Friday 07.08.20 - Pull
1a.NG Pullups
x6x6x5x3
1b.Neck Extension
12.5kg x15x15x16
2.Chest Supported Ez-Bar Row
63.5kg x6x6x6
3a.Band Face Pull
Red x16x16x15
3b.Band Y-Raise
Orange x20x20x20
3.Axle Dumbell Curls + Shrugs +Hammer Curls (giantset)
9kg per hand x12+31+6, x11+30+4, x10+30+3
Progressing is starting to slow quite a lot, so think it’s time to switch routines. I might try conjugate style training ,seeing as I have a few different bars to play with. So far I’ve got an axle, safety squat bar, football bar, cambered bar attachments, rackable ez-bar and a rickshaw frame coming next week, which I can use for deadlifts. I was going to get an oly bar too, but really don’t see a need at the minute.
Saturday 04.08.20 - Lower
1a.SSB Squat
66kg x3x3x3x3x4
1b.Ab Mat Crunches (with legs elevated)
x6x6x5
1c.Plank
x30x30x28 seconds
2a.SLDL
77.5kg x6x6x7
2b.Step-ups
x12x12x11 per leg
3.Unilateral Band Laying Leg Curl
Red x20x20x16 per leg
Progress was slowing to a halt and frankly I was getting bored of the last routine, so…
Monday 10.08.20 - Max Effort Upper
1a.Max Effort Football Bar Pause Bench
Worked up to 67.5kg x 5
56kg x5x5
This wasn’t a true max effort, but my first time using the football bar so didn’t want to push my luck. The grip angles much better, but it can be a bugger to balance.
1b.Prone Axle DB Row
14kg per hand x10x10x10x10
2a.Close Grip Football Bar Bench
40kg x8x8x8
2b.Band Face Pull
Red x20x20x20
2c.Axle DB Hammer Curls
9kg per handx10x10x10
Nice session. Good to hit the entire upper body in one day. CG Bench with the football bar feels great.
Tuesday 11.08.20 - Max Effort Lower
1a.Max Effort Axle Block Deadlift
Worked up to 102.5kg x 5
82.5kg x5x5
1b.Leg Raise
x10x10x8
2.SSB Squats (close stance)
43.5kg x6x6x6x6
3.Weighted Plank
2.5kg x15x15x15seconds
Today was tough due to the heat. I was soaked through by the end. I was worrying that I might not have done enough volume, but I think this might be just right for my ME day. I don’t think I’d have much left for other stuff after pulling and squatting in the same session anyway.
Wednesday 12.08.20 - Cardio & Calves
AM Cardio
4 rounds of 4 minutes jogging with 1 and a half minutes walking
PM Calves
1.Single Leg Standing Calf Raise
BW x5x5x5
2.Seated Calf Raise
23.5kg x15x15x20
Figured out a way to do these at home, sat on a bench, with a rackable ez-curl bar across my thighs and my feet hanging off a deadlift block which is weighed down with one of my axle dumbells. Does the trick.
My calves suck. I have really thin ankles and they start halfway up my lower leg. I’ve been really working on them during the pandemic…they still suck.
I’ve not done conugate style training for a looong time. When I used to do it I never got much out of pure speed work, so I think I’m going to go for halway between DE and RE. The layout is similar to the accumulation wave from the inverted juggernaut method, which I found to be pretty effective for getting volume in without beating myself up too much.
Wave 1 - 10x5 with 50%
Wave 2 - 8x5 with 55%
Wave 3 - 6x5 with 60%
I’ll work on lifting as explosively as possible from a pause, but won’t be rushing the negative. If it’s too easy I’ll adjust the percentages accordingly on the next rotation. Rest will be kept to around 1 minute between sets.
Thursday 13.08.20 - RE Upper
1a.RE Bench
8 sets of 5 with 45kg
1 minute rest between
1b.Band Pull-apart
Orange x10x10x10
1c.Axle DB Shrugs
9kg per hand x20x20x20
2a.Seated Axle Overhead Press (off pins at chin height)
Worked up to 42.5kg x5
2b.Neutral Grip Pullups
6 sets of 3 with bodyweight
3a.Incline Band Flyes
Red x15x15x15
3b.Fat Grip Ez-Bar Curls
13.5kg x12x10x10
Friday 14.08.20 - RE Lower
1a. SSB Squats
10 sets of 5 with 45kg
1 minute rest between sets
1b.Laying Side Plank Crunch
BW x5x5x5
2a.SSB Good Morning
23.5kg x8x8x8
2b.Side Plank
x10x10 seconds
3a.Bulgarian Split Squats
BW x5x5
3b.Seated Band Leg Curls
Red x20x20x20
The low rest squats with side crunches inbetween sets had me huffing hard in this heat.
Saturday 15.08.20
AM CARDIO
Four rounds of 4 minutes 5 seconds jogging with 1 minute walking
PM CALVES
Standing Single Leg Calf Raise
BW x5x5x5x3
Seated Calf Raise
33.5kg x15x15x20
Sunday 16.08.20 - Max Effort Upper
1a.Max Effort Football Bar Pause Bench
Worked up to 75kg x 5
60kg x5x5
1b.Prone Axle DB Row
15kg per hand x10x10x10x10
2a.Close Grip Football Bar Bench
42.5kg x8x8x8
2b.Band Face Pull
Red x20x20x20
2c.Axle DB Hammer Curls
9kg per handx11x10x10
3a.Leaning Lateral Raise
2.5kg x15x10x10 per arm
3b.H-Rolls
2.5kg per hand x10x10x10
Fun. Looking forward to regaining some strength. I think my max effort lifts will be as follows…
Upper Body -
Football Bar Bench with pause
Fat Grip Axle Bench (for slightly increased ROM)
Cambered Bar Bench
Low Incline Bench
Dead Bench (off pins at chest level)
Flat Bench
Lower Body -
Deadlift off low blocks
SSB Dead Squat (off pins at parallel)
Deficit Deadlift
Cambered Bar Squat
Regular DL
SSB Squat
Monday 17.08.20 - Max Effort Lower
1a.Max Effort Axle Block Deadlift
Worked up to 112.5kg x 5
92.5kg x5x5
1b.Leg Raise
x10x10x9
2.Reverse SSB Squats (close stance)
43.5kg x8x8x8x8
Ass to ankles on these.
3.Weighted Plank
2.5kg x20x15x15seconds
Tuesday 18.08.20 - RE Upper
1a.RE Axle Pause Bench
6 sets of 6 with 47.5kg
1 minute rest between
1b.Band Pull-apart
Orange x12x12x12
1c.Axle DB Shrugs
9kg per hand x25x20x20
2a.Seated Axle Overhead Press (off pins at chin height)
42.5kg x6x6x6
2b.Neutral Grip Pullups
7 sets of 3 with bodyweight
2c.Incline Band Flyes
Black x10x10x10
3a.Fat Grip Ez-Bar Curls
13.5kg x12x12x10
3b.Overhead Band Tricep Extensions
Red x15x15x15
Wednesday 19.08.20
AM CARDIO
Four rounds of 4 minutes 10 seconds jogging with 1 minute walking
PM CALVES
Standing Single Leg Calf Raise
BW x5x5x5x4
Seated Calf Raise
35kg x15x15x20
Thursday 20.08.20 - RE Lower
1a. SSB Squats
6 sets of 6 with 47.5kg
1 minute rest between sets
1b.Laying Side Plank Crunch
BW x6x6x6
1c.Side Plank
x10x10x10 seconds per side
2a.SSB Good Morning
24.5kg x8x8x8
2b.Bulgarian Split Squats
BW x6x6x6 per leg
3b.Seated Band Leg Curls
Red x20x20x60
I’m really starting to enjoy this routine. Think I’ll swap the leg curls into the ME day, as there’s less volume on that day overall.
Went to the doctors this morning for some overdue blood tests. Had my fasting blood sugar, testosterone and vitamin D levels checked. My blood sugar came back high earlier in the year, but was unable to get it re-checked when I was supposed to due to the pandemic. Decided I couldn’t put it off any longer.
Friday 21.08.20 - Max Effort Upper
1a.Max Effort Football Bar Pause Bench
Worked up to 80kg x 5
65kg x5x5
1b.Prone Axle DB Row
16kg per hand x10x10x10x10
2a.Close Grip Football Bar Bench
45kg x8x8x8
2b.Band Face Pull
Red x20x20x20
2c.Axle DB Hammer Curls
9kg per handx11x11x10
3a.Leaning Lateral Raise
2.5kg x15x11x10 per arm
3b.H-Rolls
2.5kg per hand x11x11x10
Did some neck work a few hours later aswell.
Saturday 22.08.20
AM CARDIO
Four rounds of 4 minutes 15 seconds jogging with 1 minute walking
PM CALVES
Standing Single Leg Calf Raise
BW x5x5x5x4
Seated Calf Raise
36kg x15x15x18
Sunday 23.08.20 - Max Effort Lower
1a.Max Effort Axle Block Deadlift
Worked up to 122.5kg x 5
97.5kg x5x5
1b.Leg Raise
x10x10x10
2a.Reverse SSB Squats (close stance)
45.5kg x8x8x8x8
Ass to ankles on these.
2b.Weighted Plank
2.5kg x15x15x15seconds
3.Seated Band Leg Curls
Red x30x30x100
Monday 24.08.20 - RE Upper
1a.RE Axle Pause Bench
6 sets of 6 with 50kg
1 minute rest between
1b.Band Pull-apart
Orange x13x13x12
1c.Axle DB Shrugs
9kg per hand x25x25x20
2a.Seated Axle Overhead Press (off pins at chin height)
42.5kg x8x8x6
2b.Neutral Grip Pullups
7 sets of 3 with bodyweight
2c.Incline Band Flyes
Black x11x11x11
3a.Fat Grip Ez-Bar Curls
13.5kg x12x12x11
3b.Overhead Band Tricep Extensions
Black x12x12x12
Did some neck work in the PM.
Tuesday 20.08.20 - RE Lower
1a. SSB Squats
6 sets of 6 with 50kg
1 minute rest between sets
1b.Laying Side Plank Crunch
BW x7x7x7
1c.Side Plank
x12x12x10 seconds per side
2a.SSB Good Morning
26kg x8x8x8
2b.Bulgarian Split Squats
BW x8x8x6 per leg
Good session. Real grind on the last set of 6 on the squats. Reps change to 7x5 next week on the RE/DE stuff. I definitely have a real issue with power and stability in my lower body. When I saw a chiropracter last year, he pointed out that I had far less strength in my right leg. Not sure if it’s a result of the surgeries or an old injury.
Wednesday 26.08.20 - Max Effort Upper
1a.Close Grip Axle Bench (brief pause on chest)
Worked up to 75kg x 5
60kg x5x5
First ME rotation. Hoping to get 85kg on the third week.
1b.Prone Axle DB Row
19kg per hand x10x10x10x10
2a.Wide Grip Axle Bench
54kg x8x8x8
2b.Band Face Pull
Red x20x20x20
2c.Axle DB Hammer Curls
9kg per handx11x11x11
3a.Leaning Lateral Raise
2.5kg x15x12x12 per arm
3b.H-Rolls
2.5kg per hand x12x12x11
This is my third day of lifting in a row, so tomorrow will be a jog and maybe some calves. Going camping with some friends on Saturday (social distancing in effect of course). Going to be my first time properly socialising in around 6 months. Very much needed.
Thursday 27.08.20
AM CARDIO
Four rounds of 4 minutes 15 seconds jogging with 1 minute walking
PM CALVES
Standing Single Leg Calf Raise
BW x5x5x5x4+1 rest paused rep
Seated Calf Raise
38.5kg x15x15x20