A new beginning in 2015

[Payton1221]

EZ bar curls ... FST-7 ... occlusion
15 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
30 seconds rest between sets
Tourniquets above the bis/tris

Triceps rope press-downs ... FST-7
20 x 80lbs
20 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
30 seconds rest between sets
Tourniquets above the bis/tris

Are these a keeper in your routine? Do you have a tourniquet brand or type that's easy to take on and off?

And very sorry to hear about your friend.

[mirroroferised]

Very sorry to read that Andrew. Hope you stay strong man.

[bradandblake]

I freaking hate cancer. I just lost my grandfather, and my wife lost her sister a while ago so I know how things feel. Sorry bro.

[DocJekyll]

Aw man. Very sorry to hear about your friend Andrew. That just sucks. Best wishes to all.

[fittofattofit]

Bumped over:
Thanks a lot guys
I didn't disappear, just took it easy for a week. I had bad news on Sunday ... one of my close friends at work, who I've known since med school, and who's one of my ski buddies every year, told me that he'd been diagnosed with a Renal Cancer. I've been very upset for him and his family and it's hard to maintain motivation in the face of that
I've also had a lingering cough for a good month and about Monday it finally settled on my chest with some bad asthma that just knocked me. I did a session at home on Tuesday but I felt very short of breath and when it came to the deadlifts I only had enough in me for one set of the heavy deads .. the plan had been for 5 sets. I felt pissed off for giving up but I ended up taking the next three days off lifting. Yesterday I was on-call and was in until midnight, so it was a 16 hour day at the coalface and I was coughing, spluttering and wheezing and feeling like sh!t when I went to bed. Woke up after 10am Saturday morning though and felt great so thought I'd better ease myself into it with a bro session


Tuesday 4th August 2015

166lbs

Bench and deads pm

W2 D2 home gym
Bench press
5 x 50kg (110lbs) ... 60%
5 x 50kg (110lbs) ... 60%
4 x 55kg (121lbs) ... 70%
3 x 65kg (143lbs) ... 80%
3 x 65kg (143lbs) ... 80%
3 x 70kg (154lbs) ... 85%
3 x 70kg (154lbs) ... 85%
3 x 70kg (154lbs) ... 85%
3 x 70kg (154lbs) ... 85%
NOL 32 x 74% Intensity

Deadlifts
10 x 50kg
4 x 90kg (198lbs) ... 50%
4 x 110kg (242lbs) ... 60%
4 x 110kg (242lbs) ... 60%
3 x 130kg (286lbs) ... 70%
3 x 130kg (286lbs) ... 70%
3 x 150kg (330lbs) ... 80%
NOL 21 x 64% Intensity
Back was very tweaky so kept it short

TFL/ITB stretches

45 minutes



Saturday 8th August 2015

166lbs

Bro session

Seated cable rows ... FST-7
12 x 75kg (165lbs)
12 x 75kg (165lbs)
12 x 75kg (165lbs)
10 x 75kg (165lbs)
10 x 75kg (165lbs)
10 x 75kg (165lbs)
10 x 75kg (165lbs)
30 seconds rest between sets

HS shoulder presses ... FST-7
12 x 15kg/33lbs per side
12 x 15kg/33lbs per side
12 x 15kg/33lbs per side
12 x 15kg/33lbs per side
10 x 15kg/33lbs per side
10 x 15kg/33lbs per side
10 x 15kg/33lbs per side
30 seconds rest between sets

Reverse pec deck rear delt flyes ... FST-7
12 x 105lbs
10 x 105lbs
8 x 105lbs
8 x 100lbs
8 x 95lbs
8 x 90lbs
8 x 85lbs
30 seconds rest between sets

Calf presses ... horizontal leg press ... FST-7
15 x 240lbs
15 x 240lbs
15 x 240lbs
12 x 240lbs
12 x 240lbs
12 x 240lbs
12 x 240lbs
30 seconds rest between sets

DB incline flyes ... FST-7
12 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
12 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
12 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
10 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
10 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
10 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
10 x 12.5kg (28lbs)
30 seconds rest between sets

wide grip lat pull-downs ... FST-7
12 x 65kg (143lbs)
10 x 65kg (143lbs)
10 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
30 seconds rest between sets

EZ bar curls ... FST-7 ... occlusion
15 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
12 x 25kg (55lbs)
30 seconds rest between sets
Tourniquets above the bis/tris

Triceps rope press-downs ... FST-7
20 x 80lbs
20 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
15 x 80lbs
30 seconds rest between sets
Tourniquets above the bis/tris

UH close grip lat pull-downs ... FST-7
10 x 65kg (143lbs)
10 x 65kg (143lbs)
10 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
8 x 65kg (143lbs)
30 seconds rest between sets

DB lateral raises ... FST-7
12 x 6lb DBs
12 x 6lb DBs
12 x 6lb DBs
12 x 6lb DBs
12 x 6lb DBs
12 x 6lb DBs
12 x 6lb DBs
30 seconds rest between sets
Very light. Very strict

Roman chair sit-ups
12 x BW
12 x BW
12 x BW

80 minutes[/QUOTE]

sorry to read about your friend Andrew, things like that certainly put a big question mark on our priorities

It's made a lot of us guys at our mid 50s re-evaluate our priorities ... 'don't sweat the small stuff'

Bro session - I imagined it would be 12 Oz curls - but no, its 11 different exercises , 80 minutes work and some serious weight being moved about

is your bench part of a written routine or is it something you arrived at for yourself , I like the look of the multiple triples at top weight of any given session

I've actually taken the bench program from Sheiko using the intermediate small load programming

Are these a keeper in your routine? Do you have a tourniquet brand or type that's easy to take on and off?

And very sorry to hear about your friend.

Thanks Mark ... the tourniquets are a standard medical tourniquet but you can find them on-line for around $3 ... they are all quick release

Very sorry to read that Andrew. Hope you stay strong man.

Thanks Dave ... I know you went through a bad time with your friend. My friend had his operation today , and as luck would have to, I was walking the dog with my daughter and his wife drove past and stopped to fill me in today .... he's fit and well and only about 4 hours out of the operation. The bummer is that the prognosis isn't great but we'll cross that when we come to it

I freaking hate cancer. I just lost my grandfather, and my wife lost her sister a while ago so I know how things feel. Sorry bro.

Thanks Brad ...

[fittofattofit]

Aw man. Very sorry to hear about your friend Andrew. That just sucks. Best wishes to all.

Thanks Chris ... it's all very confronting. He's always been very fit and healthy .... I can't ever recall him being even a little bit drunk; never smoked; always been whippet thin. Others who've abuse their bodies you could understand ...

[DocJekyll]

Ya, that's a real shame. It makes you think about life and prioritize when things like this happen around you. I hope he fights and wins Andrew. I hate hearing stories like that. He shouldn't be dealing with this.

[MooseTequila]

Best wishes for you and your bud Andrew... this kind of stuff is never easy.

Well... you may have skipped a beat, but you really never missed a beat judging by your WO... back in the groove again, awesome!

[Plateauplower]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hopefully he will beat the odds. That is an awful disease. Good to see you back at it and hitting big volume. I'll be interested to hear if you notice any size gains with the FST7 sets.

[drudixon]

Hadn't been in the journals much but real glad to see this. Sounds like things are improving so that makes me happy.

Sorry about your friend tho.

[raynerd]

Faaking cancer! It's all over in my family, lots are gone already, and then there is my father diagnosed with stage 3B lung cancer 10 years ago, still smoking and drinking with no cancer return after chemo.
Know those feels Andrew, it's terrible and wish your bud the best. I mention my father because I didn't think he would make the year, and he is still kicking today on borrowed time. There is always hope out there I guess, but I don't have to tell you the odds. Very sorry.

Nice session Tuesday and huge Saturday bro session! Great job Andrew!

[fittofattofit]

Ya, that's a real shame. It makes you think about life and prioritize when things like this happen around you. I hope he fights and wins Andrew. I hate hearing stories like that. He shouldn't be dealing with this.

He's one of my best and oldest mates .... we've known each other since med school and we've worked together the last 20 years and our kids have been in the same classes. He's one of my ski buds and we were going to meet with a group of us to plan our February ski trip when he rang and told us all. He's had his op already and is doing fine but I suspect the 5 year prognosis is not god
All this does make you realise that, despite the sh!t that life can throw at you and the sh!tty last 18 months for me, that there's a lot worse that can happen. There's a lot of life still to enjoy

Best wishes for you and your bud Andrew... this kind of stuff is never easy.

Well... you may have skipped a beat, but you really never missed a beat judging by your WO... back in the groove again, awesome!

Thanks Moose

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hopefully he will beat the odds. That is an awful disease.

Unfortunately it's a cancer that doesn't respond well to chemo or radio but I know he's got plans to relax and enjoy whatever comes from now on

Good to see you back at it and hitting big volume. I'll be interested to hear if you notice any size gains with the FST7 sets.

I have noticed size coming back on my arms and shoulders so I do believe that I'm making slow gains. I don't think that there's anything magic about FST-7 other than it's a mind trick that forces you to maintain a constant intensity, and after all, it's the intensity over time that creates the hypertrophy

Hadn't been in the journals much but real glad to see this. Sounds like things are improving so that makes me happy.

Sorry about your friend tho.

Thanks a lot Dru ... times have been a little rough but I feel like I'm climbing out the other side. How's your training going? Are you still pushing on with the power lifts or going for more of a bodybuilding style workout now?

Faaking cancer! It's all over in my family, lots are gone already, and then there is my father diagnosed with stage 3B lung cancer 10 years ago, still smoking and drinking with no cancer return after chemo.
Know those feels Andrew, it's terrible and wish your bud the best. I mention my father because I didn't think he would make the year, and he is still kicking today on borrowed time. There is always hope out there I guess, but I don't have to tell you the odds. Very sorry.

Thanks Shawn ... it's all very confronting when you deal with people with cancer most days but when it has never touched your friends or family. My friend is superbly fit and has been all his life ... the big problem on day 1 post-op was that he was freaking out the nurses in the ICU with his HR of 46
Time to stop and smell the roses though

Nice session Tuesday and huge Saturday bro session! Great job Andrew!

Thanks Shawn .... I'm scheduled to have my first session back with JP in a few hours time and I'm scared as sh!te

Sunday 9th August 2015

167lbs

RPM HIIT cycle

50 minutes

I was going to do some more work but I felt like chucking when I got off the bike ... a combo of lactic acid and way too much red wine at my work curry night. I figured I may as well save myself. Tomorrow I'm back for my first session in a month with JP

[DocJekyll]

Good cardio burn. I hate them red wine morning chucks! lol


Good luck with JP. Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

[jonnyboy44]

Checking in after a long while, Wont mention the cricket

[scott_donald]

sorry about your friend...sucks big time!!!

wow that was one long cycle... i would have been bored silly... great work...

[fittofattofit]

Good cardio burn. I hate them red wine morning chucks! lol

I had the red terrors in the middle of the night .... mouth felt like I'd been licking the bottom of a parrot's cage. Jumped on the bike chugging down a litre of Xtend ..... that sloshing around in my stomach just finished me off

Good luck with JP. Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

I got jilted! I drove down there feeling all anxious and nervous and he wasn't there. I did text him before I left and no response so I figured that might happen ... he's supposed to have come back after 4 weeks in Europe so he might even have extended his holiday. I was sort of happy though

Checking in after a long while, Wont mention the cricket

So how has the golf and running been going Jon? I assume you've been fitting in some lifting as well but I know you like to get out and enjoy the good weather while you have it

And we won't mention the cricket

sorry about your friend...sucks big time!!!

He's always been the fittest and most abstemious of all of us ... whippet lean all his life. He's hoping that he'll be feeling well enough to make the North American ski trip next Feb

wow that was one long cycle... i would have been bored silly... great work...

But they have some really bad music to cycle to so I get to hate that as well
Counting down 9 days until NZ!

Monday 10th August 2015

166lbs

Jilted by JP

Today was supposed to be my first day back with JP. I texted him before the session and got no response so I figured it mightn't happen, but I still drove to his 'box'. I was getting really anxious as I approached .... butterflies, hyperventilating, nauseous ... then I was quite relieved when he wasn't there
It did mean that I did miss the chance for a decent training session though so I had a quick bench session when I got home

Bench at home
8 x 50kg (110lbs)
8 x 60kg (132lbs)
7 x 60kg (132lbs)
5 x 60kg (132lbs)
5 x 60kg (132lbs)
5 x 60kg (132lbs)
5 x 60kg (132lbs)
4 x 60kg (132lbs)
4 x 60kg (132lbs)
3 x 60kg (132lbs)
4 x 60kg (132lbs)
NOL 58 x 73% intensity

25 minutes

Just some volume. All light as always but at least my shoulders felt OK. I really was just going to watch my usual Monday night TV but there was a news programme on about a Transgender guy who had started off as a female in a lesbian relationship with another girl and had decided to 'transition' but wanted to get pregnant, so she got impregnated, carried the kid through, and then made the transition to a male and his previous female lesbian partner is now his heterosexual female wife. I decided that I'd be better off in the gym than sitting through that

[DocJekyll]

11 sets in 25 minutes = some nice volume brother! I'm glad you got the reprieve from your scheduled JP session, that build up seemed much to stressful for me!

[raynerd]

JP gave u the shaft...bitter...but sweet!
Nice bench session Andrew, I don't think I could have pried myself away from that great show though

[fittofattofit]

11 sets in 25 minutes = some nice volume brother! I'm glad you got the reprieve from your scheduled JP session, that build up seemed much to stressful for me!

I was being soft only going for 25 minutes but I felt like I'd dodged a bullet with JP so I took it easy on myself
It's weird though but I used to get very stressed and anxious going in for most of my sessions with JP and this was just like then. The last time I had a break like this I could not walk straight or get up out of a chair unassisted for 5 days

JP gave u the shaft...bitter...but sweet!
Nice bench session Andrew, I don't think I could have pried myself away from that great show though

My whole session only totalled 10 more reps than your AMRAP sets with 1pps

And I kept that bench session to 25 minutes cos I wanted to watch the show that followed

[DocJekyll]

I was being soft only going for 25 minutes but I felt like I'd dodged a bullet with JP so I took it easy on myself
It's weird though but I used to get very stressed and anxious going in for most of my sessions with JP and this was just like then. The last time I had a break like this I could not walk straight or get up out of a chair unassisted for 5 days

That, does not sound very appealing! Dude, i would say you have more than deserved the rest. Ease back in for a week before he gets you hurling and crippled.

Have you two sync'd up yet?

[fittofattofit]

That, does not sound very appealing! Dude, i would say you have more than deserved the rest. Ease back in for a week before he gets you hurling and crippled.

Have you two sync'd up yet?

I'm justifying it by telling myself that I'm resting my ITB but I'm also aware that a week from today I'll be flying away so if I don't get some big lifts in before then it will have been a 7 week break
Haven't synched up yet .. I'm not pushing too hard (don't want to appear too needy )

[Plateauplower]

Get some rest, mobility and volume work done. Hit the vacation fresh without aches and pains. There will plenty of time to get aches and pains on the trip, your going sking right?

[DocJekyll]

I'm justifying it by telling myself that I'm resting my ITB but I'm also aware that a week from today I'll be flying away so if I don't get some big lifts in before then it will have been a 7 week break
Haven't synched up yet .. I'm not pushing too hard (don't want to appear too needy )

LOL, I hear you. Too funny.

Your vacation will have your heart pumping, your legs burning and I'm all for starting that without the aches and pains!
Come back refreshed, clear and focused.

[mirroroferised]

.... I decided that I'd be better off in the gym than sitting through that

Uh yeah

Good stuff getting that bench session in.



It sucks, doesn't it! My buddy was very health conscious as well. Ballooned up a bit in college and became very thin after. Played a high level of hockey for most of his life and competitive adult league after that. Didn't smoke, liked his red and the occasional beer, always made sure to try and take care of himself. Life is just a beast at times Hope you're holding up Andrew.

[scott_donald]

why nervous about lifting???

[MooseTequila]

The "not human" Andrew actually liking some time off... who are you and what did you do with Andrew?

[fittofattofit]

Get some rest, mobility and volume work done. Hit the vacation fresh without aches and pains. There will plenty of time to get aches and pains on the trip, your going sking right?

Thanks Tim ... well my ITB was rested and feeling fine. Didn't last long though. I'm going to have to up the amount of mobility work and bust through this strain now

LOL, I hear you. Too funny.

Your vacation will have your heart pumping, your legs burning and I'm all for starting that without the aches and pains!
Come back refreshed, clear and focused.

Vacation (albeit short) is beckoning. I'll still squeeze in a deadlift and squat session before I go

Uh yeah

Good stuff getting that bench session in.

It sucks, doesn't it! My buddy was very health conscious as well. Ballooned up a bit in college and became very thin after. Played a high level of hockey for most of his life and competitive adult league after that. Didn't smoke, liked his red and the occasional beer, always made sure to try and take care of himself. Life is just a beast at times :mad : Hope you're holding up Andrew.

Thanks Dave ... he's come through his operation well. I spoke to the surgeon and he said that there wasn't an ounce of fat so it was so different to his usual patient. Of course the fact that he's lean and muscular has meant that he's had a lot of pain from the cut in his flank. I'm looking forward to catching up with him sometime before I go away

why nervous about lifting???

I know it's weird but it's that challenging your body and I'm worried about mine breaking

The "not human" Andrew actually liking some time off... who are you and what did you do with Andrew?

Ha .... well I didn't train on Tuesday and was on-call Wednesday and ended up getting home after midnight, so a 16 hour day just wiped me and stopped me getting any Wednesday training in either. Yesterday though I paid my penance







Thursday 13th August 2015

75kg/165lbs

Squats with JP .... first time in 38 days


Warm-up
Paused squats ... 3 second pauses
3 x 60kg (132lbs)
3 x 60kg (132lbs)
3 x 60kg (132lbs)

Squats .... EMOM
Every minute on the minute
5 x 100kg (220lbs)
5 x 100kg (220lbs)
5 x 110kg (242lbs)
5 x 110kg (242lbs)
3 x 120kg (264lbs)
3 x 120kg (264lbs)
3 x 120kg (264lbs)
3 x 120kg (264lbs)
1 x 130kg (286lbs)
1 x 130kg (286lbs)
Felt pretty easy strength wise
but ITB was barking


Superset
Good mornings
12 x 60kg (132lbs)
12 x 70kg (154lbs)
12 x 70kg (154lbs)
with Hanging leg raises
10
10
10


Tri-set
Prowler pushes/GHD sit-ups
Prowler push 100kg+50kg sled = 150kg/330lbs x 20metres arms extended
Prowler push 100kg+50kg sled = 150kg/330lbs x 20metres arms close in
GHD sit-ups x 12
Prowler push 100kg+50kg sled = 150kg/330lbs x 20metres arms extended
Prowler push 100kg+50kg sled = 150kg/330lbs x 20metres arms close in
GHD sit-ups x 12
Prowler push 100kg+50kg sled = 150kg/330lbs x 20metres arms extended
Prowler push 100kg+50kg sled = 150kg/330lbs x 20metres arms close in
GHD sit-ups x 12
My conditioning sucks


Piriformis and glute stretches


50 minutes


The session
This was my first squat session with JP for 38 days. JP had missed out on the session on Monday but he'd had his phone stolen in Barcelona and hadn't got a new one yet so he'd missed my call. At least I was no longer scared .... I'd say I was more in a state of fatalistic resignation
Squats ..... Every minute on the minute
We said we'd go light and easy, so it was EMOM
100kg x 5 .... easy reps
110kg x 5 .... easy reps
120kg x 3 .... easy reps but I could feel the ITB pulling
130kg x 1 .... an easy single weight for me but the right ITB was really pulling. Plan was for just 4 singles but I stopped after two
Bummer about the ITB which had settled down to no pain at all for the last week. Rest didn't work so I think that I'll have to actively work through this
Prowlers
Wow ... this was challenging to my conditioning. I'm glad I'm back into the grind
Aftermath
Today I've got some serious quad and glute DOMS. It hurts to stretch but I know it's time to man up. FukdisITB though

[MooseTequila]

NICE ANDREW! Coming back with a vengeance... especially with those EMOM's... those just seem brutal.

[raynerd]

Yup....JP back...Andrew put though a session that would have Shawn having the "Jammer" on the floor clenching his chest with jaw pain!!
Awesome work Andrew! EMOM squats and paused squats for 13 sets
supersets followed by trisets with prowlers
Chitty about the ITB but maybe you are right and need to be active on this recovery. Solid hard work, and seriously impressed everytime you survive that madness!!!

[Plateauplower]

Looks like a recipe for sore legs to me. I'm convinced JP derives pleasure from your pain. Nice work though enjoy the trip!