Nelka's Training Log

[Nelka]

Workout 1 - Volume

Squat 3x5 @ 70kg
Bench 5x5 @ 81.25kg
Power Clean 5x3 @ 60kg
Dip 2x8 @ 12.5kg
Close Grip Pull Up 3x10 unweighted

Have decided to stick to 70kg on the Squat this week to ensure technique is 100% nailed before moving towards 1xbodyweight. No hurry, my goal was to have this by the end of the year, hopefully I'll have it before November is out! Bench was not bad, bar speed slowed down a bit on the last couple of sets. Clean went well, 2 wheels at last.......was destroyed afterwards right enough and the insides of my thumbs are decimated. I think these will have to be taped up next time. Dip fine, made a bit of a mistake with the Pull Ups, this should have been a weighted session. Ah well...........

[rere]

Good going Nelka.

[Nelka]

Workout 2 - Recovery & Technique (except Squat)

Squat 3x5 @ 70kg
OHP 3x3 @ 51.25kg
Power Clean 3x3 @ 50kg

Finished off with some planks & side planks.

[Nelka]

Feeling pretty lazy today so only did 20 mins steady state cardio on the bike, plus some weighted crunches, reverse crunches & russian twists.

[Nelka]

Workout 3 - Low Volume, High Intensity

Squat 3x5 @ 70kg
Bench 1x3 @ 86.5kg
Deadlift 1x5 @ 122.5kg
Wide Grip Chin Up 5,4,4 @ 10kg

Not a brilliant workout, although I have set PR's for the Deadlift & Bench (well, for a triple anyway). I'm still not happy with the Squat. After my workout I deloaded & deloaded until I was 100% happy with form. This means dropping back to 60kg, which is very disheartening. I feel like I've done this a few times now and it's like one step forward, three steps back!! I won't compromise on my form though - I see guys at my gym squatting over 100kg but their depth & form is pretty woeful. I'll get there. Eventually........

[luco]

Nice progress Nelka. Think I'm gonna look into microloading myself, I've been stuck at the same plateau on OHP and BP for ages. Did you get your own microplates or does your gym have them?

[Nelka]

Hi Luca, I had to get my own, they are magnetic Platemates and cost around £30 from Discount Supplements (not sure how much overseas postage will be). They are well made, but the price is pretty steep. They are pretty handy though. I've used them for exactly the same purpose, OHP & Bench.

[Nelka]

5 mile run in the hills today. Felt hard work!!

[Nelka]

I'm going back to a slightly modified version of Starting Strength as of tomorrow. I don't feel that the Texas Method is for me, the volume just doesn't feel enough. I'm not saying it won't work for other people, just that I'm not enjoying it, and am only feeling challenged on one workout a week, rather than all three.

And if you're not enjoying it, what's the point?

So, no messing about. Deloading to 60kg on the Squat and am gonna try to blast through and set new PR's on the Bench & OHP using microloading. I'll Power Clean & Deadlift once per week.

[Nelka]

Squat 3x5 @ 60kg
OHP 3x5 @ 51.25kg PR
Power Clean 5x3 @ 60kg
Wide Grip Chin Up 5,5,5 @ 10kg

Squat felt harder than it should have, probably due to yesterday's run. I was concentrating on real depth though, so form was good at least. OHP good - new PR. Bar speed was a bit slow on the very last rep but I made it. Clean still hard at 60kg with a couple of minor breakdowns in form when I wasn't concentrating enough.

[Nelka]

10 minute warm up on the elliptical trainer followed by Intervals on the Rowing Machine - 4x500m flat out (45 strokes per minute) with 1 minute rests. Haven't rowed for a while, hard going!

[Nelka]

Forgot to add yesterday, did lots of ab work - planks, side planks, weighted crunches, reverse crunches & russian twists.

Today -

Squat 3x5 @ 61.25kg
Bench 3x5 @ 82.5kg
Glute Ham Raise 3x8

Also tried a 90kg single on the Bench for a bit of fun after my work sets, it went up with an almighty struggle! No issues today, have decided to microload the Squat to try and maintain proper depth while making progress.

[Nelka]

Ab work - planks, side planks, weighted crunches, reverse crunches & russian twists.

Cardio - 10 mins elliptical trainer, Rowing Machine Intervals 4x500m flat out (45 strokes per minute) with 1 minute rests.

[Nelka]

First day back after a long weekend off with shocking food, sleep & alcohol standards thrown into the mix........

Today -

Squat 3x5 @ 61.25kg
OHP 4,4,4 @ 52.5kg
Power Clean 5x3 @ 60kg
Wide Grip Chin Up 3x10 (unweighted)

Wasn't as bad a performance as I had feared, although I had hoped to maybe get 5 reps in at least one set of the OHP. Roll on Friday's next attempt!

[Nelka]

Cardio - felt horrific - last weekend's activities influence no doubt.

Elliptical trainer 10mins, 15 mins rowing with 3 x 500m efforts. Poor show.