Return of the King

Dtp1979

....what could possibly go wrong

BossArky

Tuesday Dec 29th: Bench day 11 of 12

Bench (paused, comp grip, ring finger on ring)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
95kg - 1x1
107kg - 3x4 ... worksets. Good.

Band Row (heavy red)
3x10
---
DB Bench
20kg per arm - 3x10

Neck Training ... (+5kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10
---
DB Curl
4kg per arm - 3x10 ... light stuff for the pump

DB Press Standing
4kg per arm - 3x10 ... light stuff for the pump
---

Benched 107kg 3x4 easily.

BossArky

Thursday December 31st: Squat day 12 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
130kg - 1x1
150kg - 3x3 ... worksets. Got it.
---
45DBR
3x5

Ab Wheel
3x5
---

Squat 150kg 3x3 to end the cycle and year successfully.

Just about the right weight for this final day. Quite knackered the next day as I type this.

BossArky

Friday Jan 1st: Bench day 12 of 12

Bench (paused, comp grip, ring finger on ring)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
92kg - 1x1
102kg - 1x1
112kg - 3x3 ... worksets. Fine.

Band Row (heavy red)
3x10
---
DB Bench
20kg per arm - 3x10

Neck Training ... (+5kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10
---
DB Curl
4kg per arm - 3x10 ... light stuff for the pump

DB Press Standing
4kg per arm - 3x10 ... light stuff for the pump
---

Bench 112kg 3x3 to end the cycle and start the year successfully.

That was the correct weight to peak with.

BossArky

Saturday January 2nd: Deadlift day 6 of 6

Deadlift
70kg - 1x5
**add belt**
120kg - 1x3
150kg - 1x1
170kg - 1x3 ... workset. Fine.
---

Deadlift 170kg 1x3 which was fine.

Limited sets to one (instead of the three planned sets) as nothing much to gain by doing three vs one. A bit tired coming in it so didn't want to impact recovery by over extending after the handy first set.

Weighed 83.6kg later in the day after swimming. Will weight myself first thing in the morning in coming days to see if its the same or lighter.

BossArky

Goals for 2021:

Squat 180kg (+7.5kg)
Deadlift 210kg (+2.5kg)
Bench 130kg (+5kg)

The point = continuous progress.

Had a decent training year in 2020. Kept at it and kept working away. The absence of competitions made progress more internal. Kept head down and managed to avoid going insane during COVID whilst I worked on various other activities outside the gym.

BossArky

Tuesday Jan 5th: Squat day 1 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
115kg - 1x9 ... top set. Easy as it should be.
---
SSB
52kg - 2x10 ... easy light stuff
---
SLDL
60kg - 3x10

Ab Wheel
3x10
---

First day of new cycle. Squat 115kg 1x9 with two back off sets of light SSB. Squat will peak 5kg higher that previous cycle in 6 weeks time.

Subbed in SLDL instead of GHR or 45DBR for variety. Plus - it'll work grip a bit.

Always a toss up between taking a weeks deload between last cycle and starting a new one - but I feel best when I just get straight back into a new cycle and modify the volume so break into it nicely. Feeling good as I type this post workout. Reset button has been hit.

BossArky

Wednesday Jan 6th: Bench day 1 of 12

Bench (paused, comp grip, ring finger on ring)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
89kg - 3x6 ... worksets. Good.

Pull Ups
3x6
---
Neck Training ... (+10kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl
30kg - 2x10 ... varying grip from wide to narrow between sets
20kg - 1x10 ... to avoid snapping bicep off bone with the pump from previous sets
---
Incline DB Bench
22kg per arm - 3x10

DB Lateral Raise
1.5kg per arm - 1x10
4kg per arm - 1x10
6kg per arm - 1x10
---

First day of Bench cycle. Will peak 2kg up on last cycle.

Used a 10kg plate on neck training which didn't seem much different from 5kg last cycle.

Mixed up the assistance exercises to keep things fresh. Varied the weight between sets trying to find the sweet spot for the pump and not total annihilation.

BossArky

Thursday Jan 7th: Squat day 2 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
125kg - 1x7 ... top set. Fine
---
SSB
57kg - 2x10 ... easy light stuff
---
GHR
3x10

Ab Wheel
3x10
---

Squat 125kg x7 with SSB pump sets on 57kg 2x10.

Ab Wheel & GHR 3x10 each.

BossArky

Friday Jan 8th: Bench day 2 of 12

VT (two positions)
1.5kg - 1x10 both positions
4kg - 1x10 both positions

Bench (paused, comp grip, ring finger on ring)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
94kg - 3x5 ... worksets. Easy.

DB Lying Rev Fly
6kg - 3x10
---
Neck Training ... (+10kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

DB Curl
6kg per arm - 1x10
8kg per arm - 1x10
10kg per arm - 1x10

DB Standing Shoulder Press
6kg per arm - 1x10
8kg per arm - 1x10
10kg per arm - 1x10
---
Incline Push Ups (on bench)
3x10

Lateral Raise
1.5kg per arm - 1x10
4kg per arm - 1x10
6kg per arm - 1x10
---

Bench 94kg - 3x5 with varied assistance for the laugh.

Mixing things up in these early days before the rubber hits the road / bar hits the face.

BossArky

Saturday January 9th: Deadlift day 1 of 6

Deadlift
70kg - 1x5
**add belt**
125kg - 3x8 ... worksets. Easy.
---
Barbell Row (medium grip)
70kg - 3x10
---

Deadlift 125kg 3x8 followed by Barbell Row 70kg 3x10.

Adding the rows back in as want to push all lifts up and pack on some muscle.

BossArky

Monday Jan 11th: Squat day 3 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x1
135kg - 1x5 ... top set. Easy as it should be.
---
SSB
62kg - 2x10 ... easy light stuff
---
SLDL
65kg - 3x10

Ab Wheel
3x10
---

Squat 135kg x5 and then two light back off SSBs 2x10.

BossArky

Tuesday Jan 12th: Bench day 3 of 12

Bench (paused, comp grip, ring finger on ring)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
90kg - 1x1
99kg - 3x4 ... worksets. Good.

Pull Ups
3x6
---
Neck Training ... (+10kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl
30kg - 2x10 ... varying grip from wide to narrow between sets
20kg - 1x10 ... to avoid snapping bicep off bone with the pump from previous sets
---
Incline DB Bench
24kg per arm - 3x10

DB Lateral Raise
1.5kg per arm - 1x10
4kg per arm - 1x10
6kg per arm - 1x10
---

Benched 99kg 3x4 in the morning. Some varied assistance afterwards.

Then, made myself a tuna in oil, berrocca, banana & oat shake in the blender.

Aiming to get from current 83kg to 87kg in the next 6-12 months. Went to shop yesterday and bought a load of supplies. Mainly tuna to sub in as additional protein. Can eat it alone easily enough, but by combining with some banana and oats I want to get a bit of that post workout window working to my benefit with the carb spike.

Alf Veedersane

I like tuna but christ that shake sounds manky

BossArky

Thursday Jan 14th: Squat day 4 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
125kg - 1x1
145kg - 1x3... top set. Felt terrible. Ill.
---
SSB
62kg - 2x10 ... easy light stuff
---
GHR
3x10

Ab Wheel
3x10
---

Squat 145kg x3. They felt brutal.

Kind of ill coming into these. Not sure if mind is playing tricks on me. Started coughing about 2 days ago. Fever, shivers, pounding headache, etc last night and this morning. Took some painkillers and seem to have slept off the worst of it.

Will see how things go in the next day or two on whether I go for a covid test. Seems to be getting a bit better though so I may take the crown from Tump on worlds quickest recovery.

BossArky

Friday Jan 15th: Bench day 4 of 12

VT (two positions)
1.5kg - 1x10 both positions
4kg - 1x10 both positions

Bench (paused, comp grip, ring finger on ring)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
94kg - 1x1
104kg - 3x3 ... worksets. Alright.

DB Lying Rev Fly
6kg - 3x10
---
Neck Training ... (+10kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

DB Curl
6kg per arm - 1x10
8kg per arm - 1x10
10kg per arm - 1x10

DB Standing Shoulder Press
6kg per arm - 1x10
8kg per arm - 1x10
10kg per arm - 1x10
---
Incline Push Ups (on bench)
3x10

Lateral Raise
6kg per arm - 3x10
---

Bench 104kg 3x3.

Still ill. Bit better than yesterday.

BossArky

Saturday January 16th: Deadlift day 2 of 6

Deadlift
70kg - 1x5
**add belt**
120kg - 1x3
135kg - 3x8 ... worksets. Easy.
---
Barbell Row (medium grip)
75kg - 3x10
---

Deadlift 135kg 3x8 easily.

Assistance was Barbell Row 75kg 3x10. Added 5kg up on last week.

Still got headache and cough this morning. Had hoped it would be gone by now.

Dtp1979

I can’t remember, what do you use for neck training?

BossArky

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I can’t remember, what do you use for neck training?

I do the neck training below twice a week on Bench days. For the "Face Up" ones I'm lying face up on the Bench with head hanging off the edge... and for the "Face Down" I'm lying face down with head hanging off the edge :pac:

---
Neck Training ... (+10kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10
---

Funny that you should ask though - I've been contemplating getting an iron neck.

It's been about 13 months now that I'm been training neck using exercises similar to the above. Like it - but time to maybe kick things up a notch.

What do you recommend to train neck?

BossArky

Measured neck to have a record for future progress: 40.5cm / 16 inches

Dtp1979

BossArky wrote: »

I do the neck training below twice a week on Bench days. For the "Face Up" ones I'm lying face up on the Bench with head hanging off the edge... and for the "Face Down" I'm lying face down with head hanging off the edge :pac:

---
Neck Training ... (+10kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10
---

Funny that you should ask though - I've been contemplating getting an iron neck.

It's been about 13 months now that I'm been training neck using exercises similar to the above. Like it - but time to maybe kick things up a notch.

What do you recommend to train neck?

How do you add the weight? Have you a harness?

I haven’t done mine in a while but I used to use Pilate bands and a head harness. I had 3 bands.
The were secured to the wall and I’d be seated in a stool or bench. Adding resistance was only a matter of attaching another band or starting with the bands stretched.

BossArky

Dtp1979 wrote: »

How do you add the weight? Have you a harness?

When lying face up (with head off end of bench) I hold the 5 or 10kg plate with the bulk of the weight pushing down through the palms of my hands onto forehead. Then, neck curl.

It was too awkward to add weight when doing the above with rotation... or when face down.

Hence, investigating the Iron Neck. Wondering if it is worth it though vs getting a basic neck harness.

Dtp1979

BossArky wrote: »

When lying face up (with head off end of bench) I hold the 5 or 10kg plate with the bulk of the weight pushing down through the palms of my hands onto forehead. Then, neck curl.

It was too awkward to add weight when doing the above with rotation... or when face down.

Hence, investigating the Iron Neck. Wondering if it is worth it though vs getting a basic neck harness.

The price of them is shocking! I’d say a good harness would do fine. I have a basic cable machine now so I’m thinking of using that with my harness now, if it will work. It’d be an easier way to accurately measure resistance, instead of guessing with bands

BossArky

Monday Jan 18th: Squat day 5 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
125kg - 1x9 ... top set. Got it but that's enough.
---
45DBR
3x10 ... raising the backend of frame with an additional 20kg plate each set for greater ROM

Ab Wheel
3x10
---

Felt cold, feverish, clammy & sweaty before getting into the gym. Had hoped to be fully recovered by now as today is day 7 since symptoms. Feeling mainly recovered - just waiting for this final bit to clear up. Oddly this feels worse than yesterday... and every day seems to feel a bit different. Have been keeping daily notes offline on how each day went.

Thought about delaying these Squats by one day for additional recovery, ... but in the end just went for it to keep myself mentally on track

Limited Squat worksets to just one on 125kg x9 and cancelled back off sets totally.

Played around with 45 Degree Back Raise by raising the rear of the frame on 20kg plates, getting steeper and steeper each set. Nice additional ROM gives additional burn in the hams.

Left ankle feels weird, which made Squats a bit uncomfy. Not sure what happened - like it got twisted somehow in past few hours even though I cannot remember how that happened.

BossArky

Dtp1979 wrote: »

The price of them is shocking! I’d say a good harness would do fine. I have a basic cable machine now so I’m thinking of using that with my harness now, if it will work. It’d be an easier way to accurately measure resistance, instead of guessing with bands

At the end of my Squats just now I mocked up a homemade iron neck: connected a hip circle (around my head) to the Squat rack with a band. Tried various positions and it seems to work the neck. Will experiment more in coming weeks.

BossArky

Dtp1979 wrote: »

The price of them is shocking! I’d say a good harness would do fine. I have a basic cable machine now so I’m thinking of using that with my harness now, if it will work. It’d be an easier way to accurately measure resistance, instead of guessing with bands

Problem with the harness is they are a bit one dimensional, no?

Dtp1979

BossArky wrote: »

Problem with the harness is they are a bit one dimensional, no?

Well no, if you face the wall with the anchor and pull, that’ll work the back of the neck.
Turn your back to the anchor and pull, that’ll work the front. Do the same with each side. You can even face the wall anchor, have the bands tight, the look left/right and repeat. That’d work everything. Keep that up for a year and you’ll have to have your shirts custom made

BossArky

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Well no, if you face the wall with the anchor and pull, that’ll work the back of the neck.
Turn your back to the anchor and pull, that’ll work the front. Do the same with each side. You can even face the wall anchor, have the bands tight, the look left/right and repeat. That’d work everything. Keep that up for a year and you’ll have to have your shirts custom made

Ok, fine! Just bought one.

Due for delivery tomorrow so I can start making neck gainz :pac:

BossArky

Tuesday Jan 19th: Bench day 5 of 12

Bench (paused, comp grip, ring finger on ring)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
94kg - 3x6 ... worksets. Good.

Pull Ups
3x6
---
Neck Training ... (+10kg on both 2nd & 3rd sets for first neck exercise)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl
30kg - 2x10 ... varying grip from wide to narrow between sets
20kg - 1x10 ... to avoid snapping bicep off bone with the pump from previous sets
---
Incline DB Bench
26kg per arm - 3x10

DB Lateral Raise
6kg per arm - 3x10
---

Bench 94kg 3x6 and various bodybuilding assistance.

BossArky

Thursday Jan 21st: Squat day 6 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
130kg - 1x7 ... top set. Handy.
---
45DBR
3x10

Ab Wheel
3x10
---

Squat 130kg x7. Quite handy. Kept it to just one workset.

Assistance was Ab Wheel & 45DRB 3x10.

Nice easy day.