19/11/20
Giant set
Lower half lateral raise: 20, 18, 15x10s
Lateral raise: 12, 11, 10x5s
Top half lateral raise: 3x10x2s
Behind neck press:
5x20
11x27.5
6x27.5
8x25
Dumbbell overhead press: 3x10x10s
Superset
Overhead tricep extension: 12, 10x15
Crunch: 2x8
Absolutely obliterated my shoulders here especially that first giant set - I could hardly raise my arms. Cut the end short a little bit because I didn’t have much time.
20/11/20
Legs
Superset
Sumo squat: 4x10xBW
Dumbbell RDL: 8x10s, 3x12x15s
Split squat: 3x10xBW
Squat: 5x20, 2x5x33
Lifting Related Plans/Life Update
I find posts like this are useful for me to flesh out my thoughts and to look back on to get an idea what was going through my head but it might be a bit of a word dump so heads up if anyone reads this.
My weight this morning was 84.4kg, up from a low of 82.4kg on 6th Oct. The majority of the weight gain has been in the last few weeks but I’m about where I want to be. Depending how heavy I get I plan to start loosing weight somewhere around January-February until June for the T-ransformation and ahead of summer. I’m aiming for around 85kg and to start mid-January. The lighter I am the later I’ll start.
I still want to try and get a 100kg bench in the near future, so if I want to do it before winter 2021 it probably needs to be before I start loosing weight. Gyms near me will hopefully reopen on the 2nd or 3rd of Dec so that gives me 6.5 weeks up to the 18th of January. In that time I’m going to bench 3x weekly and aggressively pursue that bench goal. If I get it then great, if not, I’ve tried and I’ll have to do it next year instead.
Like I said, after that I’ll start loosing weight and I’m planning to go big. 18th Jan to 31st May is 20 weeks so averaging 0.5kg loss per week I will be around 75kg at the end. I’m expecting I’ll have fairly visible abs at this weight and hopefully will look half decent. I would like to make an impact in next year’s T-ransformation and I think with what I have learnt over the last year I can do alright.
Looking at the near-near future, I started working again yesterday and will be doing two days a week from now until January. I can only workout during the week during lockdown and one of my work days will be during the week which will stop me from working out that day. This week I’m working Friday so I’ll workout back to back Mon to Thur. I’ll still do my easy run today (Mon) and hard one on Wednesday but it’ll be after shoulders rather than on it’s own day. Since the job itself is quite physical I’ll skip Friday’s easy run, which I did last week anyway.
23/11/20
Chest & Biceps
Press up: 19, 14, 9 (60s rest)
Wide grip bench press (6s eccentric, 1s pause):
8x20
10x38
8x38
7x38
Giant set
Incline dumbbell fly: 12, 8, 12x5s+ black & blue bands
Incline plate squeeze press: 10, 8, 7x5s+ black & blue bands
Barbell curl: 10, 8, 7x20
Superset
Concentration curl: 15, 10, 11x8
Lateral raise: 15, 15,
Hammer curl: 2x12x8s
Run: 0.38mi, 3:11 mins - 8:22/mile
Another good session; basically improved on everything vs last week and got a great pump. The run wasn’t really even worth logging but whatever. My legs are feeling worse for wear from work.
24/11/20
Back & Abs
Superset
Barbell row: 2x10x20, 15x38, 12x38, 10x38
Band pull-apart: 5x10x blue & black
Dumbbell row:
14x38
11x38
15x33
Superset
Rear raise: 3x12x5s
Rear delt fly: 3x12x5s
Superset (no rest)
Chin up negatives: 4, 4
Crunch: 12, 6
Another good workout with improvement on basically everything. I feel stronger than ever when it comes to rowing. That first set of dumbbell rows was strict with a huge stretch at the bottom and felt easy until the last few reps. I don’t know why but I had such a good MMC with those rear delt flyes and an unbelievable pump. I could see and feel my rear delts popping out so much it felt like someone else’s body - like they seemed too big to go with the rest of me. I really hope I can replicate it next time haha.
25/11/20
Shoulders & Triceps
Giant set
Lower half lateral raise: 20, 20, 20x10s
Lateral raise: 12, 10, 10x5s
Top half lateral raise: 12, 10, 10x2s
Behind neck press (5s eccentric, 1s pause):
8x20
8x30
6x30
5x30
Superset
Dumbbell overhead press: 3x10x10s
Band pull-apart: 3x20x green
Overhead tricep extension: 2x15x15
Run: 0.98mi, 7:48 - 7:54/mi
Forgot to mention but this workout gave me my first ever proper side delt DOMS last week. That lateral raise giant set at the beginner is brutal.
I don’t check how far or fast I’ve ran until I finish and didn’t realise I was so close to the mile which is my goal. I’m very annoyed I was only 6s of extra running away from it which I could have so easily done. On the positive side it’s the furthest I’ve gone and I tied my fastest pace and I’m gaining weight each week. I’ll get the mile and a bit more next week. Also set new PRs for 1km and 1/2mi with 4:49 and 3:49 respectively.
26/11/20
Legs
Superset
Sumo squat: 3x10xBW
Dumbbell RDL: 3x12x15s
Split squat: 3x12xBW
Squat: 5x30, 2x10x43
Not going to lie, I’ve been taking my leg days easy since the gym closed. I don’t enjoy training legs; it’s the hardest body part to train, probably the one I care about the least and I’m lazy. That combined with this garage gym, which for some reason sucks the life out of me, leads to some pretty lousy sessions.
Let’s hope things are better once the gym opens next week.
Can sort of relate lol. I always find it much easier to do legs as part of a full body session personally. Don’t know if it’s the same for you, but if it is, it might be worth throwing in some other body parts on leg day if you end up having to stay at home for longer than expected - maybe just some extra curls and shoulder pump work fluff at the end.
Considering finally getting a belt while they’re discounted for Black Friday. I’m pretty sure I want a 13mm one over 10mm because more belt = more support, is there any downsides to that? I don’t know whether to go lever or single prong. Anyone that reads this got any experience and suggestions?
Tagging a few people who I think might be able to help, hope you guys don’t mind.
@T3hPwnisher
@carlbm
@flappinit
@dagill2
@alex_uk
It’s probably going to be from Strengthshop in the UK in case any of you guys from here have one.
I would absolutely go 13mm lever. Love having a lever for long drop/strip sets and moving events. And I can always get one tighter than I can with a prong.
Thanks for your input. Do you find you need to change the tightness between different lifts? I’ve seen a few people mention that as a negative, if so how hard is it to change anyway? Looks like just a screw on the back.
I keep it the same for all lifts. I think a certain way about people that need different settings, haha.
But mine is easy to change out: takes 2 minutes and a screwdriver.
Do you put in on so that it’s tight before you take a big breath of do you leave some room to expand into it?
I wear it as tight as I can.
Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.
Got this one. Love it.
What made you go for 10mm vs 13mm?
Got a 13mm strength shop lever and a 10mm single prong (some generic brand) don’t think I’ve used the single prong since buying the lever a couple of years ago. Had to make a couple of adjustments for weight loss or gain.
I use mine once I get over 100kg on deads & squats (so usually 2 sets on dead and 3 sets on squats before I put it on), then I put it on but don’t close it up until penultimate and final sets (for instance I used open lever on 155kg 4x4, then lever closed for 177.5kg and 200kg deads).
I’d definitely go lever, having used a 13mm double prong and got stuck that’s an experience I never want to repeat.
I wear it tight but not as tight as it will go, when it’s open its not tight at all just enough to touch lightly and increase brace (more a cue than anything).
Strength shops belt is artificial not real leather and breaks in quick, fairly soft, might be a positive, might be a negative probably personal preference. I’m happy with it, but only used a cheap 10mm and the 13mm double prong which I think was titan from memory (was super stiff).
10mm. Works brilliantly. Honestly it’s been a real eye opener.
Thanks for your feedback. I’ve been doing some more research since my first post and I think I’m sold on a lever but now debating going for 10mm over the 13mm. I think I will value the additional comfort over the extra support, even if that means less weight. How comfortable is the 13mm strengthshop? How was breaking it in?