Weighed in on Sunday morning at a new low of 12st 13.4lbs, which was surpirsing given this week has been a little different. Waist measured 85cm/33.5" which is less than before too. I think last week was probably juat a high weigh-in/measurement in the end.
4 Likes
19/06 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Superset:
- Inc FBB bench - 2 x 5, 1 x 12 @ 50
(2m between top sets) - BPAs - 3 x 10, 1 x 12 @ red band
Superset:
- BB rows - 12?, 11? @ 50
- Pushups (handles) - 13, 8?
(1m rest)
Superset:
- Squats - 2 x 5, 1 x 9 @ 62.5
(2m between top sets) - alt s/s Calf raises - 15 @ 10
- alt s/s Tib raises - 2 x 15 @ 5
Fairly decent session overall. Still only logging the top sets here as before.
Incline bench felt fairly solid, although my right shoulder teinged a couple of times, but nothing major. The last couple of reps on the final set were pretty slow so I think I’ll just dona standard increase next week rather than a double (which is an option at 10+ reps).
For the middle portion I planned banded leg curls as well but on the warmup set it seemed to bother the right knee (which is painful when I fully close it), so I cut those out and just did rows and pushups. The rows went well and I can bump up thag weight next time. Pushups started OK but then dropped right off, which I expect is the effect of the benching beforehand.
Squats felt a little dodgy on the hip/knee to begin with, but once I got into the groove it was OK. Pretty happy with the top sets, although once again this highlights how little I’ve dealt with heavy weights in recent months, as I’d thought I would get into thr 10-15 rep range.
4 Likes
20/06 (Early AM, fasted)
NNM postural exercises - c.30m
3 Likes
21/06 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Superset:
- Rope cable face pulls - 2 x 15 @ 11.875
- OHP - 2 x 5, 1 x 9 @ 37.5
(2m between top sets)
Superset:
- Chinups - 8, 5ish
(30s rest) - Dips - 10, 6ish
(1m rest)
Superset:
- Deadlift - 10 @ 87.5
(2m before top set) - Hanging knee raises - 12, 8
Pretty good session, pushing up reps and weight all round.
The first two top sets of OHP felt OK but kinda heavy, but on the last set I rrally squeezed the bar as hard as possible (as Brian Alsruhe always says to do) and it made a world of difference - the bar almost felt much lighter and the first few reps were easy. Beat last week a rep despite the heavier weight.
Chinups and dips were OK - the first set of chinups was much more solid than last weel, and I got the extra rep there too.
Deadlifts went pretty well too - an extra rep here vs last week, despite heavier weight again. As with last week I think if I’d reqllt wanted to I could have got more reps, but they would have been slow and grindy which is why I cut it here.
3 Likes
22/06 (Early AM, fasted)
NNM postural exercises - c.25m
3 Likes
23/06 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Supserset:
- FBB bench - 2 x 5, 1 x 15 @ 57.5
(2m between top sets) - BPAs - 4 x 15 @ red band
Supserset:
- DB rows (L/R) - 15, 14 @ 23.625 ea arm
- Banded leg curls - 15, 20 @ red
(1m rest)
Alt supersets:
- Front squat - 2 x 5 @ 55
(2m rest beyween top sets) - alt O/H rope triceps exts - 15, 13 @ 17.5
- alt FBB curls - 15, 13 @ 21.25
Pretty good session, but warm - already sweating buckets by the middle portion of the workout.
Bench press went well; I switched back to flat bench and that does seem more stable than the slight decline option. Smashed the final set again, and managed 1 more rep than last week at a heavier weight which is great.
Also improved on the DB rows which was a pleasant surprise. Banded leg curls felt better this week - I was mindful to not pull as absolutely far back as I could to protect the right knee, and that seemed fine.
Front squats also seemed doable today, so long as I stopped just a tad higher than I would normally, so I was able to work up to the planned weight. 55 felt heavy though so I was thinking of just doing 5 on the last set, but in the end I went a but too low on one rep in the second set which sparked the knee again, and it felt a bit sore moving around afterwards so I cut it there.
I may drop the weight to 50 next time to give me a bit more leeway, or otherwise I could switch to box squats. I’d rather keep working full ROM if I can though to work the max possible range.
Moved the triceps exts to the end to alternate supersets with the curls, which I think is a more efficient use of time. Got a little more out of both this week, but that’s probably mostly down to increased rest between their respective sets.
4 Likes
24/06 (Early AM, fasted)
NNM postural exercises - c.30m
Right knee was sore most of yesterday after the front squat mis-rep, and waking up this morning I didnt feel comfortable I could run without making it worse, so I just did this session instead.
3 Likes
Weighed in Sunday morning @ 12st 13.4lbs, waist measuring 85cm/33.5" - all the same as last week.
2 Likes
26/06 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Superset:
- BPAs - 3 x 15 @ red
- Inc FBB bench - 2 x 5, 1 x 13 @ 51.25
(2m between top sets)
Superset:
- BB row - 14ish, 11ish @ 51.25
- Pushups (handles) - 14, 9 @ BW
(1m rest)
Alternating superset:
- Squats - 2 x 5, 1 x 11 @ 65
(2m between top sets) - alt calf raises - 15 @ 10
- alt tib raises - 15ish @ 7.5
Things are still progressing well - got an extra on the inc bench, at a heavier weight than last week, and I feel like the reps were more solid as well so I think I have ‘earnt’ the double weight jump for next week.
Rows and pushups were both imrpoved from last week as well. I think I’ll probably be able to keep increasing weight on the rows for a while if they keep going like this - maybe a double jump would be best there too.
Skipped banded leg curls again this session and I think it was the right move - something about them bothers my right knee at the moment. As it was, the early squat sets felt a little dodgy, but I was dialled in by the top sets. Really happy with performance on the final set, but I was a tad nauesous for 5 minutes after finishing which I think is the effect of eating shorttly before working out.
3 Likes
27/06 (Early AM, fasted)
NNM postural exercises - c.30m
3 Likes
28/06 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Superset:
- Rope cable face pulls - 3 x 15 @ 12.5
- OHP - 2 x 5, 1 x 8 @ 38.75
(2m between top sets)
Superset:
- Chinups - 8, 5ish
(30s rest) - Dips - 10, 7
(1m rest)
Superset:
- Deadlift - 10 @ 90
(2m before top set) - Hanging knee raises - 13, 8
Small gains had all round here - increased weight or reps (or both) in all cases apart from the chinups.
OHP felt fairly decent, but the 8th rep was a bit of a grind to lockout so I called it there.
Deadlifts were solid - once again I probably could have pushed these further if I’d really wanted to, but I didn’t feel the need. I did try pausing to take a breath at the top of each rep, whereas usually I pause for a split second at the bottom. Not sure if it was any different really…
3 Likes
29/06 (Early AM, fasted)
NNM postural exercises - c.30m
3 Likes
30/06 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Supserset:
- FBB bench - 2 x 5, 1 x 13 @ 60
(2m between top sets) - BPAs - 10, 12, 15 @ doubled yellow band
Supserset:
- DB rows (L/R) - 15, 13 @ 24.25 ea arm
- O/H rope triceps exts - 15ish, 7 @ 17.875
(1m rest)
Superset:
- Front squat - 2 x 5, 1 x 7 @ 55
(2m rest beyween top sets) - FBB curls - 15, 10 @ 22.5
Another really good result for bench here, dropping a couple of reps on last week but at a higher weight. The warmup sets felt a little off, but on the top sets everything seemed dialled in.
DB rows went well - I think I had at least 1 more rep in me on the second set but the arm of the spring clips caught the pocket of my shorts and completely threw me off.
Skipped banded leg curls again today, and my knee is feeling much better overall this week so I’m confident that was the culprit. Split up the triceps exts and curls again as a result, and it’s clear the impact of effectively having shorter rests between each set for those because the reps drops off quite a bit compared to how they went last week.
With the knee issue sorted I managed to get some decent front squats in - all 3 sets completed and I did push the last set just a tad. I didn’t go crazy because my left hip is still giving me issues that was affecting the descent a bit, plus I set my feet wrong on the very first rep of the last set and had to expend some energy standing there while I wiggled them back into the right place. Given how the past couple of weeks have gone though I still think this is a win.
3 Likes
01/07 (Early AM, fasted)
Warmup
Run:
- 5m walk
- 30m run
- 5m walk
40m total w/ 30m running. 4.08mi/6.53km covered in total.
Knees felt fine on this run which was great. Left hip felt a little tight by end, but no big issues whilst running - I think it’s more deep hip flexion that gives me trouble.
Ran a different way to normal - I’ve previously stuck to the same route so I can track my pace against previous sessions, but now I’m just running for general conditioning/fitness so that’s less important. This route was a little more varied/bumpy, but not hard to follow.
3 Likes
Weighed in on Sunday morning @ 13st 0.6lbs, waist measuring 84cm/33" - somehow gained weight but reduced waist size…
4 Likes
03/07 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Superset:
- BPAs - 3 x 15 @ doubled yellow band
- Inc FBB bench - 2 x 5, 1 x 11 @ 53.75
(2m between top sets)
Superset:
- BB row - 11ish, 10 @ 53.75
- Pushups (handles) - 15, 10 @ BW
(1m rest)
Alternating superset:
- Squats - 2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ 67.5
(2m between top sets) - alt calf raises - 15ish @ 20
- alt tib raises - 10 + 10 @ 5
Fairly decent session - dropped a couple of reps on the incline bench, but that’s with a doubled weight-jump from last week. Right shoulder was complaining a little so I think technique could still use a little work.
Dropped reps on the rows too, but that was also with a double weighr-jump, and I’m stull above the intended rep-range. Pushups are slowly climbing despite coming after benching, so I might throw on the weight best soon.
Squats started off feeling a little out of sorts, with the left hip being pretty uncomfortable, but everything dialled in by the second top set, and then my amrap went pretty well.
Struggled to keep balance with the 20 on the calf raises, so that’s probably the right to be using. Tib raises are a bit of a pain to setup - need to see if I can come up with a slightly different way of doing them.
4 Likes
04/07 (Early AM, fasted)
NNM postural exercises - c.30m
3 Likes
05/07 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Superset:
- Rope cable face pulls - 2 x 15, 1 x 15ish @ 13.75
- OHP - 2 x 5, 1 x 7 @ 40
(2m between top sets)
Superset:
- Chinups - 8, 5
(30s rest) - Dips - 10, 7 @ unweighted vest
(1m rest)
Superset:
- Deadlift - 10 @ 92.5
(2m before top set) - Hanging knee raises - 14, 9?
This went OK - not been sleeping great the past few days, and as all the weights move upwards things are getting tougher.
OHP felt heavy for all three top sets - gripping the bar as hard as possible helped again in the final set, but 7 is a rep off last week.
Chinups actually went OK - I only got the same reps as last time but they felt more solid. Going to start adding weight on the dips, so to kick it off I used the unloaded weight vest this time.
Deadlifts felt a bit heavy too - I had a really minor tweak in my lower back yesterday evening which I think played on my mind, but once I really engaged my core and glutes it didn’t affect the lift. Seem to have something of a sticking point at 10 reps, but at least I’m adding weight each time.
3 Likes
06/07 (Early AM, fasted)
NNM postural exercises - c.30m
3 Likes
07/07 (Early AM, after breakfast)
Supserset:
- FBB bench - 2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ 62.5
(2m between top sets) - BPAs - 15, 15 @ doubled green band
Supserset:
- DB rows (L/R) - 15, 13 @ 24.875 ea arm
- O/H rope triceps exts - 14, 8 @ 18.125
(1m rest)
Superset:
- Front squat - 2 x 5, 1 x 9 @ 56.25
(2m rest beyween top sets) - FBB curls - 15, 12 @ 22.5
Bit of a mixed bag today. Right shoulder was causing me some issues on the early bench sets - played around with the setup and got it better by the end, but only 10 reps on the final set, which is a big drop from prior weeks.
Rows and triceps exts went OK - managed to match reps from last week on the former, at a marginally heavier weight, and got same total reps from the latter. I did tweak something in my right inner trap in the first set of rows which was a bit of a pain - it’s not too bad, but I’m hoping I don’t wake up tomorrow with neck pain.
Front squats felt heavy on the way up, but by the end they were actually feeling comfortable (relatively speaking). I felt like I could have pushed the last set even further, but I’m still playing it a little safe as the hip is still a bit buggy. A couple of extra reps on the curls was good too.
2 Likes