Return of the King

brianthebard · 28-05-2009 01:37PM

BossArky wrote: »

First off I'm going to drop to at least 75kg bodyweight and keep that as my max weight going forwards. I'm half contemplating some kind of squat specialization for a month before getting in to Westside! Maybe Westside will help if I just hammer the squat and leave deadlifts out for a while.

Are you an economist? :P

Kinda annoying 'cos I've spent lots of time in the last year or two on lower body stuff (squats / deadlift) but it is still lagging behind.

Fwiw I wouldn't say your lower body is lagging really, you're 25kg lighter than me and your lifts aren't far off mine.

And you've a bigger bench. Perhaps trying to keep your weight down is going to impact how much you can make gains to an extent? Just thinking out loud here i guess...

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 28-05-2009 01:44PM

Excellent work on the deadlift man.

gnolan · 28-05-2009 03:50PM

Good numbers on the deadlift.....but. Now i'm no expert but looking at the video after 14 seconds, that looks like some curve on your lower back. I don't know if people can share their opinions as to whether this is an acceptable or even expected amount of curve but i think it might look a little dangerous.

BossArky · 30-05-2009 07:36AM

brianthebard wrote: »

Are you an economist? :P

No

brianthebard wrote: »

Perhaps trying to keep your weight down is going to impact how much you can make gains to an extent?

I'm going to try getting my full moneys worth from current weight first.

gnolan wrote: »

i think it might look a little dangerous.

I think the same. Need to work on keeping back straighter.

BossArky · 30-05-2009 07:40AM

Friday May 29th:

Walk 5.6km

Stop A: Skipping ~5 mins

Stop B: Sprint intervals
1st 400m: 1:23 ... pb
2nd 400m: 1:25
3rd 400m: 1:35

BossArky · 31-05-2009 01:29PM

Sunday May 31st: Morning

Calf Raise
BW - 6x10 ... waiting for bench
---
Bench Press
20kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x4
60kg - 1x3
70kg - 1x2
80kg - 1x1
85kg - 1x1
90kg - 1x0 ... fail
60kg - 1x13
---
T-Bar Row
5kg - 1x10
15kg - 1x10
25kg - 1x10
35kg - 1x10
45kg - 1x10 ... first time doing this exercise so pretty light. Want to build upper back
---
Run 5km (24:43, ~430 cals) ... treadmill
---
Pull Up (neutral grip)
1x10
1x8
1x6

External Rotation (pulley)
1.25kg per arm - 2x10
---

BossArky · 31-05-2009 01:30PM

Sunday May 31st: Afternoon

Walk 5.6km

BossArky · 02-06-2009 09:41AM

Tuesday June 2nd:

Chin Ups ... on smith machine bar, waiting for squat rack
BW - 1x14
BW - 1x6

Bench Press (incline)
20kg - 1x10 ... waiting for squat rack

Hang Clean & Press
20kg - 1x10 ... waiting for squat rack
---
Squat
20kg - 1x5
45kg - 1x3
65kg - 1x3
85kg - 1x3
105kg - 1x0 ... fail
---
Military Press
20kg - 1x8
30kg - 1x4
40kg - 1x4
50kg - 1x4
55kg - 1x4 ... push press
60kg - 1x2 ... push press
---
Barbell Lunge
50kg per leg - 2x8
---
Stiff Leg Deadlift
50kg per leg - 2x8

Barbell Row
50kg - 2x8
---
Face Pull
10kg - 1x5
12.5kg - 1x5
15kg - 1x5
17.5kg - 1x5
20kg - 1x5
22.5kg - 1x5
---
Tricep Pushdown
20kg - 1x8
---
Hanging Leg Raise
1x8
---

Rubbish session. Got sidetracked in the park on the way to the gym. The entrace gate was open, but not the exit. This made me double back & lose a few mins so arrived late and missed out on the squat rack. Was just doing aimless stuff.

BossArky · 05-06-2009 10:07AM

Friday June 5th:

Power Clean & Press
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
65kg - 1x3
70kg - 1x1 ... pb
75kg - 3x0 ... couldn't get it above belly button height
60kg - 1x3
---
Squat
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x10 ... was aiming for 20 reps
100kg - 1x0 ... unracked it but didn't bother trying to lift it back up out of the bottom. Tired after PC&P
---
Stiff Leg Deadlift
50kg - 2x8

Bent Over Barbell Row
50kg - 2x8
---
Military Press
50kg - 2x5 ... last two reps of second set were push pressy
---
Pull Ups (neutral grip)
BW - 1x10 ... felt good after all the pressing
---

Good session considering I had switched off the alarm at 6am and decided to stay in bed as still knackered from tuesdays lunges. Got up at 6:30am after a guilt fueled recovery. Ran there and ended up having a good one.

Power Clean technique is still brutal. Was interesting to find out how much I can overhead (push) press though. I reckon I would have managed 75kg (i.e. ~bodyweight) if I had managed to clean the bar a bit higher.

brianthebard · 05-06-2009 10:24AM

If your form still needs work then your numbers will probably continue to improve as your form does-good stuff! Can't find the last time you did 20 squats, but perhaps you took too big a jump in weight? For some reason I thought you did 70x20 the last time?

BossArky · 05-06-2009 10:33AM

brianthebard wrote: »

Can't find the last time you did 20 squats, but perhaps you took too big a jump in weight? For some reason I thought you did 70x20 the last time?

My last 20 rep squat was 75kg some time in the past 2 weeks.

80kg probably would have been ok if I had done the squat first. I was just tired this morning - the lunges and stiff leg deadlift on Tuesday had me crippled walking around the past few days

kevpants · 05-06-2009 10:48AM

From a strength perspective, I think you could benefit from doing less!

Sometimes I have to stop halfway through your log entries because I can actually feel my CNS becoming fatigued!

The problem is you're a fit bloke and I'd say you keep going until you feel knackered. That doesn't always mean you're doing what's best to come back stronger.

Obviously you have loads of other elements to your training than just pure strength but that is just my 2 cents on the strength side of it

BossArky · 07-06-2009 03:11PM

Sunday June 7th:

Squat
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x4
60kg - 1x2
70kg - 1x2
80kg - 1x2
90kg - 1x2
100kg - 1x2
105kg - 1x2 ... vid to follow. Will use this one for the records thread
110kg - 1x0 ... fail. So close! Got the depth too (on vid) but stalled about 1/3 of the way up. Held it there for a few seconds then crashed
---
Press Ups
45 reps in a minute ... video to follow. Could do more if I work on them. Didn't have a stop watch so was just aiming for 50 to see what would happen.
---
Pull Ups (palms away unless stated otherwise)
BW - 1x10 ... on smith machine bar. This was the first thing I did in the gym whilst waiting for the squat rack above. Just putting it here to keep it tidy
BW - 1x11 ... vid to follow. 11 reps in 30 seconds, no breaks. If I had known I had that much time left I would have kept going for more after a bit of a breather. Probably could have squeezed out a few more
BW + 5kg - 2x5
BW + 15kg - 1x2 ... neutral grip, failed on third
BW + 15kg - 3 (or 4?) x3 ... negatives, with Green Athene military pressing me upwards
BW + 15kg - 1x1 ... palms in, i.e. chins. Wrecked by this stage. kevpants, you have a point
---
Face Pulls
11.25kg - 1x10
13.25kg - 1x10
16.25kg - 1x10
---
Ab Pull Down
31.25kg - 1x15
41.25kg - 1x15
48.25kg - 1x15
---

This was probably my last workout for a week or so as heading to Cyprus on holiday on Tuesday (yay!). I therefore wanted to get a proper squat video for the records thread... and try the push up challenge too.

Good to see Michael Cravez post some excellent pull ups. I broke out the dip/pull up belt and strapped on some weight..... --> first steps in getting that record back

All in all a great session.

BossArky · 07-06-2009 03:18PM

BossArky wrote: »

Squat
105kg - 1x2 ... vid to follow. Will use this one for the records thread

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uiUfuXFpVE

BossArky wrote: »

Press Ups
45 reps in a minute ... video to follow. Could do more if I work on them. Didn't have a stop watch so was just aiming for 50 to see what would happen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DreeWh3z9u8

BossArky wrote: »

Pull Ups (palms away unless stated otherwise)
BW - 1x11 ... vid to follow. 11 reps in 30 seconds, no breaks. If I had known I had that much time left I would have kept going for more after a bit of a breather. Probably could have squeezed out a few more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkRNRsD0iRE

Bodyweight 76kg today.

Cravez · 07-06-2009 06:27PM

I will read your log with interest

. I guess having that bit of competition will keep me motivated also for training pull-ups. One thing weighted pull-ups is great for is the carryover of strength of bodyweight pull-ups when you increase your actual bodyweight. I found that if you just do bodyweight pull-ups and then start adding bodyweight the bodyweight pull-ups become a little bit harder. This doesn't really happen if you are doing weighted pull-ups so i think its always good to have weighted pull-ups as staple in training, particularly if you plan on increasing bodyweight.

itsallaboutheL · 19-06-2009 02:17PM

Whats the story with the update failure??

BossArky · 19-06-2009 02:18PM

Thursday June 18th:

Bike ~7mins ... warm up
---
Squat
20kg x10
30kg x5
40kg x5
50kg x5
60kg x5
70kg x5
80kg x5
90kg x5
100kg x0 ... fail

Military Press
20kg x5
30kg x5
40kg x5
50kg -2x5 ... strict

Front Squat
20kg x5
30kg x5
40kg x5
50kg x5
60kg x2 ... happy enough

Stiff Leg Deadlift
60kg - 3x10

Calf Raise
BW x12
BW + 40kg x24
BW + 60kg x24
BW + 80kg x24
---
Pull Ups (palms away)
x10
x7

Hanging Leg Raise
x7
x6
---
Seated Low Row
30kg x10
45kg x10
60kg x10
---
L Lateral Raise
2kg - 2x10?

Reverse Fly
2kg - 2x10?
---

Hammered legs there. As I write this (2 days after that session above) I can barely walk.

In Johannesburg for work at the moment - the above was squeezed in on the evening of my first day. Was a bit knackered after heaps of holiday travelling through Cyprus, Lebanon and Syria.

Holidays included a bit of swimming and walking... and lots of ice cream / crap. Will get back to proper routine from around mid next week when back home.

BossArky · 19-06-2009 02:20PM

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

Whats the story with the update failure??

See my post a minute after yours :pac:

BossArky · 22-06-2009 08:08PM

Monday June 22nd:

Run 2km (11:27, ~170 cals)
---
Squat
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x4
60kg - 1x4
80kg - 1x4
90kg - 1x4
100kg - 1x1
60kg - 2x8
---
Military Press
20kg - 1x8
30kg - 1x6
40kg - 1x4
50kg - 1x2
60kg - 1x1 ... got pretty dizzy and had to sit down suddenly after this. It was 99% strict. Not 100% sure as I was seeing stars

Pull Ups ... easy supersets keeping count with the military press above
BW - 1x8
BW - 1x6
BW - 1x4
BW - 1x2
BW - 1x1
---
Sit Ups
2x15

Lying Back Extensions
2x10

Shoulder Dislocates
2 sets of lots
---
Front Squat
20kg - 1x5
30kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
50kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5 ... wrists almost snapped off. Heaviest yet
---
Chin Ups
BW - 3x8

Calf Raise
40kg - 1x20
60kg - 1x20
80kg - 1x20
---

Forgot to mention I signed up for the London triathlon a few weeks ago. It's on in early August. Incentive to train = possibility of giving Jenson Button a pasting

Well, hopefully if he is doing the sprint distance too: swim 750m, cycle 20km, run 5km. I know he is taking part in one of the distances.

If I manage 1hr 30 mins I'll be happy enough. Would like to do maybe 1 hr 25 mins. That kind of distance should allow me to keep making progress on the weights.

brianthebard · 22-06-2009 08:38PM

Nice work on the press. If your wrists are bothering you on the front squats you could try hands over the bar, unless you're doing them with clean grip to help your power cleans?

BossArky · 22-06-2009 09:02PM

brianthebard wrote: »

If your wrists are bothering you on the front squats you could try hands over the bar, unless you're doing them with clean grip to help your power cleans?

Yeah, I'm doing them with the clean grip. Wrist flexibility has increased a mile in the past 6 months.

BossArky · 27-06-2009 10:22AM

Friday June 26th:

Cycle ~12km ... outdoors

Skipping ~10 mins ... got one massive set which I didn't count but I guess was about 300+ reps

BossArky · 27-06-2009 10:22AM

Saturday June 27th:

Squat
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x4
80kg - 1x2
100kg - 1x1
---
Front Squat
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x6 ... pb, by a rep

Lunges (oly bar)
30kg per leg - 1x8
40kg per leg - 1x8
60kg per leg - 1x8 ... tough after front squat
---
Military Press
20kg - 1x8
30kg - 1x6
40kg - 1x4
50kg - 1x2
60kg - 1x2 ... two push presses
---
Pull Ups (medium grip, palms away)
2x9
1x6

Ab Crunch
3x15
---
Skipping
~5 mins ... not the best skipping I've ever done. Kept stepping on rope
---
Run 1km (5:04, ~90 cals)
---

Hanley · 27-06-2009 12:11PM

I'd have trouble doing those lunges... that's some good going!!

BossArky · 28-06-2009 02:40PM

Hanley wrote: »

I'd have trouble doing those lunges... that's some good going!!

Maybe we're talking about different things. I'm sure you would have no problems with them. One leg forward, the other back, 60kg barbell across back, bring back knee down to a few mm above ground the push up again. Change legs after 8 reps.

I'll video them sometime soon.

BossArky · 28-06-2009 02:44PM

Sunday June 28th:

Run 5km (27:29 mins, 223 cals) ... outdoors

Walk / Cycle 5km
---

Used a heart rate monitor for the run to see what kind of calorie burn I would get. I was surprised that it was so low at 223 cals. The gym treadmill gives a reading of ~400 cals for 5km. I know the treadmill over estimates but still the outdoor reading seems a bit low. Perhaps it was defaulting to Green Athene's weight.

Heart rate was up about 170-190 for most of the run which looks high, but I felt fine throughout.

BossArky · 01-07-2009 03:46PM

Bodyweight ~76kg a couple of mornings ago which is ok considering the lack of proper training/diet in recent weeks.

I've have had a good ponder about my training over the past few days. Originally the plan was to do Westside starting now. However, I've got the London triathlon at the beginning of August and think that 4 days "hard" weight training per week may be too much along with the cardio.

I then thought I could maybe do a month of Starting Strength.

In recent days Brian has twisted my arm so I've decided to go for *drum-roll*

5/3/1

. Apparently this starts off easy enough so hopefully I'll be able to keep the cardio in on the side until beginning of August. After the tri I guess

5/3/1

will have progressed and be a bit tougher.

I'm going to have a good read of the "manual" on the train home this evening and start from tomorrow morning.

Thoughts?

brianthebard · 01-07-2009 03:54PM

Lol I don't think what I did constitutes twisting your arm!

kevpants · 01-07-2009 04:03PM

BossArky wrote: »

Thoughts?

Good choice

Even fat-boys like me can combine cardio and 5/3/1

BossArky · 02-07-2009 08:48AM

Thursday July 2nd: 5/3/1 Week 1, Day 1.

Military Press

Warm Up
20kg - 1x5
25kg - 1x5
30kg - 1x5 ... should have been 1x3, got carried away

Work Sets
35kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
45kg - 1x8
---
Chin Up
BW - 3x8

Dips
BW - 3x8
---
Skipping ~2 mins of ~5 short sets ... testing my newly shortened skipping rope
---

In and out in 30 mins. Feels good to be back on a program. This morning was easy.

I'm opting for a combination of Wendlers bodyweight and "I ain't doing jack sh!t" assistance as the tri cardio will fill out the rest for the next month.

Will go swimming at lunchtime. More on my 5/3/1 calculations later.

Return of the King

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