Return of the King

BossArky

Saturday April 8th: Squat Day 12 - Dubai (@home)

Squat
145kg - 1x0 ... stupidly took a wide high bar grip and had no tightness
145kg - 1x1 ... supposed to be 3x3. Hit safeties on first rep at the bottom and racked it
---
Bench Press (slow down, slown up)
20kg - 1x10
25kg - 1x15
30kg - 1x20
---
Ab Roll Out
3x6
---

Had a bit of a shocker to end the Squat cycle. Didn't even bother with the Bench after the Squats as elbows were killing me.

Stupidly changed my Squat grip to have a wide grip (ring finger on rings) whilst keeping high bar - so no shoulder/upper back tightness. Warmed up all the way with this but got stapled with 145kg on first attempt.

Unloaded the bar and ramped back up again a second time - this time with usual closegrip/tight setup. Got 1 rep on 145kg but hit the safeties and decided to rack it.

Skipped Bench 103kg 3x3 and just did some light pumping stuff.

A bit disappointed... but on the positive side - it has been a rough few months and to be able to train through all the moving around the globe is a plus.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Saturday April 8th: Squat Day 12 - Dubai (@home)

Squat
145kg - 1x0 ... stupidly took a wide high bar grip and had no tightness
145kg - 1x1 ... supposed to be 3x3. Hit safeties on first rep at the bottom and racked it
---

Had a bit of a shocker to end the Squat cycle. Didn't even bother with the Bench after the Squats as elbows were killing me.

Stupidly changed my Squat grip to have a wide grip (ring finger on rings) whilst keeping high bar - so no shoulder/upper back tightness. Warmed up all the way with this but got stapled with 145kg on first attempt.

Unloaded the bar and ramped back up again a second time - this time with usual closegrip/tight setup. Got 1 rep on 145kg but hit the safeties and decided to rack it.

A bit disappointed... but on the positive side - it has been a rough few months and to be able to train through all the moving around the globe is a plus.

BossArky

Monday April 10th: Squat deload - Kuwait (@HI)

Squat (in flats, no belt, no knee or elbow sleeves)
100kg - 3x5
---
Rotational Ab Machine (obliques)
2x10 per side
---
Ab Crunch Machine
3x10 increasing weight per set
---
GHR
3x10
---
Ham Curl
3x15 increasing weight per set
---
Leg Press
3x15 increasing weight per set
---

A nice deload in flat shoes. Did some warm up plate front squats with toes elevated to work on calf mobility before the main Squast in flats. Helped with getting depth for worksets.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Monday April 10th: Squat deload - Kuwait (@HI)

Squat (in flats, no belt, no knee or elbow sleeves)
100kg - 3x5
---

Alf Veedersane

I hope you don't have to squat in that rack too often...

BossArky

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I hope you don't have to squat in that rack too often...

Its not optimal - especially without heels.

BossArky

Tuesday April 11th: Bench deload - Kuwait (@HI)

Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x5
30kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
50kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x5
60kg - 3x10
---
Barbell Row
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
50kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x10
---
Arnold Press DB
10kg per arm - 1x10
15kg per arm - 1x10
20kg per arm - 1x8
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x6
20kg - 1x10
---
Incline DB PRess
10kg per arm - 1x10
15kg per arm - 1x10
20kg per arm - 1x10 ...??? I think
---

Some deload bench teaching a colleague some technique. He hit a PR on 70kg (+4kg on his best).

BossArky

Thursday April 14th: Squat deload - Dubai (@home)

Squat (in flats, no belt, no knee or elbow sleeves)
30kg - 4x10

Lunge (static)
20kg - 1x10 per side
30kg - 3x10 per side
---
RDL
30kg - 3x10
---
Calf Raise
30kg - 3x10
---
Front Squat
30kg - 3x10
---

Did a lot of light stuff for a deload and got some nice DOMS out of it. Funny how the body works. Was Squatting 145kg last week and then getting crippled with 30kg this week.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Thursday April 14th: Squat deload - Dubai (@home)

Lunge (static)
30kg - 3x10 per side

BossArky

Friday April 15th: Bench deload - Dubai (@home)

Bench (bodybuilder stype, feet up, flat back, elbows out, paused)
40kg - 3x15

Shoulder Press
40kg - 3x5
---
DB Curl
6kg per arm - 3x10
---

Some bodybuilder style bench to grow some muscle. Light weight but the high reps and unconventional form (for me) hit my chest in a good way).

BossArky

Saturday April 16th: Deadlift - Dubai (@home)

Deadlift (conventional)
70kg - 1x5
110kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x2
160kg - 1x5 ... alrighty
---
Chin Ups
bodyweight - 6, 6, 11
---
Grip Training - Barbell Holds
Fatgripz - 30kg - 3x~40 secs side - one side at a time
Remove Fat Gripz - 40kg - both hands together for a while
---

Quite enjoyed that. Heaviest conventional Deadlift for a set of 5 (160kg x5) since late 2011.

Enjoyed the assistance of Chins & Grip work afterwards. Forearms and hands in general fried as I type this the next day from the fat gripz barbell holds.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Saturday April 16th: Deadlift - Dubai (@home)

Deadlift (conventional)
70kg - 1x5
110kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x2
160kg - 1x5 ... alrighty
---

Quite enjoyed that. Heaviest conventional Deadlift for a set of 5 (160kg x5) since late 2011.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BS5x1oDA1zs

BossArky

Monday April 18th: Squat deload - Kuwait (@HI)

Squat (in flats, no belt, no knee or elbow sleeves)
20kg - 1x10
40kg x10, x10, x22 or so
---
Lunge
20kg - 3x10
---
GHR
3x10 ... slow & controlled reps. Nice
---
Leg Ext
1x10 ... machine was taken before I could complete set 2 & 3 and also later
---
Leg Press
3x20 increasing weight per set ... oh the burn
---
Leg Press
3x20 increasing weight per set ... oh the burn
---
Seated Calf Raise
frame - 1x20
frame +15kg - 1x20
frame +30kg - 1x20
---

Legs super pumped after high reps, low weight bodybuilding style workout. Felt good to walk around like an unsteady babe giraffe.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Monday April 18th: Squat deload - Kuwait (@HI)

Squat (in flats, no belt, no knee or elbow sleeves)
20kg - 1x10
40kg x10, x10, x22 or so

BossArky

Wednesday April 19th: Bench deload - Kuwait (@HI)

Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x15
30kg - 1x15
40kg - 1x15

Seated Shoulder Press
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10

Incline Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
---
Seated Unilateral Row Machine
20kg per arm - 3x10
---
Seated Low Row Machine
increasing weight per set - 3x10
---
Lat Pulldown
increasing weight per set - 3x10
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 1x10
25kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
---

Lots of light upper body pump. Had just a great sleep after the light Squats/lower body pump stuff the night before.

BossArky

Thursday April 20th: Squat deload - Dubai (@home)

Squat (in flats, no belt, no knee or elbow sleeves)
20kg - 1x10
50kg - 3x10
---
SLDL
50kg - 3x10
---
Ab Roll-out
3x10
---

Some light high rep Squats. Concentrated on taking a wider stance on 2nd and 3rd sets.

BossArky

Friday April 21st: Bench deload - Dubai (@home)

Bench (paused, feet up, wide grip guillotine style elbows out)
50kg - 3x10
---
Barbell Row
50kg - 3x10
---
Push Press
50kg - 3x5
---

Some light benching.

BossArky

Saturday April 22nd: Deadlift - Dubai (@home)

Deadlift (conventional)
60kg - 1x5
60kg +16kg chains - 1x5
100kg +16kg chains - 3x8
---
Chin Ups
bodyweight - 1x6
bodyweight +5kg - 1x6
bodyweight +10kg - 1x6
---
Grip Training - Barbell Holds
Fatgripz - 20kg, 30kg & 40kg - 30-20 secs per side side - one side at a time
Remove Fatgripz - 50kg - 10-20 secs per side - one side at a time
Fatgripz - 30kg - 30 secs per side side - one side at a time
---

Deadlifting Convo feels pretty natural now which is good. Head down looking at an imaginary point about 3 foot in front. Used the chains for variety. First time using them on Deads.

Chin Ups were fine. Middle set the hardest, then final one felt fine with +10kg.

Fat Gripz training is fun. Typing this the next day is tough as my forearms in ribbons.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Saturday April 22nd: Deadlift - Dubai (@home)

Deadlift (conventional)
100kg +16kg chains - 3x8

BossArky

Tuesday April 25th: Squat Day 1 of 12 - Kuwait (@HI)

Squat (in flats, no belt, no knee or elbow sleeves)
20kg - 1x6
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 3x9

GHR
3x8
---
Lunge
20kg - 3x8
---
Ab Roll Out
3x8

Leg Press
80kg - 1x15
100kg - 1x15
120kg - 1x15
---
Seated Calf Raise
frame +20kg - 1x12
frame +40kg - 1x12
frame +55kg - 1x12
---

New training cycle started this morning at 6:30am for Squats in flats. I know the starting numbers (those above) but haven't settled exactly on the jumps I'll take between days in both the mini and macro cycles.

Going to have a side project of working up to repping the stack on leg press. It goes up to 200kg. 120kg x15 is the most I've done as of this morning. Each week I'll add 10kg and see how it goes.

Enjoyed doing the other assistance too: the GHR and lunges with barbell non-stop between sides and sets. Total quad pump.

BossArky

Tuesday April 25th: Evening 5 a side Soccer - Kuwait

Haven't kicked a ball in about 2 decades. Was good fun. Running around in converse was a bit challenging.

BossArky

Wednesday April 26th: Bench Day 1 of 12 - Kuwait (@HI)

Bench (paused)
70kg - 6x6

Barbell Row
60kg - 6x8
---
Seated Wide Press Machine (unilateral)
frame +0kg per side - 1x10
frame +20kg per side - 3x10
---
Seated "normal" Press Machine (unilateral)
frame +0kg per side - 1x10
frame +20kg per side - 3x10
---
Row Machine 1 (unilateral)
frame +0kg per side - 1x20
frame +15kg per side - 1x15
frame +30kg per side - 1x10
---
Row Machine 2 (unilateral)
frame +0kg per side - 1x5
frame +15kg per side - 1x15
frame +30kg per side - 1x12
---
Curl Machine (unilateral)
5kg per arm - 1x8
10kg per arm - 1x10
15kg per arm - 1x8
20kg per arm - 1x8
25kg per arm - 1x8
20kg per arm - 1x8
15kg per arm - 1x8
10kg per arm - 1x8
5kg per arm - 1x8
---

Started a new bench cycle and then did a heap of fun bodybuilding trying to anihalate chest, back and guns. Task accomplished.

Weighed the bars too on the weighing scales and was pleased that they are actually not as far off true weight as expected. The one I was using was 19.5kg. I had expected it to be about 15kg. This means I can actually go forth with training hard now knocking that I'm almost using the correct amount of weight for the program day in day out.

Lower body in bits from the Squats etc yesterday morning following by soccer in the evening.

BossArky

Friday April 28th: Bench Day 2 of 12 - Dubai (@home)

Bench (paused)
78kg - 6x5
---
Overhead Press (DB)
6kg per arm - 3x10
---

Absolutely wrecked from the weeks travels and 5 a side soccer so was a struggle getting through the above. Benched instead of Squat as lowerbody was totally nuked.

BossArky

Saturday April 29th: Deadlift - Dubai (@home)

Squat (beltless, sleeveless, shirtless, shoeless)
20kg - 2x5
60kg - 2x5
80kg - 2x3
90kg - 3x7
---
Deadlift (conventional)
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x5
110kg +16kg chains - 3x8
---
Grip Training - Barbell Holds
Fatgripz - 30kg - 5x30 secs count per side side - one side at a time
---

Recovered enough to attempt some lowerbody. Took forever warming up, doubling the warm up volume, to loosen out. No equipment. Just me and the bar chewing into my naked upper back.

Enjoyed the Deadlifts, if not the Squats.

BossArky

Sunday April 30th: Squat - Kuwait (@HI)

Squat (beltless, sleeveless)
100kg - 3x5
---
GHR
x8, x8, x10
---
Leg Press
80kg - 1x15
100kg - 1x15
120kg - 1x15
---

Quick workout. Nice leg pump. Realized afterwards that I should have Squat 105kg not 100kg 3x5

BossArky

Tuesday May 2nd: Bench Day 3 of 12 - Kuwait (@HI)

Bench (paused)
85kg - 6x4

Barbell Row
70kg - 6x6
---
Row Machine (unilateral)
frame +15kg per side - 1x8
frame +35kg per side - 1x8
frame +55kg per side - 1x8
frame +35kg per side - 1x8
frame +25kg per side - 1x12

Barbell Curl
25kg - 3x8 or 10... cannot remember
---
DB Arnold Press
15kg per arm - 3x8

Hammer Curl
15kg per arm - 3x5
---

Quick work time training at the hotel whilst everyone else is running around the office like headless chickens. Came back with a sick pump.

BossArky

Thursday May 4th: Deadlift - Dubai (@home)

Squat (beltless, shoeless)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
100kg - 1x2
115kg – x3, x3, x5
100kg - 1x10
---
Good Morning
20kg - 1x8
25kg - 1x8
30kg - 1x8
---
Ab Roll Out
3x10
---

Beltless Squats without heels feeling great. Did 5 reps as an AMRAP on last of planned 115kg 3x3. Handy enough and a beltless PR. Enjoyed the dropset of 10 reps on 100kg also.

BossArky

Friday May 5th: Bench Day 4 of 12 - Dubai (@home)

Bench (paused)
95kg - 6x3
---

Accidently put 2.5kg extra on the bar. Was wondering why it felt heavier than expected. Taking different jumps between days versus what I’m used to any my internal powerlifting calculator out of calibration. May have done some other stuff but cannot remember exactly what as I write this 4 days later.

BossArky

Saturday May 6th: Deadlift - Dubai (@home)

Deadlift (conventional)
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
120kg +16kg chains - 3x8
---
Belt Squat
A few sets which peaked around bar +40kg for 10-12 reps.
---
Chin Ups
bodyweight +5kg – 1x6
bodyweight +10kg – 1x6
bodyweight +15kg – 1x6
---
Grip Training - Barbell Holds
Fatgripz - 30kg - 5x30 secs count per side side - one side at a time
---

Deadlifts were double overhand for first two sets. Struggled to hold on to the bar but didn’t drop it. Tweaked lower right back (strained SI joint perhaps?) on last rep of second set. Finished the third set with mixed grip. Interesting how when your grip is more secure (e.g. mixed) then your back can hold proper form. i.e. when I was double overhand my back felt like it was caving more as subconsciously my brain was thinking I was gonna drop it anyway.

For Belt Squat - messed about with various feet and bar/weight positions. Quite interesting movement for a leg press type variant. Used Spud dip belt connected to one end of a loaded barbell.

Chins Ups and Barbell Holds were interesting fun.

BossArky

Monday May 8th: Squat Day 5 of 12- Kuwait (@HI)

Squat (flats, beltless)
90kg - 3x9
---
GHR
3x8

Leg Press
90kg - 1x15
110kg - 1x15
130kg - 1x15 ... handy
---
Ab Roll Outs
3x10
---

Squats were good and easy. Squat rack has been moved to the middle of the hotel gym area which is better than where it previously was rammed up against a wall with little clearance on each side.

Leg Press, GHR and Ab Rollouts were enjoyable. Putting in the work.