Sept 10
Deadlift
5 x 88kg
5 x 101kg
10 x 115kg
Seated Box Jumps, 36inch
5 x 5kg
5 x 7.5kg
5 x 10kg
Step Ups
2 x 8 x 53.5kg
2 x 8 x 56kg
Hanging Leg Raise
4 x 12
Very good deadlift, if I feel like that next week it could be 8-10 reps again. Put step ups in and took out GM’s, think if i’m honest I can’t squeeze in two legs workouts a week on top of the two running sessions, so i’ll increase the sprints on Wednesday’s sessions and reshuffle my favourite leg exercises into one great session.
Sept 11
Bench Press
5 x 73kg
3 x 83kg
4 x 93kg
Close Grip Bench Press
4 x 9 x 63.5kg
Inverted Rows
4 x 10
Rotator Cuff
2 x 3 x 10
YEHHHHHHH!!! Best i’ve felt doing bench this year, completely in the zone, all lifts felt easy and I was fired up perfectly. Deadlift clicked yesterday, bench is on track today, happy happy man.
Sept 12
Box Shuttle Run (6-8 mins)
19.05, 19.20, 19.09 — P.B. is 18.71
Half Pitch Sprint (3 mins/6 mins)
6.34, 6.41, 6.45, 6.44, 6.50, 6.37 P.B. by 0.11 secs
1 mile
6 mins 21 secs P.B. by 30 secs
I am going to spread the workload more evenly between running sessions now as last week was sprints + 4100m in one and circuits + 1200m in the other. This obviously meant that I wasn’t nearly as tired for the mile run and I set off too fast which meant the following three laps were much slower, basically 80 second lap then three 100 second ones. Still, I was encouraged by that and will stop chasing times once I can get down to 5 min 30 territory as I want to be a sprinter with a good fitness base, not a jogger.
Sprints recovery was a bit short, i don’t mind the 3 mins between half pitch runs as i’m used to that, but for 20 seconds of sprinting it’s normally 15-18 mins recovery not six. Next week i’m probably going to do all my box sprints first as alternating left me with no energy after the first run and my times suffered, though once the weather deteriorates my chances of sprinting on grass will go and i’ll probably do my 200 session.
Sept 13
Shoulder/Push Press
5 x 51kg
3 x 57kg
2 x 64kg
Chin Ups
4 x 12
Dips 4 x 15
I have abandoned strict form in favour of giving it a little nudge with my legs once I can’t do any more, which only produced the one extra rep at my 1+ weight. I’m not entirely sure what I want from OHP but having not done it for so long I don’t have much of a base in the 8-10 rep range so we’ll see where this goes.
Sept 16
Bench Press
5 x 65kg
5 x 75kg
8 x 85kg
Close Grip Bench Press
4 x 10 x 63.5kg
Inverted Rows
4 x 10
Rotator Cuff
2 x 3 x 10
The strong bench continues 
Might not look any different on the outside but my diet is definitely improving my ability to co-ordinate my strength and fully focus on lifting. I’m raring to go for tomorrow’s deadlift and will be surprised if I don’t smash out 10 reps with energy to spare.
Not sure if I wrote it earlier but i’m going for a bit of a re-shuffle in an attempt to put my workouts in a six day rotation, as my friday saturday and sunday was just circuits, tempo and yoga, which could be condensed to two days. The week would therefore be:
Day 1 - Deadlift, Step Ups etc.
Day 2 - Bench Press etc
Day 3 - Sprints + Mile run
Day 4 - Circuits
Day 5 - Tempo and Shoulder Press etc
Day 6 - Yoga/recovery
Bench is today instead of Tuesday because I have a 13hr day on Tues and won’t be up for benching.
Sept 17
Deadlift
3 x 95kg
3 x 108kg
10 x 121kg
Seated Box Jumps, 36 inch
5 x 7.5kg
5 x 10kg
5 x 12.5kg
Step Ups
4 x 8 x 58.5kg
Hanging Leg Raise
4 x 12
Grip became an issue towards the end of deadlifts, i’m not going to be doing 10 reps too often so I have no concern about heavier weights being an issue. Pleased with 10 reps of course, means I can jump forward a cycle in 5/3/1 as there’s no point starting next one on 119kg when I did 121kg for 10. Was driving through my heel in the step ups to hit my hammies more, seemed to work. Ordered some creatine to give me even more of a help in surpassing my pb’s.
Sept 19
Shoulder Press (strict)
5 x 45kg
5 x 52kg
9 x 59kg !!
Chin Ups (1)
4 x 12
Dips (1)
4 x 15
I don’t know WHERE that came from. Went back to cleaning the weight off the floor, smashed through the reps and only slowed for the 8th and 9th. I know the same thing happened last cycle and the second it gets to 60kg+ my reps drop off hugely but I feel good about it this time round. Everything else was cushty, pecs were killing every time I went to do dips. Oh, also had 5 minutes rest in OHP rather than 4, that might be the difference…
Sept 20
Box Shuttle Runs (8 mins)
18.82, 18.71, 18.80 = P.B.
Half Pitch Sprint (7 mins)
6.48, 6.37, 6.46, 6.32 P.B. by 0.02 secs
Flying Halfway to 18yd box (~40 yds)
3.72, 3.74, 3.73
1 mile
6 mins 36 secs — P.B. is 6 mins 21 secs
Box sprints were better with the longer recovery and doing them all first. I don’t think the 3rd one does anything except tire me out too much so probably going to cut that one out. My changing of direction is improving, i’m not sprinting as intensely but i’m taking a bit more speed into the corners and shifting my weight nicely.
Threw in some flying runs, surprised the times were so similar as they felt very different to each other. A little disappointed with my mile time, the 4 laps were very evenly paced but I glanced down to see a 6:05 on the home straight so shut down a bit. I’ve been using my PowerBreathe twice a day since Sunday, 30 breaths morning and night, so although that’s meant to improve things it probably has a recovery period to illicit full effect.
Sept 21
Bench Press
3 x 70kg
3 x 80kg
5 x 90kg
Close Grip Bench Press
4 x 8 x 68.5kg
Inverted Rows
4 x 10
Rotator Cuff
2 x 3 x 10
Only five days between benching workouts and shoulder press was between those so not my best today. Will be moving around sessions for another week or so to avoid work commitments but my six-day cycle will soon come into effect, think I have bench only four days after this. Upped my close grip and found it easy, will wait before upping it again though.
I’m enjoying these sessions but part of me wants to skip ahead, I won’t be benching 100kg until late October at this progression and I know I could go back and do it now but I also know that my best chance of a p.b. is sticking with the program which I will do. Interesting article on T-Nation on 5 mistakes, not building up enough of a training effect to warrant a 4th week deload is exactly the problem I had last year, where i’d start week 1 of 5/3/1 after a deload and feel like i’d lost any gains from the last cycle. This routine is benefitting me and if I need to take it easy I will either remove a set of assistance work or instead of going to failure just going to the minimum rep requirement. Simple.
Sept 23
Shoulder Press
3 x 49kg
3 x 56kg
5 x 63kg
Chin Ups
4 x 12
Dips
4 x 15
This workout was very short and sweet, lost my stopwatch so recovery was probably not enough but I went when I felt fine and made more of an effort to do chin ups from a dead hang as they’re getting easy. Pleased to rep that weight, did 3 @ 61kg twice in the last few workouts so nice to make the jump. Been counting calories and surprise surprise i’m not eating enough, I know i’m not a hard gainer by any stretch and it turns out I was over-estimating my fat calories by 100%! It’s all sorted now, bit of natural PB on linseed bread with my breakfast and i’m back where I need to be (~2800 kcal).
I wish my full time job could just be getting in the best shape I can…
Sept 24
Seated Box Jumps
3 x 5 x 10kg
Deadlift
5 x 101kg
3 x 115kg
4 x 128kg
Step Ups
4 x 8 x 58.5kg
Hanging Leg Raise
4 x 12
Figured my box jumps would warm my legs up more so put them in front of deadlift, and it seemed to detract from my strength so i won’t be doing that again. Four reps is fine, but each one was very difficult. Might change up my leg raise to 3 x 15 and step ups to 4 x 6.
Sept 25
Bench Press
5 x 75kg
3 x 85kg
2 x 95kg
Close Grip Bench
4 x 8 x 68.5kg
Inverted Rows
4 x 10
Rotator Cuff
2 x 3 x 10
I saw this coming and didn’t force any reps that weren’t there, I know i’ve crowded my lifting schedule and the combination of that and recent advances meant my body was going to have a bad day. From today I will do my best to stick to the new 6-day cycle and things should get back to normal. I’m going to fit yoga in on Thursday and take it easy for a day or two.
Sept 27
Yoga
My calves are SO TIGHT!!! It’s a priority to sort them out as I know it used to completely eliminate the ‘bounce’ you get when sprinting for the last few years and i’ve never really attacked them like i’ve done with hip flexors etc.
Sept 28
4 x 300m (7 mins)
45.7, 45.5, 45.2, 45.2
New plan! I like this idea, the faster I go the more recovery I get. If I run 50+ for a 300m I go straight home, do not pass go, do not collect 200 pounds. 49-50 gives 3 mins rest, 48-49 is 4 mins, and so on add a minute down to an optimistic 40 secs with 12 mins rest.
The wind SUCKED today, massive tailwind first 100 and headwind for the last straight where I felt like I was running on the spot. The wind was light for the first rep and in terms of effort I went 85%, 90%, 95%, 100% so my fatigue probably made my times look consistent.
Shoulder Press
5 x 52kg
3 x 59kg
4 x 66kg
Chin Ups
4 x 12
Dips
4 x 15
Getting there! 71kg BW repping 66kg with strict form, seem to have broken through what was a short term plateau at 60kg+, looking optimistically into an 80kg press in time for xmas…it could happen. Dips are toooo easy, will increase it to 18 but as my BW goes up it should give me some extra resistance.
Sept 30
Deadlift
5 x 94kg
5 x 108kg
5 x 123kg (barely, grip was going, skipped a cycle so i’m going back to the one I missed)
Seated Box Jumps
3 x 5 x 10kg
Overhead Squat
10 x 8.5kg
10 x 18.5kg
10 x 23.5kg
10 x 28.5kg
8 x 38.5kg
Dirty Back Squats
20 x 78.5kg
Kind of my version of having a temper tantrum, went off-track from my current workout as deadlift was really hard (I blame flexibility) and depressed me that my form was going on the final rep. I think i’m trying to jump ahead too quickly as maybe two years ago I could have done, but alas not now. I had a crack at overhead squat, ambitiously thinking my first ever practice set could be 48.5kg which ended within seconds… So I did the bar then piled on the baby weights as I found my form.
I haven’t squatted in a while so I did a set of 20 for old times sake, the most i’ve done for twenty is 83.5kg and while not pleasant that set was well within my capabilities.
Tempted to bring squats back and do two leg sessions a week as my chances of getting on the track twice a week are minimal with the weather deteriorating, will write a few session plans and consider it.
Oct 1
Bench Press
5 x 67kg
5 x 77kg
5 x 87kg
Close Grip Bench Press
3 x 10 x 68.5kg
1 x 7 x 68.5kg
Inverted Rows
4 x 10 x 2.5kg (rested on my stomach)
Rotator Cuff
2 x 3 x 10
That was an ok session, put a lot into my close grip and failed on the 4th set so I had to roll it off myself which I haven’t done in a while. Did a weighted inverted row, hadn’t looked it up beforehand so no idea where the weight goes, tried it on chest and it slipped to my throat so I went for stomach which is more of a strain on core strength than making it any harder to pull in.
I do like to chop and change my workouts and my 6 day cycle is being halted before it’s really begun.
New plan (once again)
Monday - Bench etc.
Tuesday - Track + optional Mile
Wednesday - Yoga
Thursday - Rugby Training, OH Squat
Friday - Shoulder Press etc.
Saturday - Rugby Match or Work
Sunday - Deadlift etc.
GOALS: I like overhead squats and found an article stating that an excellent base of strength is 15 reps at bodyweight, which I very much like the sound of. I can add that to the shorter term goals of 2x BW Deadlift, new Bench Press PB (currently 110kg), and OH Press Bodyweight (currently 66kg press @ 71kg BW).
As you may have noticed Thursday is rugby, i’m not getting two track sessions in this weather but I can definitely get back into rugby and by doing more fitness than full contact I hope to avoid serious injury. Spoke to the local team and they’re happy to have me come along even if I can’t play many games.
Oct 2
Interval Running
2 x 2250m, 11 mins each w 6 mins walk recovery
I took the average distance covered by a back in an elite rugby game, removed walking and was left with 4500m of varying intensities, jog, run, faster run, sprint. It had the distance of each one of these so I broke it down into 50m sections and put them in a random order to replicate a game - even adding in a ‘half time’ where I walked for 6 mins.
As i’ve taken out walking I had a short break every 400-500m if I got too out of breath, usually straight after a sprint (which is what I want to work on). I used a random number generator to create the workout and printed it out, which led to me not knowing what the next rep would be until I got to the 50m mark.
It’s just a bit of fun and keeps it interesting, I was doing it up and down a football pitch so changing direction made it more game-like than running round the track.
Oct 3
Yoga
Oct 4
Rugby Training aka weights warm up.
Turns out the 3rd XV don’t train with the 1sts or 2nds so it was tame to say the least. Played an hour of touch and then went home. To be fair back in Loughborough the 3rds or 4ths didn’t even turn up to training half the time so in that sense it’s a step up, but i’ll speak to the other coach about joining the better group even if I still play for the 3rds at weekends.
Weights - The Main Event
Overhead Squats
10 x 28.5kg
10 x 33.5kg
10 x 38.5kg
10 x 41kg
10 x 43.5kg
Dirty Back Squats
20 x 83.5kg
Need a set or two to get the flexibility, balance and technique right before I can top up the weight. Focussed on keeping my shoulders up and I was pleased with my depth. 20 rep squats were easy, wish i’d put more on.
Oct 5
Overhead Press
5 x 47kg
5 x 54kg
6 x 62kg
Alternating T-Bar Press (explosive)
2 x 12 x 25kg
1 x 12 x 27.5kg
Weighted Chin Ups (1)
4 x 12 x 2.5kg
Weighted Dips (1)
4 x 15 x 2.5kg
T-Bar Half Moons
1 x 20 x 20kg
2 x 16 x 30kg
A little extra on my session today, put in some rugby-specific exercises FSAG. T-Bar is where you have one unloaded end of a barbell jammed in a corner and you lift the loaded other half if i’m not mistaken. It was basically one arm shoulder press but pushing hard enough that the weight leaves my hand and is caught by the other one on the way back down. Half moons can be ground to ground but in this case it was down to waist height then over to the other side.
OH pressing was decent, found my weighted chins/dips easier than before even though I took 30 secs off my rest. Was taking creatine in my biggest PWO carb meal last week but i’ve done a few days with it as part of breakfast and I believe that gave me the strength endurance for my 20 rep squats so it shall remain in the first meal of the day.
Tomorrow I rest.
Oct 7
Deadlift
3 x 98kg
3 x 112kg
6 x 126kg
Seated Box Jumps
3 x 5 x 10kg
Step Ups
3 x 8 x 58.5kg
1 x 8 x 61kg
Dragon Flag Abs (!!)
3 x 8
I think my technique in deadlift was the issue, the last few weeks i’ve been dropping my hips too low and having too upright a back angle, leading me to think my flexibility is off along with my strength. Six very nice reps today, my back felt fantastically positioned. I upped step ups by a very small margin, it’s just that level of difficulty that I didn’t need to focus on my reps and I want to maintain the intensity.
Added in dragon flags today in place of leg raises, basically lie on floor holding something sturdy, lift body straight up so only head & shoulders on floor, then lower straight body for count of five. It was definitely felt in the final few reps and I see it as a nice progression from leg raises.
Oct 8
Bench Press
3 x 72kg
3 x 82kg
5 x 92kg
Alternate Curls
1 x 8 x 14.5kg
2 x 8 x 16kg
1 x 8 x 17kg
Close Grip Bench Press
3 x 8 x 71kg
Rotator Cuff
2 x 3 x 10
Weighted inverted rows weren’t doing it for me so a complete change of tack. My shoulder development is having the unwanted effect of making my arms look like they’re shrinking so i’ve put some curls in for the time being.
Good bench, I like the confidence I have to struggle on the penultimate rep and still know I can do one more.