Squats 531 1 rep week (2m rest)
Warm up sets
75kg x 5
85kg x 3
95kg x 8 happy with that. I stopped as the 8th rep was slow in the middle so didn’t want to risk another failure.
BSS 1.3m rest
14kg db
X 12
X 12
X 12
Leg extensions ss with hammys (1.3m rest)
30kg each side
X 4 sets of 9 reps
SL kneeling ham curl
50kg each side
X 4 sets of 9 reps
SL dead’s , these were terrible today. Had no balance at all.
Toe taps 3 sets
It’s silly but I’m really excited about my 100kg bench on Thursday.
On another note I’ve always thought that 2 plates a side was 100kg and 225lbs but only today while talking to someone realised that 2 plates a side is 102kg. I’ve been under selling myself this whole time
It completely depends on if you know where the plates are bought. 20kg is 44lbs, so 4plates + 20kg bar could potentially only be 220lbs (99.7kg). I think it’s only in America where things are standardized to 45lbs. It doesn’t matter anyway because very few plates in a commerical gym (usually none) are calibrated anyway. My local gym uses Technogym plates on the bench but has coloured bumper plates on the squat racks - there was a 0.3kg difference between the 20kgs. As long as you are progressing with the equipment you have available to you it’s irrelevant really though.
So on day 3 of my diet I ate my three portions of rice and chicken and was really looking forward to my beef dinner the wife was cooking………only to find out she changed her mind and served up chicken and rice
Started at 225lbs and now down to 221.0lbs on day 3, very much assume that’s water weight.
Yeah I think I was 4lbs down by day 5 or 6, if only it was all fat and it was a pace that was easy to keep up! Most people recommend going a few pounds under your original target for that reason.
Water weight and glycogen stores, but yes. Chicken and rice are basically just putting gas in the tank at this point - not much more exciting than that.
^You could look for some low calorie sauces to help get through the chicken though.
Mike Israetel recommends to overshoot your cut by 10%… if aiming to lose 20lbs, wait for the scale to make 22lbs lost.
Bench 531 1 rep week (2m rest)
Warm up sets
80kg x 5
90kg x 3
100kg x 6
Really not happy with this, the 6th rep was slow in the middle portion and didn’t have a spotter, think I need to get one each time I bench.
Really wanted 10 solid reps, very annoyed!
DB incline (1.3m rest)
28kg DBs
X 11
X 10
X 8
X 7
Cable fly (1.15m rest)
3 on machine weight
X 12
X 12
X 12
X 12
Push-ups (1.15m rest)
X 15
X 12
X
OH tricep rope extensions (1m rest)
6 on machine weight
X 12
X 10
X 10
SA cable Pushdowns (1m rest)
2 on machine weight rack
X 15
X 14
X 12
Toe taps every day now
4 sets
I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on my bench number after a week off (and missing a week before the 3 rep week with covid) and being on a big deficit for the last three days.
I did smash some pre workout and have intra workout today though as I’ve had no breakfast.
Also @TrainForPain screw you!!! My calf’s are in bits and I can barely walk without looking like an idiot!
Some days it’s there, some days it’s not. Squat is the goofiest lift for me like that.
My calves were sore for days after that! I had to go out with my wife and was seriously stretching and rolling and stuff before just to try to look slightly less stupid. Once I sat for dinner, it was all over anyway. I need to revisit the 100 reps deal. I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up training-wise right now. I just roll in and do something goofy a few times a week.
You shouldn’t be
100 x 6 x .0333 + 100 = 120kg x .9 = 110kg (rounded) TM. Solid work.
It’s worth noting that overly taxing hypertrophy will ruin your CNS, and therefore performance.
CT recommends the Tap Test, which can be better preformed with apps or websites that count clicks… if you’re interested enough to do that (i tried during MetCon for Muscle and couldn’t be bothered to keep up with it).
Sorry, CNS = Central Nervous System… the thing responsible for both sending motor units to muscles which tell them to lift heavy things, AND the thing responsible for repairing your muscles after lifting heavy things.
You can disregard the tap test thing - it’s just an indicator to help you know when your tank is running low. There are other methods to this, such as Heart Rate Variability (HRV) which can be tested overnight (I document my recovery% in my log, which is measured by my ridiculous bed), but I digress.
For information on how the CNS plays a role in all this, I couldn’t do a better job of explaining it than this video does - sorry in advance for posting a video… I always feel allergic to watching videos people tell me to watch, but I promise that this one is a good one and pretty short (also sponsored by Ted Ed, the educational branch of Ted Talks).
^ This video explains why I believe in training heavy and for hypertrophy, btw.
Chins rest pause
Got 20 in total, took 5 minutes and had a good back pump, definitely felt technique was better when doing less reps per set.
Took 7 sets (5,3,3,2,2,3,2)
Seated cable row (1.3m rest)
70kg
X 10
X 10
X 10
X
Close grip pull down (1.15m rest)
56kg
X 12
X 12
X 12
Cable reverse fly (1.15m rest)
1 on weight
X 12
X 11
X 11
Face pull (1.15m rest) 1 second hold at top of rep
6 on machine
X 15
X 15
X 15
Laying back extensions (1.15m rest) 5 second hold on each rep
X 10
X 10
X 10
Toe taps
4 sets
Not sure if I’ve got my upper back to lat work correct on my back workouts right now. I’ve swapped exercises around and not really got a plan at the moment with back other than just to improve chins.
So on to next week, I’m increasing my maxes and starting another 7 week cycle.
Diet went to pot last night. Was at my mates 40th and did really well with the food but drank around 15 plus beers and had 3 hours of sleep. I feel terrible and my abs and back have massive doms from yesterday (guessing because my calories have been so low).
Seated BB press (2m rest)
Warm up sets
27kg x 5
30kg x 5
35kg x 20 was blowing a little at the end of this.
Lat raises ss with ez curls (1.3m rest)
Lat raises
10kg DBs
X 4 sets of 10
Ez Bb curl
22kg x 3 sets of 12
Shrugs ss with hammer curls (1.2m rest)
Shrugs
26kg DBs 3 sets of 12 reps
Hammer curls
14kg DBs x 12
12kg DBs x 12
X 11
X 12
Rear delt flys (1.15m rest)
40kg
X 20
X 20
X 17
Rope curls
18kg x 20
22kg x 20
X 20
X 20
Toe taps 4 sets
Really not looking forward to squats tomorrow, my discs in my back just haven’t settled down. They don’t hurt but they ache (which isn’t a good sign).
Always feel like when I start to progress on squats this happens. I’ve been thinking about not back squatting again but don’t really know what I would fill it’s place with.
The gym has a hack squat but it’s not brilliant for my leverages. It’s got a pendulum squat machine but o don’t feel that comfortable on that. Could maybe just switch to lunges?
Will have to have a think. Will maybe post on this later when I feel more myself (need another coffee and some breakfast).
For me there’s two options if your gym has the equipment and another if you have the appetite to do it
1 - SSB Squats, I’ve switched to the Safety Squat Bar and I’m not going to be going back to BB Squats anytime soon. I’ve had almost complete elimination of lower back problems since doing so.
2 - Trap Bar Deadlifts - Using low handle you get a great emphasis on the quads, when doing the high volume FSL work recently I can really feel my quads.
3 - Zercher Squats - They’re unpleasantly uncomfortable but because of the forward tilt position required I used these to good effect in place of a back squat. Plus they look fckin awesome to do.
It’s also worth noting (more for me really) that I’ve hurt my back the last few times on other things (not squatting) but I think squatting just aggravates it. So maybe if I was more sensible on my other lifts I could still squat?
Previous back injuries caused by, leg pressing, meadows row, hack squat, deadlifting and bent over row. Maybe I’m just an idiot sometimes
We have one of those at my gym. It’s certainly worth a try to see if it agrees with your back. I’m not a fan of it personally, simply because I don’t find my squat pattern to be normal when I’m locked in to it. Just me thought.
Also, there are ways to rig up a belt squat at your gym. Check out YouTube for ideas. You could also do it the old school way (which I used to do before we got a belt squat) - strap a heavy dumbbell to a dip belt, climb up on two benches and go to town. It’s not the safest way to do it, so get a spotter, but it will produce great results.
