Blonde will make you STRONG

[iRaise]

So weighed myself for the first time in about 8 week I think and down to 85kg. Lowest I have been since I was 19 I think and a very different physique, both aesthetically and physically.

Really happy how I have dieted this time around, a lot more freedom, a lot less pressure and a 100% confidence in the process. Was saying this to someone today, I haven't had any supplement for about 2-3 weeks I think now. And I have been sporadic with them in this year. My mindset has changed so much.

For all the people reading that go 'oh its ok for him' I really am no different. I am just more patient and committed. It has 'only' been four months and so happy with the progress. Makes me want to carry it on.

I am sure I have lost a bit of muscle mass. But confident I can regain that pretty quickly.

3x5 100kg for squats today, so looking for some more progress.

Kinda wanna take Matt on with the bench press, but will let my ego subside this time.

[EvilPie]

I'm only just getting started on bench press mate. I want 120kg in the next few months and if I can find a spotter I'd love to do 3 plates at some point this year. With the continued press ups I think it might just be within the realms of possibility if I gear my training towards the one target.

85kg seems really light for someone of my height. I can't imagine how I'd look at that weight, there'd be nothing left!! You said a few days ago that you want to maintain a presentable physique for summer, if you were much heavier wouldn't you be particularly muscular? What's the heaviest you've been since you've been training? Ever tried to really focus on lean gains? It takes time but it really isn't that tough.

Looks like your strength hasn't suffered too much which is great. Can't fault the squats and your deadlift is awesome at 85kg!!

[iRaise]

I'm only just getting started on bench press mate. I want 120kg in the next few months and if I can find a spotter I'd love to do 3 plates at some point this year. With the continued press ups I think it might just be within the realms of possibility if I gear my training towards the one target.

85kg seems really light for someone of my height. I can't imagine how I'd look at that weight, there'd be nothing left!! You said a few days ago that you want to maintain a presentable physique for summer, if you were much heavier wouldn't you be particularly muscular? What's the heaviest you've been since you've been training? Ever tried to really focus on lean gains? It takes time but it really isn't that tough.

Looks like your strength hasn't suffered too much which is great. Can't fault the squats and your deadlift is awesome at 85kg!!

Yeah strength to weight is ok, kinda pleased with it. But still disappointed not to hit the big 1's.

Yeah defo pretty skinny from some angles, but pretty lean so its kinda accepted. Heaviest ever is 106 when I was training.

Now I am stripped of the fat, it is a lean/strength gain for the foreseeable. I know a lot of fitness models that are like 75-80 when they are super shredded. Obviously looks amazing in photos but in real life just small.

Been a great experience either way. I am probably happiest when I am 90-95.

[EvilPie]

Managed to get the squats back up to 80kg this morning and with really good deep form. Didn't feel easy by any means but I know there's a fair bit more in the tank to be able to get up to 100kg over the next couple of months. I don't really have a desire to go above 100kg but I'll just play that one by ear. I can't see 100kg ever being too easy whilst I keep good form so I think I'm always going to be okay at that.

Following Harvey's lead I've been thinking about having a bit of a trim down phase to see if I can get a bit ripped. My current diet is pretty steady and there's quite a few easy calories I could cut without suffering too much. I have 7 wholemeal pitta breads per day for starters (2 at breakfast, 2 at lunch, 3 at dinner) at about 140 calories each plus 30g of peanut butter at 180 calories so all I need to do is cut that lot down a bit and I can take a chunk out. Problem is I really enjoy what I'm currently eating and I don't know if being trim is worth the reduction in food enjoyment.

Might give it a go for a week and then decide whether it's worth the sacrifice.

[Eso Kral]

Legs day today and having had a longer than normal warm up with some adductor and glute stretches in as well before commencing the same workout but leaving out the single leg reverse lunges from a platform as prescribed for a week or so.

Despite the range of movement being slightly modified by manipulation last week I felt good so kept the weights the same and completed each exercise in good form adding in leg extension having left out the lunge. I finished with a 10 minute warm down and stretch before walking home.

I did a spot check on my eating yesterday as bar the odd day where meetings or real life get in the way this is pretty much routine for me now and prior to commencing this program Harvey (iRaise) had looked at what activity I do outside of training so for me thats walking the dog, a 1.5mile walk to and from school 5 days per week twice per day and a sedentary job and advised that I should eat 2200 cals, 220g carbs, 155g protein, 75g fats so yesterday this was what I ate
5.35am prior to training - 2 slices of brioche bread (on its own) with a double shot of coffee
7.15am as I get in from training - tin of tuna
8.15am - breakfast with the kids of a mini chocolate brioche
11am - 27g porridge oats and 180ml organic skimmed milk
2pm - Sweet Potato with turkey breast and beetroot and 2 sticks of celery
5pm - 80g basmati white rice with roasted chicken breast
6pm succumb to a fig roll
9.15pm 27g porridge with 180ml organic skimmed milk and banana sliced in

The totals for this day were
1982 cals
150g protein
237g carb
39g fat

So I was slightly over in carbs and well under on fat missing protein also by a smidge.
I'm happy for any advice or comments but this sits well with my routine and also the families eating as well so wouldnt want to change too much.

[iRaise]

Managed to get the squats back up to 80kg this morning and with really good deep form. Didn't feel easy by any means but I know there's a fair bit more in the tank to be able to get up to 100kg over the next couple of months. I don't really have a desire to go above 100kg but I'll just play that one by ear. I can't see 100kg ever being too easy whilst I keep good form so I think I'm always going to be okay at that.

Following Harvey's lead I've been thinking about having a bit of a trim down phase to see if I can get a bit ripped. My current diet is pretty steady and there's quite a few easy calories I could cut without suffering too much. I have 7 wholemeal pitta breads per day for starters (2 at breakfast, 2 at lunch, 3 at dinner) at about 140 calories each plus 30g of peanut butter at 180 calories so all I need to do is cut that lot down a bit and I can take a chunk out. Problem is I really enjoy what I'm currently eating and I don't know if being trim is worth the reduction in food enjoyment.

Might give it a go for a week and then decide whether it's worth the sacrifice.

The bit about food enjoyment was the story of my life for the past 4 years. Not sure what triggered it but my mindset this time has been spot on. Definitely a place of right place right time. Btu incredibly glad I have done it, as I can keep a lean shape for the foreseeable now. It is one of those where one minute I am 99kg the next I am 85 and I haven't really noticed much change, just followed the process.

Making those little tweaks are huge, you can drop fat without even realising it. For me taking out rice cakes worked for about 3 months, ha.

[iRaise]

Legs day today and having had a longer than normal warm up with some adductor and glute stretches in as well before commencing the same workout but leaving out the single leg reverse lunges from a platform as prescribed for a week or so.

Despite the range of movement being slightly modified by manipulation last week I felt good so kept the weights the same and completed each exercise in good form adding in leg extension having left out the lunge. I finished with a 10 minute warm down and stretch before walking home.

I did a spot check on my eating yesterday as bar the odd day where meetings or real life get in the way this is pretty much routine for me now and prior to commencing this program Harvey (iRaise) had looked at what activity I do outside of training so for me thats walking the dog, a 1.5mile walk to and from school 5 days per week twice per day and a sedentary job and advised that I should eat 2200 cals, 220g carbs, 155g protein, 75g fats so yesterday this was what I ate
5.35am prior to training - 2 slices of brioche bread (on its own) with a double shot of coffee
7.15am as I get in from training - tin of tuna
8.15am - breakfast with the kids of a mini chocolate brioche
11am - 27g porridge oats and 180ml organic skimmed milk
2pm - Sweet Potato with turkey breast and beetroot and 2 sticks of celery
5pm - 80g basmati white rice with roasted chicken breast
6pm succumb to a fig roll
9.15pm 27g porridge with 180ml organic skimmed milk and banana sliced in

The totals for this day were
1982 cals
150g protein
237g carb
39g fat

So I was slightly over in carbs and well under on fat missing protein also by a smidge.
I'm happy for any advice or comments but this sits well with my routine and also the families eating as well so wouldnt want to change too much.

Mate food there looks bang on, now it is just a matter of patience and consistency

[EvilPie]

Personally I think the protein looks a bit low on the assumption that you're not just trying to keep your weight down but also build muscle.

Generally speaking I'd aim for about 50% of my calories from protein, 40% from carbs and 10% from fats. Based on your calories that would get you up a lot closer to the 1.5g of protein per lb bodyweight that I'd strive for if I wanted to grow. 35/56/9 just looks a touch to biased towards carbs to me but as I've said many a time in the past that's just based on what I know works for me rather than any science.

My best advice would be to see what happens with what you're doing and if it doesn't achieve your goals then make a change. Different people have vastly different requirements in terms of both training and diet in order to achieve the same goal so you need to experiment.

For a basic diet it looks good. For the amount of training you do it just looks a tad light on the stuff that makes your muscles grow.

[EvilPie]

Erm.... Slightly ahead of schedule on the 120kg bench press. I actually managed it this morning for 3 reps unassisted. Really happy with that

I did 80kg x 6, 100kg x 6, 110kg x 5, 120kg x 3

I wouldn't have even given it a go but I felt strong at 110kg and there was a guy there who I know is a good spotter so I was happy to try it with him watching over. I was amazed at how easily I moved the first rep so that gave me the confidence to push on for a couple more.

Followed it up with some steady bent over rows at 60kg and then a decent OHP at 60kg for 6 reps and then 65kg for 3.

I even managed 4 sets of 4 chin ups without any arm pain so all in all an amazing morning at the gym!!

[iRaise]

Erm.... Slightly ahead of schedule on the 120kg bench press. I actually managed it this morning for 3 reps unassisted. Really happy with that

I did 80kg x 6, 100kg x 6, 110kg x 5, 120kg x 3

I wouldn't have even given it a go but I felt strong at 110kg and there was a guy there who I know is a good spotter so I was happy to try it with him watching over. I was amazed at how easily I moved the first rep so that gave me the confidence to push on for a couple more.

Followed it up with some steady bent over rows at 60kg and then a decent OHP at 60kg for 6 reps and then 65kg for 3.

I even managed 4 sets of 4 chin ups without any arm pain so all in all an amazing morning at the gym!!

Good strength!!

I am loving chins lately, it is the one thing that is always getting better haha, skinny kid wins.

Decent day training my end. Deadlifts tomorrow so I go pretty high carb for the next 24 hours then drop them the day after. I say high carb it is like 400g which would be a 'normal' day.

[zerofive]

Not going to be posting any sick numbers for a few months yet, but I achieved upward bow earlier

I want to have another go at getting a few of us together for a session if anyone is interested?

[iRaise]

Not going to be posting any sick numbers for a few months yet, but I achieved upward bow earlier

I want to have another go at getting a few of us together for a session if anyone is interested?

Very keen, although April weekends are pretty busy. Open for options in May

[EvilPie]

Not going to be posting any sick numbers for a few months yet, but I achieved upward bow earlier

I want to have another go at getting a few of us together for a session if anyone is interested?

Very keen, although April weekends are pretty busy. Open for options in May

Let me know when and where and if I'm available I'll be there. Assuming everybody's planning on lifting some big chunks of metal of course rather that comparing their downwards dog......

FWIW my downward dog is awesome but you won't get to see it so you'll have to just believe me.

[zerofive]

Not going to be posting any sick numbers for a few months yet, but I achieved upward bow earlier

I want to have another go at getting a few of us together for a session if anyone is interested?

Very keen, although April weekends are pretty busy. Open for options in May

Let me know when and where and if I'm available I'll be there. Assuming everybody's planning on lifting some big chunks of metal of course rather that comparing their downwards dog......

FWIW my downward dog is awesome but you won't get to see it so you'll have to just believe me.

Looks pretty solid in your avatar mate.

I won't be lifting heavy as I'm still under my own strict instructions not to. Very happy to offer form fix & advice as a PT of course. Then we can finish with some athletic stuff. Cones/sled/ropes/ladders etc.

[EvilPie]

Not going to be posting any sick numbers for a few months yet, but I achieved upward bow earlier

I want to have another go at getting a few of us together for a session if anyone is interested?

Very keen, although April weekends are pretty busy. Open for options in May

Let me know when and where and if I'm available I'll be there. Assuming everybody's planning on lifting some big chunks of metal of course rather that comparing their downwards dog......

FWIW my downward dog is awesome but you won't get to see it so you'll have to just believe me.

Looks pretty solid in your avatar mate.

I won't be lifting heavy as I'm still under my own strict instructions not to. Very happy to offer form fix & advice as a PT of course. Then we can finish with some athletic stuff. Cones/sled/ropes/ladders etc.

Quite keen on having a go at deadlifts in the near future so wouldn't mind a few tips on those as I've got pretty much zero experience with them.

Form check on squats would be cool although I think I'm good there.

Depending on when we do it possibly a spot for an attempt at 140kg bench...... It's a long shot but after yesterday I feel really positive that it could be possible much sooner than I originally thought.

I have similar strict instructions when it comes to athletic stuff so I'll be hitting the rest area for a protein shake while you and Harvey dance about a bit.....