2015 the year to eXceL

[Kalidane]

Time for a journal. That should shame me into less rest days ;-)

History:

Started training October 2011 to trick me into eating.

Weighed 64.4kg at 178cm

First 3 months training was very confused and overly complex for a beginner but I loved squats right from the first set and some kgs were gained so not a bad period.
Got sick as on boxing day and didn't treat it so no training or eating for 3 months. Dropped back to around 69kg.

Just 3 trains in April/May. No idea what I did for those two months.

02 June I started training based loosely on 5x5
Weight 152.6lbs (69.2kg)
Thigh 19.5"
Waist 32.5
Chest 37
Bicep ~11 (I round down to nearest 1/2 inch so dunno what this meant)
Neck 16

05 Sep
Weight 164.4 PB (74.6kg)
Thigh 20.5"
Waist 33
Chest 39
Bicep 12.5
Neck 16

07 Sep last train for a while.

Events occur.
Unquit smoking and caffeine.
/History

22 Sep
Weight 154lbs on different scales (69.9kg)
Thigh 20.5"
Waist 32.5
Chest 38.5
Bicep 12
Neck 15

On holiday in Napier so out of the garage gym and into one of those gyms with questionable music (Nfinite Fitness and Health feat. Jono Hall).

New program, 4 day split, 6 day week.

Alt. Incline DB Press
20x5kg
10x10kg
8x12kgx2

Incline DB Flyes
12x5kg
6x6kgx3

Flat Bench
15xBar
12x30kg
5x50kgx2
12x30kgx2
Couldn't keep shoulders tight at all and hips cramped throughout the 50kg sets.

Alt. DB Curl
10x8kg
6x8kgx2
Decided I could no longer lead the vanguard of the anti-aesthetic movement and would have to train arms.


Fin

[Kalidane]

24 Sep

Pendlay Rows

20x20kg

10x30kg

8x30kg

6x30kgx4

Trying to keep upper body horizontal but form really went to shit. Frenchie interrupted his training to spend a few minutes giving me the good advices :clap:

Standing OHP (first time - have only done these seated due to low ceiling at garage gym)

10x20kgx2

4x30kg Made me :evil:

6x30kgx2

Alt. DB Front Raise (first time)

10x5kg

6x7kgx3 lol

Lat Pulldown (first time)

15x21kg

12x21kg - aggravated right side mid-trap or something which was still pissy from sleeping funny on the bus on 21st

Followed by sauna and 1 hour massage. Living la vida Arnie

[Kalidane]

26th Sep

Skull Crushers

15x10kg

10x20kgx2

8x20kgx2

Second time doing these and tendons? didn't bitch about it.

Close Grip Bench

15x20kg

8x40kgx4

20x20kg

Upper back not staying tight.

Alt DB Curl

10x5kg

6x8kgx2

6x10kg

Always squeeze and slow eccentric

Alt Hammer Curls

8x8kg

5x10kgx2

10x5kgx2

Left tri was spasming when idle on last two sets he was that eager to have his turn so he gets a gold star for the day.

Best pump ever; hands shaking and couldn't hold a pen.

[Kalidane]

27 Sep

Squats

10xbar

8x40kg

6x50kgx2

Going a little too deep to keep arch and coming up with hips first for a nice lean-forward and sore lower back. And sprained ankle. Shoulda got advices.

Back hypers (first time)

10 reps to above parallel. I figured an abused lower back needed some targeted abuse. Came to have second thoughts about that.

Leg Extensions

10x20kgx3

Squeeze then controlled. I have no legs.

Leg Curls

10x15kg

10x20kgx2

My notebook records 'suxor'. Seems legit.

[Kalidane]

29th Sep

Not eating but whatever

Incline DB Press

20x5kg

12x10kg

12x14kgx2

Incline DB Flyes

10x6kg

8x8kg

6x8kgx2

Flat Bench

20xbar

8x50kg

6x50kg mighty close to failure but I wasn't doing a roll of shame in a gym

12x30kgx2

Form still sucking - can't keep shoulders tight.

Pec Deck - some weird ass contraption (first time lol)

12x20kg

12x25kg

8x30kg

Alt. DB Lat Raise

12x5kg

8x8kgx2

Alt. DB Curl

10x5kg

8x7kgx2

Squeeze then controlled. Too light.

Edit: was/wasn't

[Kalidane]

01st October

Stretching (first time :doh: )

Pendlay Rows 20x20kg

12x35kg

10x35kg

8x35kg

Form sucked again. Kept flick-rolling the bar to finish the rep. Might try mixed grip next time. I think the back and bar line of movement were okay though.

OHP

15xbar

5x35kg

4x35kg

6x30kgx2

WTF is OHP so hard??

Alt. DB Front Raise

12x6kg

6x8kgx3

Lat Pulldown

10x14kg

10x21kg

12x28kg

10x35kg

7x42kg form was suffering so binned it

10x35kg

[Kalidane]

02nd October

No energy and not eating. Correlation only. f*ck off.

Skull Crushers

12x20kg

8x20kgx4

Narrow Flat Grip Bench

15xbar

10x40kgx2

8x45kgx3

Alt. DB Curl

10x8kg

6x10kgx2

8x8kg

Squeeze then controlled

Alt. Hammer Curls

8x10kg

6x12kg

6x10kg

Squeeze then controlled

Much less pump than prior arms day and session took forever.

Really need some damned cardio and to get rid of the damned nicotine and caffeine :x

This brings us up to real-time logging!

[Kalidane]

04 October

Cut the supps to about 60% of normal as the ph level seems to be a problem. I can live with that as I'm a bit over all that.

Incline DB Press

15x8kg

12x12kg

12x14kg

10x16kg

Incline DB Flyes

10x8kgx3

On the 2nd or 3rd set got some weird pain in the left forearm. Didn't seem to be a muscle (or at least not one I've hurt before). The plan for the day was to test flat bench 1RM so I was pretty :evil: and wanted to pack it in.

Didn't.

Flat Bench

12xBar forearm pain cut short the warmup set

10x40kg still really painful but didn't seem to threaten the grip at this weight

10x45kg no more pain from this set onwards :-s

8x45kg paused

6x45kg paused

8x45kgx2 paused

DB Lat. Raise

10x8kgx4

Tried a heavier weight on the 4th set but it wasn't working so went back to 8kg

Alt. DB Curl (squeeze then controlled)

10x6kgx2

Thought it was 8 or 10kg until I went to re-rack the dumbbells :doh:

All up a very frustrating session but I'm glad I didn't go for a cry in the sauna. Not sure it was all that smart to bench with that forearm but the weights were light and no collars so it wasn't likely to end too badly.

Numbers 12 hours post workout (all others are pre)

Weight 159lbs (72kg)

Thigh 20.5"

Waist 33

Chest 39

Upper Arm 12.5

Neck 16.5 (measured 3x so must have a bad measurement in the first post)

Happy with the new program of the past two weeks and using a gym but it feels a bit like a BB program for later on, when I need a basic compound strength program so I'll sort that out. To Auckland on Saturday so a new gym and pizza hut to be found.

[tomsammce]

U male or female?

[Kalidane]

U male or female?

Will check later today.

Edit: Results are back and it's male (or deformed lesbian).

Wanted to get a progress pic or two today but missed the sun so I'll worry about it at the weekend.

[Kalidane]

Starting off a 5x5 intermediate program based off a spreadsheet I found on my machine. Sounds legit. Aiming for an 8 week cycle then re-evaluate.

Week One, Day One

Stretching

Has been preventing hip flexor cramp when benching so it's a keeper.

Didn't bother with neck/trap or tricep stretching.

Squat

15xBar

5x40kg

5x45kg

5x55kg

5x60kg (=PB :sigh emoticon:)

2x65kg leaning forward and generally shit. Focus on holding chest up next time

5x40kg just to get a clean set

Pretty sure bar is high on the back and left forearm is getting too much work somehow; still hurting from last week. Will go wider on the grip.

Sure am enjoying not having to pick the bar up off the floor and getting it onto the back!

Flat Bench

15xBar

5x30kg

5x40kg

5x45kg

5x50kg

5x55kg PB

Easy enough to do but bar control would have looked :doh: at times

Pendlay Rows

15xBar

5x25kg

5x30kgx2

5x35kg

5x40kg

Short sets made these a breeze to maintain form. So that was nice.

Assistance plan was skull crushers, DB curls, hammer curls and seated calf raises but time was running out due to early lunch. Only managed:

Skull Crushers

5xBarx3

Something pretty much the length of the left tri was bitching from the first rep so didn't even manage a single proper warm up set and time had run out. Maybe somebody should have done that tricep stretching after all.

Being a free trial membership at the new locale means I can only train when staff are present and they kick off at 1000 which is frustrating as hell. At least no one else was interested in the sole power cage for that hour.

Realised towards the end that I was focussing more on getting the right weight on the bar than the actual exercises so it was mindless training.

Shorter rests than usual between sets which I'll keep.

I imagine there'll be PBs all over the place as it's only the third week training with rack/cage so I don't see them as terribly meaningful until I bench 80 and squat 120 for reps.

Looking again at that spreadsheet and I see I've put in higher figures than I should have for squats, bench and deads. Veryfewfucksweregiven.jpg

[Kalidane]

20th October

Diet was inadequate so no point training for 11 days. 5x5 needs to be restarted.

Something in the left shoulder was sore as hell so thought I'd have a light shoulder day to figure out the culprit.

Free trial at a Ponsonby gym.

Flat Bench

20xBar

10x30kg

8x40kg

5x50kgx3

Pendlay Row

20xBar

12x30kg

8x40kgx2

DB Front Raise

10x8kg

6x10kg

DB Press? (can't read notes)

10x10kg

DB Lat Raise

10x6kg

DB Curl

12x8kgx2

10x8kg

No feedback from left delt at all so maybe a nerve thing?

[Kalidane]

22 Oct

Signed at a new gym.

Restart 5x5

No supps

Squat

15xBar

5x40kg

5x45kg

5x55kg

5x60kg

5x65kg PB some leaning but much improved

Flat Bench

15xBar

5x30kg

5x40kg

5x45kg

5x50kg

5x55kg

Pendlay Row

15xBar

5x30kgx3

5x35kg

5x40kg

need to do these slower on the concentric

Standing OHP

15xBar

5x30kgx3

Skull Crushers

8xBarx2

Lost my headspace and bailed; should have done more.

Easy session (due to long rest coming in to it?) and lack of supps seemed to make no difference at all. Intredasting.

[Kalidane]

Stardate: today

New apartment and some stuff out of storage so

Weight: 154.2 (70kg)

Down 7+ kg from unofficial PB first week of September :evil:

VPX No Shotgun; no intra.

Week 1 Day 2

Squat

15xBar

5x40kg

5x45kg

5x55kg

Form disappoints. May interrupt programme with a squat training day. Gonna get dodgy on the back as the weights go up.

Incline Bench

15xBar

5x30kg

5x40kg

5x45kg

5x50kg

Deadlifts

5x45kg

5x50kg

5x60kg

5x65kg

Controlled eccentric was rough on last set. Farking deadlifts.

Lat Pulldowns, wide

can't read the weight so will go off pin depth on the not-tiny plates

15x2nd

10x4th was coming over the bar to complete the movement so dropped it back

10x3rd form was okay

Hands were pretty knackered so I pussied out of final set.

Intended to do calves but after squats and deads it wasn't happening.

Went home and ate an anabolic cow (48 hour marinade).

Weight prolly has bottomed out; more work to do before bloat-mode is engaged however.

[Kalidane]

Pics for the pics god

Above is April 2008. 64.2kg at 178cm

Would be the same as 12-13 months ago.

Above two pics yesterday at 70.0kg, after accidental cut from 77+kg

[Kalidane]

Squat training.

PWO: Grenade .50 cal single serve. Didn't feel a thing.

Intra: Sizeon x2, Gatorade x1/2, 12g BCAA 8:1:1

Post: Gatorade x1/2, Glutamine 10g

777 cals of bacon and eggs, burned to f*ck. Cooking with gas is hard core.

Many box squats and squats took place.

Found the spot in front of the power cage that is flat. Ankles will appreciate that attention to detail.

Shoe heel compression is far greater than I had thought and the left shoe sole/heel structure is collapsing so those fuckers are going in the bin and it's off to the warehouse to find chucks-wannabees. Ankles will appreciate that attention to detail.

More squat training planned tomorrow. Implementing correct form sounds a lot like a skill so needs to be practised until it's done right.

[Pseudonym]

Heheh. Gotta love the "accidental cut".

[Kalidane]

haha yep it's been a good learning experience.

28th October

Weight 157.2 (71.3kg)

PWO: Nutratech Rage + 200mg caffeine. Small tingle.

Intra: Sizeon + Gatorade 1/2 scoop in the first hour. Final 1/2 hour bottle of Protein Ice. Good stuff 42g Protein, 13g Glutamine, 8g BCAAs, no Carbs/lactose/fats.

Post: chicken liver parfait, chicken wings, wild boar hock with scallops, lamb hotdogs, beer and sunshine. Cougarville/10

W1 D3

Squats

15xBar

5x40kg

5x45kg

5x55kg

5x60kg didn't like form

3x70kg PB didn't like the form

6x60kg too lazy to change down to lower weight, meant to be 8x50kg I think

Flat Bench

20xBar

5x40kgx2

5x45kg

5x50kg

3x60kg PB

8x50kg

Really suspicious of weaker left side at this point.

Pendlay Rows

15xBar

5x30kgx2

5x40kgx2

3x50kg PB

8x40kg

Will focus on slower concentric in future and less momentum

So that was 5x5 in 60 minutes. Bumped the weights up in a few sets and did extra reps here and there as I'm lazy with plate changes and after the squats it was all manageable weight. Had planned to practise squats here but the groin said no so it was DB work to try to get the left side up to speed.

DB Front Raise

12x8kg

8x8kgx2

DB Curl

10x10kg

8x10kg

left forearm pretty farked at this point

Hammer Curls

8x10kg

7x10kg

Farked now.

Lat Raise

10x8kg

8x10kg Form a little ugly but I think it was legit.

Done in 30 minutes and smashed badger. Have never felt faint doing DB work before so that was either good or really bad. Wanted to do DB Rows but grip/forearm would not have handled the jandel I think.

Interesting trying to find out how much work can be done in a session before recovery times blow out. Feeling good the next day and bound to be adapting to the workload so I'll try to keep it around this level for a little while.

[Kalidane]

Weight 163.4 (74.1kg) fair bit of water there

PWO: Cellucor C4 extreme x2 sample. Nada in a lada. Too many coffees yesterday evening not helping with sensitivity.

Intra: Sizeon then Gatorade 1 scoop.

Post: Gatorade, ~10g Glutamine, ~25g Glucose. Bah.

Still a few aches esp. groin and shoulders also nutrition was off y'day so figured this would be a minimal session.

W2 D1

Bench

20xBar

Squat

10xBar

5x40kgx2

5x50kg

5x60kgx2 Good as

5x70kg PB Wrists too extended, kinda freaked me out. Got to sort out grip issues.

CBF with 5kg increments so upgrades all round.

Some asshat benching 45kg with suicide grip, the bar high in the palm and 2-3 fingers barely controlling the bar. So rows then bench today. Asshole.

Pendlay Rows

10xBar

5x30kgx2

5x40kgx2

5x45kg

Grip a bit tired but okay.

Flat Bench

15xBar

5x40kgx2 Pause and explode

5x50kgx2 P&E

5x60kgx2 Paused. PB. Not so much exploding. Bonus set 'cos the force.

No comments from left forearm so maybe that's starting to catch up in strength.

Couple of sessions with good squat depth, tight core and staying upright means the lower back isn't getting raped which I'm liking. $15 shoes from number one shoes doing the job. So poorly made it was easy to pull out the heel support just leaving a thin insole thing so nice hard heels. Red goes faster too. Have to start getting up 1/2 hour earlier to avoid peeps in future.

[Kalidane]

PWO: Superpump v2 and 200mg caffeine washed down with a redbull. No response.

Intra: small serve Sizeon, Gatorade, 12g BCAAs 8:1:1

Post: Gatorade, ~10g Glutamine, ~25g Glucose. Then 66g WPC and 40g glucose. Steak soon.

W2D2

Squat

15xBar

5x40kg

5x50kg

5x55kgx2

At this stage it was obvious I couldn't realistically work in with a couple other guys to get incline bench and deads done so moved on to planned accessories and would circle back to the programmed lifts. Had already been concerned they were going to walk into the bar while I was squatting.

Leg Ext

15 repsx3.

Lying leg curl, single leg

15,12,12 pyramiding

Standing Calf Raise (first time)

15 distracted reps

The other guys were still talking and even working with weights so I flagged it. Who does an hour plus of accessory work with 5 minute breaks between sets?? :evil:

I'll get back for a make up session later today fingers crossed

[Kalidane]

Woke up early flagged the workout.

A few hours later flagged flagging the workout.

"Man I'm glad I flagged that workout"

- Nobody, ever

Aimed for a fun muck around session.

W: 160.6 (~72.8kg)

PWO: carbs and single scoop shake

Intra: small serve Sizeon, Gatorade, 12g BCAAs 8:1:1

Post: stuff. good good stuff

Flat Bench

20xBar

10x40kgx2

10x50kg

8x50kgx2

Thought I'd have look at 1RM after getting bored with 5x5

1x65kg PB Felt kinda heavy setting it

1x70kg PB Felt kinda heavy setting it

1x75kg PB Felt heavy setting it. No chance of a triple but it's >BW so I'm happy enough.

Pendlay Row

15xBar

8x40kgx4. Left forearm was providing feedback but nothing too serious. Did keep me from upping weight or reps though as I wanted to do a lot of DB work next.

Realised I was out of time so had to jet :evil: Still, good times were had and I plan to do a little more tomorrow. 5x5 seems to be good at making you stronger but it's boring as f*ck. The lack of PWO supps made no difference. Gonna work on my PWO nutrition as some carbs and easy-digest protein has to be the way to go. f*ck training fasted. That just can't be optimal.

[Grover]

Congrats on PB with bench

Do you have a goal in mind with your work outs ie get bigger, or ????

From brief flick thru your recent postings seems your diet is an issue

[Kalidane]

Congrats on PB with bench

Do you have a goal in mind with your work outs ie get bigger, or ????

From brief flick thru your recent postings seems your diet is an issue

Cheers dude

Intermediate goal is to get bigger; first I'd like to get stronger. It seems to me that it's easier to get bigger if you're shifting heavier weights. Plus joints and connective tissue should be a lot more resilient too.

Yeah indeed the diet side is the challenge. I've been thinking about it a lot and I suspect the explanation is pretty simple: being focussed and working hard in the gym for 60-90 minutes every day or second day is a lot of fun and not that hard. The other 15 hours of the day where you're maintaining the diet and the things that can throw it off is really hard work. Decided y'day that I'd see someone about that. Couldn't get there this afternoon so hopefully they'll be around tomorrow.

Also the caffeine/PWO stims abuse. Getting as much as 1000mg+ of caffeine per day. That just ain't helping my CNS, appetite, metabolism, sleep etc.

[Kalidane]

The world turned and then it was today.

PWO: Nutratech Rage x2 (the old formulation)

Intra: Sizeon x1/2

Post: Protein Ice. Baby.

W=158.4 (<72kg)

A fun not-legs or back session. They're next time.

Flat Bench

20xBar

10x40kgx2

8x50kgx2

3x60kg

2x65kg

3x60kg

6x50kg

10x40kg

8x40kg

10x30kg

A bit farked after that but only 1/2 an hour gone so

DB Front Raises S/S with Curls just to keep things moving

12x8kg

8x8kg

12x7kg

Standing OHP

12xBar

8xBarx2

Still farked. Wasn't even sure I'd be able to do this much after the bench work so am not annoyed at the weight.

Pec Deck

12x50lbs

10x50lbs

8x50lbs

Standing Calf Raises

10x60lbsx2

Lat Pulldown - wide

12x24lbs

12x30lbsx2

And that was time up. No caffeine or nicotine today. Not sure I noticed the difference. It's a shame the old Rage formulation was pulled as I quite like it, even when I don't get the BA tingles. Dunno how people can do 20 reps of calf raises - that stuff is torturous. Early days so they are responding so it's all good.

Fingers crossed I'm not too sore tomorrow and can have a volume deadlift session.

[Kalidane]

Boobies a little sore today. Didn't stretch last night as an experiment.

PWO: 1/4 of a protein shake I found beside my bed. Seemed legit. Superpump Max x 1.5 (V2 the old formulation).

Intra: Sizeon x1/2.

Post: WPC/WPI shake with glucose and glutamine.

W=158.2 (~71.75kg)

Decided to try some heavier deads rather tahn volume so warmed up with that in mind.

Pendlay Rows

15xBar

12x30kg

10x40kg

Rack Pulls first time

10x40kg

10x60kgx2

Deadlifts

8x60kg

6x60kg

6x80kg PB

4x90kgx2 PB

3x100kg PB

6x80kgx2

Grip and forearms fine throughout. Man, nothing makes ya sweat like deadlifts. I figured I'd done enough at this stage as training the CNS for effective recruitment was the most important outcome of the session. Kinda wish I'd lifted 110kg for the 1.5xBW but I guess that's there for next time. Groin or where quads tie in with groin need more love as they were fatiguing the quickest and it's true with squats as well. Pretty sure I can train 3 out of 5 days with a whatever/deads/squats split so that'll get them up to speed pronto. Maybe aim for 90%+ every second cycle.

Time ta eat Chop Chop in the sun now. melanotan I don't even