Upper back and calves

Nicole Wilkins

Decided not to do deadlifts today, partly because I had such a crappy night's sleep. I woke up at 4:00am and couldn't fall asleep again. Just went with low weight, high reps today.

Bench press
95lb x 5
105lb x 8, 8, 8, 7

I used less weight than last time so I could hit more reps.

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Weighted pull-ups
25lb x 5, 6, 5
Drop sets - 25lb/body weight x 5/4

Bent over barbell rows
80lb x 12, 12, 12

Neutral grip pull downs
60lb x 12
70lb x 12
80lb x 12
Drop sets - 80lb/60lb/40lb x 12/8/8

Inverted rows, feet elevated
10, 10, 10

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Barbell calf raises on step
135lb x 15, 15, 15

45 degree calf raises (burn)
130lb x 40, 40, 40

Back and biceps

Deadlifts - 190lb x 10, 10

One arm dumbbell rows - 55lb x 12, 9, 8 per arm

Lateral pull-downs - 90lb x 11, 8, 9

Inverted row - 10, 8, 7

Vertical rows (machine) - 5 minute burn

Standing EZ barbell curls - 50lb x 13, 10, 10

Supersets:
Alternating dumbbell curls - 20lb x 20, 20, 20
Alternating hammer curls - 15lb x 20, 20, 20

Jogged home.

Conditioning

Gave it another shot...

3 circuits:
2 minutes skipping
15 inverted rows off parallettes
15 kettlebell lateral swings per arm
2 minutes lateral jumps over small bench
15 dips off parallettes
20 ball squats (lifting ball to top of punch bag)
25 burpees

Conditioning

Very poor performance in my personal training session today, due to a throbbing headache caused by my sinuses. While I was training, I felt like my left eye was going to explode as the pressure built up in my nose had spread. The discomfort today might have been caused by the humid weather and/or a shitload of water entering my nose while swimming yesterday. I took a decongestant a couple of hours before my workout, but it had no effect whatsoever. Nothing I could do about it, but I'm always disappointed when I can't give 100%, especially in a PT session. That being said, it's been a long time since I've been unable to give it everything.

Circuits:
2 minutes skipping
15 inverted rows off parallettes
15 kettlebell lateral swings per arm
2 minutes lateral jumps over small bench
15 dips off parallettes
20 ball squats (lifting ball to top of punch bag)
25 burpees

I'm not sure how many sets Cosmo wanted me to do, but I was only able to finish two. The burpees were a bit of a challenge because I kept slipping in my own sweat!

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2 sets:
20 barbell twists @ 80lb
20 leg raises

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2 sets:
20 sit-ups/ball throws (straight sit-ups and alternate sides)

Conditioning and upper body

Christie Phillips

Another ass-kicking conditioning session to start the workout. Cosmo reckons I probably burned about 700 calories. Only 700?!

Circuit x 3; 60 seconds rest in between each
15 x inverted rows off parallettes
90 seconds skipping
10 x kettlebell swings per arm (alternating each rep)
12 x box jumps
2 x lengths of the yoga room, traveling lunges with 75lb barbell
2 minutes shuttle runs, starting from push up position

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Pyramid bench presses:
2 sets of 10 x 115lb, 8 x 125lb, 6 x 135lb, 10 x push-ups
30 seconds rest between each weight change; 1 minute rest between sets.

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Pyramid dips: 10, 8, 6
30 seconds rest between each round.

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Cosmo gave me a body fat test after today's session, and mine came out at 15.3%. That places me in the "Fitness" category, so I need to drop another 1.3% to sneak into "Athlete". That's a little bit higher than I expected, based on previous measurements and my regular "mirror test". I don't think I've put on any unwanted fat, so perhaps the discrepancy might be due to different measuring techniques (like weighing yourself on different scales). I'm not too bothered, as I feel great and I definitely feel like I'm getting stronger and fitter.

Back and biceps

Deadlifts @ 225lb - 5, 5

One arm dumbbell rows @ 55lb - 12, 10, 9 per side

Lateral pull-downs @ 90lb - 10, 8, 7

Inverted rows - 13, 9, 8

Machine row @ 70lb - 5 minute burn

Standing curls @ 45lb - 10, 8, 6

Concentration curls @ 20lb - 9, 7, 6 per arm

Standing cable curls @ 50lb - 5 minute burn

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Abs

Back and biceps

Deadlifts @ 185lb - 10, 10

One arm dumbbell rows @ 55lb - 12, 10, 9 per side

Pull-ups - 9, 6, 5

Bent over row @ 70lb - 12, 11, 10

Cable row @ 70lb - 5 minute burn

Preacher curls @ 45lb - 12, 10, 8

Seated dumbbell curls @ 17.5lb; neutral grip - 5 minute burn

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Abs

Back and biceps

Deadlifts @ 225lb - 5, 5

One arm dumbbell rows @ 55lb - 12, 11, 9 per side

Wide grip pull-ups - 8, 5, 5

Inverted rows, parallettes - 8, 6, 7

Cable row @ 60lb - 5 minute burn

Preacher curls @ 45lb - 13, 11, 8

Concentration curls @ 20lb - 9, 7, 6 per arm

Upper body

I'd planned on doing Fran today, to see how my time compares to the reverse Fran I did a few weeks ago. However, I had a really crappy night's sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night, couldn't get back to sleep, so read some Sherlock Holmes stories for a couple of hours. That did the trick, and I eventually fell asleep again. When I woke up this morning - around 7:30, which is late for me - I felt exhausted, but I thought this would pass after a few coffees and a long shower. When I got to the gym and started warming up with some light squat cleans/thrusters and pull-ups, I was sweating so hard I knew there was no way I'd get through a routine as demanding as Fran. In the end, I decided to do some simple heavy-ish upper body work.

Bench press; 6 holes, small bench
115 x 5
120 x 5
125 x 5
130 x 5
135 x 2, 3

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Supersets, relative max reps
Inverted rows, feet elevated - 12, 11, 10, 9, 9
Dips (strict, no swinging) - 12, 8, 8, 7, 7

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Cable fly curls, drop sets
30s - 10, 10, 9
20s - 8, 7, 6

Pulling

My pecs are hurting like hell this morning. It made the inverted rows bloody painful when the bar hit my upper chest.

Hang cleans
95 x 6
105 x 3
115 x 3
120 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 3

Even before I watched the video, I knew my form was starting to go during the 130lb set because the position of my feet was all over the place.

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Alternate sets, relative max reps
Inverted rows - 12, 10, 8, 8
Neutral alternating pull-ups (total) - 10, 6, 6, 7 (only managed the left side)

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Supersets, max reps
Underhand pull-downs - 8, 7, 7
Wide-grip pull-ups - 4, 3, 2

By the time I started the pull-ups my shoulders and biceps were toast. There was nothing left, which is why I only got two pull-ups in the third set.

I had planned on finishing with some barbell curls, but really - what was the point of even trying!

Pulling

According to this, I think I'm somewhere between
15% and 20%. 3% looks like a bloody reptile.

I had to postpone my usual training time because of a busy morning. I was less busy this afternoon, so I managed to fit in a quick session (thankfully, just before the jocks started arriving).

Chin-ups, weighted - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60

First time I've managed all three reps at 60lb.

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Cable rows - 5 x max reps @ 150lb
5, 5, 5, 4, 4

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5 rft:
8 power cleans @ 95lb
8 inverted rows off parallettes
Time = 9:32

Pulling

Chin-ups (weighted)
25 x 3
35 x 3
40 x 3
45 x 3
50 x 3
55 x 3
60 x 2

I think the last time I did weighted chin-ups was back in February, when I got up to 3 reps with a 50lb dumbbell. That was as part of an alternating sets routine - along with push presses - so I'm not sure what this weight increase tells me. Still, I'm reasonably pleased with 60lb for two reps, although I need to figure out how to hang the weight off that belt/chain contraption because holding a heavy barbell between my feet was a bit uncomfortable. Because I hadn't done this type of workout for several months, I simply copied the same weight as last time, then kept going until I failed a rep.

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Hang power snatches
65 x 3
75 x 3
80 x 3
85 x 3
90 x 2

I tried doing split snatches to start with, and they felt pretty comfortable in the first two sets. However, my co-ordination fell apart from 80lb onwards and I went back to doing straightforward hang power snatches without splits. This is a technique I'd like to master, as I felt it was much easier for me to get under the bar a bit, then stand up straight.

I know it look like I'm not making too much progress with my snatches, but I want to be patient and just keep practicing until I've perfected my technique.

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This is one of those metcons I make up on the spot, then halfway through the first set I realise it's a damn stupid idea, and I feel like quitting.

12-10-8-6-4-2 rft:
Kipping pull-ups
Inverted rows on parallettes
Time = 8:58

Pulling

It's been a long time since I did a pure pulling day. This felt good.

Hang power snatches 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
65, 70, 75, 80, 80 (4)

In the fourth set, I resorted to pressing out a bit with reps 4 and 5, and I'm really trying not to rely on that at all when getting the weight overhead. My last set was much better, but I dropped a rep. I used the 25lb straight curl bar, rather than my usual 45lb longer bar (of course, making up the weight with plates). I think that definitely helped with my stability, and there wasn't so much staggering around when I got the weight up, which I think was due to the width of the bar and weight outside my grip.

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Dumbbell row 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 per arm
70s, 75s, 80s, 85s, 90 (4)

I haven't done dumbbell rows since November 2011, at which time I PRed at 85lb. No twisting around in order to move the weight, though; just good rowing movement.

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Purple resistance band chin-ups, max reps
4, 4, 3, 3, 3

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12-10-8-6-4-2 reps for time:
Hang cleans @ 95lb
Inverted rows
Time = 9:07

Full body

Personal training with Paul

Alternate sets:

Power cleans (touch and go):
95 x 3
115 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 2
130 x 3

Pull-ups (strict):
8, 8, 7, 7, 7

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Military press @ 70: 6, 7, 5, 5, 5

Inverted row: 11, 8, 9, 8, 8

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Amrap 8:
8 ground to overhead @ 35s (clean and press)
8 burpee box jumps (16" bench)

Score = 3 + 8 gto

More from Ricky Gervais

Full body: Heavy weight

The Speal. 5' 4" of monster athlete. Rather like myself.

Front squats (a2g)
75 x 10
105 x 5
115 x 3
130 x 3
140 x 3
150 x 3
160 x 2

In hindsight I'm a little pissed at myself for not trying and failing (if necessary) with the third rep at 160lb. As you can see in the video, I was slow coming up in the second rep, thought about going again, but ended up racking the bar. At that point, I had nothing to lose by attempting the third. Oh well...



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Bent over rows - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
95, 105, 115, 120, 125 (4)

My form is a little shaky on some of the reps when the bar got heavy. My upper body is moving too much as I jerk the bar, rather than using a smooth motion to lift the bar to my chest. Still, I don't think I did too badly.



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Bear complex: 1 power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push jerk, 1 back squat, 1 rack jerk
75, 85, 95 (failed the push jerk), 95, 100, 105 (failed the pj), 105 (failed the rack jerk)

By this point, I felt really knackered (my arms in particular). This was my last workout at the end of a heavy couple of weeks, so maybe there was just no more fuel left in the tank!

Light/Bodyweight/Conditioning

Yesterday's lunch: 2 homemade veal and beef burgers topped with eggs fried in olive oil (seasoned with black pepper), plus baked sweet potato with onion and sage. I'm getting into this proper cooking deal!

I give up. Seriously. My knee - which yesterday felt like someone was hammering a nail into it - is 100% fine today, so I thought I'd do some squats to parallel for the first time in ages. I did a few warm up reps with just the bar, then added plates to take the weight up to 135lb. With the first rep I felt a slight twinge in my hip flexor and the second rep was pretty painful. It's nowhere near as bad as it was, but it hurt enough for me to stop my routine, which was going to be 5 x max reps @ 135. I decided to stay away from leg work today and did a push press routine instead.

Push presses (with 2 second hold) 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
75, 85, 95, 100, 105 (1)

I got the bar overhead again in the last set, but even though I locked out I couldn't hold the bar up for long, so didn't count the second rep.

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Alternate sets:
Inverted row (parallettes) - 5 x max: 13, 12, 11, 11, 10
Dips - 5 x max: 11, 10, 9, 8, 8

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21-15-9 rft:
OTB jumps @ 20" (per side, so double the number)
True push-ups
Chin-ups (mild kipping allowed)
Time = 15:54

Upper body

Personal training with Paul

C2B chin-ups 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
20, 22, 25, 27 (4), 27 (3)

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Bench press 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
95, 115, 125, 135 (3), 135 (2)

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Amrap 12
Neutral pull-ups
8 inverted rows when I drop from bar
Score = 39 reps (9 breaks; 63 reps)

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Amrap 12
5 military press @ 70
10 push press @ 70
15 push ups
Score = 4 rounds @ 11:57

Upper body

Doesn't matter how fit you are or how
healthy a lifestyle you lead. Spartacus actor,
Andy Whitfield died of cancer yesterday,
aged only 39.

I revisited a personal training session from over 10 months ago, slightly changing some of the routines.

Alternating sets:

Rack bench press 5, 5, 4, 4, 3 (small bench, 6 holes)
115, 125, 130, 135, 140 (2)

Dumbbell row 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
70, 75, 80, 85 (4), 85 (4)

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15 x bench press @ 125
Time = 5:05

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Amrap 12:
5 push-press @ 95
10 push-ups
Score = 10 rounds exactly @ 11:53

I was going to increase the weight from last time to see if I could match the time, but I wasn't sure how heavy to make the push-presses. In the end, I stuck with the same weight, but tried to beat my previous score in the same time. In October 2010, I managed 7 full rounds and 4 push-presses in 12 minutes, so this is a big improvement. All 10 rounds of push-presses were unbroken, and the first 3 full rounds - both presses and push-ups - were unbroken, too. I went straight from set 1 to 2, but took a very short rest between sets 2 and 3.

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5 rft:
5 pull-ups (dead hang)
10 inverted rows (feet on small bench, bar resting on safeties at 10 holes)
Time = 8:44

This is 1:14 slower than last year, but today I had a more challenging set up for the inverted rows. 

My left hip flexor has been quite painful since Saturday evening, so I might not be able to have a full leg day tomorrow, as I'd planned. I'll wait and see how I feel tomorrow, but I don't want to aggravate it.

Full body: Light weight

I felt a bit low on energy this morning and I wondered if I had over-trained again. However, I didn't feel as bad as last time, so I risked a light weight workout, which seemed to go okay.

Hang power snatches: 45 (5), 65 (3), 75 (3), 85 (2), 85 (F)

I know it's not saying much, but 85lb is still a PR for me!

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Superset - 4 x max reps:
Inverted rows: 12, 9, 7, 8 (bar resting on safeties @ 7 holes, feet on small bench)
Pull-ups: 6, 4, 4, 4

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4 rft - all @ 85
5 deadlifts
5 front squats
5 push-presses
5 power cleans

Time = 6:52

The hardest part of this whole routine was getting the bar into position between moves! The deadlifts were easy and very quick, but I was so out of breath by the end of each set that it took me a while to get enough energy to clean the bar into position for the front squats. The push-presses were pretty fast, too, and with a few of the reps I was moving so quickly I nearly lost my balance and toppled backwards. 85lb is pretty light for all these moves, but the purpose of this was to move quickly. This is adapted from a Plymouth CrossFit WOD, which suggests using 95lb or 65lb; I opted for something just over halfway between the two.

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Gironda dips - 4 x max reps:
6, 6, 4, 5

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Overhead squats: 5, 5, 5, 5
25, 35, 40, 45 (2)

This was more for practicing the movement, rather than an exercise. Still, another awe-inspiring PR! 

Yesterday I signed up for the 2011 New Hamburg Terry Fox Run. There are two courses: one is 3k - which I'll be running - and the other is 8.5k, both starting from Scott Park. This takes place on Sunday, September 18, which is 2 weeks before the breast cancer Run for the Cure. 

There has been a thoroughly disappointing lack of interest from fellow board of trade members, despite me asking several times for people to join a team. I can't believe the local apathy for this year's run, which marks 30 years since a Canadian hero and icon died. Regardless of who else bothers to turn up, I'll be there.

Full body: Heavy weight

Damn it! This is where I'm going wrong.

Personal training with Paul

Front squats (with pause) 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2
95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, 150

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21-15-9 rft
Deadlifts @ 185
Military presses @ 70
Time = 13:51

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Gironda dips - 4 x max: 5, 5, 6, 6
Inverted row (feet elevated; safeties @ 10) -
4 x max: 10, 8, 8, 9

In the last 2 sets of rows, there were a couple of reps where my chest was incredibly close to the bar, but didn't quite touch, so they didn't count.

I'm surprised at how well I did with the front squats today. Along with my partial back squats on Thursday, that's two squatting PRs this week. My one worry with the new style of training was that if I got the programming wrong, I'd start to lose the gains I'd made previously. Instead, in the past month I've gained a couple of pounds (hopefully, muscle!) and I'm lifting heavier weight in some cases, so definite improvement overall. On top of the change in training, I've also tweaked my diet for just over a week, without any deterioration in performance.