Week 4; session 3
foam roll x 10 mins
Box squats:
1" below parallel
Bar x some
70kg x 3 (x2)
45 secs rest between sets
90kg x 2 (x6)
Deficit pulls:
3" deficit
90kg x 3
140kg x 3
160kg x 3
185kg x 3
160kg x 3 (x2)
Speed pulls:
160kg x 1 (x5)
Pull ups:
BW x 8 (x3)
Under hand rows:
90kg x 8 (x3)
BOR:
95kg x 5 (x3)
GMs / Spread eagle sit ups:
40kg x 15 / 5kg x 8 (x3)
Shrugs:
140kg x 12 (x3)
Comments
Great session - everything bar the pull ups were pretty comfortable to be fair - everything beltless too. Must be catching my second wind or something haha vids uploading
vids:
Speed box squat:
Deficit pull:
Week 4; session 4
warm up x 5 mins
Bench:
60kg x 5 (x2)
80kg x 3
100kg x 3 (x2)
CGBP - 3 board
115kg x 5
115kg x 5
Seated Military press:
Press to top of head
67.5kg x 10 (x2)
Decline CGBP:
85kg x 6 (x4)
Combination of shoulder rehab, press downs, leg raises…
Comments
Easy this afternoon - good way to finish the week off. Board presses were ok, declines were very comfortable…all good, looooong weekend of walking in the lakes now - not so easy!
Couple of hours walking with a pack over hilly terrain, scafell pike tomorrow…
no trekking in the lakes today - training partner is out with illness.
weight sat at 213.6 this morning
Week 5; Session 1
warm up x 10 mins
Squats:
70kg x 2 (x2)
120kg x 3
140kg x 2
Add belt
150kg x 2
160kg x 5 (x5)
Olympic pause squat:
Beltless
135kg x 5 (x2)
GHR / Side bends / Plate twists:
BW x 15 (x4) / 25kg x 8 (x2) / 10kg x 10 (x2)
1 leg DL:
25kg x 6 (x2)
Clam shells/ Single leg Glute bridges:
Mini band x 12 (x3) / BW x 15 (x3)
Comments
Maaaaan these sessions have a real love/hate thing going on, the main sets took an absolute age to get done - plus my legs started to cave in slightly on the final couple reps on sets 4/5…ready for that deload.
I was working a more traditional powerlifting stance this week - vid to come, critique welcomed…
Nice squats. The one thing I would recommend would be to try and be more forceful in pushing your hips through as you approach the the top. It’s tough when you’re working 5x5 with a weight that’s about 80% of your max, but it will make finishing each rep much ‘smoother’. Which set was this, by the way?
[quote]novaeer wrote:
Nice squats. The one thing I would recommend would be to try and be more forceful in pushing your hips through as you approach the the top. It’s tough when you’re working 5x5 with a weight that’s about 80% of your max, but it will make finishing each rep much ‘smoother’. Which set was this, by the way?[/quote]
Yeah ok - was thinking too much about sitting back and pushing the floor apart lol
err think it was 2 or 3 - cant remember, I do remember that I set my belt too tight and nearly passed out on one set though! haha
Well that’s a good thing to remember to do since that helps you activate those p-chain muscles much better throughout the squat’s full ROM. It should also keep you from trying to finish by ‘standing’ up over that last 1/4 or so of the lift.
I can see that the pause squats are helping with your starting strength as you come out of the hole.
When is your deload coming? (Not soon enough, I assume, haha)
2 weeks 
I dont think anything is going to change until after that! I have this week, then next and then I am away for a week - thank god haha
back to the gindstone this morning - 50 mins s/s cardio…with protein only diet day.
urgh
Ugh indeed. Does Shelby know what your training plan looks like? I couldn’t imagine doing one of these sessions low-carbing it. Phew.
Yeah - well he knows that I am on a 4 day split working on strength.
Problem is, I started off with 2/3 cardio sessions @ 20 mins with carbs and weight was going nowehere, it has taken 9-10 weeks to get the diet down this harsh.
The weight is coming on nicely now, hopefully only a few more weeks should see me where I need to be before gaining!
*I am used to it now, the hardest session by far was last night - the other 3 are a breeze by comparison!
5x5 sets across was one of the most hellacious training protocols I ever did (clearly I wouldn’t survive Smolov). So I’m once again impressed to see you still creeping the weight up on those squats!
Oh, and is that your new power cage in the video above? Sounds like you have a pretty sweet set-up now.
lol they are hell worthy for sure!! only 1 more week to go though, then a de-load…and fingers crossed a change is due after that!!!
that is indeed the new set-up, I have a pic - will throw it up when I am at home tonight…
50 mins cardio this morning + some rumble rolling. Bench later today.
Week 5; session 2;
warm up x 5 mins
Bench Press:
Bar x some
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
113kg x 5 (x2)
Dead Bench:
45secs rest between reps
100kg x 1 (x8)
Scapular Retractions:
BW x12 (x3)
Flys / Overhead Shrugs:
20kg x 14 (x3) / 40kg x 15 (x3)
db tricep ext paused / Zottman Curls :
18.5kg x 10 (x5) / 15kg x 15 (x5)
Plank/ side planks:
1 min (x2) / each side x 1 min
Comments
Few changes to reps/ sets this week - was benching alone and didn’t have the new bench to use the rack, so was tough as hell…no lift off etc
Managed to do the dead bench properly in a somewhat awkward set up, these were much tougher - no eccentric whatsoever, much tougher!! All reps good though.
50 mins carido this morning.
not feeling too bad at the min…only 9 days til a deload and a holiday! Not that im counting or anything…