Skint Dad's Training Log

No idea why I didn’t think of doing this sooner, been enjoying the T-Nation website and videos now for ages.
My new 12-week muscle-building routine started April 8th: a mix of bodybuilding, explosive power training and stamina training.
I train exclusively at home, four times per week. I currently use a 2 inch fat bar, a couple of kettlebells, a 15lb med ball, a bench, squat stands and a homemade pull-up bar.
I train my whole body Monday, Wednesday, Friday and a KB workout on a Saturday.
I start the week heavy, mostly 5x5, then higher reps on a Wednesday. Friday’s my dynamic effort day.
Saturday is my resistance cardio day.
I’m in no rush to break any PB’s, I’m simply focusing on building some lean muscle.
I love training right now, I started off as a very skinny teenager. Back then I was a 140lb thai boxing nightmare, I only started lifting weights as I wanted to look like Van Damme’s AWOL poster. I’ve been happily content with what I’ve achieved for ages now, I’m just more determined than usual as I’d let myself go a bit due to a crap job.
I currently follow an instinctive progression method, which serves me very well and I’ve been doing this for a while now.
I plan to keep my bodyweight at a steady 88 to 90k, will bulk on a later cycle when finances permit.
I run and cycle in between workouts, but I often cycle daily as I commute by bike.

[quote]Troglo wrote:
No idea why I didn’t think of doing this sooner, been enjoying the T-Nation website and videos now for ages.
My new 12-week muscle-building routine started in : a mix of bodybuilding, explosive power training and stamina training.
I train exclusively at home, four times per week. I currently use a 2 inch fat bar, a couple of kettlebells, a 15lb med ball, a bench, squat stands and a homemade pull-up bar.
I train my whole body Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I’ll then add a KB workout on a Saturday.
I start the week heavy, mostly 5x5, then higher reps on a Wednesday. Friday’s my dynamic effort day.
Saturday is my resistance cardio day.
I’m in no rush to break any PB’s, I’m simply focusing on building some lean muscle.
I love training right now, I started off as a very skinny teenager. Back then I was a 140lb thai boxing nightmare, I only started lifting weights as I wanted to look like Van Damme’s AWOL poster. I’ve been happily content with what I’ve achieved for ages now, I’m just more determined than usual as I’d let myself go a bit due to a crap job.
I currently follow an instinctive progression method, which serves me very well and I’ve been doing this for a while now.
I plan to keep my bodyweight at a steady 88 to 90k, will bulk on a later cycle when finances permit.
I run and cycle in between workouts, but I often cycle daily as I commute by bike.
[/quote]
Sounds like you have a good plan in place for your goals…

Yeah getting there thanks. Just need to get my 8 hours beauty sleep, lack of sleep is playing havoc with my progression

Friday’s post plus the photos seem to have vanished into the ether. In case it magically appears I will quickly summarise here:
Speed Bench Press 5x5
Squat 5x5
Good mornings 3x8 (not planned but felt I needed to)
Curl-grip chins 50 reps total
Clean and Press 3x10 (30 seconds rest between sets)
Bar Curls 3x21’s

will start to include weights used once I start writing everything down. Dog-tired at the moment due to our baby starting teething. Need sleep!

Star Wars Day, May 4th: Kettlebell workout
KB snatch 3x10 reps (finally nailed it last week after weeks of practise) 12k KB
KB lunge & press 3x10 12k *
KB press 3x10 superset with KB high pull 20k KB
KB woodchoppers 3x10 12k KB
KB passes around head 20 reps, 10 in both directions
*I normally do KB overhead squat and also squat presses, but needed a break after squatting yesterday

Tri-set: 20k KB
KB clean 10 reps
KB swing 20 reps
KB passes 20 reps, 10 in both directions

I then broke from my usual routine and went for a 5k run. It’s the bank holiday and I wanted a few beers on Saturday night. Felt odd going for a run with a pumped-up upper body.

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I took some photos on Friday May 3rd.
I’m going to retake the chest shots outside, I just couldn’t get the shot right.

Monday May 6th:
Flat Bench 5x5 90k - I dropped the weight this week, struggled last week. I’m convinced it’s because I stayed up until 1.30am last Sunday night watching Harry Brown.
Slept 7 hours last night, but wanted to make sure I didn’t mess-up my progression. 90k is still the heaviest bench I’ve done since the middle of last decade. The last 2 gyms I trained at either did not have barbells, or they had pre-set barbells up to a max of 50k.
Target is 100k within next 4-6 weeks, then onto 120k+. Will then switch to high reps, would like to try the NFL strength test with 100k at some point.

Squat 5x5 70k - yes I currently bench more than I squat, for pretty much the same reasons as above. Laying foundations ready to move on to higher-rep leg workouts 20+ reps, bodyweight for reps against the clock etc.

Sumo Deadlift 5x5 75k - I’m well pleased that my grip held out on the fat bar. I like to alternate sides so that both get an equal share of pronated and supinated grips.Upper-body and hams could handle a lot more weight, it’s not going to happen until I buy an Olympic bar though.

Push press 5x5 55k - my body’s itching to start pushing some more weight, still not found the perfect spot in my garden to do this without any distractions.

Yates Row 5x5 60k - as with the deadlift, my lats are ready for some more weight. But I’m still gaining.

Curl-grip pull-ups 5 sets of 10 reps - felt solid today. Target over next few weeks is to start practising muscle-ups.

Triceps Extensions 3x10 35k I don’t pre-occupy myself with how much weight I use when training arms, I just go by feel.

Bar curls 3x10 35k - as above

Chest finisher:
20 reps each no rest between exercises. Rest 30 seconds. Do a minimum of 3 sets.
Med ball push-ups
One-arm med ball push-ups
Hindu Push-ups

One more pic taken this morning before my workout.
Spent all weekend trawling the net trying to find out how to take body shots

Wednesday May 8th: Whole body workout

Flat bench 8x8 superset with bent over row (pronated-grip)
raced through this, felt good on the bench easy 80k for 8 reps. Trying to resist the urge to pile on weight too quickly. Rows were a light 50k.

Sumo deadlift 5x5 75k

Lunge & Press 4x10
I really enjoy these, my quads were tired from Monday and a hard run on Tuesday, I do these as a way to get in some extra leg work and also work on my balance. I also like the prolonged pressing part of the move which really taxes me shoulders. 50k.

Wide-grip and curl-grip pull-ups
50 reps of each. Grip coming back to pre-layoff strength.

Bar Curls
3x15 40k

KB superset
Gunslingers and kickbacks 3x10

Med Ball Finisher
Push-ups, bear hug squats, thrusts, terminator thrusts, wood chops (L&R), lunge & front raise, 1-arm push-ups. No rest between exercises, minimal rest between circuits

Friday May 10th: KB workout

I planned on combining Friday’s and Saturday’s workout to give me a weekend off, but when I came to my empty-bar warm-up for the squat my left knee felt sore. It does this every couple of months, I’ll be fine tomorrow, maybe even right now.

Now that I’m pushing 40 I’m taking no chances, if it doesn’t feel right then I just walk away.

Speed bench 8x3 60k, too light. A band would’ve be useful.
Squat - postponed until tomorrow
KB snatch 12k 5x10

KB Giant Set: repeat 3 times with 20k kettlebell. No rest between exercises
Shoulder press 10 reps each side
Clean 10 reps each side
High-Pull 10 reps each side
Swing 20 reps
Bent over row 10 reps each side
Pass round body 10 reps in both directions

KB hammer curls & reverse curls superset 3x10 12k
Triceps extensions 3x10 35k
KB curls 3x10 12k
Curl-grip pull-ups 50 reps total
Wrist curls 3x10 used both a 5k KB and then a 5K plate

Saturday May 12th: postponed squats from yesterday.

Squats 5x5 60k. Just as a expected the 24 hour delay meant that my knee pain had completely disappeared. ROM still improving. Long term the Friday squat session will include jump squats and overhead squats. For now I’m still laying the foundations.

Went for 5k run.

Then as part of cool down/stretching:

Calf raises 1 set with bodyweight to failure plus partials
Single-leg calf raises 3x10 holding a 12k kettlebell. These felt ace, especially after my 5k run and the first set of bodyweight calf raises.

Monday May 13th: whole body workout

Flat bench 5x5 95k - back on track for 100k and beyond. Also added 2 sets of 15 reps with 60k as was enjoying the rush of doing my heaviest bench in 8 years.

Squat 5x5 70k nice and deep, but can still go down a little lower.

Sumo Deadlift 5x5 80k, grip on the fat bar is getting stronger. Only used straps for the final set

Push Press 5x5 cleaned from the floor 67.5k. Another best, the heaviest since the 90’s. Going to try it again this week, only this time I’ll do it bare chested. Felt there was easily another 10k there, the bar exploded up.

Bent over row 5x5 same weight as above

Curl grip chins 50 reps total.

Bar curls 3x15 30k
KB curls 3x10 12k KB

Triceps extensions 3x10 30k
Bench dips 3xfailure

Wednesday May 15th: Chest, back, shoulders and a KB finisher

Flat bench and bent over rows superset 8x8 - used only 70k today so that I could get more reps on the rows.
Push Press 5x5 67.5k wanted to see if Monday was a fluke, it wasn’t. Will be back to a more sensible shoulder routine next week.
Wide-grip pull ups 50 reps total

Kettlebell finisher:
Press, high pull, clean, swing, body pass 10 reps each side, 20 reps for the swings- 3 sets 20k
Wood chop, head pass, 10 reps each side - 3 sets 12k

Thursday May 16th: Legs and arms

Squat 5x5 60k went as deep as I could. My hip flexibility is pretty poor at the moment, my sit and each is even worse. Must be all the cycling.

Sumo deadlift 5x8 70k. Really pleased that my grip held out for all 5 sets.

Triceps extensions 3x20 25k

Seated bar curls/standing bar curls 30k 3 sets.

Kettlebell curls 3x10 12k

I then ran 5k, skipped my usual calves workout as short of time today.

Saturday May 18th:
Speed Bench 8x3 70k - the bar flew today.

Kettlebell workout:
KB snatch 3x10 12k - nailed it on my right side, all but one of the reps on my left were crap.
KB lunge & press 3x10 12k
KB overhead press 3x10 12k - This is definitely one of those things that you have to make yourself like, just like green tea or All-Bran. You just know this exercise is good few you, even though it’s quite unpleasant at first.
KB squat press 3x10 20k - would love a 25k for this.
KB body pass 3x10 20k
KB hammer curls 3x10 7k, usually use 12k but forearms were sore
Gunslingers 3x10 7k
KB kickbacks 3x10 7k
Bench dips 3xfailure

Then 5k about 2.5 hours later

Monday May 20th: whole body workout

Decided to make this a deload week right after I finished my warm-up sets on the bench. Just wasn’t feeling it today, now week 8 of my current cycle. So it’s a good a time as any to back off.

Flat bench 5x5 80k
Squats 5x5 70k
Deadlift 5x5 80k
Bent over rows 5x10 60k
Push Press 5x5 50k
Wide-grip chins 50 reps total
Bar curls 3x15 30k
Triceps extensions 3x10 30k
dumbbell curls 3x10 12k
bench dips 3 sets to failure

Wednesday May 22nd: whole body workout

Flat bench 5x8 70k
bent over row 5x8 70k superset
Squat 5x5 70k
Stiff-legged deadlift 3x8 70k
Military press 3x15 40k
Curl grip chin ups 50 reps total
Triceps extensions 3x12 25k
Bench dips 3 sets to failure

Friday May 24th:
Speed bench press 8x3 70k

Kettlebell snatch 3x10 12k
KB lunge and press 3x10 12k
KB overhead squat 3x10 12k

Kb squat press 3x10 20k
KB clean 3x10 20k
KB high pull 3x10 20k
KB row 3x10 20k
KB swing 3x20 20k
KB body pass 10 each way 20k -all done as one complex, no rest between exercises. Short rest between sets

Curl grip pull ups 50 reps total
Bar Curls 3x15 25k
KB-Gunslingers, Hammer Curls and Reverse curls tri-set 3x10
Med ball push ups 3x20 superset with 1-arm med ball push ups 3x10

Monday May 27th:
Flat bench 5x5 90k
Bent over row 5x5 70k
Squat 5x5 90k I think I’ve now passed the tipping point with my squatting. I’m glad I started off slowly as want to be reaping the benefits of this exercise for a long time. Will eventually like to be doing this weight+ for 20 reps.
Deadlift 5x5 90k as above, although I’m convinced that I’d prefer deadlifting with a trap bar.
Push Press 5x5 50k- I wasn’t feeling it today
Wide-grip and curl-grip chins 50 reps of each
Bar curls 3x15 30k
Triceps extensions 3x10 25k

Wednesday May 29th:
Flat bench 5x15 60k- I’ve dropped the weight back with a view to hitting 100k for 15 sometime later this year
Bent over rows - pronated grip- 5x15 60k
Squat 3x10 70k
Stiff-Legged deadlift 3x8 70k
Standing behind the neck press 3x15 40k
Curl grip chin ups 50 reps total
Bar curls 3x15 30k
Kettlebell curls 3x10 12k