Training Log of Guhkes!

Training Logs
1

Current training program for 9 weeks (week 5 is off-week with 3 x HIT training):

Monday:

  1. Deadlift, 6x5, rest 60 s, starting weight 70 kg, adding 2,5 kg weekly
    2a) Chin-ups, 6x6, rest 45 s, starting weight 1 kg, adding 1 kg weekly
    2b) Dips, 6x6, rest 45 s, starting weight 8 kg, adding 2 kg weekly
    2c) Front squat, 6x6, rest 45 s, starting weight 40 kg, adding 2,5 kg weekly
  2. Abs with heavy weights, 3 x 8

Floorball games 1 h 15 min at evening (legs get quite ?destroyed? so that?s why the 2 day rest before next workout day). I want get total rest days, only some walks with dogs.

Thursday:
1a) Power clean, 10x4, rest 45 s, starting weight 42,5 kg, adding 2,5 kg weekly
1b) Push press, 10x4, rest 45 s, starting weight 42,5 kg, adding 2,5 kg weekly
2a) back extensions, 3x10, rest 60 s
2b) glute-ham sit-ups, 3x10, rest 60 s

Floorball games 1 h 15 min at evening (I?m trying to take easier since there is only 1 rest day before next training session, but it?s quite hard since I like to play)

Saturday:

  1. Power snatch, 10x4, rest 45 s, starting weight 30 kg, adding 2,5 kg weekly
    2a) Bench press, 5x8, rest 45 s, starting weight 62,5 kg, adding 2,5 kg weekly
    2b) Inverted row, 5x8, rest 45 s,
    2c) Fronts squat, 5x8, rest 45 s, starting weight 30 kg, adding 2,5 kg weekly
  2. Abs, 4x 8-12, rest 60 s, leg raises & reverse crunch

Starting weights are about 60 - 70% of 1 RM. Week 3 underway and shit, it’s getting heavy. I know, not much weight on the bar but resting times are starting to feel quite short. Sweat pouring down hard on mondays and saturdays, thursdays are bit easier. Still 1½ weeks to go before the off-week.

I know floorball games don’t mix well with my long term goals. Getting strength is good but to get that and to be able to run 3 km in 12 minutes is even better. I don?t do anymore those steady pace, 1 hour 30 min runs because it was almost impossible to grow muscles. I get my cardio from high intensity floorball playing. Average heart beat in the game is about 130 - 140 hb/min depending on how many players there are (change players like in icehockey). It?s almost like doing intervals for 1 hour, so it is quite tough training.
And for those, who don’t know what floorball is, here it is:

Body weight has gone up from 72 kg (December -08) to 78-79 kg (mid-april -09) in 17 weeks, so that’s bit under 0,5 kg/week more body mass. Body fat has stayd about the same or gone up a bit.

2

Update:

Starting weights were about 60 - 70% of 1RM.

And one limit went overboard, after weekend debouchery (hope that is the correct word) my body weight went over 80 kg ever. And it went straight to 81 kg. Well, it came immediately under 80 kg after 4th weeks monday training session but I still feel bit bloated. That’s what you get with combined alcohol and carb “diet”. Fortunately these sort of diets don’t come often as this was a special event.

Monday weight trainings are becoming bit scary. It is not the weights but the short rest periods (45 s), which I intend to keep the same until I start to fail in lifts. I get really huffing and puffing after 3rd sets and after that it gets only worse when body starts to feel the cumulative effects (in 2a - c). I probably have to either longer the rest periods for example to 60 seconds or keep the weights same until I get all the lifts done properly. If rest time is continued to 60 s, I’ll get over 3 minutes of rest until I do the same movement again. Not sure if that is the right way or should I try to keep those rest periods shorter for better T-level boost (see link in my 1st blog).

What do you guys think? You don’t probably train with similar program but I’ll appreciate your comments since I feel myself as a novice in weight training and I know there is lot of excellent knowledge on the site.

And the photo is for thanks for those of you guys who were interested in my log.

3

So this is what I think I need to do with the “dilemma” mentioned above. I’m not taking longer rests or am I keeping the weights same for many weeks because of stalling.

I’m now on week 4, have week 5 off the program with some HIT-workouts and then get back for another 4 weeks with current program with the changes mentioned beneath.

Since my program has now quite good volume with 30 - 40 reps on each exercise, I’ll be reducing the volume and adding the weights as planned. That’s better for getting strength (goals) and preparing my body for the next cycle of Rippetoes or Madcows strength programs with heavier weights.

I’ll lower the volume to 25 - 30 reps per exercise. For example:
10 x 4 becomes 10 x 3
6 x 6 becomes 5 x 5
5 x 8 becomes 4 x 7
I think these changes will be enough for me to deal the rest of the program with heavier weights with current rest times.

I kind of see this first 4 weeks as volume phase and the last 4 weeks as peaking phase with week 5 being load off -week. This program is quite demanding, so if I get the last weights with the new changes, I definately have improved my lifts. For example, before I did 3 x 3 power clean with 60 kg, and current program would get me doing 10 x 3 power clean with 60 kg and 90 sec rests. I’m quite happy with my solution.

4

Just when you think you have everything figured out…

Have to take my one week holiday before it was originally planned. The new time is on my programs scheduled week 8. For that reason, I don’t take my week 5 as load-off week as planned. Instead I’ll workout normally to week 7, take week 8 as totally off-week and try my 1 RM’s well rested on week 9 before changing to new cycle of strength program.

I still haven’t decided which one. The ones I’m thinking are:

As one can see, I prefer total body workouts 3 x week over various split routines. That’s mainly because they are easy to go for since you can get the ready spreadsheets and programs are already well tried out. All you have to do is input your RM’s.

5

I made up my mind about next program. Current program has been good and I like this kind of training. So, next 9 weeks (week 5 off) I’ll be doing this:
See Chad Train (long on time version) with little tweaks.

Monday 5 x 5 (rests between sets 90 sec)
1A) Snatch
1B) Push press
2A) Chin-up
2B) Dip
3A) Overhead squat
3B) Deadlift
4) Abs (crunch + leg raise)

Wednesday 5 x 6

  1. Clean squat & press
    2A) Inverted row
    2B) Clap push-up with feet elevated
    3A) Single-leg deadlift
    3B) Reverse split squat
  2. Hypers

Friday 5 x 4
1A) Power clean
1B) Overhead press
2A) Chin-up
2B) Bench press
3A) Front squat
3B) Romanian deadlift
4) Abs (planks)

Adding weights (mostly 2,5 kg) weekly, week 3 being about 75 - 85% of my current 1 RM’s. It feels good to change programs even though there’s nothing wrong with current.

After that I’ll try Giant set-training. I got the idea from Alpha, so credits to him. He has excellent log by the way.

6

Back from one week holiday! Spent my time on Isle of Crete. This was a week well rested (I need to start cutting also).

Now back to the business with the new program. I’ll test my PR’s during this weekend and adjust my starting weights on the program mentioned above. I’ll post them here so I really have to work my butt off to get them better in the next 9 weeks.

After programs week 5 rest, I’ll drop of some sets with weights going higher as mentioned above. After week 5 mondays will be 3 x 5, wednesdays 3-4 x 6 and fridays 3 x 4. I probably have to adjust those weights and sets as it clears out how I am doing with them. Live and learn as they say. Let’s see how this works out.

7

Tried out new PR’s (no rack with safety pins so couldn’t max out properly) and 1RM’s during weekend. It’s quite long time since I did them last time and then I was total rookie to some of the exercises, so quite big jumps on some of them because of improved technique and “rookie development”. Quite happy with some and few disappointments also.

        Old PR's (22.12.2008) --> New PR's (23. - 24.5.2009)

DL 80 kg → 115 kg
OH Press 40 kg → 52,5 kg
Chin-ups 16 kg → 20 kg (+ increased body weight about 6 kg)
Bench press 85 kg → 95 kg (really happy surprise)
Back squat 80 kg → 100 kg
Dips 18 kg → 25 kg (+ increased body weight about 6 kg)
Power Clean 50 kg → 60 kg (should have been more!)
Front squat - → 75 kg (can be more)
Snatch - → 40 kg (should have been more!)
OH squat - → 50 kg

Body weight 73 kg → 79 kg
BF about same or bit more (around 20% I guess). This is bad I know. I see myself as a hard gainer on muscle and easy gainer on BF aka skinny fat. With new weight, 6 kg’s pure muscle sounds bit too much to be gained in 6 months, so I guess I’ve got fatter also.

Visible body changes (at least to me) have been only slight, mostly on legs and glutes. Shirts have been bit tighter though.

Interesting to see what new numerics are after 9 weeks. Now on I also pay more attention to my eating habits and try to use less carbs and to time my carb use mainly to breakfast and post work out. Training is always ok, but this change of eating habits might be tough. I have no illusions about my appetite…

8

First training day behind with new program. It already felt quite challenging but hey, that’s the way I like it. 3 more mondays before sets come down to 3, so it should be manageable allthough the weights get up 2,5 kg/week.

And IF it gets too hard to complete all the sets with given weights, I will change them so, that the sets get done as ramp-up sets so that the given weight gets lifted at least in one set and preferably in 3 last sets. That is to maintain volume and to get up in lifted weights. Let’s see what the wednesday has to offer.

And what comes to nutrition side of the training, I’ve started low carb diet in the carb cycle spirit. I guess the biggest problem for me is to keep the amounts of food consumed in each meal in control. Quality of food has been fairly good since I don’t eat junk food. Hmm. mayby I have to start posting my eating habits every now and then so I can see whether it has been maintained in right direction.

9

Did second training day (wednesday) for the first time with current program.

Clean squat & press was good overall exercise.Single leg DL and reverse split squat were new exercises and they proved out to be good exercises since you have to have good balance and core to keep you going on later sets.

First I took 90 sec rests between exercises but that seemed long so I did A’s and B’s back to back and then rested for 90 sec. Weights are bit light since it’s the first week. I’m sure that later I have to take the rests.

I did work before with little resting and got used to it, so long rests between sets feel little akward. And I know the cure for that, but it is the next program. For a moment I was almost ready to switch straight to that but I don’t like myself jumping from program to program so I’m going to stick with this till the end then move to the next program.

I feel bit tired because I voluntarily participated working for two evenings this week (tuesday and thursday; not exactly what I call resting) to help my retired gollegue to harvest his forest. Each evening took about 3 - 4 hours of work after my daily job. Because this was the first week of the program, I knew I can take the extra work with good resting and eating during this weekend. Over and out…

10

Third training day (friday) from the week 1 is done.

Friday 5 x 4
1A) Power clean
1B) Push press
2A) Chin-up
2B) Bench press
3A) Front squat
3B) Romanian deadlift
4) Abs (planks)

I felt tired during workout as expected (cause mentioned above) but I was able to grind it anyways.

First impressions for the first week and program in general;

  • my calculations for the starting weights was quite succesful. Week 1 was challenging but doable. Next 3 weeks will be getting heavier but I think I can manage it. If I was very sure about that, then I am not sure if program was demanding enough to get the desired response → getting stronger (which doesn’t of course automatically mean that I am seeking failure).
  • Few new exercises (single-leg DL, OH squat, reverse split squat, RDL) felt pretty good. It’s good to mix it up every now and then → I have to start doing back squat again in the next program.

I had the mandatory, annual physical tests today. Results beneath:

  • squeezing power each hand (57 rh, 56 lh) → “moderate” according results → pathetic in my opinion
  • sit-ups, legs held (max in 60 secs) → stopped at 43 (which is 1 above needed for the excellent in my age group)
  • push-ups (max in 60 secs) → stopped at 41 (which is 1 above needed for the excellent in my age group)
  • body weight squats, fingers touching floor (max in 60 secs) → did 59 (which is 1 above needed for the excellent in my age group) → it didn’t kill my legs as much as before, that’s good sign because my form was very good, better than before thanks to squatting (back, front, oh) which made me realize the importance of the hip movement enabling to use hams better than before.
    Everything went as before, excellent results except for the squeezing.

Since the test was AM, I’m going to work out normally today after work. Back for more later.

11

Week 2, day 1:
Weights in kg’s (multiply with 2,22 for lbs)

Monday 5 x 5 (rests between sets 90 sec)
1A) Snatch → 32,5 kg
1B) Push press → 52,5 kg
2A) Chin-up → 4 kg
2B) Dip → 15 kg
3A) Overhead squat → 37,5 kg
3B) Deadlift → 92,5 kg
4) Abs (crunch + leg raise)

I’m really fcking Kermit compared to most of you when looking weights used, but I don’t let it bother me since I’m here only to update myself to Guhkes-fcking-2.0. Oh, I think my testies just dropped…I guess that’s what good training day does.

Training went ok and I was surprisingly energetic. OH squats and DL’s started to feel very heavy towards the end, but I got all the reps done.

Normally my training takes max 60 mins but now I was there too long chatting with my colleque (who ended up busting his back while trying 1RM in DL. He injured it, because the bar wasn’t in contact with his shins and got drifted too far once he got the weight up).

The day ended up as high carb day, carbs taken on breakfast (oatmeal), lunch (little pasta) and post-workpot (1 apple and recovery shake). Tomorrow I’ll take the no carb day.

Oh by the way. My weight has come down from 80+ kg (post holiday) to more healthier 77,5 kg in 1½ week. Thats mainly because I got rid of the extra fluids (which came on my holiday from excess eating and drinking) with my new take on the nutrition side of the training. Nice to see how low it goes (I’m assuming it’s not muscle disappearing at least all of it) without it affecting my lifts clearly. Leaner body with progressive stregth wouldn’t sound that bad at all. Let’s see how it goes from here.

12

Week 2, day 2:

Wednesday 5 x 6

  1. Clean squat & press
    2A) Inverted row
    2B) Clap push-up with feet elevated
    3A) Single-leg deadlift
    3B) Reverse split squat
  2. Hypers

Had a long day at work, ate lunch at 11 am and didn’t get a possibility to eat before training which started at 17:50 pm. Felt bit soft going in the gym, but got all done. Clean squat & press really gets one going and breathing heavily.

I felt really hungry tuesday, partially because it was no carb day, so I really waited today and some carb eating (low day). Today is another no carb day and friday I’ll have high carb day (training day).

13

Week 2, day 3

Friday 5 x 4
1A) Power clean → 47,5 kg
1B) Overhead press → 40 kg
2A) Chin-up → 5 kg
2B) Bench press → 72,5 kg
3A) Front squat → 55 kg
3B) Romanian deadlift → 62,5
4) Abs 4 x 8 - 12

Workout was good. Felt strong and could have done more than the program suggested. (The Alpha-rant rings still in my ears. In the next program I won’t decide weights in advance, but challenge my lifts more often). That’s at least partly because of the high carb day. I also started taking BCAA’s before and after training. Hard to tell yet how it’s going to affect the training in the long run. If I see some benefits, I’ll stick to it but otherways I’ll end it. Let see how it turns out.

Tomorrow I’ll go for a walk in the morning and do some running later on with some complexes mixed in. Saturday will be low carb day.

Sunday I’ll rest with some NEPA walk and have a no carb day.

Good weekend folks.

14

Week 2, Saturday

Jogging/running 10 mins, then 2 rounds (with wooden exercise apparatus by the running track/path)
6 x power clean + press
6 x thruster
6 x rows
6 x push-ups

Then jogging/running 20 mins then 2 rounds
6 x power clean + press
6 x thruster
6 x rows
6 x push-ups

Then jogging/running 10 mins

Training took about 45 min in total to complete. After that relaxing sauna (real sauna, not any stinking steam room). Upper body was hit really good, I was saving my legs till monday

Breakfast: oatmeal, 1 slice of bread, 2 eggs, margarin

Post wo: protein shake with some carbs and creatine

Lunch: salmon and veggies

Snack: nuts

Meal 4: cottage cheese and salmon

Week 2, Sunday

Morning weight 77 kg.

Breakfast: oatmeal, 1 slice of bread, 2 eggs, margarin

Lunch: Grilled chicken and corn

NEPA walk 30 mins

Protein shake

Nuts

Cottage cheese and tuna

This was a good week in training and nutrition wise. I’m pretty amazed with myself. This isn’t so hard at all (nutrition).

Now all I got to do is to keep the momentum going.

15

Week 3, day 1:

Monday 5 x 5 (rests between sets 90 sec)
1A) Snatch → 35 kg
1B) Push press → 55 kg
2A) Chin-up → 5 kg
2B) Dip → 17 kg
3A) Overhead squat → 40 kg
3B) Deadlift → 95 kg
4) Abs 4 x 8 (sit-up with 18 kg DB kept touching chin, legs free)

Lifts were ok, snatch is getting heavier and I really have to start concentrating more to keep my form and to get the lifts done. Same in overhead squat. DL’s were positive surprise, I expected it to be tougher.

Breakfast: oatmeal, 1 egg, 1 cup coffee, fish oil, water

Meal 2: 1 slice of bread, 2 slice of ham, 2 slice of cheese, 1 cup coffee, water

Meal 3: lasagne, lots of salad, ½ l milk, 1 cup of coffee

Post WO: recovery shake with protein, carbs and creatine, 3 BCAA’s before and after training

Meal 4: salmon salad and water

Meal 5: cottage cheese and 1 egg.

This was a planned high carb day. A good day in all.

16

Week 3, rest day

Breakfast: oatmeal, 2 eggs, 1 cup coffee, fish oil, water

Meal 2: 1 slice of bread, 2 slice of ham, 2 slice of cheese, 1 cup coffee, water

Meal 3: Salmonsoup, 2 slices of bread with ham, cheese and salad, ½ l milk, 1 cup of coffee

Meal 4: 2 scoops of protein shake

Meal 5: tuna with cottage cheese, olive oil

Meal 6: 1 egg, protein shake

This was planned moderate carb day.

NEPA walk of 30 minutes.

I see it as a another good day.

17

Week 3, day 2

Wednesday 5 x 6

  1. Clean squat & press → 40 kg
    2A) Pull-ups (chest to the bar or as high as possible)
    2B) Clap push-up with feet elevated
    3A) Single-leg deadlift → 28 kg
    3B) Reverse split squat → 28 kg
  2. Hypers + abs 4 x 10 - 12

Meal 1: oatmeal, 2 eggs, 1 cup coffee, fish oil, water

Meal 2: 1 slice of bread, 2 slice of ham, 2 slice of cheese, 1 cup coffee, water

Meal 3: meatballs, veggies, salad, 1 cup coffee, 2 glasses of milk

Meal 4 (PWO): recovery shake (carb + prots + crea), small apple, 3 BCAA caps (took 3 before training)

Meal 5: 1 slice of bread, 2 eggs, ham, water

Meal 6: tuna + cottage cheese + olive oil

I have some thinking to do, how to better my program. I’ll stick to my current program also next week (week 4) and then have a off week as planned, but after thet instead of continuing the program, I’ll start to train differently. Why waste time if I’m pretty sure I can improve faster with some changes. Now I have good time to make a better program and at the same time can have the rest week after 4 weeks training.)

18

Week 3, day 3

Friday 5 x 4
1A) Power clean → 50 kg
1B) Overhead press → 42,5 kg
2A) Chin-up → 8 kg (2 kg more than palnned)
2B) Bench press → 75 kg
3A) Front squat → 57,5 kg
3B) Romanian deadlift → 65
4) Planks 3 x 1 min (normal and both sides)

Training was ok, allthough I was bit tired (again), because evening before I had to stay up until 1 am. What I didn’t had to do, was drinking 6 beers (bad choice which I took). I got all the lifts done except last rep in last set of the chins.

And then there was the weekend. We had a friend couple over for the weekend and as excepted, we ate and drank. Eating was pretty good in nutrition wise (grilled chicken and corn and salad) except for some snacks. Did have beer, again, and couple of stiffer drinks both friday and saturday evening. To be honest, the diet went to crapper fot the most part for those two days. Sunday, I was back in the wagon and ate good.

Monday’s morning body weight was 78,3 kg which is about 1 kg above the week ago. It’s mostly fluids and will be gone after todays training. It seems that my normal body weight has come up from 72 - 74 kg to current level in 77 - 79 kg from the end of december of 2008. It had some fancy word for it, but I don’t remember it now. In the future I’ll try to get my body weight up (gain muscle) without bulking.

19

I like the new program bro, and it looks like you are making some great progress! keep it up!

20

Thanks for being first one to comment my log. I really do appreciate it.

I was planning to put out my next program in the log for everyone to comment it. It’s almost straight out of your program with some exercise changes. I hope you especially have a look at it and have your say to make it better or to point out possible bad choices. I’ll explain (so that others understand it too)it more when I post it, but the principals are from you, based on the questions I made in your training log.

It’s really annoying how work can sometimes disturb solid planning of training program…