Beginning Till Present-on the Way to My Dreams

Training Logs
1

I received this bullshit news:

"You are a very enthusiastic and committed player with good line out skills, a good game understanding (ability to make the right choices etc) and great potential to go a long way in the game.

You need to look at developing your strength and conditioning (not that you are weak, but you need to develop muscle bulk and add to your size). Some of this will be because you are still growing at the moment."

This was from my development manager, his explanation for why I didn�t make the national side for that age group.

After this, I did some research and found T-Nation. I was lucky enough to receive some great advice from a few members and Nate Green in particular. Since then I have gone from no heavier than 85kgs → my current weight of 117kgs. I have also since doubled all my major lifts in weight AND also got into the national side for my age group!

Needless to say, I like T-Nation rather a lot now.

Anyway, I�m starting this log in order to continue to gain such helpful advice, so PLEASE post if you feel you have something to offer OR if I am slacking and need an ass kicking.

Training and diet to follow soon, you will notice that I am following a �bodybuilding� split rather than a more athletic type training involving Olympic lifts.

This is because, this is what I did to get bigger originally, and the muscle size I have put on has actually increased my speed rather than slow me as a lot of people presume, so I see no need to focus on Olympic type lifts. Although I may very very rarely add some power cleans for variety at the beginning of a work out.

Please do follow along, my long term goal is the 2014 World Cup. Although no doubt a major challenge, it is of course possible.

2

Ok so this is the training plan that i am changing to come Monday as have just finished the last cycle of my current plan. Inspired/ stolen from Modok’s thread over in the T-cell.

M- Chest + Back: Bench Press, Bent over BB row, DB incline Press, Weighted Chins.

T- Legs + Abs: Squats (6 sets), GHRS, AB circuit.

W- Shoulders + Arms: Military Press, Lateral raises, Standing Bicep curls, Weighted Dips, Hammer Curls, Tricep pressdowns.

T- Off.

F- Chest + Back: Incline Bench Press BB, Seated row, Flat DB press, Lat Pulldown/pullups.

S- Legs + Abs: Deadlifts (6 sets), Leg Press, AB circuit.

S- Shoulder + Arms: Push Press, Heavy BB shrugs, Incline seated Curls, Close grip bench press, Standing DB curls, Seated tricep extension.

Ok, thats pretty much it, 3 sets per exercise bar sqauts and deadlifts, ramping with each of them. First 3 days will be 10-12 reps well second set of 3 days will be 8-10 reps. After a month i will switch in reps in the 5-7 range.

Any thoughts people?

Diet to come tomorrow.

3

My only thought is Deadlifts the day after your back day.
I ran into this when scheduling my split and decided to do legs and back on same day, but I am doing chest/shoulder/tris day 1 and 3 legs/back/bis day 2 and 4.

Then a gain it may it may work well for you.

4

[quote]Papa Nick wrote:
My only thought is Deadlifts the day after your back day.
I ran into this when scheduling my split and decided to do legs and back on same day, but I am doing chest/shoulder/tris day 1 and 3 legs/back/bis day 2 and 4.

Then a gain it may it may work well for you.[/quote]

Thanks for pointing that out. But think it should be fine as the back exercises on the day before are most for upper back.

We will see though.

5

Here is my diet…actually at home right now so it have more variety which to me isnt as good, when im not home i eat the same stuff day in day out, and it works.

9am: Shake (30gs protein, 21gs Carbs) + dorset cereal thing…basically oats with fruits.

11am: Meal replacement: 52gs protein, 14.3 carbs.

2pm: chicken, mixed veg, brown rice.

3.30: GYM

PWO: Shake

6.00: Beef lasangne x2 lol

Before Bed: cottage cheese and full fat milk.

Nothing special here.

Back training tomorrow, although diagnosed with a stress fracture on my left shin. Hopefully just needs iceing and only really hurts during plantar flexion.

Thoughts?

6

One mistake…almonds with the bed meal too.

7

Have smashed the first two sessions, about to go do todays. will write them up after, they are intense and i am sore.

Doing legs in the morning followed by a pre season fitness session may have been a mistake lol.

8

Monday- Chest and Back (kilograms, reps)

Bench press: Bar x 12, 70 x 10, 80 x 10, 85 x 8, 82.5 x 10

Bent over BB row: 60 x 10, 70 x 10, 71 x 10

DB Incline Press: 30 x 12, 32.5 x 10, 32.5 x 10

Chin ups: 0 x 12, 10 x 10, 10 x 10

Tuesday- Legs and Abs

Squats- 70 x 12, 100 x 10, 110 x 10, 115 x 10, 120 x 10, 120 x 10.

GHRS- Got 12 reps for all 3 sets with a slight pushoff.

Wednesday- Shoulders and Arms

Military Press- 40 x 12, 50 x 12, 60 x 10, 60 x 10, 55 x 10

Lateral Raises- 10 x 12, 11 x 12, 12. 5 x12, 12.5 x 10, 11 x 10

Standing Bicep Curls- 30 x 10, 40 x 11, 40 x 8, 35 x 10

Dips- 5 x 10, 10 x 11, 10 x 10

Hammer Curls- 15 x 12, 17.5 x 12, 18 x 10, 14.5 x 10

Tricep Pressdowns- 40 x 12, 50 x 11, 50 x 12 52.5 x 10

I seem to be weak over this rep range. The first few reps seem very easy, then around 6 reps it suddenly seems a very big struggle to get the bar going.

Today (thursday) is a rest day, although i do have training this evening…long distance sprints i think…any ideas on a good protocol to retain my muscle mass or just food?

9

I read through this quickly and have a few points.

  1. Your goal was to gain, then you gained…what is your current weight goal?
  2. Where do you train? Gym? Home? (if home, what equipment do you have?)
  3. Do you do any warm up/mobility before you train? I have found that starting this (and doing it correctly) is the key to longevity in the weight game. Granted I’m only 26 but from what I have experienced and people I have spoken with; it seems to be the case.
10

[quote]B rocK wrote:
I read through this quickly and have a few points.

  1. Your goal was to gain, then you gained…what is your current weight goal?
  2. Where do you train? Gym? Home? (if home, what equipment do you have?)
  3. Do you do any warm up/mobility before you train? I have found that starting this (and doing it correctly) is the key to longevity in the weight game. Granted I’m only 26 but from what I have experienced and people I have spoken with; it seems to be the case.[/quote]

Firstly, thanks for taking a look at this for me!

  • I still want to continue gaining, however rather than the previous all out bulk, i want to continue to add muscle with minimal fat gains.

  • Train at a gym, its very good. Cant think of anything it doesnt have other than thick bars.

  • No. I do warm up sets for each movement,but fail on the whole mobility front. I do have a barbell complex and some ducking under and stepping over a gate type movements which i plan to do before training, but never find the enthusiasm for them, maybe i should…lol

Thanks again! ! !

11

Well if you want to continue to gain, you should look at what you’re eating. Write down your typical diet and figure out the calories, then add 500 in there somewhere. Make sure the food sources you’re taking in are as optimal as possible (depending on what is available and of course, money). By that I mean, look at the bread and grains you’re buying (it’s retarded how many ‘whole grain’ stuff have HFCS in them), also if you can afford it…go for the Omega eggs. Stuff like that.

Your training doesn’t have anything stupid that jumps out at me. When I was in the same mind frame as you “gains but with minimal fat” I found it best to eat like I’m gaining and do some training like I’m losing. If that makes sense. I added in some barbell complexes at the end of 2/3 of my workouts and now that it’s summer I have a ‘conditioning day’ on Saturday mornings. That helps me out. Also when I train, after my first 1-2 major movements, I reduce my rest periods.

I’d look into mobility. Look up some of the Cressey articles and Tony Gentilcore stuff. It’s not just for injury prevention, I think that it helps my performance as well. Especially with benching. Good luck and PM me if you have more questions!