#OperationGetSexy - Gareth's log

Training Sun 7th Dec @ home - lower body

Another freezing cold one. Hands almost stuck to the bar during RDLs!

A: Front squats (deload) - 5 x 3 x 77.5kg
Was meant to be 3 x 3 but I had some form issues in warm-up and on first set, so I did 3 good sets and then one more for luck (the last one was the worst form-wise!). Key takeaway points: keep grip narrow and don't wear a top with a thick band around the neck!

B1: RDLs - 3 x 8 x 100kg
B2: KB goblet squat - 3 x 8 x 24kg

C1: Barbell bridge - 2 x 12 x 60kg
C2: Prone plank arm march - 2 x 6/side
 
Couch to 5K week 5 days 1 & 2 in the books. Longest run interval so far is 8 minutes. Creeping up slowly (inertia creeps). Weight down to 215lbs / 15st 5 yesterday.

Training Thurs 11th Dec @ home - December deadlifts in the dark

****ing down with rain tonight. Had to drape a towel over the bar between sets to stop it getting too wet to grip.

Deadlifts - 5 x 2 x 150kg (80%), with belt
KB swings - 3 x 10 x 24kg

That'll do.
 
Weight just under 15st 4 yesterday.

Training Sat 13th Dec @ home - upper body

BBC weather reckons it was 0-1 degrees outside during this. Certainly felt it, although it was sunny so that helped! Had to wear gloves during most of this :o

A1 Floor press - 2 x 5 x 80kg, 2 x 5 x 75kg
A2 Jungle Gym inverted row - 4 x 8

B1 BB row - 8 x 55kg, 2 x 8 x 50kg
B2 OH KB press - 3 x 8/side x 16kg
 
Training Sun 14th Dec @ home - lower

It was a comfortable temperature tonight (6 degrees maybe?) and not raining. First time in a while.

A: Front squats
3 x 105kg
2 x 105kg - tipped forward slightly at the bottom and the bar rolled out of position so I bailed onto the safeties
3 x 105kg
1 x 105kg (making up the rep I missed)
This was week 4 of the cycle (3x3@85%) so back to week 1 again next week with a bit more added to the max.

B1: RDLs - 3 x 8 x 105kg
B2: Tall-kneeling band Pallof press - 3 x 8/side with 2 red bands
 
This might sound really dumb, but imagine as if your neck is being yanked back as you get to the hole...

Also, imagine you are pulling your heels down and back when you drive out the hole as I find it helps keep my hips close to the center of gravity and reduce the strain on the upper back...
 
mrthingyx said:
This might sound really dumb, but imagine as if your neck is being yanked back as you get to the hole...

Also, imagine you are pulling your heels down and back when you drive out the hole as I find it helps keep my hips close to the center of gravity and reduce the strain on the upper back...
Click to expand...

Thanks I'll try and remember this next Sunday. The limiting factor is definitely my upper back/technique rather than leg strength! As you can see I'm going below parallel but didn't really feel like I had any issues in the actual "squat" part.
 
Oh, sure - I can see from this and the deadlift video you have no "strength" problems in the dynamic limbs... :D

Ultimately, it's whatever you're most comfortable with, beucase the forward tilt (arising from pushing the hips back) allows you to drive up using your hips but requires much more back strength to keep the bar stable...
 
I suspect I'm sitting back a bit too much as a habit from my powerlifting days. I guess I'll keep hammering my upper back strength (which is pitiful) and throw in some more t-spine mobility stuff.
 
gazareth said:
I suspect I'm sitting back a bit too much as a habit from my powerlifting days. I guess I'll keep hammering my upper back strength (which is pitiful) and throw in some more t-spine mobility stuff.
Click to expand...

It's not necessarily a problem for the concentric movement (look at somebody like Klokov or Akkaev's recovery from a clean), but it just means you have to do a lot more work for upper back strength than otherwise.
 
Now in week 6 of Couch to 5k and up to running 10 min intervals. Tomorrow is the last session with a walking break, Monday is a 20 min run.

Training Thurs 18th Dec @ home - December Deadlifts in the Dark

Having had some back pain this last week or so I decided to knock the straight bar deadlifts on the head for a while and bust out my trusty trap bar.

A: Trap bar deadlifts - high handles
3 x 155kg
3 x 175
2 x 3 x 165
3 x 155

B1: Jungle Gym inverted rows - 3 x 8 (shortened straps on last set)
B2: Jungle Gym push-ups - 3 x 10
 
Last edited:
Weight 211.5 / 15 st 1 1/2 yesterday

Training Sat 20th Dec @ home - upper body

A1: Floor press
3 x 80kg
2 x 90 - felt like 2RM at the time...
3 x 3 x 85 - ...all of these were easy though

A2: Jungle Gym rows - 4 x 10

B1: Barbell row - 3 x 8 x 50kg
B2: Half-kneeling OH KB press - 3 x 6/side x 16kg

C1: Tall kneeling Pallof press - 3 x 8/side x 2 red bands
C2: Barbell curls - 3 x 10 x 20kg

Pump FTW
 
Training Sun 21st Dec @ home - lower body

A: Front squat - 4 x 3 x 90kg (70%)
Back to week 1 of the 4-week cycle

B1: KB swings - 3 x 10 x 24kg (couldn't be bothered to load bar for RDLs)
B2: Elbow touches - 3 x 6/side (this is a plank progression)

C: Barbell glute bridge - 3 x 6 x 80kg
Inhaled, flattened back before each rep - held each rep for 1 second at top
 
Wednesday
Couch to 5K w7d2 - 20 mins continuous running, 2.2 miles @ 9:14 mins/mile

Friday
Couch to 5K w7d3 - 25 mins continuous running, 2.5 miles @ 9:57 mins/mile


Training Sat 27th Dec @ home - upper body

A1: Festive floor press clusters - 3 x (5 x 1) x 85kg
A2: Jungle Gym inverted row-ho-hos - 4 x 10

B1: Baby Jesus bent over barbell rows - 8 x 45kg; 2 x 8 x 50kg
B2: "The Holly & The Ivy" T-push-ups - 3 x 4/side
B3: Tall-kneeling Pannettone Pallof press - 3 x 8/side with 2 red bands
 
Sunday 28th
28 mins running - 2.9 miles @ 9:47 mins/mile

Sunday 4th January
2 miles running in 18:18 @ 9:09 mins/mile, first mile in 8:40

Had a heavy cold/manflu thing last week, started Monday and I only really felt human on Saturday. I'm still coughing heavily now so normal service is not yet entirely back.

Still, I survived the festive period and my weight today was the same as on 23rd December (15 st 3) so all good there.

gazareth's 2015 goals (in order of importance/desirability)
Get waist size down to 34" at whatever weight (likely 180-190lbs) - current: 40"
Deadlift 227.5kg (500lbs) - most recent straight bar pull - 170kg for 2
Run 5km in <26 minutes - current: yet to complete 5k
Front squat 160kg (350lbs) - current best - 105kg for 3 x 3
Bench press 120kg (250lbs) - recent pressing - 90kg floor press for 2 reps
 
Wednesday
2.5 miles in 23:40 (9:26 mins/mile avg)


Training Fri 9th Jan @ home - upper body

Not raining, not freezing cold... but bloody windy

A: Bench press (1RM test)
100kg - pretty slow so I stopped there. I'll use 105kg as my 1RM in 5/3/1.
Then did 3 x 5 x 80kg
My bench has felt quite high (especially today) and I struggle to get much leg drive. I measured it today - it's 54cm from the floor to the top of the pad. That's basically 10cm higher than standard IPF bench height. No wonder. Time to go buy some wooden blocks so I can plant my feet flat!

B: Jungle Gym superset - inverted rows & push-ups
3 x 10 per exercise

C1: Barbell rows - 2 x 8 x 50kg
C2: Tall-kneeling band Pallof press - 2 x 8/side with 2 red bands
 
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