Rower erg (level 10) - @Ironwarrior25 what’s the best setting to have the erg on if you’re just after a bit of conditioning? I’ve heard 7 replicates water best, and too high moves a lot of the work to your arms.
Warm-up 3 mins @ 2:00 Intervals - 30 seconds rest
100m
200m
300m
400m
Fairly consistent pace at 1:35
Speed deads
70kg x 5
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
150kg x 8 x 2 - EMOM
BOR, RDL, shrug
70kg x 12, 20, 30
Pull ups
5 x 5
Btn pulldown - straps
“12” x 4 x 10 Last set dropset to
“6” x 40
Best thing to do is check the drag factor as it varies how much resistance each setting gives depending on how well looked after the machine is. I would say 130-135 would be best for a heavyweight male (or at least this is what I have been coached). Just go on to more options on the monitor and adjust the setting accordingly. On well kept machines this is often 5/6, but on bad ones can be as high as 8/9.
I would tend to agree too high a resistance leads to a tendency to wrench with the arms early, meaning you don’t work the legs as much as you should. Best to keep the arms straight right until the finish, plus when you engage the legs and glutes properly you go faster and give yourself a better workout. Give 8 x 500m sprints a go with 1 minute rest if you want to test your conditioning.
Changing all my squats to high bar for a bit - mainly to save the forearms, but they’re also a bit easier on my back with rugby twice a week now as wells as deads. Quads could use the work anyway - they got pretty much nothing for them over summer.
Back extensions
2 x 10
High bar squats
70kg x 5
100kg x 3
120kg x 2 Add belt
140kg x 5 x 3
BTN push jerk
40kg x 5
55kg x 3
70kg x 3
85kg x 3
Been a while.
Bench
Bar x some
40kg x 10
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
90kg x 3,4,5,4,3
Bench felt good - maybe push press switched the shoulders on a bit, I don’t know
Roman chair
5 x 10
Ss/ Dips
5 x 5 - felt good, did these facing outwards, so shoulders were a bit more externally rotated with the angle of the handles. No pain.
Rear delt machine
Went heavier than normal for 3 x 10 instead of the higher reps
Ss/ Decline situps
3 x10
DB seated ohp
17.5s x 15
25s x 12
30s x 10
25s x 10
Yesterday
Game. Lost by a 2 try margin. One of ours was disallowed when it shouldn’t have been, and they closed the game with a try which resulted from some sloppy tackling by tired defenders. Should’ve been closer based off that but they were the better team and deserved the win on the day. With the side we put out we had nothing to be ashamed of. Personally still had the fitness to keep up the pace throughout the game, lot of physicality. Didn’t get bashed off a tackle at all but a few guys who were just out of my reach who slipped past. Not getting the opportunities to put in big hits on my shoulders, which are always satisfying, but quite a few runs with the ball taking the hits there.
Today
Deadlift club and recovery
Deads
60kg x 5
80kg x 5
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
140kg x 3
160kg x 3 x 3
Reigning it in a bit here - still gotta be conscious of my head. Good quality reps. Also sore from the game so didn’t want to push my upper back.
High bar squat
Bar x some
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 3 Add light belt (velcro golds gym thing)
120kg x 3
140kg x 3 - felt good.
Bench
Bar x some
40kg x 10
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
90kg x 3 x 3 - minimal rest. Felt good.
Chins
5 x 4
Ss/ Back extensions
5 x 10
Ss/ Neck extension isos
5kg x 5 x 20 seconds
OHP
30kg x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 10
50kg x 3 x 5
OH triceps
20kg x 3 x 15
Ss/ DB curls
12.5s x 3 x 10
Good recovery session - still hitting ok weights but not hammering either volume or intensity.
Physique update.
Around 96.5kg. Weight loss has stalled while I’ve been settling back into uni. Ready to get back on track but still feeling happy with how I’m looking. Love a bit of good lighting.
You had me at competition - will have to get on the ball with morning weigh ins and get an average for the week up every Friday - you do something similar right?
Trying to get down within spitting distance of the 90kg class.
Morning weight - 97.5kg
Run
5km - 20:31 - 4:08/km - 24 second PR. Ran at a comfortable pace and picked it up for the final K. Sub 20 is coming soon - that’ll be good fun. Might push to a higher distance (7km+) next week and try and keep pace sub 5.
Awesome, yes that’s exactly what I do! I’m quite curious to see if I can drop below 90kg for a short period, we could do first to get a weekly average under 90kg? Or 91kg or 92kg if that’s too low?
You and me both mate. On a mission to become the lightest and faster prop in the league. Quite possibly one of the strongest still lol, love league 3 sport.
Bw: 96.8kg
Conditioning/deads/back/rugby
Rower ergo - 135 drag - 30 seconds rest
100m
200m
300m
400m
One day I’ll go all the way up to 500, then back down. In the meantime these break me. Didn’t know glutes could cramp.
Deads
70kg x 2 x 5
100kg x 3
120kg x 3 Add belt
150kg x 2
160kg x 6 x 2 emom
45° back extensions
5 x 20
Ss/ Pull ups
4,4,4,4,8
Ss/ Neck extension isos
5kg x 5 x 25 count
Incline curls
7.5s x 15
12.5s x 3 x 10
Rugby training later. It’s been getting more physical lately - lot of contact playing into the drills instead of just handling work.
Recap for week. Nutrition getting back on track (more of the prepped meals, less of the post gym Maccy’s). Training good, a good run (aiming for more distance tomorrow), weights comfortable with some increases in bench and squat. Will try and push the rowing harder. Doing well at the rugby in terms of fitness and strength.
Yesterday
Game day - won 29-15. Two tries very early on because we played the game plan, but then we got sucked into scrappy attempts at quick play instead of keeping the ball secure - it was a rainy day and the ball was slippery so passing was not always the smartest move under pressure. Got back on track and had a comfortable win.
Good game for me, had a lot of contact in open play (and broke a lot of ground with runs), but was struggling in the scrums - the opposite man was shorter and wider and I really struggled to get under him. Hips kept going wide and my second row couldn’t keep me in so we were losing a lot of drives.
Today
Morning weight 98.2 kg - I had a very large steak last night and it has absolutely not got through me yet.
Squats
Bar x some - legs still work - good. Some tight ankles.
Pulldown - just stretching
Deads
60kg x 5
100kg x 5
120kg x 3
140kg x 3
160kg x 3 x 4 - good, comfy
Bench
Bar x some
40kg x 8
60kg x 5
80kg x 10 x 3 - EMOM
90kg x 1
100kg x 1
105kg x 1
110kg x 1
Pullups
5 x 5
Ss/ High bar squats
60kg x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
60kg x 20
Really short for time before rugby but wanted to get a gym session in.
Rower erg - 135 drag
500m - 1:29 - this is the best pace I’ve ever done this in. I’m gonna take @Ironwarrior25’s advice and do reps at this but today I wanted to get into the lifting and get the cardio done at rugby training.
Deads
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
140kg x 3
160kg x 3 Add belt
180kg x 5 x 2 - EMOM Continue EMOM (rapid plate dumpage) Belt off
140kg x 8 x 3 - EMOM
BOR
60kg x 12
80kg x 10
100kg x 10
120kg x 8 - lol cheaty bollocks Drop to
60kg x 12
Pullups
5 x 3
Ss/ 45 back extensions*
+10kg x 5 x 15
Bunch of stretching
Rugby training
Focus on scrummage technique with a guest coach today - which is what we needed after last Saturday. I’m moving to tighthead, which means I’ll take a bit of a bigger hit, and we went over a setup for the front row to get us square and tight. Then drills for the second rows and flankers to push through me effectively whilst helping me stay square. Finally a driving cue to get the whole scrum dipping and pushing as one unit.
I’m going to be sore on Sunday.
High bar
Bar x some
50kg x 5
70kg x 5
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
150kg x 5 x 2
Cgbp
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
60kg x 10 Bench
80kg x 10
90kg x 10 Cgbp
60kg x 20
DB seated OHP
20s x 5 x 12
Rear delt machine
“36” x 30
“50” x 4 x 15
Pec deck
“50” x 25
“64” x 3 x 15
Ss/ Rear delt machine
“50” x 15
“64” x 3 x 8
Vbar pulldown
“10” x 15
“13” x 3 x 12
Ss/ Barbell pullovers
20kg x 10
30kg x 3 x 10
Hammer curls
14s x 3 x 15
Decline curls
10s x 3 x 10
Lots of stuff felt quite heavy today - squats especially, still sore and tight in my back and hams from yesterday but got decent volume in to get them moving and a fair amount of stretching.
Recap for week - been good with nutrition, but had a couple of big morning weights this week from large late night meals. Finding it hard to get motivated to go for a run on Mondays now that the weather’s turning and I’m beating myself up Wednesday and Saturday, but will make an effort when it’s not pouring down or do some gym based cardio otherwise.
Game - won 12-13 on the final kick. Was 12-3 for most of the game, then I came off with a cut for the final 10 minutes and we scored. 12-10. Several attempts to get back up their end of the field and the ball kept getting turned over and booted back downfield. Finally won a penalty about 35 metres out from their posts and went for the kick. Made the 3 points with the final play of the game! What’s more I had a nice comfy seat and a friendly physio fussing over me while it happened.
Sunday
Weight: 96.9kg
Mum was down to visit, don’t see her often and we went out for many a drink after the game. Alongside having split my forehead open during the game I was in no condition for deadlift club, so we went for a nice Cornish coastal walk instead. Dog seemed to enjoy it.
Lifting later today.
High bar
40kg x 5
70kg x 5
100kg x 3
120kg x 3 Add belt
150kg x 3
170kg x 2
180kg x 2 - PR. Best single on high bar is 195, never repped anything north of 160 (although that was a set of 10). Relatively easy baseline PR just to keep my eye in. Will stay at the lower intensities til I’m cleared. Belt off
150kg x 5
Bench
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 3
90kg x 3
100kg x 3 x 2 - nice for this to be an easy weight again.
80kg x 3 x 10
RDLs
80kg x 10
100kg x 10 Add straps
120kg x 10 Add belt
140kg x 10
Good session if a bit brief. Bench didn’t feel as good as squats, but they felt great - very explosive - 180kg felt better than it did when I low-barred it for a single a month or so ago. First heavy RDLs in a very long time - will do more of them.
Nice number to hit.