Blonde will make you STRONG

[Marky147]

Started back yesterday, and it went pretty well. Not forcing things, and doing more reps with a slightly lower amount of weight than I was prior to picking up the niggle.

Going to book in with the sports massage chap every 6 weeks, as it can't hurt for him to just give me a once over regularly.

Legs today, and almost got 3 sets of 10 inverted hack squats, but my clonus went nuts in the 3rd set, and only got to 8.

Went to leg press and did

10 reps 1 plate per side
10 reps 1.5 plates
8 reps 2 plates
6 reps 2 plates
8 reps 1 plate
16 reps nothing

Already feeling sore, and no doubt going to suffer tomorrow. Off tomorrow, then back in for Shoulders & Triceps on Thursday, and Back on Friday.

[iRaise]

I thought the last 140 you did was pretty dam clean!

Love a bit of pause work at the minute I have to be honest. I think it can be so helpful to teach control of the movement and overcome some weaker/sticking points. Some big numbers right there.

Can't believe how much my chest was aching Monday and also a little bit still today. Clearly it was a tough session but I'm ready for a light upper tomorrow.

I took Monday off then did a nice steady lower session today. Leg press very light but really deep to try to help a hip impingement I've got. Squats just up to 80kg for 5. Easy RDL up to 60kg and then 3 x 3 deadlift at 100kg.

All felt very easy but still felt like I'd benefitted from it nicely.

I'm eating like a pig at the moment which should help recovery. Saw a silent Mike tip on how to improve your bench; 1, eat more. 2, eat more. Okay I get the point.

Sleep is shit and could really do with improving. Unfortunately it's always been shit and I can't see how it's going to change any time soon so I'll just have to deal with it.

I'm actually feeling incredibly confident at the moment about the bench and also my deadlift. Those 3 x 3 today were very easy so that really helped after I fried myself doing some 150kg singles. Few weeks of 100kg triples and I reckon I'll be good for 170kg or so on test day.

Any updates from anyone else?

Haha, I am eat more is the general trend for powerlifters right. Some good content coming from those guys though.

Numbers progress seems pretty good, definitely be pushing that 3 number up for DL. More than capable. Confidence is a big thing too, if you are confident and eating well now is most certainly the time to go for linear progression.

[iRaise]

Started back yesterday, and it went pretty well. Not forcing things, and doing more reps with a slightly lower amount of weight than I was prior to picking up the niggle.

Going to book in with the sports massage chap every 6 weeks, as it can't hurt for him to just give me a once over regularly.

Legs today, and almost got 3 sets of 10 inverted hack squats, but my clonus went nuts in the 3rd set, and only got to 8.

Went to leg press and did

10 reps 1 plate per side
10 reps 1.5 plates
8 reps 2 plates
6 reps 2 plates
8 reps 1 plate
16 reps nothing

Already feeling sore, and no doubt going to suffer tomorrow. Off tomorrow, then back in for Shoulders & Triceps on Thursday, and Back on Friday.

'Accidentally' haven't done hack squats for weeks.

Great numbers

[iRaise]

No major numbers my end, just practicing OH squats for legs.

4x6 50/52.5 kg.

3x5 Split squat 52.5

3x6-8 Fronts 72.5kg

4x8 RDL 105kg

For upper I have taken the bench out just to give my shoulders a chance to adapt the the OH. They feel a little twingey, so stuck the machine press in for my main press and just doing handstands and flyes for the rest. OAR at 50s still and getting much better reps.

DL'd twice last week as my mate came over, just pause and a few sets of 5 at 150. Really focusing on whole body tension since the last meet up with Matt and watching a few videos. Seemed to have dropped my ego well on that and sneaking up in weight without realising. Not even that motivated to get to the 200 mark again just yet, far more concerned on executing all my movements better. Definitely chasing progress in tension that in KG moved.

[Whollyflush]

I've been spordically training as I've been away for stag do's but I'm settling in to this routine you guys recommended, so cheers fellas.

upper 1                                                                                           upper 2

3x8 80kg tricep pull (do 55 3x8)                                                   pulldowns 8x3 60kg

Bench Press 5x 50kg 4x 65kg 3x 70kg 2x70kg                                 Bench Press 5x50 3x3 70kg                           
bent over row 65kg 3x6                                                               OHP dumbell 3X6 (20KG)
OHP machine 3X8 80KG                                                               Inc Dumbell press 6x 22kg

side lateral raise 3x8 8kg                                                              tricep dips

lower 1                                                                                     Lower 2

Squats 3x8 55kg                                                                        squats 3x6 60kg
RDL 3x 6 60kg?                                                                         DL 3X6 60kg
calf raises 3x10 at 100kg                                                             DB reverse Lunge 3x8
leg extensions 3x10 60kg                                                            Ab Machine 3x12 60kg
planks 2:30                                                                              3x 1min plank/side plank
3x 20 leg raises with resistance

I'm off to the Irish open for poker tomorrow but after this weekend I should get back to going to the gym 4 times a week. Luckily my gym is getting new equipment in soon so i'll be able to add a leg press and others hopefully. Just keeping reps quite low and will gradly add more weight to push myself while trying to eat a bunch. I'm pretty new to Deadlifts so I'm keeping the weight off until i feel i've got a good grasp of the correct form. Think i might start adding a 1 rep max on the bench press also at the end.

[iRaise]

I've been spordically training as I've been away for stag do's but I'm settling in to this routine you guys recommended, so cheers fellas.

upper 1                                                                                           upper 2

3x8 80kg tricep pull (do 55 3x8)                                                   pulldowns 8x3 60kg

Bench Press 5x 50kg 4x 65kg 3x 70kg 2x70kg                                 Bench Press 5x50 3x3 70kg                           
bent over row 65kg 3x6                                                               OHP dumbell 3X6 (20KG)
OHP machine 3X8 80KG                                                               Inc Dumbell press 6x 22kg

side lateral raise 3x8 8kg                                                              tricep dips

lower 1                                                                                     Lower 2

Squats 3x8 55kg                                                                        squats 3x6 60kg
RDL 3x 6 60kg?                                                                         DL 3X6 60kg
calf raises 3x10 at 100kg                                                             DB reverse Lunge 3x8
leg extensions 3x10 60kg                                                            Ab Machine 3x12 60kg
planks 2:30                                                                              3x 1min plank/side plank
3x 20 leg raises with resistance

I'm off to the Irish open for poker tomorrow but after this weekend I should get back to going to the gym 4 times a week. Luckily my gym is getting new equipment in soon so i'll be able to add a leg press and others hopefully. Just keeping reps quite low and will gradly add more weight to push myself while trying to eat a bunch. I'm pretty new to Deadlifts so I'm keeping the weight off until i feel i've got a good grasp of the correct form. Think i might start adding a 1 rep max on the bench press also at the end.

Seems good, you may want a bit more volume as you get stronger. Possible another exercise on each day? I guess equipment depending as to what. Accessory work you are probably best adding some more reps to the set just get a bit closer to fatigue but thats very dependant on where you are at now.

Wouldn't mind seeing some BW squats for reps of something to help fine tune the movement, same with lunges.

[Marky147]

Started back yesterday, and it went pretty well. Not forcing things, and doing more reps with a slightly lower amount of weight than I was prior to picking up the niggle.

Going to book in with the sports massage chap every 6 weeks, as it can't hurt for him to just give me a once over regularly.

Legs today, and almost got 3 sets of 10 inverted hack squats, but my clonus went nuts in the 3rd set, and only got to 8.

Went to leg press and did

10 reps 1 plate per side
10 reps 1.5 plates
8 reps 2 plates
6 reps 2 plates
8 reps 1 plate
16 reps nothing

Already feeling sore, and no doubt going to suffer tomorrow. Off tomorrow, then back in for Shoulders & Triceps on Thursday, and Back on Friday.

'Accidentally' haven't done hack squats for weeks.

Great numbers

I'm going to try and get hacks up to 5x10 before I go away in June, and then see how much I weaken over the month away.

Would be nice to eventually get some weight on there, too.

[EvilPie]

Started back yesterday, and it went pretty well. Not forcing things, and doing more reps with a slightly lower amount of weight than I was prior to picking up the niggle.

Going to book in with the sports massage chap every 6 weeks, as it can't hurt for him to just give me a once over regularly.

Legs today, and almost got 3 sets of 10 inverted hack squats, but my clonus went nuts in the 3rd set, and only got to 8.

Went to leg press and did

10 reps 1 plate per side
10 reps 1.5 plates
8 reps 2 plates
6 reps 2 plates
8 reps 1 plate
16 reps nothing

Already feeling sore, and no doubt going to suffer tomorrow. Off tomorrow, then back in for Shoulders & Triceps on Thursday, and Back on Friday.

That's a lot of reps for your first session back. Still feeling sore I assume?

I've been doing really light weights on leg press but they're still showing a huge benefit for me. The days of piling on loads of plates are behind me now. Light weight for sets of 8 to 10 and I can see a huge change in my quads after just a few months. Definitely not an exercise you need to be going heavy on in my opinion.

Great to see you back on it. Hope it continues.

[Marky147]

Started back yesterday, and it went pretty well. Not forcing things, and doing more reps with a slightly lower amount of weight than I was prior to picking up the niggle.

Going to book in with the sports massage chap every 6 weeks, as it can't hurt for him to just give me a once over regularly.

Legs today, and almost got 3 sets of 10 inverted hack squats, but my clonus went nuts in the 3rd set, and only got to 8.

Went to leg press and did

10 reps 1 plate per side
10 reps 1.5 plates
8 reps 2 plates
6 reps 2 plates
8 reps 1 plate
16 reps nothing

Already feeling sore, and no doubt going to suffer tomorrow. Off tomorrow, then back in for Shoulders & Triceps on Thursday, and Back on Friday.

That's a lot of reps for your first session back. Still feeling sore I assume?

I've been doing really light weights on leg press but they're still showing a huge benefit for me. The days of piling on loads of plates are behind me now. Light weight for sets of 8 to 10 and I can see a huge change in my quads after just a few months. Definitely not an exercise you need to be going heavy on in my opinion.

Great to see you back on it. Hope it continues.

Not sure it's too many, as my legs do nothing for 90% of every day, but they are still sore, yeah.

The new leg press allows a much deeper range of movement, so I've been doing that, and it's helped a little with my flexibility, too.

If I can get back to what I was doing when I played rugby at school, that will do me.

Got about 10 weeks until summer holidays, so I'll be solid until then, and I'd like to get back into some of my nicer clothes by then

Was interesting listening to Rogan talking about how he doesn't work to failure anymore, and prefers just doing more work at lighter weights.

Suppose it's logical, if you're just looking to maintain, and when you're TRT'd to the gills.

[EvilPie]

Started back yesterday, and it went pretty well. Not forcing things, and doing more reps with a slightly lower amount of weight than I was prior to picking up the niggle.

Going to book in with the sports massage chap every 6 weeks, as it can't hurt for him to just give me a once over regularly.

Legs today, and almost got 3 sets of 10 inverted hack squats, but my clonus went nuts in the 3rd set, and only got to 8.

Went to leg press and did

10 reps 1 plate per side
10 reps 1.5 plates
8 reps 2 plates
6 reps 2 plates
8 reps 1 plate
16 reps nothing

Already feeling sore, and no doubt going to suffer tomorrow. Off tomorrow, then back in for Shoulders & Triceps on Thursday, and Back on Friday.

That's a lot of reps for your first session back. Still feeling sore I assume?

I've been doing really light weights on leg press but they're still showing a huge benefit for me. The days of piling on loads of plates are behind me now. Light weight for sets of 8 to 10 and I can see a huge change in my quads after just a few months. Definitely not an exercise you need to be going heavy on in my opinion.

Great to see you back on it. Hope it continues.

Not sure it's too many, as my legs do nothing for 90% of every day, but they are still sore, yeah.

The new leg press allows a much deeper range of movement, so I've been doing that, and it's helped a little with my flexibility, too.

If I can get back to what I was doing when I played rugby at school, that will do me.

Got about 10 weeks until summer holidays, so I'll be solid until then, and I'd like to get back into some of my nicer clothes by then

Was interesting listening to Rogan talking about how he doesn't work to failure anymore, and prefers just doing more work at lighter weights.

Suppose it's logical, if you're just looking to maintain, and when you're TRT'd to the gills.

Your legs doing nothing for 90% of the day is precisely why it's possibly too many...... Perhaps do fewer reps, don't wear yourself out and then slip in an extra session a couple of days later?

I've gone completely away from failure now other than on the occasional test day and I'm seeing big benefits. When I was bodybuilding every set was to failure which is probably why I needed to do a split routine and only train each body part once per week.

For improving strength I now have little doubt that the 65% to 80% range is the best place to be for the majority of your training. For bodybuilding I still think failure is the way forward but the weights would be much lighter and the rep ranges around 8 to 10.

I don't think what I used to do was wrong because there's no doubt my physique was loads better than it is now. If it's strength you want though then I seriously think you need to avoid failure 95% of the time.

[Marky147]

My legs are sore all the time anyway. They burn, have pins & needles etc.

The pain I get is no worse than I used to get when I could train normally, and was able to squat/dl and the like.

I had only been off for a couple weeks, and had been training since the christmas break, albeit more light stuff with upper body.

Yeah, what you say about failure sounds 100% right, if you're trying to build a physique, you want to be breaking the muscles down as much as possible.

[muckthenuts]

I find it really difficult to train to failure for some reason. Either the pain barrier becomes unbearable or if choose a higher weight I fail while having what feels like plenty left in the tank. Can anyone relate? Or is there just something wrong with me

[iRaise]

I find it really difficult to train to failure for some reason. Either the pain barrier becomes unbearable or if choose a higher weight I fail while having what feels like plenty left in the tank. Can anyone relate? Or is there just something wrong with me

Never train til failure. Sometimes I can push myself through but i just get too beat up. Unless you are spot on with recovery there seems little point to me.

[iRaise]

Broke the 160 barrier for DLs for the first time in a long time today. Felt good, really gaining tension in my body which is great. Feels a very different movement to last time. I am sure the next time I do technique work I will feel the same.

OH Squats just went for reps today. 4x8-10 at 40. Again focussing on technique work.

Pretty solid lower body day. took a little whole longer than I normally take, but felt like a lot of good reps were made.

[Marky147]

Well done mate. Top stuff!