Return of the King

BossArky

Saturday January 4th: Bench day 10 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x3
100kg - 6x5 ... work sets. Solid

Rev Fly
8kg per arm - 3x10

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +8kg - 3x5
---

Good solid Benching 100kg 6x5 superset with Rev Fly and Weighted Chins.

My body is thinking: "Nice cycle, we finished strong. It's over now, right?". Poor thing dosen't realize there is another week to go. **grabs sticky tape**

Weighed 80.9kg sometime in the past few days.

BossArky

Sunday January 5th: Deadlift day 5 of 6

Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x2
160kg - 1x1
170kg - 2x5

Military Press
52.5kg - 3x5
---
Barbell Row
80kg - 3x10
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Up Lateral - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x20
Face Down Rotation - 3x20
---

Deadlift 170kg 2x5 handy enough.

Feeling strong now that I've starting eating again.

Military Press 52.5kg 3x5 and Barbell Rows 80kg 3x10 was the assistance.

Finished off with neck training watched by some Swedish team who seem to be training at the same gym.

BossArky

Wednesday January 8th: Squat day 11 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
140kg - 3x5 ... work sets. Alright

45 Degree Back Raise
3x8

Ab Wheel
3x8
---

Got through Squats well enough: 140kg 3x5.

Feeling a bit run down after (cough, runny nose) - which suggests I'm approaching limits of recovery. Really need to sleep more. 3 of the past 5 days have been max 5 hours per night.

Struck up a conversation with the medical guy from Swedish national soccer team in the gym. He was watching me Squat. The team are training here for a summer camp. He was telling me about the friendlies they have upcoming and mentioned that Henrik Larssons son now plays for the team. In the lift the following morning he commented "you lift heavy". Lol.

BossArky

Thursday January 9th: Bench day 11 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
95kg - 1x1
105kg - 6x4 ... work sets. Alright

Rev Fly
8kg per arm - 6x10

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +9kg - 3x5
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Up Lateral - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x20
Face Down Rotation - 3x20
---

Bench 105kg 6x4 alright.

Could really feel those weighted chins in the biceps.

BossArky

Saturday January 11th: Squat day 12 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
130kg - 1x2
150kg - 3x3 ... work sets. Fine.

Ab Wheel
3x8

45 Degree Back Raise
3x8
---

Squat 150kg 3x3 to finish cycle strong. Legs a bit tired as walked 27k steps yesterday. A bit run down in general so got some medicine after the above. Happy enough with how they moved.

BossArky

Sunday January 12th: Bench day 12 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
100kg - 1x1
110kg - 6x3 ... work sets. Good

Rev Fly
8kg per arm - 6x8

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +10kg - 3x5
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Up Lateral - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x20
Face Down Rotation - 3x20
---

Finished the Bench cycle strongly with 110kg 6x3: no safety or spotters.

BossArky

Monday January 13th: Deadlift day 6 of 6

Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x2
160kg - 1x1
180kg - 1x3 ... worksets. Alright
---
Barbell Row
60kg - 3x10

Military Press
55kg - 3x5 ... off the ground to overhead as rack in use
---

A good Deadlift day to end the full 6 week training cycle. Did 180kg for a triple.

First time using four 20kg plates a side - so it had a nice feel to it. Have tripled 180kg and also 185kg in past cycles.. but that was with 25kg plates which made for an unsightly load on the bar. Four 20's is just nice :pac:

Barbell Rows and Military Press after were easy.

Rack was being used by crossfit guy for his 30kg front squats... so I just hoisted the 55kg from ground to overhead like a silverback and got on with it. Was surprisingly easy, probably after back being warmed up from Deads and Rows.

Cannot complain. Good cycle.

BossArky

Friday January 18th: Deload

Band Pull Apart (band)
3x10

DB Bench
12kg - 3x12
---
SSB
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
50kg - 1x10

GHR .. just the bottom portion
3x10
---

Deload.

BossArky

Monday January 20th: Squat day 1 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
105kg - 3x9 ... work sets. Fine.

Ab Wheel
3x10

Leg Curl
3 ascending sets ... which were all kinda light
---

A quick leg session to start a new training cycle.

As I was finishing up my Squats a guy was asking me if I would recommend using knee sleeves. I gave him a bit of an overview on SBD vs Rehband and the role that knee sleeves play in longevity. Good to be able to help someone.

Still averaging well over 10k steps per day for the past month or so now.

BossArky

Tuesday January 21st: Bench day 1 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
82.5kg - 6x6 ... work sets. Good

Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
2kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
3kg per arm - 1x10 ... just rev fly from here down
4kg per arm - 1x10
5kg per arm - 1x10
6kg per arm - 1x10
7kg per arm - 1x10
8kg per arm - 1x10

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 3x5
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Up Lateral - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x20
Face Down Rotation - 3x20
---
DB Curl
10kg per arm - 1x10
12kg per arm - 1x10
14kg per arm - 1x10

DB Shoulder Press
10kg per arm - 1x10
12kg per arm - 1x10
14kg per arm - 1x10
---

Was up at 4am for an hour long call. Hit the gym to start new Bench cycle at 5am. Was walking along the water by 6am. Nice and relaxing.

10k steps clocked up by 9:30am after a few meetings in work.

Turbo charged started to the day.

BossArky

Thursday January 23rd: Squat day 2 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
115kg - 3x7 ... work sets. Early days of cycle lethargy, but fine.

Ab Wheel
3x10

GHR
3x10
---
Stiff Leg Deadlift (with straps)
60kg - 3x7

SSB
50kg - 3x7
---

Squat 115kg 3x7 plus various assistance. Added SSB back in as had the opportunity to do so, plus some SDLs for the Hamstrings. Variety.

BossArky

Friday January 24th: Bench day 2 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
92kg - 6x5 ... work sets. Fine

Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
4kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
6kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
12kg per arm - 3x10 ... just rev fly from here down

Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Up Lateral - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x20
Face Down Rotation - 3x20

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +5kg - 3x5
---

Superset the Bench with Rev Fly and Neck Training for first 3 bench sets, then with Chins for final 3 bench sets. Handy enough.

Need to eat more. Weighed myself the next morning and was only 80.6kg.

BossArky

Saturday January 25th: Deadlift day 1 of 6

Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
105kg - 3x8 ... worksets. Easy
---
Barbell Row
60kg - 3x10

Military Press
40kg - 2x5 & 1x10 ... AMRAP on last set
---

Off the plane and some quick Deadlift and assistance in about 30 mins flat.

BossArky

Monday January 27th: Squat day 3 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
125kg - 3x5 ... work sets. A bit slow as 140k steps in the past 7 days.
40kg - 2x12 ... high bar for quad damage


Ab Wheel
3x10

Back Raise (10kg bar on back)
3x10
---

Squat 125kg 3x5 low bar followed up with some light high bar to work the quads a bit more.

Step count was 140k for the past 7 days which is getting out of hand. Need to save some energy for the gym.

BossArky

Tuesday January 28th: Bench day 3 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
97kg - 6x4 ... work sets. Alright

Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
4kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
6kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
12kg per arm - 3x10 ... just rev fly from here down

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +7kg - 3x5
---
DB Curl
12kg - 3x10

DB Shoulders
12kg - 3x10
---

Late night bench straight off plane: 97kg 6x4 with various assistance.

BossArky

Thursday January 30th: Squat day 4 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x1
135kg - 3x3 ... work sets. Slow as sore from team building stuff yesterday

Ab Wheel
3x10

GHR
3x10
---
SSB
55kg - 3x12

Stiff Leg Deadlift (with straps)
65kg - 3x12
---

Had some outdoor team building fun and games yesterday. Hip flexors and quads sore from obstacle course. Was gonna push todays Squats back a day to recover a bit more... but stuck to plan and battled through. The 135kg 3x3 Squats were slow... but got them done and will be back to full steam next week when more recovered.

BossArky

Friday January 31st: Bench day 4 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
82kg - 1x3
102kg - 6x3 ... work sets. Fine

Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
4kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
6kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
12kg per arm - 3x10 ... just rev fly from here down

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +9kg - 3x5
---
DB Curl
12kg - 3x10

DB Shoulders
12kg - 3x10
---

Some straight forward Bench: 102kg 6x3.

BossArky

Saturday February 1st: Deadlift day 2 of 6

Deadlift (beltless)
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
125kg - 3x8 ... worksets. Fine

Military Press
45kg - 1x5
50kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x13 ... PR AMRAP on last set
---
Barbell Row
65kg - 3x10
---

Some quick Deadlifting off the plane again.: 125k 3x8.

Plan was to Military Press 45kg 3x5 with AMRAP on third set... but there was some guy in there already so just worked in with his weights hence the up and down shown above. Realized on third set after a few reps that it was supposed to be an AMRAP and couldn't remember if I had done 10 or 12 last week... so made certain of the PR by getting 13.

Barbell Rows were light and easy: 65kg 3x10

I like this days three exercise combo.

Fine.

BossArky

Monday February 3rd: Squat day 5 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
115kg - 3x9 ... worksets
40kg - 2x10 or 12 cannot remember ... high bar quad pump

Ab Wheel
3x10

45 Degree Back Raise
10kg - 1x10
12.5kg - 1x10
15kg - 1x10
---
Leg Curl
Two ascending sets - 2x10
---

Squat 115kg 3x9 and various assistance.

Adding more weight to the back raise now as I move forwards.

Adding two drop sets with a light high bar weight to mimic SSB which I don't have access to when travelling.

Alf Veedersane

BossArky wrote: »

Monday February 3rd: Squat day 5 of 12

Squat
40kg - 2x10 or 12 cannot remember ... high bar quad pump

Wouldn't recommend increasing the numbers....weight, sets or reps.

Unpleasant!

BossArky

Tuesday February 4th: Bench day 5 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
87.5kg - 6x6 ... work sets, done in 27 mins. Fine

Rev Fly
2kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
3kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
4kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
10kg per arm - 3x10 ... just rev fly from here down

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +10kg - 3x5
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Up Lateral - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x20
Face Down Rotation - 3x20
---
DB Hammer Curl
14kg - 3x10

DB Shoulders Arnold Press
14kg - 3x10
---

Some quick Bench 87.5kg 6x6 with pump assistance. Neck too.

BossArky

Thursday February 7th: Squat day 6 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
125kg - 3x7 ... work sets. Alright

Ab Wheel
3x10

GHR
3x10
---
SSB
50kg - 2x12

Stiff Leg Deadlift
70kg - 2x12
---

Some evening Squats: 125kg 3x7.

BossArky

Friday February 7th: Bench day 6 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
97kg - 6x5 ... work sets. Fine

Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
4kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
6kg per arm - 3x10 ... just rev fly from here down

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 3x5
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x11
Face Up Rotation - 3x11
Face Up Lateral - 3x11
Face Down Extension - 3x22
Face Down Rotation - 3x22
---
DB Hammer Curl
14kg - 3x10

DB Shoulders Arnold Press
14kg - 3x10
---

Benched 97kg 6x5 with no issues.

Did chins 3x6 with just bodyweight as couldn't be bothered strapping up with additional weight. Just added a rep per set to make it 3x6 (instead of usual weighted 3x5). For variety, etc.

Added reps to neck exercises as it has now been >6 weeks since I started training it. Tried an unrecorded couple of sets with 0.5kg balancing on head at the end to see how that felt. Alright. Neck used to the various exercises now, so well see about gradually introducing some weight going forwards.

BossArky

Saturday February 8th: Deadlift day 3 of 6

Deadlift
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
145kg - 3x8 ... worksets. Good

Military Press
47.5kg - 1x5
52.5kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x14 ... PR AMRAP on last set
---
Barbell Row
70kg - 3x10
---

Some late night Deadlifts off the plane: 145kg 3x8. Felt like the weight and strength was in the sweet spot. Video showed form was good too.

Assistance was Shoulders and BB Row. Hit 14 reps on the Military Press drop set for a 1rep PR over last week.

BossArky

Monday February 10th: Squat day 6 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x1 or 2?
135kg - 3x5 ... worksets - meh - still sore from Deads
40kg - 2x12 ... high bar quad pump

Ab Wheel
3x10

45 Degree Back Raise
3x10 ... forgot to add weight as was focused on getting Squats done and avoiding rack getting snapped up
---
Leg Curl
Two ascending sets - 2x12
---

Squat 135kg 3x5. Quite knackered and DOMS'd to the eyeballs from Deadlifts <48 hours ago. Got it done, with the assistance above.

Squats looked a bit slow on video, but sure...

BossArky

Tuesday February 11th: Bench day 7 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
92.5kg - 1x3
102.5kg - 6x4 ... work sets, done in 27 mins. Easy enough

Rev Fly
3kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
4kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
5kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
12kg per arm - 3x10 ... just rev fly from here down

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +6kg - 3x6
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x11
Face Up Rotation - 3x11
Face Up Lateral - 3x11
Face Down Extension - 3x22
Face Down Rotation - 3x22
---
DB Hammer Curl
12kg - 1x10
16kg - 1x10
20kg - 1x10

DB Shoulders Arnold Press
12kg - 1x10
16kg - 1x10
20kg - 1x10
---

Some good Benching: 102.5kg 6x4. Flew through the worksets it with the Rev Fly and Chin Ups assistance above in 27 mins.

12kg per arm Rev Fly face down on Bench is perhaps a bit too heavy for "perfect" form. Had to bend elbows a bit more than usual. Still probably a good overload and hit the rear delts harder than usual.

Chin ups - I added a rep per set whilst reducing the weight slightly. Sweet spot. Prefer to do these for higher reps rather than weight. More focus this cycle on chins ups vs barbell rows (as I'm chinning twice per week vs once barbell rows - for variety).

Finished off with shoulders and biceps. Not sure - but hammer curling 20kg per arm for a set of 10 may be a PR. *flex*.

BossArky

Thursday February 13th: Squat day 8 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
125kg - 1x2
145kg - 3x3 ... work sets. Alright

Ab Wheel
3x10

GHR
3x10
---
SSB
50kg - 2x12

RDL
70kg - 2x12
---

Squat 145kg 3x3. Felt quite good in the early sets.

For some reason on some rep in third set (last one maybe) I got into a weird position and was thinking about letting the bar down gentle onto the pins. Because I was high-ish bar at the time it was too far to set the bar down... so I was caught in a no mans land where I'd have to round back and potentially injury myself to let it down. So sat there for a second of two and then just powered it up. Like a really weird long drawn out paused rep. Actually made me realize how much stronger I was in that position as it wasn't a problem to drive up.

Enjoyed the high rep SSB and RDL afterwards.

Thought that I was adding 5kg on RDL but checking log shows I accidently did the same weight as last week (70kg 2x12). Sometimes the days just blur when on autopilot.

BossArky

Friday February 14th: Bench day 8 of 12

Bench Press (paused)
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
95kg - 1x1
107kg - 6x3 ... work sets.
20kg - 1x20 ... to neck, elbows out bodybuilder style, from here down
25kg - 1x20
30kg - 1x20

Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
4kg per arm - 1x10 ... VT
8kg per arm - 1x10 ... just rev fly from here down
10kg per arm - 3x10

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 3x6
---
Neck Training
Face Up Flexion - 3x12
Face Up Rotation - 3x12
Face Up Lateral - 3x12
Face Down Extension - 3x24
Face Down Rotation - 3x24
---
DB Hammer Curl
12kg - 3x10

DB Shoulders Arnold Press
12kg - 3x10
---

That took close to 2 hrs as I meandered through it: 107kg 6x3 Bench up first then a load of assistance.

Feel like i'm technique-ing my way through Bench - able to move the weight as my technique is fine. However, to leap frog from current 120-125kg Bench 1RM range up to 140kg+ I need to put on some more muscle. Thinking about increasing the ROM my using a narrower grip next cycle, including more flat DB work and taking more of a bodybuilding approach.

Similar story on Squat - I can brute force my way through the sets and reps - but could do with more power in the legs so may do a cycle of high bar/SSB/front Squat focused stuff after this cycle.

Anyway - need to eat more as I enter the final two weeks of this cycle & finish off what is in front of me first.

Just last week I finished a step challenge first out of approx 30 ppl with a monthly average of close to half a million steps - which is about 15k+ per day. Got farily lean doing it. Now time to limit the walking and concentrate on gaining muscle again.

Alf Veedersane

When you have missed a bench, where do you miss it?

Just asking cos narrowing the grip to increase the ROM may not necessarily address the weakest part of your bench, e.g. may be shoulders that need to be targeted more with something like incline bench.

That said, closer grip work will also likely help.

BossArky

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

When you have missed a bench, where do you miss it?

Usually somewhere between 122.5kg and 127.5kg :pac: :pac: :pac: