Hookay, pleased with my progress in the 4 weeks or so i randomly thrashed around in the gym trying to get some of the strength back i lost over the 2 months i was ill in November and December, so ready to get on to a more controlled, measurable program.

I would like to do a westside ME/DE and work specifically on my powerlifts but despite having my own bands, i can't really get the variety i'd need for a decent ME/DE split in my current gym so im going with my old favourite 5x5 compounds alternating between sets across and ramps each week, and 3x12 assistance, looking to make small increases each week. If i can get to 5x5 across at 80-90% of my current 1RM's in the 8-10 weeks i plan to run ill be happy.

Ive got a habit of changing things on the fly as i hate waiting for stuff, so ive tried to group things where i can so i can hog the rack or ez bar etc for a while once i have it. Also 5x5 allows full rest times so its not really a big deal if i have to wait for a bit.. i can usually clear a piece of kit but hanging around it anyway.

So will do 3 days as follows :-



Leaves me the weekend for some cardio/core/Spa/Checking out that girl in the brown bikini work.

Eating will stay as is, 90% clean with the majority of carbs early in the day.

Supps fairly simple, WPC, Fish oils, Creatine, L-Glutamine, Flax seed.

This is your 8th Journal by my count Mark.

Why a man who does 8kg pink dumbell front raises needs 8 journals is beyond me

Just thought i would get that over with first.....Good Luck.

are you doing 5x5 one week then everything ramped the next? what rep range?

Marks1972 wrote:Leaves me the weekend for some cardio/core/Spa/Checking out that girl in the brown bikini work.

aren't you married?! what if wifey sees this?

Rab wrote:This is your 8th Journal by my count Mark.

Why a man who does 8kg pink dumbell front raises needs 8 journals is beyond me

Just thought i would get that over with first.....Good Luck.

I dont like long threads, i know you like to use the same one to make you feel popular with a high hit count

Karlos wrote:are you doing 5x5 one week then everything ramped the next? what rep range?

Marks1972 wrote:Leaves me the weekend for some cardio/core/Spa/Checking out that girl in the brown bikini work.

aren't you married?! what if wifey sees this?

Unless KP makes a Nintendo DS and Cake sub forum.. she wont be coming here anytime soon

Marks1972 wrote:

Karlos wrote:are you doing 5x5 one week then everything ramped the next? what rep range?

Marks1972 wrote:Leaves me the weekend for some cardio/core/Spa/Checking out that girl in the brown bikini work.

aren't you married?! what if wifey sees this?

Unless KP makes a Nintendo DS and Cake sub forum.. she wont be coming here anytime soon

I would be cautious, the 2nd one sounds very KP-esque to me.

Hey Marko. Journal is bookmarked! I expect great things of you now! Want to see that 260kg DL soon!

I wont be going for 1RMs you crazy half fish, half woman thing.

Marks1972 wrote:I wont be going for 1RMs you crazy half fish, half woman thing.

LOL!!! You say the nicest things Mark!!!

Oh well, worth a try...

Couple of days late starting this as got another sodding cold, should be ok tomorrow tho, may just have to start lower than i wanted to, but i could run for 12 weeks instead.

Swapping Rack pulls for Powershrugs as i already pull 300kg+ from below the knee and i doubt the rack/weights in my little leisure centre gym can take much more, and also swapping upright rows for high pulls as it makes sense to do a more explosive variation.

bloody colds. Have you tried some echinacea?

No mate, is that used to prevent or cure?

More fuit and veggies!

I'm not trying to be your mum or anything, but since really going mental with my fruit and veg (10-15 servings aday) I have hardly been sick over the past 2 years and when i do feel a cold or something coming on, it's gone the next day!

Fri 30th Jan

Week 1 - Workout A - Sets across
5x5s
Bench - Bar x20(WU), 60kg x10(WU), 80kg x 5 x 5
HC2OHP - Bar x10(WU), 40kg x 5 x 5
RDL - 40kg x10 (WU), 140kg x 5 x 5
WG Pullup - BW@118kg-30kg assist x 5 x 5
3x12 assists
Incline Skullcrushers - 40kg x 3 x 12
EZ Curls - 30kg x 3 x 12
Upright rows - 30kg x 3 x 12
Core
Machine crunches - 40kg x 20, x15, x12

Note : Bleh light headed from back end of the cold and training early which i hate but luckily to hit my targets at the end of week 12 with small increases each week meant i could go light today. Even so felt like a good session. Decided against high pulls and stuck to upright rows as an assist and high pulls seem more at home with 5x5s.

Still a good'un Mark! Looks like you are finding a good programme for you now you are getting back to strength after being ill last year. Top stuff!

P.S. Beware. Better be nice to me. You have said you are going to Expo, and I can go now so watch out you cheeky terror!

Sun 1st Jan

Week 1 - Workout B - Sets across
5x5s
Deadlift - 100kg x3(WU), 100kg x3(WU), 150kg x 5 x 5
CGBP - 70kg x 5 x 5
Front Squat - 70kg x 5 x 5
Military Press - 50kg x 5 x 5
3x12 assists
DB Fly - 24kg ea x 3 x 12
Rear Delt Fly - 16kg ea x 3 x 12
Cross body Hammer curls - 16kg ea x 3 x 12
Core
Weighted Hypers - 24kg x 10 x 3

Note : Quite a tough session, cold is pretty much gone but its at that gooey stage where all the crap is coming out which made breathing a bit off at times. All easy weights themselves tho, resisted the urge to pile plates as that would just mess things up. Only prob is i have quite strong back pumps at the mo and as im trying to catch up on the day i lost last week and need to get into the mon/wed/fri rotation.. im squatting tomorrow.. eep.

Good effort after the cold Mark

Yes, good sesh Mark with the gunkiness making things difficult!

Eep indeed...I always get nervous about squatting if not feeling spot on!! Good luck

Well if this snow carries on i wont be going anywhere tomorrow

Marks1972 wrote:Well if this snow carries on i wont be going anywhere tomorrow

Oh no fair! I want snow!!!!!

Wed 4th Feb

Week 2 - Workout B - Ramps
5x5s
Bench - 60kg x10(WU), 70kg x5, 80kg x5, 90kg x5, 100kg x5, 110kg x5, 115kg x1 (next weeks)
HC2OHP - 40kg x5, 45kg x5, 50kg x5, 55kg x5, 60kg x5
RDL - 120kg x5, 130kg x5, 140kg x5, 150kg x5, 160kg x5
WG Pullup - -40kg x5, -35kg x5, -30kg x5, -25kg x5, -20kg x5, BW x2
3x12 assists
Incline Skullcrushers - 30kg x12, 40kg x12, 45kg x12
EZ Curls - 30kg x 12, 35kg x12, 37.5kg x12
Upright rows - N/A
Core
N/A

Note : Snow has messed up my routine and ive missed a squat day, but i need to get into the pattern so i get the max rest betwen deadlifting and squatting (ie the weekend). Gym totally packed, i hope because people couldnt train last couple of days because of the weather so piled in today, bench was good, did a single just to remind me what 115 felt like as im doing that for 5 next ramp week, very pleased with the hang cleans and press and happy that i managed a couple of BW pullups after the 5x5. Sacked the upright rows and core work, just plain ran out of time, was approaching 2 hours in the gym.

Very nice Markoooooooo!!!! Looks like you are rocking and rolling again now too!

Fri 6th Feb

Week 2 - Workout C - Ramps
5x5s
Deadlift - 110kg x5, 150kg x5, 170kg x3, 190kg x3, 210kgx1, 220kg x1, 230kg x1
CGBP - 60kg x5, 70kg x5, 80kg x5, 90kg x5, 100kg x5
ATG Front Squat - 60kg x5, 65kg x5, 70kg x5, 75kg x5, 80kg x5
Military Press - 50kg x5, 55kg x5, 60kg x5, 65kg x5, 70kg x5
3x12 assists
DB Fly - 26kg ea x 3 x 12
Rear Delt Fly - 18kg ea x 3 x 12
Cross body Hammer curls - 16kg ea x 3 x 12
Core
Weighted Crunches - +60kg x20, x15, x12

Note : Very enjoyable session. Gym not packed so managed to get it all done in a decent time. Changed rep scheme slightly on deads as im not happy repping at higher weights,no matter how much i conscieusly reset myself im never really set up 100% as id like to be. So long as i stop if i fell the power starting to because a grind lift im happy i wont fall into the same trap of overdoing deads as i have been, 210/20/30 all flew up with little effort. Changing training days to Fri/Sun/Tue with cardio/spa on Saturday to avoid the crowd for now.

Made a mini discovery also, i usually do all squat/deadlift work either in All stars or bare feet.. totally forget when i started front squatting today and started in trainers, dropped right to the floor, usually i struggle to get ATG unless i have a decent weight pushing me there.. guess i lack a bit of flexibility so a raised heal helps.. have to invest in a pair of decent lifting shoes... but £120 a pop, ill have to give the wife one or something to make her let me have them.

That is one very nice session there Mark! Pleased about your discovery as well...yes, be extra nice to your wife and she might just let you buy a pair!!!!

I can't do any gym work without shoes, how on earth do you manage it?!!!

Thanks P

You get used to it, when deadlifting i find it helps me drive my heels into the floor, wide stance back squating it gives me more stability, but it seems closer stance ATG front squatting im better off with my heels raised.

Its fun stomping around the gym looking for plates in bare feet, covered in chalk