JK vs BigRed

JK

Back in Auckland so back training woop woop!
 
Woke early and had golf 730am so decided to pop in to the gym 5.30 til 630 for an hour on the spin bike which is really good for my knee. Then went played golf, had a feed and returned for a push session.
 
Pretty basic workout of DB bench press (5 sets), incline DB flies (3 sets), weighted dips (3 sets), standing calf raises (5 sets), HS overhead press (4 sets), leg press (4 sets @ light weight with wide and high foot placement), tricep push downs (3 sets).
 
Hope to get in tomorrow to pull.

JK

Wow feeling it from yesterday. Amazing how a week or two off training can have that sort of impact.
 
Had another session this morning and this time pull. Realised though once I had got to the gym that I had forgotten my shoes (was just wearing jandals) but the young girl Ash said it was fine for me to lift barefoot so I did. Have done barefoot deads and squats before but not an entire workout.
 
[url=http://www.iforce.co.nz/View.aspx?i=nuhzousr.czo.jpg]<img src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/nuhzousr.czo.jpg" alt="nuhzousr.czo.jpg">[/url] 

Workout for today was pullups (3 sets of 10), deadlifts (couple sets of 15x70kg through to 5 top sets of 5x150kg), DB rows (3 sets), CG pull downs (3 sets), Hyperextensions (3 sets), Lat pull downs (3 sets), Lat raises (3sets), upright rows (3 sets) facepulls (2 sets) and BB curls (4 sets).
 
Did a quick weigh in too and 75.1kg so not too different to pre xmas.

JK

Quick 30min cycle today and then stretching and work with the foam roller.

Wairau

What, you're taking off weight! I'd like to see you chuck on 12kg every time you do pull ups, since I'm 87kg. Fairs fair. Ha, then I'd probably have to do the rest of your workout, and I couldn't. 
 
What's this-can't stop, won't stop! Damn straight, you are going really well, it's great to read your workouts, keep it up and aim for 80kg end of year.

JK

I'd struggle mate. Been doing chins with 20kg or so added but only for about 5 reps!
 
Had a decent workout this arvo = was PUSH and was OHP (5 sets), flat bench DB flies (2 sets), Incline DB press (4 sets), Machine flies (2 sets), Leg press (5 sets - more recovery work), OH cable extensions (3 sets), Close grip BB bench (4 sets), standing calf raises (4 sets) skull crushers (4 sets).

Does feel pretty good to be doing some decent volume again rather than 2-3 sets as I was doing for full body.

JK

PULL today with a 1km row to warm up...struggled!
 
Decided to do something different and start with arms. Workout went BB curls (4 sets), close grip pull downs (3 sets), rack pulls (5 sets), hyperextensions (3 sets), lat pull downs (3 sets), upright rows (3sets), front delt raises (3 sets), incline seated DB curls superset with closegrip cable curls (3 supersets).
 
Will go in tomorrow for some cardio and also a proper weigh in and body fat % check to give me a starting point for the year.

JK

30mins on the spin bike this morning then leg stretches, 5 sets of slow leg press, 2 sets of slow leg extensions and some abs work before another 10mins on the bike 
Also did that weighin and 74.8kg and 13.0% BF and took a couple some pics. This will be my starting point for the year and the smallest\lightest you will see me for a long time. <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.iforce.co.nz/View.aspx?i=rwgn2tw4.4w5.jpg'><img src="http://iforce.co.nz/i/rwgn2tw4.4w5.jpg" alt="rwgn2tw4.4w5.jpg"></a> 
Alot of work to do to try and get to 80kg and 10% by next summer but keen to hammer it.

JK

No train yesterday but had bit on an upper body session today. Warmed up with pullups and pressups - 3 sets of 10 reps each.
Main part of workout was: Hammerstrength chest press (4 sets), 1 arm BB rows (3 sets), DB arnie press (4sets) superset with shrugs (4 sets), close grip pull downs (3 sets), T-bar pullovers (2 sets) and then an assault on arms to finish which was 3 sets each of EZ bar bicep curls superset with OH cable extensions and then cable curls (using a rope) superset dips to failure (managed 22, 19 and 15).

Will have the weekend off and then get in to things proper next week when I return to work. Initial plan is as follows:
 
Monday = Upper body (strength - 5x5)
Tuesday = Legs (gradually ramping things up and seeing how the knee goes)
Wednesday = Cardio + stretching (as follow up to leg day) + abs
Thurs = Push (chest, triceps, shoulders)
Friday = Pull (back, biceps, traps)
Sat = Cardio + abs (and hopefully more legs depending on how things go)

JK

Light run this morning down along the beach, then big of a swim and run home. Hardly a workout but logged anyway.

JK

First day back at work so back on the 540am starts and the early morning training. First day of new programme today and Mondays are my strength days - 5x5 style.

Warmup - 1000m row.
Workout - BB bench press (70kg x 5,5,5,5,5), T-bar rows (50kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 6), BB OHP (35kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 7), Weighted chins (+16kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4), Weighted dips (+16kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 8), EZ bar curls (37kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 7)
 
Weights weren't super heavy this morning. Had to start a bit lighter today given I hadn't done anything like this for a while and needed to ensure I get all 5 sets of 5 reps in. Squeezed out a few extra reps on the final set where possible. Will aim to add weight to the bar each week as long as I'm completing the 5x5.

Paekakboyz

It all counts bro!! big changes in that selfie too, looking pretty cut! right that's enough man-love for 2014!!

JK

Thanks mate.
 
Struggling with the eating at the moment. Not even hungry but having to shovel in rice and chicken etc.
 
I'm still carb cycling as it appears to work well for me but have updated my calorie intake a fair bit. Feels like i'm forever eating.

JK

Light legs training this morning. Started with a decent warmup of 15mins on the spin bike. Then spent another 10mins doing stretching and work with the foam roller.
 
Workout (if you can call it that) was: Leg press (15x40kg, 15x80kg, 15x120kg, 15x120, 15x120, 15x120), Leg extensions (12 per side x36kg, 12x42, 12x42), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 15x150, 15x150, 15x150)
Then a quick stretch and another 5mins on the bike to finish off. All felt pretty good so should be good to up the weights next time.

JK

Been doing a bit of a reading on training and nutrition for ectomorphs or as in my case the "skinny fat" type which is what I have always had been. You know the ones, reasonably tall or lanky, skinny arms and legs but bit of a belly. Worst of the lot genetically they reckon when it comes to bodybuilding (oh well) but good to to read comprehensive training tips from others who are like that and what worked for them and what didn't. Some pretty interesting stuff and sooo much that rings true with me.
 
Long and short of it is that traditional bulk and cut strategys don't really work. We appear to be super sensitive to caloric surpluses and turning them in to fat rather than muscle. Need to do a long slow lean bulk using a small caloric surplus which is what I was moving to anyway and also keep up my carb cycling. Fats and protein most important - carbs not so much. Training performance is key and consistent training progressive overload will bring results. Avoid training to failure and hammering the CNS (ours is shit apparently) but ensure consistently hit each muscle a couple of times a week. No need for lots of fancy supersets etc. Focus on compounds etc but varied reps ranges.
 
So alot of what I kinda suspected anyway and had implemented over the last year from working out what works and what doesn't for me.

JK

So this morning instead of cardio I did some more upper body but not 5x5 as per monday. Will prob do more legs tomorrow and repeat 5x5 Friday.
 
Warmup was 1000m row and then workout was Pullups (3x10reps), Incline DB bench (10x25kg/side, 10x27.5, 10x27.5), 1 arm DB rows (12x27.5kg/side, 10x32.5, 10x32.5), HS Flat Press (12x35kg/side, 12x35, 12x35), Seated row (12x54kg, 12x54), Lat raises (12x11kg per side, 12x11), Skullcrushers (12x27kg, 12x32, 12x32), EZ bar curls (12x27kg, 12x32, 12x32), Tricep pushdowns (15x54kg, 15x54).

Paekakboyz

That is really interesting. How do you balance progressive overload with avoiding training to failure? is it talking about overload over the course of a weeks training, or within a training session? 
 
I really like the process of working out what sort of training style gets the best results. The variation helps with motivation and I reckon it's good to workout in different ways. 
 
What sites were you checking out mate? could you post some links?

JK

Saved a few on the ipad last night so will share those when I am at home. But there are some really useful youtube vids too. Listening to a few now on insulin insensitivity and the need to focus on the complex carbs.
 
In regards to the progressive overload - it's all about continuing to either up the weight lifted or the volume and doing it over time. So as simple as adding 0.5kg to the bar or an extra rep to an exercise from one workout to the next. I think that is why programmes like starting strength or 5/3/1 worked well for me as it forced me to continue to add weight to the bar

Paekakboyz

Choice, thanks bro.
 
Funny when you learn more and suddenly understand why a particular training approach got you really good gains. Speaking of gains... did you catch one of the more recent Bro Science vids!! fucking gold

JK

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Paekakboyz" data-cid="410531" data-time="1389733458">
 
What sites were you checking out mate? could you post some links?</blockquote>
 
A couple of the ectomorph pages I was reading <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/ectomorph-hardgainer/'>http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/ectomorph-hardgainer/</a> <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/11_training_tips_for_the_skinny_fat_ectomorph'>http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/11_training_tips_for_the_skinny_fat_ectomorph</a>

JK

Woe is me. Did a quick check in this morning and dropped more weight and body fat despite upping the calorie intake! Well trying to up my calorie intake. Proving a bit difficult to get all the food in there to hit them. Combination of not being hungry and eating pretty clean food which is not overly calorie dense. Anyway, bodyfat down to 12.5%. My lowest.
 
Today's workout was 20mins low resistance cycle, stretching and foam roller work and then more light legs work - Leg press (12x80kg, 12x80, 12x120, 12x120, 12x160, 12x16), hamstring curls (12x36kg, 12x36, 12x36), standing calf raises (12x130kg, 15x130, 12x150, 12x150, 12x150). 5 more easy minutes on cycle to finish.
 
Right, off to EAT

The Silver Fern

JK vs BigRed