Haha, I’d love for you to disclose which football club but yeah it’s probably best you don’t with those shenanigans!
With all the moaning I’ve done about work…
I think it’s best to not disclose ( until I leave!)
Hardgainers cycle 2 week 3 day 5 (squat)
102.5kg/226lbs x5, 117.5kg/259lbs x5 and 130kg/287lbs x8
Seated DB press: 12.5kg/28lbs x12, 15kg/33lbs x10, 17.5kg/39lbs x6, 20kg/44lbs x5 and 10kg/22lbs x17
Lat pull down: 50 reps
Incline bench press: 40kg/88lbs x3, 50kg/110lbs x3, 60kg/132lbs x3, 65kg/143lbs x1 and 67.5kg/149lbs x1
NOTES
So the knee fells better but still not 100% so thought I would get in and atleast get enough for a TM for next 5/3/1 program. Managed to get the top set for a 1 rep PR from 6 weeks ago and didn’t push further because my knee was starting to feel unstable around rep 5/6.
Ended up skipping the widowmaker + accessory leg work and just doing the upper accessory.
Deload next week should give the knee time to be 100% which is good.
Mentally not liking how my TM hasn’t really improved over the year so far but I will follow the program and trust the process.
DELOAD DAY 1
Bench: 50kg/110lbs x5, 55kg/121lbs x5, 62.5kg/138lbs x1 and 70kg/154lbs x1
Deadlift: 110kg/220lbs x5, 112.5kg/248lbs x5, 127.5kg/281lbs x1 and 140kg/308lbs x1
Bent over row: 4x10
DELOAD DAY 2
OHP: 25kg/55lbs x5, 27.5kg/61lbs x5, 32.5kg/72lbs x1 and 35kg/77lbs x1
Squat: 92.5kg/204lbs x5, 105kg/231lbs x5, 120kg/264lbs x1 and 132.5kg/292lbs x1
NOTES
Nothing to comment on. New cycle starts tomorrow.
I think the next 3 weeks will be done beltless
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 1 Day 1 (Bench)
Bench: 45kg/99lbs x5, 52.5kg/116lbs x5 and 5x5 with 60kg/132lbs
Deadlift: 60kg/132lbs x3, 100kg/220lbs x3, 120kg/264lbs x3 | 140kg/308lbs x5
Seated DB press: 17.5kg/39lbs x8, 20kg/44lbs x5, 22.5kg/50lbs x3 and 17.5kg/39lbs x8
Pendlay Row: 5x5 with 70kg/154lbs
Weighted reverse extensions: 3x8 with 30kg/66lbs each hand
NOTES
So today was fun and not too challenging. The TM deadlifts felt good beltless and the 5x5 on squats felt easy. The fact that this only has 25 reps per area for accessory work also meant that overall today ‘easy’.
Uploaded pictures to the Transformation thread yesterday after gaining 13/14lbs
Current body
and I have to say I feel like, minus my back, I don’t think I look any different apart being more chubby!
I am considering dieting because those pictures made me feel fat as fuck. However, I also want my next ‘diet’ or ‘cutting’ phase to result in me actually looking good at a low body fat % instead of malnourished.
Open to advice (brutally honest if you must!) or hear anyone else’s thoughts.
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 1 Day 2 (conditioning)
Tabatta Battle ropes: 8x20/10
Hang power cleans: 10x3 with 40kg/88lbs
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 1 Day 2 (Deadlifts)
Deadlifts: 90kg/198lbs x5, 102.5kg/226lbs x5 and 5x5 with 120kg/264lbs
Bench: 40kg/88lbs x3, 50kg/110lbs x3, 60kg/132lbs x3 **|**70kg/154lbs x5
Walking lunges: 35kg/77lbs x26,24
Weighted dips: 3x8 with 10kg/22lbs
Weighted pull ups: 4x5 with 5kg/11lbs
NOTES
Not much to say. Main work felt easy and fast.
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 1 Day 3 (Press)
Press: 22.5kg/50lbs x5, 27.5kg/61lbs x5 and 5x5 with 30kg/66lbs
Squat: 60kg/132lbs x3, 110kg/220lbs x3, 120kg/264lbs x1 | 132.5kg/292lbs x5
Goodmornings: 1x15 with 40kg/88lbs and 1x10 with 50kg/110lbs
Pendlay Row: 5x5 with 70kg/154lbs
Incline bench press: 5x5 with 50kg/110lbs
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 1 Day 4 (Misc)
Power cleans: 10x3 with 40kg/88lbs
Unilateral DB bench press: 3x6
Unilateral seated DB OHP: 3x8
Unilateral Low row: 3x10
Unilateral Pull down: 2x10
Bicep curls: 3x8
NOTES
So I went in to the gym to practice technique on the Power Clean. I have a S&C course I am doing and the end part is a practical where I have to demo and teach the clean. My clean, or any other OLY lift, sucks technique wise so will try and practice as much as I can on non lifting days.
Also added in some unilateral work because ’ when in the gym’
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 1 Day 5 (Squats)
Squats: 85kg/187lbs x5, 100kg/220lbs x5 and 5x5 with 112.5kg/248lbs
OHP: 25kg/55lbs x3, 30kg/66lbs x3 and 35kg/77lbs
Hip thrusts: 5x5 with 309lbs
Incline DB press: 22.5kg/50lbs x8,8,6
Low cable tow: 25 total reps
For what it’s worth, here’s my brutally honest opinion: go back and read your log from 2 years ago and compare how strong you were then to how strong you are now.
From the pictures you posted in the Transformation thread, you look so much better than you think you do. We’re almost always more critical of ourselves than others would ever be of us.
Getting stronger is so much harder than losing the weight that comes along with doing so. I think you have made amazing progress, and it shows!
On the 27th of April, you wrote this in your log:
I love this. Your log and the pictures are a testament to this!
Thanks man appreciate that.
I guess sometimes I get stuck in my mind, certainly with being 155lbs + being very new territory
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 2 Day 1 (Bench)
Bench:50kg/110lbs x5, 55kg/121lbs x5 and 5x5 with 62.5kg/138lbs
Deadlift: 60kg/132lbs x3, 100kg/220lbs x3, 120kg/264lbs x3 | 140kg/308lbs x5
Seated DB press: 17.5kg/39lbs x10, 20kg/44lbs x6, 22.5kg/50lbs x3 and 20kg/44lbs x6
Pendlay Row: 5x5 with 70kg/154lbs
Weighted reverse extensions: 3x8 with 30kg/66lbs each hand
NOTES
Not much to say about yesterdays workout. The TM deadlift set felt very fast and explosive which was very surprising considering my back has been feeling tight since Saturday (squats and 2 hours of MMA does that) and I have had ‘digestive issues’ all day yesterday so was dehydrated and unable to brace fully out of fear of something coming out.
The bench work felt decent enough too, I experimented on the 5x5 sets with different width grips to see if I can find the one which feels best.
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 2 Day 2 (conditioning)
Tabatta Battle ropes: 8x20/10
Boxing bag circuit: 2 rounds of 3x 30s fast straight shots/ 30s power shots
Power cleans: 5x3 with 40kg/88lbs
3x Rope curls
3x Tricep extensions
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 2 Day 3 (Deadlifts)
Deadlifts: 100kg/220lbs x5, 112.5kg/248lbs x5 and 5x5 with 127.5kg/281lbs
Bench: 40kg/88lbs x3, 50kg/110lbs x3, 60kg/132lbs x3 **|**70kg/154lbs x5
Goodmornings: 1x15 with 45kg/99lbs and 1x10 with 55kg/121lbs
Seal Rows: 22.5kg/50lbs x11,8,6
Incline bench press: 50kg/110lbs x 8,6,6,5
NOTES
So today was a good day. Bar speed felt great on the main work and the bench TM set really felt smooth.
glad to read it.
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 2 Day 4 (Press)
Press: 25kg/55lbs x5, 27.5kg/61lbs x5 and 5x5 with 32.5kg/72lbs
Squat: 60kg/132lbs x3, 110kg/220lbs x3, 120kg/264lbs x1 | 132.5kg/292lbs x5
Walking lunges: 32.5kg/72lbs x50
DB Bench press: 30kg/66lbs x8,7,6,
Pull ups (bodyweight) 3x8
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 2 Day 5 (Conditioning)
Tabatta Battle ropes: 8x20/10
Hex bar deadlift: 2x20 with 72.5kg/160lbs
Bench press: 2x20 with 40kg/88lbs
Unilateral DB bench press: 3x6 with 25kg/55lbs
Banded KB swings: 2x20 with 20kg/44lbs bell
Power cleans: 5x3 with 40kg/88lbs
PORTALS 5x5/3/1 Leader Week 2 Day 6 (Squats)
Squats: 92.5kg/204lbs x5, 105kg/231lbs x5 and 5x5 with 120kg/264lbs
OHP: 25kg/55lbs x3, 30kg/66lbs x3 and 35kg/77lbs x5
Hip thrusts: 5x5 with 140kg/309lbs
Incline Bench press: 5x5 with 52.5kg/116lbs
Low cable tow: 1x25