03/05/19
Deadlifts with the guys. Managed 200kg for a single. Attempted 210kg and 205kg but the bar rotated almost out of my hands, which was rather frustrating.
04/05/19
Football
05/05/19
Dips and chins
06/05/19
Golf
07/05/19
Bench - 120kg * 1, 122.5kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 115kg * 1
Squat - 150kg * 1, 155kg *1, 157.5kg * 1, 160kg * 1 (PR), 150kg * 1
Could not believe how strong I was on the squat today - it was another quantum leap of gigantic proportions. Last time out I did 147.5kg. But here I was, 160kg, a new personal best. I think there are three factors that made a difference today - the squat form - it’s wider and feet more flared - drinking a dextrose-based drink during the workout and breathing - focussing on getting three or four good, deep breaths of air before the execution of the repetition. It’s funny, I saw my mate drinking Lucozade on Friday’s workout and he got condemned for it, but I think it gives you an edge.
Edit: weights at this gym aren’t the full ticket. Can’t really count this as a new PR.
10/05/19
Squat - 162.5kg * 0, 90kg * 16
Bench- 125kg * 0.5 (some assistance)
Probably a bit greedy here today with my choice of weight on the squat. The bench was always going to be close. My mate assisted me with my balance on the bench. So back to ground floor after having my head in the clouds from the last time out. It’s a shame; I think if I had gone for 160kg I could have cemented that weight, but there we go. You live to fight another day and live or die by your choices. The set at 90kg was a killer. I said to my mate, how many, and he said 15+, and I said wtf. But I got it. There’s nothing quite like grinding out reps on the squat.
13/05/19
Bench - 125kg * 1, 100kg * 6, *5, *6
Pretty pleased. This is the most reps I’ve ever got at 100kg. And I’m heading back to Norfolk now where I can go up in increments of 1kg, unlike at the commercial gym where the lowest increment is 2.5kg.
Since I’ve concentrated a lot on squat and bench, I might do a couple of workouts focussing on the deadlift and OHP. I’ve really been thinking a lot about the bench vs. the OHP. I’ve wondered about dropping the OHP altogether and just benching. Haha, I love the bench. I love the OHP too, but I really care about my bench number, and I don’t much care for my OHP number. Does anyone have any thoughts on the merits of the bench and OHP? Did anyone try dropping the OHP to focus more on the bench and see how they got along?
14/05/19
Chins - 8, 8, 8, 7
Should probably add some weight to a weight belt. Progress has been very slow in this movement. I think part of the trouble is I’ve put on some weight (albeit mostly muscle).
15/05/19
Deadlift - 200kg * 1, 205kg * 1, 210kg * 0.5, 180kg * 3, 180kg * 2
Press - 70kg * 1, 75kg * 1, 60kg * 3, * 4, *4
Was close to getting that 210kg on the deadlift. I rather fancy I will make it next workout. So my current bests this season are 160kg squat, 125kg bench, and 205kg deadlift for a 490kg total. Last season I got to 497.5kg. So I’m hoping to top that soon, and be in clear air. I’m already in clear air on the squat, will be in clear air on the bench once I hit 131kg, and will be in clean air with a 221kg deadlift. I will be delighted particularly when that last goal topples, as it’s been such a long time since I hit 220kg on the deadlift.
So as I’m chopping and changing with my best total, I can consider that I’ve fully recovered from the appendicitis. It means it took me 2 1/2 months to recover from the lay-off. I think with another month of solid lifting I can really do some damage to my numbers. I’ll have to set myself some goals for the remainder of the year. It’ll be my exercising anniversary on the 5th of November, I’ll be turning 1! Ha
Going Ham, and then suffering for it
16/05/19
Upright row- 32.5kg * 11, *10, * 11, *11
17/05/19
Squat - 140kg * 1, 150kg * 1, 110kg * 6
Bench - 100kg * 1, 115kg * 1, 100kg * 4.5
I could really feel my erector spinae (lower back) today, and felt flat. I knew after doing 150kg that I wasn’t going to hit any PRs today. I did quite a lot of volume two days ago on the deadlift and overhead press and it was just too soon today to be lifting hard and heavy again. I will have to decide whether to spread the workouts over a 72 hour period or to drop the volume. I think the former is probably best. I will take tomorrow off to make sure I’m not overtrained and maybe Sunday too. It’s slightly depressing when you have a workout like today, but you can’t be good all the time, and one plus is that I identified quite quickly how I was feeling and didn’t go for any maxes and injure myself or anything.
20/05/19
Deadlift - 200kg * 1, 210kg * 1
Bench - 115kg * 1, 125kg * 1, 126kg * 1
The 210kg deadlift felt good. I did wonder about putting slightly more on the bar and going again, but felt that what with benching also today I didn’t want to be too greedy, and I wanted to keep some energy in the tank as it were.
For the bench I was visualising going for 127kg. But when I did 125kg my intuition told me immediately ‘126kg’. I ummed and arred a bit but went for what my intuition told me and I’m glad I did because I could not have lifted a kilogram more, I’m sure.
I’m glad I’m learning more about my body. It still surprises me sometimes like that time I jumped up 12.5kg on the squat, but I really love the fact that lifting is an education as well as a dedication.
So now the season’s bests are 160kg squat, 126kg bench, 210kg deadlift for a 496kg theoretical total. Last season’s theoretical total was 497.5kg, so I’m very close to toppling that, and making 500kg. I will be delighted if that happens.
I was targeting 580kg (180kg squat, 140kg bench, 260kg deadlift) this year. That should be possible I think, but I should set myself smaller goals in the meantime. I think if I target 530kg for the end of June, that would be some going. My rough calculation is that I can add 1 kilo per day, as looking back, I had a 60 day period where I added 66kg to my total. Probably newbie gains and muscle memory slightly but I reckon I should aim for that. It’s a useful rule of thumb.
So not a lot of volume today, but quite a bit of intensity. I’m trying to make sure I don’t get burned out again.
21/05/19
Chins - 9, 9, 7, 6
22/05/19
Bench - 115kg * 1, 125kg * 1, 127kg * 1, 128.5kg * 1 (SB)
So a good day today. I realised I wasn’t feeling much fatigue from a couple of days ago; was going to rest, but I’m glad I returned to the iron. I’ll squat tomorrow providing my knee feels ok. So today’s effort puts me in clean air with my total; squatting 160kg, benching 128.5kg and deadlifting 210kg this season for a 498.5kg total.
Can’t wait to sqwat tomorrow. Love lifting, baby.
Good tip from the great Omar Isuf
23/05/19
Squat - 140kg * 1, 150kg * 1, 155kg * 1, 155 * 0, 100kg * 12
I’m not disappointed with this workout. Perhaps had some very slight CNS fatigue. The 160kg I got was a freak, so I’m really trying to catch up with that at the moment. I knew after 150 that I wasn’t going to hit 160 as planned so I went to 155.
So nothing to write home about today, really. I was hoping to get 162 and bust the 500, but I am a long way off that, sadly. Pulling tomorrow. I don’t get very excited about pulling. Then push, and I should really do dips for balance. Then deadlift. At least I might make a SB on the deadlift.
24/05/19
Chins - 10
Pullups - 7
BOR - 60kg * about 14, 100kg * some
Pleased to hit the 10 chinups again.
25/05/19
Bench - 115kg * 1, 125kg * 1, 130kg * 0
Dips - 20, 13
I knew the 130kg was going to be a big ask but I thought I’d go for it anyway. I managed to get the weight off the chest a little at least. But that’s 6 days of working out in a row. I’m going to take Sunday off as per custom. I might even take Monday off to really re-charge the batteries. I’m settling into a routine now. I might do some rep work next week to give me a break from the heavy stuff.
28/05/19
Bench - 115kg * 1, 125kg * 1, 130kg * 1, 100kg * 7
Deadlift - 180kg * 1, 200kg * 1, 210kg * 1, 212kg * 1, 150kg * 7
500kg has toppled ! 160kg squat, 130kg bench, 212kg deadlift this season = 502kg total.
29/05/19
Chins - 10, 8, 6
31/05/19
Bench - 115 * 1, 125 * 0.5
Pressups - 34
Squat - 140 * 1, 150 * 0, 60 * 12 (RPE 4)
I’ve really hit a WALL today, failing at loads well below my 1RMs. I’ve trained now about 9 weeks in a row, and got back up to PB levels, but it is time for a deload, I feel. There have been warning signs for a while; I’ve just rather arrogantly ignored them. I’ve actually never done a proper deload week before - that just shows that I’m not really that advanced a lifter. I’m quite looking forward to it actually.
The literature I’ve looked at suggests dropping the intensity and number of sets by 20-40%. As it stands I really feel like I need to take two weeks of lower-intensity stuff to really recharge the batteries. I’m hoping I can have the good sense to stick to it.
01/06/19
Chinups - 5, 5, 4 (deloading)
So the start of the deload. Felt good.
08/06/19
Chins - deload
SQ - warmup, 140kg *1, 150kg *1, 156kg * 1, 130kg * 4, 130kg * 5
Went for a walk and on it I suddenly felt as though I’ve been deloading long enough, so entered the gym and did some squats.
09/06/19
Bench - warmup, 110kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 125kg * 1, 107.5kg * 3, 107.5kg * 3.5
I feel as though I might have gone a bit OTT with the deload; anyway, I went off the creatine for the week. I’ve definitely felt more power in my lifts; more speed, if perhaps less technique, due to the deload. I’m not certain about what part the deload should play, but I guess it’s a tool to be used wisely.
I feel that good things might be on the way, but I’ll have to waite and see.
10/06/19
Chins - 10, 8, 6
12/06/19
Cross trainer - 20 mins
Deadlift - warmup, 180kg * 1, 190kg * 1, 200kg * 1, 210kg * 1, 215kg * 1 (SB), 180kg * 3
Bench - warmup, 100kg * 1, 110kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 126kg * 1
Dips - 19, 9
I’m left wondering if I was a bit gun-shy with the bench, although that said, 126kg wasn’t the smoothest. It’s like I’m afraid of failure after doing this deload. I’m being a bit of a douche and not training the other upper body pushing planes (OHP, for example). Today was Deadlift’s day, though, getting a season’s best on the deadlift with 215kg. In all the workout was 2hrs 20 min.
15/06/19
Squat - warmup, 130kg * 1, 140kg * 1, 150kg * 1, *160kg 1 (level PB)
Chins - 9, 9, 8
16/06/19
Bench - warmup, 100kg * 1, 110kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 126kg * 1, 131kg * 1 (PB)
OHP - warmup, 60kg * 1, 65kg * 1, 70kg * 1, 75kg * 1, 80kg * 1 (PB)
18/06/19
Deadlift - deload
19/06/19
Bench - warmup, 100kg *1, 110kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 126kg * 1, 132kg * 1, 133.5kg * 1
BOR - warmup, 70kg * some, 80kg * some, 90kg * some, 100kg * some
Pretty amped to extend my bench PB by another 2.5kg.
21/06/19
20 minute warmup on the rowing machine
Squat - warmup, 130kg * 1, 140kg * 1, 150kg * 1, 155kg * 1, 162.5kg * 1 (PB), 165kg * 1 (PB) 100kg * 14
Bench - warmup, 110kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 125kg * 1, 130kg * 1, 135kg * 1 (PB), 100kg * 11
Great workout with the boy AC.
24/06/19
Rowing machine - 5 mins
Running machine - 5 mins
Bench - warmup, 110kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 130kg * 1, 135kg * 1, 137.5kg * 1 (PB) (303lb), 110kg *8, 110kg *6
So joined the 300 lb bench press club today! =)
My lifting’s been going really well recently and I’ve been getting comments about looking muscular recently which has been nice.
Playing football later so thought better of deadlifting too
26/06/19
Rowing machine - 15 mins
Deadlift - warmup, 170kg * 1, 190kg * 1, 200kg * 1, 190kg * 1, 190kg * 1, 110kg * 12
Bench - warmup, 100kg * 1, 110kg * 1, 120kg * 1, 130kg * 1, 135kg * 1, 100kg * 10
Chins - some
Bit of a maintenance day today. I feel like I have peaked and now need to deload. Which is a bit of a shame because I’m going away for a week in 9 days’ time and will be just going for walks and not doing anything too strenuous. So I’ll have a deload before a deload. Not ideal.
Couldn’t get going with the deadlifts today. The bar at this gym sucks and I was using wraps which I’m not yet fully used to.
