Blonde will make you STRONG

[EvilPie]

Epic....!! On both fronts..

What are you doing for recovery?

Haven’t done much apart from pull ups, push ups and 5km everyday (although I’ve missed yesterday and probably today)  not sure wether it’s body dysmorphia but I am noticing my shoulders looking narrower. I was supposed to start weight training again 2 weeks ago but thought I’d give my joints a rest and now feel guilty for losing muscle.

Anyway great to see you still pushing on...

Cheers mate.

When I say 'recovery' I just mean 'rest' really. I should be doing active recovery such as foam rolling and stretching but as I'm sure you know it's boring and nobody can be bothered.....

It's not dysmorphia if you're actually losing muscle is it? It would only be dysmorpia if you were getting bigger but still thought you weren't.

Hopefully get the gyms re-pen before too much longer but I think we're looking at another 6 weeks minimum

I'm so fortunate to have my set up at home but I still can't wait to get back.

[EvilPie]

Bit more progress on squat and bench this week.

Surprised myself by hitting 128kg for a single on squats and it didn't feel too bad at all. Core strength is really getting solid now and I can't thank my mate enough for all of his help getting me where I am. Lockdown is obviously shit but without it my squat would still be very much in 'poverty' territory so I'll have that to take away at least.

Previous best on the home bench was a 133kg triple but went a bit better today hitting 137kg for 2 and then 141.5kg for a reasonably fast single. Lifetime PR is 145kg on a much better bench set up so this is right up there with my best ever.

It'll be interesting to see how far the pure bench/squat routine can progress. Feels like there's a bit left in the tank for both so I'll keep pushing as hard as I can.

[Ledders]

Good stuff. Improving core and bracing technique will keep that squat going up for a while still I think.

I only did 3 workouts in January which is poor. I ran a lot and cut so body comp is ok but felt very weak today. Will try and eat at maintenance and make more effort this month - especially on core.

[the sicilian]

Hanging in there with home workouts.. but having to push myself to do them with limited equipment... motivation is low but once im going and finished glad i did.. cant wait to get back to the gym.. Still carrying some excess Xmas weight and last weeks birthday resulted in a two day pizza and cake orgy im not proud of

one of the parts today was death by burpee.. every minute on the minute and increase by 1..so first minute 1 the second minute 2 and so on ..have a minute to complete each round and then go again..got through round 15..just..not bad considering i am out of shape... and none of these girls squat thrust burpees ...full chest to floor ones with jump on the upward leg 

was going to buy a concept rower.. almost 4 month wait looool

[EvilPie]

Good stuff. Improving core and bracing technique will keep that squat going up for a while still I think.

I only did 3 workouts in January which is poor. I ran a lot and cut so body comp is ok but felt very weak today. Will try and eat at maintenance and make more effort this month - especially on core.

I think you're right. It feels like 140kg is now a reality whereas before I wouldn't have thought I could ever do it.

One thing that will be interesting is how my current routine carries over to OHP. Improved core stability plus all the pressing work could make for an interesting OHP experiment when the gyms re-open.

I can imagine it's difficult getting motivated to train in the current circumstances. I'm in a very lucky position with the home set up but also being able to form a bubble with my training partner. There's no way I'd be doing anything remotely similar to what I'm doing now without my mate joining me 5 times per week.

Anything you can motivate yourself to do is a benefit so I'd say the main thing is not to worry about the '3 workouts in January' and just focus on what you do in the future. Whatever happens between now and the gyms opening is a bonus and it won't take long to be back to full strength once we're back at it.

[EvilPie]

Hit a new bench press PR yesterday

I've been stuck at 140kg for years and it seemed like I'd be at that forever but I managed 148kg for what was a surprisingly quick rep.

Felt absolutely locked solid when I un-racked the bar and I really think this is largely down to the new squat regime that's really working my overall stability.

Followed it up with 141.5kg for another single and then 108kg for 12.

Not sure how long the progress will continue as I'm bound to plateau at some point but the new routine is currently working wonders.

[Marky147]

Congrats on the PR, Matt!

7 plates coming

[Marky147]

Good Eddie interview here

[EvilPie]

Congrats on the PR, Matt!

7 plates coming

Thanks mate. The upward spiral has come to a crashing halt as a result of the old back injury kicking off a bit so it's back to reality for a bit.

Doesn't feel too serious just a bit delicate. I can still get in to a deep squat position so probably not joint or muscle related but it hurts like hell at the top of my glutes then down in to the hamstring so I'm 99% certain it's a bit of a sciatic nerve flair up. Couple of weeks and it'll settle down and I can get back on it.

Benching is still fine but for now squats are a definite 'no'.....

Physio tomorrow to confirm sciatic issue then a steady couple of weeks active recovery.

[Marky147]

Always something getting in the way. Hopefully physio can get it ironed out and back to normal in time for gyms opening!

I've been doing alright, and weighed in at my target holiday weight 4 months early. Might treat myself to a box of doughnuts tonight from Creams

My PT going to be working scaffolding until the gyms are open, and he has enough clients back to go f/t. I'd paid for 6 weeks of 4x a week before they shut them, so I'm in credit, and he said that he will work around it with me.

Hospitalisations dropping and ICU numbers lowering should mean they can let us out to play in a proper gym again soon.

[EvilPie]

Always something getting in the way. Hopefully physio can get it ironed out and back to normal in time for gyms opening!

I've been doing alright, and weighed in at my target holiday weight 4 months early. Might treat myself to a box of doughnuts tonight from Creams

My PT going to be working scaffolding until the gyms are open, and he has enough clients back to go f/t. I'd paid for 6 weeks of 4x a week before they shut them, so I'm in credit, and he said that he will work around it with me.

Hospitalisations dropping and ICU numbers lowering should mean they can let us out to play in a proper gym again soon.

Yeah I'm hoping for something shortly after the schools re-open.

As much as I love my home gym it's never going to be quite the same.

What are you weighing in at? Have you been dieting or is the weight loss just a consequence of other restrictions?

Calories wise I'm a curry plus 8 pints to the good every week.....
 

[Marky147]

Have to think they will, because given we're now on the slide, another few weeks and the pressure should hopefully ease on hospitals.

I know London is still bad, because some girls in a Tysabri group I am in have had their infusions cancelled until further notice, due to the staff from the medical unit being redeployed to the ICU.

I've got mine there now the storage stuff is out, but it's just two dumbells and a kettle bell and I can hardly do anything.

I'm just under 15stone, and it's just a consequence of being half sensible. I'm not ordering doughnuts from Creams 3/4 times a week, haagen daz all weekend, and takeaways every night. Try to keep it to 2-3 takeaways a week, and swerve the ice-cream other than weekends.

Also when I get a chinese, I have basmati uncle bens with my dish, instead of special/singapore fried rice. Every little helps.

[BangBang]

Congrats on the PR Matt.. that’s huge 148kg at  your home gym, I’m assuming with the right equipment (balanced weights & bench) you’ll probably be around 155ish, maybe a few kg over or below. Good going & I’m sure there’s more left in the tank too.

Ledders - sounds like you know what you’re doing and are aware of the things that you’re not doing.

Dean - Sounds brutal pal, do you run or cycle too?

Marky - diet is everything, I need to focus on my diet too, I’ve been intermittent fasting for the past few weeks and feel a lot lighter and happier.

Went for my first weights session yesterday, did a little of everything. As you do when you finally have access to a gym. Definitely lost some strength, still managed a 90kg x 1 OHP and 140kg bench x 2

My squat was horrendous 100kg felt like the planet, managed 5 reps.

Hugely improved on my pull ups, I can do 3 sets of 15-20 quiet easily.

Next time I train I’ll make sure I write a plan out prior, it felt weird free styling, my muscles are much more efficient when I have a plan before I hit the gym

I’ve been running 5k a day (on strava add me if any off you use it) 6 days a week too.

Can’t check my body fat percentage but my weight is currently 13st 11, down from 15st 3. I’m feeling a lot better for it too. I’m going to do weights once or twice a week and carry on with my body weight exercises and running see how it goes. Will update you all once I get my hands on a body composition scale

[Marky147]

If I'm still around 15 stone when they let me back in the gym, I'm good to go.

Will try and get about a stone off if I can before summer, and that'll be me back at what I was when I passed out of basic training when I was 18.

Dropped a fair bit just from the running there, mate. I hated it, even when I could do it

[arbboy]

Good Eddie interview here

the 13/8 and 6/4 quotes on eddie are long gone.  Its close to a flip now betting wise.  Eddie should be a huge fav for me having watched his you tube channel throughout lockdown.  Thanks for posting that video marky i hadn't seen it but eddie says the same thor stuff all the time so it was highly predictable