Legs week 7
Squats
65kg - 8, 7, 7, 6, 5
Bulgarian Split Lunges
25kg - 8, 8, 8, 7
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
55kg - 10, 9, 9, 8
Barbell Hip Thrusts
55kg - 12, 10, 9, 8
Goblet Squats
20kg - 15, 15, 15
Managed to get ATG on squats this week which felt really good, had been going to just below parallel before but felt stronger in glutes to go lower this week and it felt great. Upped weight on split lunges and added in goblet squats as a finisher…happy session 
So, a really messed up week of work…put in a few 18 hour shoot days - though still not topped a ridiculous 26 hour continuous shoot day from last year!
This is the 7th week on my Leg, Push, Pull program and I’ve made progressions on either weights, sets or reps in all areas, despite less than ideal circumstances (I’ve also been away from home for 75% of this time)
During my Push session this week on Thursday I heard a disconcerting crunching sound in my neck in the middle of handstand push-ups and stopped immediately (it was at the end of the workout anyways) it felt a little tight afterwards and I woke up on Friday with very little mobility in my neck and sore as hell 
I saw the on-site Osteopath at work for a treatment yesterday and had a very good sports massage this morning really concentrating on my neck and shoulders which were completely seized up, tight and knotted and have been advised to calm it down until it all smooths out again.
I was considering a de-load week on the 8th week anyways, so looks like it will now be the sensible thing to do.
Plus it’s the wrap party on Thursday, so I’ll be letting my hair down for the first time in 5 months since shooting began…
[quote]Warrioress wrote:
I heard a disconcerting crunching sound in my neck in the middle of handstand push-ups[/quote]
Definitely a wise decision to deload. I’m going to do the same after tweaking my back a little. I think when the body is tired, it’s pretty good at sending you “hints” to get you to back off a bit.
And training through such a crazy schedule is amazing. Congratulations on making it through the shoot.
[quote]LiftingStrumpet wrote:
[quote]Warrioress wrote:
I heard a disconcerting crunching sound in my neck in the middle of handstand push-ups[/quote]
Definitely a wise decision to deload. I’m going to do the same after tweaking my back a little. I think when the body is tired, it’s pretty good at sending you “hints” to get you to back off a bit.
And training through such a crazy schedule is amazing. Congratulations on making it through the shoot.
[/quote]
Ah, yes our bodies are pretty good at giving signs, just need to listen up! Hope your back’s feeling better now?
Am also going to make sure I get a good sports massage regularly from now too to keep everything smooth.
I may even just kick-start my conditioning next week and make it a cardio / bodyweight circuit week which I’ve done none off the past few months and miss. I’ll then possibly start on another program with week after - still looking into possible 5/3/1 or a 4 day Upper / Lower split, not sure yet.
My schedule gets a lot less crazy once I’m finished on the film from the end of next week and the real focused training can start
So, de-load week turned into a complete rest week - which was actually very good for me both physically (time to let my neck / shoulder injury ease) and mentally having just completed a very tough 5 month run on the film - I completely relaxed for the first time in half a year, saw friends and family I hadn’t seen in months and of course enjoyed the wrap party on Thursday! It was a great blow-out for everyone who has worked so hard on the film - a free bar all night in a very nice central London club - danced hard for about 5 hours, so some cardio was had at least
So, going forward… I’m going to do one last week on my old program Leg, Pull, Push (which will then make 8 weeks in total) to get back into the flow of things and then the week after start on a new 4-day split program. I haven’t completely decided on which to go with yet but I’m currently leaning towards Jonnie Candito’s Linear Program which looks like this…
Strength/Control Program
Monday  Heavy Lower Day
Squat  3 sets x 6 reps
Deadlift  2 sets x 6 reps
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8Â-12 reps
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8Â-12 reps
Tuesday  Heavy Upper Day
Bench Press  3 sets x 6 reps
Primary Upper Back Exercise  3 sets x 6 reps
Shoulder Exercise  1 set x 6
Upper Back Exercise #2 Â 1 set x 6
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8Â-12 reps
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8-Â12 reps
Thursday  Control Lower Day
Pause Squat  6 sets x 4 reps
Pause Deadlifts (pause right after weight comes off floor) Â 3 sets x 4 reps
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8Â-12 reps
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8Â-12 reps
Friday  Control Upper Day
Spoto Press  6 sets x 4 reps
Pause Primary Upper Back Exercise (pause at full contraction) Â 6 sets x 4 reps
Shoulder Exercise  1 set x 10
Upper Back Exercise #2 (not paused) Â 1 set x 10
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8-Â12 reps
Optional Exercise  3 sets x 8Â-12 reps
Note - The sets/reps listed are for the working sets. That means it does not include the warm up sets to be done prior to the prescribed sets/reps.
Also, upper back exercise #2 is a slot for a vertical pull, while the first upper back exercise should be a horizontal pull (rowing movement).
I like the simplicity of it and the option to choose exercises according to my personal goals. Very willing to hear from anyone who has any other ideas on 4-day splits though.
A confession - I’m also a member on another site…bodybuilding.com! This is purely for the workout log tool - which has actually been a great way to track progress on workouts.
Each week my total weight lifted during each workout went up and at the end of the 7 weeks my totals improved as follows…
Leg day up from 4,375kg (10,000lbs) to 6870kg (15,000lbs)
Push Day went from 1395kg (3,075lbs) to 2442kg (5385lbs)
Pull Day 2314kg (5100lbs) to 4705kg (10,375lbs)
Sweet gains!
As my next training cycle starts I’ll start monitoring in more detail, my weight, measurement and progress pics.
I’ll also use this last week on my old program to get some form vids on squat and deadlift for some feedback.
Week 8…
Monday - legs…
Warm up with 50xbodyweight squats 5x5 jump squats
Squats 60kg - 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5
Deadlifts 60kg - 8, 8, 7, 7, 6
Barbell Hip Thrusts 60kg - 10, 9, 8
Bulgarian Split Squats 25kg - 10, 10, 9
It’s weird that my squat and deadlift weight is the same right? I’ve got a lot more squat experience, and deadlifts are a fairly new lift for me - should I be aiming for a higher weight / lower reps??
I’ve never thought about tracking total weight lifted per session. That’s an interesting metric. You made some huge gains in your last training cycle. Great work!
[quote]LiftingStrumpet wrote:
I’ve never thought about tracking total weight lifted per session. That’s an interesting metric. You made some huge gains in your last training cycle. Great work![/quote]
Yeah…forgot to mention the name of the site - or it got edited out not sure, but it’s a great measurement for showing progress when you’re managing to add reps / sets but not actual weight for certain lifts. I was definitely more encouraged once I saw those stats!
Week 8 continued…
Then I went along for an audition for another film on Wednesday - we were put through a bootcamp session and completely unwarmed up we were on the floor doing a whole raft of crazy press up variations - I felt something tweak at one point - but couldn’t stop as I was auditioning and carried on through to the end of the session.
The next day, my left pec felt a little tender - but nothing too major so went along for Push day and during a press it went completely
Now have a torn (low grade) left pec…pain.
But…I got the part and start filming week after next
Was there any bruising? I hope it’s not too, too bad.
Faint bruising…trying to lie down/get up is horrible and no comfortable position once laying down. Can’t drive as can’t change gears
Just sneezed and it was absolute agony!
What sort of film audition requires a fitness bootcamp? Are you playing a commando?
In any case, congratulations on getting the part!
[quote]LiftingStrumpet wrote:
What sort of film audition requires a fitness bootcamp? Are you playing a commando?
In any case, congratulations on getting the part![/quote]
More and more now most film auditions involve bootcamps as the majority of big budget films being made are action-based films. This was a dance-based part but they wanted very strong dancers with some acrobatic moves.
I’m seriously considering doing my full stunt qualification as the industry is booming in London!
[quote]Warrioress wrote:
[quote]LiftingStrumpet wrote:
What sort of film audition requires a fitness bootcamp? Are you playing a commando?
In any case, congratulations on getting the part![/quote]
More and more now most film auditions involve bootcamps as the majority of big budget films being made are action-based films. This was a dance-based part but they wanted very strong dancers with some acrobatic moves.
I’m seriously considering doing my full stunt qualification as the industry is booming in London! [/quote]
Dude stunt people are in sick shape. Emily Brobst is actually from my hometown, and I saw her a few times at the local commercial gym. I have trained with some incredibly impressive people, but she has got to be damn near the top of the list. In the time it took me to do a single set she’d have already done 5 sets each on two different lifts. Squats and pressing and legit stuff too. Super impressive athlete. The physicality of stuntmen and women is not to be underestimated.
Wish I saw her around more; it’s been a long time. She’s always traveling about to filming locations.
[quote]csulli wrote:
[quote]Warrioress wrote:
[quote]LiftingStrumpet wrote:
What sort of film audition requires a fitness bootcamp? Are you playing a commando?
In any case, congratulations on getting the part![/quote]
More and more now most film auditions involve bootcamps as the majority of big budget films being made are action-based films. This was a dance-based part but they wanted very strong dancers with some acrobatic moves.
I’m seriously considering doing my full stunt qualification as the industry is booming in London! [/quote]
Dude stunt people are in sick shape. Emily Brobst is actually from my hometown, and I saw her a few times at the local commercial gym. I have trained with some incredibly impressive people, but she has got to be damn near the top of the list. In the time it took me to do a single set she’d have already done 5 sets each on two different lifts. Squats and pressing and legit stuff too. Super impressive athlete. The physicality of stuntmen and women is not to be underestimated.
Wish I saw her around more; it’s been a long time. She’s always traveling about to filming locations.[/quote]
Cool that you know someone in the industry csulli!
I know a lot of the top UK Stunt guys and girls as I work with them all the time - they’ve all said with my background (martial arts, dance and gymnastics) I should go for it. Long, tough and expensive training though - it’s a good 3-4 years of gaining top level achievements across the board, but amazing life experiences to gain along the way too!
Will be starting gymnastic training this week and have booked in my first rally driving training day later this month…Will log here too
And in other news - with the unexpected new film I’ve decided not to change anything up training-wise just yet, just don’t have the time / mental energy to change anything at the moment so will stick with my 3 days a week leg, push, pull for the meantime.
Legs today - went easy as I’ve had a viral infection and my chest is still not fixed up yet.
Squat - 60kg 6, 6, 6, 6, 6.
Deadlift 70kg 7, 7, 7, 7, 7.
Barbell Hip Thrust 70kg 10, 8, 8
Bulgarian Split Squat 20kg 10, 9, 8.
Will up both my squat and deadlift next session by 5kg and see what I can hit for 5 sets.
Pull…
Deadlift
60kg 10
70kg 3, 3, 3
80kg 1, 1
Assisted Pull-Ups
T-Bar Rows 20kg 7, 7, 6
DB Rows 14kg - 8, 8, 7
Hyper Back extensions w15kg plate - 12, 10, 10.
New deadlift PB! Will try and aim for 100kg by the end of year, which will be double my bodyweight.
First chest/shoulder session since injuring left side a few weeks back, so it slow and easy.
Didn’t want to risk benching so used chest press machine at 30kg - 7, 7, 6, 6 superset with chest dips for 7, 7, 6, 5
Single Arm OH Press 10kg 10, 10, 9, 8
Single Arm Lateral Raises 6kg 8, 8, 8, 8
Tricep Rope Pushdowns 12.5kg 10, 10, 9, 8
Hanging Leg Raises 10, 10, 9
Chest felt good throughout so definitely over the worst of it.
So, I’ve accidentally joined one of the best bodybuilding gyms in London!
Had no idea when I went to see the place, I was just looking for non-commercial, warehouse-style gym with decent equipment. I went along at an obscure time when it was real quiet, I was knackered and I didn’t spend much time there just rushed around saw some great equipment and signed up.
I’ve been twice since and it’s full of pros. My training is about to step up a gear!
Had a leg session with one of the guys there yesterday…
Activation warm-up
Glute-Ham Raises 4x6
Deficit Straight Leg Deadlift
50kgx8
60kgx5, 5, 4
40kg 12
Occluded Lying Leg Curls 27.5kgx30, 20, 10 superset with overhead walking lunges (8kg) twice through.
Squats (40kg) superset with Rope Pull throughs (30kg)
Chatting afterwards and he’s a WBFF Euro Champion, about to compete again in 6 weeks time and he invited me along. It’ll be a great chance for me to go and see what I think about the whole scene and whether it would really be something I want to aim for next year.