Phil S Training Log

[philsutch]

Hello,

I have been doing Stronglifts since sept 08 through to april 09 where training fell away due to work comitments etc. But went from 90kg 32% BF to 85kg 23% BF - Very effective.

Current Status:

Gender: Male
Age: 29 y/o
Height: 171cm
Bodyweight: 88kg
Bodyfat: 22%

I started Rugby training in June and found myself to be very inflexible in the legs, and upper back. Injured both thigh muscles and rhomboid/trap, and over extended the knee joint. As a remedial statrted using kettlebells and am now playing rugby again, and have started SL 5x5 again too.

I have ammended the 5x5 plan to suit my requirments; mixed SL 5x5 with a few kettlebell exercises to work on flexibility.

When I stopped SL 5x5 in april I had acheived the following:
Squat: 120kg
Over Head Press: 62.5kg
Bent over Rows: 70kg
Deadlift: 115kg (5x5)
Bench: 80kg

My goals for this year (and the start of 2010) are as follows:

I am putting a big emphasis on form this year, even if it means starting again with reletively low weight.

Body fat 15% (lose approx 7%)
Weight: No reduction

Add 10% to each by April 2010:
Squat: 135kg
Over Head Press: 70kg
Bent over Rows: 80kg
Deadlift: 125kg (5x5)
Bench: 90kg

[philsutch]

Monday 2nd Nov - Easy week (getting back into it)

Deadlifts - 75kg did 5x5 - easy
Bent over row - 40kg - easy trying the upper back out - attention paid to form



Tuesday 3rd Nov

Squats - 75kg did 5x5 - easy, conscious of the upper back, did okay

Left it at that for today.

[philsutch]

Wed 4th Nov 09

Deadlifts - 75kg - 5x5
Bent over row - 42.5kg - 5x5

Kettlebell Snatches - 5x5 - 16kg KB
Fig 8s and Slingshots - 2mins - 16kg KB
Seated Press - 2mins 5,4,3,2,1,5,4 L&R - 12kg KB
1 armed row - 2mins 5,4,3,2,1,2,2,2 L&R - 12kg KB

[philsutch]

Double Kettlebell Clean & Press: 5reps, 10reps, 5reps, 10reps - 90sec rest between sets
Double Kettlebell Snatch & Front Squat: 8reps, 5reps

Used 2x 16kg Kettlebells.

[philsutch]

Snatch & Press - 5x16kg, 2min rest, 5x16kg
Clean & Jerk - 10x16kg, 2min rest, 10x16kg

All exercises were with double kettebells

[philsutch]

5x5
Squat 75kg
5x5

OHP 42.5kg
5x5

Double KB exercises
Clean and Press 2 x (5, 10) * - 10,5,10,5 - did ok
Snatch & Front Squat 2 x 10 ** - 9,5 - failed, fatigued.

[JohnnyAce]

what does your diet look like Phil? Do you keep track of it?

[philsutch]

Johnny,

Firstly thanks for reading the log, I appreciate any help and advice that comes my way so please feel free comment and challenge my approach outlined here.

I have to say the diet is a little problematic at the moment. My body weight aim is to hit 90kg, maintain the weight and increase strength, and reduce the belly fat.

My first time round with Stronglifts I noticed a good level of lean mass increase and a dramatic decease in fat composition. However over the summer when my training fell away and I started to do more CV work, the body weight dropped, as did strength which was noticeable on starting Stronglifts type exercise again.

The upshot is that at the moment I attempting to put a couple of kg on (fat) whilst working out and will continue this for another week and a half. so as far as eating goes, I'm more on the side of fatty crap, carbs, and protein shakes after working out. My CV exercise has been cut back, for a fortnight too.

I suspect however I'm not eating enough, and I think this is the reason for the kettlebell fatigue failure yesterday.

A typical day's food:

0730hrs: weetabix with a chopped banana & cup of tea
1000hrs: granola bar
1245hrs: sandwich, yogurt or cooked meal (usually including chips and pudding)
1700hrs: mars bar / snickers
1830hrs: main evening meal, mostly chicken based (very occasionally pizza/mc d's etc)
1930hrs: workout, with post workout whey milk shake
2230hrs: single weetabix cereal (with semi skimmed mink
2300hrs: bed

I have been pretty tired for a few months, but having given up coffee now the energy levels are starting to creep backup.

Again, thank you for showing an interest.

Phil

[philsutch]

Deadlift 5x5 - 77.5

BOR 5x5 - 45

[JohnnyAce]

No worries mate, all the best with it - I'll be reading

Have I read that right though, you're trying to gain fat? Should be no problem with that diet

[philsutch]

Johnny

Yeah, eating to gain fat just for another week or so, whilst I get back into the lifting. By the time I hit the more challenging weight I'll start cutting out the crappy food and hopefully the strength (and muscle) should come through.

I'll stay on the more healthy stuff up until xmas, have the usual couple of weeks of boozing etc, then back into it in the new year.

Anyway keep working on those squats. I did see a trick (on one of the sky fitness channels) with the squat where you stand with your nose almost up against a wall, squat, and try to maintain the same separation between the wall and your nose at the top of the squat and the bottom.

Do you find front squats any easier?

[philsutch]

Squat 5x5 - 77.5kg
Bench 5x5 - 65kg

Double Kettlebell Snatch & Press - 2 x 5 – 5,5
Double kettlebell Clean & Jerk - 2 x 10 – 10, 10

[WhiteGorilla]

Do you find it easier to do single kettlebell olympic lifts or double?

[philsutch]

WhiteGorilla

Alright mate?

As far as actually doing the exercises goes, picking up two is harder over x number of reps for sure, but I also think that having symmetry for things like squats and clean press makes the lift easier. Also being a little bit pushed for time during the workout using two Kettlebells does save time.

I have actually only recently started using two Kettlebells, and just using one can give you an exceptionally tough workout.

Here is the plan I have mixed in with the barbell 5x5 workouts:

W1 W2 W 3 W4 W5 W6
Monday
Clean and Press 2 x (5, 10) * 3 x (5, 10) 4 x (5, 10) 3 x (5, 10) 4 x (5, 10) 5 x (5, 10)
Snatch & FSquat 2 x 10 ** 3 x 10 4 x 10 3 x 10 4 x 10 5 x 10


Wednesday
Snatch & Press 2 x 5 3 x 5 4 x 5 3 x 5 4 x 5 5 x 5
Clean & Jerk 2 x 10 3 x 10 4 x 10 3 x 10 4 x 10 5 x 10

Friday
Snatch 2 x 10 3 x 10 4 x 10 3 x 10 4 x 10 5 x 10
Front Squat and Push Press 2 x 5 3 x 5 4 x 5 3 x 5 4 x 5 5 x 5

Apparently Kettlebells are good for injury recovery exercises, may help strengthen your shoulder injury(?)

[philsutch]

Rugby Training - Technical drills (not fitness)

Slight left knee twinge - foot caught in turf & tackled. Feeling OK now though.

No game at the weekend.