#OperationGetSexy - Gareth's log

I took the decision to switch from a split of lower/upper/deadlift to full body on all 3 sessions. I essentially ended up doing too much lower body stuff and I wanted to re-balance my training week a bit.

Each session will have a squat movement, a hinge, an upper push and an upper pull; likewise each session will have a "main" lift.
Sunday - squat
Wednesday - deadlift
Friday - bench

So, first full-body session tonight.

Training Friday 30th Jan @ home

Not sure why I continue to specify "@ home" when every session I do is at home and has been since October 3rd...

A: Bench press
5/3/1 week 3
5 x 72.5kg
3 x 82.5kg
5 x 90kg
Slightly disappointed with this after 8 x 87.5 last week. I felt pretty tired beforehand and I have done some form of pressing on the last two days. After the 82.5kg set I set 5 reps as the minimum for 90kg and I could not have done a single rep more.

B1: Bulgarian split squat
3 x 6/side with 20kg weight vest
Fairly light to start with - my balance sucks.

B2: Close grip bench press
3 x 5 x 80kg

C1: Barbell bentover row from rack
(like Pendlay rows but not from floor)
4 x 8 x 50kg

C2: KB swings
3 x 10 x 24kg
Hamstrings a bit sore and tired so I kept sets/reps on the low end today.

Pretty tired now, haven't done full-body for a while!
 
Weight 14 stone 11

Training run
3.17 miles in 27:55 (8:48 mins/mile)
Splits: 8:30, 8:52, 9:03
27:20 for the 5k

New PB for a mile & 5K. Not sure where this came from. I read elsewhere that I should be focusing on cadence rather than stride length, so I did, and I was fairly easily able to sustain a faster pace. I was very tired by the end but my last mile was still faster than my fastest mile on Tuesday. I'm sweating like a bastid now though.

I'm a lot more optimistic about my sub-26 minute 5k goal now.
 
Training Sun 1st Feb @ home

A: Safety bar squat
Week 4/4 of Robertson cycle (3 x 5 x 85%)
Worked up to 3 x 5 x 105kg with belt
Felt solid but was tough... will increase training max by 10kg for next 4 weeks

B1: Jungle Gym rows
6 x 8
Shortened straps by 1" after 2nd set and by a further 2" after 4th set

B2: Put away stuff from squats
Had everything away by 4th set of rows, good way of keeping HR up

C1: Valslide hamstring curls
3 x 6
See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGZgc849wEI
Cracking hamstring activation

C2: Jungle Gym push-ups
3 x 10
 
Weight 14 stone 9 1/2
Have now lost 2 stone (and a bit)

Training run
4.2 miles in 39:13 (9:18 mins/mile average)
Splits: 8:43, 9:32, 9:36, 9:26
28:53 for the 5K
Average HR 176bpm (zone 5)
Max HR 185bpm

Went out with the sole aim of running 4 miles (previously longest run has been 3.2), ideally faster than 10 mins/mile but that was a secondary aim. This felt tough all the way through - the first mile did not feel as quick as 8:43 - and I had to deliberately slow down a few times to get my breathing under control before speeding up again. A few times I tried to up my pace to sub-9 mins/mile but I couldn't sustain it today.

Data is a bit all over the place. I must have been walking up and down the street outside my house waiting for my Garmin to get a GPS signal for about 10 minutes before I gave up and went back into the house to get my iPhone and use the Strava app. After about 0.4 miles the Garmin woke up. I bought myself a HR strap but that only works with the watch and not the iPhone. Thus, distance/pace data comes from the Strava iPhone app; HR data comes from the Garmin and is therefore incomplete.
 
Training Weds 4th Feb

A: Trap bar deadlift - high handles
5/3/1 week 3
5 x 135kg
3 x 155kg
8 x 175kg (belted)
Compared with 8 x 162.5kg last week. Guess I was phoning it in last week.

B1: More trap bar DL - high handles
2 x 5 x 135kg

B2: Jungle Gym rows
2 x 8

C1: More JG rows
3 x 8

C2: KB press
3 x 8/side x 20kg

C3: KB goblet squat
3 x 8 x 24kg


Deadlift video below:
http://youtu.be/9QLyEM-1qU4
 
mrthingyx said:
Deadlift numbers are looking nice... :cool:
Click to expand...

Yep going in the right direction. Toying with a few options for next 4 weeks (I will de-load next week):
1. do another 4 weeks of trap bar DL off the high handles
2. 4 more weeks of trap bar DL but switch to low handles
3. switch to sumo DL and run the 4-week cycle I did before my last PL meet, with the goal to have a crack at a 1RM in about 6-7 weeks

Will probably stick to #1 for the moment (and then do #2 next) but the idea of #3 is fun :)
 
Ross Enamait's "Magic 50"
5 rounds with 1 minute rest of:
5 KB snatches per side with 16kg
5 KB swings per side with 20kg
10 burpees

Pretty easy. The burpees got my quads burning and I was breathing quite hard but this was way easier than the Evil 8. I took my HR the old-fashioned way (counted for 10 seconds and multipled by 6) after the final set and I was only in the 170s, 180 max. I'll try this again next week and either add weight or reduce rest (or both).
 
Training Fri 6th Feb

A: Chin-ups
Done from barbell in highest setting of squat stands. Just about tolerable!
2 x 4 x BW

B1: Bench press
5/3/1 deload
5 x 60kg
5 x 70
5 x 80

B2: Bulgarian split squat
3 x 8/leg with 20kg weighted vest

C1: Barbell row from rack
4 x 8 x 52.5kg

C2: KB swing
3 x 15 x 24kg

Bish bash bosh.
 
Abingdon Parkrun 5km
Watch time 27:05 - 8:39 mins/mile average
Official time TBC

Mile splits (Strava):
8:30
9:01
8:48

My Garmin said new fastest mile time at the end with 8:22 - this also shows on Strava as a "best estimated 1 mile", so not sure what that's about. Strava also says I have a best estimated 5K at 26:52 but that can't be right as I started and stopped my watch at the stat/finish lines. Either Strava has got its GPS calculations wrong (most likely) or I ran a bit of extra distance somehow.

Also PBs for:
1K (4:52)
1/2 mile (3:50)

Pleased with this. First mile was brisk and would have been quicker but I got stuck behind a couple of slower runners on the narrow river trail for a minute or two. I suffered a bit between the 2km and 3km markers, then consciously backed off a bit between 3km and 4km to get my legs and lungs back under control. I upped the pace from the 4km marker and finished very strongly, including a flat-out sprint over the last 150m or so.

Here's my Strava pace graph - you can see where I got stuck behind the slower runners around 0.5 miles, where I backed off around 2.5 miles and then my strong finish:

KZX9ETt.png
 
Last edited:
Training Sun 8th Feb

A1: Safety bar squat
4 x 5 x 90kg

A2: Jungle Gym rows
4 x 10

B1: KB snatch
6/arm x 16kg
2 x 6/arm x 24kg
6/arm x 16kg

B2: Jungle Gym push-ups
3 x 10
 
Training run
4.15 miles in 39:39 (9:33 mins/mile)

Splits:
9:02
9:32
9:49
9:48

Average HR 175bpm

A bit meh. I ran almost the same route as last Tuesday but with a bit extra - I thought the extra would have given me an extra half mile but it turned out pretty much exactly the same distance. My calves felt tight throughout and I had a bit of indigestion, so it was a slow one. Still, more miles under the belt, and my HR didn't go above 180 throughout.
 
Training Weds 11th Feb

Usually this is the deadlift session, but it's deload week on 5/3/1 and I couldn't be bothered to get the trap bar out for relatively light weights. Instead...

A1: KB swings
4 x 15 x 24kg

A2: Jungle Gym rows
4 x 8

B1: KB snatch
2 x 6/arm x 16kg

B2: More JG rows
2 x 8 with straps shortened slightly

C1: KB press
3 x 12/arm x 16kg

C2: Goblet squat
3 x 8 x 24kg
 
Training Friday 13th Feb

Raining on and off throughout this, though thankfully it stayed dry until I had done my top set of bench. Got pretty wet.

A: Bench press
5/3/1 week 1
5 x 60kg
5 x 75
10 x 85

Did 8 x 82.5 & 8 x 87.5 last cycle. I set-up a bit differently today so that my eyes were more under the bar in the racks (previously my head has been further back) to avoid banging the bar into the racks mid-set. The downside to this was that it was harder to unrack the bar. I may have to try a lower hook height; if that doesn't work I may have to go back to my previous method and accept that I might clang into the racks every now and then.


B1: Bulgarian split squats
3 x 8/leg x 25kg
(20kg vest + 5kg plate)

B2: Close grip bench press
3 x 12 x 60kg


C1: Barbell rack row
8 x 55kg
2 x 8 x 50

C2: KB snatch
2 x 10/arm x 16kg
Went 5/5/5/5 each set. Started a third set but the KB was getting too wet and I almost threw it into my face on the third rep :cool:
 
Abingdon Parkrun 5km
Watch time 28:26 (9:04 mins/mile)

Splits: 8:51, 9:02, 9:34

Avg HR 176 bpm
Max HR 188 bpm

We had a lot of rain yesterday and overnight and most of the course was either really slippery or outright boggy - I'd say at best 1/3 of each of the 2 laps was on firm ground, but even that's optimistic. I'm pleased with my time therefore - I spent a lot of time trying not to lose my footing or running through puddles. I was also struck by how fatiguing mud can be - not just the running through it part, but how when you start to slide your quads have to work to keep you upright. One of the most frustrating parts was on a stretch that was merely slightly slippery, but it came just after the boggiest part. My shoes were so caked in mud that I couldn't get any traction at all and found myself sliding sideways across the path.
 
Training Sun 15th Feb

A: SB squat
5 x 5 x 100kg - belted

B1: JG rows
3 x 10

B2: Band-resisted push-ups
3 x 10 with red band

C: Band-resisted KB swings
4 x 10 x 24kg against red band

Earlier, my wife started couch to 5K today so the dog and I joined her in running around the park (6 x 1 min run/90 sec walk).
 
mrthingyx said:
Good work! Nice to have the missus involved... now to get her lifting! :D
Click to expand...

Been there, tried that! Don't think it's going to stick... if she keeps running I'll make her do some planks and KB swings at the least to help her not get injured.

--

Weight 14 stone 9
Waist (around widest part of belly) 38"

That's compared to 16 stone 12 and 44" at end of September.


Training run
5 miles in 45:31 (9:04 mins/mile)

Splits: 9:01, 9:13, 9:04, 9:05, 8:55

Avg HR 171 bpm
Max HR 181 bpm

Mileage up, average HR and pace down. Sexytimes.

Felt pretty solid throughout, was able to push the pace just a little on the last mile. Couldn't have run much further at that pace.
 
Training Weds 18th Feb

A: Trap bar deadlift - low handles
5/3/1 week 1
5 x 115kg
5 x 135
5 x 155 (belted)
Probably had 1-2 more at least but wasn't feeling it today so I left it at 5 rather than go AMRAP. First time on the low handles - the extra ROM feels pretty noticeable.

B: Military press
5/3/1 week 1
5 x 40kg
5 x 45
9 x 50kg
I suck overhead; decided to bring barbell pressing back in as my shoulder mobility has been feeling decent lately.

C1: Jungle Gym row
3 x 10

C2: KB snatch
3 x 5/side

Short & sweet today.
 
mrthingyx said:
Yes. You are clearly a weak Suvvern flower with that 50*9 strict. ;) :D
Click to expand...

Not sure if serious. I consider it to be sucky, at least, probably because I also post on a forum where the standard overhead is 80kg at least, and there's plenty who can do 100+.

Missed training session on Friday as I was at a conference all day and didn't get home until late, by which time I was exhausted. Then decided to take the day off from running yesterday to give me a "deload" of sorts. I'll aim for a 4 mile run on Tuesday to start building back up - I want to hit 7-8 miles within 8 weeks (I have 11 weeks until the 10k).

Training Sun 22nd Feb

In the ****ing rain... bench 5/3/1 + squat deload

A: Bench press
5/3/1 week 2
3 x 70kg
3 x 80
10 x 90
Got my set-up spot-on at last by lowering the hooks one notch and getting my wife to give me a hand-off. She's small and not very strong so she had to do it zercher-style but it worked a treat. I did 5 x 90 (and couldn't have done any more) 3 weeks ago.

B1: Paused bench press
3 x 3 x 80kg

B2: Band-resisted KB swings
3 x 15 x 24kg with red band

C1: High bar back squat
Couldn't be bothered to get the SSB out as this was a deload session.
3 x 3 x 80kg

C2: JG rows
3 x 8
 
Training run
4.2 miles in 38:28 (9:14 mins/mile)

Splits: 8:31, 9:04, 9:37, 9:34

Average HR 178 bpm, max 184

Started well with a brisk first mile, but I started to tire from around 1.8 miles and I just couldn't get my rhythm back at sub-9 min mile pace. There was a bit of a stiff wind in places and my legs felt quite tired. Just an off-day I suppose.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom