This is PERFECT!! The sweet spot for maintaining muscle and losing fat is 0.5-1 pound per week. More than that and you risk muscle loss too. Keep up the great work. You are right on track!
2 Likes
@QuadQueen thank you for your feedback, a nice reminder that patience is of utmost importance.
Went to the site gym this morning, first opportunity I’ve had. Was pleasantly surprised with some bumper plates and a decent power rack plus DB’s, albeit limited weights to 30kg DB’s and 100kgs of plates.
Snatch grip deadlift
60kg x10
90kg x6
110kg x5x3
DB 1 arm bench incline
20kg x10
25kg x10
30kg x10x3
Leg extensions x75
Lat pulldown x75
Lateral raise 10kg 3x15
Empty barbell overhead tricep extension 3x15
DB Pinwheel curls 15kg 3x10 each arm
Pullaparts x60
6 Likes
Second holiday gym session, had 40 minutes once we’d got back. At the point where I’m starting to look/feel like a beached whale.
Close grip bench
60kg x5
70kg x5
80kg x5x2
90kg x5
60kg x10
1 leg elevated DB goblet squats 17.5kg 2x15
Seated low row - 75 reps
Seated shoulder press - 50 reps
Lying leg curls - 75 reps
Pullaparts x loads
DB curls 15kg - 12, 13
Pushdowns x50
7 Likes
Bit of logging catch up to do
Saturday - Hills x6 sprints pre drive back home
Sunday - 5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week five, workout one
Swiss Bar Bench
65kg x5
75kg x5
85kg x5
FSL 65kg 7x5
Accessory done between sets
Face Pull - 2x25
1 leg Split Squats BW - 3x15 (each leg)
BW Chins - 2x15
KB 1 arm Row 28kg - 2x20 (each arm)
KB Swings 24kg - 3x25
Daily Work between accessory and main lift
Neck x40
Core x50
Curls x40
Pushdowns x50
Main work done in 34 mins, no time for post session cardio
Today - 2.5 miles done in 20:46, -22 seconds from last attempt. Followed by 20 mins recovery walk
5 Likes
Sunday - 5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week five, workout two
Zercher Squats
65kg x5
75kg x5
85kg x5
FSL 65kg 7x5
Accessory done between sets:
Pallof Press 3c15 (each side)
Pressups 5x25
Inverted Row 5x10
Daily work done between main and accessory:
Pullaparts x70
Neck x45
Back Extensions x30
Unbroken BB Curls x46
Pushdowns x40
Main work done in 36 mins, followed by 15 mins on bike.
7 Likes
Conditioning
x7 hill sprints, followed by 20 mins recovery walk.
6 Likes
5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week five, workout three
Incline Bench Press
55kg x5
64kg x5
72kg x5
FSL 55kg 7x5
Accessory done between sets:
Face Pull 2x25
Lunges 3x15 (each leg)
Inverted Swiss Bar Chins 2x15
KB 1 arm Row 28kg 3x20 (each arm)
KB Swings 28kg 2x25
Daily work done between sets
Neck x45
Core x60
Curls x30
Pushdowns x20
All done inside 38 mins, followed by shortish weighted vest walk
6 Likes
5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week five, workout four
BB High Pull - 60kg 2x5
BB Deadlift
91kg x5
105kg x5
119kg x5
FSL 91kg 5x5
Accessory work done between sets:
Pallof Press 3x15 both sides
Inverted row 5x10
Pressups 5x25
Daily Work
Neck x40
Pullaparts x70
Curls x30
Pushdowns x55
Calfs x60
Done in 36 mins, followed by 13 mins on bike.
All deadlifts done double overhand grip.
Good week, next week is the last week of the template. Rather than go for 5s progression I’m using next week as a PR week on increasing the TM’s for the following block which is going to be 1000% awesome full body. Not going to miss this template, I wouldn’t say the workouts have been particularly difficult and I’ve been doing them under the time just not found it enjoyable but the point of this template isn’t for enjoyment. Will weigh myself at the end of next week to see how I’ve got on.
7 Likes
5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week six, workout one
Swiss bar bench
75kg x5
85kg x3
95kg x5
FSL 75kg 7x5
Accessory done between sets
Face Pull 2x25
RFE squat 3x15 each leg
BW Chins 2x15
KB 1 arm 32kg 2x20 each arm
KB swings 28kg 3x25
Daily work
Neck x35
Core x60
Calves x30
Pushdowns x30
Curls x30
Main work within 42, followed by 20 mins weighted vest walk
Disappointing on the PR set to say the least, when I did portal anchor a few months ago I hit 89kg for 9 reps, I am however about a stone lighter since then. Will be resetting TM possibly a bit lower than 95kg to enable better progression.
6 Likes
Conditioning Day
2.5 miles in 20:38 -8 seconds from last weeks effort
Followed by 1 mile walk
Second session a few hours later
10 mins EMOM of the following complex (courtesy of KB Kings on twitter)
x2 double swings
x2 double cleans
x2 alternating thrusters
x2 rows
All done with 20kg bells, followed by 5 mins slow pace on the bike.
Going to aim to get in a couple more easy conditioning sessions like these when working from home and my diary allows it.
6 Likes
5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week six, workout two
Zercher Squat:
75kg x5
85kg x3
95kg x10
FSL 75kg 7x5
Accessory done between sets:
Pallof Press 3x15 (each side)
Pressups 5x25
Inverted Row 5x10
Daily Work
Pullaparts x70
Neck x45
Pushdowns x30
Unbroken empty BB curls x48
Back Extensions x30
Calves x30
Main work done in 39 mins, followed by 10 mins on the bike.
PR Set I capped at 10, could have got more but if I can get 10 this week on the topsets I’m stopping.
6 Likes
Conditioning Day
x7 hill sprints followed by 1.4 mile recovery walk
5 Likes
5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week six, workout three
Incline Bench:
64kg x5
72kg x3
PR Set 81kg x8, estimated 1rm = 103kg - new non fat bastard PR
FSL 64kg 7x5
Accessory done between sets:
Face Pull 2x25
Lunges 3x15 (each leg)
Inverted Chins 2x15
KB 1 arm Row 32kg 3x20
KB Swings 28kg 2x25
Daily Work
Neck x45
Core x30
Curls x20
Calves x30
Pushdowns x40
Main work done inside 39 mins, .75 recovery walk.
Hit a “new” PR on incline bench out of nowhere, I’m calling this a non fat bastard PR as when I was significantly heavier and fatter I did hit 100kg for 6 fairly regularly. Was considering dropping incline press and going back to viking next cycle but think I’m going to stick with it after this.
Was blowing out my arse after this, the 1 arm rows for the 3 sets of 20 at 32kg were challenging and the swings finished me off.
6 Likes
I’d take that as a new PR, congratulations!!!
1 Like
@rugby_lifting Oh I’m definitely taking it as a new PR!
5/3/1 Fat Loss and Prep, week six, workout four
Last one 
BB High Pull 65kg 2x3
BB Deadlift
105kg x5
119kg x5
PR set 133kg x9, estimated 1rm - 173kg
FSL 105kg 5x5
Accessory done between sets:
Pallof Press - 3x15 (each side)
Inverted Row - 5x10
Pressups - 5x25
Daily Work
Pullaparts x70
Neck x40
Pushdowns x45
Curls x30
Main work in 41 mins, followed by 5 mins on the bike
PR set could have probably squeezed a rep or 2 more out but I think it was energy rather than strength that was a limiting factor. This one was a real gasser and out of the whole template the deadlift days have been the most challenging for obvious reasons. Will try and drop some thoughts down later on the Fat Loss and Prep template but I’m glad it’s over.
7 Likes
VERY solid work in here. 
1 Like
@Deadliftnstill Thank you, still got some work to do to bring it up to where it was. I did see you’ve invested in a trap bar recently and looking forward to seeing where it takes you.
Quick conditioning session:
2 mins medium state on bike and alternating between x10 KB snatches each arm and x3 round of ABC complexes using 20kg bell for a total of 5 rounds. Followed by a couple of sprints on the bike. Total time was 22 mins including warmup.
So thoughts on the Fat Loss and Prep Template:
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It sucks
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It’s meant to suck
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I suspect it’s probably testament to the shape I’m in that it didn’t suck as much as I thought it would
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It works, I was down 5 lbs prior to going away 4 weeks into the template, will be weighing myself tomorrow to get a final figure. I also look leaner and trousers are looser so the scale weight is not the whole story. Of course, if you’re eating a deficit than most things work however what I found with this template was that recovery was never a real issue
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I did break a template rule and started doing some hard conditioning via hill sprints between squat and press day which I found had no negative impact. The goal for these sessions was never to push the amount of sprints and stop around 7/8 reps which is the point I tend to start feeling fatigue. I really just wanted to keep the familiarity with doing them so I wouldn’t have to start from fresh again
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Bench I went backwards on but it’s a lift I’ve always struggled on when dieting and I’ve never been particularly strong on bench. I do however still love the swiss bar for benching, I used to hate flat benching but buying one of these was a risk given I’d never used one before but I love it and get no shoulder pain during or post benching anymore
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A couple of weeks in to the template I hit upon a really simple nutrition strategy for someone who no longer tracks calories/macros like myself but wants to carry on eating carbs. Today’s example:
Pre workout 04:15 - Coffee, water, Banana and whey protein
Post workout 08:00 - Carbs and protein, today it was leftover spag bol (love it for breakfast post workout) and a mango with vegan Greek yogurt
Mid Morning snack - Chicken skewer and apple
Lunch - Chicken and veggies
Dinner - Fajitas and dark chocolate
I’ll probably chuck a handful of almonds in at lunch and a tbsp of peanut butter in later for fats
I’m becoming a bit of a believer in carb timing and typically have only been eating carbs around training and then in the evening. I actually think I’ll follow a similar model during gaining but eating more fats during the day and more carbs around workouts and dinner. I’ve also only been eating eggs every other day and then 2/3 at a time after trying to rule foods out that were causing me to get crippling stomach aches (hence the substitution of vegan greek yogurt with dairy) and this seems to have done the trick
Looking forward to the next template starting on Sunday, will carry on dieting down and see where it takes me.
7 Likes
Great work, and nice write-up, too! (As usual.) Glad worked well for you!
What’s next?
1 Like
Thanks, I’m loathe to do it again but will definitely do it again at some point. I had a horrific idea about doing it with the 10k KB Swing challenge.
Next is the 1000% awesome full body template. Going to do the three days hard conditioning alternate days with the lifting, one day sprints, one day 5k best effort and a floating day where I might start doing slightly different things now the mornings are lighter and I can drive out to a park near me with some KB’s in tow.
4 Likes
Easy conditioning
35 mins of slow run 3.66 miles done, nice easy pace
6 Likes