MarkKO's Training Log

Fair points. I think for me it’s just one those things, I’m naturally a better presser than bencher like I’m a naturally better DLer than squatter. The key word is naturally: I’ve seen my squat really take off in the last year because I worked hard at getting technically better and did a lot of squatting. Now I’m at least as comfortable squatting as DLing. I’m hoping doing the same for bench will produce similar results over time.

Watch out for when dumbells hit the sides , when i was doing chest rows i found when my dumbells progressed the dumbells hit the sides and eventually i couldnt do chest rows because i couldnt get Rom and it was basically quarter reps because theyd hit the sides.

Edit the dumbells at my gym are Hex dumbells so perhaps thats why

1 Like

I had a bit of a reality check the other day. I am better at benching when compared to my other lifts because I’ve benched a lot. From 14 years old I’ve been at least semi-aggressivly training bench. Squats and deads didn’t start till 18ish. Overhead didn’t start till a year or so ago. I’ve got some catching up to do.

Obvious, but it finally clicked.

1 Like

I’m lucky @duketheslaya , I use a Forza adjustable incline bench. It’s super narrow so almost impossible to hit, and the DBs are all the same diameter.

@brady888 that makes perfect sense. I’ve only been training like this since mid 2014, and I didn’t train bench at all until early 2015; it wasn’t until mid 2015 that I started training bench aggressively (over twice a week). So mine is only a year behind.

U are lucky haha i feel chest rows was one of the best back exercises for me. I have trouble feeling my back in most exercises but the burn i got from them was insane

That’s what I like about them so much.

1 Like

Went ahead and booked a consult with Jeremy Wilson to talk about where I go from here. He’s a great bloke, trains people and trains out of Elite. He’s placed nationally in BB and in the last month squatted 700 lbs in wraps and benched a very clean 440 lbs too. It’s on Wednesday and we’ll do a full look at what I’m doing as well as a caliper check. That’ll be interesting. I’m guessing I’m between 15-17% now based on the last BIA I was sitting around 196 lbs at 18% and I’m now around 190 lbs.

3 Likes

Woke at 188.8 lbs. So, yeah, awesome. The fat loss gods are favouring me right now, and I’m not about to complain.

Abs still feeling the rollouts. I like the whole from feet then from knees. Seems like I end up getting more from the rollouts from knees if I do them after rollouts from feet.

Also, at some point (and right now I’m thinking during Training Maximally) I’m considering introducing close grip bench on bench day two. All I need to figure out is the TM. I’m thinking 75-80% of my comp bench. Thoughts @littlesleeper @BOTSLAYER @Destrength @The_Myth

3 Likes

This sounds right. It is what I am doing for Board presses. 80ish% of what ever I worked up to that day and treat it like FSL.

If I am in doubt I treat it like a new exercise and start back at the bottom and go to what I can handle that day.

1 Like

Cool, thanks. The nice thing about doing it with Training Maximally is that I’ll have the opportunity to work up frequently so even if I set the TM way low I’ll be able to play around a bit.

1 Like

I was scrolling through and saw these. Thought I’d put them up. Shitty lighting for what I want, but I think my back is finally starting to come along.

Maybe shoulders and arms too, not sure about those though

These two I just like. Fuck me dead but I’m vain.

4 Likes

Back looks great, congrats on the continued fat loss, that’s awesome.

To me, the CGBP TM would be lower, but it’s probably right for you. Plus, you got the auto reg thing down, so just work up when you want to with the FSL or jokers, depending on where you are in the cycle.

Also, I suspect your BF% guesstimate is pretty accurate. Abs are starting to peak out and that’s usually around that range.

Keep it up brother, great work.

2 Likes

Hopefully. Besides, I’ve got a relatively close grip anyway. I just made the changes and it looks reasonable.

Thanks. I’m pleased. Still trying to figure out why it’s going so well but also just enjoying the ride.

1 Like

I figured I could/should probably do a brief review of the three leader cycles, if only to crystallise any key points.

  • in terms of assistance volume I realised last week I now consider anything below 50 total reps as low. Don’t see how that’s bad in any way.
  • doing sets of five on the main lifts every week feels like it’ll make threes and 5/3/1 week much easier
  • turns out I can DL for reps without dying slowly, I just need to keep the TM under control. OK, so I should have known that already but yeah, slow uptake.
  • bench really came together in cycle three, kind of like everything I worked on from around November onwards just clicked.
  • benching twice weekly is pretty much mandatory for me
  • I think I’m suited to squatting for reps and I need to remember this and structure squatting accordingly.
  • ab training is definitely worthwhile
  • single leg work is definitely worthwhile if only for leg size
  • straps are a great tool as long as you make sure to work your grip strength
  • don’t drop heavy shit on your ankle
5 Likes

Man its awesome while losing fat you’ve been getting gains in size and strength! You’re looking like a bodybuilder and you dont even train to be one aha .

Thanks mate but to be honest a fair amount was hiding under the fat. I’m still down about a kilo of muscle from where I started last May - there just a whole lot less fluff covering what I have and the way I’ve been training and eating encouraged my body to preserve muscle.

1 Like

damn 1 kilo!
At least your starting to get in shtedded paradise though!

2 Likes

You’re probably not too far off. From what I remember, Training Maximally is where you basically just work up in weight that day until you hit your desired difficulty ? (sorry, I’m on my phone, not as quick and easy for me to dig up that info).
I might treat the secondary exercise similarly. Work up to a desired difficulty within your desired rep range. I think that program’s intent was more of a purely auto-regulated program where you went in and worked as hard as you could/wanted to based on the day and based on previously completed lifts. I think I need to dig through Beyond again, not confident in any of the words I’m putting down right now lol so take that with a grain of salt.

1 Like

No, you’re basically bang on. You work to your TM either for a single or plus set, then beyond in jokers if you want and/or follow up with back off sets if you want. I’ll use CGBP as a main movement instead of regular bench on Thursdays.

1 Like

Woke at 187.4 lbs. WTF. Not in the oh no sense, but the I have zero clue how this is happening sense. I have been seriously hungry in the afternoon/evenings the last week or so, but I’ve had a slightly longer gap between my last two meals because of my work hours. Also noticed I’ve had the dizzy spells when rising recently.

Anyways, my body is shedding weight with a vengeance and from the mirror it seems to be fat. Hopefully it mostly is.

Anchor starts today and I’m EXCITED.

5 Likes