Friday 16/11

Clean + front squat 5x40,50kg, 3x60kg

Front Squat - clean the first rep - 5x75, 3x85, 5x95 - PR I guess.

KB swings (32kg) 1x10 each hand, 1x20 hand to hand

3x20s german hang + 12s manna split hold (6s a side)

Another good session, my back is feeling a fair bit better.

Will throw the vids in later if I upload them.

First post back - 15/11/2012

So I've been without internet in my new place for the last week or so, so haven't been able to log anything, without further ado, here is todays benching session.

Bench Press - Paused
5x80
3x90
5x100 PR

Sets of 5 bulgarian rows between sets, hit 12 on my final set for another PR

Extra ROM Pike Press 3x8
+
OAC progression x5,3,3 - did a variation I really like today, side to side with a chin up grip.

Back Lever 20s tuck, 5s half lay, negative full BL - didn't want the massive strain of trying to hold it for a couple of seconds so it was just a controlled negative.

L sit x20s between sets.

Max push ups - 36, 4 better than last week. I do these with a hollow body position and strict form, so it is a lot harder than the way I used to be able to bang out 50-60 in a set. I am building up to 50 like this.

First time benching 100kg for reps, when I started 5/3/1 all over again it was with a bounced 100kg max so I think that is decent progress for the year.

Monday Oct 29th

Gah, so much shit going on right now, had to train fasted as I ran out of time to eat this morning. Still my weight was at 90kg, which is good. So training was;

Military Press
3x47.5, 55 7x60 PR

Weighted Chins
3x+10, +20, +20, 7x+30 - meh my pulling feels so off lately.

Inverted Ring Curls x5 + Tuck BL x20s
x2

Dip x5 + L sitx20s, 10s
x2

I was going to do a third round but was running out of time and wanted to do some shoulder isolation stuff, which I did along with a set of 15, 5, 5 chins, I was fatigued by here so I was happy with getting that.

Important point about the dips, they were pretty well the biggest ROM I can do on PBars, also paused at the bottom, so they were harder than your average dip.

This cycleof training is looking pretty fun, upper body is pretty well the same, just some high rep chins and push ups added and lower body days have some plyometrics added to them. Also doing Back squat and Front squat as my 2 main lifts for lower body.

Monday 22nd

Had a deadlift workout last friday, it sucked. My back isn't right so I'm taking a little bit of time off deadlifting and resetting my training max I think. I did do high rep hamstring curls with the sliding pad I made, my hamstrings are still sore lol, 3x15 will do that to you I guess.

Todays session was a quick deload one. I wasn't going to deload this week but I've been feeling a little off like I'm getting sick so I did it anyway.

Mil Press
5x25, 32.5, 40

Chins in between, 50 total roughly

Some shoulder stuff, lateral and rear flys mostly. Then did some random crap and called it a day.

Tuesday Oct 18th

Bench
5x77.5
3x87.5
5x97.5k - PR

Lots of inverted rows between sets, did different variations, just made sure to push it hard each set.

Korean Dips 3x5 - 1 set palms away, 2 palms toward
PBar Body curls 3x5 - these are a lot better than when I used to do them.

Did some tuck front lever pulls alternated with some planche work, I think it was 3x5 of each.

Handstand stuff, a fair bit of it. Have a couple of vids. Also did 2 stomach to the wall strict HeSPU, the second had a little more arch than I'd like but it wasn't too bad.

Some higher rep shoulder isolation stuff.

More shit coming tonight if I have the time...

Tuesday October 16th

Another good squat session, my warm up was more comprehensive than it has been of late, which may have helped. Did about 10mins of SMFR with the rumble roller then some light front squats just sitting in the hole for 10s, sitting really upright.

Squats
some x something
5x85 (was meant to be 95 but I misread)
3x107.5
8x120 - PR

Calculated max of 152kg

Paused Front Squats
2x5 @ 70kg

Lots of tumbling oriented practise, along with some planche stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

That is all for today folks, there is a topic I'm thinking of writing up on this week sometime but I'll see how I'm going for time.

Monday Oct 15th

Mil Press
5x50, 3x55, 6x62.5 - PR Calculated max of 75 or 76kg I believe. Lost my tightness on the last one and did it quite a layback press but oh well, it went up and down 6 times.

Weighted Chins - worked up to 3x45 - didnt want to do an absolute grinder for number 4, did a set of 2 and another single in the next couple of minutes to still hit 6 total.

Back lever, HS and L sit stuff.

Some lateral and posterior delt raises followed by 50 karwovski(sp?) rows with 40kg.

Did pike, bridge, split and straddle/pancake stretches, all of these have improved quite a bit of late.

Sunday, October 14th

I've been in and out and away and back for the last 2 weeks so that is the reason for a lack of workouts logged. I have managed to irritate my lower back a little, but I think some time off heavy deads and maybe even heavy squats should allow it to heal by the time my next deload is over. I'm not going to put any stuff in as I can't remember it all and I dont think there has been any PRs to talk of anyway.

Part of the reason I have been away was because our gymnastics club had a competition in Broome, so we bussed (sp?) our way up there and did pretty well, took home tonnes of firsts, in individual appparatus as well as over all which is awesome for the kids. My boys finished 1st, 2nd and 4th in their division, the trifecta would have been cool, but I'm not going to complain.

I do have to start doing some wrist prehab stuff at the beginning of my workouts now, I'm developing some kind of problem in my thumbs, doing a handstand is somewhat painful for the first couple of seconds. It is more just annoying than anything, but I have to do my best to nip the problem in the bud.

That will be all methinks.

Thurs 27th of Sep

Deload Bench Workout

Did some German Hangs to loosen up at first, then a couple of other bits and bobs.

Bench Press
5x40, 50, 60

Bulgarian Ring Rows x5 in between sets, plus a couple extra, I think I did 5x5.

Worked on some snatching, I really dominate the lower weights now, they feel ultra smooth and fast, but as soon as I hit the 60kg mark (which I realize is still light) I start missing them about half the time. I think I need to practise doing the snatch and then dropping down and work on catching lower and lower because at the moment it is pretty well a power snatch.

RTO support x10s x3 - Need to get this back up again I think.

L sit chins 2x5

Bulgarian Dips 1x4 - I'm a lot better at these than the last time I tried, I think better shoulder rotation and just generally better strength around the shoulder has helped.

Did some handstand and back lever work, getting closer and closer to a full negative straddle HS press, I think I just need to work on getting a full pancake stretch. I'm actually relatively close to the same thing in pike, but only because I have a full pike easy.

Tuesday 25th of September

Deload Squat workout

Snatches
2x1 snatch pull followed by 1 full snatch @ 40 and 50kg

Clean and Jerk (squat jerk)
A bunch of reps with 50kg, was trying to get into a deep squat jerk.

Form was ok, vids below - I should have dropped deeper into the catch of both so I could check the form then as well but oh well.

Squats
5x50, 62.5, 75

Banded Pallof Press 3x10s - done with squat stance

Commando Planks 1x10 raises each arm, slow and controlled. Great exercise for anti rotation if you lack equipment

Hamstring curls with plastic mat on carpet - cramp city central. I did 1x3 and 1x5 - second set was much better as I didnt cramp so quick.

Videos

Monday 24th of Sep

Deload Workout - much needed

Warmed up with some foam rolling and band work.

Did some light (5kg) rear and lateral delt raises for 2x20 maybe, wanted to get the shoulders nice and warm.

Overhead Pressing
5x 25, 32.5, 37.5kg
+
Alternated each set with wide grip pull ups x5 with a pause at the top.

Did some gay high rep stuff for delts and arms, I have the worst mind muscle connection with those muscles in comparison to everything else, especially in my left side. I think it was like this;

Fat grip BB curl x15
Lalanne Push up x15
Decline DB curl x10-15
Prone Tricep kickback (rotating from neutral to supinated grip) x10-15
x2

Finished off with 1 set of rear delt hang and swings for 20x10kg and some mobility work for the whole body, also some back extensions as my back has been tender since deadlifting on saturday.

Starting afresh!

So I had every intention to keep this blog up to date originally but I think I was trying to put too much info into it and thus put it aside into the 'too hard' pile. So, to remedy the situation, I've decided to keep it pretty well restricted to training and maybe a little dieting (I'm looking forward to doing that again, overeating all the time sucks).

Why do I train and where am I going with it?

I train because it keeps me happy and sane. Life tends to really piss me off and inwardly this anger builds up steadily but if I can get out and lift things, throw myself around or smack a ball then it dissipates, it doesn't seem so bad.

My strength goals are;

Bodyweight 90kg

1x bw Military Press 70kg -> 90kg
1.5x bw Bench 110kg -> 135kg
2x bw Squat 140kg -> 180kg
2.5x bw Deadlift 200kg -> 225kg

That's the 'big' lifts covered. I also dabble in Oly lifting and gymnastics (well a little more than dabble I'll admit)

1x bw Snatch 65kg -> 90kg
1.5x bw C+J  100kg -> 135kg

Solidify a full Back Lever (5 seconds)
Straddle Press Handstand
Solidify OAC (I've hit it a few times but never really 'locked it in')
Full HSPU

There is some other things I'm sure I've forgotten but that is the gist of it. I was using gymnastics as the majority of my strength training but I've had many issues with tendonitis and I don't really want that any more so that has been put on the back burner a little for now, although I still do plenty of it. The oly lifting I do because it is damn fun and I think it really promotes a lot of important physical attributes, speed, power, flexibility, timing and co-ordination.

There is plenty more to my training than that but rather than try expand on it anymore, you can see my training journey unfold from here on in.