Bulking phase

Tues-15th-May

Another day shift....busy all day long.

No foam rolling tonight. No space in my bag or time after work. Usual run through of warm up stuff.

Main lift:

Deadlift: (warm up sets 52.5kg x5 65kg x5 80kg x3) 92.5 x3 105kg x3 120kg x3+4

Assistance:

Front squats: (programmed) 57.5kg x8 65kg x8 75kg x6

Standing hamstring curls: 3x12

Abs: leg raises 3x10

Summary:

Was dying to get in for deads tonight to try out the stuff advise by a competitive power lifter last week. Had heard a lot about the guy & he so happened to be squatting in the rack next to me. So we got talking about various training program's, 5/3/1, DC , Westside ect & I asked him to check my form out on deads. 

Though he said may set up/form was ok I should try a narrower stance, much narrower in fact as my back has been especially bad lately. Also a few smaller adjustments on a couple of things. I wore my new belt on all the working sets to simply aid my back. I have an issue, no time to be a hero. Great success tonight with the new stance & belt. Though I just left it at four reps (needed minimum of three) it was just pleasing to not have any pain at all, that was the biggest plus tonight. I have an osteopath appointment Thursday so hoping to move recovering along. Forgot my chalk as well which was annoying! 

Front squats felt strong tonight, nice & deep.

Thurs-17th-May Cycle 5 Week 2 (3x3)

Had a couple of hours extra sleep as it's a day off. Warm up as usual, lighter sets/mobility & stretching.

Main lift:

Bench press: (warm up sets 40kg x5 50kg x5 60kg x3) 70kg x3 80kg x3 90kg x3+7

Assistance:

Bench press: boring but big 70kg x10 (70%) 60kg 2x10 (60%) 50kg 2x10 (50%) 

Dumbbell rows: all per arm 32kg x10 30kg x10 28kg x10 24kg x10 22kg x10 

Chin ups:Chins  3x10 hammer grips 2x10

An circuit: side bends, crunches, hammer strength ab machine

Summary:

Strong today on bench, minimum of 3 reps & got 7 on 90kg. Pleasing indeed. Bbb sets were fine, no issue there.

My lats were still a little sore from pull ups on Monday but I had planned to do chins today anyway but defiantly still felt the soreness even though they were getting hit a little different.

Solid session 

SO I had my first session with the Osteopath today. Basically, like many people when my feet face forwards my shins/knees twist, with my job being 12 hrs on my feet thats a problem right away. Ran though some mobility & there was no issue with pain. However my right leg/hip joint is incredibly tight, as in my range of motion, the left side not so bad.

We ran through the history of the issue, back into my teens & he obviously came to the conclusion I had. It's compression my back dislikes. He said it's where the hip meets the pelvis & that it could be inflamed from....of course weight training. He advised yoga to help my mobility, going to have another app in a couple of week. Had treatment today from a machine & some manipulation, man did I crack lol Glad to be working on this now but it leaves me being able to deadlift up in the air.......today I'm going to look at maybe going to a 3 day split again.

Fri-18th-May Cycle 5 Week 2 (3x3)

Got called into work as I had interview for a promotion...Got the job Manager stating my cover letter, interview & questionnaire being the best they'd had in a long time...so I then headed for squats. Usual warm up jazz.

Main lift:

Squats:(warm up 52.5kg x5 67.5kg x5 80kg x3) 95kg x 3 107.5kg x3 120kg x3 +6

Assistance:

Squats: Boring but big 92.5kg x10 80kg 2x10 67.5kg 2x10

standing hamstring curl: 3x12

Reverse hypers: 3x15

Ab's: Hanging leg raises 3x15

Summary:

Felt pretty damn flat today. Maybe from the osteopath session yday & that I woke up with a little cold...who knows. Even before the bbb sets I was feeling pretty drained. Managed to get 6 out on the last set (3 being the minimum) so that prob took most of my energy, currently lay in bed feel fucked....grinder today but all done now. Wkend off then it's to 5/3/1 week next wk,

Mon-21st-May Cycle 5 Week 3 (5/3/1)

Had to work nights over the weekend (60hrs total week) & was, in all honesty pretty beat at work last night. I headed immediately to the gym when I got off work at 7:00. Usual warm up...

Main lift:

 OHP: (warm up sets 22.5kg x5 27.5kg x5 32.5kg x3) 42.5kg x5 47.5kgx3 52.5kg x1+5

Assistance:

OHP: boring but big 37.5kg x10 (70%) 32.5kg 2x10 (60%) 27.5kg 2x10 (50%)

Pull ups: All wide grip today just varied the distance of the wide grips 5x10

Krock rows: Prob shouldn't of put these back in till next cycle but want to use these as my extra back work. 2x10 warm up then just 1x12 per arm with a 28kg dumbbell, was feeling pretty beat at this point.

Tricep push downs: No idea why I did these, 2x20.

Ab circuit: side bends, crunches, hammer strength machine crunch.

Summary:

Start my new role this weekend on my shift. So busy, was tired from only getting roughly five hours sleep during the day.

I sampled a jacked 3d for a "pick me up" & not sure it actually did anything. OHP felt ok, not the strongest I ve felt but it wasn't bad hitting five on the one set. 

Bbb sets were a lot easier today.

Great stuff with that promotion bro, awesome stuff !!

thnx mini, sorry to hear you had your phone stolen...cunts

Tues-5th-May Cycle 5 Week 3 (5/3/1)

Nice lay in & lovely weather before deads.

Main lift:

Deadlift: (warm up sets 52.5kg x5 65kg x5 80kg x3) 100kg x3 112.5kg x3 125kgx3+7

Assistance:

Front squats (programmed) 60kg x5 70kg x5 80kg x5

Hamstring curls: 3x12

Abs: Hanging leg raises 3x15

1 Mile on treadmill

Summary:

Form was outstanding today. Though I belted up on the last set (to help with my back issue) Something clicked (in a good way) & for a long time I haven't felt so decent of my deads, back wise. Wish I had recorded, felt like the tension was better in my legs before the movement began. Pleased to of hit 7 reps in such a comfy manner, I did program this pretty light at the start & looks like it's helped, if only a little. Still some way off what I know I can pull. Front squats were strong. Nice session, to the point with no fuss.

Had a cup of brown rice, two veggie sausages,mixed salad followed by left over chilli & a bean burger for post workout food

Good little session ~ and your post WO meal sounds great.

Hope your week is going well mate?

Yes mate pretty relaxed really. Was a biggish meal but I ate it with gusto lol

How is the bodybuilding going?

This makes me veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy happy

http://s18.postimage.org/5iia5nayh/534282_300548590034263_100002373730112_707471_72.jpg

Whoa, cool !!!!

Thurs-24th-May Cycle 5 Week 3 (5/3/1)

Weathers pretty hot still & I hate the heat. Had to work yesterday & it was like an oven, so hot & draining was unbelievable. I've also been full of a cold the last few days.

Main lift:

Bench press: (warm up sets 40kg x5 50kg x5 60kg x3) 75kg x5 85kg x3 95kg x1+3

Assistance:

Bench press: boring but big 70kg x10 60kg 2x10 50kg 2x10

Dumbbell rows: all per arm 32kg x10 30kg x10 28kg x10 24kg x10 22kg x10

Chin ups: 35 reps chin ups 15 hammer grip pull ups.

Ab circuit: side bends, crunches,hammer strength weighted crunches

Summary:

Knew today was going to be shit. So drained from the heat/work & the cold, guess I should of not bothered really. The last set on bench was crap, know I can lift heavier/better. I may re program bench anyway for next cycle.

Everything else was good, no problems. 

Fri-25th-May Cycle 5 Week 3 (5/3/1)

Same shit as yesterday. Rubbish:/ :/ :/

Main lift:

Squats: (warm up sets 52.5kg x5 67.5kg x5 80kg x3) 100kg x5 115x3 127.5kg x1+3

Assistance:

Squats: Boring but big 92.5kg x10 80kg 2x10 67.5kg 2x10 

Standing hamstring curls: 3x12

Reverse hypers: 3x15

Abs: leg raises 3x15

Summary:

Still not 100%, cold is mildly better. Work again was like an oven, also a shit nights sleep. Wasn't holding out again for a great session, purposely hit 3 reps on the one set & left it at that. Feel drained, deload week next week so should help with getting better.

Mon-28th-May Cycle 5 week 4 (deload 3x5)

Have another Osteopath app shortly so I had to be up early as I'm working tonight. Been a while since I trained on a empty stomach (besides a coffee) but as it's deload week anyway no probs.

Still went with the protocol of paring up two main lifts (upper/lower) as the works so light & to allow for a week of recovery.

Main lift:

OHP: 22.5kg x5 27.5kg x5 32.5kg x5

Assistance:

OHP: boring but big 37.5kg x10 32.5kg x10 27.5kg x10

Pull ups: wide 3x10

MTS Hammer strength row: light 3x10 (extra back work)

Main lift:

Deadlift: 52.5kg x5 67.5kg x5 80kg x5

Assistance:

Front squats: (programmed) 37.5kg x5 47.5kg x5 57.5kg x5

Standing Hamstring curls: 3x12 (light)

Ab circuit: cable crunch, Hammer strength crunch machine, side bends.

Summary:

Deload, easy peasy...

Quick pic before dinner the other night. Had to buy a new top to go out in & even that is a bit tight

My heads looking to small for my body, whoooo

http://s17.postimage.org/3xnlab7lb/photo.jpg

Thurs-31st-May Cycle 5 Wee4 (deload 3x5)

Shattered, Worked 36 hours already this week. Got maybe 5ish broken hours of sleep before night shift Wed,after this I napped from 9:30 until 13:00 & had to get up as so I can sleep tonight. Also need to pop into work tomorrow so this week is pushing 70 hours

Main lift:

Bench press: 40kg x5 50kg x5 60kg x5

Assistance:

Bench press: boring but big 70kg x10 60kg x10 50kg x10

Chin ups: 3x10

Dumbbell rows: per arm 26kg x10 24kg x10 22kg x10

Main lift:

Squats: 52.5kg x5 67.5kg x5 80kg x5

Assistance:

Squats: boring but big 92.5kg x10 80kg x10 67.5kg x10

Reverse hypers: 3x10

Standing hamstring curls: 3x12

Ab circuit: Side bends, hammer strength crunch & standard crunches

Summary:

Hardest workout in a long time & it was a fucking deload. Not weight wise, just so damn tired........

New cycle Monday, boom.

mate you looking fucking hench!! polo shirts always help too ahha!

Maybe about to grip a hole in the universe but a change in my situation means I have had to look at meals (mainly the timing) & everything points to going "leangains"....

I recently moved up within the company I work & this means I'm extremely busy. I have close to twenty staff under me now & this means I simply cannot keep going off to eat anymore.

Anyone who knows me, will know my views on diets & their "methods" but I have first hand experience with people using IF & the protocol is about the only one I have ever thought seems legit (beside eating what's right for the individual) so it'll be interesting to see what comes of it eg body composition, lifts & how I handle the "food window" looking forward to it. 

Shall be using it as a slow bulk tool, want to get up to a 100kg by Christmas, so another 10kg.

Training wise I'm mixing things up this cycle. Still using 5/3/1 but on my short weeks (at work) I'm going to use Wendlers bodybuilding template, simply from more a fitness view. The strength programming is there but using the assistance & super setting some of it means I can keep my heart rate up, mainly because I can't get motivated to do cardio. 

I agree completely with slow bulks, gives your body a chance to realise/adapt to the new muscle and make the necessary adjustments; much better in the long term too, in terms of both keeping the muscle gains and maximising your strength gains along the way.

Looking like a boss in that photo above, and your beard is badass !!

My beard is pretty angry looking atm, defiantly organic/free range!

I'll be posting up the first bb with 5/3/1 tomorrow so check in!!! My bulk was fast, I just wanted weight on my frame but I will slow this one right down:)

Mon-4th-June Cycle 6 week 1 (3x5) Wendler's bodybuilding template

So today marks two new additions....1) bodybuilding(ish) template & 2) first session fasted.

Main lift:

OHP: (warm up sets 22.5kg x5 30kg x5 35kg x3) 37.5kg x5 45kg x5 50kg x5

Assistance:

Dumbbell press: 26kg's x12 24kg's x12 20kg's x12 16kg's x12

Side raise/rear raise super set,10kg dumbbells for the side raise & 5kg plates for the rear's: 2x12

Chin ups (between OHP) 4x10

Preacher curls on hammer strength machine: 1x10 20kg plate 3x10 25kg plate

Ab circuit: side bends/hammer strength machine with 15kg loaded/crunches.

Summary:

Good session, felt weird going back to 4 sets with 10+ reps. Was really going blind here as it's been an age since I've done this kinda work, so was feeling things out. Main thing that came out being heavy dumbbell pressing after OHP isn't going to happen, I was struggling on the first set with the 26kg's to hit 12 reps. Everything else was fine no issues. I do love reverse pyramiding the sets after the main lift.

Writing this is the end of the second day using leangains protocol. The workout felt fine, energy level were there. Meal wise, in all honesty haven't been all that bad. One o'clock soon comes round & I look forward to eating, where as it was such a chore. Today I had pizza at a restaurant, saw a movie & was hungry again for my last meal at 20:30.

Pizza and a movie sounds like my kind of day haha.

How do you find Leangains?

Only my third day mini but I'm not minding it thus far...today will be a test, working till 13:00 training right after so can't really break the fast till 14:30. So a long time without food but I'll make up for it, may have an double espresso just before though to see me through.

Haven't tracked macros or anything for it, just seeing how I do using the method for now

Double espresso - do it.

I just commented in another journal that I've never tracked any macros, I'll often have a general idea of what I am eating and I don't think I would be massively off with them. Doesn't concern me though, I'd rather go by other markers than worrying about my macros but that's just me.