164.2 this morning. Weight is definitely going up which is what we want.
Training has been going ok however I’m not liking the 3 on 1 off. My muscles feel recovered by the time I go back in the gym however my joints seem to be taking a hit, I feel much tighter. Having more frequent rest days allows me to focus on my mobility, stretching, resting. I’m not liking this approach too much. Will look to make a change in the coming days. + I’ve noticed that I’m slightly less eager to train. Working a full time job too, I really do value my rest days to relax and not be so rushed all the time.
Tried splitting macros across 4 meals this week but didn’t like the size of those meals, not ideal for digestion so back to my trusted 5.
Next push session will try to put pressing first again, isolations later. Will thoroughly warm up to get everything firing before pressing.
Been watching a lot of matt jansen training: text book form and very big on the basics. Been emulating his tempo on back movement: controlled eccentric, hang at the bottom, assertive concentric without spending significant time in the contraction. I highly recommend.
I’ve also unfollowed many people on instagram, any one who’s a copy cat, unoriginal and doesn’t inspire is out. I think this is important because so often we replicate what we see whether in life or in the gym.
For training clips I recommend Dan Bastick, Nick Walker, Jansen, Jewett, JP, AJ and Kuba for the intensity he brings. + Hollingshead in off season mode. Miss the days of JP throwing up 90 kilos dumbbells.
Legs today after work + cinema hobbs and shaw. Lovely
Like
louisschuler1
Aug 01, 2019
1/08/2019
163 this morning.
Training rotation complete, a very successful one.
Pull: started with prone dumbbell row, went on to snatch RDL, then assisted chin, T bar row, shrug, rear delts and biceps. Very clean and accurate session.
Push: started with rear delts, then cuff laterals, moved to high incline DB pressing, low incline dumbbell pressing, low inc cable fly, DB laterals, DB front raises and triceps. Lots of isolation stuff, lighter pressing focusing on pausing at the bottom, slowing down the eccentrics, keeping shoulders happy. Again, very clean session.
Legs: started with seated ham curls tidying up the form, less aggression, more breathing, then seated calf raise, leg extensions for 2 hard sets, hack squats for 2 hard sets (the most important ones), then a banded leg press with a closer stance (1 top set, 1 20 rep back off + drop set), smith split squat and adductors. Very hard session, had me going to the toilets feeling like vomiting after my hard sets. Not a clean session by any means but a fucking epic one.
This coming rest day is greatly needed. 35 minutes of cardio and abs on the cards + posing. Day off work too so full rest.
Like
louisschuler1
Jul 28, 2019
Done with the last 3 training sessions. First time doing 3 sessions in a row in a while! Very much looking forward to tomorrows rest (cardio + abs + calves).
Pull I was happy with. Overall good session.
Push very happy with, a little different to what I'm used to but very good. Session went like this:
1) Rear delt cable fly 3 x 12-15
2) Cable lateral raise 3 x 12-15
3) Low incline cuff fly 3 x 12-15
4) Low incline dumbbell press (pause, slow eccentric, reps left in the tank) 3 sets
5) Machine shoulder press 2 sets
6) Machine lateral raise 2 x 12-15
7) Incline cuff fly triple drop set
8) Tricep pushdown 4 sets
Isolation before pressing. Shoulders are a weak point so having perfect isolation work first makes sense + warms up the shoulders nicely for pressing. Session was pain free, pump was very good.
Legs today very good even though felt like shit throughout the whole session. Very sluggish. Trained in the evening which was a big mistake. Felt sluggish, slow, tired. I much prefer training in the morning or early afternoon with less food in me.
Ended the week very slightly down in bodyweight so took the liberty of increasing my carbs by 25 on legs/pull and on rest days.
Can't wait for the next training rotation.
Like
louisschuler1
Jul 25, 2019
25/07/2019
162.6 this morning. Most recent training session has been legs and it was a very good one with progression across the board whether it's through reps, weight or form.
Weight average is slightly down from last week at the moment. Will make adjustments on Saturday with diet if need be.
Tomorrow we have pull, my fav session and fav rotation. Will be resetting my RDL weight because I'm just not happy with the form and my ability to stay tight. Dropping the ego completely, going for perfect form with weight I can handle. Looking to increase by 2,5 kilos every week. Doesn't sound like a lot but over 6 months that's big progression.
Fasted pic from this morning. Happy with the condition I'm still holding on this amount of food. Looking forward to seeing if I can hold on to this look at 170.
I try to make sure that after every session, I've created as much growth as possible and deserve the food intake I have.
Leg training is going fantastic. Been sticking to the exact same rotations since March (start of the deficit). Same moves, same order etc. Are there times when I want to try a new exercise? Yes but progression is still there and my accuracy on all those moves is getting better by the week.
Back training is going very well apart from the RDLs that I struggle with. The rest is very good, I stick to the basics since I don't have access to any crazy back machines. Something that I've been doing lately is not focusing on the contraction too much, not spending too much time there and sacrificing load. I control the eccentric, let it hang for a second and drive up.
Chest/Shoulder training isn't the best with my shoulder but I am excited to get good at the isolation stuff. Also reminding myself that stepping back on the heavy pressing now will pay off in a few months.
Performance goals in the gym have been set, written down. All I have to do now is push my bodyweight up and make sure I train as hard as I can.
Like
louisschuler1
Jul 21, 2019
21/07/2019
Ended the week averaging just over 162, just slightly down from last week. Expenditure has been higher, so has effort/intensity.
Pull/Legs 225P 500C 60F
Push 225P 450C 60F
NTD 225P 250C 90F
25 carb increase on pull and legs, no changes to other days.
Training is changed to 3 on 1 off, previously being 2 on 1 off 1 on 1 off. We shall see how recovery goes with the higher frequency. If I struggle to recover, volume will be adjusted.
Leg training has been excellent. Pull training has been good except for RDLs where I need to fully reset the move. Will massively drop the ego. Push training has drastically changed, no longer going for single digit sets, placing isos before presses, slowing down the tempo and adding a few intensity methods. Shoulders need a break from heavy pressing (heavy for me).
Back and shoulders are the main areas I’m focusing on. Strict(ish) rows and hip hinges are a big priority for back and getting very accurate with lateral raise variations, rear delt exercises is the priority for shoulders, as well as pressing.
Rest day today consisting of 35 minutes of cardio, abs (leg raises and planks) and some stretching.
Tomorrow we have pull and calves on the menu.
Hope everyone has a nice day
Like
louisschuler1
Jul 16, 2019
16/07/2019
163.4 after PUSH yesterday. Very common for my weight to go up after that session as it does not require the amount of carbs I eat on that day.
My shoulder is telling me to fuck off at the moment so I need to do something different: higher rep work, accumulating more volume with sub maximal loads, avoiding failure, avoiding anything that hurts, getting the biggest pump possible, slow eccentrics, pauses in the stretch... I've had this shoulder problem for a long time now, it's time I change things up.
LEGS on Sunday was my first session back after 3 days off, incredible session. Pushed myself very hard and made progressions across the board.
1) Seated ham curl
2) Leg extension
3) Hack squat
4) Banded leg press (focus on quads)
5) Bulgarian SS
DC quad stretch
6) Adductor
Rest day today. Big PULL session tomorrow, very much looking forward to it, it's my favourite session of the week.
Like
louisschuler1
Jul 12, 2019
12/07/2019
162.4
Weight has been around the 162 mark for the past few days.
TRAINING:
I've been forced to take a few days off due to being in a different location, and the gym in this location is closed down for a few weeks which is very frustrating. I feel like this week has been a complete waste of a week. Thursday off, today off, tomorrow off, back on Sunday in my normal gym/regular routine.
NUTRITION:
Macros still 225P 475C 60F on TD and 225P 250C 90F on NTD. These macros are slowly increasing my BW. As long as I train very hard and keep pushing my NTD cardio, these macros shouldn't make me gain too fast.
INJURIES:
Whole right side has been locked up: neck, trap, upper back, shoulder. Booked in on Monday to see an osteopath to fix me up. Been stretching out my right shoulder (the one that has been niggling for the past months), making sure it stays nice and loose.
I look forward to reporting a much better week next week. Not training for 3 days makes me feel like a fat blob.
Like
louisschuler1
Jul 03, 2019
3/07/2019
Writing this absolutely battered from todays session.
162.2 weight increase which is pretty standard for me after PUSH day. My PUSH session are obviously the least taxing and the sessions I least look forward to.
LEGS today, very good session. Going into the session I was not up to it at all. I'm a social worker and work alongside unaccompanied minors ("child" with no legal guardian). The work I do can be very stressful when a few bad apples are present amongst the 50 boys I work with. Work was very stressful this morning and all I wanted was to go home and wind down. Came home, had a 20 minute rest and went off to the gym. Warmed up and hit the seated ham curl. Aggression was very high, probably from evacuating all the stress.
Session went like this:
1) Seated ham curl 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
2) Leg extension 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
3) Hack squat 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
4) Single leg press muscle round
5) Bulgarian split squat 2 x 8-10 + drop
DC quad stretch
6) Adductor 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
Beat all previous numbers a part from the single leg press where I actually reset my numbers. Weight was getting too heavy for me and I was cutting the range short. Will rebuild from there. By the time I got to the bulgarian SS I couldn't feel my quads at all, no pump. My quads were dead.
Rest day tomorrow consisting of fasted cardio, abs, haircut, quick meeting at work, cinema and relaxing. + visualising fridays PULL session where I will look to bring the intensity I bring to LEGS.
I predict a slight drop in weight tomorrow. I can feel it after a big leg session.
9/08/2019
164.2 this morning. Weight is definitely going up which is what we want.
Training has been going ok however I’m not liking the 3 on 1 off. My muscles feel recovered by the time I go back in the gym however my joints seem to be taking a hit, I feel much tighter. Having more frequent rest days allows me to focus on my mobility, stretching, resting. I’m not liking this approach too much. Will look to make a change in the coming days. + I’ve noticed that I’m slightly less eager to train. Working a full time job too, I really do value my rest days to relax and not be so rushed all the time.
Tried splitting macros across 4 meals this week but didn’t like the size of those meals, not ideal for digestion so back to my trusted 5.
Next push session will try to put pressing first again, isolations later. Will thoroughly warm up to get everything firing before pressing.
Been watching a lot of matt jansen training: text book form and very big on the basics. Been emulating his tempo on back movement: controlled eccentric, hang at the bottom, assertive concentric without spending significant time in the contraction. I highly recommend.
I’ve also unfollowed many people on instagram, any one who’s a copy cat, unoriginal and doesn’t inspire is out. I think this is important because so often we replicate what we see whether in life or in the gym.
For training clips I recommend Dan Bastick, Nick Walker, Jansen, Jewett, JP, AJ and Kuba for the intensity he brings. + Hollingshead in off season mode. Miss the days of JP throwing up 90 kilos dumbbells.
Legs today after work + cinema hobbs and shaw. Lovely
1/08/2019
163 this morning.
Training rotation complete, a very successful one.
Pull: started with prone dumbbell row, went on to snatch RDL, then assisted chin, T bar row, shrug, rear delts and biceps. Very clean and accurate session.
Push: started with rear delts, then cuff laterals, moved to high incline DB pressing, low incline dumbbell pressing, low inc cable fly, DB laterals, DB front raises and triceps. Lots of isolation stuff, lighter pressing focusing on pausing at the bottom, slowing down the eccentrics, keeping shoulders happy. Again, very clean session.
Legs: started with seated ham curls tidying up the form, less aggression, more breathing, then seated calf raise, leg extensions for 2 hard sets, hack squats for 2 hard sets (the most important ones), then a banded leg press with a closer stance (1 top set, 1 20 rep back off + drop set), smith split squat and adductors. Very hard session, had me going to the toilets feeling like vomiting after my hard sets. Not a clean session by any means but a fucking epic one.
This coming rest day is greatly needed. 35 minutes of cardio and abs on the cards + posing. Day off work too so full rest.
Done with the last 3 training sessions. First time doing 3 sessions in a row in a while! Very much looking forward to tomorrows rest (cardio + abs + calves).
Pull I was happy with. Overall good session.
Push very happy with, a little different to what I'm used to but very good. Session went like this:
1) Rear delt cable fly 3 x 12-15
2) Cable lateral raise 3 x 12-15
3) Low incline cuff fly 3 x 12-15
4) Low incline dumbbell press (pause, slow eccentric, reps left in the tank) 3 sets
5) Machine shoulder press 2 sets
6) Machine lateral raise 2 x 12-15
7) Incline cuff fly triple drop set
8) Tricep pushdown 4 sets
Isolation before pressing. Shoulders are a weak point so having perfect isolation work first makes sense + warms up the shoulders nicely for pressing. Session was pain free, pump was very good.
Legs today very good even though felt like shit throughout the whole session. Very sluggish. Trained in the evening which was a big mistake. Felt sluggish, slow, tired. I much prefer training in the morning or early afternoon with less food in me.
Ended the week very slightly down in bodyweight so took the liberty of increasing my carbs by 25 on legs/pull and on rest days.
Can't wait for the next training rotation.
25/07/2019
162.6 this morning. Most recent training session has been legs and it was a very good one with progression across the board whether it's through reps, weight or form.
Weight average is slightly down from last week at the moment. Will make adjustments on Saturday with diet if need be.
Tomorrow we have pull, my fav session and fav rotation. Will be resetting my RDL weight because I'm just not happy with the form and my ability to stay tight. Dropping the ego completely, going for perfect form with weight I can handle. Looking to increase by 2,5 kilos every week. Doesn't sound like a lot but over 6 months that's big progression.
Fasted pic from this morning. Happy with the condition I'm still holding on this amount of food. Looking forward to seeing if I can hold on to this look at 170.
I try to make sure that after every session, I've created as much growth as possible and deserve the food intake I have.
Leg training is going fantastic. Been sticking to the exact same rotations since March (start of the deficit). Same moves, same order etc. Are there times when I want to try a new exercise? Yes but progression is still there and my accuracy on all those moves is getting better by the week.
Back training is going very well apart from the RDLs that I struggle with. The rest is very good, I stick to the basics since I don't have access to any crazy back machines. Something that I've been doing lately is not focusing on the contraction too much, not spending too much time there and sacrificing load. I control the eccentric, let it hang for a second and drive up.
Chest/Shoulder training isn't the best with my shoulder but I am excited to get good at the isolation stuff. Also reminding myself that stepping back on the heavy pressing now will pay off in a few months.
Performance goals in the gym have been set, written down. All I have to do now is push my bodyweight up and make sure I train as hard as I can.
21/07/2019
Ended the week averaging just over 162, just slightly down from last week. Expenditure has been higher, so has effort/intensity.
Pull/Legs 225P 500C 60F
Push 225P 450C 60F
NTD 225P 250C 90F
25 carb increase on pull and legs, no changes to other days.
Training is changed to 3 on 1 off, previously being 2 on 1 off 1 on 1 off. We shall see how recovery goes with the higher frequency. If I struggle to recover, volume will be adjusted.
Leg training has been excellent. Pull training has been good except for RDLs where I need to fully reset the move. Will massively drop the ego. Push training has drastically changed, no longer going for single digit sets, placing isos before presses, slowing down the tempo and adding a few intensity methods. Shoulders need a break from heavy pressing (heavy for me).
Back and shoulders are the main areas I’m focusing on. Strict(ish) rows and hip hinges are a big priority for back and getting very accurate with lateral raise variations, rear delt exercises is the priority for shoulders, as well as pressing.
Rest day today consisting of 35 minutes of cardio, abs (leg raises and planks) and some stretching.
Tomorrow we have pull and calves on the menu.
Hope everyone has a nice day
16/07/2019
163.4 after PUSH yesterday. Very common for my weight to go up after that session as it does not require the amount of carbs I eat on that day.
My shoulder is telling me to fuck off at the moment so I need to do something different: higher rep work, accumulating more volume with sub maximal loads, avoiding failure, avoiding anything that hurts, getting the biggest pump possible, slow eccentrics, pauses in the stretch... I've had this shoulder problem for a long time now, it's time I change things up.
LEGS on Sunday was my first session back after 3 days off, incredible session. Pushed myself very hard and made progressions across the board.
1) Seated ham curl
2) Leg extension
3) Hack squat
4) Banded leg press (focus on quads)
5) Bulgarian SS
DC quad stretch
6) Adductor
Rest day today. Big PULL session tomorrow, very much looking forward to it, it's my favourite session of the week.
12/07/2019
162.4
Weight has been around the 162 mark for the past few days.
TRAINING:
I've been forced to take a few days off due to being in a different location, and the gym in this location is closed down for a few weeks which is very frustrating. I feel like this week has been a complete waste of a week. Thursday off, today off, tomorrow off, back on Sunday in my normal gym/regular routine.
NUTRITION:
Macros still 225P 475C 60F on TD and 225P 250C 90F on NTD. These macros are slowly increasing my BW. As long as I train very hard and keep pushing my NTD cardio, these macros shouldn't make me gain too fast.
INJURIES:
Whole right side has been locked up: neck, trap, upper back, shoulder. Booked in on Monday to see an osteopath to fix me up. Been stretching out my right shoulder (the one that has been niggling for the past months), making sure it stays nice and loose.
I look forward to reporting a much better week next week. Not training for 3 days makes me feel like a fat blob.
3/07/2019
Writing this absolutely battered from todays session.
162.2 weight increase which is pretty standard for me after PUSH day. My PUSH session are obviously the least taxing and the sessions I least look forward to.
LEGS today, very good session. Going into the session I was not up to it at all. I'm a social worker and work alongside unaccompanied minors ("child" with no legal guardian). The work I do can be very stressful when a few bad apples are present amongst the 50 boys I work with. Work was very stressful this morning and all I wanted was to go home and wind down. Came home, had a 20 minute rest and went off to the gym. Warmed up and hit the seated ham curl. Aggression was very high, probably from evacuating all the stress.
Session went like this:
1) Seated ham curl 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
2) Leg extension 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
3) Hack squat 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
4) Single leg press muscle round
5) Bulgarian split squat 2 x 8-10 + drop
DC quad stretch
6) Adductor 1 x 6-9, 1 x 12-15
Beat all previous numbers a part from the single leg press where I actually reset my numbers. Weight was getting too heavy for me and I was cutting the range short. Will rebuild from there. By the time I got to the bulgarian SS I couldn't feel my quads at all, no pump. My quads were dead.
Rest day tomorrow consisting of fasted cardio, abs, haircut, quick meeting at work, cinema and relaxing. + visualising fridays PULL session where I will look to bring the intensity I bring to LEGS.
I predict a slight drop in weight tomorrow. I can feel it after a big leg session.