Tag: coach

Week of Monday 21092020

Strange week – seemed to keep getting busy and not hitting enough gym / lifting. Did have 2 really good sessions at the gym though, plus a little sandbag work which has been neglected for a while.

Hit 3 Jujitsu classes again – really loving both the learning and friendly atmosphere at the club!

Most importantly managed to give Mollie some early birthday ‘party’ fun – we had 3 people over on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so she got to see lots of friends and have some mini parties 🙂

Monday

Some pull ups and dips (forgot to write this up until the end of the week doh)

JuJitsu class

Tuesday

7 mile bike ride

7 mile walk (got a puncture and forgot a spare inner tube!)

Jujitsu class

Wednesday

Sandbag work

1 min high knee marching + 5 squats holding 40kg bag

5*1 min high knee marching + 5 squats holding 65kg bag

Jujitsu class

Thursday

Deadlift 2*6@100, 5@140, 5@160, 4*5@170kg.  Beltless for all apart from the 170s. (Second set was 6 reps as lost count)

Shoulders

3*10 strict press @50 + 7 side-front-rear delt raises @8kg dumbbells

Back – seated row 2 grips – 6+6 reps @40kg each side, 3*6+6 reps @50kg each side

Leg press 

15@ 50, 100, 150, 200kg

20@200kg (weight added to the press)

40 minutes steady cross trainer – easy pace, just to move for a bit

Friday

Press ups and arms

Mols birthday part 1

Saturday

Park and Mols birthday part 2

Sunday

Mols birthday part 3!

Squat-bench-deaslift

Squat – 2*5@100, 5@120, 4*5@135kg (135 with belt, rest beltless)

Bench – 2*8@60, 6@80, 3@100, 3*3@110kg

Deadlift – 10@70, 10@110, 3*10@130kg (rump pump 😉 (all DLs beltless)

Week of Monday 14092020

Another solid week – loving how the Squats are moving at the moment! Clear reminder that it is all about focus and not chasing all the things all the time. As seems to be the way, many “truths” extend widely, focusing on goals and not having too many is a sure way to make more progress and have more success in most aspects of life and profession – not just fitness.

Loving the Jujitsu as well – cant recommend St. Albans BJJ highly enough – super friendly and welcoming club!

Monday

Cycle to gym

Squats 2*5@100, 5@120, 5*5@130kg

Dumbbell bench press 10@18, 30, 8@34, 5*8@40kg (each hand)

Jujitsu class

Tuesday

Cycle to gym

Deadlifts 2*5@100, 5@120, 3@140, 1@160,180. Fail 200 twice. 3*180, 1@180

3 sets – 3 Deadlift@140+20KB swings@24kg

100 Walking lunges (unbroken)

Jujitsu class

Wednesday

Some mobility and rest 🙂

Thursday

Assault bike

3 mins @59-60rpm

Rest 2 mins

3 mins @62-63rpm

Rest 2 mins

3 mins @64-66rpm

Rest 2 mins

Repeat 3 times

Jujitsu class

Friday

All the 50s

Barbell row supinated grip @60kg. 30+20

Barbell row pronated grip @60k. 26+16+15

Shoulder press @40kg. 24+16+15

Press ups 32+18 just had to shake off and start again

Squats 50

Bicep curl @20kg. 30+20

Overhead tricep extension @20kg. 50

Saturday

Running around with the mini me 🙂

Sunday

Cycle to / from gym

Squat – 2*5@100, 3@120, 5*3@140kg – PB with this weight

Bench press – 8@60, 8@80, 6@90, 3*6@100kg

Week of Monday 07092020

Forget the training, this was Mollie’s first ever week at school! So proud, apart from a melt down on one day she did so well, and even that day once she was in school she was fine! Image is on her way to school and a cheeky cookie after her first day 🙂

Also started Jujitsu with Mira this week – St. Albans BJJ. Such a friendly club and so awesome to be back doing martial arts again! Love constantly learning new things and improving on what I know, it’s an old addage, but if you are standing still you are going backwards!

Another analogy I love is the blade – a sharp blade soon becomes blunt if you don’t hone it regularly. Learn, practice, develop and stay sharp in what’s important to you! But also make time for play – for me sport and martial arts etc are play, they are how I wind down, even if I’m also learning, I find this really helps my focus and drive on the more ‘work’ like things in life (even though I am lucky enough to enjoy most of my work!).

Really pleased with how things are moving, weights I used to grind out are moving super smoothly for multiple sets and reps #progress

Monday

1st Jujitsu class 🙂

4*10 side – front – rear delt raises with single 8kg kettlebell (4 sets each arm)

Superset 5*12 cross body bicep curls + 12 overhead tricep extension – with single 12kg kettlebell (5 sets each arm)

Tuesday

Super set triceps dips + chin ups (supinated grip)

Triceps 5*15

Chin ups 10-10-8-8-8

60 twists + 60 side to sides (random core machines in the park)

4*12 leg raises on dip station

10km fast on assault bike (sub 16 mins including warm up minute) ~63rpm

2nd Jujitsu class!

Wednesday

Cycle to gym

5*10 deadlift @120kg – control down, fast up

Seated back / row machine 5*5+5 (5 reps one grip, immediately into 5 reps with a different grip – machine has 3 different handles) @50kg each side.

Thursday

JuJitsu class

Friday

Cycle to gym

7 mins moderate pace of cross trainer / ski thing

Alternating sets of shoulder press and leg press

Leg press – 10@70, 8@120-170-220, 3*8@270kg

Shoulder press – 10@20, 8@30, 6@40, 5@50-55-60, 5*5@62.5

Saturday

Rest day with the epic mini me and family 🙂

Sunday

Drop mols off, been a bit off colour this weekend so no squats today. But hit the park for a mini session;

Alternate sets – pull ups + dips

Pull ups – 12-12-10-10-10

Dips 20-20-20-20-20

Really pleased with how the pull ups felt.

Week of Monday 310820

Ended the week with a big day for squats, most volume at that weight ever. Also had a fun partner sled session, not hit the sled since before lockdown, so that was fun!

The squats are a good reminder to always celebrate the wins – it doesn’t only have to be lifetime PB lifts – a few extra reps at a weight, a slightly faster time than last month, or even just turning up when you had every excuse ready not to.

Apply this to all areas of your life – have you done something new at work? Did your team deal really well with an issue – supporting them will really help morale. Did you get your child to school on time everyday while also keeping on top of your job? F*cking celebrate your achievements, and those around you.

Final thought, which is somewhat related – does celebrating and supporting those around you ever harm or hamper your own progress and success? No it doesn’t so celebrate yourself and your teams, but also support those around you. You can make someones day by bigging them up publicly or privately (it’s for them, not the likes remember). As Chris Williams of Modern wisdom puts it so well #gasyourmatesup !

Slight ramble this week, but I think important stuff.

Monday

35 mins Assault bike – 21km – relatively hard work at consistent pace, + sped up for the last 2 mins to ~90% effort

Long walk

Tuesday

10 rounds 2*15 yard sled push + 5 box jumps

9 rounds @80kg on the sled + 30” jumps

Last round 80kg on the sled and Mira! + 30” jumps

Biceps and triceps

12 curls @14kg dumbbells – 12 rope pull downs @21kg

12 hammer curls @14kg dumbbells + 12 rope overhead extensions @21kg

*3 rounds (so 6 sets for bis and 6 sets for tris)

Wednesday

Rest / mobility

Thursday

Park gym 10 rounds;

5 pull ups + 10 dips.  Focus on tempo and control.

Nuffield

25 mins moderate effort cross trainer.

Leg press 8@200 4*8@220kg superset with 5*16 front rack lunges @32kg dumbbell.

Friday

100 single arm KB press each arm @16kg

20-15-15-15-20-15

100 single arm KB row each arm @32kg

20-15-15-10-10-10-10

Friday pump! 🙂

Saturday

Rest day – 100% Daddy Daughter time 🙂

Sunday

Usual post dropping mols off gym session.

Just squats and bench, deadlift tomorrow.

Squats;

6*2@140kg

3*3 tempo pause @100kg

Bench press

5*10@80kg

4*30 second dead hang to open shoulders. 2 pronated, 2 supinated grip.

Week of Monday 24082020

Everyone gets ill sometimes – pretty much nothing you can do about that other than looking after yourself, not beating yourself up, and knowing that (most of the time) you’ll be better pretty soon. I tend to be bad at recognising when there is too much going on, so sometimes my body has to tell me to slow down for a little bit!

Between moving, upcoming job change, and having to fight to see more of my daughter I’ve been coping with a lot of stress, combine that with less sleep over the last couple of weeks, it’s not surprising something had to give.

Listen to your body (and mind), give yourself downtime – both physically and mentally, the less ill or injured you are, the more progress you’ll make!

Monday – Wednesday

Some random stomach bug 🙁

Thursday

Dips- 20-22-22-22-22

Strict toes to bar – 12-12-12-10-10

Friday

10 mins 95% effort cross trainer

Front squat 5@60, 5@80, 3@90, 2*3@100, 10@60kg

Strict press 10@30, 10@40, 3*8@50kg

Pendlay row – 10@70, 8@80, 4*5@90kg.  Tempo row – 10@70kg

Leg press 10@100, 10@150, 4*10@200kg (weight on the press, no idea what actual weight was!)

Saturday

Rest day – 100% Daddy Daughter time 🙂

Sunday

Squat – bench – deadlift day.  Only had 55 mins before the gym closed after dropping Mollie off so kept it quick and simple 5*5 for all 3 @~80%

Squat – 5*5@120kg

Bench 5*5@95kg

Deadlift 5*5@150kg

Week of Monday 17082020

A lot of work this week, with many hours of painting / decorating most days on top of working. Managed a reasonable amount of workouts around the labor, also managed to pain almost a whole house… Worked on my calluses as well!

Happy with the Sunday session, solid squats and heaviest pause deadlifts I’ve ever done 🙂

As always. listen to your body – you won’t be able to hit the gym as hard when you’re doing many hours more work than normal – do what you can, make sure you move and try to fit in some mobility. You’ll be back to it as soon as things calm down.

This weeks image because I spent basically all week inside so missing some outdoor sun!

Monday

Painting

Tuesday

10km hard on assault bike (after painting until about 10pm)

Wednesday

60 mins steady assault bike

Thursday

Friday

500 KB swings@24kg break as needed – no max out sets – move fast.

Saturday

100 strict pull ups / chin ups – swap grip each set and break up as needed

Sunday

Squat-Bench-Deadlift day – at nuffield as short on time

Squat – 3@120, 3@130, 5*3@135. 2*5@110 for speed and form

Bench – 6@80, 90, 2*6@100, 3*6@90

Pause Deadlift – 5@120, 5*5@140

Week of Monday 10082020

Birthday week! Hit the big 46 this week well a couple of weeks ago now as between birthday and moving house I’ve been tardy at maintaining the blog).

Bit of variety as spent a few days working and chilling at a hotel / spa with a pretty decent gym. They even had a barbell and squat rack, although I did manage to max out the weights they had available 😉

Still managing to gain strength and resilience despite age and stress so very happy with progress. Focussing on the right goals and remembering to warm up are key to progress and remaining injury free tough wood!).

Week Commencing Monday 10/08/2020

Monday

5* 10 barbell row + 12 shrugs @70kg.  (lean slightly forward on shrugs, holding shoulder blades back to work the upper back as well as traps)

120 press ups

120 on bench crunches

120 squats

120 lying leg raises

120 lunges

30 of each 4 times

Tuesday

12 mins stationary bike

3*10 dumbbell shoulder press @26kg (heaviest dumbbells at gym I was in)

4*10 lateral raises @10kg

4*10 cable flies @21kg

4*10 shoulder – raise in front, lower lateral / repeat in reverse

Kicked a punchbag a few times 🙂

Wednesday

25 mins stationary bike

Back squat 3*5@120kg + 3*3 tempo pause squat @90kg – 3 seconds down, 3 second pause, drive up.  (bare feet, no belt or knee sleeves)

3*10 bicep curls @30kg

4*10 tricep rope push downs

500m Max effort ski erg – 1:38

Thursday

Birthday #46…

Friday

Birthday recovery 🙂

Saturday

Rest day – 100% Daddy Daughter time 🙂

Sunday

Squat-Bench-Deadlift day – at nuffield as short on time

Squat – 3@120, 3@130, 3*2@140, 2*1@140 (missed second single 🙁 )

Bench – 5*3@110kg, 1*10@80kg

Deadlift – 5@140, 3@160, bailed on 170, 3*5@140kg

All in 1 hour 15 mins including warm up.  Felt a bit tired especially on the DLs.

Week of Monday 03082020

Short, but successful week! Try new things and workout with people who challenge and support you. This is true for success in life, not just sports – surround yourself with people who inspire and support you. Hit a solid deadlift PB on Sunday, mainly down to training with some awesome dudes. First time training with people for a while – we were outside and socially distanced 🙂 Also first time I have hit heavy Squats and Deads in the same session for a long while.

Totally loved my time away with the mini me, Mira and the twins – such valuable time as well as being a much needed rest. Picture is Mols practising her swimming with me 🙂

Monday – Thursday

Holiday.  Lots of running around with the kids!

Friday

Return from holiday, 4 hours in the car..

Assault bike – 2-3 mins warm up

~30 minutes pretty hard – over 19mins above 158bpm heart rate.

2 mins warm down. ~22-23km total, about 19KM in the 30 mins.

Saturday

Quick weights session before heading out for the day

5*5 strict press @60kg

5*10 pull ups

Sunday

First session at the Farm – Squat – Bench – Deadlift

Warm up.

Squat – 2*10@60kg, 6@ – 100, 120, 130, 135, 3*6@120kg

Bench press – 2*10@60kg, 6@ 80, 90, 4*6@100kg

Deadlift – 2*10@60, 2@6@100, 6@130, 1@50, 1@170, 1@190kg – PB!

First time trying a belt for Squat and Deadlift.

2*30 minute gentle bike rides – to and from a country pub for dinner 🙂

Week of Monday 27072020

Another solid week – been building for a while – looking forward to a deload week next week! We focus so much on the ‘training’ aspect when trying to make progress. Rest and recovery are just as critical. Taking a week to rest, whether a complete deload, or just going considerably lighter / less hard than normal will really help you make progress. Depending on how hard you are training and how well you are recovering you probably want to do this about once every couple of months.

This weeks picture is me working out in the rain – one of the things you have to live with in the garden gym 🙂

Monday

Assault bike – 2 mins warm up, 30 mins hard but sustainable, few mins cool down. 

~21k total.  174bpm max heart rate, 150 average.  13 mins @over 160bpm.

Some core work – hollow rocks, supermans, leg raises etc.

Tuesday

Max out bench press – 

2*10@20kg, 5@60, 5@80, 3@100, 1@110, 1@120 (PB I think), fail 125kg

At the park –  5*20 dips + 5-10-7-8 pull ups

10*30KB swings @32kg (every set of 30 must be unbroken)

Wednesday

2*25 minute bike rides

Arnold press 5*10@20kg dumbbells

Single arm dumbbell upright row 4*10@20kg each hand

5*12 deficit push ups – control down, brief pause, drive up

Thursday

Deadlift – 10@60, 10@100, 5@120, 5@140, 5@150kg

5*5@160kg.

3*20 – plate round the world, plate lift and twist @10kg

3*10 leg raises

Long walk

Friday

Assault bike – warm up – then 10 rounds 1 min hard, 1 min slow.

100 squats with 65kg sandbag – break up as needed.

Saturday

On hols with Mols, Mira, Lila and Maya.  2 adults, 3 kids.  Gonna be restful right!

Sunday

On hols

Week of Monday 20072020

Getting back into the cold showers. Either having a cold shower, or 30 seconds to a minute cold at the end of a not shower. Certainly wakes me up and makes me feel good, but seemingly a lot of health benefits to this as well. Will keep it up for a while to see if I notice any benefits on top of the immediate ‘wake up’.

Managed another Squat PB – focus on your goals really does pay off!

Monday

30 minutes easy assault bike before breakfast – max heart rate 130-135 – recovery not work pace!

Evening;

Superset Bench press and single arm kettlebell row.  Rows done unsupported – basically short lunge and lean forward keeping back tight – this works the lower back and core much better than when you lean on a bench or whatever.

Sets – 10@60kg bench press + 6*32kg rows each arm

7@80kg + 6*32kg rows each arm

5@100kg + 6*32kg rows each arm

5*5@104kg (Mira was using 24kg) + 6*32kg rows each arm after each set

Tuesday

20 minute pre breakfast jog

Easy day, felt tired.

Wednesday

Lunchtime – Assault bike Intervals. 5 mins warm up.  6 rounds 30s max effort, 90s slow.  5 mins cool down.  Ouch!

Evening – Shoulders – dumbbell press – 20@20kg, 20@30kg, 20@40kg, 18@50kg, 15@50kg

KB upright rows – 2*10@32kg KB (both hands), 2*10@16kg KB (each hand)

Side lat raises to finish – 3*20 – light but controlled

Pendulum lunges – new one for me 1*6 each lech with 16kg KB on the shoulder of ‘moving’ leg.  3*6@40kg sandbag – leg burner and great for the core!

Thursday

2*~30min bike rides.  Second 30 mins – nasal only breathing

Pull ups (palms facing away) – 5*10

Chin ups (palms facing towards) – 3*10

Friday

Mini yoga class with the podcast team (remote of course)

5*10 strict toes to bar

Pause deadlift – pause at a couple of inches off the ground – then complete the lift.

5*60,60,100kg 3*5@120kg

5*5 barbell row – tempe – 3 -1-3 (3 seconds up, pause, 2 down) @60kg

Saturday

Rest day – 100% Daddy Daughter time 🙂

Sunday

Back squat – work up to a max single

Warm up – Kang squats @20 and 40kg.

Squats – 10@60, 5@80, 5@100, 3@115, 2@125, 2@135, 1@145, 1@155kg – PB 🙂  need to work on posture a little – too upright on the way down and upper back rounded a bit on the way up.

Back off sets – 3*3 pause squats @120kg