Blonde will make you STRONG

[iRaise]

Doing a slightly edited program. Based off the last one:

Week 1 4x8
Week 2 4x6
Week 3 4x4
Week 4 4x2

On back squats and maybe front squats.

Going through a bad migraine cycle, so strength work is really tough as the few days after my energy levels are like 50%. At least with the volume work I can just get my head down and go through it a bit better.

Upper body work just focusing on the 8 rep range.

Everyone else seems to be flying, great to see!

[zerofive]

Finally back at the gym yesterday. Didn't put more than 50kg on the bar for 10 rep incline bench. A little surprising at just how weak I was, but hopefully those numbers will shoot back up without having to "force it."

I'm going to restart with upper/lower for a few weeks until I feel comfortable going back into that pyramid program.

Good to see everyone crushing still. Keep going!

[EvilPie]

Finally back at the gym yesterday. Didn't put more than 50kg on the bar for 10 rep incline bench. A little surprising at just how weak I was, but hopefully those numbers will shoot back up without having to "force it."

I'm going to restart with upper/lower for a few weeks until I feel comfortable going back into that pyramid program.

Good to see everyone crushing still. Keep going!

What's been the problem Sean? Any particular area that got injured?

Upper/lower worked really well for me when I was coming back after injury.

Most important thing is to take your time. It's a long game this one....

[iRaise]

4x8 at 90 today, pretty solid reps although ankle mobility still needs some work.

I remember two years ago doing something similar, but with just awful reps. Like a serious half repper, I am probably being generous with that. Anyway, saw a guy online, not in particularly great shape, but a bit of a beast do 100kg for 20. He was probably around the 80/85 kg at the time, and had such good form. He was about 15-20 years into training, I think he was a journalist for mens health or something. I remember thinking at the time how quick I would be able to do that. Frustrates me so much I was so naive/arrogant to think that I had this little bit of knowledge I could out do someone with 15 more years of training experience. Thankfully with a little more knowledge now I can see the bigger picture. Definitely in the back of my mind though to be able to get 20 at a 100.

My second humbling experience of the week was meeting an old client in the gym. When she came to me, we talked about what she had done before. She is around the 24/25 mark and she had done the lot. Weight watchers/slimming world/body coach plan/cross fit/paleo/atkins. I was like whoa. This should be easy then, just follow flexible dieting and move well.

The warning signals obviously didn't twig. She clearly has no sticking power, but I felt so guilty yesterday when I saw her. She left around 6 months ago, and she is at least double the size. So frustrating and sad to see. And incredibly frustrated at myself for how I handled it. Fortunately I have learnt one or two lessons, although I still find that type of person incredibly hard to deal with. Even more fortunately our mentoring group has a few webinar and seminar courses on client adherence which I will have to take a look at. It always makes me so mad when I see ex members in worse condition, and always at myself. Being in lean is in theory so so easy, there is no fancy science to it at all. Sure to be absolutely shredded is a bit more serious. But to just be generally lean and healthy is like 3-4 hours in the gym, don't go over your KCALs hit sufficient protein. Pretty much that simple. It definitely is a life mission of mine to help more people understand that. It angers me that so many companies make billions over complicating the most simple process on the planet.

Anyway rant over, not even sure why I started that story in the first place!

[EvilPie]

It's the Companies making billions selling people burgers that you should be frustrated with.

Seriously some people are just fat and lazy and there's nothing you can do about it so just get over it and move on to someone who deserves your help. These people just want a quick fix and they aren't prepared to put any real work in. They expect to get fit by eating a couple of salads and going to 'boot camp' a couple of times but they won't miss out on 'chippy Friday' because they deserve a treat after all the effort they've put in.

I reckon you should send her to Ant. She's the sort that would benefit from eating plants but I doubt she'd even stick to something which requires zero physical input to achieve a bit of weight loss.

I'm not even joking about that by the way. She'll never stick to anything that involves being in the gym but she clearly likes 'fads' as she's tried them all. What she needs is to find a 'fad' that she actually sticks to so maybe the nuts and plants thing is the way forward.

She needs to see weight loss every week or she'll quit and Ant's thing will definitely provide that. I'm sure he has a copy of the vegan bible you could chuck her way.

Unless it's on the accepted food list and he's eaten it of course....

[iRaise]

It's the Companies making billions selling people burgers that you should be frustrated with.

Seriously some people are just fat and lazy and there's nothing you can do about it so just get over it and move on to someone who deserves your help. These people just want a quick fix and they aren't prepared to put any real work in. They expect to get fit by eating a couple of salads and going to 'boot camp' a couple of times but they won't miss out on 'chippy Friday' because they deserve a treat after all the effort they've put in.

I reckon you should send her to Ant. She's the sort that would benefit from eating plants but I doubt she'd even stick to something which requires zero physical input to achieve a bit of weight loss.

I'm not even joking about that by the way. She'll never stick to anything that involves being in the gym but she clearly likes 'fads' as she's tried them all. What she needs is to find a 'fad' that she actually sticks to so maybe the nuts and plants thing is the way forward.

She needs to see weight loss every week or she'll quit and Ant's thing will definitely provide that. I'm sure he has a copy of the vegan bible you could chuck her way.

Unless it's on the accepted food list and he's eaten it of course....

Oh for sure, although ultimately we are the only ones accountable for our actions, education is key to making good decisions. So I blame me as a health professional, and the companies praying on people. I think if people accepted how it actually worked, they would do it. But people want hope and miracles, and as long as someone is selling that, they buy into it. But I 100% think for those with integrity it is our duty to try to over turn this and make people realise. Otherwise A) they endanger never getting there throughout their entire life and B), which is much more important to me, the NHS is gonna go boom cos they can't afford to treat the lifestyle related diseased. I think the NHS is the most amazing thing, not perfect, but amazing. And to think one day someone might no the able to get care/treatment for genetic diseases because we are too busy treating lifestyle ones make me want to cry.

I think our communication as trainers and coaches sucks too. For all his faults, the body coach is absolutely amazing at his message across and getting people to buy in. If he just tweaked his message he could genuinely change the world.

[muckthenuts]

I was wondering, are there are any legit reasons why my quads are absolutely huge from squats but i somehow struggle to gain muscle mass on basically every other part of my body? Am i just doing it wrong everywhere else?

Regarding the obvious area, i'm definitely not strict on Kcals or my diet in general but i'm not terrible either. I'm relatively mindful of what goes onto my plate and always try to make sure i'm consuming sufficient amount of protein. Maybe i don't work out hard enough, but at the same time, i don't seem to see people at my gym do much beyond what i'm doing yet they're much, much bigger than me sometimes! I'm aware genetics plays a part but if my quads can explode, surely the rest of me can too? I don't really get it. Maybe i need a PT session with one of you lot.

[iRaise]

I was wondering, are there are any legit reasons why my quads are absolutely huge from squats but i somehow struggle to gain muscle mass on basically every other part of my body? Am i just doing it wrong everywhere else?

Regarding the obvious area, i'm definitely not strict on Kcals or my diet in general but i'm not terrible either. I'm relatively mindful of what goes onto my plate and always try to make sure i'm consuming sufficient amount of protein. Maybe i don't work out hard enough, but at the same time, i don't seem to see people at my gym do much beyond what i'm doing yet they're much, much bigger than me sometimes! I'm aware genetics plays a part but if my quads can explode, surely the rest of me can too? I don't really get it. Maybe i need a PT session with one of you lot.

Genetics plays a fairly big role in muscle recruitment/growth. As does angles/technique of the movement. So all movements effects different people in different ways. Quads are pretty big muscles so the relative growth of them to other muscles will always be bigger too.

And i guess most obvious answer is you're often gonna lift more on the squat than other movements. Speshly if you are following a powerlifting methodology.

I know a few people who say that if X grows it all grows. But I am not so sure I can believe that.

For a natural athlete i think its best to focus on one body part for gains and try to maintain others (if there are beginner gains or just general gains then winner) But focusing on building up all areas is A) really tough B) requires exceptional recovery techniques.

Then we get into the what does 'sufficient', 'not terrible, 'hard enough', 'explode' mean. Subjectivity is the kryptonite of fitness.

My very general/unspecific advice.

Eat in a surplus of around 3-500KCAL everyday.
Progressively overload in training, add X kg per week on the big lifts.

[iRaise]

4x8 Rack Pulls today at 165 which was significantly harder than I thought.

Crazy stiff from legs on Tuesday, so hopefully pull up well over night for legs tomorrow.

[iRaise]

4x8 Fronts today at 70. Again harder than I thought. Still a big stiff from all sessions this week and had some really poor thoracic mobility with did naaaat help. But really pleased with this weeks training in general. Intend to eat and sleep all weekend.

Had a few uncomfortable chats with people, sometimes I struggle to sugar coat things and some people definitely need it sugar coated. The two people i had them with this week are top of that list, and maybe went a bit to blunt on a few of my points, but you live and learn I guess.

All aboard for next week. 4 sessions planned and a 2 hour sports massage.

[iRaise]

'This scientific research, and its implications, are both good news and bad news. The good news is that, through advances in pain science research, we have a much more complete understanding of what pain is. The bad news that emerges from this research, however, is that pain is a complex experience influenced by multiple factors. This means that there are no quick fixes to the complex problem that is pain, and this is a big challenge for the health professionals who are trying to sell quick fixes. But it also gives hope for new advances in pain treatments that integrate the complexity and multifactorial nature of pain.'

Been reading a lot into pain lately and how it affects us.

This goes in line with what I think about health in general. So many people capitalise on people in pain and sell them a quick fix, where in fact pain can take months and years to subside. Oh, and of course pain doesn't always translate to damage.

[Steve Swift]

Hi Guys this week:

3 press up sessions

Mon, Supposed to do 14,14,10,10,15+
Did                     14, 14,10,10,10. therefore fail,  i think that i was arm tired for previous week, strange how this has happened 2 weeks in a row in this exact spot.

Wed,Supposed to do  14,16,12,12,17+
Did                      14,16,12,12, 18.

Sat, Supposed to do 16,17,14,14,20+  
Did                          16,17,14,14, 21.   last set died at 15 but stayed  in plank and got the last 6 but was spent.

Going to repeat this session this coming week, certainly not ready to move on yet.


Had 3 swimming session, 2 bike session, 2 exercise bike session and 2 short runs.

Feel tired but a nice tired my body is aching in places that it has never ached before, i expect that i have woken up a few muscles that have never been asked to perform before.

Going to plan the next week better, no rest days this week but the sessions were very short so no real implications but as i add more distance/time, will now need recovery time.
Looking forward to next week, gl guys.

[iRaise]

Good week for me. Food has been good, upped the KCALs by about 500 a day, so sitting at around 3,500-3,700 which is helping me recover a bit better.

Got a 10 second hold handstand free from the wall which was the highlight.

Weights wise:

4x6 this week so, back squat 100kg
T Bar row 65kg
Rack Pull 180kg
Front Squat 80kg

All the accessory work felt really good too. All in all a really successful week. The plan for next is 4x4.

How is everyone else doing?

[Steve Swift]

Hi Guys this week:

3 press up sessions

Mon, Supposed to do 14,14,10,10,15+
Did                 14, 14,10,10,20.

Wed,Supposed to do  14,16,12,12,17+
Did           14,16,12,12, 22.

Fri, Supposed to do 16,17,14,14,20+ 
Did                      16,17,14,14, 21.

Sunday test to fail, up to 37 from 33  ( last video was 24 )  but ready to move on week 3
which looks tough so may have to stay on that one for a while, slowly slowly catchy monkey.


Also had 3 swimming session, 1 short bike session and 1 x17 mile bike ride, 1 short run.

Gl all

Steve

[Marky147]

Good week for me. Food has been good, upped the KCALs by about 500 a day, so sitting at around 3,500-3,700 which is helping me recover a bit better.

Got a 10 second hold handstand free from the wall which was the highlight.

Weights wise:

4x6 this week so, back squat 100kg
T Bar row 65kg
Rack Pull 180kg
Front Squat 80kg

All the accessory work felt really good too. All in all a really successful week. The plan for next is 4x4.

How is everyone else doing?

Good stuff mate, glad all is going well.

I've been going ok, but just lazy, and haven't posted everything from notes to here

Friend who trains me has just gone to Corfu for a lads holiday, so having a week break, and back to it upon his return.