JK vs BigRed

JK

Bit of legs and abs this morning. Started with 10mins on the bike and stretching
 
Workout was: Front squats (4 sets of 15 x just the bar), Leg press (12x120, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200, 20x80), Hamstring curls (12x36kg, 12x42, 10x42, 12x36), Standing calf raises (12x130kg, 12x130, 12x150, 12x150) and then abs which were 3 sets of 12 of hanging leg raises and weighted cable crunches (these felt awesome on the abs). Finished with another 10mins on the bike.

JK

Good upper body session this morning. Really enjoying my lifting at the moment. Picked up some more BCAA (Infinite Force BCAA) which is great to sip through my workout and keep me going strong despite not eating before I train.
 
Started with a 1000m row and then the workout was BB OHP (10x30kg, 8x35, 8x35, 7x35, 10x30), T-bar rows (8x50, 8x50, 8x50, 8x50 dropset --> 6x40 --> 6x30), BB Bench (10x60kg, 10x60, 10x60 dropset 15x40), Cable curls (20x30kg, 20x30kg to get some blood in the biceps), EZ bar curls (6x37kg, 8x37, 6x37), Dips (+18kg - 12, 12, 10 reps), then chins (10, 10, 10 reps) superset with unweighted dips (12, 12, 15 reps).

JK

More 5x5 today in what I now call heavy Monday. Was a pretty good upper body session with weight increases and also rotating in incline bench for a few weeks rather than flat bench as I seem to get more out of it. 
Usual 1000m row to warm up and then incline BB bench press (60kg x 5,5,5,5,8), T-bar rows (60kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 7), BB OHP (40kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5) , Weighted chins (+16kg x 5, 5, 5, 4, 4), Weighted dips (+24kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), Incline DB curls (17.5kg per side x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5) 
Still struggling a bit on the weighted chins. Could drop the weight a wee bit of maybe swap the order around a bit next week. 
Legs tomorrow and planning on finally squatting (with weight) again

JK

LEGS today. Started with a a 15min cycle to warmup and then the usual stretches and work with foam roller.
 
Workout was Leg Press (12x80kg, 12x80, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200), Squats (15xbar, 10x60kg, 10x60, 10x60), Leg extensions (12x42kg/side, 10x48, 12x48), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 12x150, 12x150, 15x150).
Another 10mins on bike to finish.
 
It all felt pretty good. Took it easy on the squats and ensured form was bang on. Felt very easy and I was keen to crank the weights up but I know I shouldnt just yet). The key will be how I pull up later today and tomorrow.

Paekakboyz

Hope the knee is feeling ok. Very easy to get a bit shy on the squats if you've got a niggle!

JK

Knee feels great mate. Absolutely fine. Hardly any DOMS after yesterday which is weird. Could be the added glutamine in my BCAAs, but yeah hardly any noticeable DOMS. Only slightly tender when I sat on the rower. No where near as bad as previous weeks.
 
Today was upper body again and my higher rep day. 1000m row to warmup and then a couple of quick sets of pullups for 10 reps each.
 
Rest of workout was: Lat pulldowns (12x48kg, 12x54kg - really just a follow on from the pullups), HS flat bench press (12x35kg per side, 12x35, 10x37.5), incline DB flies (12x12.5kg per side x 2 sets), Close grip pull downs (12x48kg, 12x54, 12x54), Arnie press (12x15kg per side x 3 sets) superset with shrugs (12x65g per side x 3 sets), weighted hyperextensions (3 sets of 12reps @ 10kg), Machine flies (15x60kg, 15x66), Upright cable rows (12x38kg, 12x38), Skull crushers (12x27kg x 3 sets), preacher curls (10x27kg x 3sets), Tricep pushdowns (12x56kg x sets)

Wairau

another excellent workout. Hey, I was just wondering if it would be worth it to finish your workouts with ten minutes focusing on one muscle group, go to your max, small rest, continue for ten minutes? HIT in a way. Glad that the knee is feeling better. 
Heh, deleted

JK

Might try that Kea. Always good to do something a bit different. 
More legs today but no squats - wont quite jump in to it too hard with squats twice a week just yet. Started with a 15mins ride and then step up (with high knee raises) on to a box for about 3mins (1 song). Then got the 30kg weight bag and did another song worth of box step ups with the bag on my shoulders. 
Weights were - Hamstring curls (12x36kg, 12x42, 12x42), Deadlifts (10x70kg, 10x110, 10x110, 10x110), Leg press (20x80kg, 20x120, 12x120, 12x120), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 15x130, 15x130). Another 5mins on the bike to finish. 
So alot of higher rep stuff. Short rests too so sweated hard. 
Decent. 
Edit - quick weigh in too and bodyweight slightly up from last week. BF back up in to the 13% range though. Will need to increase my calories a bit more especially once I get in to the heavier leg training. Having said that, I've been struggling to hit my targets most days. Feels like I am eating all the dam time.

Wairau

JK, just a quick thought-I'm wondering if the body resistance stuff I do is making me heavier (muscles, bones)-I'm really not fat, maybe losing 5 kgs would have me super toned, but I'm noticing my weight tracking up over the years.
 
Second thought: One of the reason I started doing multiple sets to failure is to make the musculature deep and tough-really fit-being able to lift myself more easily. While I'm just average compared to many people, and I'm a bit slack lately, I've seen real changes.
 
You always have excellent workouts, so I'm not sure if you have the need to push even harder-so it's just an idea, take it or leave it both ok.

JK

Use to do a lot to failure but don't do it so often now after doing a lot of reading up on my bodytype and what (apparently) works for me. I basically learnt that ectomorphs should try to avoid training to failure and hammering the CNS as ours are a bit shit. So I'm trying that for a while.
 
 
Today was upper body and with medium rep ranges and fairly heavy.
 
Workout was 1000m row, BB OHP (35kg x 8, 8, 8 and 30kgx10), T-bar rows (55kg x 10, 10, 8 and then 12x50kg), Incline BB press (50kg x10, 60kg x 7, 55kgx8, 50kgx12), Chins (12 unweighted, then +10kg for 2x8 reps and then 10 more unweighted), Dips (+22kg x 10, 10, 10), standing BB curls (12x27kg x 3sets), OH cable extensions (12x32kg, 15x32kg, 15x38kg) and concentration curls (2 sets of 12x15kg per side)
 
Dont usually plan to do this much arms work on a friday but it just happened. Hard to avoid it when its a friday and you can wear a t-shirt to work. Suns out....guns out.
 
Feel like I am making some good progress on weights with them tracking up in all areas. Hardest things for me re putting quality weight on is eating enough and getting enough sleep. Been trying to go to bed earlier but already having a few late nights creeping in with a couple of midnighters this week. You then dont get much rest when the alarm goes off at 530am.

JK

Great weekend. No training but heaps of swimming in the sea (and tanning). Short week as I'm heading away for a few days fishing Weds evening. Will just go hard for 3 days and then let the body "recover".
 
Today was the usual heavy monday upper body 5x5 work with weights up on most lifts and a bit of change in order to keep things interesting. Started with 1000m row to warm up.
Workout was: Incline BB press (65kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), T-bar rows (65kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), BB OHP (42.5kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), EZ bar curls (37kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), Dips (+28kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), Chins (unweighted - 12, 15, 15)
Also did some abs work which was decline weighted crunches, decline medicine ball twists and decline twist and crunches. Lots of each.

JK

Tuesday - legs day. Still working on getting the knees used to increased weight etc but its going well so far.

Warmup was 10mins on bike and then 5mins stretches and foam roller
 
Workout was - Leg extensions (12x30kg per side, 12x30, 12x36, 12x36), Squats (15xbar, 10x40kg, 10x60, 6x80, 6x80, 8x80, 8x80), leg press (12x120, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200, 20x80), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 12x150, 10x160, 10x160, 12x150)
 
Usual 5mins ride to finish and I will probably pop in for a longer ride on the way home today if time permits.

JK

30mins cycle on the way home plus stretching and foam roller. Quads a bit tender but no where near as tight mid arvo

JK

Upper body blast this morning in the more usual 8-12 rep ranges.

Warmup - 1000m row
Workout - Lat pulldowns (12x48kg, 12x54, 10x60), BB Bench (10x60kg, 10x60, 8x70, 8x70 dropset 8x60), Rackpulls (12x100kg, 10x140, 8x160, 12x100), HS OHP (12x25kg per side, 10x30, 10x30, 10x30), rear delt machine flies (12x36kg, 12x36), cable side delt raises (12x8kg per side, 12x8), seated row (12x54kg, 10x60, 10x60), OH tricep ext (12x44kg, 12x44kg), hammer curls (12x15kg/side, 12x15), tricep rope pushdowns (10x66kg, 10x66), Cable curls (10x57kg, 10x54kg)
 
Quads are actually pretty sore today from yesterdays effort but hopefully will be all good by the end of today.

JK

And quads stayed sore until Friday. Quite suprising from a tuesday workout and I certainly would have struggled training legs on Thursday morning. 4 days out of the gym so back in today for 5x5 heavy monday.
 
Warmup - 1000m row
Workout - Incline BB press (65kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), 1 arm DB rows (35kg/side x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), BB OHP (45kg x 5, 5, 5, 4, 4), EZ bar curls (39.5kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), Dips (+30kg x 5, 5, 5), then Chins (unweighted - 10, 12, 12) superset with more dips (unweighted 10, 12, 15 reps).
So increases in weights in a couple of lifts (OHP and Curls) and swapping in the 1 arm DB rows rather than T-bar rows. Slight variation with the dips and chins too in order to keep things interesting. 
 
Fairly decent workout despite not making the 5x5 in OHP today. Looking forward to legs tomorrow.

JK

Food update.
 
Still carb cycling and loving having the variety in terms of days where I eat alot or not quite as much but still plenty,
 
However, after operating at fairly low carb levels last year I am struggling to hit my carb targets on my higher carb (and calorie) days. Aim is 295grams of carbs today but getting sick of oats, brown rice and apples. I eat a lot of vege (mainly brocolli, green beans, cucumber etc) but these are fairly low when it comes to calories etc so I get full but don't hit the numbers.

What else is there? I don't like banannas (they bloat me) and kidney beans etc ok. Am wondering if its them I need to turn them. Oh of course, kumara - I love this stuff but not much of a cook so always find them a bit much effort. Maybe wholegrain pasta is a good option. Maybe I've just answered all my own questions while posting this.
 
Any other top tips?

Wairau

Four suggestions:
 
Millet.
Homemade spelt bread.
Use a rice cooker for the kumeras, delicious and you can leave them warm all day.
Wugu fan-yummy! Make up a batch then mix in a little fresh corn, ginger pieces, or just a little something else, take handfuls out, wrap in glad wrap, store all of them in a plastic container in the fridge, and use them for snacks during the week.
That's five grain rice, btw, asian style-should be able to pick it up in any Chinese supermarket, or make your own from internet ideas.

JK

Cheers for the tips mate. Will look in to them. I ended up cooking up a few kumera last night actually. Just chopped up small and boiled. Will have today with a tuna curry and then with a 1/2 chicken later in the day.
 
Yesterdays eats ended up at 262grams carbs, 210grams protein and 78grams fats for 2590 calories - so about 160cals short of target.
 
 
So today was legs. Pretty good session too with marginal increases in weight from last week so but slow and steady is the name of the game right now.
 
Warmup was 10mins on the bike and then stretch and foam roller.
Workout was Leg extensions (12x24kg/side, 12x30, 10x36, 8x42 then back down 10x36, 12x30 - no rests - gives the quads a good pump), squats (10x60kg, 8x80, 8x80, 8x80, 6x90), leg press (12x80kg, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200, 20x80), Standing calf raises (12x130kg, 12x150, 12x150, 12x150)
Another 5mins on the bike and stretching to finish.

JK

No major legs DOMS as yet but like last week I suspect it will hit me today.
 
Yesterdays eats were pretty good but a little but below my protein and total cals target - 182g carbs, 204g protein and 76 fats for 2228calories vs total calorie target of 2300 (low cal day). Two meals with kumera were a nice change. Wife bought me a whole lot more yesterday but some wholemeal pasta so will give that a go over the next week.

Todays training was upper body and 10-15 rep range. Warmup was 1000m row.
Workout was: Pullups (10reps, 10, 8), DB Flat Bench - (12x25kg per side, 10x30, 10x30), Machine flies (12x60kg, 12x60), Seated row (12x54kg, 12x60, 10x66), HS OHP (12x25kg/side, 10x30, 10x30) superset with front plate raises (10x15kg each set), Upright rows (10x44kg, 12x38, 15x35), skullcrushers (12x27kg, 12x27, 12x27), Preacher curls (12x22kg, 12x25, 12x25)

JK

So strangely no real DOMS at all on the legs which is weird compared to last week. Knee also feeling pretty much fine. Will have to push things harder next week.
 
Today was 2nd legs day but with a bit more hammie focus. Warmup was 10mins on the spin bike.
 
Workout was: Lunges (15reps/side, 15, 15, 15), Deadlifts (10x70kg, 10x110, 8x140, 6x150), Front squats (10x40, 10x40, 8x50), Hamstring curls (12x36, 12x36, 10x42 dropset to 10x24), Seated calf press (10x240, 10x240, 10x240 dropset to 10x180 then 10x140).
5mins more cycle to finish.
 
 
Also did a quick weigh in as it had been two weeks and weight has only gone up 0.5kg. Bodyfat also up but in control at this stage.
 
Yesterdays eats - 256g carbs, 186g protein and 73g fats for 2425calories vs total calorie target of 2600 so a bit light.
 
 
Saturday training starts up again this weekend as daughter has ballet class. It's 1 hr this year so a bit longer than last year. Will start off using it for a bit of cardio and abs work I think since I don't have a lot of time for that in my current programme.

The Silver Fern

JK vs BigRed