Pat's Training Log

[patrickmeniru]

24/08/2017

Again, back feeling slightly better although still stiff.

Warmed up thoroughly with soft tissue work, stretching and thoracic mobilisation and then glute activation.

Deadlifts:
3 x 5 w/70kg
2 x 5 w/120kg
1 x 3 w/160kg
3 x 1 w/190kg (hook grip)
2 x 3 w/150kg

Single leg calf raises:
2 x 5
2 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/40kg
3 x 5 w/50kg
1 x 10

Feeling a bit beat up all round, elbows are a little cranky, back still sore, legs hurt from squats, hoping I feel a lot better by the time Monday rolls around (today Friday 25th as I type)

[patrickmeniru]

28/08/2017

Didn't really do much in the couple of days prior to this, some stretching and mobility work but that's about it. Managed to tweak my back again and so was pretty sore and slept terribly, but once I'd warmed up (thoroughly) I don't think it really affected my lifts, which was good. Had a coffee before heading to the gym, didn't really notice much difference, might have a double before deadlifts (normally I avoid caffeine because I tend to train in the evening).

Squats:
2 x 5
2 x 5 w/20kg
2 x 5 w/60kg
2 x 3 w/100kg
1 x 1 w/120kg
1 x 1 w/140kg
1 x 1 w/160kg
1 x 1 w/180kg
1 x 1 w/190kg (PR - happy with form here, stayed pretty upright, slight knee cave but nothing major, this was also double bodyweight as I weighed in at 95.1kg with light clothing on - so probably 94.8ish)
1 x 0 w/200kg (not close)

Bench:
3 x 5 w/20kg
2 x 5 w/50kg
1 x 3 w/70kg
1 x 1 w/70kg
1 x 1 w/90kg
1 x 1 w/110kg
1 x 1 w/120kg
1 x 1 w/130kg
1 x 1 w/140kg
1 x 1 w/150kg (PR)
1 x 0 w/152.5kg (not close)

Happy to have hit two new PRs, particularly bench. Squat was slightly disappointing, not so much in the execution but just in terms of not having gained as much strength as I would have hoped in the past year (I think I squatted 185kg 10-11 months ago).

29/08/2017

Physio appointment, can finally start doing some plyometrics again! Prescribed 60 double leg jumps (landing on ball of foot and bouncing back up) twice a week in addition to the calf raises I've been doing and some soleus specific work. Will also try to keep up the toe taps a few times a week.

3 x 20 single leg seated calf raises w/60kg
3 x 60 double leg jumps (on cushioned surface)

Edited August 29, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

31/08/2017

Previous couple of days did very little other than stretching and mobility work, thankfully my back was feeling much better by the time deadlift day rolled around, still slightly tight if twisted and reached from the upper back, but nothing major. Warmed up with some short held static stretches, some dynamic stretches and my usual glute and lat activation stuff.

Deadlift:
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 3 w/70kg
2 x 3 w/120kg
1 x 2 w/160kg
1 x 1 w/200kg
1 x 1 w/220kg
1 x 1 w/230kg (double overhand PR - this was a slight deviation from my planned weight progression but I didn't think I had 240 in me and I wanted to take this PR)
1 x 1 w/250kg (hook from here on up)
1 x 1 w/265kg (PR)
1 x 1 w/272.5kg (PR) (Video below)
1 x 0 w/280kg (Video below)

 

Edited September 5, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

01/09/2017

Disappointing session today, didn't learn from my mistakes in the squat and tried to get a weight that I kind of knew wasn't there based on how I was feeling, instead of just taking what would still have been a big PR. Nevermind. Warmed up as usual.

Chin ups:
3 x 1
1 x 1 w/20kg
1 x 1 w/40kg
1 x 1 w/60kg
1 x 1 w/70kg (PR)
1 x 0 w/80kg (not that close)
1 x 0 w/75kg - I think I did get my chin to break the line of the bar, but this wasn't a rep to my own standards (hands to touch chest, chin well above bar and able to hold top position). I would have got this if I hadn't tried 80kg.

02/09/2017

Various bits and bobs, nothing major though as I was pretty tired after the week of testing. Did 100 strict pull ups in 13:10, which was surprisingly slow. First 50 took 4:43. Also did a lot of ab work including GHD situps, banded twisted crunches, leg raises and some partner pyramids (you go, I go) with med-ball situps (up to 10 and down) and paused ab-wheel rollouts (8 and down).

Two foot jumps on balls of feet:
3 x 60

05/09/2017

Couldn't train on Monday due to work, so did my first squat session on Tuesday instead. First morning session in a while (have to go back to these as work means I probably can't train evenings with any consistency) and I felt awful. Did an abbreviated warm up with bands and glute activation exercises.

Squats:
2 x 10
2 x 5 overhead squats w/20kg
2 x 5 w/60kg
1 x 5 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg (these felt way harder than they should have done, even walking the weight out was hard!)

Calf raises:
2 x 10
1 x 10 w/10kg
3 x 10 w/15kg
2 x 10
 

[patrickmeniru]

06/09/2017

Lunchtime session, just did a 1000m on an erg at around 2minute per 500m pace, played around with a hand cycle, did a few handstands (alignment was awful, had to work through some mobility stuff just to be able to balance and it felt hard!) and my achilles rehab, which consisted of single leg calf raises in the smith machine:
2 x 10 w/9kg (weight of bar apparently)
1 x 5 w/29kg
4 x 5 w/39kg
1 x 10 w/9kg

07/09/2017

Following some very late nights in the office, wasn't sure how my second russian squat session would go, but it was actually no more difficult than the first (although still hard work!). Did less warming up than usual, just a couple of quick glute bridges,  a minute of foam rolling (back was a bit tight) and a couple of band exercises for my glutes (couple of mins total).
2 x 5 w/20kg - no shoes
1 x 5
1 x 5 w/15 kg goblet squat, sat in bottom for a bit and worked on hip and ankle ROM
1 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 4 w/70kg
1 x 3 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/130kg
6 x 3 w/152kg
1 x 10 overhead squats w/20kg

Thoughts on the session: I hate training in the morning generally because I don't feel like my body is firing properly, however the upside is that none of my friends are around, so I get through my sessions much faster (I also have to because I need to get to work). Average time from re-racking the bar to re-racking the next set was 5 mins for the working sets. I also think I did a better job of bracing my core today, particularly setting my ribcage down properly. I need to do a better job of keeping my upper back tight through the whole movement though and keeping my knees forward out of the hole as I get tired. Squatting without sleeves at the moment, although I wear them between sets to keep things warm.

Edited September 7, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

08/09/2017

Chin ups:
3 x 5 pull-ups
1 x 5
1 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/35kg
1 x 5 w/50kg (this was really tough, strength is way down but hopefully it comes back!)

Seated single leg calf raise (plates on knee):
3 x 20 w/60kg

Did some stretching.

09/09/2017

Squats:
2 x 5
2 x 5 barefoot w/20kg
2 x 5 goblet squats w/15kg
2 x 5 w/20kg
2 x 5 w/70kg
2 x 3 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg
1 x 10 overhead squats w/20kg
2 x 10 overhead squats w/50kg

Achilles rehab:
3 x 60 two legged jumps on balls of feet

Single leg calf raises:
2 x 10
4 x 10 w/20kg

10/09/2017

Bench:
2 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/50kg
1 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/90kg
1 x 5 w/102.5kg
1 x 11 w/115kg (rep PR) very happy with this
3 x 6 w/90kg slow eccentric

3 x 3 handstand pushups against the wall

2 x 20 dips

Went climbing for 90 mins and then to the driving range for an hour.

 

Edited September 11, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

11/09/2017

Morning session again, starting to feel easier to get up and get to the gym. Usual very brief version of warm up with bodyweight squats (barefoot and in shoes), some goblet squats w/15kg, band work and hip thrusts.

Squats (5 mins between finishing each set - so approx 4 mins 'rest'):
2 x 10 overhead squats w/20kg
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 4 w/100kg
1 x 4 w/130kg
6 x 4 w/152kg
1 x 10 overhead squats w/20kg

Seated calf raises:
3 x 20 w/65kg

 

Evening session:
Did some rotator cuff work, stretching and handstands.

Single leg calf raises:
2 x 10
1 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/40kg
5 x 5 w/60kg (PR)

Edited September 12, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

13/09/2017

Usual short warm up.

Squats:
2 x 10 overhead squats w/20kg
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 3 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg
1 x 10 overhead squats w/40kg

Achilles rehab:
3 x 60 double leg jumps

ROMWOD before bed

14/09/2017

Bench:
2 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/50kg
1 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/90kg
1 x 3 w/95kg
1 x 3 w/110kg
1 x 9(1) w/122kg (rep PR)
1 x 6 w/105kg (slow eccentric)
2 x 5 w/105kg (slow eccentric - intended to do 3x6 but was too fatigued)

2 x 10 dips w/slow eccentric

Calf raises:
2 x 10
4 x 10 w/10kg
 

Edited September 14, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

15/09/2017

Usual warm up.

Squats:
2 x 10 barefoot w/20kg
2 x 10 overhead squats w/20kg
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 4 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/130kg
6 x 5 w/152kg (these actually felt pretty good other than the 5th set, which was a struggle, also tweaked my mid back on the right side slightly in set 2, hopefully nothing major).
1 x 10 overhead squats, narrow grip

[patrickmeniru]

17/09/2017

Gym was closed today so did about 3 hours of bouldering.

Achilles rehab:
3 x 60 two leg jumps

ROMWOD for 35 mins.

18/09/2017

Usual warm up.

Squats:
1 x 5 barefoot goblet squats w/15kg
1 x 10 barefoot
1 x 10 w/20kg barefoot
1 x 5 w/20kg overhead (shoes on)
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 3 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg (these felt really heavy, struggled to keep my knees forward out of the hole)
1 x 10 overhead w/40kg (working on a narrower grip on the bar to challenge overhead mobility)

Seated single leg calf raises (plates balancing on knee):
3 x 20 w/70kg

(Lunchtime)

Stretched, did a couple of handstands and some single leg calf raises in the smith machine:
2 x 5 w/9kg
1 x 5 w/29kg
4 x 5 w/49kg

Edited September 19, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

19/09/2017

Stretched and did some rotator cuff work.

Single leg calf raises:
2 x 10
4 x 10 w/15kg
1 x 20 w/15kg

Finished with a couple of handstands, second one was exactly a minute, could have held it for longer but decided to come down before getting too fatigued.

Edited September 19, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

20/09/2017

Usual warm-up (glute activation, barefoot squats, goblet squats, overhead squats etc.).
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/130kg
6 x 6 w/152kg (these felt like hard work but okay form wise)
Finished with a few overhead squats with 50kg and tested to see how narrow I could go. I can now get a full range overhead squat with my full hand gripping inside the rings, which is basically a clean grip, which is progress!

[patrickmeniru]

21/09/2017

Bench:
1 x 10 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/50kg
1 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/115kg
1 x 6(1) w/128kg

Dumbbell bench (5 count eccentric):
1 x 5 w/50kg
1 x 4 w/40kg
2 x 5 w/42kg

Two legged jumps:

3 x 60

[patrickmeniru]

22/09/2017

Usual warm up.

Squats:
approx 5 x 10 w/20kg (various variations)
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 3 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg
1 x 10 w/20kg overhead

Seated single leg calf raises, plates on knee:
3 x 20 w/75kg (this was really hard)

I have started taking creatine (5g daily) as of today, will be interested to see how it affects performance/weight etc. Hoping not to hold too much excess water.

Edited September 22, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

23/09/2017

ROMWOD for 40 minutes, then did some snatch work for the first time in ages and then yoga for an hour. Then went climbing for a couple of hours. Unfortunately my friend managed to dislocate his shoulder, so I spent the last 4-5 hours of my day looking after him and sitting in A&E.

24/09/2017

Climbing again. Managed to get a fairly tricky overhanging problem that I've tried and failed a number of times, as well as a couple of V4 grade problems and my first V4-6 grade (pink and black holds in the gym I go to). Also finished a few problems that I didn't manage the previous day, so very pleased overall.

Went to the gym to do some single leg balance work and a little handstand practice as well as 10 minutes on a stationary bike. Then went for an hours' walk and did a 20 minute ROMWOD before bed.

25/09/2017

Usual warm-up including various sets/reps with just the bar.

Squats (firs session of the "intensification phase" of the Russian squat programme).
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/110kg
1 x 3 w/140kg
5 x 5 w/162kg (these were really hard)
1 x 10 w/20kg overhead.

[patrickmeniru]

26/09/2017

Achilles rehab:
4 x 60 two legged jumps on balls of feet

Single leg calf raises in smith machine:
1 x 10 w/14kg
1 x 10 w/19kg
5 x 10 w/29kg

Did a few handstands, rowed for 5 mins and did stationary bike for 5 mins

2 x 10 pushups
2 x 10 horizontal cable rows w/49kg

ROMWOD before bed

27/09/2017

Usual squat warm-up.

Squats:
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 2 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg
1 x 5 overhead squats w/50kg (these felt really awkward for some reason)

Seated single leg calf raises (plates on knee):
3 x 20 w/65kg

[patrickmeniru]

28/09/2017

Morning:

Chin ups:
1 x 5 pull ups
1 x 5
1 x 3 w/25kg
1 x 3 w/42kg
1 x 4 w/59kg (hoped for 5 but given that I haven't been consistent with chin up training recently, I'm reasonably satisfied with 4 - PR for 4 reps is 63kg)
1 x 5 w/25kg (pause at top) - was going to do multiple sets but elbow started feeling very sore around the biceps insertion so decided to stop
4 x 5 wide grip pull ups (pause at top) focus on using back not arms to save elbows

Pushups:
5 x 10

Dips:
2 x 10

Single leg calf raises:
3 x 5
1 x 5 w/25kg
1 x 5 w/50kg
2 x 5 w/65kg
2 x 5 w/50kg

Lunchtime:

Incline dumbbell bench:
3 x 10 w/30kg

Face pulls:
3 x 15 w/12kg

Toes to bar:
3 x 10

Did a couple of handstands, it's much harder when your forearms are pumped!

Tried a hand dynometer, got just over 90kg right hand and just over 89kg left hand, although I think if I'd dialed in the grip distance I could have got a couple more kgs - the handles were a shiny plastic and quite slippery so I didn't really feel like I was able to get a good position to really get the maximum out of my hands.

Evening:

Swam 40 lengths of the office pool (20m), did 4 sets of: 6 front crawl, 2 breaststroke, 2 backstroke with a couple of lengths of 'running' in between.

Edited September 29, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

29/09/2017

Usual warm up.

Squats:
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/120kg
1 x 2 w/150kg
4 x 4 w/171kg (these were some of the hardest sets I can remember, bar speed was very low and I was struggling to hold form together).
1 x 10

[patrickmeniru]

30/09/2017

Did some snatch work with 60kg - felt predictably awful. Did yoga for an hour and went climbing. Mobility is improving gradually.

Achilles rehab:
Box jumps (carefully stepping down)
1 x 6 on to 24" box
2 x 8 on to 42" box
1 x 8 on to 45" box

Single leg calf raises:
2 x 10
5 x 10 w/25kg

01/10/2017

Did some work on cleans up to 85kg, actually felt okay although my elbows were getting sore from overdoing things recently with climbing etc. Tried to do some light arm work to flush some blood through them. Will carry on with that this week, take a break from climbing for a week and try and be careful to stretch my pecs before I squat (as I can get sore elbows from squatting).

Max handstand hold attempts:
74 seconds
76 seconds
65 seconds

Face pulls:
4 x 15 w/12.5kg

Bicep curls:
3 x 15 w/14kg

Tricep cable pushdowns:
3 x 10 w/20kg

Abs:
3 x (20 cruches, 10 oblique crunches each side, 20 feet raised crunches, 20 russian twists w/10kg)

Achilles rehab:
3 x 20 seated calf raises (plates on knee) w/70kg

Cardio:
10 mins on stationary bike for recovery.

02/10/2017

Usual warm up.

Squats:
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/150kg (forgot to put the extra 2kg on).
1 x 15 overhead squats w/20kg

Single leg calf raises:
3 x 5
1 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/40kg
4 x 5 w/60kg

Evening:
Swam 70 lengths of the office pool (20m). Did sets of 20 with about a 3 min break between each set. Stopped halfway through the 4th set because my elbows were getting sore (my goal had been 100 lengths). Took about 12 minutes per 20 lengths.

Edited October 3, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

03/10/2017

Achilles rehab:

5 x 60 two legged jumps

Did some rotator cuff work and stretching.

04/10/2017

Usual warm up

Squats (knee sleeves on this time, right knee has been a little sore):
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 3 w/110kg
1 x 3 w/140kg
1 x 2 w/160kg
3 x 3 w/180kg (volume PR - previous best was 180 x 3 for a single set, where my form broke down, these moved much better)
1 x 10 w/40kg overhead squats

Seated calf raises (plates on knee):
3 x 20 w/80kg (PR)
 

[patrickmeniru]

05/10/2017

Single leg calf raises (slower tempo than normal):
3 x 5
2 x 5 w/20kg
4 x 5 w/40kg

Bench (slow eccentric and paused):
1 x 10 w/20kg
1 x 10 w/50kg
3 x 10 w/80kg

Bicep curls:
4 x 10 w/10kg

Band pull aparts:
5 x 10 w/yellow band (double looped)

15 min ROMWOD
 

Some handstand practice and 20 mins on a stationary bike for active recovery at lunchtime. Then a 40 minute ROMWOD in the evening.

Edited October 6, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

06/10/2017

Usual warm up

Squats:
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg (sleeves on because my knees haven't been feeling wonderful of late)
1 x 10 w/20kg overhead.

Achilles rehab:
3 x 6 stair jumps (4 steps, attempting to land with straight legs)

Did 20 minutes on a stationary bike and a 40 minute ROMWOD.

Edited October 9, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

08/10/2017

Normal warm-up (slightly longer than usual because was waiting for a rack).

Squats:
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 4 w/110kg
1 x 2 w/140kg
1 x 2 w/160kg
1 x 1 w/180kg
2 x 2 w/190kg (rep PR - this equals my current 1RM - very happy with how these moved, especially the first set, second set was slower but form held together, although had some slight knee cave).
1 x 10 w/20kg overhead squat

Single leg jumps:
3 x 20

Calf raises:
2 x 5
1 x 5 w/20kg
1 x 5 w/40kg
1 x 5 w/55kg
4 x 5 w/65kg

20 mins on stationary bike to finish.

Edited October 9, 2017 by patrickmeniru

[patrickmeniru]

10/10/2017

Usual warm up.

Squats (sleeves on):
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/100kg
1 x 2 w/130kg
6 x 2 w/152kg
1 x 10 w/20kg overhead

Box jumps:
1 x 8 to 24"
2 x 6 to 42"

Seated single leg calf raises:
3 x 20 w/85kg (PR)

[patrickmeniru]

Been a couple of weeks since I updated the log, the below will be a rough idea of what I've been up to, but a summary would read, missed 200kg, took a week off heavy training but did do some work, started a short cycle to try and get myself to 200kg.

12/10/2017

Felt very weak on the day, not entirely sure why but slept very poorly the night before, which didn't help. Also took one less day of recovery during the last few sessions than the programme suggested because I needed to max before a business trip, which may also have played a role.

Warmed up as usual, can't remember the exact warm up sets but top sets were:
1 x 1 w/180kg
1 x 1 w/190kg
1 x 1 w/195kg (PR)
1 x 0 w/200kg (close miss, actually surprised I got so close given how bad I felt)

13/10/2017

Did a little cardio in the morning and then some machine weights (light) in the afternoon.

16/10/2017

Tried to do 6 x 8 front squats at 105kg but halfway through the second set my lower back on the right side was getting really sore and I wasn't feeling stable at all so I stopped, will need to get a physio to look at this because I have no idea why it's painful to front squat but back squat, overhead squat and deadlift are all fine.

17/10/2017 - 19/10/2017

Can't remember what I did on these days, but probably involved just upper body work and some cardio because my back was sore.

Achilles rehab.

20/10/2017

Overhead squats with 70kg, felt really heavy! Achilles rehab.

21/10/2017

Squats with 140kg and yoga followed by some box squats with 130kg, some unilateral work and some upper body work.

22/10/2017

A few hours of bouldering.

23/10/2017

Day 1 of my new (short squat cycle). Warmed as usual.

Squats:
2 x 5 w/70kg
1 x 5 w/100kg
1 x 3 w/130kg
5 x 5 w/150kg (these felt pretty heavy)

Achilles:
3 x 20 single leg hops

24/10/2017

Circuit of dumbell press overhead (10), face pulls with 15kg (10) and single arm dumbell rows (10). Started with 12kg dumbells for overhead and 32kg for the row and each set added 2kg until I did a couple of sets of 40kg row and up to 24kg overhead. Did a bit of abs work.

Achilles - single leg calf raises in smith machine:
1 x 10 w/9kg
1 x 10 w/29kg
4 x 10 w/39kg
1 x 10 w/29kg

Rowed for 20 mins at 1:55/500m pace (5200m).

25/10/2017

Squats:
Warmed up as usual and did 6 x 2 w/156kg (felt much better)

Box jumps on to 24 inch box, landing with straight legs:
3 x 8

Single leg calf raises:
1 x 10
1 x 5 w/25kg
3 x 5 w/50kg