First Training Log - Strength

Training Logs
1

Hi all,

I’ve been reading this board for quite some time, particularly the logs, so I figured I’d join and start a log page.

Firstly, I’m a 20 year old male, my current stats are 16 stone (224lb) and 6 foot 2. I’ve been training for about a year but lately I’ve tried to improve on my training. In the past year I’ve lost about a stone (14 lbs) and put on some decent muscle. I hold large amount of fat in my midsection and my legs so I’m trying to do what I can to convert that to lean muscle.

My main goal is to ideally become as strong as possible, I’d ideally like to compete in strongman, but that’s another story :slight_smile: For the moment though, I’m just focusing on becoming as strong as I can in these lifts - Deadlift, Squat, Bench and Shoulder press.

I don’t really care what I look like, I’m just concerned about the fact that I’ve got a gut , quite a bit of excess fat from years of sitting around vegetating in front of the tv and computer. So I most likely won’t be putting up pics of my progress (but I probably should have taken some for personal reference).

I train 4-5 days (depending on how tired I am) a week and some days twice a day. I train at 7am in the gym, then at about 1pm I’ll do kettle bell training. My schedule is currently this - Gym (7am), Work (9am), Kettlebells(1pm), Back to work (2pm), College (6PM), Home (10pm) so I’m fairly wrecked by the time I get home.

Anyway, my workout is this:

Monday:

  1. Back Squat
  2. Front Squat
  3. Calfs

Tuesday:

  1. Bench Press - Barbell
  2. Bench Press - Dumbell
  3. Tricep Push Downs

Wednesday
1)Deadlift
2)Military Press
3)Machine Pulldowns or Rows

Thursday
1)Power Clean
2)Seated Press
3)Kettlebell Swings

Friday
1)Back Squat
2)Deadlift
3)Machine Pulldowns or Rows

My diet isn’t too bad, it’s something like this

Before gym - BCAAs, Beta Alanine Caps, Water.

After Gym / Breakfast - 140g Porridge / Oats with half a litre of milk, Protein shake w/ ON Whey (2 scoops), BCAAs. Sometimes when I remember to buy them, I’ll have a 4 scrambled eggs (2 whole, 2 egg whites)

Mid-Morning Snack - Protein bar & banana.

Lunch - Chicken / Turkey / Beef with Rice / Pasta. Protein Shake w/ ON Whey (2 Scoops).

Mid Afternoon Snack - Oat bar & banana.

Evening Snack (in College) - Protein bar.

Dinner - Chicken / Beef / Turkey with Rice / Pasta / Turnip + Veg. Depends.

After Dinner - Protein Shake w/ ON Whey (2 scoops).

2

ever heard of 5/3/1?

3

I have, but I’ve never really looked into it. Currently my sets and reps are usually about 6x6 on a consistent weight.

If you’ve got any decent links to the 5/3/1 I’d definitely check it out. Thanks for replying. I’ll hopefully throw up some logs of tomorrows training session if I get a chance.

4

Today was pretty poor attempt, I didn’t get home last night until about 11pm and was at the gym at 7 this morning. Wrecked. No real excuse for poor performance other than tiredness. Tried to do what I could though.

After stretching (lunges, squats, hindu pushups and back stretches - all bodyweight) I started with deadlifting.

Deadlifts:
1st 2 sets are warmups.
(SETS x REPS x KGs)
1 x 10 x 80
1 x 8 x 110
6 x 6 x 160

I tried for 180 but I was shattered. My grip was giving in too so I hadn’t much of a choice.

Military Press:
1st 2 sets are warmups.
(SETS x REPS x KGS)
1 x 10 x Empty Bar
1 x 10 x 20
6 x 6 x 40

On the second last set I thought I’d have dropped the bar, my arms were in bits on the 5th rep and really didn’t think I’d be able to get the 6th. Tried what I could and pushed through. The 6th was surprisingly more comfortable - weird.

Rows - T-Bar:
1st 2 sets are warmups.
(SETS x REPS x KGS)
1 x 10 x 20
1 x 10 x 30
4 x 6 x 50

Upper back was burning like fuck through the last two sets. My grip was giving way after the 4th rep on each set too.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit better, looking forward to getting some sleep tonight!

5

Thursday:

Got a great night sleep and got into the gym at 7. Did my usual warm ups and stretching and got down to business.

Started off with Powercleans:
First 4 sets are warmups (SETS x REPS x KGS)
2 x 10 x Just the bar.
2 x 10 x 40
6 x 8 x 60

Seated Shoulder Press:
First 2 sets are warmups (SETS x REPS x KGS)
2 x 10 x 20
6 x 6 x 30

Last 2 sets were actually horrific, I was really struggling to get the weight up on the 4th to 6th reps. Managed to get them all though, so I’m quite satisfied with it. I’ll try get a 7th set the next day and then we’ll see how I am to move up the weight.

Kettle Bell Swings:
No warm up just went for it at a moderate pace.I used two kettle bells of equal weight.
(SETS x REPS x KGS Per Kettlebell)
1 x 20 x 25
1 x 15 x 25
2 x 25 x 25
2 x 20 x 25
1 x 25 x 25

Really felt my upper and lower back getting tired by the last 2 sets. The second set was disgusting though, felt like I was going to puke. I took a breather and went back and got the rest done.

I threw in some pushups at the end just for extra work. I felt I needed it.
(SETS x REPS)
10 x 10

6

hows it going i think u need 2 reduce ur volume,ur doing 2 much shoulder work mix it up a bit eg. lower body upper body ,looking at the amount ur doing,i would say ur exhausted a lot of the time.if ur trying 2 shift weight up the reps lower rest period all the best.

7

5/3/1 - search this site for ‘Jim Wendler’ and buy his Ebook http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=370