One month on.. my thoughts and goals..

It's been just over a month since I started this training again. Time to quickly think about my goals.

Size : I'm a hard gainer so I shouldn't base my goals on size and appearance. I'm not a body builder (but I am a little vain)..
Strength : This is a realistic goal. Although my body isn't changing a lot, my numbers are. Keep my pride in strength and performance. These numbers encourage me.
Fitness : Gotta work on that.. ;-)
Hormones : I feel good.. I feel angresive in a good way at times..
Supplements : Just need more protein, the other stuff doesn't make much difference. One stop seems to fix my supplement cravings mainly. Separate protein, creatine, ZMA and others cost too much!

Conclusion : Train to raise numbers (Strength).. the size will follow.. Training strength seems to impact my hormones positively.

Man-Bells!!

I was injured from the last workout, something is pulled on my ribs. Still, I waited a few days and went out again. This time I'm using my brand new John Brookfield hollow bells. This things are huge!! They look much bigger than my 24's, something like 40's!! It's a real man looking thing..

Too big for me? They do look kinda comical I think to the casual viewer. Like they are blown up or something. Anyway, I've got mine filled up to 24kg each at the moment. There is room to take them up to 32kg with steel powder inside.. or much heavier with lead powder. For now I imagine that 32's are a way off for me so steel powder it is! It's cheaper too.. Will I ever get to the point where I think.. hmmm.. 32 is too light.. I need more!

Here's what I did...

farmer walk to the park
DB KB OH press 4x5, 2x4, 1x3, 1x2 (good numbers.. only just short of 5x5)
Renegade rows 2x10 l,r .. then FAIL! my injury isn't good enough to engage the core so much.
DB KB squat... FAIL! .. felt both intercostals straight away in a bad way..
Single OH KB lunges 10 alternating with right OH, 10 alternating with left OH
couple of DB jerks for skills...

So what do I take from this?... I need more volume on the presses now.. 5x5 isn't enough.. I feel I need to add volume to this.
Rows seem very inadequate.. I really need to sort out a pull up bar...
After my core is healed I need to get back to squatting... squats rule!

24's don't feel so heavy..

Not like they used to!

Db KB OH press 1x6 2x5 2x4 (rest must of done me good)
Db KB rows 5x10

Single OH Kb alternating lunges (10 steps OH right, 10 steps OH left) x3
one set swings (too painful for the skin on my hands.. )

Farmers walk to and from home..

So my OH press numbers are better.. almost 5x5 with the 24s. I liked the variation today for lunges. As an exercise it simulates shooting double legs more than squats and with the bell held overhead it strengthens the shoulder further.

I didn't get along with the swings, the skin on my palms were tearing up quickly. Looks like my hamstrings are being neglected in my training again. Let's hope the squats, lunges and occasional deadlifts will improve them..

I haven't touched my red 20's in a while which is a shame, to me they look beautiful. I'm expecting two fillable bells to replace everything I have got. They will be able to be filled up to 32kg with steel and 40kg with lead.

pushed for time..

I'm near the end of the busiest work month of my life and somehow I've managed to keep training.. Training high volume when I'm so pushed for time seems to be counterproductive. My OH press was actually worse today than earlier in the week, it could be because of the sets of squats in between tired my core and reduced my press or it could just be that my body hasn't recovered properly.

Db KB OH press (24kg) 2x5, 1x4, 2x2
Renegade rows 5x8 (l,r)
Db KB squats 1x5, 1x6, 2x8, 1x10
Farmers walk to and from the park.

I'm tired the next day and feeling a little ill. Kinda run down. I'm working now for 4 days so I'll let myself recover for all of that.

Body wise.. I'm certainly bigger than I was but I've also put on some fat too with all the eating. I wasn't expecting to make clean gains (does anyone really?). I might consider putting in one HIIT session a week or perhaps just make it to BJJ...

First blood to the 24's

Two days ago:

Front barbell squats 1x10@60kg 9x5@70kg
some dumbbell renegade rows

Today.. first go with double 24kgs KBs

Double KB Mil Press : 2x5 1x4 1x3 1x4
Renegade Rows : 5x8 (l,r)
Single KB snatch practice 3 sets each arm.
Farmers walk to and from the flat to the park.

I struggled with the press a little more than I thought kind of. Was I truly expecting to perform 5x5? Well, yes... My 20kg numbers were good and I felt strong. But I couldn't manage 5x5. That's good though.. room to improve to get to 5x5!

The bells seem light still for renegade rows.. I really could do with 32s! I must locate a way to do weighted chin ups.. it's far better for my arms and back...

First blood.. the handles on the 24's aren't as smooth as I hoped.. and I pulled off a corn.. Chalk!

Gyming away

On the cricket in Durham.. pitiful..

6x5 65kg Bench
5x5 1x2 Chin Up
40kg Lunges 6x5 (l,r)

Struggling to think of a hamstring exercise other than swings and deadlifts.. I didn't want to swing dumbbells and I thought that the lunges and deadlifts might of been too much for me today.

Little more tired than I thought but this is a seriously busy month. I enjoy kettlebell work outs much more!

The 24's will be here by Monday.. Bring on the heavy metal!

In a rush..

Had a shoulder tweak after the last workout so I was delayed getting back into it. Only 4 hours sleep and no breakfast before my workout.. and against the clock. Not ideal.

DB KB Mil Press 3x6 2x5 (shoulder felt fine)
Alternating renegade rows 4x10 (l,r)
DB KB Squat 4x10
Farmers walk to and from home

Ended up feeling a little light headed since i didn't have any breakfast.. It had to do.. Glad my shoulder is back in condition again.. Gonna gym it in Newcastle over the next 5 days..

No bell prize

Away with work so I went to the gym. It's a bit of a rip off really, every month I could buy a kettlebell with the money.. I'll really have to cancel it this week I think.

Bench 1x4 @ 70kg, 3x5 @ 65kg, 1x4 @ 65kg
Chin ups 10,8,5,5,5
Deadlifts 6x5 @ 95kg?

Sore lats and lower back 2 days later, slight twinge in my right knee. One good thing though, I'm very confident about my testosterone levels as I had a morning 'gentlemen's embarrassment' that just wouldn't go away this morning. Mike Mahler often used this as a rough indicator to your T levels and if that's so, my T levels are improving!

So what caused this? Lifting heavy? Supplementation? a combination of the two?

Probably the latter.. but whatever is happening, it's certainly happening! My biceps are pumped too, much bigger and harder. Could this be from the Creatine water intake? I certainly have gotten bigger and bulkier. I'm going to continue with what I'm taking, so I'm going to need more maca and trib. Very happy with the one-stop powder, it's very cost effective.