Steigs - Training Log

@Chris_Colucci Thanks - I really appreciate you taking the time to give such a detailed response.

Damn it. In truth you’ve kind of corroborated what I already know. Still, can’t blame me for seeing whether there was an alternative route I hadn’t considered, can you?

Believe me, I have given this some thought, but I concluded that, after a year of basically training to stay lean, I really need to have a period on focusing on strength/size otherwise my training is just going to stagnate. It is very close to a catch 22 situation and is going to be dictated by me getting my head right and accepting that there may need to be some flex in the 10% benchmark I’m currently so fixated by.

Time to commit to the strength - guess the bonus is eating more is never a bad thing.

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Ha, no worries. I more-than-half figured I was probably saying out loud most of what you were thinking. Sometimes it helps to see it written plainly like that though.

Yep. That kind of very broad periodization is pretty much the basis of rotating “off-season” and “in-season/pre-contest” that bodybuilders and athletes have used forever.

So maybe re-frame it not so much as taking a break from dieting (even though it technically is), but using a short-term goal-focused period that plays into better overall progress in the long-term.

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9 June

Squats - 8 sets: (Warm up 60kg 6 100kg 5) 120kg 8 x 5

EZ Bar Bicep Curls - 3 sets: Bar plus 10kg 3 x 15

10 June

OHP - 12 sets: (Warm up 45kg 8) 12 x 5

Cable Cross Over Tricep Extensions - 3 sets: 8.75kg 3 x 15

Seated Cable Row PG - 3 sets: 50kg 3 x 12

EZ Bar Bicep Curls - 3 sets: Bar plus 10kg 3 x 15

11 June

Trap Bar Deadlift (not including the bar) - 5 sets: (Warm up 40kg 5 80kg 5 120kg 5) 140kg 5 5 5 145kg 5 5

Cable Rows NG - 3 sets: 75kg 10 10 10
60 degree DB Press - 3 sets: 28kg 12 30kg 12 32kg 12

Lat Pull Down NG - 3 sets: 75kg 12 10 10
DB Lat Raise - 3 sets: 5kg 15 15 15

Cable Reverse Flys - 3 sets: 9kg 15 15 20
Seated Db Bicep Curls - 3 sets: 12kg 12 12 10

Crunches - 1 set: 25

13 June

Bench - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 6 100kg 2) 102.5kg 7 7 6 5 4

This is really frustrating as I feel as though my bench is my deficient lift of the 3 I’m targeting in this programme. I’m convinced that it is all to do with my old shoulder injury and the fact that my right side is so trap dominant. I find it a real struggle to retract and depress my scapula. This has been the big focus in all of my training over the past 7-8 months and, whilst I am seeing some improvements, as ever, it isn’t improving fast enough for me to be satisfied.

NG Lat Pull Down - 3 sets: 77kg 12 12 12
45 Degree DB Bench - 3 sets: 32kg 12 12 11

Cable Ince Flys: 3 sets: 81kg 15 15 13
Hammie Curls - 3 sets: 50kg 15 52kg 15 15

Cable Tricep Extensions - 2 sets: 8 small plates, 1 large (no idea of actual weight on the machine) 15 15

14 June

Squats - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 5 100kg 5 140kg 2): 140kg 5 5 5 5 145kg 5

Prime Leg Press - 3 sets: 149kg 12 12 12
Hypers - 3 sets: 20kg db in each hand 12 12 12

Hammie Curls - 3 sets: 57kg 12 12 55kg 12
Pendulum Squats - 3 sets: 35kg 12 12 12

19 June

After a weekend away in Baku eating (lots) of the local food, weight today was up to 100.45kg. Set myself a goal of getting that back to 97kg by 5 July when I go away to Salalah with my wife for our first anniversary.

Trap Bar Deadlift (not including the bar) - 5 sets: (Warm up 40kg 5 80kg 5 120kg 3 145kg 2) 145kg 5 5 5 5 150kg 5

Cable Rows PG - 3 sets: 77kg 11 11 11
60 degree DB Press - 3 sets: 28kg 12 12 12

Lat Pull Down (Mag Grip) - 3 sets: 77kg 13 13 13
DB Lat Raise Seated - 3 sets: 5kg 14 14 14

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20 June

Weight - 99.4kg

Bench - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 5 100kg 2 102.5kg 3) 102.5kg 7 7 105kg 7 6 4

NG Lat Pull Down - 3 sets: 79.6kg 13 13 13
45 degree DB Bench - 3 sets: 34kg 10 10 9

Cable Incline Flys - 3 sets: 91kg 12 12 12
Hammie Curls - 3 sets: 52kg 10 10 10

EZ bar machine bicep curls - 2 sets: 31.7kg 15 15
Deadmill - 2 sets: 30 secs

21 June

Weight - 97.4kg - I’ll wait until after the weekend, but, at this rate, I may have to revise my goal weight for the coming holiday

Squats - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 5 100kg 5 140kg 3) 145kg 5 5 150kg 5 5 5

Hammie Curls - 3 sets: 55kg 12 57kg 10 10
Prime Leg Press - 3 sets: 149kg 12 12 12

Pendulum Squats - 3 sets: 35kg 12 37.5kg 12 12

Leg Extensions - 3 sets: 61kg 12 12 12

Walked for half an hour after to get some Vitamin D and to do some fasted cardio - don’t think my legs belong to me anymore!

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23 June

OHP - 5 sets: 50kg 8 8 8 8 8

Seated Row PG - 3 sets: 50kg 12 12 12

Lat Pull Down Narrow Grip NG - 3 sets: 50kg 12 12 12

Rear Delt Cable Flys - 3 sets: 3.75kg 12 12 12

EZ bar plus 10kg standing curls - 3 sets: 15 15 15

Dips - 3 sets: 12 12 12

24 June

Weight: 96.7kg

Trap Bar Deadlift (not including the bar) - 5 sets: (Warm up 40kg 5 80kg 5 120kg 3 140kg 2) 150kg 5 5 5 5 5

Lat Pull Down NG - 3 sets: 75kg 12 77kg 12 12
Hammie Leg Curls - 3 sets: 52kg 12 12 12

Chest Supported DB Row - 3 sets: 24kg dis 12 12 12
Cable Tricep Extensions - 3 sets: 91kg 12 99kg 12 12

25 June

Squats - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 8 100kg 8): 120kg 8 8 8 8 8

Low Cable Row PG - 3 sets: 50kg 12 12 12

26 June

Weight - 96.9kg
Bf at 11.7%

Bench - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 6 100kg 3 105kg 2) 105kg 5 5 4 4 4
During warm up also did some single arm cable low row to activate my lats - 34kg 3 sets of 10 reps

Hammie curls - 3 sets: 55kg 10 59kg 10 10
Lat Pull Down NG - 3 sets: 61kg 10 68kg 10 10

Cable Incline Flys - 3 sets: 100kg 10 10 10
EZ bar machine bicep curls - 3 sets: 32kg 10 41kg 10 10

28 June

Weight - 96.7kg

Squats - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 6 100kg 5 150kg 2) 150kg 5 5 5 5 5

Incline BB Bench - 3 sets: 70kg 12 12 11
45 degree Leg Press - 3 sets: 160kg 12 12 12

Cable Low Row NG - 3 sets: 75kg 12 12 12
Hip Thrusts From Pins - 3 sets: 100kg 12 12 12

29 June

OHP - 5 sets: (Warm up 40kg 8) 50kg 8 8 8 8 8

Cable Row PG - 3 sets: 50kg 12 12 12

Incline BB Bench - 4 sets: 60kg 12 12 12 8

EZ Bar plus 10kg standing curls - 3 sets: 15 15 15

Standing Rear Delt Cable Flys - 3 sets: 3.75kg 12 12 12

Seated Low Row NG - 3 sets: 80kg 12 12 10

Dips - 3 sets: 12 12 12
Crunches - 3 sets: 12 12 12

30 June

Last night my wife surprised me with a (week early) first anniversary dinner. She cooked a beef tenderloin with a peppercorn and thyme crust; spinach, roast tomatoes and roast garlic and balsamic vinegar roast onions. Served with a bottle of red we enjoyed in Stellenbosch during our honeymoon. Pudding was a whiskey soaked date sticky toffee pudding. It was glorious. She’d deliberately chosen to do the main to try and let me have the calories to enjoy the pudding. I tried very hard to live in the moment and not agonise about the calories, but it was a challenge. I guess tomorrow’s weigh in will tell me how badly it affected me.

OHP - 5 sets: (Warm up 40kg 5 50kg) 60kg 5 5 5 5 5

Incline Bench - 5 sets: 70kg 5 5 5 5 5

Low Cable Row - 3 sets: 50kg 12 12 12

Tricep Cable Pull Downs - 3 sets: 22.5kg 12 20kg 12 17.5kg 12

EZ Bar plus 10kg Standing Cable Bicep Curls - 3 sets: 15 15 15

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1 July

Guess a re-feed didn’t hurt after all!

Weight 96.1kg

Trap Bar Deadlift (not including the bar) - 5 sets: (Warm up 80kg 5 120kg 2 160kg 1) 160kg 5 5 5 5 5 - Felt good

Hammie Curls - 3 sets: 55kg 12 12 12
PG Lat Pull Downs - 3 sets: 72kg 12 12 12 - Could feel that my right shoulder (the injured one) was not fully extending at the top, so I’ll back the weight off next session and make sure that I nail form

Chest supported DB Rows - 3 sets: 32kg dbs 10 10 10

Cable Tricep Pull Downs - 2 sets: 55kg 15 15

2 July

Squats - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 8 100kg 5 140kg 3) 140kg 5 5 5 5 160kg 5

Ab Roll Outs - 3 sets: 12 12 12

Cable PG Low Row - 5 sets: 45kg 12 12 12 12 12

Cable Reverse Flys Standing - 3 sets: 3.75kg 15 15 15
Standing EZ Bar plus 10kg Bicep Curls - 3 sets: 12 12 12

3 July

Weight - 97.4kg

Bench - 5 sets: (Warm up 60kg 6 100kg 3 105kg 1) 105kg 5 5 5 5 5 On the last rep of the 5th set, I had fingertip support from the spotter to get it over the sticking point.
During warm up also did three sets of single arm cable low row to activate my lats - 34kg 3 sets of 12 reps

NG Lat Pull down - 3 sets: 72kg 12 12 12
45 degree Incline DB Bench - 3 sets: 34kg 11 10 8

Hammie Curls - 3 sets: 55kg 12 12 12
EZ Bar Machine Seated Curls - 3 sets: 32kg 12 41kg 12 12

Tricep Cable Extensions - 2 sets: 100kg 15 15
Crunches - 2 sets: 15 15

4 July

Weight - 96.7kg

OHP - 5 sets: (40kg 8 50kg 5) 60kg 5 5 5 5 5

Rack Pulls - 5 sets: (100kg 5 140kg 5) 160kg 5 5 5 5 5

EZ Bar plus 10kg standing bicep curls: 15 15 15

Ab Roll Outs - 3 sets: 5 5 5