29/01/20
15 deg smith incline bench:
10x20
8x40
6x60
9x80 (PR)
6.5x80
Giant set:
Low-high cable cross over: 2x10x10 (PR)
Cable Y raise: 2x15x2.5 (PR)
Cable lateral raises: 2x8x2.5
Seated dumbbell OHP: 10x8s, 8x17.5s (PR)
Tricep rope pull-downs: Cluster set: 3x8x15-10x15
Crunch machine: 14x25 (PR), 10x25
PRs all over the place today - think it was just one of those days, I felt great too.
31/01/20
Hack squat: 10x50, 10x100, 2x8x140
Treadmill: 5.5 mins, 0.5 mile
Leg curl: 15x40, 8x50 (PR), 9x45
Leg extension: 10x25, 10x30-10px30, 8x30-6px30
Lunges: 49, 14xBW
Crunch machine: 15x25 (PR), 9x30
Smith machines were in use so used the hack squat machine instead but it’s pretty rubbish. The lowest I can squat in it only has my legs bent about 90 degrees.
03/01/20
Block pull (15cm):
2x8x40
8x60
8x60 (black band)
6x100 (black band)
Incline shrugs: 10x12.5s, 12, 15x17.5s
Upper back pull-down: 11x55, 2x8x55
Lat emphasis cable row: 10x30, 2x8x40
Concentration curl: 2x12x8
Notes:
Tried the band on the block pulls for two reasons: first to overload my upper back more and second because I was doing them with my friend who’s weaker than me and it saved us loading extra weight. Overall they were ok but a pain to work with. I wrapped the band around the bar then stood on it but it felt awkward having the band under my feet and made it difficult to set up. The power racks have pegs at the bottom I could wrap the bands around so I’ll try that instead next time. It did seem to keep things relatively hard for my upper back while saving my lower body a bit though so I’m happy with that.
The incline shrugs were good too and hit my upper back well - I saw someone doing them on Instagram. Also new was the cable row technique, I rounded my upper back and pulled along my legs to target my lats more. Again, saw on Instagram after someone here linked it - Dante Trudel was doing them.
04/02/20
15 deg smith incline bench:
10x20
8x40
6x60
4x70
7x82.5 (PR)
Dropset: 4.5x82.5-5x72.5
Giant set:
Low-high cable cross over: 12x10 (PR), 8x10
Cable Y raise: 10, 8x5 (PR)
Cable lateral raises: 2x12x2.5
Seated dumbbell OHP: 12x8s, 8x17.5s
Tricep rope pull-downs: Cluster set: 3x6x17.5-10x17.5
Crunch machine: 18x25 (PR), 9x30
05/02/20
Smith squat:
2x10x20
8x40
8x60
2x6x80
Leg curl: 10x40, 13x50 (PR), 10x50
Leg extension: 8x30, 10x35 (PR), 13x35 (PR)
Walking lunges: 24xBW
Assault bike: 8x 10s on/20s off - 34.3 calories
07/02/20
Superset
Smith decline bench:
10x20
10x40
6x60
4x70
13x80 (PR)
Smith high angle row: 10x20, 40, 60, 12x70, 10x60
Smith behind neck press:
10x20
10x30
6x40
15x50 (PR), 9x50, 8x50
Lat pull-down: 15x25, 2x12x30, 15x35
Crunch machine: 7, 5x30
Superset
Dumbbell curls: 16, 8x8s
Tricep extensions: 2x12x10
11/02/20
Incline shrug/row: 10x10s, 3x10x20s
Deadlift:
I was trying to set up bands to overload my back and also showing my friends how to deadlift. I didn’t really get a band set up I liked but ended up doing loads of reps of different things. It got to the point where my lower back and glutes were pretty toast so I left it there. Next week I think I’m going to do smith barbell rows instead.
Lat emphasis cable row: 10x30, 2x10x40 (PR)
Upper back pull-down: 10x55, 7x55, 7x50
Concentration curl: Cluster: 16-10x8
Assault bike: 8x 10s on/20s off - 33.9 cals
Not the best workout. Wasted a lot of time with the deadlifts then had to spend a lot of time waiting for equipment on top of feeling pretty tired.
12/02/20
15 deg smith incline bench:
10x20
10x40
6x60
4x70
8x82.5 (PR)
5.5x82.5
Giant set:
Low-high cable cross over: 14x10 (PR), 10x10
Cable Y raise: 2x8x5 (PR)
Cable lateral raises: 8, 15x2.5
Overhead press: 2x8x20, 10x30
Tricep rope pull-downs: 18x15, ?x15
Crunch machine: 15x25, 9x25
Absolutely destroyed my shoulders today, really good workout.
14/02/20
Lunges: 30xBW
Leg extensions: 12x25, 2x12x40 (PR)
Leg curl: 10x30, 15x50 (PR), 10x50
Squat:
2x5x20
5x40
5x50
5x60
Assault bike: 8x 10s on/20s off
Trying out barbell squats again. The weight felt very light as it should but I had pain in the front of my left hip so didn’t want to push anything.
15/02/20
Bench press:
10x20
10x40
8x50
8x6x60
Tricep rope pull-downs: 2x12x15, 20x10
Incline dumbbell bench: 3x8x18s
Machine shoulder press: 3 sets of 8
Extra workout because my friend was visiting and wanted to go. Didn’t push anything very hard but obviously quite a lot of volume on bench. He was working up to a heavy single then did 3 back off sets so I ended up doing lots of sets.
17/02/20
Smith machine row:
10x20
2x10x40
10x60
10x70
Upper back pull-down: 13x55 (PR), 10x45
Cable row: 10x30, 10x45 (PR)
Concentration curl: 10x10
Assault bike: 8x 10s on/20s off
Feel like I’m probably due a bit of a deload so I’m decreasing the volume a bit this week. Mostly just going from two hard sets per exercise to one.
18/02/20
15 deg smith incline bench:
8x20, 40
6x60
2x75
7x85 (PR)
Machine chest press: 15x35, 15x50
Superset:
Single arm cable Y raise: 12, 14x5
Single arm cable lateral raise: 2x12x2.5
Tricep rope pull-downs: 20x17.5
Assault bike: 8x 10s on/20s off
Going to have to miss leg day this week. Just arrived at the gym and it’s closed until 5pm but I’m leaving for the weekend at 4.
Pretty annoying because I was in the mood for it but at least it’s a deload this week anyway.
I’m looking forward to getting back next week. A week of holding back slightly has got my excited to push hard.
On another note, weight is down to 87kg from 89kg at start of January - much less of a weight loss than I would have liked.
However, I’m pretty sure I’ve added some muscle ‘by accident’ which I wasn’t expecting so there’s hopefully more than 2kg fat loss. Upper chest and shoulders are almost certainly bigger than before and I’ve had someone comment on it when I was wearing a t-shirt.
I’m tracking calories most days; the ones I aren’t are when I’m with my girlfriend, usually the weekend, and we eat together. It’s possible but would be inconvenient for her. During the week average calories are around 2100 which is about 11xBW. Before I take them any lower I’m going to increase cardio. Next week I’ll use the assault bike each training day (4 times) and go swimming on my off day.
24/02/20
Smith machine row:
12x20
12x40
10x60
14x70
8x80 (PR)
Upper back pull-down: 9x60 (PR), 10x55
Rear delt cable fly: 25x2.5, 10x5
Cable row: 10x45, 6x50 (PR)
Concentration curl: 10, 8x10
Assault bike: 8x10s on/20s off - 36 cals
Raining PR’s in here, dude. I just switched up my exercises and am getting ready to push forward with another 2 months of the program. Looks like it’s obviously working well for you.
Thanks mate, I’m enjoying it so far. What exercises have you swapped out and what to? I’ve been fiddling with a few for back instead of the rack pulls and still not sure what’s my favourite. Also got rid of the shrugs and plate raises for rows with a lat emphasis. Push wise I’m still following pretty much to a tee and liking everything. I’ve also added an upper body day where I’m trying a couple more things.
I don’t think the specific exercises matter too much but I’m really liking the higher intensity, lower volume approach. It feels weird now if I end a set and I aren’t at least a rep away from failing.
Regarding the PRs; I’ve changed a number of things and my progress seems to have taken off. I’m tracking everything I eat and drink and I’ve realised I was drastically under-eating protein for years. Food sources are really good now, at least during the week, and I’m getting lots of rest too. And then of course I’m training harder and probably more productively than ever. In terms of how serious I’m taking things I feel like I’ve gone from 0-100.
Smith incline bench for incline DBs, squats for leg Press, upperback pulldowns for wide grip pull-ups, rack pulls for regular dead’s. I’ve made quite a few substitutions in that regard, but keeping things focused on the shelf - upper chest/side delts/traps, keeping most work sets to 1-2, etc, and the layout and order of the exercises has been pretty true. You’re definitely staying stricter than me, but with a rigid program with no periodization, i need some exercise variety to make it for a few months.
25/02/20
Session 1 - 09:20 to 09:45
15 deg smith incline bench:
8x20
2x8x40
6x60
2x75
7x85
7x75
Superset:
Low-high cable crossover: 10, 8x10
Single arm cable Y raise: 8, 6x5
Single arm cable lateral raise: 12, 10x2.5
Tricep rope pull-downs: 20x17.5
Session 2 - 12:35 to 13:00
Smith machine OHP:
10x20
10x30
8x40
12x50
Tricep rope pull-down: 10x15, 20x20
Crunch machine (1.5 reps): 8, 7x25
Assault bike: 8x 10s on/20s off
Didn’t have time for everything in the morning due to bad traffic so had to come back and finish it in the afternoon. First week in quite a few that I haven’t set a PR but I think I just had a bad day.
Also, my lats are super sore from yesterday. I’m not sure if I’ve had them sore like this before - it’s like in my arm pit then down my side.