20th August 2024 Week 30 - Lower whatever i can do (cutting week 3)
Mobility work
Cossack squats, Hip CARS, single leg RDL, glute raises, frog pumps
Seated Hamstring curls
75kg 3 sets of 5
Belt squat
worked up to 50kg plus whatever the bar adds and knocked out three sets there. Didn’t love it and does’t feel like a long term option.
Leg side raises and clam shells etc. (but i’m doing those every day anyhow)
7 minutes of bike sprints (10 seconds sprint 50 seconds rest) - these killed me, i need to get fitter.
Hamstrings
So i did seated hamstring curls as my main hammy lift and don’t like them for that. They feel too much like an isolation exercise (which they are) but i really don’t feel the strength and contraction the same as an RDL. The only other hamstring machine in the gym is the kneeling single leg hamstring curl. Not sure that will feel much better but might try that fiday.
Quads
So i did belt squats today using my dip belt and trying this with the landmine press. Couple of issues for me. The chain kept slipping forwards and backwards and also chaffing my inside thigh, the 20kg plates also touched the edge of the legs meaning i had to have a wider than normal stance and when i moved back down the bar more i could get the correct depth. Feels like i’d need another bit of kit to get the set up correct. To be fair my fair my spit and sawdust gym does have loads of attachments and stuff laying around (stuff going back to the 70s and 80s which is pretty cool) but i didn’t have time to go searching.
Thinking i’m going to take the trap bar up stairs and leave it there and see if anyone complains. Hopefully that will be ok and can be my main squad pattern movement. Its just a do it and see if i get moaned at type thing but at the moment where the trap bar is there is no space to actually use it unless no one is on the benches (which is never).
Tbh ive always aimed my reps to have explosive concentrics and accentuated eccentrics (1-2s max).
My coach had me pausing for maybe a second at the bottom in between reps.
Was trying to follow the reps in the programme but i guess substituting RDLs for hamstring curls isn’t the same thing so definitely need to increase reps.
Yes I figured that was where your thought process was at. but I just think it’s hard to treat this movement the same as a compound movement. Maybe while you are getting your hips and back sorted, just focus on the mind muscle connection on this movement and really get the most out of the peak contraction. You may even find you see some good hamstring growth. This will translate into strength doe RDL when you are able to do the again.
Incline DB bicep curls
10kg DBs x 12 (then a drop set of 5kg DBs x 12)
10kg DBs x 11 (then a drop set of 5kg DBs x 11)
10kg DBs x 11 (then a drop set of 5kg DBs x 11)
Tricep cable single arm pull downs
20kg x 12 x 12 x 12
I’m going to swap out BB bench to my strength day and add incline DB press to my hypertrophy day. When i’m in the gym in the morning there ins’t sometimes people around to ask for a spot so i can’t really take bench to failure or risk those last reps.
I didn’t want to do that initially as i didn’t want to bench on Monday as its usually a busier bench day but i’ll see how it goes.
Trap bar deadlift
100kg (assume the trap bar is 20kg)
3 sets of 8 reps
Kneeling hamstring curl
45kg
x 12 x 12 x 10
Crunches
3 sets of 20 reps
Side leg raises
3 sets of 12
Bike sprints
7 x 11 second sprints and 49 seconds rest
I really like the trap bar deadlift for feeling it in my legs. Took a few warm up sets to get into it, will have to see if the trap bar is where i left it in the gym when i go back on Monday. Great suggestion from whoever suggested it.
Mobility work
Cossack squats, Hip CARS, Sl RDL, frog pumps, glute raises
TBDL - focus on power
113kg 3 sets of 5
Seated hamstring curls
61kg
x 12 x 12 x 10
Cable ab crunches
3 sets of 15-10 reps
Bike sprints
5 sprints of 12 seconds (48 seconds rest)
2 sprints of 11 seconds (49 seconds rest)
So figured out that the trap bar is 33kg not 20kg, also today i realised you can use the lower handles for more depth which made a massive difference. Felt it all in my legs which is good.
I hate the sprints but i need to do them, its an exercise that my body wants to stop even after 1 sprint! Going to work up to 15 second sprints, 45 seconds rest and then work up to a total of 10 of these.
Great session though, had to carry the Trap bar upstairs and then down afterwards, was a massive faf but I’ve got no other choice.
DB Incline - Think my incline was too high, might lower the bench by 1 for next week
34kg DBs
x 10 x 8 x 8
Single arm HS seated row
42kg x 12 x 12 x 12
Pec dec
68kg
x 12 x 12 x 10
Lat Pull down
70kg
x 10 x 10 x 8
Cable lat raises
20lbs i think
x 12 x 12 x 12
Incline DB curl
10kg DBs
x 12 x 12 x 12
Single arm tricep cable pushdown
20
x 12 x 12 x 12
Got rugby training tonight then i’m playing a pre-season friendly on Saturday so will just do core, hip work for Fridays workout. Lets see how my back holds up playing rugby! Going to be hard in a calorie deficit still, need to increase my carbs on Friday.
BB flat bench - paused and power
92.5kg
3 sets of 5
Pull up (palms away)
x 5 x 5 x 5 x 4 (plus 1 lower)
HS Chest press
40kg each side
x 10 x 10 x 10
Seated cable row
84kg
x 9 x 9 x 9
Viking Press
61kg
x 7 x 7 x 6
Hammer rope curls
10 weight x 10 x 10 x 9
Bent over cable tricep extensions
10 weight x 10 x 9 x 7
I increased carbs from Friday through to Sunday as i played rugby, only played 40 minutes but still needed the carbs for performance and recovery. Played ok, was a pre season friendly, neck and back aching today.
Mobility - forgot to do this today, was in a rush and saw a space for the TBDL and it slipped my mind
TBDL - power reps
118kg
3 sets of 5 reps
Cable rope crunches
14 on machine
4 sets of 12 reps
Side leg raises
3 sets of 15 reps
Bike Sprints - 7 sets of 12 second sprints 48 seconds rest
I hate sprints but also love them, might swap them for one of those air bikes with the arms that move as well as the saddles are bigger and the normal bike is not that comfy.
Glute raises ss with frog pumps 3 sets of 25& 20 reps
Side planks 3 sets of 30seconds each side
Was pretty beat up after a really hard rugby contact session last night. Took a hard bang to my left wrist which I’ve strapped today. Pretty painful but physio doesn’t think it’s broken thank goodness.
Could do with a long ice or hot bath this weekend to get a load of bruising out the system.
