[Adam Bishop]

Final double training day before a week off. Early start to pick the wife up from the airport as she was running the NYC marathon at the weekend, then it was back home and into the gym for my first press session.

Started off with circus DB and Barbell press, 3 reps on the DB interspersed with 2 reps on the barbell. 3 sets of this to get the timing right. Will progress the weight nice and slow over the next 5 weeks then start pushing the pace.

Sports massage session around lunch time then back into the gym in the evening for my incline session:

Incline Bench Press 3 sets

Seated row 3 sets

EZ skullcrushers 3 sets

Cable Rev fly 3×20

Seated DB Press 3×20

[Adam Bishop]

20mins on the stairs to start my day then afternoon deadlifts using the new set up with the axle. Axle deadlifts are so hamstring heavy with the deficit and the bar sitting a little bit further away from you than a standard barbell. Stuck to the minimum reps today to feel it out. Looking forward to pushing things on over the 12 week prep for Brits.

Axle Deadlift 347.5×3 242.5×10
Bulgarian split squats 3 sets
SL Calf Raise 3 sets
BB curl 3 sets
45deg hyper 3×20

[Adam Bishop]

Rest day.

Had a tidy up in the gym and set up the axle for tomorrow’s deadlift session.

I’ve got some XL bumper plates which I’ll be using for the Brits prep to replicate the comp kit. Will be lifting off a raised platform with the bar still at standard height however as it’s an axle it works out at about an inch deficit. Looking forward to it

[Adam Bishop]

Events at the farm this morning. Smooth yoke runs and 20 bag throws over the 4.5m barrier.

Yoke 320x2x20m
Bag toss 20 reps total

Then evening session in the barn:

Military Press 105×3 110×3 117×5 100×9 82×12
CG Pulldown 113×11 93×14 79×15
Pressdowns 45×7 36×12 27×16
DB Rev fly 3×20
Dips 3×20

[Adam Bishop]

Yeah I take my join in and curecoming either in the morning or pre bed to keep it away from the training window.

[Adam Bishop]

20mins stairs this morning before heading to physique warehouse for my squat session:

Squat 267×10
Squat 178x5x10
Seated leg curl 5×10
Calf raise 5×10
Seated DB Curl 5×10

Squats moved well and my recovery between sets is really good at the moment.

Two weeks till the new phase begins as we commence prep for Brits.

[Adam Bishop]

Rest day.

Better weather today so I spend nearly all of it outside doing some work in the gym and building a rack for my van.

Also popped in a few shelves in the gym to store some bits as it’s getting a bit cluttered in there.

Back in the gym tomorrow for squats

[Adam Bishop]

Rest day. 20min stairs this morning.

Rained most the day so didn’t get some of the bits I wanted to get done around the house and gym but I’ll do them tomorrow.

Today was a sit down and sort my admin out day.

[Adam Bishop]

20min stairs first thing this morning.

Then mid morning DB session focusing on getting my left arm technique going. Plenty of singles done.

Sports massage after lunch, still working on keeping my IT bands in line and TFLs happy.

Finally evening incline bench session:

Incline Bench Press 145×5 155×5 165×5
Incline Bench Press 116x5x10
Seated Cable Row 5×10
EZ Bar tricep extension 5×10
Cable Rev fly 3×20

[Adam Bishop]

Great question Chris.

In all honestly I wish I had a super scientific answer for why but to be truthful I wanted less exercises and didn’t want to think about my assistance work for a period of time.

By dictating more sets to my main lifts I believe I will improve them faster than multiple exercises. As a strength athlete we are not really trying to build a pretty physique but get stronger at the main lifts (which is how we measure strength most of the time.)

Using the boring but big 5×10 add on to 531 I didn’t have to load multiple machines, just strip some weight off the bar and get to work.

I can flip back to top set/back off set whenever I want but for now I’ll stick to the 5×10 for my volume work, especially as I have limited options as a home gym trainer.

In answer to your question regarding load for the 5×10, I use 60% of that phase’s training max. I then just add a kilo for each week of the phase until it resets on the next phase.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Make the switch yourself and see how you feel. Different periods of training styles are always good to run for a while.

Remember when a certain R.Coleman used to do multiple sets of 8-12 reps on all his lifts. As always I believe the training programme is only as good as the intensity and consistency you bring to it.

[Adam Bishop]

Morning stairs for 20min then I it the gym in the afternoon for deadlifts. Moved over to an axle deadlift from standard height to align with the axle deadlift for Brits. Also moved over to paused reps post top set in place of SLDL to get some more technical work done on the axle.

Axle deadlift 330×6

Paused Axle Deadlift 265x3x3

45deg hypers 3×20

Bulgarian Split Squats 5×10

SL Calf Raise 5×10

BB Curl 5×10

[Adam Bishop]

Rest day.

Morning 20min stairs done then doing some garden and house work. Standard Sunday.

In the gym tomorrow for deadlifts

[Adam Bishop]

Farm session this morning was a little different- we’ve had the proposed events through for BSM so went with yoke and bag toss today. Worked up to three sets with 280 on the yoke for 20m then 20 throws total with the 20kg bag. Working on being quicker on the throw so eliminating the jump back technique I used to use. We will see how it pans out.

Watches Quins smash Newcastle in the prem in the afternoon then into the gym for my press session:

Military Press 98×5 104×5 111×7
Military Press 78x5x10
CG Pulldowns 5×10
Pressdowns 5×10
DB Rev Fly 3×20

[Adam Bishop]

Packed up early and headed off to physique warehouse to get my squat session done. Felt great this morning after 10 hours sleep in the Bivvy.

Pretty standard session, hit all my target reps and loads.

Squat 253×10
Squat 177x5x10
Seated Leg Curl 5×10
Calf raise 5×10
Incline DB Curl 5×10

[Adam Bishop]

If it’s cooked ahead of time weigh it cooked. (I bulk cook my chicken and beef).

If you’re cooking it from fresh weigh it raw.