David tries to get teh abz before getting (semi-)strong again

[DCM]

Saturday 5th May

A.M. fasted dog walk: 2.4 miles, 277 cals
Bodyweight:95.5kg, down 0.7kg
Waist at navel: 36.2 inches, down 0.2 inches

A1 Flat DB bench
40kg x 10, 9, 7, 6
35kg x 10, 8
A2 NG chins
8, 7, 7, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5 = 49 total
B1 Press (belted)
4x5x55kg
B2 CNG cable row
4x10
Viking press
4x8x40kg
C1 EZ bar curls
4x10x37.5kg
C2 EZ handle cable pushdowns
4x15
D1 Face pulls
3x20
D2 Cable tricep overhead extensions
3x20
Strict side raises
3x15x5kg plates

Notes
Really happy with how DB bench is holding up.

[DCM]

Monday 7th May

A1TnG bench
2x5x90kg, 4x5x85kg, 1x15x65kg (feet up)
A2 Lat pulldowns
5x8
Belted low-bar squat
4x5x130kg
Paused beltless LB squat
3x5x105kg

Notes
Had to get in and out as we were meeting friends for lunch and the gym was closing early. Warmed up squat first but my right knee was suddenly extremely painful, so shut it down and benched instead, then re-tried squatting and it was ok, though I was very cautious with it, which made the RPE go up. No time to feel out estimated 1rm either, so just had to pick a working weight. Also no time for RDLs or conditioning. I hate rushed sessions.

[DCM]

Tuesday 8th May

A.M. fasted dog walk: 2.11 miles, 260 calories

A1 Dips
10kg x 10, 10, 8, 7
Bodyweight x 10, 8
A2 NG chins
10kg x 5, 5, 4, 3
Bodyweight x 5, 4
B1 Feet-up pressups
12, 12, 11, 9
B2 Strapless DB rows
4x8x45kg
C1 DB hammer curls
4x10x25kg
C2 Double-handed DB overhead tricep extensions
4x10x25kg
D1 Face pulls
3x15
D2 Rope handle cable tricep pushdowns
3x15
Cheaty DB side raises
10x15kg, 3x13x12.5kg
Conditioning circuit
20 kettlebell swings @ 24kg + 5 Man Makers @ 20kg = 4 rounds, took 17 mins. Will try and reduce this.

[DCM]

Wednesday 10th May

Fasted morning dog walk: 2.15 miles, 255 cals
Afternoon dog walk: 1.96 miles, 242 cals

A1 Conventional deads
1x200kg @ 7, 1x220kg @ 9, 4x185kg @ 8, 4x180kg @ 8, 2x4x175kg @ 7.5
A2 Heavy TnG bench
2x4, 2x5x100kg
High-bar squat (belted)
4x6x120kg
Leg extensions
2x20

Notes
- Seem to have adjusted to the lower cals, as I managed to pull 220kg without too much difficulty (though @ 9 rather than @ 8 RPE). Having said that, the initial working sets at 185kg and 180kg were slightly too taxing. I think I'm going to use lower percentages for squat and DL from here on out, just to make sure I get clean volume without too much fatigue.
- First time benching 100kg for 5 reps in a long old while. It's still shit compared to former glories (like 110kg for 7 x 5 just before Christmas), but at this stage I'm happy with small victories
- HB moved well, although it's a bit disheartening that I was squatting this same weight beltless for 8s two weeks ago. Oh well.
- No time for conditioning tonight, will hit the Prowler tomorrow. Will be one less conditioning session this week, but all the extra dog-walking will make up for it

Footage

Deadlifts:


Bench press, 2nd set of 5 @ 100kg:


High-bar squat, 2nd set:

[mgil]

What’s that sporty black hatch behind you in the DL video? We don’t get many cool hatches in the US.

Nice work in here! If you do want your videos to not be embedded, just put the “url” tags around the links instead.

[DCM]

What’s that sporty black hatch behind you in the DL video? We don’t get many cool hatches in the US.

Nice work in here! If you do want your videos to not be embedded, just put the “url” tags around the links instead.

Thanks for stopping by and for the props I've decided that embedded vid is a great feature and that I was an idiot for complaining, but thanks for the advice. As to the car, I think it's an Audi A1, but I may be wrong, not my field of expertise.

[DCM]

Friday 11th May

Fasted morning dog walk: 1.96 miles, 249 calories

A1 Flat DB bench
40kg x 10, 9, 7, 5
35kg x 10, 8
A2 NG chins
8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5 = 42. Slightly fewer reps today coz tiiiired
B1 Press (belted)
4x6x50kg
B2 NG cable rows
4x15
Viking press
3x10x30kg
C1 EZ bar curls
4x12x27.5kg
C2 DB French press
4x10x8kg
Face pulls
3x15
Strict side raises
3x15x5kg plates
Prowler
4x5 push-pulls @ 60kg (5kg increase)

Notes
If today's session were named after a movie, it would be True Grit. I have been dog-tired all day - the missus has a new job that requires an early start, so I've been having to wake up an hour earlier than usual all week, and today I really felt it. I had to talk myself into going to the gym in the first place, and then to not just do DB bench and chins, and then to not stop after pressing, etc. The Prowler at the end really was mind over matter. Motivation is never normally a problem, but today was a challenge. Proud of myself for getting it all done.

Footage: Final Prowler run

[Wilhelm]

Great job!
I felt similarly today, and all i had to do was squat.

[DCM]

Great job!
I felt similarly today, and all i had to do was squat.

Thanks man, I appreciate it! If only I could apply that same mental fortitude to all the other things on my to-do list...

[DCM]

Monday 14th May

A1 Low-bar squat
1x170kg @ 8, 4x4x140kg @ 7-8
A2 TnG bench
1x110kg @ 9, 6x4x92.5kg @7-8, 10x70kg (feet up), 12x70kg (feet up)
RDLs
3x10x120kg
45 degree hypers
3x15x10kg
Man Makers
Max reps in 5 mins with 15kg DBs = 10, 6, 4 = 20 total (same as last time)

Notes
- I weighed 94.9kg this morning; I'm happy to still be squatting 170kg @ 8 at this bodyweight. My best ever squat at 95kg bodyweight was 190kg, albeit high-bar. But that was when I was bouncing back from my last cut and after doing Smolov Jr on 3500 calories a day.
- I did squat/bench as true supersets today, i.e. reracked the bar on squats and immediately benched with no rest at all. About 90 secs max of rest after benching before squatting again.
- I lowered the intensity on RDLs, just to take it easy on my back, which has felt a bit prone to tweaks of late.

[DCM]

Yesterday
Fasted morning dog walk: 1.94 miles, 240 cals

Wednesday 17th May
Fasted morning dog walk: 1.94 miles, 240 cals

A1 Dips
15kg x 7, 7, 7, 7
Bodyweight x 10, 8
A2 Pullups
5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2 = 24 total
B1 Feet-up pushups
13, 12, 11, 11
B2 Strapped DB rows
4x12x50kg
C1 DB hammer curls
4x15x20kg
C2 Double-handed DB overhead tricep extension
4x12x20kg
D1 Face pulls
3x15
D2 Rope handle tricep pushdown
3x15
Cheaty DB side raises
3x12x12.5kg

Notes
- Been feeling pretty run down again this week. I'm going away for 8 days in 2 weeks' time, a break will do me good I reckon
- No Prowler again today; have decided that with all the extra dogwalking, doing just 2 HIIT sessions a week (rather than 3) makes sense, as it gives me another tool to use as and when weightloss stalls. Tbh, the first 2 supersets today had my heart racing like HIIT anyway.

[DCM]

Yesterday
Fasted morning dog walk: 1.62 miles, 203 cals

Friday 18th May

A1 Conventional belted deadlifts
3x200kg @9, 2x200kg @ 10, 2x6x160kg @ 6
A2 Heavy TnG bench
4x5x100kg @ 9-10
Belted HB squat
4x6x122.5kg
Prowler
4x5 push-pulls @ 65kg (5kg increase)

Notes
- First time in God knows how long doing more than 1 rep at 200kg. Wanted to do two triples, but I could feel my form going to hell on the 2nd set (no footage of this), so shut it down. I weighed 94.5kg this morning, lightest weigh-in of the cut so far, so I'm very happy with these numbers at this stage, especially with such decent form on the 1st set at least (see vid below).
- No leg extensions as the gym closes early on Friday and I got there late.
- Must have been the shortest rest periods ever on Prowler.

Footage:
First deadlift set and first bench set

[DCM]

Saturday 19th May

Bodyweight: 94.3kg, down 0.6kg
Waist at navel: 35.5 inches, down 0.4 inches

A1 Flat DB bench
40kg x 8, 7, 7, 6
35kg x 9, 8
A2 NG chins
5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 = 40
B1 Press (belt)
5x5x55kg
B2 CNG cable row
5x10
C1 Viking press
3x8x40kg
C2 Supinating DB curls
4x12x15kg
D1Strict side raises
3x15x5kg plates
D2 Rear delt flies
3x15x5kg plates

[DCM]

Monday 21st May

Fasted morning dog walk: 2.02 miles, 260 cals

A1 Low-bar squat (belted)
1x160kg @ 8, 5x6x120kg @ 6-7
A2 TnG bench
1x110kg @ 8, 3x6x87.5kg @ 8-8.5, 3x6x82.5kg, 2x15x60kg (feet up)
Paused beltless LB squat
3x6x100kg
RDLs
3x8x130kg
45 degree hypers
1x15 & 2x10x20kg
Man Makers
Max reps in 5 mins with 15kg DBs = 21, half-way through last rep when timer went

Notes
- Experienced a weird inversion effect with squat and bench today insofar as the single on squat was disappointing but then the volume sets were almost too easy (which is why I did one extra set), whereas the bench single flew up, but then I had to take the working weight down half-way through because the RPE was too high. Maybe my rating of the singles was off today, though I don't think so.

[DCM]

Yesterday
Fasted morning dog walk: 1.84 miles, 238 cals

Wednesday 23rd May

A1 Dips
20kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Bodyweight x 10, 8
A2 Pullups
4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2 = 25 total
B1 Decline pressups
15, 14, 13, 12
B2 Strapped DB rows
4x8x60kg
C1 Hammer curls
4x10x25kg
C2 Double-handed DB overhead tricep extension
4x10x25kg
Cheaty side raises
3x15x10kg
Banded face pulls
3x12
EZ bar French press
3x10x20kg

[DCM]

Yesterday
2 dog walks, each around 1.8 miles and 230 cals

Friday 26th May
A1 Belted conventional deadlift
2x200kg @ 9, 4x3x180kg @ 7-8
A2 Heavy TnG bench
5x3x105kg
Belted HB squat
4x6x125kg
Leg extensions
1x15 - got knee pain on 2nd set and shut it down
Prowler
4x5 push-pulls @ 70kg (5kg increase)

Notes
- Even shorter rest times on the Prowler today. When I started using it back in March, 4 runs per set at 30kg was enough to gas me. Cool to be doing 5 runs per set with 40kg more on the sled.

[DCM]

Saturday 26th May
Bodyweight: 93.6kg, down 0.6kg
Waist at navel: 35.2 inches, down 0.4 inches

A1 Flat DB bench
40kg x 10, 10, 8, 6
35kg x 10, 8
A2 NG chins
Bodyweight x 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 4
Press (beltless)
4x6x50kg, 2x10x35kg
NG pulldowns
4x10x66kg
EZ handle tricep pushdowns
3x15x50kg
Wide-grip seated cable row
4x15x45kg
EZ bar curls
15x20kg, 4x12x25kg
One-armed DB tricep extensions
Right arm: 3x10x10kg
Left arm: 10x10kg, 2x10x8kg
Concentration curls
3x15x8kg, last 5 reps of each set assisted (all you bro!)
Side raise / Rear delt fly superset
3x15x5kg plates

Notes
- Trained at my old gym with a friend today. DB bench always seems to go well there.

[DCM]

Monday 28th May

A1 Low-bar squat (belted)
4x5x130kg
A2 TnG bench
6x5x90kg, 10x70kg (feet up)
Beltless paused LB squat
3x5x105kg
RDL
3x6x140kg
45 degree hyper
3x12x20kg barbell
Prowler
4x3 push-pulls @ 100kg

Notes
- Gym was closing early today so no time to work up to single @ 8 on squat or bench, just had to guesstimate working weight. Hit it pretty comfortably.

[DCM]

Wednesday 30th May

A1 DB bench
40kg x 10, 8, 7, 5
35kg x 8, 8
A2 NG chins
5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 = 40 total
B1 Dips
4x8xbodyweight
B2 CNG cable rows
4x10
C1 DB hammer curls
4x7x30kg
C2 Double-handed DB overhead tricep extensions
4x12x20kg
D1 Face pulls
3x15
D2 Rope handle pushdowns
3x15
Cheaty DB side raises
3x15x10kg

Notes
- Last session before a 10-day holiday with my brother and mum in Germany. Have packed some gym gear in case an opportunity to train presents itself, otherwise it'll be lots of pushups. This is the worst part of going away: de-training / anxiety of becoming de-trained.

[DCM]

Saturday 9th June

Bodyweight: 97kg, 3kg gain
Waist at navel: 36.5 inches, 1.2 inch gain

Low-bar squat
5x110kg, 5x120kg, 5x130kg, 5x140kg, 5x130kg, 5x120kg, 5x110kg (2 ct pause)
A1 TnG bench
6x6x80kg
A2 NG bodyweight chins
5x5, 1x4
B1 DB bench
3x10x35kg
B2 Long-handle cable rows
3x15
C1 EZ bar curls
3x15x25kg
C2 EZ handle cable pushdowns
3x15

Notes
Not surpisingly, 10 days of not training while drinking lots of high-quality German beer and eating tons of cake made for a painful 1st session after my holiday. I'm sure I'll drop the bodyweight and regain my fitness quite quickly.