Balham Beast's Arms Race

[BalhamBeast]

Friday 31st may

Well I managed to get a walk in while visiting my dad - 50 squats, 20 single leg glute bridges (per leg), 30 sit-ups and 15 push-ups followed by an hour walking in the sunshine. Ate clean and did pretty well.
June starts tomorrow - my birthday month. Now it gets real.

[BalhamBeast]

Saturday 1st June

Happy June, everyone.

One Hour Circuit Training Class

Artur's class so lots of burpees. Actually getting better at these. Hate hate hate squat thrusts though!

Quick and Dirty Shoulders

Barbell Lever Shoulder Press

Bar x 20/20
Bar +5kg x 15/15
Bar +10kg x 12/12
Bar +12.5kg x 8/8

These were hard work today but I got it done.

Rear Delt Flyes

12kg x 20
14kg x 20 (WTF?)
16kg x 15 (!)
18kg x 10 (!!!)
8kg x 30

I was rocking these today so went up a weight. Ridic.

Lateral Raises

8kg x 20
10kg x 15
12kg x 10
6kg x 30

And that was it. After the circuit class I was pretty tired - just wanted to punish my delts a bit.

[Lou1se]

/\/\ Impressive work for shoulders BB!

I can appreciate those Rear Delt Flyes numbers! And way to go on the Lat Raises too.

You've got really good and healthy shoulders.

[BalhamBeast]

I don't know about healthy - both rotator cuffs are in crappy shape, which is why I do so much rear delt work. But thanks!

Sunday 2nd June

1 hour circuit class. (Agnieszka's class today - a more traditional approach to circuit training than Artur's class with lots of abs at the end).
45 mins gymnastics and stretching.

Monday 3rd June

I was a bit sore from yesterday. Achilles grumbled for the first time in ages, lower back was grumpy as well and of course I have the usual issues with shoulders and hips. Left knee (ITB related) is also being a sod. Too bad for them.

Full Body

Triset: 50kg Burpee Deadlifts/Body Rows/10kg Weighted Decline Sit-ups

3 x 10/10/10

Burpee Deadlifts include a push-up. Video of them is somewhere not too far back in this thread if you want to see what's what.

Was going to do some heavier DLs after but due to the aforementioned back grumpiness I thought better of it.

Triset: Band Assisted Chins/Decline Push-ups/8kg Lateral Raises

3 x 8/10/12

Must admit I didn't quite get 8 chins on the last set but I counted the miserable half rep I eeked out. So there.
Oh and I'm doing chins because, whilst I think pull-ups are a better exercise, my left shoulder disagrees.

Superset: Burpee Box Jumps/20kg Military Press

3 x 10/5

The Burpee box jumps were brutal! I usually use 3 risers but I put 4 in today. Legs were fried. Which is why I could only manage a few reps on the military press. I can do more than twice that normally but I was completely winded.

Triset: Box Jumps/Glute Bridges (feet on box)/Decline Sit-ups

3 x 10/20/10

5 risers on first set of box jumps, 6 risers on the other two sets.
No weight on the decline sit-ups but I had it on the max decline. Really felt that in my lower abs.

Superset: Floor Press/Leg Raises

#1 20kg x 20/10
#2 30kg x 15/10
#3 40kg x 10/10

Floor press done with the bar resting on the lowest pins on the power rack, which is about 1cm or half an inch higher than the bar would be if I started with elbows on the floor.
Leg raise was done immediately with the bar held at arm's length (over my chest; top of the bench press position). That proved quite challenging on the last set.

Wish I could get back to benching but this will have to do until my shoulders are more cooperative.

Superset: Straddle Box Jump/Leg Raise with hip lift (on ab bench)

3 x 10/10

Superset: Bulgarian Split Squat (no weight)/20kg Plate Pullover

3 x 10(R)/10(L)/10

Superset: 40kg Lever Machine Row/10kg Face Pulls

2 x 10/10

These were done with no rest at all between supersets. First set was easy. Second set was painful. Figured that was enough.

Some stretching after - not as vigorous as yesterdays as I was a bit sore.

Oh and weighed myself - finally down to 10 stone! Get in! (That's 140lbs for the yanks and 63.9kg for the aussies and euros).

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 4th June

Trouble with full body training is full body DOMS. Wanted to get a good one in today as it'll be my last gym workout for a week (I'm off to Alton Towers next weekend to ride the new rollercoaster - if it's running, that is) but I'm sore in a multitude of places and various bits of me continue to be cranky. I had thought about training legs but, dodgy elbow and wrist issues aside, one set with just the bar was enough to set off that left knee. Change of plans, then.

(Mostly) Shoulders, Arms and Abs

Giant Set: 10kg Somersault Squats/Body Rows/Push-ups/8kg Lateral Raises

4 x 10

More of a total body warm-up.

Barbell Lever Shoulder Press

Bar x 20/20
+5kg x 15/15
+10kg x 12/12
+12.5kg x 9/9 (+1 PR)

These really work my core as well as everything else. I like this exercise a lot.

Superset: Rear Delt Flye/Plate Front Raise

14kg x 20/10kg x 20
16kg x 15/10kg x 15
18kg x 10*/10kg x 10
8kg x 30/10kg x 20

* Last two reps were partials.

Noticed a small vein appear on the front of my right delt when I do the plate front raise. Must be getting leaner!

Superset: Tricep Rope Pushdown/Squatting Cable Curl

15kg x 15/10kg x 15
17.5kg x 10/12.5kg x 10
(Drop Set)
20kg x 6 > 10kg x 6 > 5kg x 18/15kg x 6 > 10kg x 7 > 5kg x 12

Plate Pullover + Sit-up Combo

10kg x 10 (decline -2)
15kg x 10 (flat)
20kg x 10 (flat)
Sit-up only (no plate; max decline) x 10

I do a plate pullover then sit up with it at arm's length, semi-overhead. Longish gap between first and second set as activating my core made me want to pee so had to go take care of that.

Negative Dragon Flags

3 x 1

Did some foam rolling and light stretching but that was it for me today.

[BalhamBeast]

Thursday 6th June

Nothing to report yesterday save my 3 mile walk but I can now fit into a pair of jeans I haven't worn since I was 30. That's huge! I can also get into a pair of size 10 (US 6) red trousers I loved when I was in my late 20s and whilst they are tight enough to create a bit of fat spillage over the top I can get the top button done up. I'm close, so close.

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 10th June

I've been away for the weekend, riding rollercoasters, hanging out on the beach (a rare warm day in northern England) and eating not very good food. But I got some photos at least.







Still a lot of work to do but it's progress. I'll take it.

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 11th June

Felt like I was coming down with a cold again. Gym anyway.

Full Body

Triset: Military Press/Back Squat/Body Rows

Bar only (20kg)

3 x 10/10/10

Triset: 30kg Back Squat/Push-ups/8kg Lateral Raises

3 x 10/10/10


Lever Barbell Shoulder Press

Bar x 20/20
+5kg x 15/15
+10kg x 12/12
+12kg x 10/10

Triset: Burpee Box Jumps/Glute Bridges/10kg Decline Sit-ups

3 x 10/20/10

4 risers for the burpee box jumps

Triset: Box Jumps/Decline Push-ups/Leg Raises

3 x 10/10/10

#Set 1 and 2 - 5 risers
#Set 3 - 6 risers

Feet on box for push-ups

Superset: Rear Delt Flyes/Plate Front Raises

14kg x 20/10kg x 20
16kg x 15/10kg x 15
18kg x 10/10kg x 10
8kg x 40/10kg x 10

Triset: 30kg Scap Pulldowns/20kg Straight Arm Pulldowns/40kg Reverse Grip Pulldowns

20/10/5*

*Golfer's elbow played up a bit so didn't do more. Should have gone lighter on that one, really.

And that was all.

[BalhamBeast]

Saturday 15th June

1 hour Circuit Class

Wasn't really a circuit class today - just a lot of different exercises including jumps, bear crawls, boxing with dumbbells, push-ups, sit-ups and the like.

Shoulders

Barbell Lever Shoulder Press

Bar x 20/20
Bar +5kg x 15/15
Bar +10kg x 12/12
Bar +12.5kg x 9/9

These were hard today because the end of the class had been shoulder and arm-focused. Still, I do like these - I feel my core working hard and my triceps as well as my shoulders.

Superset: Rear Delt Flyes/Plate Front Raises

14kg x 20/10kg x 20
16kg x 15/10kg x 15
18kg x 10/10kg x 10
10kg x 30/10kg x 10

Lateral Raises

6kg x 20
8kg x 15
10kg x 10

Tired...

Face Pulls

10kg x 20

(Just the one set)

Done. Spent an hour and a half in the gym, more or less.

I've just bought a lot of naughty goodies for my birthday on Monday - gluten free brownies and cakes and a box of high quality chocolates. Going to enjoy those (if I can avoid eating them for the next two days!)

[BalhamBeast]

Sunday 16th June

1 Hour Circuit Class

Just this today. It was Agnieszka so it was more of a conventional circuit than Artur's more freeform classes, although due to my trainwreck of a body I had to modify about half the exercises. I really need to do something about that.

Birthday tomorrow, and yes I will be training anyway.

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 17th June

Not a good night's sleep (thanks to a dripping tap in my kitchenette - my flat is open plan and the sink is about 15 feet from my bed - and yes I went to check on it. Twice) but no excuses.

Birthday Blitz

Superset: 50kg Burpee Deadlift/10kg Decline Sit-ups

3 x 10/10

Superset: Body Rows/Squat Jumps

3 x 10/20

Single Arm Landmine Row to Press

Bar x 20/20
Bar +5kg x 10/10
Bar + 7.5kg x 8/8

These were tough on my grip as I was holding the fat end of the bar and the bar was rotating around as I moved from the row part to the press part. Perhaps I should have used both hands but hey. Interesting exercise. Moved from there to...

Single Arm Lever Barbell Press

(Or Landmine Press if you prefer)

Bar +10kg x 12/12
Bar +12.5kg x 10/10
Bar +15kg x 8/8 (new weight)

Went up a weight - the last set was very challenging. These tax my whole body, pretty much.

Superset: Burpee Box Jump/Decline Push-ups

3 x 10/10

Used 4 risers for the box again - legs didn't want to cooperate today but I pushed through. However, my achilles/ankle felt gnarly on the last set so I didn't do any more box jumps or plyo this workout.

Superset: Rear Delt Flye/Plate Front Raise

14kg x 20/10kg x 20
16kg x 15/10kg x 15
18kg x 8/10kg x 10 (2 less than Saturday - guess shoulders were pretty tired)
10kg x 30/10kg x 15

Did a little light stretching then home via the supermarket for a birthday binge, I mean cheat meal.

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 18th June

Feeling particularly bloated today, unsurprisingly.

Did some leg-centric training but it's very humid in London at the moment and it drains the energy out of you. I'd had enough after a while.
Warm-up included heel drops on the V-Plate, hip mobs, 50 air squats and getting intimate with the roller. My gym has invested in one of those Grid rollers and holy cow you don't realise you're sore until you grind your muscles with one of these.

Mostly Legs

Box Squats

Bar x 20 (no box)
30kg x 20
8kg DB curls x 10
35kg x 12
8kg hammer curls x 10
40kg x 10
8kg DB curls x 10
45kg x 6
8kg hammer curls x 10
45kg x 6
8kg DB curls x 10
45kg x 6
8kg hammer curls x 10

I didn't push the squats due to the elbow issue (hence I was keeping it warm with the curls) but also found it hard to get the reps today without getting that oh sh** feeling I suffer from sometimes where I'm fine one minute and then lose my head the next. Don't know what was up with that. Had to watch my left knee, too, which has been grumpy.

Superset: 10kg Smith Machine Somersault Squats/Body Rows

3 x 10/10

10kg Smith Machine Split Squats

3 x 10/10

Since I was supersetting right leg and left I didn't do anything else other than stretch my calves in between.

Superset: Sumo Squats/Plate Pullover and Sit-up comb

2 x 60kg x 5/10kg x 10
2 x 70kg x 5/10kg x 10

Back doesn't like the sumos much, even at this light weight. My body is being very uncooperative at the moment.

Superset: 40kg Straight Leg Deadlift/Glute Bridges with feet on bench

2 x 10/20

That was all I felt like doing today.

[BalhamBeast]

Saturday 22nd June

School is busy (reports to write, sports day to organise, parents evening next week...) so I've not had time to hit the forums much. I did get my three pre-school walks in but also went for a late birthday dinner last night with friends and diet has not been exactly spot on. So I've not weighed for a while and as I look and feel bloated I don't think it would do my morale much good.

Felt a bit rough yesterday morning and thought I might have a cold coming but other than feeling bone tired, it hasn't materialised.

1 hour Circuit Class

Today's class was an unholy mix of kettlebells, ViPR and boxing. I sweated quite a bit and didn't feel the need (or desire) to do anything extra after as my body felt pretty trashed.
In fact I was feeling trashed before I even hit the class but as I'd not been to the gym for three days, I felt obliged to go. You never regret a workout, after all.

[BalhamBeast]

Sunday 23rd June

1 hour Circuit Class

Shoulders

Single Arm Lever Barbell Press

(Or Landmine Press if you prefer)

Bar x 20/20
Bar +5kg x 15/15
Bar +10kg x 12/12
Bar +12.5kg x 8/8 <--- Just didn't have it in me today. Guess that was because of doing the class first.

Rear Delt Flye

14kg x 15 > 12 > 9 > 6 (10 seconds rest between sets)

Lateral Raises

8kg x 15 > 12 > 9 > 6 (10 seconds rest between sets)

14kg felt heavy for the rear delts today, hence I elected not to try and go heavier. I am pretty tired at the moment.

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 234d June

Squats Plus

Warm-up: V-Plate heel drops, 50 air squats, clams, lotta foam rolling. Calf cramped two nights ago and is still as tight as a choirboy's rectum.

Elbow has calmed down slightly so decided to squat, as I'd not done it properly for a while, which I figured would be fine as long as I didn't indulge in multiple high rep sets like before.

Triset: Oly (20kg) bar only. Military Press/Back Squat/Body Rows

#1 15/15/15
#2 12/12/12
#3 10/10/10

Superset: 30kg Military Press/Back Squat

3 x 5/10

Triset: 40kg Back Squat/Push-up/8kg Lateral Raises

3 x 5/10/15

Superset: 45kg Back Squat/Decline Sit-up (no weight/steepest setting)

3 x 5/10

Superset: 50kg Back Squat/Leg Raises

3 x 3/10

Superset: 52.5kg Back Squat/Air Squats

3 x 2/25

55kg Back Squat x 1

Note this is the first time I have dispensed with the box for all the sets, so it was an important mental battle won. My squat form is still awful but there's not much I can do unless I get a new ankle. I'll keep working at those other restrictions, though.

Finisher: 10kg Smith Machine Somersault Squats/Split Squats

10/10(R)/10(L)

Would have done more but I'd been in the gym 1 hr 40, training fasted, and I was starving.

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 25th June

I can tell I squatted yesterday - inner thighs were sore! Today's workout was a bit lacklustre because I was tired but I got some stuff done and benched for the first time in a gazillion years. Only light, but baby steps.

Upper Body


Single Arm Lever Barbell Press

Bar x 10 (Curled the bar up to shoulder height each rep to warm up my elbows. This set only).
Bar +5kg x 15
Bar +10kg x 12
Bar +15kg x 6 (hard today!)

Superset: Hang Clean and Press/Body Rows

Bar (20kg) x 10/10
25kg x 8/8
30kg x 6/6

Numbers on the body rows sucked due to forearm fatigue from the cleans.

Superset: 50kg Burpee Deadlift/10kg Incline Plate Sit-up

3 x 10/10

Superset: Bench Press/Single Arm DB Row

Bar x 20/20kg x 10/10
30kg x 15/20kg x 10/10
40kg x 10/20kg x 10/10

And that was all today.

[BalhamBeast]

Sunday 30th June

I have had two visual/non painful migraines this week. I am rather worried to say the least. I didn't get any of these symptoms until this year. One was after training yesterday (well, after the supermarket, which was after training). I thought I was getting another one this morning but nothing happened. I have a mild headache, however.

Yesterday

1 hour circuit training class.
Stretching.

Today

Squats Plus

Triset: Oly (20kg) bar only. Military Press/Back Squat/Body Rows

3 x 10/20/10

Triset: 30kg Military Press/Back Squat/6kg Lateral Raises

3 x 5/10/20

Triset: 40kg Back Squat/Push-ups/10kg Plate Front Raise

3 x 10/10/10

Triset: 45kg Back Squat/40kg Straight Leg Deadlift/10kg Decline Sit-up

3 x 8/8/12

Superset: 50kg Back Squat/Hand Walkouts

3 x 5/5

Superset: Single Arm Lever Barbell Press/Frog Squat

Bar +5kg x 15/15 / Frog x 20
Bar + 10kg x 12/12 / Frog x 20
Bar + 12.5kg x 10/10 / Frog x 20

Done. Went home, ate. Will go for a walk in a bit as it's sunny.

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 1st July

Happy July, everyone!

Odd night's sleep. Woke up at some time in the small hours (as is pretty normal for me), went back to sleep. Woke up again at 4.30am. Brain was wide awake. Eyes, not so much. Got up, shaved my legs, changed my sheets (it was time), went on ******** for a bit, played a game for a bit, felt deathly tired and went back to bed until 7am. I sometimes do the early waking thing but I don't normally go back to bed afterwards.

Anyway, sunny day today. It was sunny yesterday too, but also quite hot (26 degree in my flat) but this morning was perfect - warm but with a cool breeze. Decided to take my workout outdoors.

3 Mile Run Plus

So basically I had a good warm up (100 squats and other bits and pieces) then started on my 3 mile run, interspersed with exercises such as railing body rows, bench dips, walking lunges, push-ups and sprints. Felt good and I had a stupendous pump afterwards. I really should do this more often. It's more fun than either a straight run or a gym workout.

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 2nd July

God I felt broken this morning. Tired, weak, sore as hell. You wouldn't think a run mixed with calisthenics would do that but you'd be wrong, at least in my case. My upper back was pretty cranky (stiff t-spine) so I took it fairly easy. Relatively, anyway. Still worked hard, just slightly slower than normal.

Upper Body

Supserset: Rear Delt Flyes/Plate Front Raises

10kg x 30 (Rear Delt Flyes only - warm-up)
14kg x 20/10kg x 10
2 x 16kg x 12/10kg x 10

Single Arm Landmine Press (aka Lever Barbell Press - I'm calling them Landmine Press now as a) that's the correct term and b) requires less typing).

5kg x 20/20 (+5)
10kg x 15/15 (+3)
12.5kg x 10/10

I go straight from one arm to the other so no need to superset with anything else.

Landmine Row to Press (Two handed)

5kg x 10/10
10kg x 10/10
15kg x 10/10

Tried this before with one hand and they shredded by thumb webs so used two hands today. Start holding the end of the bar at thigh height, row up, turn and push overhead. Although I used two hands, I did them on both sides. It's a good exercise for the whole body and the core particularly.

Superset: Low Cable Row (V-handle)/Lateral Raises

30kg x 10/8kg x 20
35kg x 10/8kg x 20
37.5kg x 10/8kg x 20

Going for form on these so not too heavy.

Superset: Bench Press/Broomstick Twists

Bar x 20/20
30kg x 15/20
40kg x 10/20

The broomstick twists (done with a 4kg bodypump bar) were more for thoracic mobility than anything else.
Bench felt good - no shoulder pain although I had some chest DOMS from yesterday. 10 reps at 40kg felt quite challenging. Guess I will have to be patient and build back up slowly.

After that I lay on a Swiss ball for a bit and did some stretching.

[BalhamBeast]

Sunday 7th July

Yesterday

1 hour circuit class

It has turned hot so I also went for a walk, although probably undid a lot of the good by inhaling a load of ice cream. Heh.
Weight is now 10 stone 1 so I've gained a pound but given I took a hefty diet break over my birthday, this isn't bad. I am still lean by my own standards.
One bad thing is that we did a lot of sit-ups in circuit class and whilst I am good at these, I managed to rub the area around my tail bone (basically the top of my, uh, crack) raw. It's very sore! I guess that's one disadvantage to reducing the fat on my arse.

Today

Very hot night so was pretty dehydrated this morning. Went to the gym a bit earlier with the intention of doing some work before the class started but after 15-20 minutes of mobility work and foam rolling, I didn't get an awful lot done.

Shoulders

Single Arm Landmine Press

5kg x 20/20 (hard work today)
10kg x 15/15 (really struggled to get the last couple out)
12.5kg x 12/12 (again, a struggle)
15kg x 6/6 (tried to get 8 but failed on rep 7 on the right so stayed with 6 on the left)

Superset: Rear Delt Flyes/Lateral Raises

10kg x 30/6kg x 20
12kg x 20/8kg x 15
14kg x 15/8kg x 15
16kg x 10/10kg x 10

That was all I had time for.

1 hour circuit class

Working around my raw tailbone was a bit of a nightmare but never mind.

I just wore shorts and a crop top today and was pleased to see some separation in my quads when I tense them. I really need some sweep, though - they are quite thin above my knees. And I still have a fair bit of fat on the part of my thigh covered by the shorts. Midsection is getting there though - amazing considering I had a cheat day yesterday and ate a load of naughties. Heh.

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 8th July

Normally this would be a day off but today is school sports day and I have to go in for the afternoon. My room was also 29 degrees (celsius) when I went to bed. Somehow I still managed to sleep. Still, no excuses when it comes to training - I just made sure I hit the gym early.

Foam rolling (ow) and mobility work to warm up.

Squats Plus

Triset: 20kg Military Press/20kg Back Squat/Body Rows

3 x 10/20/10

Triset: 30kg Military Press/30kg Back Squat/10kg Barbell Curl

3 x 5/10/10

Triset: 40kg Back Squat/Push-ups/8kg Lateral Raises

3 x 10/10/10

Triset: 45kg Back Squat/Frog Squats/10kg Plate Front Raise

3 x 8/20/12

Triset: 50kg Back Squat/10kg Good Mornings/Glute Bridges (feet on box)

3 x 5/10/20

Back Squat only

52.5kg x 3
55kg x 3
57.5kg x 2
60kg x 1

Is it pathetic that I am thrilled with my 60kg squat? I have fought such a mental battle to get there I guess I've earned the right to be proud even if the weight is not spectacular (I weigh 64kg currently). It also means a bodyweight squat is around the corner.

Elbows and wrists still hurt when I squat but I'm managing that (the shoulder and arm exercises I use for supersetting help keep the joints mobile) and it's not getting worse. Guess I have good reason to be pleased. Now let's hope sports day goes without a hitch.

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 9th July

Sports Day went really well - headmistress was pleased so that's good. It's always a good thing to keep your boss happy.

I must admit logging my workouts is becoming a chore. Unlike the forum where I used to post, which had an active and supportive membership within our little group (before most of us were banned for pretty much nothing) I'm pretty sure hardly anyone else reads my log.

Today I did some upper body stuff - landmine presses, benching, rear delt flyes, rows.

And now I'm going to take a break from here and then maybe resume in the 035 forum. TTFN.