345 Before the Big 50

Yesterday:

Did a one and a half mile run, some box jumps, kneeling jumps and combinations of both, and 20/15/15 back extns.

Today - Press day

Some complexes and chins to get warm and ready.

OHP
Planned to work up to an easyish single at 50kg but it was too muggerfuggin easy so did another still not too tough one at 60kg. Then dropped down to 45kg for 14 (rep PR) + 7 (50% set).

Cable rows
15 x 5 sets.

Bench
50kg x 5, 60kg x 5, 70kg x 5, 50kg x 5, 60kg x 5, 70kg x 5
ss with BB curls - sets of 15.

HLR
5 x 5

Done. This was a fun session but hard. Good times.

Deadlift day:

Did some more complexes instead of straight cleans today to get a bit more work in before the main lift.

Clean>front squat>push press>back squat>push PBN x 5/4/3/2/1. Started with the bar, last set was 65kg.

Deadlifts
Worked up to 150kg x 2

Front squats
40kg x 5, 60kg x 5, 80kg x 5
Did this for 2 waves with only short rests - so 6 sets in total.

HLR
5 x 4 sets
My core strength was getting a little smoked by this point.

Face pulls
25 x 4

Stretched and done.

Nice work in here. Keep on keepin’ on.

Will do Cap’n.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Thursday bonus mini-workout:

Was gonna run today but tweaked my calf yesterday - so did some more of the same complexes I did on Tuesday instead. Reps were 5/4/3/2/2/1/1/1/1 so 90 reps in total. Singles were 60kg, did 5 HLRs in between each set of singles.

That is all.

Ok so yesterday was bench day…

Foam rolled, arsed around with med ball and did 50 lightish Lat pulls while I waited for a free bench.

Bench
Worked up to the planned 85kg x 1 which felt a bit too easy so I then did 90kg x 1. Then did 75kg x 9 + 3 which was an utter shit show as I was aiming for 12 + 6. In retrospect I either should’ve not done the extra single or just didn’t rest long enough before going for the money sets. On the 50% set my shoulder didn’t even want to let me get the bar unracked, let alone do 3 ugly reps. Piss. Poor. Performance.

BB curls 15 x 4 ss with
Rope pushdowns 15 x 4

That was it. Called it. Went home and ate myself into a coma.

Squat day!

Clean>front squat>push press>back squat>push PBN complex x 5/4/3/2/1

Front squat
Worked up a steady single at 90kg. Then 80kg x 6 (rep PR) + 3.

Banded back extns
15 x 5 ss with
HLR 5 x 5

Band pull-aparts x 30/30/20/20

Solid session - nothing spectacular.

Got a short session in today. Similar to last week:

Complexes x 5/3/1/1/1/1/1
HLR 5x5 ss with the singles.

Done.

Press day!

OHP
Worked up to 55kg for a not too difficult single. Then did 45kg x 15 (rep pr) + 7.

Cable rows
20 x 5 sets
Not too heavy emphasised the squeeze and stretched back slow.

Hammer curls
20 x 5 ss with
Straight bar pushdowns
20 x 5
Again, these were lightish, strict - just got them in and got a skin splitting pump.

That’s it. Solid session, got it done, GTFO.

Today’s stuff:

Usual complexes x 5/4/3/2/1 up to 60kg.

  • 1 x Klokov complex just for the crack.

These got me nice and warm and fast for deads.

Deadlifts
Worked up to 130kg x 1, then 115 x 13 + 6.
I tried to learn from the debacle of my last bench session by not going nuts on the single (which is really just an over warm up anyway) and giving it a good couple of minutes recovery before the money sets. I think this worked as I absolutely destroyed this set - 13 is 3 rep pr for 115kg and I could’ve got 15 at a push.

HLR
5 x 5

Band pull-aparts
x 30/30/20/20

Finito.

Today’s lame assed bench session

Worked up to 85kg x 1. Did not play silly buggers and go above the planned weight. Made a conscious effort to wait until definitely fully recovered before attempting to attempt 75kg x >11…Got 9 again +3. Weaker than last time - again. Once is an off day, twice is a clusterfuck.

Did some chin up ladders - 1/2/3/4/5 x 3 ladders, so 45 total.

Rope pushdowns
Some weight x 25/25/20/15/15

Other lifts are all going the right way at the moment but bench is going down the shitter so I think I need to change something. Looking back at my log tells me I was doing better when I benched more frequently. I was also doing more reps on my warm up sets than I am now so that could be a factor. Haven’t decided exactly what to do yet but I think I’ll probably go to training the lift weekly first and then back up to twice weekly if that doesn’t make a difference. I seem to be able to progress lower body lifts and overheads training them fortnightly but not so for the bench press.

Ok. Going back to benching 2 x week to see if it helps me to grow some bench pressticles!

Today:

Complexes x 5/3/1 to get warm and fast.

Deadlift
60kg x 2
80kg x 2
100kg x 2
120kg x 2
140kg x 2

Bench
Bar x 20
30kg x 10
50kg x 10
70kg x 10
80kg x 3

OHP
25kg x 10
35kg x 5
45kg x 12

Lat pulldown
30kg x 10
45kg x 5
60kg x 10

Cable curl 20 x 5 ss with
Rope pushdown 20 x 5

Done.

Today’s training:

Bench
Bar x 20
30kg x 10
50kg x 10
70kg x 10
80kg x 5
60kg x 12

Front squat
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 3

Back squat
80kg x 30

Back raise x 20/15/15

HLR x 5 x 3

Notes: I had planned to do 5 sets each of back raises and HLRs but didn’t have much left after the high rep squats.

Had to work late and missed my training window on Friday and had a stacked weekend so had to skip a session godammit! Back to it today then…

Bench
Bar x 30, 20
30kg x 10
50kg x 10
70kg x 10
80kg x 5
60kg x 15
After a weekend of too much beer and shit food I planned to just aim for last week’s reps on 80kg and just do more on the back off if it felt good. Could’ve got at least one more on the 80kg set but stuck to the plan and left it in the tank, got 3 more reps on the back off so job done.

Front squat
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 4

Back squat
80kg x 31

Lat pulldowns
30kg x 10
45kg x 5
60kg x 11

Back raises
15 x 5

Upped everything a little from last week and left the gym feeling good (as in not absolutely destroyed). Result.

Just a quick one today…

Bear complex to warm up
Bar x 5
40kg x 3
60kg x 1
+1 Klokov complex x 1 @ 60kg

Deads
60kg x 2
80kg x 2
100kg x 2
120kg x 2
140kg x 3

HLR
6 x 3

S’all she wrote.

Nice work in here.

Can’t help you with the bench dilemma, I’ve never been much of a bench monkey, but I know the more I squat the better I get. Give the 2 x a week a go and see what happens.

Where abouts in England are you?

Thanks. Benching 2x week has worked for me before so I think you’re right.

I’m in the west country. If I recall correctly from reading your log you’re a Welsh lad aren’t you?

Today…

Bench
Bar x a gazillion
30kg x 10
50kg x 10
70kg x 10
80kg x 6

OHP
25kg x 10
35kg x 5
45kg x 13

Lat pulldown
30kg x 10
45kg x 5
60kg x 12

Rope pushdown
Some weight x 25 x 4 sets

Seventyfivepencestone curls
15kg x 100

Hit it and quit it.

Monday training…

Bench
Bar x a bazillion
30kg x 10
50kg x 10
70kg x 10
80kg x 7
60kg x 15

Front squat
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 6

Back squat back off set
80kg x 32

HLR
5 x 5 ss with
Back raise 15 x 5

Doesn’t sound much written down but I was toast after this.

[quote]68Guns wrote:
If I recall correctly from reading your log you’re a Welsh lad aren’t you?[/quote]

Living in Wales, but I’m English.

[quote]68Guns wrote:

Seventyfivepencestone curls
15kg x 100
[/quote]

What on earth are these?