My road to redemption.

[Ajk_Lpool]

I'm fed up of not making the progress I want. It's embarrasing how many logs I've started on here and stopped doing. Usually my internet will go down or something and I'll lose track. That isn't going to happen this time.

Goals: get bigger, stronger and compete next year.

Split:

Sunday - Shoulders & Triceps
Tuesday - Legs
Monday - Rest
Wednesday -Chest & biceps
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Back & Calves
Saturday - Rest.

Diet: Eating a lot of food, 6-7 meals a day. Protein usually around 250-300g, carbs around 400g, and fats around 70-100g.


It's that simple.

[Ajk_Lpool]

Seated D/B Laterals

20kgs x 9/11 with half reps
22.5kgs x 3/6 with half reps
15kgs x 20

Seated behind neck barbell press

80kg x 5/6 with forced
85kg x 2/4 with forced

Hammer strength shoulder press s/s with bent over laterals

100kg x 6/7 with forced / 17.5kgs x 8
80kg x 10 (paused) / 15kg x 10

-

2 sets of light rope pressdowns

Weighted dips

+ 55kg x 8
+ 60kg x 6

paused decline skullcrushers

40kg x 5
30kg x 10

Reverse grip overhead cable extentions

20kg x 11 each arm
30kg x 5 each arm


---------


Overall: Good workout. Training alone so gonna miss forced reps here and there. luckily there's a big guy at the gym now I train in the daytime that's a good spot and we get on well. Happy with the 3 wheels on weighted dips, i'll start on that fresh next time. Bout to go hit legs now.

[Ajk_Lpool]

ATG BB squats

140kg x 8
150kg x 4
160kg x 1

hammer strength iso lateral leg press

100kg per side x 7/8 each leg
105kg per side x 5 each leg

Hack squats

50kg x 8
70kg x 8

leg extentions

65kg x 6/7 - drop setted to
40kg x 5 - drop setted to
20kg x 5

--

Lying hamstring curls

52.5kg x 8
60kg x 5 - drop setted to 27.5kg x 7

Seated ham curls

60kg x 8
70kg x 6 - drop setted to 40kg x 8

--


OVERALL: Solid workout, hoping to improve my flexibility on hamstrings because I'm so tight. Trained some of legs with a friend from school who's a top class sprinter in England. He's ran the 100m in 10.80 and he's like 5 ft 5 which is very impressive to me. Plus he's only 20, so he's helping me improve my flexibility on legs and I'm helping him get massive in return haha Potentially a new good training partner, we're gonna hit back on friday so we'll see what it entails.

Today's workout was good. Focused on extremely slow negatives and peak contractions, especially on hamstrings with a lot of paused reps. Should be a lot more intense next time though. Just building my tolerance back up for legs, next time i'm gonna murder myself. I was satisfied with squats. the 160 x 1 felt so comfortable. Hopefully I'll be back to 180 in no time within the next month for a couple of reps.

[Ajk_Lpool]

Incline dumbell bench

47.5kgs x 9/10 with forced rep
55kgs x 3* --> All assisted, felt I could've done at least 1 or two on my own. Just awkward when brother isn't here.

Decline paused barbell bench

105kg x 6/7 with forced rep
110kg x 4/5 with forced rep

Flat dumbell fly's supersetted with Incline paused bench

30kgs x 8 / 50kg x 7
30kgs x 6 / 60kg x 4

Dumbell pullover supersetted with cable crossovers

30kg x 8 / 30kgs x 10

---

Incline dumbell curls

22.5kgs x 9
25kgs x 4

barbell curls

40kg x 8
45kg x 5 --> drop set to 20kg x 8

One arm preecher machine curl

30kg x 4 --> drop set to 15kg x 6/7 each arm

Cable curls overhead

25kgs x 10

-


OVERALL: Excellent workout, focused on extremely slow negatives, pauses and contractions all the way while maintaining maximum intensity. I feel like I can add a lot more once my new training partner becomes more advanced we will have some great sessions. It's good to have a spot for now though and somebody to motivate me, he's very determined and eager to learn.

Incline dumbell is annoying, because the dumbelsl between the 47.5s and 55's are broke, leaving me with no option but to go heavier. I really need to get them to at least fix the 50's lol. Loved the flat flies superset with inclien bench, felt great. & the decline bench was really good as well with the slow negative and pause, excellent mind to muscle connection on those.

Biceps went well. Incline dumbell curls getting hard, I'll slowly progress on these to maintain relatively strict form. Got good negatives at the moment and peak contractions, focusing on keeping the elbows tucked in place. barbell curls felt good, and finished off with some machine/cable work. Solid overall.

[LSU1]

nice job dude. glad to see you back

stick it out this time eh?

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by LSU1

nice job dude. glad to see you back

stick it out this time eh?

Neg me to hell if I don't lol. I'm definitely sticking around this time, I'm always letting myself down with this. I'm putting in the effort this time gaurenteed. If i don't, promise to overload my PM's with gay porn (no homo).

How've you been Mark? How are things lifting wise, and life wise?

[LSU1]

Originally Posted by Ajk_Lpool

Neg me to hell if I don't lol. I'm definitely sticking around this time, I'm always letting myself down with this. I'm putting in the effort this time gaurenteed. If i don't, promise to overload my PM's with gay porn (no homo).

How've you been Mark? How are things lifting wise, and life wise?

lol, idk about the gp, but ill come up with something haha

life is good man. school and work is good.

lifting is going great lately. i seem to really have taken to DC training and gained 12lbs on my first blast and am just starting the third week of my second blast.

trying to get big and strong as hell

looks like things are going pretty well for you too. things goin your way?

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by LSU1

lol, idk about the gp, but ill come up with something haha

life is good man. school and work is good.

lifting is going great lately. i seem to really have taken to DC training and gained 12lbs on my first blast and am just starting the third week of my second blast.

trying to get big and strong as hell

looks like things are going pretty well for you too. things goin your way?

That sounds great! well done. Looks like DC is working excellent for you. Did you follow the diet protocol? Good to hear everything is well.

Things are good. I could do with a bit more poonani on the side atm. lol. I've just started working as a teaching assistant in a school so my dream of becoming a primary school teacher is coming along nicely At the moment I'm helping take classes for 3-4 year olds. It's great. Been busy since I got back off holiday in july, went to Ayia napa in Cyprus for a couple of weeks You on facebook???

& lifting wise it's getting good. I've switched to afternoon sessions and it's working a treat. if you recall I was originally lifting at evening around 8pm, now i feel much more full of energy and I'm rack pulling over 5 plates per side comfortably which is my main achievement. Weight is around 196lbs at the moment, bodyfat probly 15/16%.

[LSU1]

good stuff adam, i really like working out mid afternoon every time i get the chance

glad to hear that the teaching thing is going well man, and going to cyprus sounds bad ass!

good weights lifting man, 5 plates is no joke on rack deads.

naw man, no facebook for me haha

[Ajk_Lpool]

Rack deadlifts 6inch off floor.

215kg x 4
220kg x 2

Dumbell rows with pause

65kg x 9 each arm
70kg x 6 each arm

Barbell rows / 75 degrees, elbows flared

100kg x 10
110kg x 7/8 cheated

Rope cable rows

72.5kg x 12
80kg x 9 --> drop set to 42.5kg x 8

Pull-ups paused

b/w x 8
b/w x 8
b/w x 6

Hammer strength pulldowns / drop sets

55kg x 5/6 --> 30kg x 6 -- 15kg x 8 each arm.

-

OVERALL: Excellent workout even though i felt tired. murdered it with determination. Forgot my dipping belt so blasted the rows out first this time instead of weighted chins.. Paused reps all the way and really slow negatives.

[LSU1]

excellent job adam, looks like alot of powerful heavy exercises, just what i like to see my man

strong stuff on the partial pulls, thats almost like pulling from the floor

and those rows are basically yates style? i have a similar form which has been working great,

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by LSU1

excellent job adam, looks like alot of powerful heavy exercises, just what i like to see my man

strong stuff on the partial pulls, thats almost like pulling from the floor

and those rows are basically yates style? i have a similar form which has been working great,

Thanks mate.

Yea the rows are basically yates style, I've been keeping my elbows flared because it seems to drag the lats into play. As you know I've had problems in the past with back workouts, but now I feel fine on them and it's my favourite bodypart to train. One of the best things I did with back was to go back to the basics

[Ajk_Lpool]

Seated dumbell laterals

20kgs x 10/12 with forced reps
22.5kgs x 4/7 with forced reps
17.5kgs x 13/16 with forced reps

Behind neck barbell press / seated

80kg x 7/8 with forced
90kg x 1/3 with forced

Hammer strength press s/s with upright rows

110kg x 5/6 with forced / 20kg x 10
90kg x 8 (paused) / 20kg x 12

---

Weighted dips

+60kg/132lbs x 7
+65kg/144lbs x 3

Decline close grip bench (paused w/ 4 second negative) s/s with paused decline skulls

100kg x 6 --> 25kg x 7/8
100kg x 6/7 with forced --> 25kg x 6/7 with forced

Reverse grip cable pressdowns

25kg x 8 each arm
30kg x 6/7 with forced each arm ~ drop set to 20kg x 4 each arm

Cable pressdowns on heavy cable (more tension)

45kg x 5

---



OVERALL: Superb workout for tri's, shoulders coulda been better. Hard to put a finger on even though I'm up in weights.

[LSU1]

strong laterals man and really nice btn press after laterals

that is an awesome mass builder for me

tricep work looks great too, very strong stuff adam. picking up where you left off

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by LSU1

strong laterals man and really nice btn press after laterals

that is an awesome mass builder for me

tricep work looks great too, very strong stuff adam. picking up where you left off

Thanks man. I'm trying to utilize it because it hits a bit of side delt as well which is my main weakness.

& I'm really happy with a lot of my pressing strength, it's coming on a lot.

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by Ajk_Lpool

ATG BB squats

140kg x 8
150kg x 4
160kg x 1

hammer strength iso lateral leg press

100kg per side x 7/8 each leg
105kg per side x 5 each leg

Hack squats

50kg x 8
70kg x 8

leg extentions

65kg x 6/7 - drop setted to
40kg x 5 - drop setted to
20kg x 5

--

Lying hamstring curls

52.5kg x 8
60kg x 5 - drop setted to 27.5kg x 7

Seated ham curls

60kg x 8
70kg x 6 - drop setted to 40kg x 8
.

Todays workout,

ATG Squats

145kg x 7
150kg x 5
165kg x 1

Hammer strength iso lat leg press

100kg x 8 each leg
105kg x 6 each leg

hack squats supersetted with close stance, slow negative leg press

80kg x 6 / 150kg x 8
90kg x 4 / 170kg x 6

Leg extentions (downstairs machine) - drop sets.

85kg x 8/11 with forced / 60kg x 5/6 with forced / 30kg x 8/9 with forced.

-

Lying ham curls (downstairs)

60kg x 8
67.5kg x 4/5 with forced.

Seated ham curls

75kg x 8
80kg x 5 - drop set to 50kg x 8

-

OVERALL - Great workout with incredible intensity. pumped as hell, gonna be some severe soreness tomorrow

[LSU1]

great improvements adam!

are those machine hacks or bb hacks? guessing machine

good overall exercise selection, looks very good

[liftingbuddy1]

Adam!! I thought you disappeared from the forum again! Glad to see that you have a journal again! Your training is very inspirational.

@ your Dumbbell Rows!! With a pause!??! No limits to your strength, I like that. It just keeps going up and up! This is the training I like to see!!!

Mike

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by Ajk_Lpool

Incline dumbell bench

47.5kgs x 9/10 with forced rep
55kgs x 3* --> All assisted, felt I could've done at least 1 or two on my own. Just awkward when brother isn't here.

Decline paused barbell bench

105kg x 6/7 with forced rep
110kg x 4/5 with forced rep

Flat dumbell fly's supersetted with Incline paused bench

30kgs x 8 / 50kg x 7
30kgs x 6 / 60kg x 4

Dumbell pullover supersetted with cable crossovers

30kg x 8 / 30kgs x 10

---

Incline dumbell curls

22.5kgs x 9
25kgs x 4

barbell curls

40kg x 8
45kg x 5 --> drop set to 20kg x 8

One arm preecher machine curl

30kg x 4 --> drop set to 15kg x 6/7 each arm

Cable curls overhead

25kgs x 10

-

Incline dumbell press

55kgs x 2/3 with forced
47.5kgs x 7/8 with forced

Decline bench

110kg x 7
120kg x 2/3 with forced

Flat dumbell flies with pause supersetted with incline barbell/paused

32.5kgs x 8 / 60kg x 6
32.5kgs x 7 / 60kg x 4

Cable crossovers

45kgs x 8
50kgs x 4 drop-setted to 30kg x 7

-----

Incline dumbell curl

22.5kgs x 9
25kgs x 4

Barbell curls

45kg x 6
45kg x 6 --> drop-set to 20kg x 10

Giant set of lat pulldown behind neck curl w/ lying cable curls w/ overhand cable curls

weight; doesn't matter lol.

--

OVERALL: Excellent pumps and great mind to muscle connections/progression across the board. I should be happy, and I am. Dissapointed in a couple of things. First, my gym is ****, and the lazy ****s never pick repair the ****ty iron weights that snap, hence my insane selection for incline dumbell press. Second, I should've had more than two on that 120kg decline press, easy 4, i just brought the bar down wrong at an angle on the third rep. Next week though.. My progression was excellent I suppose apart from that and incline dumbell curls which I've plateaud. Hard to progress on that exercise because of the form issue's without cheating, so I'll drop it and replace it.

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by LSU1

great improvements adam!

are those machine hacks or bb hacks? guessing machine

good overall exercise selection, looks very good

Machine hacks, my gyms is crap but it's not too bad for a bit of variety I suppose. Hard to do freeweight exercise for legs besides squats and sldl's, and I already fry my lower back with regular squats and rack deads anyway + no GHR station

Originally Posted by liftingbuddy1

Adam!! I thought you disappeared from the forum again! Glad to see that you have a journal again! Your training is very inspirational.

@ your Dumbbell Rows!! With a pause!??! No limits to your strength, I like that. It just keeps going up and up! This is the training I like to see!!!

Mike

Thanks Mike. i don't really consider myself strong at all but I'm glad i can motivate you. Alls I can say is that everytime I'm in the gym, I'm on a mission. I'm in the zone. nothing else matters apart from attacking every exercise, every set, and defeating what's in front of me. If i don't, I'm not winning. & I'm a winner, so I'll rectify the situation the next time I'm around. It's all about having that animal mentallity, striving to get what matters the most. I try to apply this to every aspect of life.

[liftingbuddy1]

Originally Posted by Ajk_Lpool

Thanks Mike. i don't really consider myself strong at all but I'm glad i can motivate you. Alls I can say is that everytime I'm in the gym, I'm on a mission. I'm in the zone. nothing else matters apart from attacking every exercise, every set, and defeating what's in front of me. If i don't, I'm not winning. & I'm a winner, so I'll rectify the situation the next time I'm around. It's all about having that animal mentallity, striving to get what matters the most. I try to apply this to every aspect of life.

This is gold. I have a similar mindset and remember what you used to say in my journal about being an "animal". It paid off well, btw! Keep up the hard work, Adam.

Oh, and strong Inclines.

Mike

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by liftingbuddy1

This is gold. I have a similar mindset and remember what you used to say in my journal about being an "animal". It paid off well, btw! Keep up the hard work, Adam.

Oh, and strong Inclines.

Mike

Thanks Mike and I'll continue to do so. Got a back session coming up soon, I'll whip those dumbell rows last time around for ya

[LSU1]

good writeup and the new plan sounds good

thats some horse**** about those dbs though

and i know exactly what you mean about the decline bb. thats such a tough exercise for me because if i lower it to the wrong angle, the leverage is f*cked and it throws off the whole set

[Ajk_Lpool]

Rack deads

215kg x 3
220kg x fail

Paused d/b rows

70kg x 8
70kg x 6

Yates rows / overhand

110kg x 10
120kg x 5

Cable rows

87.5kg x 10
95kg x 7/8 ~~ drop setted to 50kg x 8

Pull-ups with pause at top

+10kg x 6
+10kg x 6

Neutral grip shoulder width pulldowns

87.5kg x 8
95kg x 6/7 ~~ s/s with rope pulls to waist 50kg x 8

Underhand h/strength pulldowns drop-sets

50kg x 5/6 ~ 40kg x 4/5 ~ 25kg x 8 each arm

-

OVERALL: Really screwed up on deadlifts. Definitely due to me finally having a Sunday off, meaning I went out saturday and stayed out alllll night and had a poor diet. I needed the break though. I've just read a good aticle on deadlifting to help me re-adjust my problems and get back to basics next week. i compensated with a bit more volume on other exercises to make up for it. Still improved overall though.

BTW GUYS, I HAVE BEEN SICK SO I MISSED A COUPLE OF DAYS AND TRAINED TODAY INSTEAD. WORKOUT COMING UP

[LSU1]

looks ok man, not bad at all

what were the adjustments if you dont mind me asking?

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by Ajk_Lpool

Seated dumbell laterals

20kgs x 10/12 with forced reps
22.5kgs x 4/7 with forced reps
17.5kgs x 13/16 with forced reps

Behind neck barbell press / seated

80kg x 7/8 with forced
90kg x 1/3 with forced

Hammer strength press s/s with upright rows

110kg x 5/6 with forced / 20kg x 10
90kg x 8 (paused) / 20kg x 12

---

Weighted dips

+60kg/132lbs x 7
+65kg/144lbs x 3

Decline close grip bench (paused w/ 4 second negative) s/s with paused decline skulls

100kg x 6 --> 25kg x 7/8
100kg x 6/7 with forced --> 25kg x 6/7 with forced

Reverse grip cable pressdowns

25kg x 8 each arm
30kg x 6/7 with forced each arm ~ drop set to 20kg x 4 each arm

Cable pressdowns on heavy cable (more tension)

45kg x 5

---



OVERALL: Superb workout for tri's, shoulders coulda been better. Hard to put a finger on even though I'm up in weights.

Seated dumbell laterals

20kgs x 11/13 with forced
22.5kgs x 5/7 with forced
17.5kgs x 15/17 with forced - drop-setted to 10kgs x 8

Behind neck seated bb press

70kg x 12/13 with forced
80kg x 4/5 with forced

Bent over bench rear laterals

20kgs x 10
22.5kgs x 6 d/s to 15kgs x 5

----

2 sets of rope extentions to warm joints...

Weighted dips

+60kg x 9
+65kg x 5

Decline paused close grip bench with reallllyyyy slow negative

105kg x 7
110kg x 4/6 with forced

Decline skulls

30kg x 9/10 with forced
40kg x 5/6 with forced

Reverse grip extentions

25kg x 7/8 with forced each arm
30kg x 5 - drop-set to 20kg x 5 each arm

---

OVERALL: Magnificient workout. Felt great and smashed through my previous records. laterals felt so strong, my form was brilliant with control. i'm really executing every rep in the gym perfectly at the moment guys. Without bragging i could easily throw a lot more weight on some of these exercises but I'm enjoying being in total control of all the weights. I use really slow negatives these days and full ROM with a lot of peak contractions, even then doing forced reps. Dips felt fantastic, m2m connection was there all the way through. Great stuff.

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by LSU1

good writeup and the new plan sounds good

thats some horse**** about those dbs though

and i know exactly what you mean about the decline bb. thats such a tough exercise for me because if i lower it to the wrong angle, the leverage is f*cked and it throws off the whole set

Yea man I hate the gym staff, they are so lazy it's unreal. I understand there are dickheads that drop the weights and slam them, but you can't expect a car to run 600,000 miles a year either without a problem. Therefore they should be prepared to fix them and replace damaged equipment, whioch they DON'T. It sucks but all the gyms round here are the same, it's sort of a culture in britain to be lazy. When I was in Ayia Napa i trained at World Gym and I was astonished at how impeccable everything was. Not a piece of rubbish on the floor, all the dumbells back on the rack and equipment brand new. Flawless.

& you're completely right about decline bb. I usually go lighter and execute the form perfectly, but it was just an unlucky rep.

Originally Posted by LSU1

looks ok man, not bad at all

what were the adjustments if you dont mind me asking?

I read a T-nation article which rectified a couple of problems I'd had. I can hit you with the link if you want, it's an excellent article by Mike Robertson I think.

[liftingbuddy1]

Adam, how do you do such heavy Dips after all that shoulder work? Also, crazy lateral poundages!

I see those Dumbbell Rows and I am impressed!

Mike

[LSU1]

excellent adam, your btn press is very impressive

whats your ROM like on those?

[Ajk_Lpool]

Originally Posted by liftingbuddy1

Adam, how do you do such heavy Dips after all that shoulder work? Also, crazy lateral poundages!

I see those Dumbbell Rows and I am impressed!

Mike

I knew I could get your heart running with those dumbell rows

& i have no idea how i do so heavy dips. I actually find that it really helps being flexible on my delts before that so maybe it's too my advantage. I would hate to just dive straight into dips, they're a very dangerous exercise for sure if not executed right.

Originally Posted by LSU1

excellent adam, your btn press is very impressive

whats your ROM like on those?

Just to the middle of my head or even slightly higher. not much at all. again this is a dangerous exercise but i feel there's no benefit coming all the way down, that's just me personally. But I do seem to be getting results slightly so I'm going to stick at them for a while and see what happens.


EDIT: Guys, pressure me into at least getting some new pics up lol. it's been too long. i'll try and shoot some by tomorrow the latest