[Adam]

I would run your non training day food whilst off the gym so that your calorie intake doesn’t exceed your expenditure.

That is that, I assume you have a training day and non training day diet.

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

1.1lb drop even with slight food increase but i expected a little due to new training plan being much more intense. Rest day today so will eat up ready for legs tomorrow.

Blood pressure 148/82 this morning, need to get a bigger cuff really. Will continue to monitor this during this push phase.

Very good back session last night, everything felt on point.

Dual D handle chest supported pulldown x8, x12

RDL X6

Hammer strength Upper back row x12, x5

Single arm low row x10, x10

Prime extreme row x7, x12

DB shrugs x20

Rear delt flies x10. x10

cable curl x20, x17

Nytram single arm preacher x10, x12

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

260lbs this morning. Not been this weight since Sept/Oct 2020 although i am in such a better spot condition wise than before so it is kicking my ass atm but i’m feeling very full and strength is on the up so i am on the right trajectory.

I had a 200cal increase coming from carbs and s tad reduction in protein so this should eek out some more progression this week.

I have no weight set in my mind, just a look i want to achieve so what ever that will be, who knows.

Very good session last night, couple of movements i haven’t done before like the Prime incline press so was setting some numbers.

High incline smith press x8, x13

Prime incline press x8, x12

Viking press x6

Dip machine x7

Pec dec x19, x15

Seated side laterals x12, x8

single arm overhead DB ext x12, x12

single arm rope pushdown x18, x15

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Split has been decided and I have programmed it based on JPs training principles ebook as that is the way I have trained for a long time also.

I have to have set days so it’s going to be

mon – push
tues – pull
wed – off
thurs – legs
fri – push
sat – off
sun – off

mon – pull (no lower back load)
tues – legs (RDL)
wed – off
thurs – push
fri – pull
sat – off
sun – off

mon – legs
tues – push
wed – off
thurs – pull
fri – legs
sat – off
sun – off

Repeat

This should see me hitting a different body part twice each week.

I have attached photos of the proposed plan but I am not locked into specific exercises so open to some critique if anyone has any.

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Worked all weekend as I’m working 7 days a week atm. Mon-Fri at my day job and then my own engineering business in the evenings after the gym and weekends. Plus now being back at Uni full time (Open Uni) i know i need to set some ground rules and non negotiables to manage my time.

One of my biggest is wasting time scrolling socials, playing games ect and before you know it, its gone midnight and you have to be up at 6am for work.

Non negotiables and routine now are:

Wake 6am

10pm bed

30mins – 1 hour Studying pre bed daily

Wear my CPAP daily

Support max neuro and JP dream sleep daily

Mon-Fri No social media, computer work, games ect post 8pm

I’m not back from the gym until 8pm anyway so will be a case of upload anything i need to as soon as i am done and then that is it.

I will add to the list as i get deeper into the routine and see what needs work. Obviously with a wife and young children it is always had to manage things especially early nights as often my son is wide awake gone 11pm but we do what we can.

I always like to be transparent with everything, because unfortunately i don’t have the luxury to afford to BB and solely focus on progressing that at the moment. So I have to work every hour i can for my family and try and better myself with my study so I can one day have the financial freedom.

Things may take longer, you’ll make plenty of mistakes and you won’t get recognition over night but it will be worth it when you get there.

This was too deep.. Get me to the gym haha!!

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Solid session tonight! Glute/ham/adductor/back work.

Very happy with how the session went and Really felt EVERYTHING tonight.
I still need to lock in a routine that suits my needs as the aim for the next coming months is all time new muscle and strength. This is a must if my aim is to Win the British title as I don’t want any weaknesses.

The session was:

10min treadmil warm up
Glute drive x12, x10, x5
Lying ham x12, x13+2
Single arm hammer Pulldown x12, x5
Neutral grip Pulldown x10, x8
Chest supported pin loaded row x10
DB shrugs x12, x12

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Today’s check in – these last few weeks I have been trying so hard to “feel” my back work.

I’ve never been able to connect or feel my mid/upper/traps at all. I am definitely starting to see a difference in the development since I have been putting my emphasis on my back training so hopefully this is the start of me not having a shit back anymore ??

Hi Adam

Not shots here. Training back isn’t always the easiest muscle group to connect with because the most of the time we can’t ourselves directly working the muscle.

But with you saying you’re starting to see the difference in developments tell me you’re getting a better connection than before, so that’s good to read.

You have a good shape and muscle on your frame. I agree with Jordan with his comment about doing some direct Glute work. Exercises like Glute drive/hip thrusts and 45 degree hip extensions will target your glutes. This will

Help your side and rear shots especially with your tie-in. You may be doing this already, but I’d also add in some adductor exercises as this will help to close the gaps in your legs and make you look even more complete.

Keep up the great work ??[/quote]
Hi mark! Thank you for taking the time to give me you input! I really appreciate it.

My rear and side shots are most definitely my weakest points and always the ones where I’ve struggled to connect which has caused me to shy away from certain movements and it’s definitely has had a negative impact.

I’ve always enjoyed training but never had a solid routine that was aimed solely on my development due to training partners ect but that definitely needs to change going forward.

Really good to have you on here and for us to follow your journey in the pro ranks ??

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

You look brilliant mate , more glute needed too! Defo want to see them occupying more space in that rear shot

Thank you JP, that means a lot! Oh definitely! For some reason I’ve never incorporated direct glute work. Don’t ask me why, as now I think of it it.. it’s moronic that I haven’t been doing it ?

Will add it in tonight’s session and going forward ?

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Today’s check in – these last few weeks I have been trying so hard to “feel” my back work.

I’ve never been able to connect or feel my mid/upper/traps at all. I am definitely starting to see a difference in the development since I have been putting my emphasis on my back training so hopefully this is the start of me not having a shit back anymore ??

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Been a very good week in terms of progression in the gym and body weight going up.

I can definitely feel the increase walking around atm. it’s been a while since I’ve been at this weight and I’m around 8lbs below my peak weight so it will take a couple of weeks to adjust and I will continue to push up and surpass previous whilst keeping an eye condition doesn’t slip too far.

Solid back session last night. Since i dropped back my numbers and focused on connecting with the exercises I have been getting much better workouts.

close grip Lat pulldown (I connect very well with this so close grip will be a staple, I find straight bar my bis and delts get involved too much.

Tbar row 1 x 8, 1 x 11

Dual bent over chest supported DB row 1 x 10, 1 x 12

Dumbbell pullover 2 x 10

Preacher curl machine 2 x 12

Incline DB hammer curl 2 x 15

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

What’s your workout split? And offseason now?

Back in offseason now yes, will see how this run goes.

At the moment it is

mon – chest & tri

tues – legs

wed – off

thurs – back

fri – Delts – sometimes i have this day off depending on workload

sat – off

sun – Hams/adductors/Back top up

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

i have 4 kids so know exactly how you feel 🙂 .. a fixed routine would be a good way to go. That is the way i have always trained so that i could plan around my wife/kids and know the exact days i will be training. This also makes it much simpler to meal prep IMO.

You can make plenty of progress only training 4 times a week if time really was a factor. which id opt for a push/pull/legs split and do a top up session on the 4th day

Mon – push

tues – pull

wed – rest

thurs – legs

fri – Pull or back top up work

sat – off

sun – off

Or for 5 day

Mon – chest & tri

tues – Legs

wed – rest

thurs – Back & bi

fri – Shoulders

sat – off

sun – Back top up (no loading) or some people have arms

obviously it all depends on your weaknesses are and what you specifically want to focus on.

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Solid leg session yesterday and again, first session I’ve not had any knee pain in a while so that’s a bonus!

Can’t remember the exact reps as it’s in my log book but the session was

Standing calves
Seated ham curl
Safety bar squat
Leg press
Leg ext
DB SLDL
Adductors

Rest day today which consisted of no rest as always.. I’m always more buys when it’s rest day than when it’s an actual training day.

Sleep quality hasn’t been great as of late as I haven’t been able to use my CPAP – I need to buy a new face mask as it broke. (damn puppy ? )

When ever I read these back it’s all just a jumble of words as my brain says something and i type so it’s never structured.. just lots of Brain farts so hopefully you are all making sense of my ramblings ??

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Really solid session on chest and tris last night. You know it is a good session when your chest is so pumped it feels numb.

Pressing strength was on the rise, still not quite there yet but managed a couple of PB’s on some things but that is probably because i haven’t push those movements for progression yet such as the decline hammer press but either way that was a mini win.

Another couple of weeks and think I’ll be back to full health, still got a bad cold and shortness of breath which is exacerbated now weight is pushing back up so will be mindful of this. Just feels good to be back in the gym and filling back out.

The session was:

Warm up – Pec dec 4 x 10-20 (not counted as a set, just moving some blood to warm up.)

decline hammer press 1 x 10, 1 x 10

incline bb 1 x 5, 1 x 12

Banded nautilus vertical press 2 x 10

Pec dec 2 x 12

thick bar pushdown

ez bar extension

seated dips

i don’t track the weights for the accessory work like tris as i only hit these once a week and it isn’t something i feel needs progress unless i have a main compound like close grip press. Where then i will monitor the loading so i do enough until i feel like they are done. Some sessions it maybe more volume, others it may be less.

Great to see you’re getting better Adam! hitting pb’s already and still not 100% that sounds like further progress down the road! [/quote]
Hi César!

You and me both, it’s been hell these last few weeks.

I’m looking forward to getting proper stuck into a good gaining phase as I’ve never actually had one believe it or not.

I hope your training is going well and you are handling post show optimally?

Instagram: @adamedw4rds

[Adam]

Really solid session on chest and tris last night. You know it is a good session when your chest is so pumped it feels numb.

Pressing strength was on the rise, still not quite there yet but managed a couple of PB’s on some things but that is probably because i haven’t push those movements for progression yet such as the decline hammer press but either way that was a mini win.

Another couple of weeks and think I’ll be back to full health, still got a bad cold and shortness of breath which is exacerbated now weight is pushing back up so will be mindful of this. Just feels good to be back in the gym and filling back out.

The session was:

Warm up – Pec dec 4 x 10-20 (not counted as a set, just moving some blood to warm up.)

decline hammer press 1 x 10, 1 x 10

incline bb 1 x 5, 1 x 12

Banded nautilus vertical press 2 x 10

Pec dec 2 x 12

thick bar pushdown

ez bar extension

seated dips

i don’t track the weights for the accessory work like tris as i only hit these once a week and it isn’t something i feel needs progress unless i have a main compound like close grip press. Where then i will monitor the loading so i do enough until i feel like they are done. Some sessions it maybe more volume, others it may be less.

Instagram: @adamedw4rds