Going from Wendler’s article that mentioned balance, I thought I should put some running back into my weekly routine. I want to do one weekly session to begin with, alternating between shuttle runs and tempo-style laps. I was shockingly bad today, getting so out of breath I couldn’t complete the second one lap run. I will tweak the rest periods etc. but the idea is to build to something like 5 x 400m in 60 secs and for shuttle runs I wouldn’t mind one that lasted several minutes and worked on my acceleration under fatigue.
Switched assistance work to close grip bench press and could feel it hitting my triceps. Happy to continue with that in future. Bench was comfortable, stopped at 3 reps as I had no spotter. Eating well and trying to get into Sunday League football to help my fitness.
Good mixture of exercises there. I could increase the step ups, I seem to remember being told if I kept the back foot dorsiflexed it makes it difficult to push with and that worked well. Clean to front squat gets me out of breath and helps with flexibility as I go very low with front squats. Speed skaters are a nice lateral movement to finish, hits the glutes well.
I really dislike the first few weeks coming back into full training as i’m battling doms, I don’t know how much to increase it each week as I don’t know what my body is capable of, and I struggle with things I know will be beneath me in a months time. I’m also 151lbs as I haven’t been eating properly since February.
Just done a lot of eating on the go and failed to prepare any food so I end up buying sweets to tide me over. If i’m not exercising regularly I don’t worry about optimising recovery so I let my diet go.
Aug 19
Shoulder Press
3 x 45kg
3 x 51kg
6 x 58kg
Lat Pulldown
5 x 10 x 50kg
Bicep Curls
5 x 8 x 45kg
5 min jog warm down
Took out kickbacks as my triceps are getting hit enough, did an extra set of other assistance work to keep the same kind of workload. Pulldowns were easy, will increase them if it’s as easy next week. Think the hardest part of my workout was the 5 minute jog, was at a really slow pace but it still got me sweating and struggling to get to the end.
Forgot it was week 1 else I would’ve pushed it to 10 reps, was comfortable at 8 which is an improvement on the 6 I did at the same weight a few weeks ago. Increased reps in leg raise but that worked my grip more than it did my abs. Jog was better already, I look forward to Wednesday’s running session.
I was surprised by how slowly I managed the first rep of bench and don’t blame my spotter for thinking I was done but I went for the 2nd rep which I had no right to get, felt like I gave 102% and I wriggled it up, perhaps letting my bum leave the bench which I wouldn’t count. So let’s call it 1.5 reps. Everything else was solid, onwards to the running session.
I neglected stretching on Saturday as I was in London for about 14 hrs of the day but in future my off days will consist of a thorough stretching routine to keep on top of things.
Box Shuttle Run (6 mins rest) - On a football (soccer) pitch, start in corner of 18 yard box and go diagonal, short side, diagonal, short side, I reckon it’s about 100m but could be way off
20.16 secs, 19.70 secs, 19.54 secs
Double Suicides (6 mins rest)- 18 yard box and back x 2, recovery = time it takes to do that, halfway line and back x 2, recovery of that time, full pitch and back x 2. Stop clock. As an example the first run is 3 mins 48 but included 20 and 48 seconds recovery, so 2 mins 40 of actual running.
3 mins 48 secs, 3 mins 38 secs.
Tempo - Run the length, walk the width x 8 average of 15.8 secs per run.
1 mile run/warm down - 7 mins 25 secs
That was the perfect amount of running, though i’m sure my calves will disagree tomorrow. I hope the explanations aren’t confusing. I lifted them off a pre-season training web site for football and adapted them slightly to fit me. The mile run is a nice marker to see how fit I am and how much the session took out of me. It’s not flat out but i’m conscious of the time and maintaining the speed round and it does get me out of breath.
Missed LB yesterday as I had lingering doms from running, and I have football all weekend so no weights until Monday (or Sunday night). Shoulder press was harrrrd, it’s the most i’ve lifted but only by a few kgs so i’m a bit cautious over being able to lift in the 65-70kg region. I don’t know what’s decent in terms of relation to BW but i’ll look that up after this. Pulldowns were increased comfortably, can add a rep next time, and curls were ok but i’m really not feeling a burn in my biceps so worried that a stronger body part is doing the bulk of the effort on these and my biceps aren’t being targetted.
…Ok so repping 61kg is not a million miles from decent, I am happy to get to 70kg with strict form and then ease off. As for curls i’m just going to switch them with chin ups and be done with it.
Yeh i’ve done them or variations (clean pull, power and hang power clean) nearly every winter. Did 1.5x BW hang clean last winter I think, becomes a danger to your wrists at a certain weight if your technique isn’t perfect.
Aug 27
Deadlift
3 x 91kg
3 x 104kg
6 x 117kg
Good Mornings
4 x 10 x 63.5kg
Hanging Leg Raise
4 x 12
I should add Saturday and Sunday consisted of 2-3 hours of various football drills that left me pretty tired. Disappointed with my flexibility in the deadlift, the weight wasn’t an issue but I struggled with form at the bottom of the lift at every weight. GM’s fine, Leg raise easy. Going to find a yoga DVD so I can follow something on a screen, I find I do it more often than if it’s a giant list of stretches on a piece of paper.
I only increased the estimated max. by 1kg instead of 2.5kg to get me to 97.5kg so the numbers as a percentage become easier to calculate. This meant that I had my first extra rep in week 1, with 6 for 83kg. I increased close grip and just about made it to the end. Added rotator cuff exercises now that i’m keeping on top of my recovery and staying healthy. I did 25 mins of yoga last night and found it harder getting in the positions than it was to do the weights. Might move tempo and fitness to Thursday if it rains tomorrow.
Circuit A reps are around 120-160 depending on the level. I didn’t think it was worth driving to the track in the rain to run a mile then drive back, so I hopped on the treadmill and must have misjudged speed because both were a stroll. Yoga was killer but by the end I had a noticeable improvement in flexibility.
Had to distinguish between a full set of 12 and the chin ups where I rested mid-set. I’ve no doubt there’s a crossover in the muscles worked for lat pulldowns and chin ups and alternating between the two was the best way to ensure I didn’t do one really well and suck in the other. Pushed it to failure in shoulder press, was just about conscious enough to rack it before having a quick sit down and I was happy with my form. Last lot of my football course at the weekend, aching in the top of my glutes from circuits but will be fine to take part.
Can you tell I read a T-Nation article this morning? You can’t beat a good box jump, unfortunately I only have a worktop surface in the garage I can jump on so the height is non-negotiable, unlike the weight. I made a point to maximise every jump so most of them were 3-4 inches clear, working on triple extension rather than my ability to tuck my legs up really well.
Pleased with deadlifts, that yoga paid off as I wasn’t near the end of my RoM when ripping it off the floor, still dropping it at the slightest suspicion of lost form. Everything else was gooood, and i’ve put on about 3 lbs in August which i’m pleased about and will spur me on to stay relatively strict with my diet.
Removed reverse flyes, pretty sure all they’re doing is tightening my mid-back to the point where I can feel it restricting me when I move my arms. Pleased with 4 reps in bench, took things very slowly through all three sets and it was the most composed i’ve been in a while. Eaten the last of my parents sugary cereals which were tempting me, now it’s just porridge for me in the mornings. Also did the weekly shop so bought extra chicken and sweet potatoes.
Sorry if this is a double post, it hasn’t loaded after several hours
Sept 5
Box Shuttle Run (6 mins rest)
19.20, 18.91, 18.71 secs PB by 0.83 secs
Half Pitch Sprint (~50m)
6.45, 6.56
Double Suicides (6 mins rest)
3 mins 45 secs, 3 mins 37 secs. PB by 1 sec
Tempo - Run the length, walk the width x 12 average of 15.8 secs per run.
1 mile run/warm down - 6 mins 51 secs PB by 34 secs
Added in a flat out sprint so I can still work on my transition and top speed, i’m still a sprinter at heart whatever sport i’m dong. Pleased with the improvements across the board, particularly the chunk of time I took off my box shuttle run. Cruised my mile run and enjoyed how strong I felt maintaining the pace, sub 7 minute is the very least my fitness should be at and i’d like to get under 6 minutes without too much effort.
Enjoying my training and i know i can turn up to each and every gym session and make progress.
Shoulder press was awful. First time my grip was too narrow and I couldn’t manage a single rep, second time it took all my effort to get through all three. Think it’s time I introduced a rest week… for this at least. Reduced the overhead pulling exercises and added in dips, don’t know if i’ll phase out pulldowns but it’s a step in the right direction.
The middle of my right shoulder was pinching badly enough that it woke me up at 4am and i couldn’t get back to sleep. A timely reminder that I need to warm up my shoulders before running sessions as well as upper body ones, i’ve also gone out to get some omega 3-6-9 to keep on top of joint health.
Tomorrow is tennis and yoga, Saturday is football and Sunday is potentially more football.
Like I said, Friday is tennis and eating, today is circuits, and i’ll try and do yoga tomorrow.
Sept 8
4 x 300m (5 mins rest) - 47.4, 48.4, 46.8, 49.9
Circuit A
lvl 3, 3
My Ciruits
5 x 3 exercises, 30s on/30s off
Wrote down sub 54 for those 300, can’t tell you how happy I am to be back to decent times. Three weeks ago I did a 400 in 72 then was so tired for the next rep I couldn’t finish it. I had some trouble with my left leg, it felt like something in my calf leading across the back of my knee joint was twanging at full extension and that was quite uncomfortable. Blitzed circuits and had a healthy dinner, feel good about today. Did half an hour of stretching this morning but will try yoga tomorrow as well.