Andy
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A superb pull session yesterday at the new Muscle Hut Falkirk. The gym is superb, I can’t wait to go back shortly. Chris and I linked up with Wojtek and filmed the session for YT so that should be for some good viewing.
Rope cable pullovers – 2 sets, 12-15
Panatta<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”> SA PL lat pulldowns – 1 set, 8-12
Conventional T-bar rows – 1 sets, 8-12
Atlantis chest supported t-bar rows – 2 set, 8-12
SA DB row – 2 set, 8-12
Prime pin-loaded rear peck deck – 2 sets, 8-12
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Cheers Greg, I’m glad someone watches it haha. . .
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If a compound causes you pain and inflammation constantly, I’d just remove it. There are plenty other compounds you can take. If you like it that much then you could maybe try reducing it, and adding primo, however, I just don’t see the worth if it were to continue to cause you pain/crashing.
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Another pretty busy NTD, but not as busy as usual as my massage therapist is off on holiday. I usually boast that I just go to him to keep everything ticking over, rather than anything specific or sinister, however, I really needed a massage yesterday. . . I’m feeling a little beat up, but nothing I can’t push through.
Business and enquiries usually start to ramp up this time of the year – it’s been the same since I started coaching in 2016, June/July get a little quiet, people drop off etc – so I’m expecting to be quite flat out going forward. I wouldn’t have it any other way to be fair.
I am still a 1-2-1 personal trainer, I don’t ever see that changing because I love it, but I am noticing more guys wanting 1-2-1 nowadays. I’m sure many of the coaches on here will testify, that the majority of people need a personal trainer, not an online coach. It’s when an online client finally sends you training footage and you’re like, “Jesus christ, that’s awful”.
A fairly quiet weekend this week though, so I’m just revelling in the busyness for now.
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A bit of a weird one yesterday with legs. I’m wondering if all direct glute work just plays havoc on my SI joint. I incorporated SM glute hip thrusts in 2024 post show, but it got to a point where my SI was being knocked out every single time. Now, with pin-loaded abductor in, I’m starting to see the same issue, albeit not as prolific.
When I got to my RDLs, my hips just didn’t want to hinge at all. It’s rare I need to double take a working set, as in I did 2 reps, stopped, and then continued the set. I wasn’t in pain, my hips just didn’t want to move in that direction. 150 RDL is barely a warm up, however, I’ve been doing them paused, but I removed the pause after the double take, and it seemed to be okay.
Pin-loaded abductor – 2 sets, 12-15 > 5s negatives, 2s in the shortened
Pause seated leg curls – 1 set, 8-12
PL leg extensions – 1 set, 8-12
HS hip press – 1 set, 8-12
Pendulum squat – 1 set, 8-12 > 4s negatives
BB RDL – 1 set, 8-12
EZ-bar walking lunges – 1 set, the entire length of a gym upstairs which is about 40 reps
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I would be expecting more of a weight increase from the inclusion of anadrol. In terms of the efficacy of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard of bunk anadrol, but I guess anything is possible given the popularity of PEDs now. Like Hilly said, focus on the visuals too. I used anadrol early 2025, and I saw a slight increase in pump quality, but my weight didn’t move any faster than it would have without the anadrol present.
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A great start to the week with push 1.
I’ve subbed out all smith machine work because my right rotator cuff keeps locking the day after. It’s not painful, I just know that the SM is causing is agro, so I’ve swapped out the SM shoulder press for the HS shoulder press. I usually max out strength wise on this pretty quickly, but with the changes to execution and tempo, that shouldn’t be a factor for quite some time.
We were forced to use a cable stack that has a new cable on it, and the cable is a cheap replacement, so it sticks and jitters, not idea for slow tempo work.
A lot of good improvements in terms of both numbers and execution.
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A stellar weekend for sure. I checked in with myself at 254.6 again – this was my exact weight last week. So. 7 weeks post show and I’m 7lbs lighter. The thing is. . . I feel fantastic. My sleep is great, my mood is 10/10 and I still look within shooting distance of a show.
This past weekend I trained arms of Saturday morning, something that is becoming a real love and something I massively look forward to at the end of the week.
My other half and I took the train through to Edinburgh for the Royal military tattoo which is a military parade of pipe and brass bands from militaries across the world.
Quite a few drinks and a few off plans thrown in too.
I do really feel like I’ve struck a great balance with everything across the board just now.
I’m really for the next push for sure!
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A solo push 2 session yesterday, interrupted by house selling obligations, but that’s my flat sold, so fingers crossed there’s zero stress until the move in day.
Greg has given me both an high incline SM press, and a small incline SM press, I’m noticing too much build up of tightness in my rotator cuff from doing so, so I’m going to swap all SM work for iso machine work. My right shoulder in particular doesn’t like being locked into the same path as the left, a fact that ultimately led to my right shoulder tear.
However, here was yesterday’s session.
Seated cuffed cable chest flys – 1 set, 12-15, 1 set, 8-12, 1 set, 15-20
Standing iso cable lateral raises – 1 set, 12-15, 1 set, 8-12, 1 set, 15-20
Small incline SM chest press {I’m going to swap this for the Prime PL incline} – 1 set, 8-12, 1 set, 12-15
High incline DB shoulder press – 1 set, 8-12, 1 set, 12-15
SA cuffed cable lateral raises – 1 set, 12-15, 1 set, 8-12, 1 set, 15-20
Arsenal iso standing chest press – 1 set, 8-12, 1 set, 12-15
SA cuffed cable rear delt raises – 3 sets, 12-15
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The team have it spot on. Anything with calorific content prior I feel breaks the “fasted” state. Water + a coffee is ample. As it’s been mentioned, overall caloric expenditure is what matters most.
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A very busy NTD yesterday, playing a bit of catch up with admin, both life and business. I’m currently in the middle of selling my flat, which needs to be almost forced through so that the sale can go through before the start of October – which is when I’m due to move into my new flat.
We’re only moving a 10 minute walk from where we are just now, but to a 3 bed, main door flat. Flats/tenements are a little different compared to England. Glasgow tenements are massive, something the size of bungalows, so it’s pretty common for people to choose tenements over new build, or slightly newer houses.
Anyway, I had my usual beating from Ricky which knocked me out for the rest of the day. I was pretty beat up from legs since my leg sessions are starting to pick up strength wise.
I don’t see myself pushing the volume for legs any time soon. I know what I can get out of relatively lower volume. Total working set volume is;
Quads: 3
Hamstrings: 2
Glutes: 1
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Legs was superb, even if my training partner was 1 hour and 15 minutes late, a new record. He’s incredibly busy with work, working an actual job, so I have to cut him some slack.
I feel fully refreshed after my “trip” to Krakov.
I have a solid 2 months of few social life interruptions before my brother’s wedding in October.
I’ve definitely managed to get everything out of my system, I’m just ready to lock in. That is the strategy I followed in 2024, stay spot on with my eating/training/cardio, but if I want a night out, have one, enjoy myself and then realise how much I love bodybuilding and then come back. . .
I used a pyramid style warm up (12 > 8) for everything except the hip press which used a 6-4-1.
Pin-loaded abductor – 1 set, 12-15 > 5s negatives, 2s in the shortened
Paused seated leg curls – 1 set, 8-12
HS hip press – 1 set, 8-12 > feet 5 inches apart, heel slightly of the bottom of the plate.
Pendulum squat – 1 set, 8-12 > 4s negatives
BB RDL – 1 set, 8-12 > nowhere near the poundages I’ve used in the past
PL leg extensions – 1 set, 12-15
EZ-bar walking lunges – 1 set, the entire length of a gym upstairs which
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A great session with Chris today, and a session which i thought would be pretty lacklustre due to the antics across the weekend, but numbers were up across the board. I think this is primarily due to my shoulder being a lot looser than it was these past few weeks. Usually Ricky gives a full body run through, as I usually only have a few bits here and there, however, my pressing comfortability was becoming sub-par, so Ricky went through my shoulder specifically.
I’m always very wary of my shoulder due to the op almost 4 years ago, but it’s usually just stiffness and build up of metabolic waste.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Lying cuffed Y raises – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off. Bringing arms just below parallel.
Seated d-handle cable flys – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, 1s pause in the lengthened, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off.
Wide grip SM shoulder press (pressing through pinky) – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
HS iso-lateral incline PL chest press – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
SA d-handle cable side raises – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, 2nd back-off is 3s up, 3s down. Bringing arms just below parallel.
Prime iso-lateral flat PL chest press – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
Prime rear peck deck (torque 2) – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off.
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A week of not being able to log into the forum, but nothing much to report really. With every given week, I’m feeling fresher, stronger and my sleep/recovery ticks up a couple of notches.
I’m still 6-7lbs lighter than when I was onstage at the Empro, but I’m holding onto a level of conditioning that is – in my opinion – bang on. When the time is right, I’ll be in a great place to push up from.
I’d say training is now at 100%, with the prospect of some more volume going in.
The biggest thing I’ve noticed is the look/shape to my shoulders. The overhauled shoulder training is definitely working – see previous blogs.
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Another back session yesterday, this time with Kieran.
The past 2-3 sessions, I’ve just really not felt the need to push for more volume. I feel the current volume level is effective and leaving me not only progressing with each set and lift, but adequately done in from the efforts.
Rope cable pullovers – 2 sets, 12-15
HS SA PL lat pulldowns – 1 set, 8-12
Conventional T-bar rows – 1 sets, 8-12
Megamass chest supported t-bar rows – 2 set, 8-12
SA DB row – 2 set, 8-12
SA cable high-to-low row – 2 sets, 8-12
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