Return of the King

BossArky

Wednesday June 16th: Lower day 8 of 8

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

GHR
3x10
---
Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
140kg - 1x5 ... workset. Alright

Ab Roll Out (on knees)
3x10
---
Deadlift
140kg - 1x5 ... double overhand the first two reps then mixed grip

Neck Flex
Extension: +5kg 1x20, +10kg 1x20, +5kg 1x20
Curl: +2.5kg 1x20, +5kg 1x20, +2.5kg 1x20
---

Squat 140kg 1x5 to finish this cycle successfully. Kinda dreading this workout in preceding days. The thoughts of the long-ish session to cover Squats and Deads together had me put it off by a day or two. Didn't bother with 2nd or 3rd sets. Nothing to prove - just hitting the 140kg x5 to keep it alive and the feel of heavy-ish weight on back for the first time in about 6 months.

Deadlift 140kg 1x5 too. First couple of reps double overhand which is probably the heaviest double overhand I've managed to hang onto. Lost grip on 3rd rep so reset to mixed from there on in.

BossArky

Thursday June 17th: Bench day 8 of 8 (shortened cycle today from 12 days to 8)

Face Pulls (2 grey bands)
3x10

Band Pull Apart (1 grey band)
3x10
---
One Arm Row (two grey bands)
~5 x 5-10

Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x1
90kg - 1x1
100kg - 1x1
105kg - 1x1
110kg - 1x1
115kg - 1x1 ... alright
120kg - fail.
---
DB Bench (rest pause, sitting up for a few secs between sets)
22kg per arm - 5x5 ... nice pump
---
Neck Training ... (no added weight)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

Went off cycle. Decided to just kill this cycle today on day 8 of 12 instead of keeping the next two weeks going. So, decided to build up to a 1RM.

Failed the 120kg Bench after getting 115kg handily enough. Maybe could have had an extra rest day after heavy Squats yesterday. Will be busy for weekend thus decided to get training over with today instead.

Enjoyed the DB Bench afterwards. Did the 5 sets more or less back to back - just sitting up for a few seconds between them. Some pump.

Happy this whole cycle is over. Going to have a think about next one and change things up for variety.

Still have this nagging sensation that I'm going hard in the gym the whole time but not able to eat/sleep/recovery to make progress. Life is just too busy. Ending up going around in circles approaching the same numbers and straining at them every now and again with varying degrees of success.

BossArky

Sunday June 20th: Deload

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

GHR
3x10

Barbell Press
20kg - 3x10

Lunges
bodyweight - 3x5 per leg
---
Neck Flex (light grey band, standing on it)
Extension: 3x20
Curl: 3x20
---
DB Curl
8kg per arm - 3x10
---

Deload. Messing about with light weight.

Last night - went for a long walk with a few short jogs in between. Was thinking about couch-2-5k plan and just did my own thing for the sake of some carido.

Dtp1979

How are you finding doing GHR before squats?

BossArky

Dtp1979 wrote: »

How are you finding doing GHR before squats?

Yeah I like it - good warm up, along with calfs.

BossArky

Tuesday June 22nd: Deload

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

GHR
3x10

Barbell Press
30kg - 3x10

Lunges
bodyweight - 3x5 per leg
---
Neck Training ... (no added weight)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

One Arm DB Row
22kg per arm - 3x10
---
DB Shoulder Saver Exercise (cannot remember correct name - kinda like upright row and then 180 degree rotation from DB facing down below elbow to up above elbow)
1.5kg per arm - 1x10
4kg per arm - 1x10
---

Deload.

Remembered during the DB Shoulder Saver exercise that I should always retract scap before doing each rep. Same on facepulls and band pull aparts. Kinda forgot to do that the past while. Feels better.

BossArky

Thursday June 24th: Deload

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

45DBR
3x10
---
Barbell Press
40kg - 3x10

Inverted Row (narrow grip)
3x10
---
Lunges (front foot elevated on fat red bumper)
bodyweight - 3x5 per leg

Palov Press (twice on each letter: A to F, light grey band)
3 sets of doubles on A to F ... tougher than expected
---
Neck Flex (light grey band, holding it (front) standing on it (back))
Extension: 3x20
Curl: 3x20

Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

Enjoyed that. Getting a bit of time away from the Big 3 for fun.

Palov Press was tougher than expected with the band and repeating each letter twice from A to F (e.g. AA, BB, CC...)

Elevated front foot with fat bumper for the lunges for a bit more ROM.

Keeping a narrow grip on overhead press (fingers close to knurl) feels better on shoulders.

BossArky

Sunday June 27th: Deload

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

GHR
3x10
---
Lunges
bodyweight - 3x5 per leg
---
Barbell Row (standing on fat red bumper)
40kg - 3x10
---
Front Squat
40kg - 3x5
---
Barbell Press (very narrow grip, palm middle on knurling edge)
20kg - 3x10
---
Close Grip Bench (very narrow grip, palm middle on knurling edge)
40kg - 3x5

Neck Training ... (no added weight)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

A lot of quick light stuff. Extended deload.

Stood on fat red bumper to get a full stretch at the bottom of each Barbell Row rep. Felt nice - even with just 40kg.

Used proper wrist breaking grip on first two sets of Front Squats. Switched to bodybuilder style for third set and it actually felt solid. Have to see if it'll hold when weights get heavier and bar tries to roll forward.

new2tri19

Nice work - Re - Barbell Row (standing on fat red bumper)
What's the idea here ? I can't see the difference the bumper would make ? Or do you return the weight to the floor after each rep ? Thanks

BossArky

new2tri19 wrote: »

Nice work - Re - Barbell Row (standing on fat red bumper)
What's the idea here ? I can't see the difference the bumper would make ? Or do you return the weight to the floor after each rep ? Thanks

Standing on a fat red bumper means the plates don't touch the ground at the bottom of the rep. Thus grip is under constant tension throughout the set with no relief... and hamstrings/lats get a full stretch at the bottom.

If I don't stand on the plate the plates will hit the ground unless I keep back angle a tad more upright.

With 40kg (i.e. light weight) I wanted to get the best stretch possible and build up from there. Have been kinda neglecting Barbell Rows and Pulls Ups in the past couple of cycles - hence starting light and building up again.

new2tri19

Fair play I wouldn't have the mobility to do them like that , the bar just goes below my knees , your back must be almost horizontal.
When I do barbell rows I feel like something else fails before my back , like my hamstrings , if I do chest supported rows I feel I can concentrate more on the back muscles .

BossArky

Tuesday June 29th: Deload

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

45DBR
3x10
---
Barbell Press
31kg - 3x10

Lunges (front foot elevated on fat red bumper)
bodyweight - 3x8 per leg
---
Deadlift
100kg - 3x8 ... double overhand & beltless
---

Still messing about and enjoying the deload. Did a moderate Deadlift at the end to keep the strain mildly in my life.

Went for a long walk afterwards.

BossArky

Thursday July 1st: Deload

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

GHR
3x10

Barbell Press
42kg - 3x10
---
Lunges (front foot elevated on fat red bumper)
bodyweight +0kg - 1x5 per leg
bodyweight +5kg - 1x5 per leg
bodyweight +10kg - 1x5 per leg
---

There ends the deload - maybe :pac:

Thought about doing abs and neck - but then remembered conveniently it's deload :cool: Was in and out of gym in about 20 mins. That included drinking my coffee.

Enjoyed the past couple of weeks free wheeling and messing about. Should really get back to lifting some structured weight from early next week though.

Lunges with a 5kg and 10kg plate held to chest on 2nd & 3rd sets. Would be interesting to keep this in as an accessory going forwards.

Upper back/shoulders/rhomboids/lats/everything around there was activated/knackered in a nice way from the close grip Overhead Press 42kg 3x10. Almost felt like I had been Deadlifting or Barbell Rowing.

BossArky

Friday July 2nd: Lower day 1

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

45DBR
3x10
---
Squat
20kg +16kg chains - 1x10
60kg +16kg chains - 1x5
80kg +16kg chains - 3x9 ... worksets. Nice

Ab Roll Out (on knees)
3x10
---
Neck Flex
Extension: +5kg - 3x20
Curl: light grey band - 3x20
---

Back to straight bar Squats, but with chains: 80kg + 16kg chains. Nice DOMS after two weeks away from proper Squats.

Chains added some nice variety. Weight was probably around ~85kg at the bottom and ~95kg at the top as there were a couple of links on the ground from the start and they didn't totally deload at the bottom. Each of the 4 chains is 4kg. Cannot remember how much the lighter linking chain weights.

BossArky

Sunday July 4th: Bench day 1 of 12

Barbell Row
40kg - 6x10 ... standing on Bench pad between sets

Bench (paused)
60kg - 6x6 ... worksets. Starting super light. Done in about 15 mins.
---
Neck Training ... (no added weight)
Face Up Flexion - 3x10
Face Up Rotation - 3x10
Face Down Extension - 3x10
Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

Started Bench cycle super light with 60kg 6x6. Going to take 10kg jumps between sessions instead of usual 5kg ... hence starting light.

Did the Barbell Rows standing on Bench pad between Bench sets. Due to limited space in the home-gym this is probably the most convenient location to do this - without actually moving the Bench out of the way which would be a waste of time whilst supersetting with Bench. Also means the ROM is nice and deep as there is no ground (except safeties) to hit the bar/plates off.

Want to focus on including Big basic compounds with Bench (e.g. Barbell Rows one day, Chin Ups the other day) whilst getting in and out of gym as quickly as possible.

Sipping a 2 litre of full fat milk as I type this. Have been loosing a lot of weight due to long walks in the past 2 weeks of deload. Time to put on some muscle again. Was a bit under 81kg in past days when weighing myself... maybe around 80.5 to 80.7kg ish. That's what a deload, lots of walking and no eating after 6pm does to you.

BossArky

Tuesday July 6th: Lower day 2

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)
3x20

GHR
3x10
---
Squat
20kg +16kg chains - 1x10
60kg +16kg chains - 1x5
**add belt**
90kg +16kg chains - 3x7 ... worksets. Good.

Ab Roll Out (on knees)
3x10
---
Neck Flex
Extension: +10kg - 3x20
Curl: light grey band - 3x20
---

Concentrated on maintaining a neutral facial expression during Squat worksets (vs. my usual torturous look). For some reason that seemed to put all the stress and blood pressure into my bottom lip.

Workout itself was fine. Still a bit DOMS'd from previous lower day as Quads and Abs get reaccustomed to Squats and Ab Wheel.

BossArky

Wednesday July 7th: Bench day 2 of 12

DB Curl

12kg per arm – 3x5

 

DB Overhead Press

12kg per arm – 3x5

---

Chin Up

+10kg plate - 6x5

Bench (paused)

70kg - 6x5 ... worksets. Easy.

---

Neck Training ... (no added weight)

Face Up Flexion - 3x10

Face Up Rotation - 3x10

Face Down Extension - 3x10

Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl

20kg - 3x10

---

Main event was hammering back with weighted chins. Bench itself was a nice light assistance to that.

BossArky

Thursday July 8th: Deadlift day 1 of 6

Deadlift (beltless)

100kg – 3x8

 

Barbell Overhead Press

20kg - 3x10 … close grip, super light for recovery blood flow

---

Easy Deadlift day. Makes it more manageable to have it on its own day vs at the end of a longer Squat day. Thus can spread work/rest/recovery/nutrition over a broader timeframe.

BossArky

Saturday July 10th: Lower day 3 of 12

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)

3x20

45DBR

3x10

---

Squat

20kg +16kg chains - 1x10

60kg +16kg chains - 1x5

100kg +16kg chains - 3x5 ... worksets. Fine

Ab Roll Out (on knees)

3x10

---

Neck Flex

Extension: +10kg - 3x20

Curl: +2.5kg - 3x20

---

Most notable thing today was wearing footwear (my Nike Freak Wrestling boots) in the gym for the first time in a year or so. Felt nice and comfy. Just made the usual mistake of lacing up the boots and starting to warm up before remembering I forgot the knee sleeves… so wasted a few mins taking them off/on again. That’s the main reason I train barefoot – to save time.

BossArky

Sunday July 11th: Bench day 3 of 12

Barbell Row

45kg - 6x10

Bench (paused)

80kg - 6x4 ... worksets. Easy.

---

Barbell Curl

22kg - 3x10

Band Pull Apart (light grey)

3x20

---

Forgot to do neck.

Everything else nice and light. Early days of cycle its “stimulate, don’t annihilate”

BossArky

Tuesday July 13th: Lower day 4 of 12

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)

3x20

GHR

3x10

---

Squat

20kg +16kg chains - 1x10

70kg +16kg chains - 1x5

110kg +16kg chains - 3x3 ... worksets. Alright

Ab Roll Out (on knees)

3x10

---

Neck Flex

Extension: +10kg - 3x20

Curl: +2.5kg - 3x20

---

Rushed through Squat training. Fine.

BossArky

Wednesday July 14th: Bench day 4 of 12

DB Curl

12kg per arm – 3x5

 

DB Overhead Press

12kg per arm – 3x5

---

Chin Up

+15kg plate - 6x3

Bench (paused)

90kg - 6x3 ... worksets. Easy.

---

Neck Training ... (no added weight)

Face Up Flexion - 3x10

Face Up Rotation - 3x10

Face Down Extension - 3x10

Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl

20kg - 3x10

---

Bench 90kg 6x3 as a moderate superset combo with weighted Chins +15kg 6x3.

BossArky

Friday July 16th: Deadlift day 2 of 6

Deadlift (beltless)

110kg – 3x8

 

Barbell Overhead Press

25kg - 3x10 … close grip, super light for recovery blood flow

---

Just some Deadlifts.

BossArky

Sunday July 18th: Lower day 5 of 12

Calf Raise (heels hanging off step)

3x20

SLDL

60k - 3x10

---

Squat

60kg - 1x5

90kg - 3x9 ... worksets. Ok

Ab Roll Out (on knees)

3x10

---

Neck Training ... (no added weight)

Face Up Flexion - 3x10

Face Up Rotation - 3x10

Face Down Extension - 3x10

Face Down Rotation - 3x10

---

45DBR

3x10

---

Squat 90kg 3x9. Trained in a commercial gym. Weighed the bar after and it was around 20kg.

BossArky

Monday July 19th: Bench day 5 of 12

Barbell Row

60kg - 6x10 ... standing on a bumper for the ROM

Bench (paused)

65kg - 6x6 ... worksets. Very light.

---

Neck Training ... (no added weight)

Face Up Flexion - 3x10

Face Up Rotation - 3x10

Face Down Extension - 3x10

Face Down Rotation - 3x10

Barbell Curl

20kg - 1x10

22.5kg - 1x10

25kg - 1x10

---

May have done some other stuff. Cannot remember.

BossArky

Wednesday July 21st: Lower day 6 of 12

Calf Raise (machine, heels hanging off step)

+5kg - 1x20

+10kg - 1x20

+5kg - 1x20

45DBR

+0kg - 1x10

+5kg - 1x10

+10kg - 1x10

---

Squat

60kg - 1x5

**add belt**

100kg - 3x7 ... worksets. Fine

Ab Roll Out (on knees)

3x10

---

Glute Kick Back Machine

3x10

Leg Ext Machine

+10kg per leg - 1x10

+15kg per leg - 1x10

+17.5kg per leg - 1x10

---

Neck Training ... (no added weight)

Face Up Flexion - 3x10

Face Up Rotation - 3x10

Face Down Extension - 3x10

Face Down Rotation - 3x10

---

Prowler

frame +0kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +10kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +20kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +30kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +40kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

---

Main event was Squat 3x7kg. Finished up with some prowler pushes which was a nice bit of cardio.

Quads a bit numb with DOMS from the leg ext later in the day which was good. First time doing those in ages.

BossArky

Friday July 23rd: Bench day 6 of 12

DB Curl

12.5kg per arm - 6x10 ... first three sets were warm ups before Chins/Bench. Last three sets were at the very end of work out.

DB Shoulder Press

12.5kg per arm - 6x10 ... warm up before Chins/Bench.

---

Chin Up

bodyweight +10kg - 3x5

Machine Unilateral Pull Down

+20kg per arm - 1x10

+25kg per arm - 1x10

+30kg per arm - 1x10

Bench (paused)

75kg - 6x6 ... worksets. Very light.

---

Incline Chest Press Machine

15kg - 3x10

Cable Machine Row

light-ish ascending sets - 3x10

---

Neck Training ... (no added weight)

Face Up Flexion - 3x10

Face Up Rotation - 3x10

Face Down Extension - 3x20

Face Down Rotation - 3x20

---

Bench 75kg 6x5 supserset with Chins +10kg 3x5.

Lots of assistance.

Its all light bodybuilding at the moment as I sit a 2 litre of full fat milk through each workout.

BossArky

Sunday July 25th: Deadlift day 3 of 6

Deadlift (beltless)

120kg – 3x8

 

Barbell Overhead Press

30kg - 3x10

---

TRAX Rev Fly

3x10

Barbell Row

30kg - 3x10

---

Nice quick workout. Then, spent 3 hours afterwards cutting a hedge.

BossArky

Monday July 26th: Lower day 7 of 12

Calf Raise (machine, heels hanging off step)

+5kg - 3x20

45DBR

+0kg - 3x10

---

Squat

60kg - 1x5

90kg - 1x5

**add belt**

110kg - 3x5 ... worksets. Fine

Ab Roll Out (on knees)

3x10

---

Leg Curl Machine

+5kg per leg - 3x10

Leg Ext Machine

+5kg per leg - 3x10

---

Prowler

frame +0kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +10kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +20kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +30kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

frame +40kg - 2 lengths (i.e. up & down)

---

Squat 110kg 3x5 with assistance.

Forgot to do neck.

It rained. Drove about 7 hours - so was good to get in the gym and move.

BossArky

Tuesday July 27th: Bench day 6 of 12

Barbell Row

60kg - 6x10 ... standing on a bumper for the ROM

Bench (paused)

85kg - 6x4 ... worksets. Very light.

---

Machine Unilateral Pull Down

+20kg per arm - 3x10

Incline Barbell Bench

50kg - 2x10

40kg - 1x10

---.

Some quick Bench.

Whole session done in 45 mins flat including assistance. Some pump. Nice front delt/shoulder DOMS the next day after Incline Bench.