Craig wrote:Glad the arms are staying strong, it seemed to be one of the area's you lost thickness in last time (from certain angles and yes I know photos can be odd things), strange at its not a weak body part for you at all in strength or size.

Do you start off you back movements by keeping the arms locked and pulling the shoulders back or down? It seems to help activate the lats IME.

People seem to think its your metabolism that gives you results, seems more like rock solid will power and dedication to me but each to their own.

How do you do dumbell hammer curls with the elbows supported, I'm lost! I know of regular ones and cross body ones, with the formor being my prefered ones. Can you explain this type to me pls.

agree with that

Rab is just a girl

although a strong girl now.

LOL

its certainly not easy. im sufferin REAL bad this week. feel so drained but i can see my face pinching in further so as long as theres results i can handle it (just about)

Chest & Biceps

Flat DB
25k x15
30k x12
35k x12
45k x8
55k x6
60k x7..drop set...45k x7

Hammer Str Press
40k x12
60k x9
40k x11

Cable Cross
3 blocks x12
4 blocks x12
4 blocks x12
3 blocks x12

EZ Curls
30k x12
40k x12
50k x8
60k x6 or 7
30k x15 hunched over to make sore n strict

DB Hammer Preachers over the top of a bench set at a high incline single arm
18k x8 or 9
13.5k x8 slow n squeezy
12k x 2 sets of 8-10 slow n squeesy

quick set of cable concentrations to finish

********************************

Decent workout. Was wise enough for once to hold back on db ress and not go ott. stopped at 60k for 7 reps although there was moe there and wasnt to falure. was feeling my left pec starting to strain and its too late in the day for injurys

Overall training going good. reasonable pump considering im flattening off by this point in the week at a whore of a rate

Upper Back Rear Delts

Yates Rows
50k x15
90k x12
130k x11
90k x15
90k x15

V-Bar Pullups
BW or 3 sets of 12 with squeezing holds

Rack Chins
BW x12
+40k x9...drop set..+20k x8...Drop set...BW x8

Stiff Arm Pulldowns
4 sets of 12 ish reps with squeezing

SIngle arm cable rows
2 sets of 8-10 with stretching out lats

DB Rear Delt work
18k x12 seated
25k x12 standing single arm
18k x12 seated

*************************

Decent session. Lot of variation so at so be fast flowing and keep moving. Was training alone and i feared if i sat down i wouldnt get back up so basted through a lot of work and got the job done.

Keep it going pal !

Variation is the key to back training, that and squeezing the lats.

cheers old boys

One wee not. It took a bit of criticism for starting this diet so early (14-15 weeks really) when i could have been bulking longer. I think over the next few weeks i will hae shown it was the correct decision as im noe pretty much ready for stage yet eating double the carbs and triple the fats still and also still hitting big weights and PB's up untill 2 weeks ago. I dont see any reason my strength should fall much untill i decide itneeds o for safety sake.

All this means im probably saving muscle from wasting away than if i had to diet harder and on less food and more cardio thus the extra 1/2-1lb of muscle i might have got (along with 3lb of fat) would have been a waof time for more suffering. I can also i hope get nice n full aswell becuase im ahead and get the delts popping which i really need! i have the condition and legs to go up against the top guys in the Brits Classic, i just dont have the width of frame and big full popping delts and lat width. Being full as a house though should really help bring me up closer


Enough ramble

Trained today. Hurt my knee so very little on legs. leg ext partial reps and leg curls only. then a little upper chest. not worth noting but was good nough to ket ticking over. Resting the knee as much as possible to ensure im back on track next week

Shoulders & Triceps

DB Press
50k x6
50k x7

Machine Press
3/4 stack x20
3/4 stack x19

Side Laterals
25k x12
18k x12 seated

Cable Laterals
set with 3 blocks for 12 with a pause at top
set of 20 reps quick with 2 blocks

Pushdowns superset with reverse pushdowns
few sets of each for 8-10 reps a set

CGBP
60k x12
80k x12
90k x9

Overhead DB ext & stretching
Few sets slow stretchy and for 12ish reps

***********************

Strength slipping and didnt have the fire n my belly last night. also got a wee niggle under my arm at lat/shoudler/tricep tie ins. nothing serious just annoying

Got the job done though and will battle on trying to keep the weights as high as possibel for as long as possible

I'd be so disappointed with only 50kgs DB shoulder press.....

simon m wrote:I'd be so disappointed with only 50kgs DB shoulder press.....

lol IM HAPPY WITH IT I SUPPOSE, JUST I CAN FEEL IT BECOMING A REAL STRUGGLE TO GRIND OUT THE 6 AND 7 WHERE AS A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS PUMPING THEM OUT QUITE FAST AND COMFY WITH THE 55K BEING THE GRIND. . wITH THE WE LAT NIGGLE DURING STABILITY OF THE HEAVY SHD PRESSING I THINK ILL DO HAMMER STR PRESSIN GNEXT WEEK THOUGH. GIVE THOSE BELLS A REST FOR A WEEK. MAYBE EVEN A BIT OF SMITH PRESSING

Shit workout last night

Deadlifts - 180k x2. failed the 3rd. thats a fair drop from last week although expected. my hams are feeling the strain from all the walking (up n down hills) and the high incline x trainer. Gonna need to employ more skipping to try and take some strain off my legs with the cardio

SOme good hunched shrugs for traps with an EZ bar for sets of 10 with 110kg nice n squeezy

Bit of calf raises on the leg press untill i split open the touch skin at the ball of my big toe again. Ouch.

Thats about it really bar other bits n pieces. boring session done pretty shit with strength sliping a little and feeling the strain more and more

Rab wrote:

simon m wrote:I'd be so disappointed with only 50kgs DB shoulder press.....

lol IM HAPPY WITH IT I SUPPOSE, JUST I CAN FEEL IT BECOMING A REAL STRUGGLE TO GRIND OUT THE 6 AND 7 WHERE AS A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS PUMPING THEM OUT QUITE FAST AND COMFY WITH THE 55K BEING THE GRIND. . wITH THE WE LAT NIGGLE DURING STABILITY OF THE HEAVY SHD PRESSING I THINK ILL DO HAMMER STR PRESSIN GNEXT WEEK THOUGH. GIVE THOSE BELLS A REST FOR A WEEK. MAYBE EVEN A BIT OF SMITH PRESSING

Go with what feel right Rab.

Strength ebbs and flows at the best of times. Also, as your cardio increases and your diet becomes more strict it makes sense to be careful. Have you though of doing Rest/Pause Sets on the Iso Press DC style, that would kep mass on and may even bring some new growth.

That does mate. Will try a bit more rest pause with a heavy weight this next few workouts see how it feels. makes sense to try and use as heavy a weights to keep size and thickness although i haev no doubt any chance of growth now is gone. startign to get run down and very lean with too much workload every day on not enough food...well the food is reasonable but over weeks and weeks of doing this your body just wants more as it knows its in a deficit and tries every trick in the book to talk you into eating more. honestly...its a mental battle this as much as a physical one and the fastest metabolism in the world wont get you there unless you have a cast iron resolve to be silly strict day in day out

Rest pause iso press it is. might even try this with chest too. got a few niggles and a week on machines again like this will do me good

With the rest pause mate you need to drop volume, so for example, Iso Shoulder press:


2 warm up sets, then:

1 all out set with a weight you can get say 6 reps with, rack it and rest for 20 seconds get as manu reps as you can, the en rack for another 20 seconds and do the same. For DC, you should then throw in a static hold. You'll need help to get the weight up, the fight it by yourself all the way done - that'll be enough!

Chest & Biceps

Flat BB Bench
60k x15
80k x12
100k x9
120k x5
100k x9

Incline BB
60k x12
80k x12
90k x12

Cable Crossover
3 blocks x12
4blocks x12
4blocks x12
4blocks x12

EZ Curls
30k x12
50k x8
55k x9...rest pause +4 or 5

Preacher cable Hammers superset with cable concentration curlsboth arms at same time like a bent over most muscular at top of movement
few sets of 10-12 seach exercise till burnout

********************

QUick pose between chest and biceps. going good. fat is at a tiny wee skim now along with some water which should come out with a bit of sodium and water manip but mainly over the next week or two with changing from long esters to short ones

Not bad young man, not bad at all.

Squeezing the bi's in peak contraction is the way forward.

defo. thats what im liking about the concentrationcurls with a cable

Was a bt of a shit workout tbh. Not enjoying it the same as getting a pump isnt a easy when you are delpleted and flat a s shit and also losing strength a wee bit at a time is a c*nt too.

Upper Back & Rear Delts

T-Bar Rows
50k x12
70k x12
90k x10
110k x7...dropset...90k x4...drop set...70k x5

Pulldowns soulder width palms facing
3/4 stack x12
full stack x 8 or 10
3/4 stack x10 slow squeezy ones

Hammer Str Row Superset with Stiff Pulldowns
40k hammer rows x10 superset with 12-14 stiff pulldowns for 3 slow squeezy sets focusing onlat contraction

*******************

Very good workout. Felt G'd up for it and energy from cheatage fueld it good. QUick look today andim a tad watery but much much fuller. Hoping to have shot of that by wednesday and be looking better again for it. almost the finished article now. st another wee skim of shite then the water

Even in your weakened state, that is some very impressive benching. Your pressing in general is very strong. What weight are you hitting the scales at, roughly?

Yep my pressing is a strong point for me but been working hard to up my pulling to boot. Strenght is slipping though. Was pressing 65kg bells on chest a few weeks ago but slightly dropping back now for safety and also cos well...I'm slowly getting weaker now

Weight was 185lb on saturday and 188 on sunday so extra energy for monday training but my god does it drain from you come tuesday. Will be as flat as shit again come tomorra

Bf% wise I'm not sure. Too hard to guess but there isn't any fat left to pincha. Everything seperated, hamstrings split and glutes starting to striate which is pretty much last along with a wee circle I hold strangely to the right of my belly button only. Lol. Wee rogue patch of fat

Looks like things are progressing well.

I also have a pea sized bit of fat on my lower set of abs to the left which is a bit funny looking.

Legs

Squats to // 3 sec neg and 1 sec pause at bottom
100k x10
100k x10

Single Leg Ext
few sets of 12-14

Single Leg Press
120k x15
160k x15
180k x15

Single Leg Curls
Few sets of 12 reps keeping on sweet spot and focusing on popping hams

Calf raises on Leg PRess
SLow sets of 15 ish quite heavy to failure

*****************

Careful session as my right knee has been very dodgy. did almost all unilateral work to ensure no favouring as i was doing so on the leg ext whe i did a few reps first set with both elgs so changed over the plan. Got a better contraction anyways this way

Overall slightly frustrating but got the job done i suppose. could be doign with moving more weight right enough to try and keep the thickness and muscle!

Cardio crap

10 min x-trainer
10 min skipping intervals
10 min bodyweight and abs work ( 20 pressups superset with 15-20 pullups various grips)

home. starving. pissed off wondering why the fcuk im puting myself through this again

Rab wrote:Cardio crap

10 min x-trainer
10 min skipping intervals
10 min bodyweight and abs work ( 20 pressups superset with 15-20 pullups various grips)

home. starving. pissed off wondering why the fcuk im puting myself through this again

Have a cheat meal tomorrow and saturday, nothing too stupid though, not like usual, you need a little rest from this and you'll be fine

because if you dont your name will change to mr max craig- simples