# Matt's Journal



## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

good idea for a section this, I used to keep one at animalpak.com and I found it useful. I've just started a new routine, based on this http://www.elitefts.com/ws4sb/default.asp. Hopefully it should complement the mma/thai/bjj well.

I'm not sure what I'm weighing or anything at the moment, I would guess around 81kg. I'd ideally like to maintain that weight while leaning out. Then if i fight later this year I can cut maybe down to 75 for that. Depending if I can hack it!

I've got a rough idea where my strength is at as I did my first break(back) in weights session this week. Bench was 100 x 3, and dead 160 x 3, haven't squatted again yet but it used to be about 170 ish for one so its probably down to around 140, judging by the way my bench has come down from 127.5 and dead from 205.

I'd like to bring the strength back up and improve my conditioning. I'll be using a rope, sledgehammer and hill sprints for that.

Here we go!


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

My first go at this type of training, looks like it should be good.

Today was:

Broad jumps (like a long jump from a stand still): 5 sets of 3

Box Jumps: 3 x 3

Harder than I thought! I watch ed a few videos last night to get the idea and distance height some of these guys can achieve is amazing! Explosive ness is unreal. to see what I mean google Frank Yang. Mental, jumps like a frog!

I didn't do so good, but I was knackered so it must work, swinging the arms and trying to really drive with the legs helps a lot.

Bulgarian split squat: 3 sets of 10 each leg

Bar x 10, 25kg x 10, 25 x 10

I'm almost embarassed to write those numbers! I thought I'd be alright at hese because my squat and dead are ok but they ruined me. Nearly didn't make it up on one of the second sets, with 25kg! If you haven't seen or tried them, you put one leg on a bench behind you and move the other forward so you're in a long lunge position. Squat down on the front leg and then drive back up. I must be missing some of the required muscles for this....found it hard.

weighted hyper extensions: 3 x 10 holdng a 20kg plate.

Done these before plenty so knew what was coming, creamed my lower back but I've done more with these so should come up quick.

Weighted Ab circuit:

did this a bit wrong, was only suppoed to do one exercise for 4 lots of 10 with weight, but got confused with another day and did a four exercise circuit for 3 lots of ten, three times through.

Plate side bend 20kg x 10 each side

Leg raise x 10

Weight swiss ball crunch 20 kg x 10 (22 db on last set)

Spread eagle sit up holding weight over chest, extended arms. 10kg x 10.

Did these with no rest in between exercises and 30 seconds between sets. I'll up the weight on the sidebends and spread eagle next time, but overall it was good.

Next session is upper body assistance work. Should be good!


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## marso70 (Oct 10, 2007)

Matt, I don't want to rain on your parade before you get going with this, but you should be aware that a LOT of people find West Side methods too complex and many end up overtrained. But by all means give it a go, but adopt it to suit you.

In regards to the box jumps or plyometrics as its often referred too. This is a common misconception that lifting fast or "explosively" in the gym will transfer to other skills. This is false as one *specific * set of motor skills does not transfer to another which appears similar, as per the *principle of specificity. *

Specific means "as is" or "unique"...not similar. The only thing that jumping onto boxes will make you better at, is just that, jumping onto boxes.

Explosiveness is a product of genetics ie, you are either born this way or you are not, to be explosive requires you to have a high percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers (these are the ones most responsible for growth and are able to produce high levels of force, but they fatigue very quickly) plus you need to have a high level of neurological efficiency (the CNS ability to recruit a large percentage of the fast twitch muscle fibers) not to mention other factors such as limb lengths etc....

You should also be aware that plyometrics has a dangerously high risk of injury as the rates of force you produce are off the charts, many an athletes career as ended with knees or ankles destroyed by such practices.

As I said I don't wish to be the bringer of doom but you best be informed before you proceed.

Best of luck

Paul.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Thanks for the info paul, they're some interesting points. thanks for taking the time to fill me in. hese are my thoughts onthis routine so far with respect to what you mentioned.

With regards to Westside methods I have trained this way before when I was powerlifting and you're right it overtrained me something rotten! However looking at the way these sessions are structured it is a little different to the 'traditional' westside approach.

Previously I was training with a max effort and a dynamic effort for bench, this version uses a rep based upper body day along with the max effort work. I have no issue with the max effort work as I trained in a similar fashion previously without the speed days and it worked well.

I know the speed day could be considered a 'rep day' but I think in this fashion it is more focused on maintaining/increasing size as you actually end up doing some longer sets with relatively light weights especially with the supersets. With the traditional WSB i was still going heavy with all assistance. TBH I don't know why it overtrained me so badly as I followed similar styles before, I think the problem came from the same groups of muscles/movements being trained rather than the amount lifted.

To me this version appears to be basically two days of heavy basic exercises (for me it would be bench and dead lift or bench and squat mainly) then a reps day for upper body (fair enough) and the dynamic effort day, which to be honest I thought would be good for explosiveness (wrong onthat one! stupid genetics!) and supporting the other lifts. In the past I have trained 'heavy (relatively)' four times a week in compund type exercises such as bench, deadlift, squat and OHP.

Having completed a week already before I wrote up the journal post, it seems less taxing on recovery, but I'll have to see how it pans out.

It seems ok because you only go heavy on a movement once a week and the volume of training/method changes between sessions if it is trained twice.

I take on board your point on the jumps, I thought it might have been interesting to improve in this area, but having read your post I now think 'what for?'!

Perhaps I could incorporate a method for improving my 'shoot' power in place of the jumping? The shoot is an explosive movement, it was this that I thought the jumping may have helped with.

Any ideas what I could work in there? Some sort of human genome splicing! I don't think they have that at mine!

Another aspect which seems different to the previous west side approach is the use of supersets for some of the exercise pairs. I haven't used this technique before as I would have dismissed it in favour of straight sets of as heavy as I could manage in the 4-8 rep range dpending on the exercise (for assistance movements).

However in this context it reduces the time in the gym considerably, so far I haven't been longer than an hour on any of the days, which to me was a bonus. I'm not sure whether this is a benefit from an overtraining point of view as I could spend twohours in the gym and do the same amount of work, but running the previous WSB template I would be in the gym for at least 90mins to 2 hours.

Anyway, enough of the rambling! Again thanks for your input, if you made it down to here let me know what you think regarding my points above. I know it may seem like I'm trying to justify my choice but I appreciate your comments and thought I'd say how it's going so far.

Cheers

Matt


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## marso70 (Oct 10, 2007)

Matt your points are very fair and noted, as I said I'm against westside methods per se and they have produced some incredible lifters, Louis Simmons himself being one. But don't be afraid to adopt the method to suit, coming from a powerlifting background this will be familiar to you. I myself even have a WestSide barbell sweat shirt even though I don't practice there methods.

As for increasing your shoot, my take on this is based on the premise of what I said regarding the principle of specificity, in order to become better *skilled* at something (shoot for take downs) you need to practice the specific (there's that word again) skills (another key word) of shoots.

As the saying goes practice makes perfect.

Your strength training should be just that, *strength *training, the idea being to strengthen the muscles involved in the shoot, those being the glutes, quads and hamstrings, my personal choice for this is the Leg Press, but Squats and Deadlifts will also work these muscles strongly.

Let me know how you get on...

Paul.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Thanks Paul.

Would you use a particular foot position for overall leg development (as opposed to quad/hamstring dominant position)? I've always preffered to squat or dead lift (as you also mentioned) rather than the leg press as 1) I like the lifts and 2) I feel that they're better for overall strength gains. You're obviously talking from purely a leg development point of view? Or do you prefer them in general to squats/deadlift? It may be useful to switch out the jumping and replace it with a single leg, leg press as I find I'm definetley more dominant/stronger on one side (left).

On a side note, I had a rest day today, my legs were absolutely killing me today after yesterday. Tomorrow I have the upper body rep day, then saturday is ME lower deadlift or squat variation. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.


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## marso70 (Oct 10, 2007)

Foot position doesn't make that much of difference in regards to how the muscles fibers are recruited, a wider stance (as used in PL) is mainly done to improve leverage and reduce the overall distance, it does tend to involve the glutes more. But generally speaking a shoulder width stance on Squats with toes pointing slightly out is optimal for most.

Leg Press is better suited for the development of the glutes (these are involved strongly when shooting in for take downs) to give you an idea of what I'm referring too, look to the animal kingdom, two of the fastest or lets call them "explosive" :icon6: animals on the planet are the cheetah and the greyhound, they have HUGE glutes and relatively smaller thigh muscles. Lunges are also a great glute and quad exercise and very tough in done for high reps after leg press to failure.

I often do, leg press, then DB Deadlifts, then Lunges using the same DB's its a killer but highly effective.

believe it not I'm not a fan of single leg press as they involve too much torquing around the hips and torso, I'll only do them in an alternate fashion (Rich Franklin does them on youtube) if I'm using the Hammer Strength Iso Lateral Leg Press, as this allows you to work the legs together or independently (or iso laterally as the case may be)

As per the S.A.I.D (*S*pecific *A*dapatation to *I*mposed *D*emands) my training is geared specifically towards my goals, size, strength and overall conditioning. If and when I was bodybuilding I trained more frequently and with slightly more volume.

Take a look at http://www.gridironincny.com/bio/ as this is the type of workouts I've always followed. Dr Ken is a legend and I'm fortunate to have his autograph and a Iron Island Gym hoodie from when he used to own it, it was THE mecca of hardcore training in Long Island NY but then sort of lost it edge.

His results with his trainees and athletes speak for themselves, such as his adopted son Kevin Tolbert who @ 240 lbs Squatted 600lbs for 30 reps, followed by stiff legged Deadlifts with 450lbs for 15 reps! As result of his STRENGTH training he vastly improved his 100 yard dash when he was playing American Football.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

marso70 said:


> Take a look at http://www.gridironincny.com/bio/ as this is the type of workouts I've always followed. Dr Ken is a legend and I'm fortunate to have his autograph and a Iron Island Gym hoodie from when he used to own it, it was THE mecca of hardcore training in Long Island NY but then sort of lost it edge.
> 
> His results with his trainees and athletes speak for themselves, such as his adopted son Kevin Tolbert who @ 240 lbs Squatted 600lbs for 30 reps, followed by stiff legged Deadlifts with 450lbs for 15 reps! As result of his STRENGTH training he vastly improved his 100 yard dash when he was playing American Football.


Thanks for the info Paul. Got me thinking about a few things, mainly that I didn't realise how tricky it would be to train for performance as opposed to gaining muscle or losing fat!

I've read about Dr.Ken before but I can't remember where it was linked from, as it happens I've also read some of your published work before joining this site. I was checking out HITonline and recognised your picture on there from somewhere else can't remember where now though..

Anyway, tomorrow is ME lower day so I'll be doing a traditional dead lift, then DB lunges (can't use db for the deadlift as they only to up to 40kg) followed by pull throughs, last week my hamstrings, glutes and lower back were smashed for days....sounds similar to the setup you mention. I'll stick with it and see how it goes, give it a few weeks then maybe have a switch if things aren't progressing as I'd like. So far it's going well.

Today I trained the 'upper body rep' session. already done it once last week so i'll list it below with the changes from last week to this week.

Flat Bench DB 3 x max with same weight

1st week

20kg x 40 (whoops didn't realise I'd be able to do so many)

26kg x 12 (was rinsed form the last set)

26 x 8 (snap)

This week

26kg x 25 (still too light as you're supposed to aim between 15-20 reps 1st set)

26kg x 15 (nearly right)

26 x 12

Chins superset with bent over rear lateral raise (vertical pulling and rear delt)

1st week

8,7,4 chins (rubbish!)

14kg 12,10,12 30 seconds rest in between supersets

2nd week

12,8,5 chins (bit better)

16kg 12,12,12

Superset really takes it out of me in a good way!

DB seated press

1st week

20kg x 12

22kg x 7

20kg x 6 supposed to be aiming between 8-12 so nearly right

2nd week

22kg x 12

22kg x 7

22kg x 5

DB shrugs superset with hammer curls

1st week

30kg 12,12,8 (grip was done by now)

12kg 12,12,12 (light but still hard!)

2nd week

40kg12,12,10 (grip and strength improving quickly but I used to shrug a lot more, so expected)

14kg 12,12,12 (better but still poor, forearms and biceps burn like crazy after gripping for the shrugs)

Finished! enjoying that session so far, can complete it all in about 30mins if I can keep the rests down. Strength is coming up nicely, still a way off where I have been but my weight is staying down which is good (sort of!). Going to get hold of some scales to keep a proper eye on it.


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## marso70 (Oct 10, 2007)

> as it happens I've also read some of your published work before joining this site. I was checking out HITonline and recognised your picture on there from somewhere else can't remember where now though..


Fame at last............. :clap:

Matt how did you find the pullthroughs? I'm also looking at some way of rigging a reverse hyper (as per West Side) to work my lower back and glutes as SLDL tend to irritate my lower back...

Your routine looks pretty solid though..

Paul.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

marso70 said:


> Fame at last............. :clap:
> 
> Matt how did you find the pullthroughs? I'm also looking at some way of rigging a reverse hyper (as per West Side) to work my lower back and glutes as SLDL tend to irritate my lower back...
> 
> ...


Haha! Fame indeed! :beerchug: I wish I could remember where it was from, I remeber looking at the picture and thinking f****ng hell, the size of that guy! Surprised me when I saw it again! Still bugging me now where I linked to it from. Might have been T-nation or somewhere similar.

I really like the pull throughs, I feel they really tax my whole back as well as hamstrings/glutes. You can really accelerate through the movement as well. Those combined with reg deadlift and walking lunges stopped me sitting down for a week!

Only problem I have is that the cable stack at my current gym isn't heavy enough so I'm limited on weight. I would vertainly recommend them though, one of the better 'lesser seen' movements I've trained with.

With you on the reverse hyper thing, I've been trying to work that out.

Apparently you can do it with a lat pulldown machine. If you imagine facing away from itput you ankles where your knees would be held down if you used it normally, so your quads would be on the seat pad. Your knees should be on the seat.

You might need something in front of you to stop you hitting the floor on the way down! also I believe you can do it if you can hook you heels under something sturdy enough (need to be pretty sturdy though!).

I haven't tried either of those methods as there's no normal lat pull down at my gym or anythig to hook my heels under....

Deadlifting tonight, with the pull through so I'll see if I can suss anything out with the reverse hypers in another fashion.


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## Marsbar (Nov 10, 2007)

Matt

Here's a vid with pro bb'er Paul George doing what you describe. Wait until 50 secs in. I'm gonna give these a go next time I train hamstrings


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Back frmo the ME lower session a couple of hours ago, so I'll post up how it went with last weeks here as well.

Regular Deadlift (belt and chalk from 130)

1st week

14 x bar warmup

5 x 60

5 x 100

5 x 130

5 x 150

3 x160 I think I did this in the morning, I was gutted to be honest a I've deadlifted 202.5 for a triple before so this really was bad!

2nd week

bar warmup

5 x 60

5 x 100

5 x 140

5 x 160

3 x 170

2 x180 Loads better than last week, think I'm getting back in the groove, the 180 wa still a grinder but I was going to leave it at 170, unfortunately couldn't resist, nearly tried the triple but it stopped dead!

Walking dumbell lunges

1st week

10 x 12kg

10 x 14kg

10 x 16kg This is such hard work! Really surprised how difficult it is, killed my a**e and quads. Breathing heavy as well

2nd week

12 x 16kg

12 x 18kg

12 x 20kg This dealt with me even worse than last week. First I struggled to get back up, I was breathing like a train then my grip started to go! Wicked movement, looking forward to getting up to the thirties and beyond. Read my book wrong this week and thought I'd done 12 reps last week hence the big increase this week, couldn't walk after!

Pullthoughs (on cable machine)

1st week

12 x 23.75

12 x 28.75

12 x 36.75 Like this, really work entire posterior chain, seems to anyway!

2nd week

12 x 28.75

12 x 36.75

12 x 41.25 Increases this week, read my book wrong again otherwise I think I'd have started a little heavier. Smashed me pretty good

Ab circuit (no weight)

1st week

think I skipped it as I can't remember doing it, there's nothing in my log book

2nd week

done in a circuit 20 reps each exercise for three rounds

bent leg crunch

lying leg raise

straight leg crunch

hanging leg raise

nearly didn't make it through this! hip flexors were killing me from the leg raises, I think. Need to think of some different exercises as they were all a bit similar.

Pleased so far, especially with pulling the 180 for 2. Next week I'll try five, then I'm on holiday for a week so I'll probably try some sort of deload week. Then come back and change ME exercises.

going to do some conditioning tomorrow morning, sledgehammer, skipping, maybe some light sandbag work. Probably do 15-20mins.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Marsbar said:


> Matt
> 
> Here's a vid with pro bb'er Paul George doing what you describe. Wait until 50 secs in. I'm gonna give these a go next time I train hamstrings


That's the one! Nice one Marsbar, didn't think of using a broom, suppose you could use an olympic bar if there was one spare.

Only thing I'm a bit dubious about is his form. It looks like he's not actually doing that much work with his hamstrings as his body is coming up parallel to the floor still rather than in line with his legs? Won't know until I (you!) give it a whirl I suppose.

I tried it for the feel of it tonight on one of the machines but the seat pad is shaped not square so I couldn't get my legs on it properly 

good find, he's a beast too. Isn't he about 5 and a half foot and only weighs about 70kg or so, but absolutely massive!?


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## Marsbar (Nov 10, 2007)

Matt .. don't try and force progression on the deads too fast or you will come unstuck. Take your time to build back up to big weights.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Marsbar said:


> Matt .. don't try and force progression on the deads too fast or you will come unstuck. Take your time to build back up to big weights.


thanks for the thought, should check the ego at the door really, but the 170 felt good, the first rep of 180 was ok and the second was alright. I did bow out on the third, I think I could have forced it up but I was thinking along the lines of what you're saying 

Just nice to be pulling again really. It got in my head a bi after I got 205 because I never really had a target after that as all my time went into getting it, so to be back able to get a 180 is good enough for me. See what next week brings..


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Just got back from a quick bit of conditioning, didn't have much time.

Backwards drag 50m

skipp x100

then a small circuit x 5 no rest

sledgehammer left side x 15

right side times x 15

skip x 50

Only took about 15 min. Still knackered though!


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## marso70 (Oct 10, 2007)

This is one that WestSide sell all for a measly $2000!!

The one i'm thinking of is the glute/ham raise.

I've met Paul George and he's actually not that big I was shocked when my friend told me he was/used to be an IFBB Pro!! He is big but more to the point he has superb muscle shape and symmetry and he is always in top condition. He is also a very nice and modest guy.

Paul.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Quick I'll take two! Here's my check book! $2000 dollars is a bit of a joke but I suppose with the volume they need to charge that much to make any money.

I'm getting confused in my movements now, I was talking about GHR before with the hooking the ankles thing. I didn't know about the reverse hyper.

Thought I struck gold for you with this






title is reverse hyper alternative..... :icon6:


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

There is a picture in this thread at t-nation of someones half built reverse hyper

http://www.t-nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=400500

doesn't look today. If you have your own power rack you could knock something up to go in it I reckon.

Need to try them now!


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

I thought paul George was an amateur!

Not huge but ripped


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

What about this for a list of experience! I think he won the IFBB britain on 04 as well (maybe). I had a look and he's about 5'3", amazing condition though, detail is mental!

1991 Crewe and Alsager 1st

1992 Bradford 2nd

1992 EFBB Britain, not placed

1993 Mansfield 1st

1993 EFBB Britain, not placed

1994 Warrington 1st

1994 EFBB Britain, not placed

1996 EFBB Qualifier 1st

1996 EFBB Britain, 6th

1998 Warrington 1st

1998 EFBB Britain Lightweight, 1st

1999 EFBB Britain Lightweight, 1st

2000 EFBB Britain Lightweight, 1st

2000 EPF Britain Middleweight, 1st

2000 EPF Britain Masters, 1st

2000 EPF Britain Overall, 1st

2001 EPF Britain Middleweight, 1st

2001 EPF Britain Masters, 1st

2001 EPF Britain Overall winner

2001 WPF World Middleweight, 1st

2002 EPF Britain Middleweight, 1st

2002 EPF Britain Masters, 1st

2002 EPF Britain Overall winner

2002 WPF World Middleweight 1st

2002 WPF World Masters 1st

2003 Wigan Open 1st

2003 EFBB Britain Masters, 1st

2003 EPF Britain Middleweight, 1st

2003 EPF Britain Masters, 1st

2003 EPF Britain Overall, 1st

2003 WPF World Middleweight, 1st

2003 WPF World Masters, 1st


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Got some training in tonight, had an exam today so feeling a bit drained! Still good though.

I'll put the last two weeks on here as I have been doing then I should be upto date I think.

ME Flat BB Bench working up to 3 rep max

1st week

20 x bar

10 x 40kg

5 x 60kg

5 x 80kg

3 x 90kg

3 x 100kg (just about made it with the last one of these, form a bit off)

2nd week

20 x bar

10 x 40kg

5 x 60kg

5 x 80kg

3 x100kg (easier than last week, stayed tight through out)

1 x 105kg (couldn't get two, bit gutted at how much this has come down, but a big bench relies on some many areas I'm not really surprised  )

Inc DB press 2 sets first same weight first one approx 15-20reps

1st week

22 x 22kg

16 x 22kg (a little light for the amount of reps but nearly right, not used to high rep stuff)

2nd week

23 x 24kg

13 x 24kg (small improvement, surprised with the first set, might go up to 30kg next time, should get 15 on the first one then less for the second)

DB Rows superset with facepulls

1st week

DB row 12 x 30kg, 12 x 34kg, 12 x 34kg

Facepull 12 x 8.75kg, 12 x 13.75kg, 12 x 18.75kg

too light on both movements, hard to suss out the right weight for supersets, very demanding on the 'cardio' side!

2nd week

DB row 12 x 40kg, 12 x 40kg, 12x40kg

Face pull 12 x 18.75kg, 12 x 23.75kg, 12 x 26.35 kg,.

weight much better this time round, struggled to get the last reps of the rows out, unfortunately 40 is the biggest dumbell available so I'll move to BB rows next time. Face pull weights will probably go upto 28ish next time for 3 sets

Traps

1st week

DB shrugs 40kg x 12, 12, 12

2nd week

BB shrugs 100kg x 12, 140kg x 12, 150kg x 12

I like shrugs! Used to shrug about 200ish on a barbell so this should come up pretty quick.

Elbow flexion

seated Incline curls

1st week

14kg x 12,12,12 found these really difficult, slightly easier if you lean forward a little, might need the bench a little less inclined but that may defeat the point!

2nd week

16kg 12,10,8

really struggled with these, I guess it's a good thing just made the last reps.

Good sessions overall, like the bench to come up more, but it's always been my weakest point, shouldn't have let it drop so much, might be chasing that for a while!

On a seperate note, got myself some scales today, weighing a slightly less than I thought 78kg...oops, down from 86-87 in september..definetley feel lighter!


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Just got back from a short condtioning session, about 20mins.

1 mile hill run

followed by alternating

hill sprint

skipping sprint x 50

repeated 5 times

no rest, gassed now!


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

This will be my second go at DE lower. following a couple of points paul made about the jumping being hard on the knees, I've started using a couple of softish mats (like the ones from p.e.!) to jump onto. I'm doing broad jumps so I start from a hard surface and jump onto the mat. Seems a lot easier on the knees as the force gets dissipated through the mat.

Broad jumps 5 sets of three jumps, went quite a bit further tha last week once got into the swing of it, surprisingly hard on the breathing!

Box jumps from floor onto 22mats plus a reebok step on top! That's a whole reebok step better than last week... 3 sets of 3 jumps

Bulgarian split squat w/ added rom (forgot to add rom last week)

used a bench for my back foot and a box for my front foot.

10 x 12kg DB

10 x 14kg DB

10 x 16kg DB

Find this a really hard movement even with the light weights, really difficult to balance and absolute murder on the quads, like it though!

Hyper extension

24kg x 10

24kg x 10

24kg x 10

twigged that I could use a dumbel for these instead of holding a plate, much easier to progress in weight as the dumbells go up in two kilo steps. My lower back was pulsing like crazy after these.

Last week I did a weighted ab circuit by accident instead of one weighted ab movement so I thought I'd do the same again as it was pretty good. Switched the leg raises out for standing ab pulldown.

3 circuits

DB side bend 24kg x 10, 10, 10

standing pulldown 23.75 x 10,10, 28.75 x 10

Swiss ball crunch w/24kg DB 10,10,10

Spread eagle situp holding 24kg dB above chest 10,10,10

Pretty good all round, everything going the right direction, still enjoying it, got another week then I might switch a couple of movements, overall good stuff.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

3rd time round for the pper body rep day, starting to get close to the right weights for things now, went like this

Flat DB Bench

30kg x 22 (just about right, I'll go 32 or 34 next week)

30kg x 12

30kg x 10

Last two sets pretty spot on according to what I'm supposed to be doing in the template.

Chins superset b/over rear lateral raise

Chins

12 (seemed a bit harder than last week, could have been because of the heavier flat DB)

8 (same as last week  )

6 (one more but pretty shoddy last rep)

r/lat raise

18kg 12,12,12

extra weight on these meant I felt it on the chins too! Next week I'll leave this the same and try and get more chins

DB shoulder press

22kg 13,8,5

One more on the first two sets same on the last, cold do with a spot really difficult after the first two movements.

DB Shrugs superset with hammer curls

Shrugs 40kg x 14, 12, 11

Hammer 16kg x 12,12,12 last couple of last set were a bit poor. See how I feel next time for changing weights.

Still going well so far. Going to jump on the scales tomorrow see if anythings creeping up or down.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Was supposed to do this yesterday, but my back was still smashed from whatever I did to it last time!

Trained it tonight instead.

Me Deadlift

12 x bar

5 x 60

5 x 100

5 x 140 (these are all feeling better now, not like they're killing me!)

180 x 3 (easy triple this time)

190 x 1 (think I could have got two or three but wanted to go a bit more)

195 x 0 (missed this, just didn't feel right off the bottom, wasn't sitting back enough, came off the ground. I struggle between the ground and my knees, lockout is generally ok)

140 x 8 (went back down to make up the reps I missed from last week, felt good)

Walking lunge

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

22kg x 12 this is by far the hardest exercise, absolutley evil, I stopped dead at one point with the 22's. Very humbling!

Pull throughs

41.25kg x 12

46.25kg x 12

48.75kg x 12 (running out o stack, three sets at 48 should be about right for next time then I'll have to work something else out, I'll check the other exercises I can sub in for this)

High rep ab circuit

20 x swiss ball crunch

20 x hips up

20 x bent knees crunch

20 x leg raises

3 circuits, minute rest between each

done...

Pleased with the 190 deadlift, coming back, think I'm going to go for three weeks os squatting next and alternate like that.

Going to check the weight tomorrow morning, did it tonight and it was 79.4 up 1.4 from the other day but it could have been water as I drank about two litres while I was training...


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Had a session of MMA tonight, first one back after christmas etc, I was smashed! I think the conditioning helped as it wasn't horrendous but I definetley need to put some more time in..

Deadlift yesterday didn't help too much as I was a bit stiff today, but at least it got a bit of blood flowing.

some new guys came training so that was good.

Concentrated mostly on 'anti-grappling' striking and moving into the clinch, then did some rolling. Good to get back in the swing of things, except i'm off on holiday tomorrow...start again when I get back!


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Been a bit slck on updating this, but I've been training MMA/thai/bjj etc...

In order to get a bit of the old motivation back I'm going head to head with my brother in a training showdown! We're starting off with a weigh in tomorrow and have a target of 4 kilos weight gain in a month with equal or lower bodyfat (top four abs have got to stay in  ).

Fingers crossed we won't get it wrong and just get fat as houses...

Made it public so I can't not do it...

It's on!


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

haha good luck are you both following the sam diet or eating whatever the hell you like


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

We're sticking to our own seperate training and diet.

I'm gonna have to be creative in my training as my gym membership has ran out. I'm thinking of deadlifting my fiancee.

I weighed in at 11 stone 9 this morning (about 74.1kg) 15.4% bodyfat, using a handheld monitor.

Matt says he is going to pull out some of his secret moves to destroy me so im in for a tough time!


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## JayC (Jul 16, 2007)

Haha, deadlifting your fiancee sounds awesome. I'm currently weighing at 74.1kg too (last time I checked), aswell as having around 15% bodyfat. That's probably gone back down to 73kg though since I've ****ed off beer and stuff


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

JayC said:


> Haha, deadlifting your fiancee sounds awesome. I'm currently weighing at 74.1kg too (last time I checked), aswell as having around 15% bodyfat. That's probably gone back down to 73kg though since I've ****ed off beer and stuff


Beer is doom, jacked that in a while ago i only drink on birthday and christmas.

Breaking out the sledge hammer tonight as i've been sitting down all day gonna need to work it over to get things moving. (apart from i did some calf raises lifting my desk - and looking for a decent branch on the tree outside to do pullups on!!

Matt, dont accidently sledge hammer yourself in the leg and take yourself out of the running.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Maybe I'll 'accidentally' sledgehammer you in the leg to stop you running full stop! 

Early doors results are in I'm upto 76.6, Will is up to 75.4! an down to 13.8% BF. Might need more weapons....I'm just off to eat


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

Get some pics up


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

I'll see what I can sort out tomorrow for you.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

how about i'll see if I can forget the camera....doh! Have to keep you in suspense a little longer..


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

lol


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

The results of week ones exploits are in.

Will - 75.5kg with 14.8% bodyfat.

Matt - 76.9kg with 14.8% bodyfat.

Something we haven't mentioned is that I am 5'11ish and matt is 5'7ish.

I've been making some questionable calls in the food area but should get it right this week.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Pretty pleased with how the first week's gone. On target give or take a few grams for the 4kg in a month. Just ran out of protein yesterday, ordered some more so it better show up soon!! Need to turn up the heat a little on the eating, not too much mind...


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Got some pics but can't attach them because they're too big, I'll stick them in will's photobucket thing..


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

My end of first week pics, weight is as above, 76.9 or so.

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/westw1/?action=view&current=DSC00531.jpg

Not sure what the stupid face is about....

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/westw1/?action=view&current=DSC00528.jpg

no stupid face..

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/westw1/?action=view&current=DSC00527.jpg

back, bit washed out..

Apologies for the lighting, it washes the colour out a bit, they're big flourescent strip lights on the roof, plus crap mobile phone camera, but you get the idea


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Je n'aime pas the look of those photos!

I am struggling to put on weight this week, plus i've been told that the magazine might want me for a photo to go along with my story which means i may have to abandon eating and break out some punishing cardio!

Matts almost at target so he tells me. I'm way off, i managed to get up to about 12st 2 the other day then shrunk down to 11 7??? WTF?


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

I'm at 11st 11.25lbs (75kgs) and at 14.9% bodyfat this morning.

Not the gains i was hoping for!! halfway through and 3kgs to go - ooops!


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Weighed in at 78.6kg this morning, just a little more to go, should be easily achievable in the two weeks left...put a few more nails in young Williams coffin!


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Light wasnt too good.


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

We have the same carpet!

Looking good mate, what are you using to measure you BF


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

marc said:


> We have the same carpet!
> 
> Looking good mate, what are you using to measure you BF


Haha, That carpet is a f*cking nightmare to keep clean - therefore it is mostly dirty!

I've got an Omron BF306 - http://www.omron-healthcare.com/sitepreview.php?SiteID=283

A handheld BF monitor - i normally take 5 readings at once and do the average of them as it can vary quite a bit.


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

Haha no shit...ive got the same BF monitor too...What else have you got of mine???? There not amzingly accurate although its a good enough estimation for where your at i reckon, mine tell me im 15.1..i need to lay of the pizza


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

marc said:


> Haha no shit...ive got the same BF monitor too...What else have you got of mine???? There not amzingly accurate although its a good enough estimation for where your at i reckon, mine tell me im 15.1..i need to lay of the pizza


If i get home and find my carpet and BF monitor missing i'll know who to turn to!


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

A couple week two snaps

Front

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/westw1/?action=view&current=DSC00536.jpg

Back

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa206/westw1/?action=view&current=DSC00539.jpg

Getting there, bf is a little up I think, but got mma etc coming up so that'll sort it!


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

I've got no idea whats happened but im getting well and truly smoked now.

11st 9.25lbs 17.8% bf?!?!?!?!

d'oh


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Not a brilliant week for me this week, 78.7kg, so 1.3 to go to hit the 80 mark by the end of the 4 weeks. I'll pick up the eating!

It's too tempting to go training at the new club, sucking the vital calories out of me!


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## marc (Jul 16, 2007)

Sounds like will's been on the pizza


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

marc said:


> Sounds like will's been on the pizza


lol! He's actually been on the 'romantica', remeber those? About the worlds most awesome ice cream/biscuit/cake thing. Thought it was a secret weapon turns out it's stuffed him a good un!


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

[email protected] Company said:


> lol! He's actually been on the 'romantica', remeber those? About the worlds most awesome ice cream/biscuit/cake thing. Thought it was a secret weapon turns out it's stuffed him a good un!


I did get royally mullered by the romantica. browsing through asda and there it was - i thought they didnt exist anymore as i havent had one in about 15 years. Temptation got to me and i KO'd one in a night, they arent as big as i remember but D-D-D-DAMN they are gooooooood!

Unfortunately they must contain some sort of muscle wastage mineral that isnt on the ingredient label.


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## [email protected] Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Final day of the challenge and I missed the mark...it was close, got to 79.5 so not too bad overall, regular mma certainly keeps the weight off you!


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## West Fight Company (Oct 10, 2007)

Mine went to sh*t - ended up at 12st with 16% bodyfat.

Fromage.


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