30/03/11 - ME Upper body

1) 3 Board Press
New max = 150kg

2) Bench shirt work
160kg x 2 reps

3) Pullups 6 sets x 4 reps

4) 3 way shoulder raises 3x20

5) Rope pushdowns with mini band around neck 4x10

28/03/11 - ME Lower day

1) Rack Pulls - 2-3" below knees, at sticking point
Weight    Reps    Sets
60             6          1
100           3          1
140           3          1
180           2          1
220           1          1
240           1          1 - added a belt here
250           1          1
260           F          1

2) Glute Ham Raises - limited range of motion, will be increased over the weeks
4x10

3) Plate in each hand lunges 4x10 (each leg)
Weight    Reps    Sets
Bw           20         1
10x2        20          1
15x2        20          1
10x2        2            1 - right knee went on 2nd rep, unsure why...will be seeing an orthapedic soon

4) Seated GM 4x10,
40kg x 12, stopped here where unable to go heavier due to knee pain.

5) Decline straight leg situps (plate held behind neck)
Weight    Reps    Sets
bw           10         1
5              10         1
10            10         1
5              10         1

27/03/11 - DE Bench

1) DE Bench
85kg 8x3
followed by 100 x2reps

2) 4 board 3x3
100x4
120x3
135x5

3) Ring/blast strap pushups 4x10

4) Machine rowws 4x10

5) Tricep pushdowns 4x12 heavy

23/03/11 - ME Upper Body

1) 2 Board Press (pinkies on power rings)
Weight     Reps     Sets
Bar            ?           1
40             5           1
60             3           1
80             3           1
100           3           1
120           1           1
130           1           1
140           1           1
145           1           1

2) Shirt work - Comp grip
Weight     Reps     Sets
110            3           1
130            3           1
150            3           1 - breath held for entire set

3) Pullups bodyweight only
Tested max reps = 8
1/2 of max done for 5 sets (ie 5x4)

4) 3-way shoulder raises 3x20 (front, side, rear)  5kg in each hand

5) Rope pushdowns, with mini-bands held around neck.  3x10

21/03/11 - ME baby...to the MAX

Monday - Lower body Max effort day

1) Low Box Close stance squat (deadlift stance) 2-3" below parallel
Weight      Reps      Sets
Bar             10           1
40               5            1
60               3            1
80               3            1
100             3            1
120             1            1
140             1            1  - added a belt
150             1            1
160             1            1
165             1            1

notes - I am very weak at this movement, but looking at the video later I don't think I was at my absolute max

2) Glute Ham Raises 30 total reps done with limited range of motion, and will build up to full range.

3) Plate in each hand lunges 3x10 for each leg
Weight      Reps      Sets
BW            20         1
10x2          20          1
15x2          20          1

4) Seated rounded back goodmornings 3x15
Weight      Reps      Sets
Bar             10          1
40               15          1
60               15          1
80               15          1

5) Weighted decline Situps   3x10
Weight      Reps      Sets
Bw              10         1
5                 10         1
10               10         1

20/03/11 - Sun, DE Bench Day...

Sunday -

1) DE Bench, alternating each set with a change in grip from 17", 26" and 32" (ie close, med and comp grip)
8 sets of 3 at 85kg

2) 4 board press 3x3
Weight    Reps     Sets
100          3           1
120          3           1
130          3           1

3) CG BP (in lue of db bp) 3x10
Weight    Reps     Sets
60             10         1
80             10         1
90              7          1

will prob change this to blast strap pushups.

4) Machine rows 3x10 increasing each set. Don't know what the weight is

5) Tricep pushdowns straight bar 4x12 increased weight each set.

18/03/11 - First time using the box...

Friday - Lower DE Day
n.b - all weights are in kilo's

1) DE Box Squat - Wide stance, to just below parallel.
Weight      Reps     Sets
Bar             10         1
40               2          1
60               2          1
100             1          1
140             2          10 - added suit with straps down, belt and shoes

this approx. 50-55% of my projected max, as have not done any lifting in this suit yet.
could be a little over.

2) DE Deadlifts 10x1
155kg for 10 sets of 1, no belt.

3) Reverse Hypers 3x10 body weight only

4) hanging bent knee leg raises 3x10

17/03/11 - Made my own box, to squat on...ie box squat

Homemade Box Squat....um..box,

Fairly easy to construct, I used the the pictures found on some website (citation needed), that allowed me to workout the basic shape of the box.  I then used the standard set by EliteFTS to wit the dimensions at 18"x18".  The height I was unsure about, so winged it (aim for over 10" to 20" or so high).

I have disected the construct into several phases:

Phase 1: Procure the materials

1) 2x6 at 18" length = 5

2) 2x6 at 14" length = 3 (I made a mistake with mine here, in that I got the wood cut to 16", incase it looks alittle off in the pictures)

3) 18x18" 1" = board (could only find 1", could use two if you wish, I used the leftover wood to allow for increased height as and when)

4) 3" nails (about a handfull, over 30 or so)

  

Phase 2: Construct the base

1) Put the three 14" (16" in my case) 2x6 parallel to each other, and use two 18" 2x6 for the top and bottom of the frame, work on one 18" length at a time, nailling each 14" board to it, I used 3 nails in for each end.

You should then end up with something that looks like this:

Sans untidy workshop/forge in background.

2) Lay flat and take the remaining 3 18" 2x6 and affix so they are in the same direction as the other 18" 2x6, thusly:



Underneath



Base's base



The base will be around 8", a bit too low for myself (I stand at about 6'3")

Phase 3: Raise the barn...er...height

Now take two of the 18x18 1" boards (or one if you managed to get 2" thick) and nail into place.



Completed, untidy, base



This is where my error is plain to see:

Phase 4: Use it....or lose it

Ain't it purdy, and well stacked...



Not a whole lotta room, but it works



Well that sums it up took about 3 hours, for all of the phases to be done.  Total cost ~£45, which ain't too bad.  The main cost was the MFC board, where I had to buy a whole sheet for the project, which was around £35, so if there's an cheaper option go for that.

Got nothing more to say but:

Ja na, Ciao, Au revoir, Auf Wiedersehen, Viszlát!,  Adios, Shalom, and Chin Chin

16/03/11 - First training session back..

Will be competiting on the 14th of May, so that gives me 9 weeks (which includes the remaining of this week).

I will be lifting equipped (IPF standard, ie in single ply), in a very old Titan Fury bench shirt (touched 100kg to chest with ease last night), an Inzer Hardcore squat suit (newish). 

Tried using the squat suit during a deadlift session, a few weeks before my holiday, but it is just a hinderance.  Far too much effort to reach the bar, and then fights against me when I try to lock out, So could be good to train to lockout raw?

Anyway....

Decided to use the method written by Matt Rhodes to get used to the shirt, ie three weeks in 1 out.
Found here = http://www.elitefts.com/documents/bench_shirt_training.htm
Prob will alter it slightly for myself, as will not have 12 weeks but 8 to train.


Wednesday - 16-03-11
All weights are in kg unless stated otherwise
Upper ME
1) Floor Press, Close grip with pause at bottom (ME excerise)
Weight      Reps       Sets
Bar            ?lots         1
40               3            1
60               3            1
80               3            1
100             1            1
110             1            1
120             1            1
125             1            1
127.5          1            1
130             1            1
132.5          1            1  - form was getting bad, raising myself up

2) Shirt bench Comp grip (not anywhere near max effort, just done to learn the shirt)
Weight      Reps       Sets
100             3             1 - loose, but touched chest very easily on all reps
120             3             1
140             3             1 - held breath for entire set, very easy.

3) Lockout - Board press prob ~4 board (ish), with medium grip
Weight      Reps       Sets
100             4             1
120             5             2

 4) Machine rows 3x8 at #14 (whatever that is)

5) One arm db press (strict) 3x8
23kg db - 10/8/8

6) barbell curls
bar x8
50x5
hammercurls 23x6


 

17/03/11 - Update for last month or so....

Last week was in France/Italy skiing. And leading up to it after my last competition consisted of high intensity interval training, practically every day.

Although my weight was 5kg or so more than last year (I have dropped 8kg-10kg for this holiday in 2-3months) and my fitness level was greater than prior, my fucked up knee, really ruined part of the trip, was able to ski hard all day though.

chao.