Hi all,
I’ve decided to start a training and nutrition log so that I can reap the benefits of being a member of the T Nation community as I have trained solo for about 10 years now. I spent the first 4 years using a multi gym in my garage and I’ve been seriously into lifting for the remaining 5-6 years. I progressed a bit during the first 4 years but it wasn’t until I joined a gym and hired a personal trainer to show me how to Squat, bench and deadlift properly that my love for training started.
10 years ago I was a 127Kg (280lbs) fat guy. After 4 years of ‘exercising’ and using the multi gym I reached 102Kgs (225lbs) and was still a fat guy but stronger. 6 years ago I read about Reg Park’s legendary 5x5 workouts and decided I had to get a gym membership.
It was a commercial gym but I made sure it was one with a dedicated lifting area, and to my benefit it was virtually unused. After I was taught the big basic movements I was hooked and spent every weekday in the gym. There were no other lifters at the gym whenever I went, well there were a lot of very thin guys doing bicep curls incorrectly and ladies using the adductor and abductor machines so I trained solo. I got stronger, quite a lot stronger but after a few years I hadn’t managed to shift any body weight but I think I had re-comped quite a bit.
3 Years ago I got so sick of being a fat guy that I hired a nutritionist and trainer to put a 8 week fat loss plan together for me, she was brilliant (her name is Sarah Lindsay and she is an Olympic speed skater for team GB, I had a bit of a crush on her) and in those 8 weeks I had reached 95Kgs (209lbs) and 20% body fat but my strength was way down on what it was before I started. After that I was finally convinced that I could get lean so from there I researched nutrition and fat loss endlessly and experimented with various fat loss approaches. I also put together my own training plans to help me to try and maintain (and if possible try to get back to my previous levels of) strength while I was attempting to reach the goal of being happy with what I see in the mirror.
Fast forward to today:
Age = 38
Weight = 75Kgs (165lbs)
Height 5’11"
Body Fat % = About 10ish
1 Rep maxes:
Deadlift = 205Kgs (451lbs)
Front Squat = 125Kgs (275lbs)
Bench Press = 115Kgs (253lbs)
Overhead Press = 85Kgs (187lbs)
Training Goal: Get strong – I read on here that to be considered strong a decent benchmark to reach would be:
Overhead press = 91Kgs (200lbs)
Bench Press = 136Kgs (300lbs)
Squat = 182Kgs (400lbs)
Deadlift = 227Kgs (500lbs)
I’m going to continue with my current plan which is strength and conditioning focussed, I also throw in little bit of accessory work that I feel is necessary for the current training cycle.
Training Plan
Full body, low volume 4 times a week using a training max that is 85-90% of my 1rep max - I’m in week 3 of a 5 week strength cycle.
Monday = Full body and conditioning
Tuesday = Full body and some accessory or supplemental work
Wednesday = Conditioning and sauna
Thursday = Full Body and some accessory and supplemental work
Friday = Full Body and conditioning
Saturday & Sunday Walking, some body weight stuff, nothing too strenuous.
Monday 24th April
Breakfast:
130g Lamb’s liver
A lot of spinach
2 Red onions
All sautéed in a teaspoon of butter
Black coffee
570ml water with 1tsp Psyllium Husk
2 high DHA fish oil capsules
1 Chromium tablet
1 multi vitamin tablet
Pre-Workout
100g Instant Oats
60g Whey Protein
0.5 G green tea extract
1000ml Water
Intra Workout
5g Creatine Monohydrate
10g 4:4:1 BCAA Powder
2273 (1/2gallon) water
Post workout drink
1000ml Water
5g Creatine Monohydrate
5g 4:4:1 BCAA Powder
Post Workout meal
Poached Chicken Breast
A lot of Kale (steamed)
300g Baked white potatoes with the skin on (no oil)
570ml water
Evening Meal
Poached Chicken Breast
A lot of Kale (steamed)
1Tbsp Crunchy Almond Butter
About a dozen black grapes
2 High DHA fish oil tablets
570ml water with 1tsp Psyllium Husk
Total calories approx. 2200
Training
Training time = 11am
Main Movement
Deadlift
Warmup 100Kgs (220lbs) x 3, 120Kgs (264lbs) x 3
5 reps at 75% of Training Max = 135Kgs (297lbs)
3 reps at 85% of Training Max = 152.5Kgs (335.5lbs)
1+ reps at 95% of training max = 170Kgs (374lbs). I achieved 3 reps but had to switch from overhand to mixed grip after 1st rep
Secondary movements – Superset
Pull Up
30 total reps = 1x9, 1x8, 1x8, 1x6 (I did one extra for luck)
Overhead press
5x5 at 75% of training Max = 62.5Kgs (137.5lbs)
Conditioning
Mini Kettlebell swing challenge with 24Kg (52.8lbs) Kettlebell
Set a timer for 10 minutes…
Minute 1 = 20 x Kettlebell swing + 10 Push Ups then rest for the remainder of the minute
Minute 2 = 20 x Kettlebell swing + 9 Push Ups then rest for the remainder of the minute
Minute 3 = 20 x Kettlebell swing + 8 Push Ups then rest for the remainder of the minute
Continue in this manner until you reach 20 swings and 1 push up in the final minute and then cry in the corner.
All in all a good day, the weights felt quite comfortable. This is the first time in ages I have deadlifted 170Kgs but it felt okay, annoyed that I had to use a mixed grip though.
