Saturday 11th August @106.7kg
squat 80kg x5x3
bench 70kg x4x2
pull 115kg x5
Monday 13th August @106.8kg
squat 85kg x5x3
press 40kgx5x3
deads 120kgx5
really focused on keeping my right elbow lower down and forearm parrallel to back throughout the squats. It felt a lot better but not perfect, and I still had to high bar with a wide grip. I think there is some residual inflammation there, so hopefully if I stick to good form it will get better
Thursday 16th August @107kg
bench 70kgx5x4
deadlift 130kgx2: 120kgx6
row 60kgx8
I’m now out of the country with no training until Tuesday so thought I’d try to accumulate a bit of volume beforehand, while also resting my squat to help my shoulder.
when I’m back I’ll set out my plan for getting my waist down below 40inches.
Tuesday 21st July @108kg and 42.5inch WC
Bench 75kgx5; 77.5kgx5x3
Pull 125kg x5; 110kgx5
Press 45kgx5x2
Row 60kgx8
Light treadmill conditioning: 1min on @11km/h:1min off x3sets
Felt really strong after 4days off so got a lot of volume in. Perhaps I felt strong because I ate so much over the last 4 days. Going to start dieting down now.
Thursday 23rd August
Pull 130kgx3; 110kgx5
Press 50kgx2
Bench 80kg x5x3
We were away last night so didn’t get to weigh myself.
Saturday 25th August at 107.3kg and 42.5” WC
Press: 47.5kgx5x3; 45kgx5; 42.5kgx5
Minimal time today so just got a quick early morning press workout in. Resting my back for some big deadlifts on Bank Holiday Monday.
Monday 27th August @ 108kg bodyweight and 42.5inch waist
Deadlift 130kgx5
Bench 82.5kgx5x3; 80kgx5
Press 50kgx5
So, my wife is 3 months pregnant and we have our first baby due at the end of February. We’re delighted and very excited.
I also now have added motivation to ensure I am healthy and in great physical shape to best provide for the baby.
In order to achieve this, I’m setting a goal of deadlifting 200kg at under 100kg bodyweight before the baby is born.
I’ve thought long and hard about this, as it’s not an easy target and there’s a decent chance I will fail to deliver. But I’m not doing it because it is easy, but because it is difficult. And pursuing it will leave me much better placed to bring up my son or daughter. And even if I do just miss my goal, I’ll still be in much better shape than I am now.
My plan is basically to lose 0.5kg a week until Christmas which should see me at under 100kg. I’ll also add 2.5kg to my deadlift every week which should leave me able to pull 200kg in February. Each week I will do a set of 5 that is 2.5kg heavier than my last, and also pull a single that was 2.5 kg heavier than my last.
I’ll train squat too as it drives the deadlift up, and will also do various pulling assistant exercises. I’ll train bench and press but they aren’t my key focus. And I’ll do some conditioning to assist weight loss.
I’ll track all my data (macros; lifts; weight; waist circumference) on this blog.
Here goes!
Thursday 30th August @107.7kg and 42.5 WC
Press 50kgx5; 47.5kgx5x2
Deadlift 140kgx2 (PB!); 120KGx5
Massively pleased with deadlift PB. Only aimed for a single but it went up so quickly I thought I’d do a double.
However, given my shoulder was better I thought I’d try some squats but it still really hurt my shoulder in both low bar and high bar position. Really frustrating, but I won’t let it distract from my deadlift PB. Will see how thumbs around grip feels at the weekend.
Sunday 1st September at 107.5kg and 42.5” WC
Squat 60kgx5x3
Bench 85kgx5x3
Deadlift 135kgx4; 120kgx4
Yes! Think I’ve figured out my squat grip. Basically, I had too wide a grip that meant my rear deltoids weren’t creating enough of a shelf for the bar and I was therefore lifting my elbows up behind me to rotate my shoulders and therefore create more of a platform. But it was also putting a lot of the pressure on my shoulder which was causing the pain. Watched a great video with Rip that helped explain this.
So today I took a much narrower grip to create more of a rear deltoid platform, and really focused on keeping my elbows down and my wrists straight. Shoulder felt so much better! Right wrist really wanted to tuck under the bar (perhaps I’ve lost some flexibility by doing it wrong lately…) but I did an ok job of keeping it straight (ish). I’m sure it’ll stretch out with time. Really hoping no delayed shoulder pain…
Bench was bloody tough too, but still think I’ve got 87.5kg next time.
Wednesday 5th September at 107kg and 42+ WC
Squat 70kgx5x3
Press 50kgx5; 50x4; 50x5
Pull 135kgx5
Missed a rep on press as I didn’t allow much rest period. Shoulder still very tight on squat but think I’ve got it.
Bodyweight and WC starting to come down.
This video was really helpful
Friday 7th September @<106.2kg and just over 42 WC.
Squat 80kgx5x3
Bench 87.5kgx5x3
Row: 60kgx8x2
This was an early AM workout so back was v stiff. Squat grip still much better, but hard to keep my wrists straight. Bench was super tough!
I’m losing weight too fast so I’m going to up my carbs a little.
Sunday 9th September at 105.9kg and just over 42WC.
Squat 85kgx5x3
Press 50kgx5
Bench 90kgx5x2; 90kgx3
Pull 137.5kgx2
squats were easy and shoulder all good. 90kg next time. Missed my last 2reps on bench but will get them next time. Deadlift was a flop. I’d had a stiff back since my Friday AM workout and don’t think lumbar region was up to it. No more morning workouts!
Wednesday @106.5kg and just a tad over 42WC
Squat 90kgx5x3
Bench 90kgx4x2; 90kgx3; 80kgx8
Pull 130kgx5
work is really busy and I’m sleeping badly, so thought I’d go easy on the pulling. Struggled with bench. Will press next workout as a bit of recovery
Friday @106.2kg and a tad over 42WC
Squat 95kgx5x3
Press 50kgx5x3
Row 65kgx8x3
squats felt good. Think I might make 100kg next time then switch to 2.5kg jumps.
Sunday 16th September @106.2kg and a tiny bit over 42WC
Squat 100kgx5x3
Bench 90kgx5x2; 80kgx8
Pull 132.5kgx3; 130kgx3; 120kgx5.
Pulling was all with chalk instead of straps. I find my set up so much better without straps, but then my grip gives out…
Really sorted my squat grip
Wednesday @105.9kg and exactly 42wc
Squat 102.5kgx5x3
Press 50kgx5x3
Pull 130kgx4 w/o straps; 140kgx3 w/ straps; 60kgx8 doh grip
Haven’t been eating enough this week so squats were a real grind. Still trying deadlift without straps but just can’t lift as much. Going to start doing doh with back off sets to get better at that.
Saturday 22nd September @106kg and 42WC
Squat 105kgx5x3
Press 55kgx2 (PR)
Bench 90kgx5x2; 85kgx5
Pull 140kgx5 w/ straps (PR); 120kgx3 no straps; 60kgx8 alternate grip
Light clean and snatch practice
Yes! Epic workout!
Tuesday 25th September @105.8kg and 42WC
Squat 107.5kgx5x3
Press 52.5kgx5; x4; x4; x2
Row 70kgx5; x5
Unbelievably hard squats. Going to have to dig deep to make 110kg next time. LP on squats nearly over - need to switch to an HLM. I could do more LP if I wasn’t also cutting weight, but too hard to do both.