Blonde will make you STRONG

[iRaise]

@ Zero - sport is rife with it not just weightlifting, but most competitive sports.  I will expand on this more when I have time.  Probably tomorrow morning.  (Lottery funding had a lot to do with this when I was competing.)

@ Matt - I use/used deadlift as an assistance exercise.   I probably never went above 170k, I suspect I could probably do 200k when at my peak.  I had toyed with the idea of taking up powerlifting for a spell, but there were never really the numbers when I ventured to their comps.  It seems to be more popular now especially with these crossfit boys and girls and their lolcoaches. 

I follow a guy called Pete Barnett, he does some occasional mentoring on our mentoring program. He is injured at the min, but he was hoping to compete at the Olympics I believe. But he uses the DL alot as assistance and RDL. He is in a higher weight class tho, I think around the 100 mark but I can't quite remember. Loved the videos he used to put up.
.

[muckthenuts]

Today I discovered I can max out the seated row machine at my gym for 5 comfortable reps. Made the ego happy.

I've probably complained a little too much that despite the hours I've put in I haven't really developed much of a "lifters body", or at least not to extent i would have liked before I began this journey in the summer. However one thing I can take from this is that my strength levels have gone up absolute chunks since then. So there is that, and 5x5 definitely works.

I'll never quit the gym, and one day it might start looking like I actually go

[iRaise]

Strength and aesthetics are very different. Some people are naturally gifted, some people work extremely hard on both (and are on point in their diet) but most people will find it tough to be both, so I wouldn't worry.

I am a big fan of building strength then focusing on hypertrophy, plenty of other coaches will disagree and go the other way, it is just personal preference.

But for most people, there are significant difference in mindset/training/diet between the two.

[zerofive]

Strength and aesthetics are very different. Some people are naturally gifted, some people work extremely hard on both (and are on point in their diet) but most people will find it tough to be both, so I wouldn't worry.

I am a big fan of building strength then focusing on hypertrophy, plenty of other coaches will disagree and go the other way, it is just personal preference.

But for most people, there are significant difference in mindset/training/diet between the two.

This.

I like transitioning from strength into hypertrophy, that way my aesthetics training feels easy. Obviously it's still tough, but not comparably. A lot of people will very happily train within hypertrophy parameters for 5 or 6 sessions a week, but good luck doing that under strength training parameters!

[iRaise]

'Rest' day today. I am trying to have active rest days as much as possible. So plan is to walk to the gym around 3 miles and do some handstand practice/mobility work.

Going pretty cooking/baking crazy lately. Won't clog up here with recipes etc, but it is so interesting how you can change X/Y/Z and kcal/taste is totally different. Want to put some hours in the kitchen to give me a better armoury, plus it helps me be a bit more 'normal' when I am eating/around other people and don't have to be like yeah just chicken and broccoli for me mate. ( I am using artistic license there as Sean and Rich know I couldn't care less what I eat when I eat out).

My mum wants to go sugar free, which again anyone who knows me will know what I think about that, ahem skittles. But it will obviously help her become healthier so its a definite plus. But we have been doing some sugar free baking. Going to plus in the macros as with all these things, it has to be replaced by something, and if you are just ramming more kcals down through other sources (for body composition purposes) it isn't a smooth option.

[PokerBroker]

Back to the question about the use of PED's.  I think we know by now that almost every sport in the world to some extent has athletes who are breaking the rules, that is not to say that every competitor is at it, but I almost certainly convinced that those at the top of their respective sports are using something.  The problem is, for me that we now have so much technology/science/different training techniques than what was available even 10 years, 15 years ago - so obviously there are going to be vast improvements.  And no doubt going forward records will be broken again. 

In my sport, I know of a handful of athletes who I have either trained with or competed against who were juiced.  That took various forms there were in the early days guys taking dianabol like it was going out of fashion looking to get that edge and there were guys using amphetamine based products to help with weight control and keep them in lower weight categories.  As time has moved on PEDS have become more advanced.  Each time a new drug gets tested there is someone cooking up something new to beat the testers. 

For PED use became more rife in the UK on the back of Lotto Funding, for competitive athletes there were so many incentives to keeping that funding.  It could involve giving up your job, training full time, gaining access to better coaching/facilities ability to afford good physio etc.   This is further multiplied in spectator driven sports where on the back of a few decent results you can pick up sponsorship.  In a sport like Weightlifting, there aren't many Brits who have an opportunity of hitting the top.  Our best chances of success are CW's but when you look at some of the lifting being done at European, Olympic and World level it put's things into perspective.   

You then look at results from particular nations and then you see the number of athletes who have been banned for positive tests.   I live in hope for a world that is clean, but for as long as there is money to be made then there will always be come level of cheating. 

Incidentally I know of 3 chaps who went to Sofia in the late 90's who trained under the great Abadjiev (sp) who made remarkable gains, I believe them all to have been clean.  The training they spoke of was lots of assistance work, training 6/7 times per day but doing sessions for as short as 10 minutes, then having some sessions for a maximum of 35 minutes.   Always working at 85 - 100% before tapering for comps.  Much emphasis was put on power work, plyometrics,  stretching, and working on every part of the body.  Dietary wise back then it was carb/protein overload but like the training it was eating small but eating often.  I also think this coincided with me seeing heavy weighted good mornings!!!  That made me weep, but it seemed to work.   

[iRaise]

Back to the question about the use of PED's.  I think we know by now that almost every sport in the world to some extent has athletes who are breaking the rules, that is not to say that every competitor is at it, but I almost certainly convinced that those at the top of their respective sports are using something.  The problem is, for me that we now have so much technology/science/different training techniques than what was available even 10 years, 15 years ago - so obviously there are going to be vast improvements.  And no doubt going forward records will be broken again. 

In my sport, I know of a handful of athletes who I have either trained with or competed against who were juiced.  That took various forms there were in the early days guys taking dianabol like it was going out of fashion looking to get that edge and there were guys using amphetamine based products to help with weight control and keep them in lower weight categories.  As time has moved on PEDS have become more advanced.  Each time a new drug gets tested there is someone cooking up something new to beat the testers. 

For PED use became more rife in the UK on the back of Lotto Funding, for competitive athletes there were so many incentives to keeping that funding.  It could involve giving up your job, training full time, gaining access to better coaching/facilities ability to afford good physio etc.   This is further multiplied in spectator driven sports where on the back of a few decent results you can pick up sponsorship.  In a sport like Weightlifting, there aren't many Brits who have an opportunity of hitting the top.  Our best chances of success are CW's but when you look at some of the lifting being done at European, Olympic and World level it put's things into perspective.   

You then look at results from particular nations and then you see the number of athletes who have been banned for positive tests.   I live in hope for a world that is clean, but for as long as there is money to be made then there will always be come level of cheating. 

Incidentally I know of 3 chaps who went to Sofia in the late 90's who trained under the great Abadjiev (sp) who made remarkable gains, I believe them all to have been clean.  The training they spoke of was lots of assistance work, training 6/7 times per day but doing sessions for as short as 10 minutes, then having some sessions for a maximum of 35 minutes.   Always working at 85 - 100% before tapering for comps.  Much emphasis was put on power work, plyometrics,  stretching, and working on every part of the body.  Dietary wise back then it was carb/protein overload but like the training it was eating small but eating often.  I also think this coincided with me seeing heavy weighted good mornings!!!  That made me weep, but it seemed to work.   

I have heard of 10-30 min sessions, but the only two coaches I know of that support it are certainly assisted athletes. So I don't know how helpful it is for a natural athlete.

Martin Mac who gives us some nutritional mentoring works with a female WL, not sure her name but he was over in the US last summer. Pretty sure she is natural and I think she placed. So not sure how much use is in female WL.

I find it so fascinating though, how you can use others to lower your markers etc. You are right though, when there is money in it, people will always try to be the best. i.e. fitness models, even the bikini girls are using now to keep lean all year round. Fascinating stuff, as I am including more walking I want to find some podcasts on it. I am not sure how many people actually understand it, as hormones are so complicated. Listening to a piece on insulin today and the amount of other hormones that get brought in just on one mechanism is crazy.

Who are the names you learn off in your circle? Do you go into nutrition with your athletes or do you let a dietician take over?

[iRaise]

Managed a few wall assisted handstands today, it is so strange, DL-ing 200 doesn't really strain my core. Trying to hold myself up and I can't stop shaking. But really enjoying learning, I am taking bit and pieces of advice from a few different people which isn't optimal but it makes me think for myself and develop my own way of coaching it.

Listened to a podcast (well an hour of it) on insulin and some of the myths regarding it. So interesting to learn more about the mechanics and mechanisms the body has/uses to keep us alive.

Rest day again tomorrow and back in on Sunday for DL's.

[EvilPie]

Cracked the 2000 barrier for press ups tonight. Year total so far is 2111 which is 355 behind target.

I'm up to 5 sets of 30 without hitting failure so I'm hoping it won't be too long before I can stay on track even if I only do 3 sessions a week.

25000 seems a long way away..........

[Eso Kral]

Protein shakes are on MTN 😉. Grats mate!

Click to see full-size image.

[EvilPie]

Shoulders are looking good 

Congrats on the bink!!!

[iRaise]

Cracked the 2000 barrier for press ups tonight. Year total so far is 2111 which is 355 behind target.

I'm up to 5 sets of 30 without hitting failure so I'm hoping it won't be too long before I can stay on track even if I only do 3 sessions a week.

25000 seems a long way away..........

This is what I think every time you mention it, I am like how can someone commit to that and succeed. Gonna give some press up sets a go next week. I want to rep out some handstand press ups over the next few months too.

[iRaise]

Legs today


Deadlifts
2x5 155
2x5 160

Rack Pulls
1x10 120

Had to stick the straps on after the first set which drives me mental. Gonna work hard on grip next few months.


Keeping the dream alive to doing 2xBW for five at the end of the program.

Good week of training this week, hoping for the same next. Going podcast crazy which helps with walking. At the minute they are all nutrition based, but will stick some training ones in there if I find anyone I want to listen to. If anyone has any please feel free to share.

How is everyone else doing? Calling Rich to the thread as I know he is going pretty strong so far.

[muckthenuts]

Lol thanks for the shout Eso

As you can probably guess Friday night ended up pretty messy and i've felt like total crap all weekend. I have an essay due for Tuesday so tomorrow i will likely be spending all day in the library instead of going to the gym, making it a full week since i last had a proper workout. Gotta get my shit together a bit more if i want 5x5 100kg squats by summer.

I should quit drinking completely i reckon. I don't really enjoy it anymore anyway and i want the gains more. Interested to hear how much you lot typically consume over a month or so?

[iRaise]

All depends on how much you drink/enjoyment/recovery.

I can't train hungover or the day after (I say I can't, I am sure I could I am just mentally weak). I don't drink that much anymore, just because of my environment. Most of my friends live in London and I am 200 miles away. I tend to just go out as and when I want to/suits me. Ironically lately I have been drinking much more, but subjectively that could still be a lot less than most.

Also finish work at 9 most nights, so tend to just want to eat and sleep after that, so I only really have Saturday as an option, and I am pretty lazy when it comes to travelling, and the weekends is my deadlift day which I genuinely look forward to all week.

Tough to talk about drinking (or deadlifts) without looking like a massive loser, but I rarely turn a drink down if offered; I just don't get the offer as much as others.