Dave's training log

Didn't go down the gym yesterday as I was shattered by the time I finished work, 12 hour shifts for 6 successive days takes it out of me.

Got down there today. My weights that I am gonna list from now on include the bar weight if I am using a barbell and are single dumbbell weights if I am using dumbbells, it is easier for me this way.

Deadlifts - 92.5kg - 3x5
Bent over Row - 57.5 - 3x8
Barbell Curl - 35kg - 3x8 (failed on last set, only got 6 reps)
Single Arm Dumbbell Rows - 30kg - 3x8
Single Arm Alternating Curls - 20kg - 3x8 (failed last set, got 7 with right arm 6 with left)
Lat Pulldown - 65kg - 3x8
Close grip pulldown - 65kg - 3x8
High Pulley crunch - 40kg - 3x12

Pyramid Training on Treadmill 22mins

Things to note:

Deadlifts were good, at my maximum with them though, couldn't have gone any heavier I don't think. Bent over Rows were too easy, need to add more weight, will try 65kg next time.

Don't usually do lat pulldowns or close grip pulldown but the chin up/dip machine was out of action.
 
Todays workout:

Dumbbell Bench Press - 26kg - 3x8 (failed last set, 7 reps)
Standing Dumbbell tricep extension - 28kg 3x8
Incline Dumbbell Fly's - 20kg 3x8
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press - 22kg 3x8
Decline Dumbbell Chest Press - 22kg 3x8
Dips (unassisted) - 3x8
Tricep pushdown (on cable machine) - 40kg 3x8
High pulley cable crunch - 42.5kg 3x12

45 mins total on treadmill - 30 mins@10kph on 2% incline - 15 mins interval training.
 
Haven't been down the gym in a few days - man flu. Thought I was gonna die!!

This evening's workout:

Squats - 90kg - 5x5
Overhead Press - 47.5kg - 3x8 (failed last set, 7 reps)
Dumbbell Lunges - 18kg - 3x8 (per leg)
Seated shoulder Press - 20kg - 3x8
Dumbbell Shrugs - 30kg - 3x8
Hamstring Curl - 52.5kg - 3x8
Lateral Raise's - 9kg - 3x8 (failed on last set, 6 reps)
High Pulley Crunch - 40kg - 3x12

Treadmill - 30mins (20 mins constant @10kph, 2% incline, 10mins interval training).

Happy with today, legs feel a bit like jelly after the squats though. I knew as soon as I did the very first squat I was never going to manage to get 8 reps of it so changed it to 5x5 instead.
 
Treadmills - fine, if used correctly. In other words, using intervals... Not steady state. They are just inefficient, otherwise...

Shrugs...

1) Only functional if you are French, otherwise you would do better to spend your time deadlifting...
2) Give traps a really weird blocky shape that looks like the person just does shrugs... And doesn't actually lift (IMHO).
3) Are generally performed using a nice roll of the shoulder, meaning the numeral head and rotator cuff tendons are rubbing and abrading around the scapular surfaces (coracoid process) as well as the glenohumeral joint, too. Which isn't great.
4) Look silly.
5) Did I mention deadlifting?


If you HAVE to do something for your traps, do deadlifting or farmers' walks. I would suggest Olympic lifting, but not everybody has access or willingness to try it. :)
 
mrthingyx said:
Treadmills - fine, if used correctly. In other words, using intervals... Not steady state. They are just inefficient, otherwise...

Shrugs...
Click to expand...

I will take on board what you said about the shrugs and take them out of my workout then. I do overhead press and seated press anyway and do deadlifts on a different day, so that should be plenty.

The treadmill however.........

I have a few goals to achieve by the end of this year:

Bench 80kg
Deadlift 140kg
Squat 120kg

And, do a dusk til dawn bike ride with a few lads from work (we are going to do it for charity), which is about 160 miles on the longest day of the year - think it's near the end of June sometime. And I also want to do the Bedford half marathon this year, which is usually in December, so gives me plenty of time to get my running distance up. I haven't been able to really run for a few years properly now, and I have always wanted to do a full marathon, but that is unrealistic I think this year. So, the treadmill is quite important until the lighter nights get here and I can get running outside.
 
GSVBagpuss said:
Are those 1RMs? I would guess squat will be the hardest, going by what I can manage at your height (but a few kg lighter). How do they look on Strength Standards?
Click to expand...

1RM is saying:

Squat 140kg
Deadlift 164kg
Bench 101kg

I think the squat and deadlift are quite achievable to be honest. I think it is the bench that I will struggle on.

The squats I did the other day I did 5x5 at 90kg and I think I could have gone another 10kg on them. Trying to build up slowish on my legs.
 
No, would put me into intermediate on all of the categories.

I do dumbbell bench presses due to no proper rack that I can do barbell bench presses and I do 52kg x 8 reps (thats 26kg dumbbells). I have never tried just a one rep maximum tbh. It is going to be that one that is going to be the most difficult. But, I look back at when I started last June, so 7 months ago, and I was benching 28kg in total. So, it's possible I think.

I think what I am going to do next week is have a little tweek around with my workout and start bringing a lot, if not all, of my exercises down to 5x5's instead of 3x8's.
 
Good workout today, really enjoyed it. Altered my workout to do more 5x5 set & reps.

Deadlifts - 95kg - 3x5
Bent over Row - 60kg - 5x5
Barbell Curl - 30kg - 5x5
Single Arm Dumbbell Rows - 32kg - 5x5
Hammer Curls - 16kg - 5x5
High Pulley crunch - 40kg - 3x12

Interval training 20mins Treadmill

My grip is holding me back on the deadlift's, and bent over row needs to be upped, a little too easy so will try 65kg next time.
 
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Todays workout:

Dumbbell Bench Press - 28kg - 5x5 (failed last set - 4 reps)
Standing Dumbbell tricep extension - 30kg 3x8
Incline Dumbbell Fly's - 20kg 5x5
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press - 22kg 5x5
Decline Dumbbell Chest Press - 22kg 5x5
Close grip dumbbell Press - 22kg 5x5
Tricep pushdown (on cable machine) - 42.5kg 5x5
High pulley cable crunch - 42.5kg 3x12

22mins Interval training on treadmill
 
Dude... your workouts are massively busy.

Ever thought of chopping out variations of the primary lifts and just pushing harder in the primary ones (I.e. bench -> close grip -> flyes -> pushdowns)...?
 
I had, but don't think I can push any harder on the primary ones. I do the bench first and I still failed on the last set today! I dis up the weight on it today though.

I was gonna ask in the general gym thread, thoughts on flyes? Had someone say to me the other day that I shouldn't do them as apparently they are not good for you. Saw a video on youtube that said the same thing as well.
 
Fair play, although you might find that giving your chest a break from a bajillion reps of similar stuff will allow you to get better and the primary lift...

Regarding flies/flys/flyes (sic), they are classed as problematic because most people do them badly, so probably not the best recommendation from me (!)... However, most people do them to the extreme which results in movement of the shoulder beyond its stable range of motion... And then most people get silly with the weight, exacerbating this problem.

So if you keep to a useful but not excessive ROM, and keep your shoulders stable, with a weight that is 'easy' for 12-16 reps, you will be ok.

The other alternative is to do dumbbell bench with weighted/banded (urgh) push-ups for the ultimate open/closed chain combination. Actually yes - do this instead! :)
 
Have you thought about doing a simpler program like Stronglifts, if your goals are to get stronger especially on the lifts you mentioned that program is pretty much it.
 
Haven't been able to get down the gym until today, 5 days without, not good.

However I decided I would really push myself today, and I knew I had when I felt like vomiting near the end of the session.

So today's:

Squats - 100kg - 5x5
Overhead Press - 50kg - 5x5 (Failed on the last 2 sets!! 3rd Set-4 reps, 5th Set-3 reps)
Dumbbell Lunges - 20kg - 3x8 (per leg)
Seated shoulder Press - 22kg - 5x5
Hamstring Curl - 65kg - 5x5
Nordic Curls 1x10
High Pulley Crunch - 42kg - 3x12

20mins light run

I failed on the last 2 sets on the overhead press. Will keep an eye on it, and if I fail next time will decrease the weight slightly.

Nordic Curls didn't really work out the way I intended. There isn't much at the gym for me to hook my ankles under to hold my lower legs in place. Will try to think of something else.
 
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