Do you even cardio?

Disco Boy

Disco Boy

Disco Boy

Soldato
Joined
4 Aug 2009
Posts
5,310
Location
London
So, I may as well start a log. I've been lifting for three months now, and had some good gains.

My current stats:
6'
~76kg
BF fairly low, abs showing round the sides.

Lifting stats:
Bench 65kg (a month ago)
Squat 100kg (2 reps)
Deadlift 130kg (3 reps)

Goals:
Aesthetics, cardio (cycling) performance... and strength


Current routine:
Lifting 3x per week
Cardio 2/3x per week. One or two hockey sessions, one or two cycling sessions.

Schedule:
Bulk until January/February, then cut to lower bf than I am currently ready for doing lots of sportives next summer (long cycle rides). That'll involve one or two weights session per week, and lots of cardio.

Lifting split:
I recently changed this. Until now I wasn't squatting as much as I should, because I really don't enjoy it. So I shall be making up for this as you can see in the below!

I do 3*7 on squats and deadlifts, because I don't like long sets of them.
5*5 with other compound lifts.
3*8-12 with isolation exercises.

1) back + legs
Pullups 5*5 overhand grip
Squats 7*3
DB Row 5*5
1leg Calf Raise (sets of ~20)
DB Curl (3*8-12)

2) deadlifts + shoulders
Military Press 5*5
Deadlift 7*3
Front raise 3*8-12
shrugs 3*8-12
lateral raise 3*8-12

3) chest + legs
BB bench press 5*5
Squats 7*3
DB Fly 3*8-12
1 leg calf raise: sets of ~20
skullcrushers3*8-12

Wish me luck!
 
Last edited:
15/8/13

Pullups 5OH 5OH 5OH 5OH 5OH
Squats 3*80 3*90 2*100 3*90 3*90 3*90
DB Row 5*30 5*30 5*30 5*30 5*30
1leg Calf Raise 20 20 20
DB Curl 12*7.5 8*10 7*10

As you can see from the 2*100, I failed my 3rd rep. This was because I stopped concentrating and overbalanced. I'm feeling good for sets of 95/100kg next time.

16/8/13
(rest day)
1 hour of destroying the girlfriend at badminton
 
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17/8/13 Deadlifts and shoulders

Military Press 5*37.5 5*35 5*35 5*35 4*35
Deadlift 3*120 3*130 3*120 3*120 3*125 3*120 3*120
Front Raise 12*7.5 12*7.5 12*7.5
Shrugs 10*30 15*25 15*25

130kg on the deadlift was do-able, but it felt like my form wasn't perfect. same for 125kg (120kg was fine). Next time I'll go for sets of 125.

I'm a bit disappointed with the military press, I've done better numbers before.

Tomorrow is cardio, a 50+ mile cycle with a new club I've been meaning to try. It's looking windy, and they might be quite quick so it might be intense.
 
55 miles was... Fairly tough. Average speed 18.1mph, average heart rate 175.

I got dropped dawdled the last 5 miles with another guy who was really hurting.
 
Due to a lack of time this week, I am using my old split. Still, I had a good workout this evening, I'm pretty pleased with my bench in particular.

Instead of supersetting my last two (isolation) exercises, I did it with rows and flys in the middle of my workout. And it was brutal!

I'm also completing 5*5 bodyweight pullups now. I am not sure whether to go wider in my grip, or to do more reps in each set. Thoughts?

Pullps 5OH 5OH 5OH 5OH 5OH
BB Bench 5*60 5*60 5*60 4*60 5*55
DB Row 10*25 10*25 8*25
DB Fly 10*10 10*10 9*10
Skull Crusher (EZ) 10*7.5 10*7.5 8*7.5
Concentration Curl 8*10 8*10 7*10
 
Different width pull-ups emphasise different musculature...

Wide grip = lat wings of doom
Narrow grip = gunshow and teres/rhomboid/posterior delt sculpting...
 
mrthingyx said:
Different width pull-ups emphasise different musculature...

Wide grip = lat wings of doom
Narrow grip = gunshow and teres/rhomboid/posterior delt sculpting...
Click to expand...

I'm aware of this. I was wondering whether I will get a better workout using more reps narrower, or fewer wider?
 
mrthingyx said:
Different width pull-ups emphasise different musculature...

Wide grip = lat wings of doom
Narrow grip = gunshow and teres/rhomboid/posterior delt sculpting...
Click to expand...

I thought that had been proven to be a fallacy.

In answer to what i think the original question was, why don't you add weight if you can do 5x5?
 
I've not followed a split really at all this week. Yesterday I would have done deadlift and shoulders, but my shoulders were sore from my previous workout, so I just did deadlift.

So, today, when I wasn't expecting to have time to work out, but did. I did a shoulders and arms workout with high reps (for me).

Anyway, I was pretty pleased with my deadlift numbers. Although I do need to invest in some chalk as my grip was an issue.

22/8/13
Deadlift 3*120 3*125 3*130 3*130 3*130 5*120 5*120

23/8/13
Military Press 10*30 8*30 10*30
Shrugs 15*25 15*25 15*25
BB Upright Row 12*20 12*25 12*25
Front Raise (DB) 8*7.5 10*7.5 10*7.5
Skull Crusher (EZ) 12*7.5 12*7.5 11*7.5
Concentration Curl 10*10 10*10 8*10
 
Same aims as me really, so watching this with interest. Almost identical lifts too, although your squat is better. Are those skull crusher number right, I was doing 12x25 but we have the same bench!
 
GSVBagpuss said:
Same aims as me really, so watching this with interest. Almost identical lifts too, although your squat is better. Are those skull crusher number right, I was doing 12x25 but we have the same bench!
Click to expand...

Great, good luck :)

I meant to say that it's 7.5+ the bar, the weight of which I don't know.
 
It takes Olympic plagues, but is an ez bar. Probably 10/12kg or something I think. I actually tried to weigh it yesterday, but the scales had gone walkabout...
 
I was away over the bank holiday weekend, so didn't lift. On Sunday, I did 45 miles on the bike with a very slow group, so only 12mph average. Then on Monday I went for a walk which was about 3 miles.

I reviewed my goals in my head, and decided on the split which I am going to use during this bulk. It is:

Back + legs
Chest + deadlifts
Arms + shoulders

Workout 1 today went thusly:

Overhand Pullups 5*+5kg 5*+5kg 5*+5kg 5*+5kg 5*+5kg
Squats 3*80 3*90 3*95 3*95 3*90 3*90 3*90
DB Row 10*25 10*25 10*25
Single leg calf raise 20 20 20
Concentration Curl 10*10 10*10 8*10
 
Pretty good shoulders and arms workout today:

Military Press 10*30 10*30 9*30
BB Upright Row 10*27.5 10*27.5 10*25
Front Raise (DB) 10*7.5 10*7.5 10*7.5
Concentration Curl 12*10 8*10 12*7.5
Skull Crusher (EZ) 12*7.5 12*7.5 12*7.5
 
duvet77 said:
I thought that had been proven to be a fallacy.

In answer to what i think the original question was, why don't you add weight if you can do 5x5?
Click to expand...

I have seen some of the different thoughts behind the 'fallacy' and generally ignore them, because wide grip is ruinous for my lats (DOMS is horrendous) whereas narrow grip hits teres (major/minor) and other good stuff... However, if it is different for another person... I am for whatever works. :)

And adding weight is just hilarious. Do it. :D
 
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