New direction.

[samuelNZ]

12/8/11 - GPP

• Squats 5x15 @ 80
  
• Neutral grip pulls 5x5
  
• Bench 10reps @ 60,70,80
  
• OH press 3x5 @ 60
  Comments
  
• Cannot remember what else I did. 5x15 was a bit of a shock, gave the fitness a good test. Trying to give myself an idea of what I’m in for in the next 7 weeks. Legs and abs are pretty sore from Wednesdays session so have had the skins on all day and eating as much as possible. Work this weekend, maybe some more high rep squats tomorrow then rest until Monday.

[samuelNZ]

13/8/11 – GPP

• Squats
  1x5 @ bar
  1x5 @ 60
  1x5 @ 100
  1x6 @ 100
  1x7 @ 100
  1x8 @ 100
  1x9 @ 100
  1x10 @ 100
  Comments
  
• Another higher than normal rep squat session on Saturday. Feeling pretty good, apart from feeling a tad weak. Will take some measurements of quads and glutes and a weight measurement today before starting on the new program.
  Oh and for those of you that haven't yet seen some of the clips & photos from Nationals, I'll post some links.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  NZPF Nationals 2011 Photos

[samuelNZ]

19/7/11 - GSP

• 5 min bike, 5 min row
  
• Squats 112 x5/6/7/8/9/10
  
• Standing Abs 4x20 @ 30
  Comments
  
• First day, bit rough on the cardio front and a pretty serious lower back pump going on, but apart from that, not too shabby. Looking forward to Wednesday.. :/ Also took some measurements but will post them up at the end of the cycle.

[steak]

Good work bro...keep at it 8)

[bar-belle]

NZPF Nationals 2011 Photos

Hey Sam just checked out the womens CDPA lifts excellent footage mate. Some great lifters there but the two that stood out for me on the day were sharnell....she's a pocket rocket...very cool chick and Maria - Shadow....utmost respect to this lady lifting while obviously injured...she's a souljah :nod:

[samuelNZ]

Haha yes they're all amazing lifters!

17/8/11 - GSP

• 5min run in the rain to the gym
  
• Squats 5x15 @ 80
  
• Various guns exercises
  Comments
  
• Serious lower back pump. Got it done reasonably easy though. Not as tough on the ticker as the first day was. Back again on friday.

[samuelNZ]

19/8/11 - GSP

• 5min bike 5min row
  
• Squats 112 x 6/7/8/9/10/11
  
• Standing abs 5x20 @ 35
  
• Bench 60x5, 80x5x2, 100x5, 100x3x2
  
• OH press 60x5x3
  
• Palms in DB press 40x12, 60x10, 80x9
  
• BTN press 2x20
  Comments
  
• Woah, bit of a struggle today. Squats were tough towards the end. Bit of accessory stuff to go along with it.
  Pretty serious nerve? pain today inside my right hip and up my glute a little, having my leg in certain positions sends stabbing pains down my leg. Not very fun.

[Phedder]

Happy Birthday Bud! Strong sessions happening in here :nod:

[bar-belle]

Happy Birthday Bud!

Hey Sam.........

[Big john]

Happy Bday Bro! smash some cake!

[samuelNZ]

3/10/11

Ugh, well, a few hickups. Got some kind of glute spasming and putting pressure on a nerve in the lower of my back, causing some pretty uncomfortalbe pain down the right leg and some numbness. Had to abort the program 1 week in so I was pretty dissapointed. Will look at having another decent go at it once the body comes right. Have been feeling pretty run down for the last couple of months so decided to get some bloods done, results came back and I've had glandular fever for a wee while. Feeling not too bad at the moment so I'm picking that its run its course but still taking it easy.

Have switched up my hours at work to try and avoid lack of sleep and just generally being exhausted all the time, shouldn't be doing anymore 7pm-5am shifts :/

Training at the moment is just a bit of everything. Not doing anything too strenous for the lowerback, so staying off the heavy squats and deads.

Good to be back in the house training.

Bodyweights steady at 92.5

Good saturday morning session today with a fair few people training hard.

Might just attempt to become a bench specialist while the back is playing up.

[Big john]

Ugh, well, a few hickups. Got some kind of glute spasming and putting pressure on a nerve in the lower of my back, causing some pretty uncomfortalbe pain down the right leg and some numbness. Had to abort the program 1 week in so I was pretty dissapointed.

almost soundslike you have Piriformis Syndrome to a point...hope it comes right for you bro

[samuelNZ]

Been real slack with posting my log both here as well as the PH forums. Will get back into it.

Recovering from a nerve problem in my back/hip/glute. Was off squatting and deadlifting for about 2 weeks so getting back into it now.

Currently on holidays back in Nelson.

Heres the latest post

20/9/11 Chest

• Bench 60x15 80x12 95x3 105x2 115x1 90x8x2 80x8
  
• Low incline flies 16x12 20x10x4
  
• Incline bench 60x12x3
  
• High flies 16x12x4
  Comments
  
• Very very sore today, entire back is shattered and have been feeling like a fragile old man all day.
  Benching was good, felt quite stong so went up to 115 and did a nice single, was touch and go but was quite fast. Feeling a lot more comfortable around this weight now.
  Bit of recent shoulder pain I've been having during exercises came back today a little on the incline bench and triceps were fried so left it light.
  Quick training, had to get out the gym and head off to the Italy Russia game. Not the best game but quite a decent atmosphere. Underestimated the weather and ended up standing for 2 hours in the freezing cold in shorts, a tshirt, jandles and a big ass Italy flag

[Phedder]

Good to see you back mate, and loving the new Journal title How's the nerve problem? Still causing some pain or have you pretty much knocked the bugger off?

Still looking strong, I just have to keep chasing :wink: Be interesting to see how your squat and deads have been affected.

[samuelNZ]

Haha thanks bro. Haven't been totally absent, still training, just lazy with posting my logs up on here

The nerve problem took a while to fully figure out what was going on, once we sorted it and with a fair bit of stretching and massage it finally gave way and loosened up. Theres no longer a constant muscle spasm from my glute now which was putting the pressure on the nerve. Once it gave way, could feel that within a couple of days it was making great progress. Back squatting again, but taking it easy and taking extra caution with form.

Don't think the deadlift has gone backwards too much, if anything - judging from how the triple at 180 felt the other night. Grip at the moment for the deadlift is the thing that's worrying me as I haven't been pulling often enough and felt as if I was losing it a little last session when I got up to the 180.

Squatting, like I said I'm taking pretty easily, keeping the weights moderate and focusing on form and keeping under tension the entire time as opposed to my old style of dive bombing into the whole and bouncing back up.

Every time I see read your log and see your chins at like sets of 12 I just think "oh how I envy you" :pfft:

Keep training hard bro and I'll do my best to keep up to date on your log (your the only one I follow religiously :shifty: )

[Phedder]

Good to hear you've kept up training and the nerve issue is pretty much history. Your grip should come back quick on the deads. Never had an issue myself, but your 180x3 with grip problems is probably my current max with all things going well :pfft:

Every time I see read your log and see your chins at like sets of 12 I just think "oh how I envy you" :pfft:

Mate I'll happily trade you some reps on chin ups for 10kg on my squat and dead Haven't done many high reps on them lately, just been using sets of 5 as fillers between other sets and exercises haha. Have to have a rep out tomorrow.

Keep training hard bro and I'll do my best to keep up to date on your log (your the only one I follow religiously :shifty: )

Just to make sure I'm still far enough behind you aye :wink: Will do bro, make sure you do the same so I've got someone to chase

[samuelNZ]

Just to make sure I'm still far enough behind you aye

Haha thats the one mate! A little friendly competition never hurt anyone :pfft:

21/9/11 Legs

• Cleans 40x5x5
  
• Squats 60x5x5 100x3x3 - 5 second eccentric
  
• Machine hack squat 60x12x4 80x15x2
  
• Standing calves 4x15
  
• Good mornings 5x10
  
• Hamstring curls 5x8
  
• Leg extensions 5x15
  
• Dragonflies 2x12
  Comments
  
• Casual on the squats as they aggrivated my back a tad. Hard on the accesory stuff, trained BB style. Had a little bit of coaching with the cleans, trying to sort out some kind of form :laughing: Ran out of steam towards the end, really struggling to finish the dragonflies.
  Lower back still tender from Mondays session as well as a pretty tight chest/shoulder area from yesterday.
  Eating a shit ton of food as it comes pretty easy at home.

[samuelNZ]

22/9/11 Arms :pfft: :pfft: :pfft:

• 3 x tricep exercises
  
• 3 x bicep exercies
  Comments
  
• Guns done bb style, trained till exhaustion.

24/9/11 Shoulders

• DB shoulder press 20x20 28x12 32x12 36x6 32x8
  
• BTN press 40x4x8
  
• Lateral raises 14x10x8
  
• Rear raises 3x15
  
• Facepulls 4x12
  
• Scarecrows 4x12
  Comments
  
• Shoulders, shattered. Triceps were fried going into it so didnt expect much from the pressing. Pretty good training.
  Hamstrings are still very very sore from Wednesdays session. Didn't hit them that hard, but they've stayed really sore so I'll get onto some stretching cause I need to get in double squat or both squat & dead session this week.

[samuelNZ]

26/9/11 Bench

• Bench 60x20 80x15 90x3 105x1 115x1 100x6 80x12x2
  
• Flies 14x12 20x8x4
  
• Incline BB press 60x10 80x8x3
  
• HS chest press 4x15
  Comments
  
• Very very average training today. Chest/shoulder area around the armpit was pretty damn tender on the flies so did some stretching a the sets were done slow and controlled.
  Benching felt shit. Elbows tucking on the way down to the chest but as soon as I press they flare. Noticed it from about 100 onwards. 115 was slow as hell. Time for a lighter session on bench next week.
  Hamstrings are still quite tender so some more stretching tonight and into the deads followed by a back training tomorrow.

[Phedder]

115 and 100x6 when your bench is feeling shit...Bastard :clap:

[samuelNZ]

You're closer than you think to catching me Phed :shock:

27/9/11 Deads

• Deads 60x8 100x5 140x5 160x3 add belt 180x3 200x2x2
  
• Pullups close grip 3x5
  
• BB row 60x12 80x10 90x8x2
  
• DB row 61x6x2
  
• LPD 3x12
  Comments
  
• Rushed workout today. Had to get in and out in about 40mins
  Deadlifts felt ok. Didn't notice grip at all this time. 200 felt pretty damn heavy but I'd thought I'd grind out a double. Scared some young girl that was watching me DL at shineyland with my horrible facials on my last couple of sets :pfft:
  Pullups were done in about 2mins. Explosive as hell
  Funnily enough, hamstrings are fine now after training them again.

[samuelNZ]

28/9/11 Shoulders

• Lateral Raises - 12x20 14x15 16x10 18x8 14x20 10x20 8x30 6x50
  
• Scarecrow 5x15
  
• Front Raises 12x12x4
  
• DB shrugs 50x3x12
  
• BB shrugs 140x4x12
  Comments
  
• Absolutley burnt out on lateral raises. Struggled through the rest of the training. Some strange lower back pain going on, think its due to having some pretty tight glutes as I haven't been stretching as often as usual. Legs tomorrow. Looking forward to hitting them hard if the back allows.
  

[samuelNZ]

29/9/11 Legs

• Front Squats 60x10x5
  
• Back Squats 60x10x2 100x5x5
  
• Leg press 15x 2pps,3pps,4pps,5pps, 12x6pps
  
• Hack squat machine 1pps x 20x3
  
• Leg ext 30reps x 2
  Comments
  
• No racks free when I entered the gym so I went into their make shift oly area and chucked 60 on the bar, cleaned it to the shoulders and did some slow front squats to warm up.
  Finally got a rack free, was one of the racks where you can't change the pins so I was either having to half squat to get the bar out of the lower pin, or tip toe to put it on the pin higher. Didn't feel even remotly safe going anything higher than 100 because of the trouble I was having getting in and out of the rack so I did a few sets and left it there. Had a few stumbles after some reps because I'm not used to squatting in front of a mirror. Was making me dizzy :?
  Tried to make up for the average performance with squats by hammering the leg press. Never been much of a fan but was feeling pretty good on this one. Kept increasing the weight until I couldnt hit 15 reps then moved on.
  Back still isn't 100% so will get into some more stretching today.

[samuelNZ]

3/10/11

• Bench 60x10x2 80x5 100x5 110x2 120x0
  
• Squats 60x10x2 60x10 80x8 100x5 add belt 120x5 135x5x5
  
• Power clean/hang clean/deadlift to upright row 40x5 50x5x4
  
• Dips +10x5 +25x5 +35x5
  Comments
  
• Started 5x5 today. Jumping right into week 3 because I've only got 7 weeks until comp date and had to cut the program short to fit it all in.
  Bench was feeling average. Still had fatigued triceps so didnt expect a hell of a lot. Pretty much knew even before I started the 120 that it wasnt going to come up.
  Actually did my squats today without the oly shoes. Not sure why, just seemed to feel good when I was warming up barefoot so kept on going.
  Haven't squatted properly (properly meaning heavy and decent volume) in about 6-7 weeks so feeling a little rusty today. First two sets had me thinking I was in for a tough ride with 3 more to go. Wobbling all over the show and going in and out of the normal grove. Struggled a bit to keep tight and definitely noticed the core letting me down. Starting to dip forward a bit when I get a tough rep and feel a slight good morning action to recover and come back up. Apart from those I was pretty pleased with the squats. Even though they felt heavy and unstable, I still felt they were managable and can feel a bit of strength under all the rust :laughing:
  Power cleans were definitely new and it certianly showed in my technique. Had a few pointers from Tasha and hopefully fixed a few things. Weight was meant to be around 60-70 but want to sort technique before progressing to be safe. Don't think cutting weight here will change much.
  Dips were only 3 sets so smashed them out.

[M.T]

All aboard the 5x5 train next stop PAAAAAAAAIN