Back to the gym after 9 years

MoNkeE · 27 Apr 2017 at 08:37

My golden rule with a rubbish session where you don't meet your expected weights or target reps, is to go full ham on some volume afterwards. You may as well make the workout worthwhile even if you're failing to hit your targets, and getting a huge pump and hitting some light but high volume sets is perfect for salvaging your otherwise defeated mental attitude afterwards.

Everyone has off days, it's what you decide to do about it that matters. After all, you've already made it to the gym, no point in throwing in the towel by that point!

But anyway, as I said I think you're doing a great job at the moment, just keep those weights increasing when you're hitting targets.

Kris_90 · 27 Apr 2017 at 18:54

Thanks mate.

Shoulders and Legs

Front Squats
40kg 5/5/5/5/5

Seated DB Shoulder Press
17.5kg 8/6/5 - my right shoulder didn't feel quite right and I didn't feel comfortable really grinding out the last few reps.
12.5kg 10/10/10

Laying Hamstring Curls
32kg 10/10/10

Lat Raises
7.5kg 8/8/8

Standing Calves
75kg 12/12/12

Leg Press
100kg 15/15/15

Kris_90 · 28 Apr 2017 at 18:31

Back, Triceps and Abs

Deadlifts
80kg 5/5/5/5/5

Cable Rows
45kg 8/8/8/8

Lat pulldown
28kg 10/10/10/8

Tricep Pushdowns
20kg 8/8/8

Captains Chair Crunches
BW 10/10/10/10/10/10

Plank
BW 1m/1m/1m

Kris_90 · 29 Apr 2017 at 10:48

Chest and Biceps

DB Bench
22.5kg 8/8/8

DB Incline Bench
17.5kg 8/8/8

Low Cable Fly
6.25kg 8/8/8

Mid Cable Fly
6.25kg 15/15/15

High Cable Fly
6.25kg 15/15/15

EZ bar Curls
16kg 10/10/10

DB Curls
7.5kg 10/10/10

I know it's not shown in the progression of the weights but my chest days keep feeling better. I'm concentrating on stretching and squeezing every rep and it feels awesome

Kris_90 · 30 Apr 2017 at 09:06

Shoulders and Legs

Squats
52.5kg 8/8/8

OHP
32.5kg 8/8/8

Snatch RDLs
52.5kg 8/8/8

Leg Extensions ss w/ Single Arm Leaning Lat Raises
65kg 10/10/10 / 7.5kg 8/8/8

Seated Calves ss w/ Facepulls
55kg 12/12/12 / 16.25kg 12/12/12/12

10 mins of HIIT to finish.

I concentrated on keeping my chest up this morning and squats felt so much better/easier. It's a cue I need to keep using.

GSVBagpuss · 30 Apr 2017 at 13:22

Good work finding a nice cue for squats and snatch RDLs are just so lit

Kris_90 · 30 Apr 2017 at 13:42

GSVBagpuss said:
Good work finding a nice cue for squats and snatch RDLs are just so lit

Yep, I need my hamstrings and glutes to grow so I'll be increasing the volume for snatch RDLs when I start my bulk

Kris_90 · 5 May 2017 at 20:59

I haven't had time to go the gym since Monday but made some time today

Back, Triceps and Abs

Deadlifts
82.5kg 5/5/5/5/5

Cable Rows
45kg 9/9/9/9

Lat pulldown
28kg 10/10/8/8

Tricep Pushdowns
20kg 9/9/9

Captains Chair Crunches
BW 10/10/10/10/10/10

Deadlifts felt easy although my grip is starting to fail. I need to incorporate some grip training as that's what stopped me progressing with deadlifts in the past.

GSVBagpuss · 6 May 2017 at 07:45

Or chalk - makes a big difference to me

Kris_90 · 7 May 2017 at 10:55

GSVBagpuss said:
Or chalk - makes a big difference to me

I didn't think about chalk, cheers

Chest and Biceps

DB Bench
22.5kg 9/9/9

DB Incline Bench
17.5kg 9/9/9

Landmine Press
40kg 10/10/10

Pec dec
45kg 12/12/12

Preacher curls
Resistance machine 10/10/10

EZ bar Curls
21kg 10/10/10

Hmmer Curls
7.5kg 10/10/10

I enjoyed some cycling in the gym yesterday so I'll probably do some more later

GSVBagpuss · 8 May 2017 at 07:09

Liquid chalk from MyProtein is discrete if your gym have an issue with white powder everywhere. Cheap too and one bottle has lasted me well over a year

Kris_90 · 9 May 2017 at 18:52

Yeah I was going to go with that instead of actual chalk especially as a guy at my new gym gave me a row for deadlifting in socks

He wouldn't be too pleased if I got chalk everywhere

Back, Triceps and Abs

Sumo Deadlifts
80kg 5/5/5/5/5

BOR
50kg 5/5/5/5/5

Cable Rows
45kg 10/10/10

Lat pulldown
28kg 10/10/10

Tricep Pushdowns
25kg 8/8/8

Captains Chair Crunches
BW 10/10/10

Not enough direct ab work but I'm happy with the back progress.

Kris_90 · 11 May 2017 at 21:19

Chest and Biceps

DB Bench
20kg 12/12/12

Landmine Press
40kg 10/10/10

Mid Cable Fly
5kg 12/12/12

High Cable Fly
5kg 12/12/12

Preacher curls
15kg 12/12/12
10kg 21s/21s

DB Curls
7.5kg 10/10/10/10

The 22.5kg's were being used so I had to settle for 20kg. I did try the 25's but they felt so heavy - I hate cutting.

Kris_90 · 13 May 2017 at 09:24

Back, Triceps and Abs

Deadlifts
85kg 5/5/5

Cable Rows
46.25kg 8/8/8

Pulldown
60kg 8/8/8

Tricep Pushdowns
23.25kg 8/8/8

Captains Chair Crunches
BW 10/10/10/10/10

Weighed Crunches
36.25kg 15/15/15

Being in a caloric deficit is starting to have an effect on the weights now. Deadlifts felt sooo hard this morning so I kept it at 3x5. I'm going to try upping my protein to 1x1.2-3 bodyweight. I've kept it at 1xbw for the last two years so I'll try anything to make this cut easier

Kris_90 · 17 May 2017 at 19:39

I'm struggling to fit in the gym 6 days per week and cardio on top of that. I'm going to switch to PHUL for a couple of months to see how it goes.

Upper Hypertrophy

Incline DB Press
17.5kg 8/8/8

Pec Dec
30kg 8/8/8

One Arm DB Row
15kg 12/12/12

Lat Pulldown
28kg 10/10/10

DB Lat Raises
7.5kg 8/8/8

Preacher Curls
16kg 12/12/12

Cable Tricep Extensions
20kg 8/8/8

Not enough volume, I'll do 4 sets next time.

Kris_90 · 20 May 2017 at 08:42

Upper Strength

DB Bench Press
25kg 5/5/5/5

Incline DB Bench Press
17.5kg 8/8/8/8

BOR
55kg 5/5/5/5

OHP
35kg 5/5/5

Pullups
Bw 4/3/3

Ez Bar Curls
21kg 8/8/8

Tricep Extension ss w/ facepulls below
26.25kg 8/8/8

Facepulls
18.75kg 10/10/10

Kris_90 · 21 May 2017 at 09:46

Lower Strength

Squats
50kg 5/5/5/5

Deadlifts
50kg 3
60kg 3
70kg 2
80kg 5/5/5

Leg Press
130kg 10/10/10

Snatch Grip RDLs
50kg 8/8/8

Seated Calf Raise
55kg 10/10/10/10

Cardio - 10 minute run

I forgot how hard it is to do squats and deadlifts on the same day

Kris_90 · 24 May 2017 at 09:26

Upper Hypertrophy

Incline DB Press
20kg 8/8/8/8

Pec Dec
45kg 12/8/8

One Arm DB Row
17.5kg 8/8/8/8

Cable Row
46.25kg 10/10/10/10

DB Lat Raises
7.5kg 8/8
5kg 15/15 - the burn

EZ Bar Curls
16kg 15/15/15 - the pump

Cable Tricep Extensions
23.75kg 12/12/12/12

I've been slowly increasing the weight on the tricep extensions as I injured my right tricep in January and didn't feel comfortable when using higher weights. Now I feel I can start increasing the weight again as they feel awesome

Juggy1985 · 24 May 2017 at 09:39

Just out of curiosity have you tried stronglifts 5x5?

Kris_90 · 24 May 2017 at 11:03

Juggy1985 said:
Just out of curiosity have you tried stronglifts 5x5?

Sort of, when I first started training I followed Ice Cream Fitness (ICF) which is basically stronglifts with added accessories. I didn't enjoy it as powerlifting while cutting is awful.