Finishing 2010 with volume

[teamfatboy]

So, just outa curiosity (and acknowledging there's a world of difference between a belt and fully equipped with knee wraps and etc), is there an expectation that a belt would add "n" kg to a lift ?

I've been trying to avoid using the belt, trying to stay raw as long as possible, but...

[drizzt]

I think it depends... I've always viewed it as an injury aid/preventative measure, but I do understand that it helps some people with their lifts.

Personally, I don't think it makes a difference to what I lift (again, personally). I'll only really use a belt when I have a back niggle, or am worried about possibly getting one.

But maybe I'm just not using it to its fullest potential :shrug: I suggest borrowing one and giving it a whirl - I think they have a few loaners lying around Bodyworks.

[teamfatboy]

I'm with you, I've only ever used my own belt (like yesterday) for the heaviest sets, and even then I've tried to avoid it, but with the back niggle that's hanging around, I figured better safe than sorry.

I can understand that it's not as much of an aid as a squat or bench suit, but if it doesnt add meaningful performance, that's good to know.

[teamfatboy]

Saturday 27 March

Cardio - Long slow distance on the bike.... 1m warm-up, 40m at wheel speeds (not road speeds) starting in the low 40 kphs, building to high 40s and finishing with a sprint at 65 kph. 525 cals, job done.

[steak]

re: the belt. I find it a piece of equipment that certainly aids stability in the squat and I can squat more with it providing I use it (powerlifting belt not BB padded belt) correctly, at the right tensio and in the correct place against the coe. A valuable tool but agree its only when I feel the need for assistance with stability and need to push out against it (for me at about 160kg) that I use.

I have seen some very nice BB belts adorning the body in same strange ways though...like numbnuts at our previious gym that would sling across his sholuders like Conans sword and waltz around between sets :? never saw him put it on except for bicep curls It looked brand new although it was 3 years old. he polished it at night with his hairy palm

[Big john]

re: the belt. I find it a piece of equipment that certainly aids stability in the squat and I can squat more with it providing I use it (powerlifting belt not BB padded belt) correctly, at the right tensio and in the correct place against the coe. A valuable tool but agree its only when I feel the need for assistance with stability and need to push out against it (for me at about 160kg) that I use.

I have seen some very nice BB belts adorning the body in same strange ways though...like numbnuts at our previious gym that would sling across his sholuders like Conans sword and waltz around between sets :? never saw him put it on except for bicep curls It looked brand new although it was 3 years old. he polished it at night with his hairy palm

:pfft: :pfft:

[becbec]

Saturday 27 March

Cardio - Long slow distance on the bike.... 1m warm-up, 40m at wheel speeds (not road speeds) starting in the low 40 kphs, building to high 40s and finishing with a sprint at 65 kph. 525 cals, job done.

On average how many spm is this? Cause there's no way that speeds like that are slow :shock:

[Grover]

and while you are at it post a pic of the bike just in case you have changed to little wheels!

[teamfatboy]

Cardio - Long slow distance on the bike.... 1m warm-up, 40m at wheel speeds (not road speeds) starting in the low 40 kphs, building to high 40s and finishing with a sprint at 65 kph. 525 cals, job done.

On average how many spm is this? Cause there's no way that speeds like that are slow :shock:

The cheap cadence sensor on the bike computer failed, so until I trouble-shoot it, I'd be guessing... but I'd be in top gear (53/11) with a cadence of 70-80 pedal strokes per minute when I'm doing in the 40s, but over 100 rpm by 60s, and when I go nutso, over 120rpm.

Of course, those aren't road speeds... there's no aerodynamic drag, which is a big factor.

and while you are at it post a pic of the bike just in case you have changed to little wheels!

No, sadly, no 20" BMX wheels on this wagon...

[teamfatboy]

Monday 29th March

BB Back Squats [warm-up 2x 12x 60 kg] 7x4 100, 110, 120, 125, (belt) 130, 135, 140 kg PB :jive:

BB Standing Overhead Press 7x4 40, 40, 40, 42.5, 42.5, 45, 47.5 kg (nah, not really, the form on the 47.5s was shocking!)

DB Single-sided Row 7x4 40, 45, 45, 51, 51, 55, 55, 60, 60kg PB

bench knee raises 3x 25

Stretching, and done.

Happy with that... decided to test regular BB back-squats and got four clean reps out at 140 kg. Overhead presses finished up looking as dodgy as, but hey, the weight stayed up! Highlight was DB single-sided row, I aimed to finish with 2 sets of 4 per side at 55, but was feeling good so took the jump up to the next size, and managed two sets of four with the 60kg db... mind you, there was a "Do I need the bucket" pause in there...

All done, now for a nap!

[rose]

nah, not really, the form was shocking!

.

Well done on teh rows and squats :grin:

[teamfatboy]

nah, not really, the form was shocking!

.

Well done on teh rows and squats :grin:

Thanks, Rose...

Honesty is the best policy... otherwise I could make up all kindsa stuff and no-one would know, 'xcept me :shifty: :oops:

But the squats met with the approval of at least one random on-looker... so I must be doing something right.

Back's gonna be grumpy overnight, I can feel it, but it was worth it to pull those 60s off the floor!

[teamfatboy]

Tuesday 30th April

0530 - cardio, 10m LSD, 10 reps 30s on, 30s off, 10 reps 60s on, 30s off, 2m random, some cooldown. 40 mins, 505 cals.

Fixed the cadence sensor, 80 rpm @ pedals in top gear is around 50 kph, 100 rpm around 60, and 140 rpm spikes in the high 70 kph wheel speed.

0740 - physio... needling the quad, ow! Twitching like anything.... but should feel a lot free-er when it calms down!

[Grover]

Quad?

Thougth it was your back that was giving you grief,

Squats???

[teamfatboy]

Yep, it's back that's the source of the niggles, but I had her have a look at my knees after I noticed they were hellish slow to warm-up yesterday, and she noticed that the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris (the two big 'uns on the outside) were tight, so she set to work on the worse one.

She also noticed some other stuff, and had a good tweak of the lower back at the same time.

I think it's all connected - quads overpowering other muscles, and potentially pulling things out of line. But she's definitely making a difference.

A good de-load and a re-emphasis on how I train will help too.

[drizzt]

Pheeeew, nice PB on the squats TFB!

[teamfatboy]

Wednesday 31 March

BB Front Squats 6x6 [warm-up 2x 10x 60] 70, 70, 80, 80, 85 PB, 90 for 2, 3 and 1 reps. The 85 was six solid reps to parallel, so that counts as a legit personal best. Also, the last single at 90 was ATG, so I was happy I can drive it out of the hole. Gotta build up shoulders, frustrating that I keep losing the bar forward - but it's better than last time.

Seated DB Press 5x 10 15s, 15s, 17s, 17s, 20s PB

Seated CG Row 5x 10 40, 45, 45, 50, 50 kg per side, done unilaterally

SB Crunches 3x 25

Stretches - and done.

Reasonably happy about that, was surprised about the gain in Seated DB press, had an audience which might have helped :nod: :grin:

[Grover]

:clap:

PB's pretty good considering going to physio!

Keep it up

Don't eat too many easter eggs!

[teamfatboy]

:clap:

PB's pretty good considering going to physio!

Keep it up

Don't eat too many easter eggs!

Cheers Grover, it's not the Easter Bunny I'm worried about, so much as his evil companion, the Potato Chip Fairy....

Actually, I suspect I'm not alone in noticing that since I've been eating clean (well, clean-ish! :oops:) my tastes have changed - used to be I never met a potato chip I didn't like, but now, not so much \:D/

[rose]

had an audience which might have helped :nod: :grin:

Was she hot? :grin: Nice work sir.

[Big john]

nice work 8)

[Chillicat]

Actually, I suspect I'm not alone in noticing that since I've been eating clean (well, clean-ish! :oops:) my tastes have changed - used to be I never met a potato chip I didn't like, but now, not so much \:D/

I'm such a sucker for savoury snacks and no matter how healthy I eat, I never lose that particular taste - they were handing out free mini packs of Doritos at the train station this morning, and I'd gobbled my two packs by 8.30am :oops:

[teamfatboy]

had an audience which might have helped :nod: :grin:

Was she hot? :grin: Nice work sir.

Sadly, he wasn't.... altho the brunette watching the last set of squats was :nod:

nice work 8)

Thanks BJ, got a lot of work left to do, but I think I'll aim to hit two plates/side for front squats by Queens' Birthday...

Actually, I suspect I'm not alone in noticing that since I've been eating clean (well, clean-ish! :oops:) my tastes have changed - used to be I never met a potato chip I didn't like, but now, not so much \:D/

I'm such a sucker for savoury snacks and no matter how healthy I eat, I never lose that particular taste - they were handing out free mini packs of Doritos at the train station this morning, and I'd gobbled my two packs by 8.30am :oops:

Meh - Aussie Doritos... the Mexican Cantina Cornchips for the win. Do you ever miss English crisps, wierd flavours like Marmite flavour ? =P~

[Chillicat]

Do you ever miss English crisps, wierd flavours like Marmite flavour ? =P~

We used to have Walkers Sensations all the time which were delicious - some kind of Thai Chilli flavour and a couple of other flavours. Hubby's brother has brought over some Twiglets which are kinda marmitey flavoured and quite yummy too.

[teamfatboy]

Thursday 1 April

SLDLs 7x4 [warm-up 2x 10x 60] 110, 110, 130, 130, 140 (nope, two and a half before I decked it), 130, 130

DB Bench 7x4 30s, 30s, 33s, 33s, 35s, 38s, 40s - again for two, one, and a half...

Upright Row 7x4 35, 35, 40, 40, 45, 45, 45

SB Crunches 3x 25

Stretches... then straight into

Cardio - HIIT on the spin bike

1 m warm-up

10 reps of 30s on/ 30s off

1m recovery

10 reps of 45s on/ 30s off

1m recovery

10 reps of 60s on/ 30s off

1m cool-down

Happy with that - "on" was a big turn-up on the resistance, and out of the saddle (which I can't do on the wind-trainer at home). Means not spinning so fast, but much bigger load. 625 cals in 40m or so.

Weights - started heavier than last time, but really thought I'd have nailed the 140s. Far too much back in it to be safe, tho. Same with the 40kg db press. First two showed me I could do it, but couldn't drive out of the hole for rep #3, so re-set, got one, but on rep #4 there was nobody home... Something for next time.