Seal rows: 2x7+1x6 with 25kg/55lbs and 2x15 with 20kg/44lbs
Incline DB press: 5x10 with 17.5kg/39lbs
Weighted Crunches: 50 total reps over 3 sets
3x Bicep curls
3x Tricep extensions
3x weighted back extensions
NOTES
So I changed plans for this week and next week. I decided that instead of doing 7wp test next week before starting Hard Gainers I would take the 95% set as a 5+ set as use that for the estimated max and start next week.
Got 6 reps today which matches what I got on the 7wp test week last cycle. This means that I start Hard Gainer 1 cycle back.
So woke up and had to deal with a cat issue. The cat hurt his eye so had to, chose to, comfort him and get his medication sorted etc instead of going to the gym.
However got to work and decided to do the below so I can focus on the actual work Wednesday.
OHP: 20kg/44lbs x5, 30kg/66lbs x1, 40kg/88lbs x1, 42.5kg/94lbs x1 | 32.5kg/72lbs x7
(weight is actually 1.5kg/3lbs than above heavier due to the bar being heavier than normal bars)
This puts my predicted max to a point where 85% is exactly the same TM for Hardgainers as I am using at the moment which I am ok with.
A question for anyone who has ran Hard Gainers:
I won’t have time for the prowler work on OHP day (or one of the upper days) due to having to get to work. I have the following solutions and just wanted to see what you think would be best:
Do the OHP work and upper body accessory work and the NEXT day do the prowler work
Do entire workout as a ‘cardio’ session and allocate 30 minutes to Sled work with the weight work in between pushes
This is more or less how I ran all of the hard conditioning during my run of Hardgainers last fall. But it’s also how I run all of my hard conditioning for the last little while, so I’m not sure that say anything at all!
I can’t speak for JW, obviously, but my guess is he’d say: “It doesn’t matter—just do the work.”
BTW, I misread your post, I think: my hard conditioning wasn’t quite like what you’ve proposed, but… I still think it probably doesn’t matter much, as long as you get the work in.
RDL: 1x20 with 70kg/154lbs
Death marches: 2x24(12 each side) with 32kg/71lbs ( Two 16kg/36lbs Kettlebells)
DB Press: 2x20 with 20kg/44lbs
Bench press: 2x5 with 60kg/132lbs
Lat pull down: 3x10
Low cable row: 2x10
BELOW DONE AT WORK A FEW HOURS LATER
Hex bar deadlifts : 72.5kg/160lbs x3, 112.5kg/248lbs x2, 152.5kg/336lbs x2 and 182.5kg/402lbs x1
NOTES
So the 95% set at 7 reps puts my next TM exactly where it is now, which I am happy with. I think I’ll enjoy MR sets and FSL on deadlifts instead of 50 reps FSL, the rep quality will definitely be higher.
Except that not much to say. Just going through the motions I guess until Saturday’s squats and next weeks new program
Little update I did do the OHP and squat sessions yesterday and skipped all the accessory work.
Just been feeling drained (mentally/ work stress) and think I ran BBB 1 cycle too long that I really just got ‘bored’.
Highlight of yesterday was the 95% set of 130kg/286lbs x7 which puts my TM at around the weight of this cycle. But I decided to lower the TM by 5kg/10lbs (so 1 cycle back) so I end up with the current TM for the second cycle of hardgainers.
Bench: 47.5kg/105lbs x5, 55kg/121lbs x5, 5x5 with 62.5kg/138lbs
Seal rows: 5x15 with 20kg/44lbs (superset with below)
Incline DB bench: 5x10 with 17.5kg/39lbs (part of superset) and 17.5kg/39lbsx12,15 (to match reps done of rows)
Prowler: 20minutes of high handle/low handle/ backward drags
NOTES
Ok. Let’s get the first part out of the way, The prowler is torture and I am probably doing it wrong. I tried to do 20 minutes of non-stop work (except for adding plates) and I wanted to quit within the first 5 minutes.
Also I need new trainers because the current ones are kinda worn out on the sole so heavy heavy pushing felt like I was on ice
Bench press into barbell row: 1x20 of both with 40kg/88lbs
Incline bench press into barbell row: 1x20 with 30kg/66lbs (The bench press) into 1x20 with 40kg/88lbs row
Power cleans: 40kg/88lbs x3, 45kg/99lbs x3, 50kg/110lbs x3 and 55kg/121lbs x1
NOTES
So the weather here is horrendous, even more so considering yesterday was sunny and warm, and I ended up skipping the gym and going back to bed. With today being Bank Holiday I knew the work gym would be rather quite so I did the above at work.
Not much, but enough to aid recovery and get the blood rate up .
Shrugs: 5x10 with 100kg/220lbs and 2x25 with 60kg/132lbs
Dips: 3x10 + 1x8 with 10kg/22lbs and 1x12 with body weight only
Walking lunges: 1x40(20 each side) and 1x60 (30 each side) with 30kg/66lbs
NOTES
Ok so I think moving forward I will need a set goal target for the 5+ sets because today getting 10 feels both ‘ok’ and like ‘not enough’. I think I had already mentally put the cap at 10 reps and left reps in the tank.
Moving on from that, lets talk about the shrugs. I never do these but considering I’m trying to get bigger I guessed it was time to show the traps some attention. I am already sore and feel like my neck is tight as hell which is either a good sign or sign that I did them wrong.
Anyhow pressing tomorrow and prowler Thursday (unless I can come back to the gym tomorrow)
So today was surprisingly harder than expected. Traps/ shoulder girdle area is sore as hell from yesterday and the supersetting of pressing and pull ups really took it out of me.
Slightly disappointed by the pull up performance. The plan was originally for Squat day to have weighted pull ups as the pulling work but if today is anything to go by that’s a bad selection. We will see.
Prowler: 20minutes of high handle/low handle/ backward drags
Hip thrust machine: 3x8 with 140kg/ 309lbs
NOTES
Not much to say. Got the sled work I missed yesterday on press day. Hungry AF, despite having breakfast, so I went to a good old reliable PB&J sandwich
Seated DB press: 12.5kg/28lbs x10, 15kg/33lbs x8, 17.5kg/39lbs x6 and 20kg/44lbs x3 ( slow tempo on these)
Cable side raises: 3x10
Face pulls: 3x12
Seated row: 3x10
Floor press: 40kg/88lbs x10, 50kg/110lbs x8, 60kg/132lbs x4 and 40kg/88lbs x10
Bicep curls: 3x10
Rolling DB extensions: 3x10
NOTES
So today was very much a ‘vanity day’. I mean I’m in a surplus so why not.
As you probably notice today was done with more of a ‘bodybuilding’ mindset with slow tempo for most work and focus on the shoulder. The aim of his day is to add a bit more stimulus that won’t hinder recovery which let me create the illusion of being bigger AKA having decent side delts
Pull ups: 10kg/22lbs x5,5,5,5 + 2x5kg/11lbs x5 + 2x6+x1x8 bodyweight only Superset with
Dips: 10kg/22lbs x10,10,10,6 + 2x5kg/11lbs x8 + 2x6+x1x8 bodyweight only
Death marches: Death marches: 2x30(15 each side) and 1x40 (20 each side) with 32kg/71lbs
Total accessory work:
Push: 50
Pull:72
Legs: 100 (50 each leg)
NOTES
So today was a story of two workouts. The squat work felt great. The 5+ set for 14 moved very well (perhaps due to the belt use) and the widowmaker was pretty easy. I considered taking this set over 20 put remembered a while back I pushed out 50 reps with this weight so knew if I went above 20 I would either push to 51 or if I got less be in a negative headspace. I know 5/3/1 has its freedoms but taking a set of 20 to 50+ is in my opinion a liberty too far!
The accessory work was hard. Very very hard. The supersets of dips and pullups really felt brutal and the death marches fried the hammies.
Bench: 50kg/110lbs x5, 57.5kg/127lbs x5, 5x5 with 65kg/143lbs
Seal rows: 5x15 with 20kg/44lbs (superset with below)
Incline DB bench: 5x11 with 17.5kg/39lbs (part of superset) and 17.5kg/39lbsx15+5 (rest pause)
Prowler: 20minutes of high handle/low handle/ backward drags
NOTES
Well today was a good session despite feeling sore as hell from yesterday. The 5x5 work was done with minimal rest yet every rep felt relatively smooth. I got new trainers for the sled work so was able to put more weight and grind out laps mixed in with the backward pulls and sprint work.
Bench press into barbell row: 1x20 of both with 40kg/88lbs
Incline bench press into barbell row: 1x20 with 30kg/66lbs (The bench press) into 1x20 with 40kg/88lbs row
Power cleans: 40kg/88lbs x5, 45kg/99lbs x3, 50kg/110lbs x3 and 55kg/121lbs x1
3x tricep extensions
3x rope curls
NOTES
Nothing much to say. Goal was to keep moving without hindering performance for tomorrow and I’d like to think the goal was achieved.
Physique wise it’s been weird recently. I am what I would best describe as looking FAT, but weirdly I feel solid to the touch (obviously I have put on bodyfat). It’s weird because I sometimes look like I have a mini HGH gut and depending where I am I either get comments like ’ looking bigger mate’ and ’ You are starting to get jacked’ as well as ‘You are getting fat’.
Shrugs: 2x12 and 2x13 with 107.5kg/237lb and 2x25 with 70kg/154lbs
Walking lunges: 2x50(25 each side)
Dips: 0 IMMEDIETE PAIN
Flat DB bench press: 5x10 with 25kg/55lbs
NOTES
Today was rough. I went MMA for the first time in 2023 yesterday and did 1h 15 mins of both boxing and jiu-jitsu ( including 4 hard rounds of live rolling at the end) and woke up feeling stiff as hell. Also only managed 3-4 hours max of sleep.
Main work felt ‘meh’. Not slow but just lacking explosiveness and only managed 8 for the MR set.
Dips were a nogo due to shoulder pains so swapped them for flat DB press which were manageable. Weirdly I did a few reps of OHP and no issues at all, so tomorrow’s main work should be ok!
