Friday 20th - W7D5

* Back went again *

2. Hang clean or hang power clean + front squat - 6x2 - 70/72.5/75/75/77.5/80kg

3. deficit deadlift (standing on a 45 lb plate or block of wood like a 3 foot long 2x12) - 6x4
130/140/150/160/165 * this is where I stopped. Something went in m lower back on the last rep. Same deal, like I switched off and then lost my lumbar arch / tight midline. Absolutely fucking pissed with myself. I tried to ease up for a minute in the hope it was a false alarm but it started to get worse, so called it a day.

Absolutely furious with myself. I could feel this injury coming on. I never learn, no matter how much I fuck myself up.

Take away points (although I don't know if I will take anything away...)

• My back doesn't like Deadlifts and at this stage I am probably afraid of them. 
• I need to stretch and do mobility work. Will I ever fucking take this on board!
• SLEEP MORE. The past 2 weeks have been shit with sleep and a little stress heavy. If I get into this situation again, maybe I should take an ego check and reign the training in slightly?

I am going ot play it by ear and see how the next couple of days go. Thankfully I was nearly at the end of this cycle, but fucking pissed as I wanted to test everything after next weeks de-load.

Wednesday 18th - W7D3

Met up with Colin and did some hill sprints and a light jog

Hill Sprints x 10 - untimed rest, between 1 - 1.30mins

Tuesday 17th - W7D2

1. bb split jerks - 6x2

80/82.5/82.5/85/87.5/87.5/87.5 - didnt feel great, think it was the fact I didnt want to drop anything on Rob's floor!

2. incline bb press - 8x3

70/72.5/75/75/77.5/80/82.5/82.5kg - getting stronger on these, probably a pr on an incline press for the fact Ive never really done them

3. weighted mixed grip pullups - 6x6 - 15/20/25/25x5/20/20

25kg x 6

4a. DB bench press - 3x8 32.5/37.5 x 6/32.5

4b. Chinese row - 3x10/10 32.5/37.5 x 8/32.5

5a. scarecrows plus face pulls using rings - A set of 10-8-8

5b. standing curls - 10-8-8 15kg db's

5c. tricep extensions - 10-8-8 32.5kg

Monday 16th - W7D1

W7D1

1. BB hang power snatch - 8x1
50/55 - bad landing/55 just bad/ 50/50/52.5/52.5/55kg - just poor all round, was stronger on these in the complex last week, not sure why. Really need to break this movement down and work at it.

2. overhead squat - 4x3 - 60/65/70/75x2 - last set was a joint PR, I found as I was going heavier, the collar to collar width grip was working against me. Need to go lighter and focus on bringing my grip a little closer as I feel this is the major limiting factor.

3. front squat - 8x2 - 100/105/110/115/120/125/125/130kg - the 125's are a rep pr and the 130 is a pr, felt strong on these. Made myself more solid on my set up - really getting the bar on my neck and elbows high, staying tight taking the bar out of the rack, felt good on these today

4a. DB reverse lunge - 3x6/6 25s
4b. DB single leg rdl - 3x6/6 25s

5a. evil wheel (rollouts) use ab wheel or suspension trainer - 3x10 perform from knees or feet if possible
5b. natural ghr - 3x5  didnt have anyone to hold my ankles :(


6. single leg squats - 3x8/8 - standing on 20+10 plate to box


So and so session, very happy with the front squats but the power snatches and ohs need a lot of work, I just dont touch base with these movements enough!

Saturday 14th - W6D5

* Didnt train yesterday (Friday) - got caught up doing a load of errands and was up against the clock all day. ended up in the car for a few hours, this plus the deadlifting has my back a bit cranky at the mo!

1. plyo push ups - 8x3

2a. close grip bench press - 3x5 80kg

2b. bent over row  - 3x8 65kg

3a. inverted row with rings - 3x21/10/10

3b. dips (on rings) - 3x12/10/10

4a. scapular push ups - 3x15 - last set without band

4b. scap pullups - 3x15

 

* I left out the power and broad jumps today as there is something funky goign on in my right knee and I didn't feel confident doing them.

2. hang power clean + front squat  - 4x3 - 70/75/75/77.5kg - left elbow a little sore after messing up the cleans last week. On hte last set I had the bar on the floor after each rep, this helped with losing the hook grip

 3. deficit deadlift (standing on a 45 lb plate) - 4x5 130-140-150-160 started to bottle it a bit on the very last rep but got my head back in the game and got it done, happy with that - also ended up standing on a 10 and 5kg bumper, so 7.5cms - 1.5 higher than last time

4. DB step up - 3x6/6

- 25kg's as it was the heaviest I had

5. heavy 1 arm farmers carry - 4x40 meters per side

-go heavy and try to maintain a rigid torso - improvised. At first I used a 25kg hex plate and 2 small 2.5s as they were the only things I could put together while still getting my hands around. After the second round my hands were getting shredded so dropped to 27.5 and then just the 25kg plate for the last set

First checkpoint

I just thought I'd put this up to help me stay focused and work a little harder on the diet for the last couple of weeks (which is a big weakness - along with sleep!!!)

Obviously the second shot is just after training but I think that's pretty standard for before and after pics? No expense was spared on this photoshoot.

Clearly I have a bit of work to do on my sides but I like chocolate and cheesburgers too much :(

2 months and no regard for diet, just training hard

Tuesday 10th - W6D2

1. bb split jerks - 4x2 80/80/85/87.5kg - first set wasn't great, got into it as the sets went on

85kg x 2


87.5kg x 2


2. incline bb press - 5x4 - 70 (felt heavy!)/70/72.5/72.5/72.5kg

3. weighted chins - 5x5 15/25/25/25/20kg stuck with chins as it was hurting my elbow less, last set was ok, thought 25 would be too much

4a. DB bench press - 3x8 32.5kg
4b. Chinese row - 3x10/10 32.5kg

5a. scarecrows plus face pulls using rings - A set of 10-8-8
5b. standing curls - 10-8-8 30kg
5c. tricep extensions - 10-8-8 pushdowns 32kg

Monday 9th - W6D1

1. BB hang power snatch + overhead squat - 4x2 - 50/55/57.5 2 attempts at first power snatch/60kg 2 attempts at first power snatch

2. front squat - 5x3 - I thought this was 4 x 2, dont know how I missed this!
115/120/125 x 1/125 x 1 - second 125 was better, elbows dropeed too much on the 2nd rep

120kg x 2


125kg x 1, looked comfier than it felt, bottled the second rep



3a. DB reverse lunge - 3x6/6 25kg was the heaviest I had, felt light
3b. DB single leg rdl - 3x6/6 balance is still like a drunks - used 1 25kg DB contra...

4a. evil wheel (rollouts) use ab wheel or suspension trainer - 3x10 perform from knees
4b. natural ghr - 3x5 (colin held onto my ankles - sucked at these!)

5. single leg squats - 2x10/10 - squated to a bench, standing on a 20kg and 10kg plate

Happy to get up to 125kg on the front squat - will have to check if its a PR. thought I had 2 on the second attempt. Annoyed I got the rep range wrong, missed that completely! Power snatch is getting better but needs more work - the OHS was no problem.

Friday 6th - W5D5

W5D5

*updating this at half 3 in the morning, clearly my sleeping issues haven't been resolved. Can't sleep again!*

1. plyo push ups - 8x3

2a. close grip bench press or weighted ring pushups - 4x5 70/75/77.5/80kg
2b. bent over row - 4x8 70/60/62.5/65kg

3a. inverted row with rings - 3x12/10/10
3b. dips (on rings if possible, always pause at top with locked elbows and palms turned forward) - 3x12/10/8+2

4a. scapular push ups - 3x15
4b. scapular pullups - 3x15

Not the stellar session I was hoping for but got it done without any major hassle. First time doing the close grip bench in a very long time. My strength was down on the barbell rows - I got the first set wrong, felt way too heavy and I wouldnt have been able to maintain a rigid spine using that weight across.

The inverted rows got difficult and the rings were surprisingly tough, especially trying to turn my hands out at the top each time.

Could probably do with more scap work too, my scap control was poor!

Thursday 5th - W5D4

W5D4 - I took the option to rest yesterday, sleep has been shit

1. Power jump + broad jump - 4x3-4

I havent really put any jumping into my training since my knee surgery so this was interesting, fun, but needs work!

2. hang power clean or squat clean if possible - 5x2-4

This is where things go to shit - 70kg x 3/ 80kg x 1,f / 75kg x 3 / 80kg x 2 / 80kg x 2

3. deficit deadlift (standing on a 45 lb plate) - 5x5

120/130/140/150/160kg x 3  bitter sweet. First time doing 160 in nearly a year after my back but I should have easily done 5 reps, my head wasnt in it. Aslo, I startedto get a funky compression feeling on the inside of my right knee by the patella as I was lifitng. Wasn't sore enough to stop but knee was a little tender after. 

150kg x 5...


160kg x 3...

I actually ran out of time here. Complete fucking disaster. I wanted to stop after the cleans, I was nearly fucking suicidal. I was feeling so much stronger but this was a set back. I didnt sleep at all last night. Not sure whats going on there, dunno if its anxiety with work? Food was so and so.

One take away point is to NEVER 'do a quick session' before work again. How many fucking times do I tell myself this. Get my ass over to the gym early on my own time and fucking get shit done!!

Tomorrow IS going to be a stronger day.

Tuesday 3rd - W5D2

1. Split Jerk 5 x 3 70/75/80/80/80kg



2. Incline Bench Press 6 x 4 70/75 x 3/65/70/72.5/75kg x3 - couldnt get into a groove on these at all, 72.5 was comfortable, 75 I could only get 3!!!

3. Weighted Mixed Grip Pullups 5 x 5 - pull ups 10kg, 15kg, chins 20kg, 25kg, parallel grip 25kg



4a. DB Bench 4 x 8 25/30/30/30kg
4b. Chinese Row 4 x 12/12 25/30/30/30kg

5a. Scarecrow FacePulls 10-8-8
5b. Barbell Curls 10-8-8 30kg
5c. Tricep Ext (skullcrushers) 10-8-8 ez curl bar + 25kg

Enjoyed this session although it took a little longer than expected. The incline press was a bit messy as I have never really done these (!) felt that bar path was far from straight. the db bench was strong although my grip was dying on the rows - on one of the sets I got a weird electric shock feeling running down beneath my left mcl, I just ignored it but it was a little tender after. All good though - need to spend tiem stretchign and foam rolling tomorrow though, left shoudler is feeling the pinch!!

Monday 2nd - W5D1

1. bb hang power snatch - 5x3
40/45/50/52.5/55kg 




Really jumping backwards here, need to get it sorted!

2. front squat - 6x4

100/105/110/115 x 3/105/105kg

3rd Set...



3a. DB reverse lunge - 3x8/8 25kg dbs
3b. DB single leg rdl - 3x8/8 1 25kg db on opposite arm

4a. evil wheel (rollouts) - 3x10 perform from knees or feet if possible (from knees)
4b. natural ghr - 3x6-8

5. single leg squats - 2x10/10


Really felt poor leaving the house. Stomach was in bits all last night, not sure if it was something I ate, but I didnt really sleep and food has been nearly non existant today. Having said all that, I was happy with how the snatch went (I think this was the heaviest I have gotten on a hang power snatch) and the front squat went well. I may have gotten 4 reps with the 115kg but I didnt want to risk it incase I had to dump the bar on Rob's floor!