A log from the other side of the world

CMinOZ

Sorry the update is a bit late - I have moved jobs and whilst I now work for myself, the workload has increased!

Also, my arms have only just stopped hurting since my session on Saturday - This is the first session on our new 4 week plan, what joy there is to come...

So this was my Saturday session:

Military press - 2 sets of 12 - last 3 reps on second set were forced.
Military press - Holding - never done this before and felt kinda strange. The idea was to "hold" the weight - 20kgs up on my rep weight - for 30 secs to get used to holding a much heavier weight.

And then we went onto real pain:

3 sets of 15-20 "Monster" curls - not sure if this is the real name. Basically it's a big swingy curl and a very slow, controlled stretch back to rest position. Performed with an EZ curl bar and 60kgs in total. Supersetted with:

3 sets of 15-20 Close, reverse grip bench. All sets were completed to forced reps on curls and rgb.

So by now my arms were pumping and I could hardly lift my water bottle - now rest for the wicked though.

We then went onto:

Dumbell curls - 3 sets of 15-20 reps with 25kg each. supersetted with:

Dips - 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

Reading this 4 days on it doesn't seem that much, but rest assured that on Saturday my arms were gone. My wife had to drive me home from the gym and on MondayI could hardly bend at the elbow.

Training tonight is the second phase of our new plan so I am expecting serious DOMS on Friday.

CMinOZ

Tall

Looking good still mate.

I still cant get in my head how the 'Bent over rows - using seated leg extension machine' work...?

Get your progress photos up

CMinOZ

TH&S - I know it is a weird one. The leg extension machine we use uses plates not cables. I have just written an explanation and then realised it makes no sense at all - will draw you a diagram and post it here.

Last nights session:

Well the second session in the new 4 wk plan was as expected... Brutal.

First set -

Incline Bench - 2 sets of 15 - to fatigue and then 3 forced reps in final set

Flat bench - 1 set 15 partial reps

Flat Bench - 30 sec Hold - 10% over my 1 rep max.

Dead Lift - 1 set 15 reps - 90% of my 1 rep max (nearly puked)

Dead Lift - Racked - 1 set 10 reps

Shrugs - 1 set 10 reps

Calf Raises - 2 sets of 30 reps

Felt good when we had finished but I came real close to vomitting straight after the DL's.

What can I expect from Saturday....

CMinOZ

CMinOZ

Sorry it’s been so long since my last post, Saturdays session was a monster, high rep sets that ended in a tear in my lower back causing a shooting pain down my left leg. Thankfully, once the spasm had calmed down a bit the leg is back to normal though only squats will tell how good the back is.

So hear is the set:

Military press – 3 sets of 12 reps – final set included 3 forced reps
Partial Military press – 1 set of 12 reps
Military press Hold – as previous sets with hold reps, held much heavier weight for 30 seconds to get used to being under heavier weight.

Super slow B/Bell curls (EZ Bar) – 3 sets of 12 reps with forced reps
Partial curls – 1 set of 12

Squats – 1 set of 15 reps
Partial Squats – 1 set of 6 reps and then came the injury…

I tried to battle through thinking that it was my mind playing tricks on me, but sure enough it wasn’t – Lesson learned.

So on Sunday I started on my cyclic ketogenic diet, I am now on day 4 and well and truly into ketosis, after the 2 days of lethargy I now have loads of energy despite only consuming 2195 calories per day.

Tonight will be the moment of truth, weight should have plummeted over the last few days, mainly due to no creatine and therefore a lot of excess water has been offloaded. When I’ve done this diet previously I have lost about 3kgs per week, though admittedly I was a fair bit fatter. I am hoping for about 1kg per week as I am only doing the diet for 2-3 weeks and this should take me close to 10-11% BF.

The end of this 12 week program is nearly here so I promise I will get y photos up – It will be good to see the progress from Day 0 – 12 weeks – 24 weeks

CMinOZ

Tall

What will the impact of the Keto diet be like on your strength mate...?
How much weight are you looking to loose on the keto portion - and what split between BF and muscle are you expecting?

Sorry to hear about the muscle tear mate.

CMinOZ

TH&S – expecting to get to about 10% BF during this diet at about 91kgs – This should be possible though the minute I get back on the creatine I will add a fair bit of water weight. Hope this answers your question.

CM in OZ

CMinOZ

What a great work out last night – I thought that, considering the diet I am currently on, I would have no energy and my lifts would be down. Needless to say I was very surprised and there was very little difference.

My weight was down by 2.3kgs since Saturday, though this was expected as I have stopped my creatine during the ketogenic phase.

Quite a long work out last night though as I needed my rest more than normal:

Flat bench – 3 sets of 12 reps including forced reps on final 2 reps, supersetted on the final set with…

Deadlift – 1 set of 12

Flat bench – Partials – 1 set of 12 reps

Flat bench – Hold – 30 secs with 10kgs more than one rep max

Rack Deadlift – 1 set of 12

Incline Press – 3 sets of 10 including forced reps

Calf Raises – 2 sets of 20 reps

Hoping to be around 92kgs on Saturday which will be a loss of 1kg since yesterday. I am only doing the keto diet for 2 weeks, it is very effective though can be catabolic if not calculated correctly.

Only 10 more days of dieting until….I start my new diet…

CMinOZ

CMinOZ

“Today is shoulders and arms day” our trainer announced with a glint in his eye that said he would enjoy this and that we would be crying by the end. Well he was right, by the end of this workout I was pulling some of the biggest cheat reps seen by man whilst all the time trying not to cry out loud.

This was the punishment: (All sets are in addition to at least 4 warm up sets of varying reps)

3 sets Military press – 12 reps (including forced reps)

3 sets lateral DB raises – each set was 20 reps-rest-15 reps-rest-10 reps (rest-pause training)

3 sets Super slow EZ curls – again each set 20 reps-rest-15 reps-rest-10 reps (rest-pause) – supersetted with…

3 set Close, Reverse Grip Bench - 20 reps-rest-15 reps-rest-10 reps

3 sets DB curls - 20 reps-rest-15 reps-rest-10 reps – supersetted with

Dips – unassisted to failure then 3 forced reps

Needless to say the drive home from the Gym was fun. Today, two days later, my biceps are so sore and my shoulders just feel completely fatigued. To make matters worse, today is the first day of my second cycle of Keto dieting so I am also grumpy as hell because I have had zero carbs.

Tall

How's the lower back mate...?

CMinOZ

Th&S - Back is much better thanks - Another reason for the Shoulders/Arms session on the W/end. We've got a powerlifting grading at our gym in 2 weeks so I am looking forward to that and hopefully some good PB's