Tony's training log. 2009 the year of Grip.

Thanks Ben and David.

Sorry I have not had time to post in a few weeks. Still training and dieting. Total weight loss of 4st in 4 months so far. Currently 90kg and think I still need to lose another 5kg then hopefully I can start eating again and gaining some strength back.

I am currently weight training 6 days per week including strongman and grip, plus about 45mins cardio each day, plus trying to sort out my house and garden, plus working a physically demanding manual job and am only getting a few hours sleep every night so I am very over trained at the moment and am now back on two lots of antibiotics and pain killers for my wisdom teeth again and often don’t feel like training but I am still trying to make improvements but strength is down somewhat. I expected the weight loss to affect some lifts like squat, bench and dead etc but did not think it would affect my grip much but it has and I can barely shut a COC #1 some days.

Trying to keep my workouts short and simple. Here are my last 2

Thursday

Farmers walk deadlifts no straps (total weight)
50kg x 10
90kg x 5
130kg x 3
170kg x 1
210kg x 1
260kg x 1

Chins
BW x 5
BW +2.5kg x 5
BW +2.5kg x 5

Seated cable rows
40kg x 12
60kg x 12
80kg x 12

Cardio
20mins recumbent bike
30mins fast walking on treadmill

Friday

Flat bench
Bar x 20 x 2
40kg x 10
60kg x 8
80kg x 5
90kg x 3
100kg x 2
80kg x 12

Close grip bench
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 5 x 3 sets

Pressdowns
20kg x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 10, 30kg x 10, 20kg x 10

Cardio
20mins recumbent bike
30mins fast walking on treadmill


Strongman training today if it does not rain, will try and post later.
T

congrats on the weight loss, that is quite a lot to lose in a short amount of time, maybe too much, and that is quite a lot of training to be doing as well. you may want to maintain weight for a few weeks, to let your body recuperate, before losing the rest of the weight you want to lose. other people could offer some proper advice

Thanks egg, I know what you mean about too much too fast as I have lost a fair bit of muscle along the way (2" of my arms) but I just want to get it finished now as it feels like I have been dieting for ever and is doing my head in. After I finish I will maintain weight for a while and then gradually increase the calories back up. As I eat pretty much the same thing all the time anyway all I have done is swap my chicken and rice for chicken and veg/salad and cut down on my shakes. I eat about every 2 hours but always feel hungry even after a meal.

Saturday 20/6/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Atlas stones no tacky or belt
65kg to 4ft
65kg to 4.5ft
80kg to 4ft
90kg to 4ft
110kg to 4ft x 2 (wanted to go heavier but I had a slight pull in my right calf)
65kg alternating to shoulder 6 reps

Yoke (Homemade)
30kg 24m (12+12 stop to turn)
70kg 24m
110kg 24m
150kg 24m
190kg 24m
230kg 12m 4 or 5 drops
150kg 12m fast

Keg load 10m run then load to 4ft
40kg, 50kg, 60kg and 80kg (1 min) x 2 runs


Sunday 21/6/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Leg extensions
3 sets of 15 to warm up

Box squats just above parallel
Up to 130kg for 5

2HP 48mm
Up to 77kg

Grippers
mms up to RH COC 2.5 and LH COC 2
ccs up to RH COC 2 and LH COC 1.5

Bending
DO
6” 6mm threaded rod
6” 6mm bright mild steel
5” 6mm bright mild steel (easy)
Attempt at new 7” 7mm bright mild steel (think I prefer the shorter stock as I cant get into position with the longer metal)

DU then crushed down DO
6” 6mm threaded rod
6” 6mm bright mild steel

Reverse style then crushed down DO
6” 6mm bright mild steel both sides

Sledge hammer levering front, back and side to side.

Cardio
25 mins recumbent bike.
25 mins fast walking on treadmill.

Stretching


Monday 22/6/09

1hr cardio before breakfast.

T

Tuesday 23/6/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Yoke press
30kg x 10
50kg x 5
70kg x 3
80kg x 1 Dropped yoke and bent one leg so I need a new yoke

Log press
60kg x 1
70kg x 1
80kg x 1

Seated dumbbell press
25kg x 10 x 3 sets

Side laterals
10kg x 10 x 3 sets

Cardio
30mins recumbent bike
30mins fast walking on treadmill

Stretching


Wednesday 24/6/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Farmers walk deadlifts no straps (total weight)
50kg x 10
90kg x 5
130kg x 3
170kg x 1
210kg x 1
270kg x 1

Chins
BW x 5
BW +2.5kg x 5
BW +2.5kg x 5

Seated cable rows
40kg x 12
60kg x 12
80kg x 12

Cardio
30mins recumbent bike
30mins fast walking on treadmill

Stretching


Thursday 25/6/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

FBBC 2” Vbar
BH 23kg x 5, 44kg x 3, 65kg x 1, 86kg x 1
RH 108kg x 1
BH 86kg x 3

FBBC 2.5” Crusher
BH 26kg x 5, 46kg x 1, 56kg x 1, 58.5kg x 1

Grip machine
5 sets of 10 increasing weight each set

EZ Barbell curls
38kg x 10
48kg x 10
50.5kg x 10

Alternating dumbbell curls
15kg’s x 10 each arm
20kg’s x 10 x 3 sets

Reverse wrist curls on bench
BH 7.5kg x 20 x 3 sets

Wrist curls on bench
BH 22.5kg x 12 x 3 sets

Cardio
30mins recumbent bike
30mins fast walking on treadmill

Stretching


Friday 26/6/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Flat bench
Bar x 20 x 2
40kg x 10
60kg x 8
80kg x 5
90kg x 3
102.5kg x 2
90kg x 6

Close grip lockouts
50kg x 10
80kg x 10
110kg x 10 x 2 sets

Pressdowns
20kg x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 10, 30kg x 10, 20kg x 10

Cardio
30mins recumbent bike
30mins fast walking on treadmill

Stretching

T

I have been trying a new split shift this week at work I asked to go on it so I can come home at lunch time and train so I can get to bed earlier at night as I had not been finishing training till gone midnight most nights. Also I did no cardio this week to give my body a rest and had a few cheat meals last weekend and just sat in the van all week doing nothing at work and still lost another 2.2kgs.

Training at lunchtime seems to be working really well. Each session only lasts about 30mins and I can shower and eat and get back to work felling really refreshed where I used to feel really tired and weak in the afternoons.

My forearms have been playing up though even turning on taps hurts so no grip work for a while.

Tuesday 30/6/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Push press
20kg x 20
30kg x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 8 x 2 sets

Seated dumbbell press no back rest
25kg x 10 x 3 sets

Side laterals
10kg x 10 x 3 sets

Stretching


Wednesday 1/7/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Rack pulls just above knee
60kg x 10
100kg x 5
140kg x 3
180kg x 2
220kg x 1
260kg x 1

Chins
BW x 10
BW +2.5kg x 5
BW +5kg x 5

Seated cable rows
40kg x 12
60kg x 12
80kg x 12

Stretching


Thursday 2/7/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

EZ Bar curls
Bar x 10
38kg x 10
48kg x 10 x 2 sets

Preacher cable curls
20kg x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 10

Alternating dumbbell curls
15kg’s x 10 x 3 sets

Reverse wrist curls on bench
BH 10kg x 12 x 3 sets

Wrist curls on bench
BH 25kg x 12 x 3 sets

Grip machine
4 sets of 10 increasing weight each set

Stretching


Friday 3/7/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Flat bench
Bar x 20 x 2
40kg x 10
60kg x 8
80kg x 5
90kg x 3
105kg x 2
90kg x 8

Close grip bench
40kg x 10
60kg x 10 x 3 sets

Pressdowns
20kg x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 10, 30kg x 10, 20kg x 10

Stretching


No training Saturday as I had to move 800kg of paving slabs and some sleepers round the back of my house.

Hope to start cardio again next week 1 hr before breakfast if I can get out of bed at 5 when my alarm goes off.

T

This weeks training.

Monday 6/7/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Leg extensions
3 sets of 15 to warm up

Box squats
Up to 110kg for 12

Reverse hypers (finally got my machine sorted. Only had it 2 years!)
4 sets of 10 increasing the weight

Leg curls
These always play up my knees so I was just experimenting 4 sets of 15


Tuesday 7/7/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Axle push press
bar x 20
30kg x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 5
60kg x 3
70kg x 3

Seated dumbbell press no back rest
25kg x 10 x 3 sets

Side laterals
10kg x 12 x 3 sets

Stretching


Wednesday 8/7/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Deadlifts
bar x 20
60kg x 10
80kg x 5
100kg x 5
120kg x 3
140kg x 3
Really dizzy vision went totally white after each set so did not go heavier

Chins
BW x 10
BW +2.5kg x 5
BW x 10 x 3 sets

Seated cable rows
40kg x 12
60kg x 12
80kg x 12

Stretching


No training Thurs, Fri or Saturday as I have been moving more paving slabs, sleepers, a greenhouse and a shed. Trying to get my garden sorted. I also have still not done any cardio for 2 weeks now and have had a few takeaways so diet is not going well although I still lost 1.1kg last week.

T

I did not get to train for 9 day even though I have been off work as I have been really busy working in the garden this week and have not done any cardio for 3 weeks now and I had a bargain bucket practically every day last week so my weight stayed the same as last week.

I did a simple full body workout late Friday night consisting of.
Standing press 4 sets
Squats a few sets working on form but hamstrings were cramping up
Chins 2 sets of 12 palms forward and 2 sets of 12 palms back
Deadlifts quite a few light reps/sets working on form

Think I will repeat this workout during the week if I get the chance and feel up to it.

I have been so busy again this week trying to extend to shed to make my gym bigger that it has been another week with no training and not sticking to the diet. So I have decided to end the diet and start the slow road back up. I am slowly increasing my carbs and my total calories. Going to increase my daily calories by about 500 calories every week.

So my weight loss results were 30kg in about 5 months. Down from 115kg to 85kg
I did not reach my goals as I am still carrying a bit of fat but I lost 9” off my waist (not sucking it in). Unfortunately I also lost 3” off each arm, 5” off my chest, 4” off each thigh, and 1” off my calfs and forearms but I hope to regain these easier second time round whilst keeping my waist under control.

Lost a lot of strength as well but hopefully it has given my elbows/forearms a chance to heal up as they were playing up from all the grip work.

It has been about 6 weeks now since I did any grip work or cardio and I have only weight trained once in the last 3 weeks.

I trained today. I had already moved my kegs and pallets around the garden to tidy up and did not feel up to training but had a can of red bull and then trained legs. Bet I will be sore for the next few days.

2/8/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike + stretching

Leg extensions
3 sets of 15 to warm up

Squats with IW mini bands doubled
Bar x 10
40kg x 5
60kg x 5 x 3 sets
I knew I was not going to be able to go heavy so I thought I would give my bands a try as I have never really used them much.

Reverse hypers (finally got the machine in the shed)
3 sets of 10 increasing the weight

Leg curls
3 sets of 10

Stretching

Going to train bench in my lunch break tomorrow
T

Yeah my jeans are pretty baggy now and my friends that have not seen me for a few months are a bit surprised.

This was my first proper week back training so nothing to heavy and I was a little sore but I managed to train in my lunch hour each day which worked out really well. So each workout is only 30mins which is a bit of a rush but I set everything up the night before so I am ready to go. I have been experimenting with the bands again and think I will stick with them for a while although there is no way my bench shirt will fit me anymore.

Monday 3/8/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Flat bench with IW mini bands doubled
Bar x 10
40kg x 5
60kg x 5

Incline axle bench with IW mini bands doubled
30kg x 5
50kg x 5
55kg x 5

Decline axle bench with IW mini bands doubled
30kg x 5
50kg x 5
70kg x 5


Tuesday 4/8/09

Went and picked up some equipment from a squash club that had closed down.
I got a pair of 47.5kgs, one 52.5kg and a pair of 57.5kg welded dumbbells plus some old standard metal plates, a barbell rack, 6ft punch bag, Olympic bar, half a solid commercial bench press and a carpet all for £25! It had been closed a while and all the other equipment had gone I just had all that was left lying around I guess they left these dumbbells because they could not lift them.


Wednesday 5/8/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Push press
Bar x 20
30kg x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 5

Seated dumbbell press
20kg x 10 x 3 sets

Side laterals
10kg x 10 x 3 sets


Thursday 6/8/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Deadlifts
bar x 20
60kg x 10
80kg x 5
100kg x 5
120kg x 3

Chins
4 sets of 5

Seated cable rows
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 10


Friday 7/8/09

Warm up – 2 mins dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Close grip axle bench with IW mini bands doubled
bar x 20
30kg x 10
50kg x 5

2 board close grip axle bench with IW mini bands doubled
55kg x 5

3 board close grip axle bench with IW mini bands doubled
60kg x 5

4 board close grip axle bench with IW mini bands doubled
65kg x 5

Medium grip axle bench lockouts IW mini bands doubled
90kg x 5
110kg x 5
120kg x 5

Pressdowns
20kg x 10
30kg x 10


I was going to do grip yesterday but I had to go pickup some more gym equipment (commercial hyper extension bench) and then got invited out at short notice so I think it has been about 7 weeks now since I did any grip work.

T

Tony
You must have a great set up there with the addition of the new equipment
Mark

Thanks Mark, looks like you’ve got a great set up as well mate. Mine is getting there the problem is although I have not got the room I keep buying more stuff as I cant miss out on a bargain and keep having to leave stuff sitting in the garden till I make room for it. I just more than doubled the size of my shed and it filled up straight away. Its nice knowing that I have more weight, bigger dumbbells and better equipment than all the big commercial gyms in town and it is all just for little old me.

Monday 10/8/09

Warm up – 1 min dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Leg extensions
3 sets of 15 to warm up

Squats with IW super mini bands doubled
Bar x 10
40kg x 5
60kg x 5 x 3 sets

Good mornings
40kg x 10
60kg x 10

Reverse hypers
3 sets of 10

Leg curls
3 sets of 10

Really tight for time today did the workout in just over 20mins


Tuesday 11/8/09

Warm up – 1 min dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Flat bench with IW super mini bands doubled
Bar x 10
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
60kg x 5

Incline axle bench with IW super mini bands doubled
30kg x 5
50kg x 5

Decline axle bench with IW super mini bands doubled
30kg x 5
50kg x 5
70kg x 5


Wednesday 12/8/09

Warm up – 1 min dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Axle push press
Bar x 20
30kg x 10
40kg x 8
50kg x 5
60kg x 3 (these felt hard considering I did 110kg before Christmas)

Seated dumbbell press
20kg x 10
25kg x 10 x 2 sets

Side laterals
15kg x 10, 10kg x 10, 7.5kg x 10, 5kg x 10, 2.5kg x 10 run the rack


Thursday 13/8/09

Warm up – 1 min dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Deadlifts
bar x 20
60kg x 10
80kg x 5
100kg x 5
120kg x 3
140kg x 3

Chins
bw x 5
bw + 5kg x 5
bw x 5 x 2 sets

Seated cable rows
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 10


Friday 14/8/09

Warm up – 1 min dual action bike, light dumbbell complexes + stretching

Close grip axle bench with IW super mini bands doubled
bar x 10
30kg x 5
50kg x 3

2 board close grip axle bench with IW super mini bands doubled
55kg x 3

3 board close grip axle bench with IW super mini bands doubled
60kg x 3

4 board close grip axle bench with IW super mini bands doubled
65kg x 3

Medium grip axle bench lockouts IW super mini bands doubled
70kg x 3
100kg x 3
110kg x 3

Pressdowns
20kg x 15
30kg x 15


All workouts were less than 30 mins so not much rest between sets which could be a problem when I get some strength back and start lifting more but it is working well for the moment.

Bodyweight has gone up 2.5kg since I ended my diet a few weeks back and I have gained an inch back on my waist but training has been going well this week except for my elbows/forearms playing up again. All I have done to my diet is add 2 slices of wholemeal bread to each of my chicken and veg meals during the day.

I went up to the next band tension this week and still managed to do the same weight on everything so I will up the tension again next week and then do just weight the following week and the keep rotating it. 3 weeks different bands then 1 week just weight.

No grip or bicep work this week again (8 weeks since I last did any grip work) as my elbows/forearms/hands were hurting from my mates making me try and rip an argos book which I told them I couldn’t do as I had not trained it for ages and have lost a lot of strength but they kept egging me on and then I looked like a right idiot when I could not do it and I have been in pain all week.

T

Tony Coward wrote:Thanks Mark, looks like you’ve got a great set up as well mate. Mine is getting there the problem is although I have not got the room I keep buying more stuff as I cant miss out on a bargain and keep having to leave stuff sitting in the garden till I make room for it. I just more than doubled the size of my shed and it filled up straight away. Its nice knowing that I have more weight, bigger dumbbells and better equipment than all the big commercial gyms in town and it is all just for little old me.

Haha you sound as bad as me Tony, always buying more gear I dont have room for.

Well done on the weight loss.

Thanks Richard, I have just got even more equipment. I recently got the most heavy duty commercial adjustable bench (you could park a bus on it and it would not move) and 120kg of rubber coated oly weights all for £60 and a cambered squat bar (buffalo bar style) for £25 which I used last night for squats and good mornings and it was so good I love it.

I have not had time to post the last few weeks or sleep much for that matter (4hrs on a good night) but I have still been training (same routine as above) and trying to work the weights and my bodyweight back up.

Also finally laid the patio at the weekend 1600kg of slabs and 500kg of sand which was not fun. I have also been feeling really dizzy and weak the last few weeks (more so than normal) which is making training really difficult as I feel like I am going to pass out just standing up let alone deadlifting. I constantly feel drunk and swaying about everywhere even though I have not had a drink in ages. I am still training at lunchtime which only gives me less than 30 mins to train but it is the only way I can do it at the moment as by the time I get home from work I feel terrible and very weak/dizzy.

I trained grip for the first time in 3 months the other day after my back workout. I just did some grippers to see where I was at after the time off.
BH HG100 x 15, COC1 x 1, COC1.5 x 1, COC2 x 1
RH COC2.5 x 1
Which I was pretty pleased with considering my setting was pretty poor and the grippers kept sliding back down my hand where they have softened up from not doing anything.

Anyway will try and update my log with workouts next week.
T