I’m relatively new to the forum, although I’ve been lurking for awhile.
Anyway, my soccer season just ended, I’ve decided to try HFT. I’ve seen a lot of people keep journals on here, and I’ve decided to try the same.
Yesterday was my first day of training. For anyone reading this, I’ve got naturally big legs & calves from soccer, but I’ve been neglectful of training them during the season, so I’d say they’re a little behind the rest of my upper body as far as strength.
A1 - Back Squat 265lbs
A2 - Bent-over Rows 245lbs
B1 - Lunges (155lbs)
B2 - DB Military Press (seated by mistake) 85lbs
Can already feel it in my calves and glutes today, so I imagine tonights Deadlifts are gonna suck.
If anyone reads this that’s done HFT, did you do a lot of cardio? I still play in a couple of rec indoor soccer leagues (have a game tonight), and I don’t want to burn-out or anything. If anyones got any tips, they’d be greatly appreciated.
Strength isn’t really the issue, it’s fatigue. As I thought, my legs are lagging in strength and endurance, they fatigue pretty quickly which kinda puts a damper on the rest of the work-out. I might do any extra week of this just to try and get my legs back on par. We’ll see.
Oh, I’ve also posted some pics from last night (Excuse the boxer shorts). Areas I’m trying to focus on are chest and lats. I’m crap at taking pictures, and will try to take more tonight.
Jacked? Ha, thanks! I don’t know really. I haven’t had a dedicated shoulder day in a long time. I usually just do either DB or BB presses after a chest work-out.
Anyway, here’s Saturday - Day 9
Was out of town and found a great little gym “the sweat shop”! Somewhat older equipment, but from the moment I walked in until I left, nobody else came into the weight room! Man, it was awesome. Unfortunately, they didn’t have all the gear I needed, so I substituted a little.
Anyway,
A1 - Back Squat 265lbs
A2 - Bent-over Rows 225lbs
B1 - Lunges (60 lb DB)
B2 - DB Military Press (standing) 70 lbs
What I will say that this program has done is that it’s identified the areas where I’ve neglected over the years. I’ve never been a fan of back extensions or lower back exercises, and that’s the area that slows me down during a workout. I could easily add 10% to all my main lifts, but my lower back fatigues so quickly that it would be pointless.
Anyway, only 3 more workouts left in this phase. Then it’s on to 5RMs for a week.
Well my soccer playing days are coming to an end I fear. I played Univ soccer and my knees/ankles can’t quite sustain the abuse they used to be able to. Not only that, chasing around younger and quicker kids is miserable.
Here’s a couple of soccer pics - this one is from last season, the next one is from this season.
I am really looking forward to this weekend and 2 days off, all the same.
That being said, I feel fantastic training this way. My muscles feel full all the time and I appear to be leaning out a little. All in all, with only 1 day left in phase I, I’m thrilled with the program so far.
I felt really strong today (relatively speaking), no fatigue at all. After I worked up to my 5rm for the 3 lifts, I felt like I wanted to stay and do something else…
Deadlifts (Narrow stance) - 315lbs x 5
Chin-ups - BW + 55lbs x 5
Hammer curls - 65lb DB’s x 5
I’m having to eat more than normal, because I’m really leaning out and I don’t want to get too depleted when the 2-a-days start next week.
Did Cardio tonight as well (had an indoor soccer game after the work-out)
I’m actually enjoying this as well, it’s a nice break from the set work. Only one more day to go though, and then on to Phase III - but I’m looking forward to seeing the results from Phase III.
Two a Days! Great… of course this happened to be Sunday morning, and I was seriously depressed after CC got knocked out. I can’t get anything right this year, my only correct pic was Indy in the Super Bowl… My co-workers ask me who I think is going to win and then bet against me lol…
I tweaked my groin in the morning squat session, so the rest of the leg workout for the day was reduced to going lighter and stretching as much as I could. A bit of a let-down, but I still had two pretty solid work-outs.
Good work-out! Strength has improved quite a bit. I breezed through the weighted chin-ups and surprised myself a little. Tonight is a night off, and I have Basketball at 8:30.
I don’t know why, but this was one of the hardest work-outs of the program so far. After front squats and rows, I laid on the floor and was completely out of it… struggling not to puke… brutal.
A1 Front Squat 165lbs
A2 Upright Rows (with Rope) 72.5lbs
