Sunday 12th October – Saturday 18th October 2014
4 Weeks to the World’s
Week 5 – So, rough as dog Sun/Mon/Tues this week, nothing like a bit of D&V 😉 Felt low all week, and when I met up with the guys Saturday for squats I didn’t do too bad, but still wasn’t fully recovered and couldn’t push myself as hard as I would have liked.
Deadlift – worked up to 190kg x2, then singles at 195kg and 200kg – tried lifting in my squat suit as some people find it helps, but couldn’t get in the right position to pull, still managed to get 220kg over my knees but couldn’t lock out. Followed up with Pulldowns, Shrugs, Farmers Walks and Chin-ups
Bench – Up to 120kg x5, then Close-Grip Bench, Pause Bench, Pulldowns, Lat Raises & Chin-ups
Squat – Did some reverse band squats in the monolift with the Pembrokeshire Powerlifters, got up to 240kg, attempted 260kg but just didn’t have it in me and re-racked after a little half squat. Also being a bit of a minge with knee wraps pinching so going to have to ‘man up’ for the world’s!
Vids:
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Friday 29th August 2014
Bench (speed)
Bench 110kg x2x2x2x2x2 (30-60s rest)
Close Grip Bench 100kg x5x5x4 (30-60s)
Pause Bench (1″) 100kg x6x6 (30-60s)
Pulldowns (10) x12, (9) x11, (8) x10, (7) x10 (superset with Lat Raise) (90s)
DB Lat Raise 12.5kg x10, 10kg x10x10 (superset with Pulldowns)
Chins x7x7x6 (60s)
Bit of a crappy session, didn’t get a great nights sleep and the dieting is starting to catch up with me! Starting the water cut method this weekend as still not made weight. Just need to ensure I get enough food to recover and don’t reduce too much!
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Friday 22nd August 2014
Bench (Max)
Bench Press 127.5kg x2, 130kg x1, 135kg x1+1 RP (90s rest)
Bench Press 115kg x5 (back off set)
Lat Pulldowns (V Grip) (10) x15x12 (9) x11x9 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 12.5kg x10, 10kg x10x10 (superset)
Chins x8x7x6 (60s)
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Friday 15th August 2014
Bench (reps)
Bench Press 122.5kg x5x5x5 (2 mins rest)
Close-Grip Bench 110kg x2x2 (90s)
Pause Bench (1″ off chest) 115kg x4x4x3 (2 mins)
Lat Pulldowns (10) x15, (9) x13, (8) x12x11 (90s)
DB Lat Raise 12.5kg x10, 10kg x10x10 (superset with pulldowns)
Chins x7x6x6 (60s)
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Wednesday 6th August 2014
Bench (Reps)
Competition Bench (Wide Grip) 115kg x6x5x4 (90s rest)
Close Grip Bench 105kg x3x3x3 (90s)
Pause Bench (1″ off chest) 107.5kg x6x4 (90s)
Pulldowns (9) x15x15x13x12 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 10kg x12x12x12 (superset with pulldowns)
Chin-ups x7x6x5 (60s)
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Nailing The Overhead Press by Paul Carter
Nailing the overhead press originally published on T-Nation by Paul Carter
Here’s what you need to know…
• Using a thumbless grip on overhead pressing allows for a better path of the bar by bringing it in closer to the centerline of the body. It’s also easier on the shoulders and wrists.
• Start with a shoulder-width grip. As a visual cue, rotate your hands back towards your delts. If your thumb grazes the outside of them, you’ve got it right.
• Contract your glutes, abs, and quads when you press. The more tension you have throughout the body, the stronger you’ll be.
• Activate the biceps on the eccentric portion of the press. When you lower the bar, think about doing a sort of hammer curl towards your face/ears.
• Press with a purpose. That means press with violence and hate. Try to think about throwing it through the ceiling.
Lots of guys these days shit on any form of seated press, but I’m not sure why. The entire purpose of pressing overhead is simply to build bigger and stronger shoulders. Whether you’re seated or standing doesn’t really matter unless you’re a competitive strongman and … (read more here)
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Tuesday 29th July 2014
Took a week off for holiday, so repeated last session:
Bench (Speed)
Competition Bench (wide grip) 92.5kg x3x3x3x3x3x3x3x3 (60-90s rest)
Close Grip Bench 85kg x5x5 (60s)
Pause Bench (1″ off chest) 85kg x8x8x8 (60s)
Pulldowns (9) x15x14, (8) x10x9 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 12.5kg x10x10, 10kg x10 (superset with pulldowns)
Chin-ups x7x7x5 (60s)
Struggled a bit with assistance work but happy overall, weight still coming down slowly as planned and so far strength doesn’t seem to have taken a hit 😉
Week 4 – Current weight 85.8kg
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Monday 21st July 2014
Bench (Speed)
Competition Bench (wide grip) 92.5kg x3x3x3x3x3x3x3x3 (60-90s rest)
Close Grip Bench 85kg x5x5 (60s)
Pause Bench (1″ off chest) 85kg x8x8x7 (60s)
Pulldowns (9) x15x15x14, (8) x12 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 12.5kg x10x10, 10kg x10 (superset with pulldowns)
Chin-ups x10x8x8 (60s)
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Monday 14th July 2014
Bench (Max)
Competition Bench (wide grip) 115kg x2x2x2x2x5 (2 mins rest)
Close Grip Bench 105kg x5x6x6 (2 mins)
Pause Bench (1″ off chest) 107.5kg x5x4 (2 mins)
Pulldowns (9) x15x15x13, (8) x13 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 12kg x10, 10kg x10x10 (superset with pulldowns)
Chin-ups x11x7x6 (60s)
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Monday 7th July 2014
Bench (Reps)
Competition Bench (wide grip) 100kg x10x8x8 (90s rest)
Close Grip Bench 107.5kg x5x4x5 (90s)
Pause Bench (1″ off chest) 92.5kg x8x8x6 (2 mins)
Pulldowns (9) x15x15x12, (8) x11 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 10kg x10x10x10 (superset with pulldowns)
Chin-ups x10x8x7 (60s)
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Monday 30th June 2014
Press 70kg x5x5x5x5x7
Weighted Chins 24kg x5x5x5x5x6 (between press sets)
EZ Curls 30kg x10x10x10x10x10
Lat Raise 7.5kg x15x15x14 (superset with rear flyes)
Machine Rear Delt (5) x15x15x10+5 (superset with lat raise)
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Friday 20th June 2014
Press 57.5kg x5, 65kg x3, 72.5kg x7 then a drop set of 55kg x7 (60s rest)
DB Press 20kg x10x10x9x8x7
EZ Curls 30kg x10x10x10x10x8 (30s rest)
Machine Rear Delt (6) x10x10x10x10 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 7.5kg x10x10x10x10 (superset with rear delt) – 60s rest, stopwatch started at end of rear delt reps, but lat raise then performed so approx 30s between supersets
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Friday 13th June 2014
Press 55kg x3, 62.5kg x3, 67.5kg x9 then drop set of 55kg x8 (60s rest)
DB Press 22.5kg x10x9, 20kg x10, 17.5kg x9x9 (60s)
EZ Curls 30kg x10x10x10 (60s)
DB Rear Raise 12.5kg x10x10x9 (superset with lat raise)
DB Lat Raise 10kg x10, 7.5kg x10x9 (superset with rear raise then 60s rest)
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Friday 6th June 2014
Press 85kg x1, 70kg x6, 60kg x6 (60s rest)
DB Standing Overhead Press 25kg x10, 22.5kg x9, 20kg x9x8x7 (60s)
EZ Curls 25kg x10x10x10x10x10 (60s)
DB Rear Raise 10kg x10x10x10 (Superset with Lat Raise)
DB Lat Raise 10kg x10, 7.5kg x10x9 (Superset with Rear Raise)
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Wednesday 21st May 2014
Cable Row 90kg x10x10x10x10 (90secs rest)
Bench 125kg x4x3x5, 60s rest then 100kg x9
Face Pulls (7) x25x25 (between bench sets)
Seated Alt. DB Curl 15kg x12, 12.5kg x11 (between bench)
Viking Press 92.5kg x5, 60s rest then 40kg x15, 60s then Lat. Raise x7.5kg x17, 5kg x19 (60s)
Squat practice, heavy singles up to 170kg
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Wednesday 30th April 2014
Bench 130kg x4, 100kg x10 (60s rest), followed up with Incline Lever Bench 45kg x11+6+4 RP (60s)
DB Hammers 17.5kg x10, 15kg x10, 12.5kg x10x8 (30s rest)
Viking Press 85kg x6, 40kg x13 (60s), then Lat Raises 10kg x11
Squat 160kg x5
Was hoping to get more reps on bench but as been stuck for 3 sessions now it’s about time I took a re-set! Changed curls from EZ bar to hammers, but not happy with technique so going to drop weight down and focus on it. Still a little sporadic with training after the move and will be away this weekend so just doing what I can for now and will hit it hard next week.
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Wednesday 2nd April 2014
Bench 122.5kg x5, then 100kg x10 (60s rest) – Went for 6 on the bench but couldn’t lock it out! See vid for why you should always Bench in a cage 😉
EZ Curls 30kg x12x12x11x10 (30s)
Viking Press 72.5kg x9, 40kg x12 (60s), then DB Lat Raise 7.5kg x20
Squat 152.5kg – Fail – Just didn’t feel right today, couldn’t get in the right position under the bar so finished off with:
45 Degree Leg Press 360kg x9
Standing 1-Arm DB External Rotation 7.5kg x15x13 (rest each side as long as it took to perform the set on opposite side)
Cuban Rotation 10kg EZ Bar x13x13 (60s)
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Wednesday 19th March 2014
Seated Press 62.5kg x5x5x9, followed by DB Lat Raise 7.5kg x21x12 (60 secs rest)
Weighted Chins (after each press set) 24kg x7, 20kg x7x6, followed by V Grip Pulldown (12) x9+5+3 RP
Weighted Dips 20kg x18+5+4 RP
T Bar Row 50kg x10x10x8x8x7 (60s)
Rack Pull (below knee) 180kg x4
Lever Deadlift 200kg x5, 240kg x2
Shrugs 35kg x20+8+6 RP
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Wednesday 12th March 2014
Seated Press 60kg x5x5x10, followed by DB Lat Raise 7.5kg x19
Weighted Chins 20kg x8x7x5 (after each press set)
‘V’ Grip Pulldown (12) x10+5+3 RP (30 secs after last chin set)
Weighted Dips 20kg x17+6+4 RP
Lying Leg Curls (4) x12x11x9
Ab Wheel x12x12x11 (superset with leg curls)
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Monday 30th December 2013
Not going to get in for a few days as going away for new year – Thought I’d try a shoulder session to see how it feels ..
Seated Smith Shoulder Press (No Back rest) 60kg x5x5x5, then 40kg x10 – chins between sets
Seated DB Press 22kg x10x10, 20kg x10x9x8 superset with Cable Curls 22.5kg x10x10x10x10x10
Prone DB Rear Raise 8kg x10x10x10 superset with Standing Lat Raise 5kg x10x10x10
– Won’t do that again! Felt not too bad at the time, but next morning.. ouch
Smith Press has ruined me, really irritated rotator cuff so will leave shoulders alone for a while :- (
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Thursday 13th June 2013
Press 62.5kg x5, 70kg x3, 80kg x1, then DB Lat Raise 12.5kg x16, 10kg x9 (Post Exhaust)
Weighted Chins 24kg x8x6 then Reverse Grip Pulldown (10) x15+6+5 RP – Struggled on the chins today, probably due to a back session yesterday! Got the same reps as last session so not all bad.
Weighted Dips 24kg x12+4+3 RP
Romanian Deadlift 40kg x10, 60kg x6, 80kg x4, 102.5kg x12
Lying Leg Curl (5) x10+6+4 RP – Replaced old machine, but still no markings on stack to know what weight it is! Sticking to my old method of number of plates in brackets 😉
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Thursday 6th June 2013
Press 57.5kg x3, 67.5kg x3, 75kg x3+1+1 RP followed up with 10kg DB Lat Raise x20
Weighted Chins 24kg x8x6
Dips x30x14x9 (30-60s rest)
Romanian Deadlift 100kg x12 – Felt much better at a lower weight, going to keep the reps high on these an work up slowly.
Had a few minutes left to waste so did some more dips on the way out x20x9x5 with approx 20s rest
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Thursday 23rd May 2013
Press 70kg x5x5x8 +1+1 RP, followed up with 10kg DB Lat Raise x20
Weighted Chins 24kg x7x6
Weighted Dips 24kg x10+4+2 RP
Romanian Deadlift 140kg x8 – Too much knee bend on these, going to lower weight next time and tighten up form.
Lying Hamstring Curl (7) x12+4+3 RP
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Wednesday 8th May 2013
Standing DB Press 30kg x5x4x4
Superset Lat Raise/Bent Over Rear Raise 12kg x10x10x10
Seated Cable Scapular Retractions 50kg x12x12
Hammer Curls 14kg x10x10x10
BE HENCH 