Blonde will make you STRONG

[kukushkin88]

So the biggest change I've just decided on is to cut down to 5 sessions per week. If my sleep was better I could probably manage 6 but as it's crap I think the extra rest day is essential.

Although I started a new routine a couple of weeks ago I've tweaked it already as I'm really enjoying the 3 x 5 + an AMRAP that I've been doing on bench day.

So the new plan......

Still focussing on the four main movements, squat, bench, deadlift and OHP. 3 x 5 + an AMRAP on the main movement once per week starting at 70% of 1RM and increasing by 2.5% the following week if I get 8+ on the AMRAP. Important note is that the AMRAP has to be a good rep at decent speed. I stop before I get to a grinding rep.

Saturday is big bench day with Tuesday as a chest accessory day so that gets a bit more work than everything else because I love it.

I do a few accessory movements each day as well but not for the main movement of the day so this week has been:

Monday – OHP 5, 5, 5, 8 @ 70% (52.5kg). RDL 3 x 8 @ 100kg. Deadlift BoR 3 x 6 @ 100kg.

Tuesday – Bench 3 x 7 speed @ 90kg. Narrow bench 5, 6, 7 @ 80kg. 2 x pull down variations.

Thursday – Deadlift 5, 5, 5, 8 @ 70% (122.5kg) OHP triples 60 up to 72.5kg. Pull downs light 12s. Triceps, face pulls, rotator cuffs with bands.

Friday – Squat 5, 5, 5, 8 @ 70% (80kg), RDL up to 60kg. BoR 40kg strict.  abduct, adduct

Saturday – Incline bench 4 x 3 at 100kg. Bench 3 x 5 @ 72.5% (102.5kg), 1 x ?? @ 102.5kg. Bands + 70kg . Incline DB up to 42kg for 8.

I've started using my bands a lot every session as well which is getting a bit of extra work in during breaks. I just attach them to the rack and throw in a few tricep push downs, face pulls rotator cuff work or anything else that doesn't cause fatigue and affect the main movement.

Past experience would suggest this may not last but at the moment I really like this routine. I hit my 8 on everything in week one so a little increase next week. If I get up to 80% the idea is to drop back to 72.5% for a de-load and then work back up to 82.5% then back down to 75% and on and on forever...... Obviously at some point the assumption is your 1RM has gone up when you hit a peak so I may throw in a couple of low volume weeks and try a test every now and then.

See how we go with this one.....

Great stuff, very impressive. Do you think there's a correlation between weight training and getting crappy sleep? Nearly everyone I know who lifts big numbers is basically an insomniac.

[kukushkin88]

I will post a video of max rep wide arm pull ups next week. It'll be mid 20's.

[EvilPie]

Great stuff, very impressive. Do you think there's a correlation between weight training and getting crappy sleep? Nearly everyone I know who lifts big numbers is basically an insomniac.

I don't think so, certainly not for me although I wouldn't call my numbers particularly big. It's only fairly recently I've struggled with sleep and I've certainly lifted more and trained harder in the past.

I've got a lot going on at the moment which may be causing my issue. I don't feel stressed at all but maybe a combination of house move, busy at work and the lack of sleep are having more of an affect on me than I realise.

I'm hoping that once I move it'll be a catalyst to get back to normal then maybe I can get more sleep. We'll see.

[EvilPie]

I will post a video of max rep wide arm pull ups next week. It'll be mid 20's.

Seriously impressive.

Do you do weighted pull ups at all? I used to find they were great for increasing my total BW reps.

I'm sure I used to hang about 40kg round my waist but I don't remember ever getting near mid-twenties for bodyweight. High teens for sure but never hit twenty from what I recall.

How much do you weigh? Also how often have you been doing them to get to this level? Have you noticed any changes to your physique?

[Marky147]

House move alone would do it, imo.

For obv reasons, I didn't have to help, and it wound me up enough to want to never move again

[EvilPie]

Managed 5, 5, 5 then 8 on my AMRAP at 102.5kg so it's up to 105kg next week.

All three of us got our 8 today so a good day all round and all helping to motivate each other was great.

Finished off a good week hitting 8 on the AMRAP for every exercise although it's to be expected when you're at 70% Might get tougher as the weeks roll on and we get towards the magic 80%

80% for each movement will be:

Squat = 92.5kg
Deadlift = 140kg
Bench = 112.5kg
OHP = 60kg

Of these I think OHP is the one I'll hit first although I may have been a touch conservative with my max estimate. I went with 75kg although earlier in the week I got a 72.5kg triple so it probably should've been more like 80kg. Never mind, I'm in to it now so won't change anything. Good thing about this programme is if you set any of your numbers wrong you either blast through to where you should be really quickly or drop back to something more manageable.

Bench looks the toughest of the lot. 5 at 112.5kg shouldn't be too bad but flicking in that extra 3 on the 4th set won't be easy especially if we keep doing incline first to pre-fatigue. Checking back when I've recorded previous bench programmes the closest I've got to those numbers was a spell when I did 5 x 5 at 110kg. That was back when I hit my 145kg PR so I can be confident that when I get to my target I've genuinely gained some strength.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

[EvilPie]

House move alone would do it, imo.

For obv reasons, I didn't have to help, and it wound me up enough to want to never move again

Yeah it probably is that to be fair. I don't feel stressed by it but deep down there's probably some worries going on.

I actually bought the place in November 2016 and have been doing it up ever since. My planned move in date (which has changed many times) is now May 26th so it's very close.

I'd originally budgeted to stay in my existing house for 6 months so adding a year to that has stretched the finances somewhat.

Also being close to the end the money is getting a bit stretched and it's the expensive shit still to do like the bloody kitchen!!

Actually as I'm typing I'm starting to panic. Yup that's it then

[Marky147]

House move alone would do it, imo.

For obv reasons, I didn't have to help, and it wound me up enough to want to never move again

Yeah it probably is that to be fair. I don't feel stressed by it but deep down there's probably some worries going on.

I actually bought the place in November 2016 and have been doing it up ever since. My planned move in date (which has changed many times) is now May 26th so it's very close.

I'd originally budgeted to stay in my existing house for 6 months so adding a year to that has stretched the finances somewhat.

Also being close to the end the money is getting a bit stretched and it's the expensive shit still to do like the bloody kitchen!!

Actually as I'm typing I'm starting to panic. Yup that's it then

Stressed me out, and I was only reading

Building stuff always goes over time, I remember when my parents had an extension built, and I think it took about double the time.

[kukushkin88]

I will post a video of max rep wide arm pull ups next week. It'll be mid 20's.

Seriously impressive.

Do you do weighted pull ups at all? I used to find they were great for increasing my total BW reps.

I'm sure I used to hang about 40kg round my waist but I don't remember ever getting near mid-twenties for bodyweight. High teens for sure but never hit twenty from what I recall.

How much do you weigh? Also how often have you been doing them to get to this level? Have you noticed any changes to your physique?

I started from not being able to do any about 22 months ago, started with chin ups and built slowly from there starting like 2x2 and worked up to 6x10. I do them nearly everyday, maybe one rest day in 10. I weigh 70 kilos 6ft tall, I haven't done any weighted ones other than a very small number with my weighted back pack that I use for running, it's 13 kilos. I'm back in the gym atm for the first time in years, I'll try some weighted ones there. Massive changes to my physique, much more so than the press ups. All of my clothes that I still have from before I started don't even nearly fit. I'll get a video organised this week.

I hope you get everything organised for the house move with a minimum of stress.

[Marky147]

Very impressive, that.

I've never been able to do them, but wonder if I might be able to now. Will be awkward, because I have no backlift on my legs, to hold them behind me

[iRaise]

Quick update my end, annoying last few weeks in having to train 4 days in a row, I do like a rest/lighter day on a wednesday just to recharge.

This week is was the alternate rotation.

So Rack pulls 3x5 205 then 4x8 Chins BW
Seated DB OHP 3x5 28kg (hardest part I am going to have is flicking them up) I did raise the bench to 4x8-10 75kg this week
Lunges 3x5e 80kg. V hard and didn't create enough tension. 4x8 Squat 80kg. Knee hurt a little so didn't want to up to 90, so kept it slow and steady for the reps
DL today 3x5 162.5 then some smith machine squats, 3 seconds down 3 seconds up.

We had some heavy leg press in there, heavy LPD and heavy cable rows.

Nice week training and still feel like I have got more in the tank.

Last two weigh ins I have done (that I remember at least, not overly tracking and no major time frame or consistency, I think this is a REALLY bad idea for most people. Either everyday or once a month) But I have gone from 90.5 to 88.6. Will do one the next time I am near a scale, but with the weather getting slightly better and throwing a few walks in. Hoping to be at 85 pretty sharpish.


Hows everyone else doing.

Did you not read my last post? Only went and smashed those 50s for the first time in ages

Deadlifts are looking really strong there mate, we definitely need to meet up for a deadlift PR day sometime soon. I'm a way behind you on the 3 x 5 weight but my strength is coming on really well so I reckon a 180 is on the cards with a 200 for you. 

Found a guy on youtube today who seems to have some great deadlift tips. John Paul Cauchi, well worth a look. Got some great cues that I'm going to try next DL day particularly with engaging the lats properly whilst still maintaining the longest arms possible.

Completely missed that, on the incline too? Vvv strong, I am around the 32-36 range for DB pressing

[muckthenuts]

Honestly Matt your bench numbers are absolutely insane!!

After hitting my 100kg squat goal for the year i've shifted more focus to the bench. Last week i managed 3 reps of 60kg (for me this is hugely heavy and took a ton of effort). I want to keep pushing this until i get 5x5 out at the 60kg level. No real time frame for this, just want to get it done by the end of summer if possible but i won't beat myself up if i won't. Bench has always been a weird one for me, i see 95% of my gym warm up with weights i couldn't push out a 1RM for and i just wonder why/how. Just one of those things i suppose. Tbh i would probably swap my bench and squat numbers if i had the chance  

Everything else going pretty well with my PT, really happy with him for the main reason that it's led to consistency this year. Also soooo nice to have someone else set up & rerack your weights haha. Hasn't been a great deal to report really but i probably look as good as i've ever looked though the body fat is still there. Happy to be patient and just see what happens by the end of the year.

[EvilPie]

Honestly Matt your bench numbers are absolutely insane!!

After hitting my 100kg squat goal for the year i've shifted more focus to the bench. Last week i managed 3 reps of 60kg (for me this is hugely heavy and took a ton of effort). I want to keep pushing this until i get 5x5 out at the 60kg level. No real time frame for this, just want to get it done by the end of summer if possible but i won't beat myself up if i won't. Bench has always been a weird one for me, i see 95% of my gym warm up with weights i couldn't push out a 1RM for and i just wonder why/how. Just one of those things i suppose. Tbh i would probably swap my bench and squat numbers if i had the chance  

Everything else going pretty well with my PT, really happy with him for the main reason that it's led to consistency this year. Also soooo nice to have someone else set up & rerack your weights haha. Hasn't been a great deal to report really but i probably look as good as i've ever looked though the body fat is still there. Happy to be patient and just see what happens by the end of the year.

It's all relative mate, the two guys I train with are both 20kg ahead of me and another guy who joined us for half an hour on Saturday pushed out a single at 160kg after a 140kg triple. Makes me look positively weak

Your numbers look to be far better proportioned than mine are to be fair. My bench is good but I haven't squatted above 90kg for as long as I can remember. Admittedly it's partly due to some kind of injury but even if I was 100% I wouldn't be going over 120kg.

How many times do you bench per week? How's your technique? Any chance of a video for us to critique? Any chance of you meeting up with us at some point when we finally manage to arrange something?

Happy to try to help you out with this if you're up for a few tips although I assume you're being guided by your PT? Do you just do as he says or do you have some input in to what you do?

[EvilPie]

I will post a video of max rep wide arm pull ups next week. It'll be mid 20's.

Seriously impressive.

Do you do weighted pull ups at all? I used to find they were great for increasing my total BW reps.

I'm sure I used to hang about 40kg round my waist but I don't remember ever getting near mid-twenties for bodyweight. High teens for sure but never hit twenty from what I recall.

How much do you weigh? Also how often have you been doing them to get to this level? Have you noticed any changes to your physique?

I started from not being able to do any about 22 months ago, started with chin ups and built slowly from there starting like 2x2 and worked up to 6x10. I do them nearly everyday, maybe one rest day in 10. I weigh 70 kilos 6ft tall, I haven't done any weighted ones other than a very small number with my weighted back pack that I use for running, it's 13 kilos. I'm back in the gym atm for the first time in years, I'll try some weighted ones there. Massive changes to my physique, much more so than the press ups. All of my clothes that I still have from before I started don't even nearly fit. I'll get a video organised this week.

I hope you get everything organised for the house move with a minimum of stress.

That's awesome mate it really is. When I used to do lots of wide grip pull ups my back looked amazing, any time I leaned back against a wall I could feel the slab of muscle in my back and I loved it.

If you add some weight it'll help even more, there aren't many thing better for building biceps than weighted pull ups. If you keep doing them you'll never need to do a curl in your life.

[EvilPie]

Completely missed that, on the incline too? Vvv strong, I am around the 32-36 range for DB pressing

Yeah it was incline. I can't remember when I last did incline (apart from the previous week of course) and I've never particularly liked them.

I was completed shocked at how easily they moved, I was half expecting to just get stuck but the first one moved really fast so I just pushed out another four then stopped before I started to slow down.

My best guess is that it's all the OHP work I've been doing that's made them so easy. My bench is decent but there's obviously a huge carry over from OHP which would've really helped. Confidence also played a big part as 40kg felt pretty much like a warm up.

I'm starting to feel as strong as I've ever done now. Would be fun to see how many a 100kg AMRAP would get if I wasn't pausing, definitely 10, probably 12 maybe 15......