Wednesday 31 October 2012

Tezzie Tickling Tuesday

Tuesday, recently, this has been a horrible training day.  But, I was supposed to be unleashing seven shades of Hell on my rugby women in the form of a fierce conditioning session.  But, the session was cancelled shortly after my knee physio session.

Lets talk physio.  Because I have rubbish knee ligaments in one knee and some weird issue in my left knee/thigh, I've been prescribed a 6 week Biomechanical Knee Programme.  I was promised a good workout at this as it rendered my physio unable to walk properly for a couple of days.  I'm a rugby player.  I'm used to activities that don't allow me to walk.  So, I was expecting to be put through my paces with a series of near superhuman activites.

There were 12 stations.  In fairness, some of them were difficult-ish.  2 minutes per station.  My feet don't 'talk to the floor' fully and my left leg is considerably weaker than my right leg.  It's my right leg that I'm having issues with.  Hmmmmmmm.  With any luck, over the next six weeks, I'll have sorted out the imbalance.

So... post-physio, I went to the gym as the rugby session was cancelled.

Bench press - 1 x 10 @ 60kg, 1 x 10 @ 70kg, 2 x 8 @ 90, 1 x 10 @ 80
Close grip pulldown - 1 x 10 @ 50, 1 x 10 @ 60, 3 x 10 @ 75
Incline bench press - 1 x 10 @ 40kg, 1 x 10 @ 50kg, 3 x 10 @ 60kg
Pectoral fly - 1 x 10 @ '5', 1 x 10 @ '7', 3 x 10 @ '10'
Narrow grip bench press - 4 x 10 @ 60kg
Static bike - L5, 10 mins @ 90rpm


I should have stayed at home.  But, you don't build awesomes at home.  You build them in the gym, then go eat decent and repair at home/in your sleep.  I seemed to have just lost a bit of mojo.

Anyway, bench press went poorly.  I failed at a weight I've smashed before and that set the tone for the rest of the session.  I just felt a bit under-par.  Weirdly, I enjoyed the bike more than anything else in that session.

Ah well, time for a lie down.

Mount Moron Monday

Another week started.  Another day full of morons at work.  Enough of them to make a mountain out of them.  Mount Moron.  Both nouns.  Not a verb followed by a noun.  That would just be wrong.

So, the weekend came and went in a blur of activity.  Friday night was gym night, but I can't remember what I did, other than run out of time as the gym closed early, so, the pure athlete in me decided to watch a film and eat fish & chips.

Saturday, I was planning on finishing my gym session off.  And I did.  In my sleep.  Then off to rugby to watch my team lose 5-0.  Poo.  Then on to my sister's for a halloween party.  I hate halloween.  So much that I'm not even capitalising the first letter.  Up yours, rubbish American 'tradition'.  So, I made a token effort and went dressed in my tiger onesie.  Then on to the pub for a couple of beers and a sing-song at the karaoke.  As I was dressed as a tiger, I had to do Eye Of The Tiger.  I also joined some old rockers for a bit of AC/DC - Whole Lotta Rosie and Saxon - Wheels Of Steel.  Then, my crowning glory performance of the night... Bowling For Soup - 1985, complete with pogo-ing and a small amount of showboating (for the fans).  Raptures of applause followed and I drank more cider, which, as we all know, gives you the voice of an angel.  A fallen angel, but an angel nonetheless.  More to come; Nilsson - Without You.  A suprise entry as someone requested it then buggered off.  The night finished with a now-traditional rendition of Metallica - Enter Sandman.

Sunday, the day of rest.  Or, in my case, the day of driving 100 miles to coach my women's rugby team to a fine (if squeaky-bum) 14-12 victory as they keep their title chase up.  100 miles of return journey and I crash out.

So, the weekend passes and I'm happy to go to work for a bit of a rest.  That doesn't happen as all manner of smelly brown stuff hits a rotating air circulator.  It doesn't matter... I'm at the gym doing shoulders!  Let's do a little dance!

  • Seated shoulder press - 1 x 10 @ 30kg, 1 x 10 @ 40kg, 3 x 10 @ 50kg
  • Wide grip lat pulldown - 1 x 10 @ 50kg, 1 x 10 @ 60kg, 3 x 10 @ 70kg
  • Clean and press - 1 x 10 @ 30kg, 1 x 10 @ 40kg, 2 x 10 @ 50kg, 1 x 4 @ 60kg
  • EZ curl biceps curl - 5 x 10 @ 20kg
  • Rowing machine - 10 minutes (last 4 are Tabata - 20 seconds effort, 10 seconds rest X 8)
  • Bike - level 3, 10 minutes @ 100rpm

As a session, I was quite pleased.  The original plan was to start with the standing press, but that machine was taken.

Seated press and wide grip pulldown is OK and went to plan.

Clean and press, whilst not particularly heavy is a big movement and requires a lot of dynamic strength.  I thought my heart was going to explode through my chest.  My favourite exercise at the moment.

The biceps curl was OK.  Done in a 'pass the bar' style, so there's little recovery time.  It's all about conditioning the guns.

Then some CV.  My training partner wanted to finish with CV, so I'm more than happy to do this.  In the 10 minutes on the rower, I managed ~500m more than him.  So that was pleasing - he can press more than me, I can exert myself for longer than him.

Then I went home and ate a small mountain of pasta.  Not a mountain of morons though.  That would possibly be more weird than the word mount being a verb.

Thursday 25 October 2012

Woe is me Wednesday.

Training in the dark.  Finishing the first exercise in the dark.  Answering the door with full on morning glory.  Things that shouldn't happen.  But things that definitely happened this morning.

So, the alarm goes off at 6.30.  Lady training partner due to arrive at 6.45.  She's always late, so there's no issue there.  I accidentally snooze and hear a tapping at the door.  Stumble downstairs and it appears clear that I'm happy to see her.  Brilliant.

Bloodflow issues sorted, I head off to the gym and start the day with a quick session.

  • Standing military press - 10 @ 30kg, 10 @ 40kg, 3 x 10 @ 55kg
  • Deadlift - 10 @ 60kg, 10 @ 70kg, 3 x 10 @ 80kg
  • Rear dumbbell raise - 2 x 10 @ 20lb, 3 x 10 @ 25lb
  • Crunches - 50

The standing press was difficult.  In fact, it was a difficult session.  Burning the candle at both ends, busy at work, coaching rugby and weight training is just about manageable.  But when I'm recovering from a fairly horrible cold, then I maybe think I should have had the week off training.

And my coup de grĂ¢ce.  Forgetting to take my sodding rugby shorts to training.

Woe is me Wednesday!

Malteaser Monday

Actually, Monday had nothing to do with Malteasers.

Monday was all about spotting my mate at the gym.  I had managed to contract a rare strain of manfluenza that saw me off work on Friday and generally feeling significantly un-shibby.

So, off I trudged to the gym, sniffling away and generally being a bit of a ponce.  Until, quite suddenly, my course of manupacillin kicked in and I thought, sod it - I'll take the weights back a little and give it a go.  What's the worst that could happen?

  • Bench press - 10 @ 50kg, 10 @ 60kg, 3 x 10 @ 80kg
  • Narrow grip pulldown - 10 @ 40kg, 10 @ 50 kg, 3 x 10 @ 75kg
  • Incline bench press - 10 @ 40kg, 10 @ 50kg, 3 x 10 @ 60kg
  • Dumbbell curl - 10 @ 35lb, 10 @ 40lb, 3 x 10 @ 45lb
  • Narrow grip bench press - 10 @ 40kg, 10 @ 50kg, 2 x 10 @ 70kg
  • Wide/neutral/narrow bench press - 30 @ 50kg
Everything was on the upper edge of comfortable.  I was particularly pleased to bust out the full 30 reps of the last set.  Something that really finished she arms/shoulders and after the narrow grip bench press, there's not much left in the triceps.

In unrelated news...  I've been told that I have 'perfect' guns and that they're 'rock hard'.  All hail the 'CEPS!  And I must thank the very nice woman that said that to me, I did a very internalised happy dance at that!

Friday 19 October 2012

Because I am a Lazy Lazerson...

I should point out that I'm not actually the son of a lazer, as cool as it would be.  I've been far too lax this week and I haven't updated my blog.  My only superfan has threatened to do an Ironpoo through my door if I don't update, so here's my week's training in one super-post.


Monday...

So, we start the training week again on the back of the weekend's activities (ran touch at rugby and boxing on Sunday).  Also back to normal on the working front - I just felt more with it as I travelled home to some inspiring music (not The Cheeky Girls).  In, change, water, make the short trip to the gym.
  • Bench press - 10 @ 50kg, 10 @ 60kg, 3 x 10 @ 85kg
  • Close grip pulldown - 10 @ 50kg, 10 @ 60 kg, 2 x 12 @ 70kg, 1 x 17 @ 70kg (failure)
  • Incline bench press - 10 @ 40kg, 10 @ 50kg, 3 x 12 @ 65kg
  • Dumbbell curl (seated) - 10 @ 35lb ea., 10 @ 40lb, 2 x 12 @ 45lb, 1 x 13 @ 45lb (failure)
  • Narrow grip bench press (flat) - 10 @ 50kg, 10 @ 60kg, 2 x 12 @ 65kg
  • Final bench press set  - 10 wide grip, 10 neutral grip, 10 narrow grip - all done in one set (no rest) or until failure.  I used 60kg and did the 10 x wide, 10 x neutral and my arms were in all sorts of pain.  I composed myself for a couple of breaths then bust out 4 x narrow grip and that was all I'd got.

A thoroughly enjoyable session.  Very hard.  Very achy at the end.  I needed a couple of minutes alone to be able to put my hoodie on before heading home for a well earned protein shake.

Bench press was OK and is progressing as expected.  Same weight next week, but I will get 3 x 12 out instead of 3 x 10.

That last set was a total killer and really finished my arms off.  I was achy as soon as I got home!



 Tuesday...

My arms and chest were really feeling the pain after the previous night's session, even after a good sleep.

Shoulders.  Brilliant.  By brilliant, I meant 'why didn't I suggest a full leg session as my arms are hurty'.  They read so similar.

  • Dumbbell shoulder press - 10 @ 40lb ea., 10 @ 45lb, 3 x 12 @ 50lb
  • Deadlift - 10 @ 60kg, 10 @ 80kg, 3 x 12 @ 95kg
  • Standing military press - 10 @ 30kg, 10 @ 40kg, 3 x 12 @ 50kg
  • Seated cable row - 10 @ 40kg, 10 @ 50kg, 3 x 12 @ 70kg

This was a very demanding session.  I was already pre-fatigued due to the Monday's session as I said before, I really should have given my arms another rest cycle before pushing on.  But, hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20.  Deadlift was done to make room for something extra on the leg session planned for Wednesday.

I was planning on a dip session, too.  But I was spent.  My triceps had nothing more to give.

Wednesday...

Again, the alarm clock goes off at 6.30.  5 minutes of snooze.  Fall out of bed and into my gym kit then it's time to dodge the hoover in the gym as I rub the sleep out of my eyes and eye up the cold looking bar.  At this point, I am a walking ache.  Everything is painful.  I feel like I've got a cold starting.  Brilliant.  You don't build awesomeness being a ponce and moaning about illness.  You kick the awesomeness off in the gym and build it with rest and nutrition.

Squat - 10 @ 60kg, 10 @ 80kg, 3 x 12 @ 90kg
Calf raise - 10 @ 100kg, 10 @ 120kg, 3 x 12 @ 160kg
Hanging leg raise - 5 x 10
Seated twist - 5 x 10 @ 50kg (each side)
Ab roller - 5 x 10

As I was feeling pretty pooped, my training partner wanted to do some abdominal exercises, so we finished the morning's workout with those 3.

My back was in bit for some reason.  My lower back was just very painful.  3 hard session and I was falling to pieces.  And I had rugby training to look forward to later in the evening.  Yay.

But, for a week's worth of resistance training, I think I covered quite a bit.

I've been struck down with the dreaded lurgy and I'm quite ill.  So, I'm unsure when I'll next train.  I just hope that I'm OK to train on Monday evening.  All depends on how the cough/cold/flu goes.

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Wide-awake Wednesday

So, the horrible alarm clock sounds at 6.30.  5 minutes of snooze later and I'm up.  Signing in at the gym at 7am is not something that I enjoy.

Nor is the leg session.  But, it has to be done, otherwise I'll look like a right pillock.

Deadlift - 1 x 10 @ 60, 1 x 10 @ 80, 3 x 12 @ 90
Calf raise - 1 x 10 @ 100, 1 x 10 @ 120, 3 x 12 @ 160
Squat - 1 x 10 @ 40, 1 x 10 @ 60, 3 x 12 @ 90kg

Deadlift was a nice little wake up call.  Not as heavy as if I'm pulling on the 3 x 5, but it's entirely acceptable as a weight.

Calf raise seems like something I can do almost forever.

Squatting was more tiring than the deadlift for me.

So, early morning leg sets done.  I cannot wait to go to sleep tonight!

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Tetchy Tuesday.

I'm not sure why tetchy, I think I'm just struggling to think of words for alliterative purposes.

Following on from yesterday's volume based training, I'm continuing with a 'normal' ish workout plan, but reducing the weight slightly and doing lots more reps.  I can really feel it in my arms and chest today, the ache points to progress though, so I'm happy to have these training aches again.

Tonight's session was aimed at the shoulders and looked like this...

  • Seated shoulder press - 1 x 10 @ 40kg, 1 x 10 @ 45kg, 3 x 12 @ 50kg
  • Shrug -  1 x 10 @ 45kg, 1 x 10 @ 65kg, 2 x 12 @ 75kg, 1 x 13 @ 75kg
  • Standing military press - 1 x 10 @ 30kg, 1 x 10 @ 40kg, 2 x 12 @ 50kg, 1 x 10 @ 50kg
  • Cable pulldown -  1 x 10 @ 55kg, 1 x 10 @ 65kg, 2 x 12 @ 75kg, 1 x 18 @ 75kg
  • Tricep rope pushdown - 1 x 10 @ 15kg, 4 x 12 @ 20kg

That was a hard session.  On at least 2 occasions, I gave it almost all that I had and had I not had a moment after finishing the exercise, I'd have stood up and passed out.  Genuine effort, all around.

The seated press was good - I wasn't far away from my 3x5 weight and I did more than twice as many reps.

The shrug was solid, but I was losing grip on my last set so couldn't bust any more out.

The standing press is a good, core upwards, intensive movement and again, I wasn't far from my 3 x 5 weight.

The cable pulldown nearly had me conking out.  Which is good - I love pushing myself as far as I can.

With the rope pushdown, I simply had no more to give and was completely tatered by the end of the session.

Leg session, with volume tomorrow.  I'm not looking forward to that as it's an early session.  But, it'll set me up for the day!

Mardy Monday

Well, it would have been mardy if I was at work.  But, I wasn't.

So, having built some decent muscle mass and strength, for the next 6-8 weeks, I'll be training in a slightly different manner.  I'll be aiming at volume and I'll also be adding in some decent CV sessions as I aim to cut around 6% bodyfat for now.

Last night, my body composition (according to my monitor was)...

Body fat = 25.8%
Water = 55.4%
Muscle = 70.4%

I'm ignoring BMI, as according to that, I shouldn't be able to walk upstairs without having a coronary.  For me, it's all about cutting some bodyfat.  Now, I weigh ~ 117kg.  I'm aiming to cut my bodyfat to under 20%.  If I was to stay at my current weight, that would equate to losing around 7kg.  Which should be relatively simple, just do more CV and cut the rubbish that I eat.

With that in mind, I followed the same kind of training regime as I've been doing recently, but I dropped some weight and did my heavier sets as 3 x 12 (or, 2 x 12 and 1 x to failure/break in form).

  • Bench press - 1 x 10 @ 50kg, 1 x 10 @ 60kg, 2 x 12 @ 80kg, 1 x 15 @ 80kg
  • Seated row - 1 x 10 @ 50kg, 1 x 10 @ 60kg, 2 x 12 @ 70kg, 1 x 18 @ 70kg
  • Incline bench press - 1 x 10 @ 40kg, 1 x 10 @ 50kg, 2 x 12 @ 60kg, 2 x 14 @ 60kg
  • EZ curl bar - 6 x 10 @ 20kg, 1 x 14 @ 20kg
  • Dips - 1 x 10 @ 70lb, 1 x 10 @ 55lb, 2 x 5 @ 40lb, 1 x 5 @ 45lb
The bench press was pleasing.  I'll move that up by 5kg next week.  I'm next due to bench press on Thursday, so I might add 2.5kg each side then.

Seated row was good and very tiring.  Everything can comfortably go up a weight next week.

Much the same with the incline bench.  That was comfortable doing the 12.

EZ curl bar - I put the weight added to the bar as I'm not sure what the bar weighs.  My training partner and I do this as a pass the bar type - so you get much less rest.  Do one set of 10, pass the bar, do the set, pass the bar, do the set etc.  He stopped at set 5, so, as I want volume in my training, I did another couple of sets.

The dips - I decided to go heavy on the dips as my training partner has challenged me to do 5 bodyweight dips.  I've challenged him to do 35 bodyweight dips (if he does that, then I'll be very impressed that a 20+ stone man can do 35 bodyweight dips).

Anyway - hope this appeals to you, Rhon ;-)

Thursday 4 October 2012

A slap on the wristicles

I haven't blogged in a while.  Bad, bad man.  So, I'll post an update on where I'm at in terms of weights as an indication of improvement.

Next week will see a whole new routing and a whole new bias to my training, which I'll continue until December.  But, that will come on Monday's blog.

So then, my improvements on what I consider to be the most important exercises...

Bench press.  Starting weight: 40kg  Finishing weight: 100kg
When I re-started, I was doing light dumb-bell as my shoulder was pretty stuffed.  I'm really pleased with my progress so far and I'm somewhere near my pre-injury strongest.

Shoulder press.  Starting weight: 40kg  Finishing weight: 60kg
As per bench press - I was doing lighter dumb-bell work.  I couldn't stretch with a bar at the back of my neck.  An increase of 45lb AND an ability to work at the back of my neck.

Squat.  Starting weight:80kg  Finishing weight: 120kg
A good improvement, showing the strength and confidence of my knee.  In a straight plane of motion anyway.

Deadlift.  Starting weight 110kg  Finishing weight: 150kg
Pleasing as I managed to injure myself pulling too much, too soon of a 15" deadlift and hurt my back, which is still not fully recovered.

Dip.  Starting weight (assistance): 70lbs, finishing weight: 35lb.
Really pleasing.  I want to be bodyweight dipping soon.

Dumb-bell curl.  Starting weight: 45lb, finishing weight: 55lb
Form has improved massively with this and I no longer find myself with an odd 'twanging' sensation (rather than pain) at the back of my right arm.



Overall, I'm really pleased with my increases over these 'staple' exercises.  I've clearly re-gained some strength and power.  I've also gained some muscle across my shoulders.

As I pointed to at the beginning of the blog, I want to change my routine, which I'll keep for the next 6-8 weeks for a slightly different focus to my training.

I'll blog again with the remaining gym sessions planned - Friday and Saturday.