

85kg - 1 x 5
115kg - 1 x 5
120kg - 1 x 5
125kg - 1 x 5
130kg - 1 x 5
135kg - 1 x 4 !! damn

Barbell curls

37.5kg - 5 x 5

That was it for Friday because I was in a rush !!

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten

Monday 6th February

Light flat speed bench

40kg - 1 x 8
65kg - 5 x 10

Incline bench

50kg - 3 x 8

Weighted decline situps

B/w + 10kg - 3 x 15

Everyone underestimates the kick to the groin !
From this position I can also deliver.... the headbutt out of nothing !
You said that about my wife ? I'm sorry sir but i'm gonna have to break your leg ! - El Guapo aka Bas Rutten