Time for a complete change of training and into a routine thats more Rugby specific in structure.

Will be based over a 2 week routine to keep things fresh with training days being Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. This leaves Wednesday and Saturday for Rugby training and game time respectively and Sunday off.

Scott has put this all together for me and feeding me day by day at the moment to keep me on my toes so I won't know whats coming for the next week or so!

Will take me the whole 2 week cycle to work out working weights but after that all should be well. Reps are to to be performed are per instructed tempo and up to the point where form is about to be compromised.

So here we go...

Monday 23rd Feb - Week 1, Workout 1

Movements

A1 - Lunge & DB Reach (Tempo 2-1-x-0, Rest 90): 8x14kg, 8x16kg, 8x18kg, 8x20kg, 8x20kg
A2 - Good Morning (Tempo 4-0-x-0), Rest 90): 5x60kg, 5x80kg, 5x90kg, 5x90kg, 5x92.5kg

B1 - 1 Arm Supported Standing DB Press, Neutral Grip (Tempo 4-1-x-0, Rest 10-60): 11x12kg, 11x14kg, 11x18kg, 11x20kg, 11x20kg
B2 - Isometric Lateral Raise 1 1/4 Rep, Crucifix (Tempo 2-0-x-1, Rest 10-60): 11x4kg, 11x5kg, 11x6kg, 10x7kg, 10x7kg

Comments

A good start to this routine with variations I've not used before.

Lunge & DB Reach seemed fairly easy going initially but the latter reps really kick in with the stretch portion while DB's are rested on the floor. The leg drive back up is pretty hardcore.

I'll admit I've never done Good Mornings before which is a little surprising but found it to work Hamstrings very well.

After these alternativng sets my Hams & Glutes were burning impressively.

On to Shoulders and being aware of the slow negative I started a bit too light on the DB Press but found my working weight in the end and found myself almost shaking controlling the long negatives on the last couple of reps.

Isometric Lateral Raise was an absolute killer in all honesty and I judged the weight pretty well.

Shoulders were on fire!

Interesting -

Tempo 2-0-x-1, Rest 10-60 - remind me what that means

I took it as 2 second negative, no hold, fast positive, 1 sec hold at contraction.

Ok, Alex just beat me to it, but I'll leave this here:

kp1512 wrote:Interesting -

Tempo 2-0-x-1, Rest 10-60 - remind me what that means

2 seconds eccentric
0 sec hold
X = explosive/fast concentric
1 sec hold at top <-- BUT for this exercise it takes into account the 1/4 rep.

10-60 = 10 sec rest between unilateral "set", and 60s rest between each full set.

Glad you found it hard Alex: was worried you might not! lol

The DB Lunge & Reach creeps up on you doesn't it. And combined with another posterior chain killer, the Good Morning, it's a nasty exercise. I purposely put this combo at the start of the week as I wanted it away from your game days as soreness might be lasting for a while.

Decent GMs too. Once you have a few more sessions you'll be fine and the weight will increase. I didn't realise you had never done them before.

The 1-Arm braced DB press is also nasty with the strictness required for the 4 sec eccentric. Good stuff mate.

And yes, the crucifix is a killer! All my clients hate it lol Destroys me too.

BTW when you do the second arm on the crucifix, it is quite normal to not be able to do all reps without taking a few seconds rest. I certainly cannot do all 10 (say) on the second arm. The first is ok though and if you can't then the weight is too heavy.

I have a feeling this week it gonna hurt you

I can already feel it in my Legs!

It was pretty hard on the last couple of reps on the Crucifix and I took a couple of 1/2 sewc pauses with those on the last set. Also I found the arm held out really started to burn on the 2nd arm worked after already being hit.

Really looking forward to the rest of this and the pain.

good luck alex, do you have any plyometric work planned too? When i come down in summer sometime were have to get training session going on with u and si again.

^^ tbh I reckon you could do 8kg. Try that next time and see how you get on. I use 7.5kg as an example.

what is a crucifix movement?

ash fletcher wrote:good luck alex, do you have any plyometric work planned too? When i come down in summer sometime were have to get training session going on with u and si again.

I don't know whats in store yet so will have to see.

Would be good to train with you again mate.

health4ni wrote:^^ tbh I reckon you could do 8kg. Try that next time and see how you get on. I use 7.5kg as an example.

Heh, you're already baiting me

Ischemic Lateral Raise - "Crucifix" (Right & Left)

1 arm is held out isometrically whilst the other arm performs a 1 1/4 rep.

Non-working arm: raise out to the side inline with shoulder, with a slight bend in the elbow and hold for the entire unilateral set.

Working arm: raise arm up to shoulder height, lower for a 1/4 rep, then back up to full height, then lower to starting position.

Alex wrote:

health4ni wrote:^^ tbh I reckon you could do 8kg. Try that next time and see how you get on. I use 7.5kg as an example.

Heh, you're already baiting me

As Rab would say "that's how I roll"

Looks like a big change in training style for you Alex, it will be interesting to see how you respond.

Richard wrote:Looks like a big change in training style for you Alex, it will be interesting to see how you respond.

Bloody hell, huge!

Thought i was in H4's journal for a second.

Changes afoot - will definitely be interesting to see how you get on as I know you've been training in pretty much the same way since I first started reading your journals over at the other place

I must admit i was surprised to see your choice of split there Alex. I couldnt imagine the volume king deviating from the famous split (or thereabouts) ive always known you to do

Looking good and all the best with it

I hope this gives you a new lease of life and enjoyment with your training Alex!

Looks like fun!

This is coool! As a direct result of the posterior pretties I asked health to help me out with a posterior chain focused routine. The first workout for me is the same as yours Alex, which gives me some idea for starting weights.

Tuesday 24th Feb - Week 1, Workout 2

Movements

A1 - Front Squat (Tempo 4-1-x-0 Rest 120): 5xBar, 4x40kg, 5x50kg, 5x60kg, 5x70kg, 5x80kg, 5x80kg, 4x85kg, 3x90kg, 3x95kg

B1 - Incline DB Press, 45 Degrees, Palms In (Tempo 4-1-x-0 Rest 75): 11x30kg, 10x34kg, 10x36kg, 9x38kg, 9x38kg
B2 - Side-Side Pull Up, Wide Grip (Tempo 4-0-x-1 Rest 75): 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
B3 - DB Oblique Side Bend (Tempo 3-1-x-0 Rest 75): 12x30kg, 12x34kg, 12x36kg, 12x38kg, 12x38kg

Comments

Arghhh, Front Squats! Not one of my fav's and probably only done them a handfull of times ever so didn't know what weight I'd manage. Took a while to get form dialled in and be comfortable but felt better by the last couple of sets. Hard going but hope to progress.

The alternating sets were quite demanding, especially using the slow negatives. Side-Side Pull Ups were especially hard, partly due to the Pull Up stations having bits sticking out everywhere making the Side-Side motion awkward and mainly due to it being a bloody tough exercise.

4 sec neg front squats. Torture!

Clean grip or cross grip?

Cross as I don't have the arm flexibility for clean grip so with my elbows up the bar is level with my forehead!

It will be good to see in a few weeks how the weights go up as you get accustomed to the exercises. For the fronts next time, start at say 30-40kg as first set, then work your way up.

I didn't realise that you didn't like Front Squats. But, as I always tell my clients: it's good to have exercises you dislike.

DB Press was meant to be flat Alex. I checked the sheet and it is indeed flat. No probs though, just do it flat next time.

Bummer about the side-to-side pullups with the stuff in the way. I use the Smith machine
Good reps mate

I know I've told you Alex, but I wanted to let the others know the reason for adding the DB Side Bends: purely to build and strengthen the obliques to help with collisions.
As an exercise for non-contact sports I don't think it's that useful... and yet how many people do at the gym!

I didn't mind Fronts this time as I started to get into the groove.

I did wonder about Bench as the sheet did say flat but went on the email.

Wanted to use the smith but was being used or had guys parked in front of it. Only down side to the alternating sets is the amount of idiots that wonder into the free weights section and start either using your equipment or parking themselves right in the way.