30/7/11

Started doing ‘proper’ exercises with free weights and weight machines and keeping records.

I plan to reduce the variety of exercises but am starting with more variety. I am going to try 1 set of each and eventually work to failure –a method sometimes called high intensity training.

I would say my form is very good and my cadence slow –absolutely no explosive work. About 3-5 secs on concentric and eccentric moves. This is slower than any other person in the gym. ‘Body by Science’ even advocates 10 secs each way but this is too slow I find to develop a groove. In ‘Body by Science’ they talk about ‘time under load’ rather than rep counts. I’m sure there is something to that but timing the exercises is too bothersome.

I do not have a weightlifters body, being long-limbed and naturally skinny so I think this protocol will be good for injury prevention.

   1) Squat 20kgx10

   2) OHP 10kg dumbbells x10

   3) Bench press 14kg dumbellsx11

   4) Dips BWx8

   5) Pullover 10x10

   6) Machine row (mimics prone row) 25kg x12

   7) Crunch machine 25kgx12

   8. Lower back 25kg x12

   9) Leg press 70kg x20

   10) Leg extension 20kgx10

   11) Leg curl 10kg x11

   12) Curl 10kg dumbbell x12

   13) Upright shrugs 16kg x12

   14) Tricep machine

   15) Sidebends with kettlebell

I'll try and catch-up to present by posting every day.

7/8/11
On holiday

Did some bodyweight exercises

20/8/11

   1) Squat 40kgx25

   2) OHP 12kg dumbbells x10

   3) Dip BWx10 x9

   4) Pec deck 30x10

   5) Pullover 14x12

   6) Row 30x11

   7) Seated cable row 50x12

   8. Pulldown 50x13

   9) Crunch 35x15

   10) Leg press 90x20

   11) Leg ext 25x12

   12) Leg curl 20x13

   13) Shrug 24x10

   14) Curl 12kg dumbbells x10 ½

   15) Calf raise (one leg) BW x18

    16) Lower back work

(½ =failed rep)

3/9/11
There is no power rack at the gym. This is a real pain as I value squatting but cleaning bar to my shoulders is going to get dangerous with heavier weight. There is a Smith machine but I believe these are knee wreckers due to the unnatural path followed when lifting.

Reluctantly I will prune down to bent leg deadlift and legpress (of course there is no trap bar either).



   1) Deadlift 40kgx18

   2) OHP 12kg dumbells x10

   3) Dip BW x11 ½

   4) Pullover 20kg x14

   5) Pulldown 55x11

   6) Seated cable row 60x10

   7) Crunch machine 40 x11

   8. Legpress 110 x20

   9) Leg ext 25 x12 ½

   10) Shrug 26kg dumbbells x10

   11)  12kg dumbells x11 used momentum to aid last

   12) Calf BW x20

   13) Lower back machine 30kg x10

Felt a little self-conscious especially my weedy shoulder presses as the neanderthals were there pushing some serious iron.

17/9/11
   1) OHP -tried shoulder press machine 30 kg x8 (easier training to failure with a machine, but not sure about the fixed pathway)

   2) Deadlift  55kg x20

   3) Calf BWx20 (per leg)

   4) Dip BW x12 +2 rp

   5) Pulldown 55x12

   6) Cable row 60x12

   7) Reverse crunch x12

   8. Leg press 120x14

   9) Side bend  18kg  x12

rp= rest pause. I finish, jump off, rest about 4-5sec and continue.

No shrugs -starting to feel the deadlifts in my traps now.

25/9
Dug out my old wrist roller and Ivanko grip trainer

Ivanko

(2+5) Rx10

L x10 assisted

Wrist rolling 3kg

rope outx3

rope in x3

(Standing on a  62 cm high stool –this way my arms can be close to vertical rather than holding at arms- length like some people)

There is more weight due to a thick chain and metal fixing and carabiner that hold the weight.

The roller is thick at 5.5 cm (a piece of plastic pipe)

30/9/11

L-fly 5lbx8

Roller 3kg x3 (out) 3.3kg x3 (in)


L-fly is an accessory exercise that helps strengthen against rotator cuff injury. I am dipping rather than benching but apparently it is worth including these if you are able to bench heavy weights, (not me  ) -but I can do these at work.



5/10/11

   1) Deadlift  75kg x12

   2) OHP 12kg dumbbells  x12. Used slight drive from legs to help last 2.

   3) Calf one leg holding 18kg kettlebell  x14 +3

   4) Reverse crunch x13

   5) Pulldown 60kg x10



6/10/11

L-fly 5lb x9

Wrist rolling 3.3kg x3 (out)

3.3kg x3 (in)

Ivanko (2+5) Rx11 Lx10 assisted



7/10/11

   1) Dip BW x13 +2 +1 ½

   2) Cable row 62kg x13 ½

   3) Sidebend 18kg  kettlebell x13

   4) Legpress 120kg x17

I realised I can balance light-weight dumbbells on top of the weight stack to enable smaller increases on the machines –some of them increase in 5 or even 10kg increments. This also ensures also smooth movement to stop them falling off.

12/10/11

   1) Deadlift  70kg x18

   2) OHP 12kg dumbbells x12

   3) Calf one leg raise with 18kg  kettlebell x14 +3 +3 (adding 2nd lot of rest pause meant that I could hardly walk for the next 3 days  )

   4) Pulldown 60kg x12

   5) machine crunch 30kg x12 ½

Although this gym has some limitations (the lack of a power rack being the biggest) , it is close to work. Now I’ve divided the program my sessions are short enough that I can pop out from work at ‘lunchtime’.

I’m pretty much down to the core exercises suggested in ‘Body by Science’ They talk about the big 5 being:

   vertical pushing motion

   horizontal push (or dip)

   vertical pull

   horizontal pull

   multijoint lower body press

13/10/11

I’ve lost a fair bit of weight even on my version of paleo. This is mostly from my midsection, but as is often the case also the neck –my slight double chin has disappeared.  I’d  forgotten how skinny I am under the excess pounds...

I’ve never seen a neck machine in a UK gym, I believe they are de rigueur in the states.

   Neck work with weight plate on my face/head

   L-fly 5lb x9

   Ivanko

   Wrist rolling 3.5kg x3 (rope in and out)

Can do these accessory excercises in my room at work.

16/10/11

   1) Dip BW x14+3 rp

   2) Seated cable row 60kg x20

   3) Side bend 18kg kettle x16

   4) Legpress 120kg x20

    5) hammer curl 12kg dumbbells x13

   6) Tricep machine 30kgx11

   7) Glute machine 20kg x7

As I use pronated grip for pulldowns, thought  I’d add some curls.

The triceps machine is just really fun. It seems to mimic tricep kickbacks or cable pushdowns.

Just experimenting with glute machine.



18/10/11

Neckwork

L-fly

19/10/11

Rolling 3.7x3 rope out

3.7x4 rope in

gripwork

20/10/11

   1) deadlift  70kg x20

   2) OHP 12kg dumbells x12

   3) Calf 18kg kettlebell x14+3

   4) Pulldown 62kg x12

   5) Crunch 30kg x14