Mark G's Training Log

[markg]

CONGRATS on meeting your goal early!!! Keep it up and keeping pushing yourself. So what is your new target weight?

Christian

Thanks man, I am well pleased.

My next weight target is to put on another stone by the time I have been on SL for a year, so

12st 7lbs or 175lbs before 31st October 2009. That was my original long term goal so, sickness permitting I will stick with it. If I keep gaining at this rate though it should be a piece of cake! I have never weighed that much in my life so it would be great to get there, especially if it's mostly muscle.

I read a post where someone mentioned that a fat cell never leaves your body so it's best not to generate too many of them while bulking up. I have heard this before and believe it to be true. Looking at my physique though I suspect I can handle a few more fat cells! Would be nice if they didn't all gather round my belly though

Am not feeling too good again today. My lower back hurts for some reason. I am still suffering with the virus I got yesterday. Hopefully will recover in time to train tonight. Have had some pain killers for my back. I suspect it is just tightness but it didn't help with trying to sleep last night.

Anyway, I don't really like talking about being ill; just got carried away there for a minute! I often think that if you think you are ill you will be ill. No more unclean thoughts from me. Onwards and upwards

Mark

[BLUEBLAH]

Good measurements Mark, despite being sick. My 6 year old daughter threw up all over me a couple of weeks ago, oh the joys of being a father. Try and make the gym tonight, if you can, even if you're feeling dodgy. Just accept it might not be a brilliant workout. Do you work out 3 times a week?

Be careful with your lower back mate, make sure your technique is spot on.

[amaeland]

Hi Mark, hope you are feeling better. I agree with Blueblah, train if you can (but obviously if your body screams "no", don't).

Just want to comment on this:

Friday 28th Nov 08
Rev Crunch - seemed a bit tougher than usual. I have found that I need to keep steady and controlled on these or various bits start to twinge, like upper back, lower back, neck. With care it all goes well, so form is important on these. My buddy noticed that by 'tensing' abs during the curl it becomes easier. I suspect this also activates the right muscles, so will concentrate more on this next time.

How can you do the exercise without tensing the abs? The whole movement is supposed to result from ab contraction. Remember to avoid using your hips/legs to drive upwards. Keep the angle between trunk and thigh at 90 degrees. And keep your lungs filled with air, this will protect your back from twinges.

And by the way, form is important in ALL exercises Stay tight!

[markg]

@blueblah - I only work out twice a week, so progress is slower than it could be. The extra recovery time is nice. It's a scheduling thing but it seems to be working ok.

@amaeland - I totally understand what you are saying about the bridges. I'm sure my abs have been doing most of the work but sometimes it just feels different curling them up or really squeezing them before starting the move. I have avoided leg swing the whole time (except the last part of the last rep sometimes...bad me!). I will try the air in lungs thing next time, thanks.

So, I managed to work out without too much of a problem. Back was aching the whole time but I think the workout actually did me good. Felt better for it. Back is aching still but I'm sure it's nothing serious.

Monday 1st December

Squats 37.5kg 5x5
OHP 27.5kg 5x5
Deads 47.5kg 1x5
Chin Ups 1, 8 negs, 7 negs, 4 negs
Pr Bridge 3x45 seconds

Squats are feeling quite heavy on the back/shoulders but legs can handle it ok

OHP is heavy now. The later reps were no formality, when they always have been before. Enjoyed it though!

Deads still ok. Will be using some bigger, 15kg, plates if we can next time....exciting times.

Chins - managed one (by my standards!) i think my chin was over the bar. plenty of negatives this time. My powerbar is on order and should be delivered tomorrow

Bridges - back was not happy with these. persevered though.

That's me done. Hopefully can eat well tomorrow.

[kapo]

Congrats on the chin ups - milestone! That is cool, especially when you consider that you have been sick.

[markg]

Congrats on the chin ups - milestone! That is cool, especially when you consider that you have been sick.

Thank you sir! The even better news is that my Powerbar has arrived! No more smith machine chin ups for this lad

@amaeland - when i mentioned bridges in my reply to you, I of course meant reverse crunches

Friday 5th Dec 08

Workout A

Squats 40kg 5x5
Bench 30kg 5x5
Inv Row 8, 5, 18* bent legs on last set.
Push Ups 19,7,5
Rev Crunch 10,8,7

Squats are starting to get tougher on the last set now. May need to have my t/p spot me more closely on these in future. Quite pleased with form and trying to concentrate on hip drive and squeezing glutes now.

We had to wait a minute while two chaps finished their sets of upright rows on the squat rack before getting onto it tonight. Once we had done our squats, they got back on and did some quarter, maybe half if I'm generous, squats with about 120kg on the bar..

Bench press was a bit odd tonight. The weight is still easy but I am questioning our form. I have always thought bench press form was a formality - you just lower the bar then push it back up right? The question marks I have are over grip width and what happens to the elbows on the way down. I was reading maddog612's log and he mentioned getting shoulder trouble from flaring his elbows out instead of tucking them in. This got me thinking...

We adopted a much narrower grip tonight and tried to get our elbows/upper arms to be at about a 45 degree angle from our body at the bottom of the movement. Will need to read up and watch some vids to be sure on this one. I think we need to aim for lower on the chest as well to accommodate this. I normally aim for just an inch or so below my nipples but I think this needs checking out too.

Inv Row - tried these with straight legs for first two sets. Not very easy at all. Hardly touched chest on any of the reps and my inner wrists twinged a bit just like when I first tried these. My legs kept trying to join in by bending slightly and my hamstrings felt tight when this happened. Switched to bent leg to get some reps out on last set which was easy, mostly I think because I have perfected the art of using my legs just enough to get my chest to the bar. Still feels like progress and will do straight leg at start of next w/o A.

Push Ups - same same. May need to look into adding resistance in the near future, but enough to work on besides this! Will mention it to t/p next time.

Rev Crunches - Tried to be even more strict with form after amaeland's advice and it was tough. Can feel those abs now

Anyway, I'm sure you've all got homes to go to, so I won't keep you any longer...oh boy is that the time?! Sorry

Mark.

[BLUEBLAH]

Sounds like you're doing the bench press right. Elbows at 45 degrees and keep the shoulders back the whole time.
So how's the powerbar? Do you stick it between doorways or something? I wouldn't mind one of those.

[clavelle]

Now you can do Pull/Chin ups all the time. One of the ways I shot my numbers into the 20's was every time I went in and out of a room I did a set of 3-5, I would stay in the room when it got to hard...lol. But you could knock out 1-2 every time you went under it and your numbers will shoot way up as well. Do not over train but space these out as well.

[amaeland]

With those push-up numbers, maybe you should look into replacing them with dips? I recently did that (when I could do around 20 push-ups on the first set) and I think it was a good move. Either try dips or do power push-ups, forcefully pushing yourself high up in the air on every rep.

Form is never a formality with any exercise, which is something that will become very clear as you progress to heavier weights. Have you read Starting Strength yet?

For the bench press I would say a narrow grip is not something you want - this will tax the chest less and the triceps more - just keep your hands within the marks on the knurling of the bar. The mark is the small, smooth space in the knurling. (Sorry if this was a bad explanation.) Here are some things that helped my benching immensely:

-grip the bar hard, like Mehdi often says, "try to break it like spaghetti". This helps tons with dips too.
-pull your shoulder blades towards each other (after gripping the bar, I do a mini "inverted row", lifting my upper back off the bench, tucking shoulder blades, and then lying down again). Do not let them slide/"flare" out.
-have good contact with your feet on the floor, do not just let your legs hang like pieces of dead meat
-think "UP!" already as the bar is on the way down, and the moment it touches your chest, push it up as fast as you can
-you can do at least two or three reps on one breath, this is an anaerobic exercise so do not relax your body in order to breathe. If you must breathe, make it short, keeping your body tight until the set is finished.

[markg]

Sounds like you're doing the bench press right. Elbows at 45 degrees and keep the shoulders back the whole time.
So how's the powerbar? Do you stick it between doorways or something? I wouldn't mind one of those.

Thanks mate. I will be using the powerbar properly for the first time tomorrow. It fits into a single doorway and folds away after use.

Here's where I got it and a picture of it: -

http://www.ukfitnesssupplies.co.uk/Prod ... ductID=929

I love the design of it and it seems really solid. Will see how many reps I get out tomorrow.

[markg]

Now you can do Pull/Chin ups all the time. One of the ways I shot my numbers into the 20's was every time I went in and out of a room I did a set of 3-5, I would stay in the room when it got to hard...lol. But you could knock out 1-2 every time you went under it and your numbers will shoot way up as well. Do not over train but space these out as well.

I have heard of that kind of groove greasing method and intend to have a go at it next week. I want to try my first workout sets of chins on Monday then try the extra practice later on. Can't wait! I hope I don't have to stay in the room to often, as it fits into my downstairs toilet at the moment

[markg]

With those push-up numbers, maybe you should look into replacing them with dips? I recently did that (when I could do around 20 push-ups on the first set) and I think it was a good move. Either try dips or do power push-ups, forcefully pushing yourself high up in the air on every rep.

I like the dips idea, yeah. They always sound really tough, so if I can do one or two I will be happy. Will read up on dip form soon. Thanks

I have Starting Strength but haven't finished the Squat section yet. I will check out Bench Presses in there too. Thanks for the pointer.

I think I made my grip sound narrower than it was. We were within the marks but not at the very outside range of them like normal.

Thanks for all the BP pointers amaeland. I will try to remember them next week. I think I have the shoulders back thing sorted and will get onto the other bits as soon as possible. Cheers!

[markg]

Tue 9th Dec 08

Workout B

Squat 42.5kg 5x5
OHP 30kg 5x5
Deadlift 50kg 1x5
Chins 1,1, 0, 4 negs
Pr Bridge 3x50 secs

Squat weight is starting to feel substantial. The last couple of reps are done with tiring legs. For the first time since starting this, I waited a bit longer between sets, rather than starting as soon as my t/p had done - just on the last 2 sets. I needed that. No problem completing the 5x5 though.

OHP is the same sort of thing. Had to take some rest between sets to make sure these went up. Last set was quite good compared to 4th set. I rested a minute longer and imagined the weight being really light and powered the bar up.

Deads were still not too heavy.

Chins were done at home after we got back from gym. I will practice these later in the week as well.

Bridges were painful (in a good way). 50 seconds seems like a long time with these...

[clavelle]

Bridges were painful (in a good way). 50 seconds seems like a long time with these...

Wait until you do them for 1:30 to 2:00, then your arms give out as well...lol Good going on your pull ups mark, very little negs now. Plus being that you have the bar in your house there is nothing stopping you from just doing these for the fun of it now. Let me know when you are ready for some hanging leg raise stuff that you can do on the bar as well to work your abs some more.

Cheers Christian

[markg]

Thanks buddy. If I need any more pain, I'll be sure to give you a shout!