Age: 25 Weight: 75kg Height: 5' 7''
Aims:
1) Lower body fat to approx 10% 2) Bench press own weight i.e. 75kg 3) Get in shape for the summer and this years triathlons i.e. run 5km consistently in 23 minutes. I did so recently but cannot keep it up regularly at the moment. 4) Squat some decent weights - never really tried this exercise much before 5) Deadlift some decent weights - never really tried this exercise much before
Past Fitness:
Used to cycle to work in France: 31km in 51 minutes 2 seconds
Have been a general gym goer. Never really followed a program. Went from a stick insect 19 year old to fairly well developed 25 upper body over that time. Now I'm hoping to put the whole lot together with some serious cardio for the triathlons.
List of events: (added on June 14th 2011 to keep track of the stuff I've done in this log over the years, and act as an index / table of contents)
Random:
London to Brighton Bike Race: 113km on June 18th 2007
JPMorgan Corporate Chase in Battersea Park: Run 5.6km (26:05)
London Triathlon (Olympic Distance) 3h 03m 57s
Blenheim Triathlon (Sprint Distance) - June 9th 2008
London Triathlon (Olympic Distance) - August 13th 2008
Gladiators Contendor Try Out
Measurement Chart
Revelation 1: The wisdom of kevpants
531 start
London Tri 2009 Sprint
Crossfit Ireland Invitational (Dublin) - Sept 2009
Bodyweight 80kg
Weight gain summary
531 end & 6 cycle summary
Joined Powerlifting Club
Powerlifting Competition #1 - Melbourne Feb 2010 - 115/85/152.5 --> 352.5kg @ bodyweight 78.90kg
Powerlifting Competition #2 - Melbourne April 2010 - 125/92.5/160 --> 377.5kg @ bodyweight 79.30kg
Powerlifting Competition #3 - Melbourne June 2010 - 132.5/ - /165 --> N/A kg @ bodyweight 81.05kg
Powerlifting Competition #4 - Melbourne Sept 2010 - 135/95/170 --> 400kg @ bodyweight 80.90kg
Powerlifting Competition #5 - Melbourne Nov 2010 - 140/97.5/175 --> 412.5kg @ bodyweight 81.70kg
Powerlifting Competition #6 - Raw Nationals - Melbourne March 2011 -150/97.5/180 --> 427.5kg @ bodyweight 82.48kg
Bodyweight 90kg
Powerlifting Competition #7 - Melbourne June 2011 - 152.5/100/170 --> 422.5kg @ bodyweight 82.65kg
Powerlifting Competition #8 - Perth Oct 2011 - bench only --> 100kg @ bodyweight 83.4kg
Powerlifting Competition #9 - Perth Apr 2012 - bench only --> 95kg @ bodyweight 82.15kg
Powerlifting Ref
Powerlifting Competition #10 - Perth Nov 2012 - 150/100/155 --> 405kg @ bodyweight 82.4kg
Powerlifting Competition #11 - Perth Oct 2013 - 145/97.5/157.5 --> 400kg @ bodyweight 83kg
Powerlifting Competition #12 - Perth Apr 2014 - 155/102.5/172.5 --> 430kg @ bodyweight 82.5kg
Powerlifting Competition #13 - Perth Jul 2014 - 147.5/107.5/165 --> 420kg @ bodyweight 84.75kg
Powerlifting Competition #14 - Perth Oct 2014 - 157.5/105/175 --> 437.5kg @ bodyweight 81.3kg
Powerlifting Competition #15 - Melbourne Mar 2015 - 160/110/170 --> 440kg @ bodyweight 82.2kg
Powerlifting Competition #16 - Melbourne Jun 2015 - 152.5/110/180 --> 442.5kg @ bodyweight 82.05kg
Powerlifting Competition #17 - Melbourne Oct 2015 - 145/112.5/165 --> 422.5kg @ bodyweight 82.90kg
Bench Peak 106kg - 6x3 - July 3rd 2016
Deadlift Peak 173kg 2x3 - Aug 26th 2017
Squat Peak 150kg 1x5 - Aug 31st 2017
Bench Peak 113kg 6x3 - Sept 1st 2017
Squat Peak 170kg 1x1 - Oct 9th 2017
Deadlift Peak 200kg 1x1 and 177kg 1x3 - Oct 14th 2017
Bench Peak 125kg 1x1 - Oct 17th 2017
Squat Peak 150kg 3x3 - Sept 19th 2018
Bench Peak 117kg 3, 3, 2 and 100kg x8 - Sept 21st 2018
Deadlift Peak 175kg 1x3 - Sept 22nd 2018
Powerlifting Competition #18 - Dubai Sept 2018 - 165/120/200 --> 485kg @ bodyweight 81.70kg
Powerlifting Competition #19 - Dubai Apr 2019 - 170/122.5/207.5 --> 500kg @ bodyweight 82.30kg
Powerlifting Competition #20 - Dubai Sept 2019 - 162.5/120/200 --> 482.5kg @ bodyweight 82.95kg
Powerlifting Competition #21 - Melbourne Nov 2022 - 140/102.5/185 --> 427.5kg @ bodyweight 82.85kg
Powerlifting Competition #22 - Sydney Feb 2025 - 140/BOMB/170 —> BOMB @ bodyweight 82.85kg
Powerlifting Competition #23 - Sydney Apr 2025 - 152.5/107.5/170 —> 430kg @bodyweight 82.5kg
Thursday April 7th: Bench
DB Curl
2kg per arm - 1x10
3kg per arm - 1x10
4kg per arm - 1x10
---
DB Rev Fly
6kg per arm - 7x10
Bench Press
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 6x4 ... worksets. Done in 21 mins combined with Rev Fly superset
Bench Row (i.e. rowing a weird shaped bar when lying face down on a high flat bench)
40kg - 1x10
50kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x10 ... this was way harder than it looks. Not really comparable to Barbell Row. Much stricter.
40kg - 3x10
Military Press
50kg - 3x5
Barbell Curl
25kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
Face Pull
light to moderate - 3x20
Neck (lying on Bench)
3x10 face up curl ... +0kg, +1.25kg, +2.5kg
3x10 face up rotation
3x10 face down ext... +0kg, +1.25kg, +2.5kg
3x10 face down rotation
Bench 90kg 6x4 which was good.
Monday April 11th: Squat and Bench day 1 of 12:
Squat
60kg - 1x10
85kg - 3x9
SLDL
20kg - 1x5
75kg - 6x6
40kg - 3x6
10kg per arm - 3x10
3x10 face up curl ... +1.25kg, +2.5kg, +3.75kg
3x10 face down ext... +1.25kg, +2.5kg, +3.75kg
Combined Squat and Bench day 1: 85kg 3x9 and 75kg 6x6 respectively.
Went a slight bit heavier on neck. Not much difference with the extra 1.25kg on each set.
edit - in case you are wondering: I didn't do day 12 of the last cycle for Squat or Bench, or day 6 of the last cycle for Deadlift. Was travelling and didn't have belt... plus was a few days behind in terms of my usual days to start a cycle.. so decided to take that time as a mini deload before getting back onto a new cycle.
Wednesday April 13th: Squat day 2 of 12 & Bench day 2 of 12:
95kg - 3x7
45DBR
3x10
Ab Wheel
Bench
80kg 6x5 ... strained neck on early set. Was sore for days after. Maybe cushion to soft.
Bench Pull
40kg - 3x5
Unilateral Rope Handle Pulldown
3x12
Triceps Pushdown
3x20
27.5kg - 1x10
Super cold in the Gym. Was Squatting in front of a massive fan that may have been the reason I ended up with pain in neck when Benching. So sore for days after - could barely roll over in bed. Writing this 6 days later and pain seems to have subsided. Got through the weights fine. Combined Squat 95kg 3x7 and Bench 80kg 6x5.
Sunday April 17th: Squat day 3 of 12, Deadlift day 1 of 6, Bench day 3 of 12
105kg - 3x5
Deadlift
100kg - 3x8 ... double overhand & beltless
85kg - 6x4
Pull Up (palms away)
3x4
T-Bar Row
+20kg - 3x10
5kg per arm - 3x10
3x10 face up curl ... +1.25kg, +2.5kg, +0kg
3x10 face down ext... +1.25kg, +2.5kg, +0g
Combined all Big 3 into one session as between gyms /traveling.
Wednesday April 20th: Squat day 4 of 12:
100kg - 1x3
115kg - 3x3
1x10
Hanging Knee Raise (off Pull Up Bar)
2x6 ... as 10 reps would have ripped abs off
Front Squat
Leg Press
+20kg - 3x20 ... light stuff for the pump
Squat 115kg 3x3 which was the aim of today.
Thursday April 21st: Bench day 4 of 12
Rev Fly
2kg per arm - 3x10
90kg - 6x3
6x20 ... light for the pump
DB Overhead Press
10kg per arm - 1x10
12.5kg per arm - 1x10
15kg per arm - 1x10
6kg per arm - 1x10
8kg per arm - 1x10
3x10 face up curl ... +2.5kg, +5kg, +0kg
3x10 face down ext... +2.5kg, +5g, +0kg
Triceps Pushdown (pulley)
3x20 ... light for the pump
Bicep Curl (unilateral pulley)
3x10 ... light for the pump
Bench 90kg 6x3 easily with a load of upper assistance.
When supersetting pulley tris and bis I was suprised how much harder the same light weight felt when curling vs extending.
Saturday April 23rd: Deadlift day 2 of 6
90kg - 1x3
110kg - 3x8
Barbell Row (with Fat Gripz)
GHR
First time training in home gym for a while. Nice.
Sunday April 24th: Bench day 5 of 12
80kg - 6x6
Face Pulls
light grey band - 3x10
One Arm DB Row
May have done something else but cannot remember. Was trying to keep it light as this was 2nd of 3 days back to back training (others were Deads vs. Squat).
Monday April 25th: Squat day 5 of 12
90kg - 3x9
Squats felt terrible. Sleep, nutrition, recovery not great recently - paying the piper now.
Wednesday April 27th: Bench day 6 of 12
85kg - 6x5
Barbell Row
60kg - 3x10
Unilateral Pull Down Row Machine
+20kg per arm - 3x10
Unilateral Press Machine
DB Curl (unilateral on preacher bench stand)
Concentrated on getting Bench down properly with some solid but not nuclear assistance.
Thursday April 28th: Squat day 6 of 12
20kg - 1x3
40kg - 1x3
60kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x3
100kg - 3x7
7x10
Hanging Leg Raise
3x6
+20kg - 3x20 ... light for the blood flow & pump
Made sure to warm up Squat well with light ascending triples until worksets 100kg 3x7 which felt easy.
Friday April 29th: Deadlift day 3 of 6
70kg - 1x5
110kg - 1x3
130kg - 1x1
150kg - 1x1
170kg - 1x1 ... top single. Good
130kg - 1x8 ... drop down
Leg Ext
light - 3x20 ... both legs together
light - 1x20 ... one leg at a time
Leg Curl (standing, unilateral)
light - 4x10 ... one leg at a time
Plan called for 130kg 3x8 but since there is a comp comping up I had to test out a heavy single on 170kg. Was fine.
Monday May 2nd: Squat day 7 of 12:
GHR (bottom half ROM, full ROM, top half ROM)
30kg - 1x3
50kg - 1x3
70kg - 1x3
110kg - 3x5
Front Squat (using straps as handles for first time for extra comfort)
Late night Squatting 110kg 3x5. Felt fine as warmed up slowly.
Used straps as hooks for Front Squat grip for first time.
Tuesday May 3rd Bench day 7 of 12
90kg - 6x4 ... easy. Triceps felt strong
Face Pull (light grey band, two handles)
6x20
Bench 90kg 6x4 easily. Trained late at night again.
Thursday May 5th: Squat day 8 of 12
120kg - 1x3 ... first workset
140kg - 1x1 ... top single
120kg - 1x3 ... dropset back to planning working weight triple
9x10
Planned worksets were 120kg 3x3. Had to through in a heavier single in the middle of them to figure out where I was ahead of the comp. 130kg and 140kg were fine.... then finished off with a dropset back down to working triple weight (120kg x3).
Bench day 8 of 12:
95kg - 6x3
10kg per arm - 6x10
Overhead Press (single arm)
Neck rotation (light grey band)
2x20 front
2x20 back
20kg - 3x10
Handy enough Bench: 95kg 6x3.
Saturday May 7th: Deadlift day 4 of 6
120kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x6
Deadlift 140kg 1x6. Think that was it.
Monday May 9th: Deload.
5x10
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 3x5 ... speed reps. Felt good
60kg - 3x5
Inverted Row
DB Curl (unilateral)
5kg per arm - 1x10
7kg per arm - 1x10
Deload ahead of next weekends comp.
Saturday May 14th: Squat Day 1
Goblet Squat
5kg - 1x5
7.5kg - 1x5
10kg - 1x5
70kg - 3x5
Calf Raise (seated)
frame +10kg - 3x12
Staggered RDL
20kg per leg - 3x10 i.e. the bar and changing stance so that back foot is exactly one step behind front foot
frame +40kg - 3x20
Was supposed to compete at States tomorrow but got derailed as couldnt't get exemption from local qualifying comp even though was out of the country at the time.
Thought about doing a mock meet today - but no point going heavy and risking injury. Instead started a new cycle nice and light and focused on speed on the Squats: 70kg - 3x5. Quads felt used after them. Lots of lighter warm up reps. I'm thinking that this is making me use my actual quads when I warm up slowly... vs. a posterior chain dominant Squat that I normally do when jumping from cold to heavy.
Sunday May 15th: Bench day 1
7.5kg per arm - 1x10
Seated Row Machine (unilateral)
Shoulder Press
Seated Pull Down Machine (unilateral)
Incline Bench
Decline Bench
3x12 face up curl
3x12 face up rotation
3x12 face down ext
3x12 face down rotation
Tricep Pushdown
Bench day with a million assistance reps.
Tuesday May 17th: Squat day 2 & Deadlift day 1
70kg - 1x2
80kg - 1x2
90kg - 1x2
100kg - 1x1
**add belt**
110kg - 1x1
120kg - 1x1
80kg - 3x5 ... dropset. Quads getting shot here after the build up to heavy singles beforehand.
140kg - 1x3
160kg - 1x1
170kg - 1x1
180kg - 1x1 ... top single
30kg per leg - 3x6
ascending sets - 3x20 ... light for the pump
Enjoyed working up to heavy singles: Squat 140kg and Deadlift 180kg.
On my 2nd last Deadlift set (170kg) some guy comes up to me in amazement asking if all the plates were 20s. I explained that 3 per side were 20s. Hehe. The others were a 10 and 5. Pushed on afterwards to make sure he saw 4 20s per side for the 180kg single.
Good.
Wednesday May 18th: Bench day 2:
90kg - 1x1
105kg - 1x1 ... top single
80kg - 3x5
Pull Up (narrow-ish, palms away)
3x5
DB Bench
10kg per arm - 1x20
12.5kg per arm - 1x15
Pull Down Machine (rope, pulley, unilateral)
Tricep Pushdown (rope, pulley)
3x10 face up curl
3x10 face down ext
Did a load of assistance (that I cannot remember) after the main event of working up to a Bench single on 105kg. Also put 110kg on the bar and thought about going for it sans spotter... but not worth the risk.
So, in two days back to back I hit a total of 425kg (Squat 140kg, Bench 105kg, Deadlift 180kg). None of them were out and out maxs... but good to know approx where I'm at in terms of heavier gym singles.
Sunday May 22nd: Squat day 3
10x5
90kg - 3x5
Enjoyed working up to Squat 90kg 3x5 in the cold night air.
Monday May 23rd: Bench day 3
Band Pull Apart (light grey)
a million
22kg per arm - 1x10
Worked up to Benching 90kg 3x5 handy enough. Back off set (flat back, feet uo) on 40kg x10 to get a bit of pump as I headed out the door. Some curls too after DB Rows.
Thursday May 26th: Squat day 4
11x5 ... a set before each Squat set as I worked up slowly
100kg - 3x5 ... worksets
RDL
40kg - 3x6 ... just more light hammy stretching
Late evening training in the peaceful cold and dark. Beautiful.
Worked up to 100kg 3x5. Threw on the SBD belt before Squatting 100kg 3x5 and giving thanks to the lifting gods for being healthy enough to do these kind of things. Took it 10kg at a time in triples building up from the empty bar to work sets.
Sometimes it is about building up to a comp.
Sometimes it is just about building.
I love training.
Friday May 27th: Bench day 4:
92kg - 1x4 ... was aiming for 5 but cut it at 4 as was feeling flat
60kg - 1x10 ... close grip
40kg - 1x10 ... close grip
Band Stuff (light grey)
random mix of pull aparts, rows, tri-ext, bi-curl ... superset with Bench sets
Bench felt super weak today. Mildly tweaked something in shoulder a few days ago - potentially when doing flat back feet up drop sets after main Bench. Right shoulder was feeling a bit iffy today hence didnt want to push it. Was just tired too. No big deal. Cut workout short.
Saturday May 28th: Deadlift mess about
SLDL/RDL - who knows?
70kg - 1x10
80kg - 1x10
Lat Pull Down (grey band, hooked off ceiling frame)
~5x10
Tricep Pushdown (grey band, hooked off ceiling frame)
Messing about hammering the hamstrings. Worked up in sets of 10 to get as great a stretch as possible.
Tuesday May 31st: Squat
SSB
30kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x5
Lunge (front foot elevated on 10kg plate & a mat)
3x10 per leg
Some Squats. So cold.
Wednesday June 1st: Bench Press
60kg - 1x1
Cannot remember what else I did as it was ~2 weeks ago now and I had an intercontinental trip in between. I remember that 100kg x3 Bench feeling super easy without elbow sleeves.
Sunday June 5th: Messing about - hotel gym workout
DB Thruster
5lbs per arm - 1x5
10lbs per arm - 1x5
15lbs per arm - 1x5
20lbs per arm - 1x5
25lbs per arm - 1x5
Seated Pull Down
Seated Bench Press Machine
Seated Row
Getting some blood flowing. Simple hotel workout.
