A Rugby Winger and His Workouts

Training Training Logs
321

21 Feb

Rugby Match - 5th XV (Won 25-5)

One of the other 3rd XV wingers was playing here at full back so I was less annoyed about being passed over for selection again. The opposition had us for size and strength in the forwards but they made loads of mistakes and there were countless turnovers. I was right wing and having screamed for it when we were 10 yards out I was given a line-out style throw from the 12 which I caught above my head, side stepped the first guy and bundled over the line with a 2nd defender for the opening try. Our centres were fending off 2-3 tackles before being stopped so the tactic was to run it from everywhere. Half time 7-5 up.

I had a few more runs in the second half, one I broke about five tackles as I went back across the pitch and passed to the opposite winger, hamstrings felt slightly tweaked otherwise i’d have continued on to try and score myself. We kicked a penalty then really nice kick return by our full back and an offload to the 10 got us the second try. A second kick took us to 18-5 and I came off in the last 10 and my replacement peeled off a breakdown a few yards out and scored our final try. Felt pretty fresh from my deload but wary that a few muscles were overly tight (calves in particular) and will rest my hamstrings tomorrow and gym Monday.

Rested legs made such a difference but as I said earlier i’m no longer tapering to accommodate rugby and as selection isn’t until Friday morning I can’t give any exception if I made the 3rds squad.

322

23 Feb

KB swings, Abductor/Adductor & Glute work to warm up

Power Clean 2 x 75kg, 2 x 80kg, 2 x 85kg

Deadlift 5 x 4 x 125kg

Plyo Jumps 2 x 25 x 2.5kg

Bent Over Rows 5 x 5 x 70kg - will go to 6 reps next time as I can’t go heavier than this without losing form

Deadlift 5 x 9 x 90kg (75 secs) - still pretty easy, 100kg next

Good session, I have a tightness running from the inside of my groin down my right leg across my knee to my ankle. Have stretched everything and it still tweaks at weird angles. I had it before and it sorts itself out, did my session fine but i’m aware of it when walking.

323

24 Feb

Bench Press 2 x 3 x 95kg, 2 x 3 x 100kg, 2 x 3 x 95kg - pleased to complete this as I didn’t feel super strong despite being fresh

Weighted Pullups 6,6,5 x 5kg, 2 x 6 x BW

Incline DB Press 3 x 10 x 22.5kg, 10,10,7 x 22.5kg

Machine Row 2 x (2 x 10 x 22.5kg, 1 x 10 x 20kg) - focus was on pulling the elbows behind me and feeling my mid-back working

Tricep Dips 15, 12, 9, 8 - all four cables were in use so I did these off a minute rest

Ab Ripper X - complete

Bloody ab ripper, kills me. Want to do it twice a week as the kneeling crunch wasn’t doing it for me. Pleased with bench and rows, felt average to below average in the other lifts, particularly pull-ups.

324

27 Feb

KB swings, Abductor/Adductor & Glute work to warm up

Power Clean 2 x 75kg, 2 x 80kg, 2 x 85kg

Back Squat 5 x 4 x 120kg - annoyingly tough, will be at this for a few more weeks

Plyo Jumps 2 x 25 x 2.5kg

RDL 5 x 8 x 80kg

Needed an extra day as ab ripper ruined me with doms. Hard work in the squats, really struggling to complete every set.

1 Mar

OHP 6 x 3 x 62.5kg

T-Bar Row 5 x 12 x 45kg

Bench Press 8,8,8,6,6 x 80kg (2 mins)

Lat Pulldown 6 x 10 x 50kg - really happy with this

Preacher Curl 5 x 8 x 20kg

Ab Ripper X

Pleased with that session. Pressing was tough, might need more of a warm up. I think sets of 12 suited my rows as my form goes to pot at any higher weights. Most pleased with lat pulldown, was changing between 40 and 50 a few weeks ago so a solid 6 x 10 was good. Had nothing left for curls, was going to do them standing up but the weight I wanted was already set up for preacher curls so did those. Ab ripper to kill me off, still hurts from last time.

325

Not a chance of me fitting in four workouts with adequate days off between them as my work has started up again so i’ve changed things up. I’m going to do three full body workouts, bringing in more elements of Ashley Jones back three program, and hopefully with the higher frequency for upper and lower i’ll progress better particularly in my squat.

I shuffled things around and came up with 4 lower 4 upper exercises each day + abs, some supersetted and with rep schemes from Ashley Jones. Detailed below for anyone interested (or who suggests alterations), some have a 3 week progression so “3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3” is weeks 1, 2, 3 not all done together. I’ll tailor it as I go, already changed RDL on day one to 10,9,8,7,6.

Day 1

Power Clean 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Squat 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Borzov Jumps 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
RDL 2 x 12, 10, 8 (10,8,6 - 8,6,4)
Bench Press 30 total
Machine Rows 6 x 10
DB Press 30 total
Pullups 30 total

Day 3

Hang Clean 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Deadlift 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Box Jumps 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Back Squat 2 x 12, 10, 8 (10,8,6 - 8,6,4)
Overhead Press 2 x 6,5,4 (5,4,3 - 4,3,2)
Lat Pulldown 6 x 10
T-Bar Row 6 x 10
3 Way Raise 2 x 12, 10, 8 (10,8,6 - 8,6,4)

Day 5

Power Clean 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Squat 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Box Jumps 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Reverse Lunge 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Bench Press 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 5 x 3
Bent Over Row 2 x 12, 10, 8 (10,8,6 - 8,6,4)
DB Bench 30 total
Shrugs 6 x 10

326

4 Mar

Power Clean 2 x 5 x 70kg, 5 x 75kg - 70kg was too easy

A1 Back Squat 3 x 5 x 110kg - deep!

A2 Borzov Jumps 3 x 5 - forgot how much these suck, it’s like a rear leg elevated single leg squat jump, in fact that’s exactly what it is

RDL 10,9,8,7,6 x 70kg - back to the barbell, no more smith machine

Bench Press (30 reps, 30 secs rest) 80kg x 13, 6, 5, 4, 2

Machine Rows 6 x 10 x 22.5kg

B1 Pull-ups (30) = 9, 7, 5, 5, 4

B2 Alternate DB Press (30) 20kg x 10, 8, 7, 5

Ab Ripper - will do it this evening I promise

Tried to imagine myself doing the exercises in order and how i’d feel after, was quite accurate. Legs were fine, I think that’s the easiest of the three days due to low volume. Didn’t like how badly I dropped in bench, as he recommends a weight with a 10 rep max. for the first set and I remember doing it last pre-season and ending up doing six sets of triples to get over the finish line. Same with pull-ups, my form wasn’t textbook but I tried to dead-hang at the bottom of each one. Overall I liked it, busy Thurs-Sat so next workout is Sunday.

327

7 Mar

Power Clean 3 x 5 x 75kg

A1 Deadlift 3 x 5 x 120kg

A2 Squat Jumps 2 x 5 (forgot them first set)

Back Squat 12, 10, 8 x 90kg, 12 x 90kg, 10 x 95kg, 8 x 100kg

OHP 2 x (6 x 50kg, 5 x 55kg, 4 x 60kg)

T-Bar Row 5 x 10 x 45kg

Lat Pulldown 5 x 10 x 50kg

3 Way Shoulder Raise 12,10,8 x 5kg per hand

Pretty embarrassing start in the gym as I tried my first hang clean in ages, timing was completely off and I clattered myself in the gut with the bar. Bloody hurt but I didn’t want to look like a twat so I just did five regular power cleans as if nothing happened. Squats were meant to go up in weight but legs still tired from deadlift so only did it second time through. Gym closed at 5pm and I thought it was open until 6pm so I had to cut a set off rows and pulldowns, then do shoulder raise at home. I feel smashed so no ab ripper. And yes I did ab ripper on the 4th as promised, i’m coping better but making exercises harder as i progress.

328

Nice work - will be keeping an eye on this log in future. Do you ever front squat squat? I know you have done in the same set as power cleans, but I meant in the way that you’re currently back squatting.

329

Hey Wolf,

I front squatted a few years ago quite consistently, do like how it hits the abs, not actively avoiding it now just haven’t chosen to include it. Good to have you on board.

10 Mar

Power Clean 3 x 5 x 75kg

Back Squat 3 x 5 x 110kg - meant to do jumps straight after but forgot AGAIN

Bench Press 3 x 5 x 90kg

Bent Over Rows (smith machine) 6 x 10 x 50kg - bloody felt these, Jesus

Incline DB Press (30 total, 30 secs rest) 25kg x 14, 7, 5, 4

Deadlift 4 x 10 x 100kg (60 secs) - concerned my back would be too tired from rows but it was fine

Hex Bar Shrugs 6 x 10 x 40kg - not shrugged in years, kept it light

Possible ab ripper later today. Adjusting to my new session layout and didn’t go hard. I have some basic workouts from when I was sprinting that included power clean, bench and squat 3x a week so i’ll be doing those rep schemes (3 x 5, 3 x 10 or 5,4,3,2,1). DB Press was a bit shit if i’m honest, would do flat bench but the DB’s i’d need look like they’re going to fall apart on my face, some have handles with a 45 degree bend in them from damage. Shrugs were meant to help with my traps for power cleans, I know I get huge doms from them normally.

330

Work is full on, really struggling to find free time.

15 Mar

Power Clean 5 x 75kg, 4 x 80kg, 3 x 85kg, 2 x 90kg, 0 x 95kg

Back Squat 5 x 110kg, 4 x 115kg, 3 x 120kg, 2 x 125kg, 1 x 130kg

RDL 4 x 8 x 70kg

Bench Press 5 x 90kg, 4 x 92.5kg, 3 x 95kg, 2 x 97.5kg, 2 x 100kg - 100kg felt too easy to just do a single

Machine Row 4 x 10 x 22.5kg

DB OHP 10 x 25kg, 10 x 22.5kg, 4+4 (alternate) x 22.5kg, 8 (alternate) x 22.5kg

Pullups 8,7,6,5,4

Annoyed immediately after not getting close to 95kg power clean despite man-handling 90kg. Squats were pretty perfect, hard to finish the later sets. Taking assistance down to 4 sets with the added frequency. Bench was strong, tried DB OHP and found a huge difference in having to lift both DBs at once, so dropped down and ended up having to do alternate. Will do 4 x 10 with 20kg next week just to establish what I can complete.

331

19 Mar

Power Cleans 4 x 4 x 80kg

A1 Back Squat 4 x 4 x 115kg

A2 Borzov Jumps 4 x 4

Deadlift 4 x 10 x 110kg (2 mins) - really sickly feeling in posterior chain, love love love

Bench Press 4 x 4 x 95kg

Lat Pulldown 4 x 10 x 50kg

T-Bar Rows 4 x 10 x 45kg - exercise order is important! I was useless at this having done pulldowns

Skipped incline DB bench due to busy gym and not feeling it. Didn’t manage much food today and just hugely stressed from work.

332

24 Mar

Abs

25 Mar

Press-ups, 50
Hex Bar DL 3 x 5 x 70kg

It was likely to be a rest week anyway as i’m hurting all over, but i’m now ill as well so it confirmed my time off from weights. My chest is sore, specifically sternum, hurts to tense pecs and tried to do press-ups to see if exercise aggravates it, which it does. Did a deload deadlift to keep my legs alive, most issues are upper body though and triceps still hurt after 5 days off. I did some abs too, and i’m able to play rugby on Saturday as it’s the international break so football analysis work is at a minimum. Did think i’d damaged a rib when I landed heavily on my chest in the last game I played but I think it’s just an ache that will go away.

333

30 Mar

Exercise Bike - 25km in 52:52 with resistance 3/7

SL Calf Raises - 10

My legs feel hungover, think I needed more of a break than i’ve given myself in the last few months since I ramped up the volume. I have pain in my sternum and rugby was cancelled so i haven’t done anything in a while. Bike was at a resistance that was a touch too high but I tried to keep at 80-90rpm and minimise breaks.

Still feel like if I started weights up again i’d be struggling within a fortnight so i’m going to focus on different exercises for the rest of this week at least.

334

1 Apr

OHP 1 x 40kg, 1 x 60kg, 1 x 70kg (see video)

Exercise Bike - 25km in 44:50 with resistance 3/7

SL Calf Raises 2 x 10

My quarterly 1RM target was 70kg, due to lack of plates (at parents house) I could only make 60,70 or 80kg otherwise i’d have tried a bit heavier. For that reason i couldn’t do my DL or Bench testing today.

Followed it up with exercise bike and went hard at it, knocking 8 minutes off Monday’s time.

Still feel a bit tired but will try more 1RM at the weekend.

335

5 Apr

Bench 8 x 60kg, 5 x 80kg, 3 x 90kg, 1 x 100kg, 0 x 115kg, 1 x 110kg (failure vid first)

Pullups 5 x 6

Bit annoyed to not get it as bench felt so much stronger today (9th) as this was first bench in 2 weeks. Not going to try again, will just take 110kg which i’ve done a few times before. Was at my mates home gym (in a garden shed) as I didn’t want to be spotted and video’d in my London gym.

336

Video is successful bench of 110kg, 5kg short of my first Quarter target.

337

9 Apr

Power Clean 2 x 4 x 80kg

Deadlift 3 x 100kg, 1 x 120kg, 1 x 130kg, 1 x 140kg (belt for 140kg+), 1 x 150kg, 1 x 160kg, 1 x 170kg, 1 x 180kg

Bench Press 4 x 4 x 95kg

Lat Pulldown 10 x 50, 60, 60, 50kg

Target for around the end of March was 157.5kg, smashed that without feeling troubled. 170kg was still good technique and felt harder than it looked on vid and 180kg was just a rounded back heave. 4 plates is 4 plates, never been above 160kg and had I done it before i’d have stopped at 170kg knowing my technique would break down.

338

13 Apr

Power Clean 3 x 10 x 65kg - so out of breath!

RDL 3 x 10 x 70kg - felt alien to me after a few weeks off

Back Squat 3 x 100kg, 7, 8, 6 x 80kg - oh…ermm…meant to be sets of 10 x 100kg but turns out 96 hours is not enough time to recover from a PB in deadlift

Bench Press 4 x 4 x 95kg - going to try 97.5kg but I was on the dodgy bench with a fat bar

Machine Row 4 x 8 x 25kg - easy

DB OHP 3 x 8 x 22.5kg, 1 x 5 x 22.5kg + 3 reps alternate

Pullups 4 x 7

First full session back since 19 March. Been super busy and even now i’ve streamlined it to two full body session a week and I found a nice long patch of grass opposite my house I can pop out and do tempo runs on when i have a spare 45 mins. Wasn’t concerned about how much I lifted today, I know i’ll be pretty sore tomorrow whatever I do.

339

18 Apr

Bench Press 4 x 8 x 70kg

Alt DB Curl 3 x 8 x 12.5kg

Was at a friend’s home gym, only a very short workout as i’ve been inactive for a while.

22 Apr

Tempo Runs 108 yds (98.75m) 2 x 5 with 50m jog 50m walk (avg 15.8, 14.5)

Ran into the wind then with the wind, plus being adjusted to running again meant I was faster in the second set. Heavy breathing, i’m in such bad shape. Measured out the distance in pigeon steps (painstakingly) and then measured trainer to convert to metres. It’s a patch of grass 5 mins walk from my house so I can pop out and do that before lunch and be done in 30 mins as i’m not able to get gym time in very often.

340

27 Apr

BW 78.1kg (172lbs)

Tempo Runs (grass)

3 x 4 x 100m (50m jog, 50m walk recovery)

15.8, 15.7, 15.6, 15.0 (avg 15.5)
14.6, 15.0, 15.1, 15.0 (avg 14.9)
15.0, 15.5, 15.5, 13.5 (avg 14.9)

BW Walking Lunge 2 x 30

Basically every run of 15.0 or lower tired me out so much I couldn’t do the 50m jog without getting my breath back, which is a sad state of affairs for what is a very simple beginner session. I am 78kg and used to do these at 70-72kg, which is some consolation. Having found out the distance between some painted lines last time out I just did a few extra steps to make it 100m.

Last runs were five days ago and to be fair these felt much easier and my technique was better. I tried to bomb it for the final run and knew i’d be sub 14, probably about what I thought I could achieve.

I’ve had work and social commitments that have wrecked my eating and training for basically all of April, i’ve tested my 1RM and managed one proper gym session on the 13th. Have a backlog of work to get through that will probably see me next in the gym early May, as for eating there’s no excuses for that not being good at all times.