Thanks Mark, I’ll look into that. Do you have oats cold? Any way to make them taste better? I’ve never been the biggest fan of oats but it’s been awhile and I’m happy to give it another go.
Yes, usually. I’ll go oats, some cinnamon, protein powder, milk and chocolate topping. It’s delicious
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Oats with protein powder (choose a flavor that actually tastes good with just water) and cinnamon is delicious.
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Saturday 8th July
Gym Workout
2 second Paused Front Squats
20kg x 5
40kg x5
60kg x 3
70kg 3x3
Sumo Deadlift
60kg x 5
80kg x 5
100kg x 5
110kg x 5
115kg 3x5
Zercher Rack Pulls (2nd bottom rung)
65kg x 9
65kg x 4 - felt off
60kg x 5 - also not nice
BW chin-ups (superset BW Dips)
5x5 (5x5) - done with alternating grips
The front squats were fun. I forgot how much they limit your oxygen intake with a full pause in the hole. Sumo felt good. Zerchers were not pleasant. My back was fatigued from deads and my core stuffed from front squats. Swapping these out for some sort of row next week, as front squats are here to stay.
I have swapped back squats to front squats as my legs get worked less due to the lower weight but my core, shoulders and upper back get hit harder. I was going to get rid of Zerchers on this session but I decided to give them a go. It really exploits the fatigue that front squats and deads do and I can’t give it enough intensity.
Chins and dips are in. Thinking about getting a weight belt for progression.
OH Press and Zerchers are out. I feel the front wrack position on press and the static hold in the rack pulls is aggravating my shoulders. Going to slot DB overhead in somewhere else in the week. I’m happy with the strength increase the barbell gave me.
I’ve had a huge weekend, haven’t counted calories. I weighed in on Saturday morning at 76.3. That’s a decrease which is what I wanted to see.
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Oats are best with boiling water.
Add some berries and made some chia seeds for crunch.
Don’t buy the flavoured crap. The cheap store brand 100% quick oat does the job.
tweet
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Black and Gold quick oats FTW. Sprinkle of cinnamon, scoop of chocolate whey, boiling water and damn it is tasty!
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Yeah I just bought the cheap pack of oats. I had a look at the macros between the different types and you can pay 4x the amount for 1.8g of protein per 100g. So not worth it.
I tried overnight oats. 1 cup oats, 1 cup milk, greek yoghurt, choc protein powder and a protein mix (almonds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds etc). They needed more Milk and less yoghurt…
They definitely kept me more full though!
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Monday 10th July
Gym Conditioning / Shoulders
16kg KB Swings x 20
16kg KB Goblet Squats x 20
Push-ups x 10 - really slow
Did this circuit 4 times
High Incline DB Press (superset DB Rows)
20kg 3x6 (20kg 3x8 per arm)
BTN Press
25kg 3x10 - band pull aparts between sets
Seated Cable Rows
3x12
Face Pulls x big dropset
10Min on bike Lv6 @90 rpm
Got a good sweat up with the kettlebell work. My shoulders (especially right one) have been feeling funky so I decided to do some light pump work for them. Seems a bit counter intuitive doing behind the neck presses, but it was light weight and nice and slow. Good for medial delts.
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Wednesday 12th July
Gym Workout
Chin-ups (superset Dips)
BW 5x5 (BW 5x5)
Barbell Complex
SLDL x 10
Upright Row x 10
Push Press x 10
Back Squat x 10
Good Mornings x 10
Done with 20kg, 30kg, 40kg, 30kg - this complex still absolutely ruins me!
Heavy Back Squats
60kg x 3
80kg x 2
90kg x 2
97.5kg x 1
102.5kg x 1 - PR!
Leg Press Calves
120kg x 10
160kg x 10
180kg 2x10
Bike 10Min Lv6 @90rpm
Glad to hit that squat PR, especially after most of my workout. Just felt like lifting heavy! Trying something new on calves - not going to failure. Give it a go. Rito food and TV time.
GO THA MAROONS!!!
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Legend! Il race you to a three plate squat lol
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Haha you have so got me on that!
- I’m not strength training at the moment
- I’m trying to cut a bit of weight
- I’m about to go to the the air force in the next few months (hopefully)
- I have been training my squat for about 2 years already! It took me 6months just to get to 1 plate, another 18months to get to 2. So give me 3 more years and I may be pushing 3plates
- I actually have very little desire to get really strong. I’ll be happy when I can throw on 2 plates and rep them for 10-20 reps. Getting really strong not only goes against my personal physiology, it puts unnecessary stress on my joints which is very counter-productive in a physical job or combat role.
You on the other hand Duke, could be knocking on 3plates door by the end of the year if all goes well!
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Well still thats awesome, at least you progressed i guess haha.
I hope i can squat 3 plates by the end of the year that would be good.
Heavy weights stress the body but I think it’s all about volume. What you did in that workout is doable and pushes you but 10 x 2 @ 90% might beat you up. And if you can do 2 plates for 20 then you’ll be able to do 3 plates for 1.
Although I once did 235 x 20 and it calculates to about 390. I’ve never squatted more than 365 with my new and improved form. I also nearly blacked out on that set.
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I actually want to clear this up:
I guess what I really meant to say is that I’m more than happy to take the long road strength wise. It’s not that I think if I put 315lb on my back that I will snap and my knees will shatter, it’s that I have nothing to gain by belting up and pushing out ugly reps and bull-headedly putting more and more weight on the bar just so I can say ‘i have a 3 plate squat.’
I’ve never been an ego lifter and I couldn’t give 2fucks if I have weak lifts. I have never (and never will) put my self worth into my strength level or even into my physique. I believe I have a lot more to offer myself and others than these arbitrary benchmarks.
Now obviously we all have different goals and reasons for lifting and I’m the last person who would say that one reason is more important or noble or smart than another reason so please don’t be offended or think that I am on a high horse.
Reading back over this, it does look a bit douchey from me and like I’m trying to justify myself Oh well… I’m not even sure if a have made my point any clearer…
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Ohhhhh myyyy gooooddnesssssss. I will happily join you on the non-flexible side. As SOON as I began weight training I was so excited to watch myself getting stronger I put stretching and doing mobility exercises on the back burner, and then the added muscle doesn’t help me hit certain depths when stretching. I tried doing a quad stretch recently whilst standing and I was squeezing my hamstrings so hard against my calves, it didn’t even feel like I was stretching my quads whatsoever. And when I do stretch it feels so uncomfy now, and I have to practice those weird breathy techniques because on instinct I just want to hold my breath.
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It’s just another thing that contradicts itself when you start training!
Oh you want to get big? Well flexibility can get lost than.
More strength you say? Well don’t expect your joints to feel tip top all the time.
You like explosive power? Well don’t even try to build your aerobic capacity at the same time if your serious!
Come on now, I just wanna be a fit, strong, well rounded individual (badass). Lol
The challenge is what appeals to me though!
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In the back of head I’ll always want to be well rounded. In the future I’d like to solely dedicate Saturday and Sunday to just practicing Olympic stuff and crossfit type of things, powerlifting/strength on training days, and flexibility/mobility/fun stuff on off days. So far I’ve been doing more things on my off days, and if I’m not too beat I sometimes go and practice snatches and jerking.
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Hehe it took 137 replies for my log to have a chick talking about snatches and jerking…tbh I’m a little disappointed it has taken this long 
hahah
I’m really keen to get into Olympic style lifting. Just like the other contradictory stuff, I can feel myself getting slower and less agile the more I focus on moving bigger weights. I hope this can go some ways to getting my explosiveness back.
I think it is really important to have a broad and open mind when it comes to self improvement. We have a tendency to get good at something which makes us feel good. We than continue to do that which we are good at to get better and feel even better. All the while we are neglecting the one true thing that does improve us… Mastering new things (both physically and mentally).
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Ahhh brilliant you are!
First thing though, I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much. Still only doing snatching and C&Js with ~100lbs. I realized how humbling Oly lifting is. I once got too eager and tried to jump up to 120lbs, while doing a clean and jerk i drove waaaaay too much momentum from my hips and the bar went clean over my head and I looked like I was doing some extreme limbo type stuff lol. But in my head even on days where I’m just doing mobility stuff, I always picture myself doing some super elegant Oly lifts with some of my favorite music in the background.
And I second the whole slower as you get stronger, but I’ve noticed I’m still young and I think once I just start making myself move around it’ll be good. I’m not as slow as I think I am because one day i got scared beyond belief and immediately took off running and that initial break after one foot hit the ground I was already waaaaaay the heck over yonder and I whispered to myself, “how’d I get over here so fast?”
I too wish to be well rounded on few things, not to the extent of powerlifting, but well enough to where there is still balance. I used to be weary of becoming a jack of all trades, but I realize that happens a lot when you don’t have a plan set it and try to progress from the plan. I realize ill probably never hit those super high numbers I see some ladies putting up, but if I can snatch and C&J 135lbs with ease, I’ll be extremely happy. And maybe get good at some strongman stuff, calisthenics, track stuff, (I have experience with swimming in highschool, but I’ll always wish to progress with that too), gymnastics stuff, heck I’ll even dabble in shotput and hammer throw if it’s presented to me lol.
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Have you seen jujimufu? Look him up damn well flexible and has gainzz
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