[Marc]

Completely agree with what Kiera here and you should be able to get everything you need within your budget too.

Make sure you have a play around with getting the best lighting too from what you buy, so that your pictures are consistent

[Marc]

Pull session today. Really happy with the intensity and increase in load since pec injury. To be honest I feel likely I’m pretty much over that so I don’t even want to keep mentioning it too much more, but I’m just wanting explain how the session structure was.

The first exercise was the only single arm movement today. I went lighter in weight on the pec strain side and heavier on the side that’s fine. All over movements weights where consistent on both sides with it being dual movement exercises. Surprised myself with the load I was able to shift today, so it’s onwards progression from here.

Single arm d handle pulldown (lat bias) x 2

D handle low cable row (lat bias) x 2

Chest supported t bar row (mid / upper back) x 2

Low hammer row (mid / upper back) x 2 – triple dropset last set

Machine shrug x 2- triple dropset last set

…also I sent my Arnold Classic U.K. application off today!

[Marc]

Really good quad session today, the change in rest day yesterday really helped performance in the gym. Progression across the board here

Exercises today:

2 x adductor – 15-20 reps
2 x hack squats – top sets 7.5pps x 11 reps new PB
3 x leg extension – 15-20 reps, last set dropset to failure
2 x hip leg press – 20 reps
2 x standing calf raise – 15 reps

[Marc]

Hi Benjamin

Could you use either MyFitnessPal or Cronometer apps as a way to track your food?

[Marc]

Hi guys

So today ended up being a rest day for me. Normally my rest day during the week is Thursday, but after speaking with cal last night we agreed that Wednesday will now be a rest day instead.

The reason for it is that Monday’s leg session went really well from a performance point of view. We are now looking to allow me an extra day rest and pull leg day training down to 2X a week instead of 3X.

This will also allow for extra recovery at help me to be even more accurate in the 2 leg sessions I will now have.

I’ll update you all on the new split, me and Cal need to discuss a few options here.

On a side note, rest day food today is going down really easy. Appetite feels like it is through the roof today which for me is a very good sign as it’s not often like this. Rest day cals 5325 – P350 C700 F125

[Marc]

Hi Mohammad

I agree with what Phoebe said. From your pictures that you posted you have a nice shape. I would imagine from the poses you’re doing that you would like to compete in bodybuilding? If that’s the case I’d have a look at perhaps competing in classic bodybuilding as you have a really good v taper.

Have you ever watched a bodybuilding show live before? I would 100% recommend going to watch a show, maybe watching different federations and how they run their shows, the order they call each pose, what does the atmosphere feel like at a show. I found before I had ever competing watching different shows really helped me to be prepared for show day as I got a better feel for what competing would be like, instead of watching videos online.

Once you have decided on your federation, have a look at the show date calendar and if you have a coach set a date for when your competition prep will start. Good luck with your journey to the stage, keep us updated!

[Marc]

Hi Benjamin

Both Hilly and Kiera are spot on in their replies.

Just to add what Kiera said with having a rough idea of how many calories you’re on, the same should be for steps also having these tracked daily.

Putting yourself in a calorie deficit and also including cardio will help you drop bodyfat. Tracking steps is a variable that can adjusted as the weeks go by, but it’s important to know where you’re from the start with this so that you don’t go full guns blazing from the start.

[Marc]

Solo push rehab session today with 1 bicep exercise at the end of the session. I did this session at the gym closer to home because it saved on time and just made sense for the type of session I was doing.

All movements again in this session were unilateral. The ‘injured’ side I contracted at around 50% last week, where as today I took things up a notch to around 75% (I didn’t have my calculator out lol but I definitely contracted harder).

Happy with how the weights moved on each side. With being in a different gym with different machines the load of the weights for what I thought would be a working set was easier than I thought on a few exercises, so I re-done the set to make sure I was challenging myself.

I had to be patient here to hold back on weight on the injured side because in my mind I forget that I even strained my pec because I feel fine. I think a few more weeks here and all will be good.

Side note, anyone who saw Kerry’s 1st attempt at COR today don’t worry I am ok lol, attempt 2 will happen real soon ha…

Anyway today’s session;

Pec Dec (unilateral)

R – 1 x 8-10 / 1 x 12-15

L – 2 x 10-12 (reduce load)

Hammer incline chest press

R – 1 x 6-10 / 1 x 10-15

L – 2 x 10-12 (reduce load)

Cybex seated machine flat press

R – 1 x 6-10 / 1 x 10-15

L – 2 x 10-12 (reduce load)

Cuffed standing cable lateral raise (cable pulley set at knee height, cuff at wrist)

4 x 10-15 L/R (reduce load on injured side but same rep range)

Single arm cuffed tricep extension

3 x 10-15 L/R (load the same on both sides )

Single arm low cable d handle curl (facing into stack)

3 x 10-15 L/R (reduce load on injured side but same rep range)

[Marc]

Hi Barney

I’m in the same position as you. I travel 45 mins each way 5 times a week to the gym I train at.

For me training environment, equipment, people around me in my current gym all has a positive bearing on my performance in the gym.

Personally, I would make the switch! Plan your day as efficiently as possible to save time where you can, for example meals being prepped, supplements organised etc and I’m sure you won’t regret the switch.

Plus is sounds like you really want to progress, so I’d say go for it!!

[Marc]

Little adjustment to the rotation for this week from Cal to help facilitate recovery, hamstrings added back into this session (so it wasn’t a quad dominant leg day) to pull down the total frequency on the lower body a touch, allowing better recovery patterns.

It’s becoming very clear at this current bodyweight there is a high systemic demand on recovery just by default now, so I’ve got to be very careful with volume demands and recovery around sessions on connective tissue and joints involved.

Back to all time load and 4 reps up on the pendulum today, first time I’ve done this is 5 weeks!

Very happy with today’s session and the extra rest at the end of last week really helped too.

Legs #1 ;

Tru Squat Calves

140 x 15
160 x 12
120 x 20

Prime Leg Ext

140 middle x 15
80 top + 40 middle x 20

Atlantis Pendulum

140 x 15

Prime Lying Ham

70 top x 10
50 top x 12

GymShop Adductor

120 x 8
80 x 15

[Marc]

Hope so you recovery well bro

The 4 days rest really helped! Had a very good leg session today and hit a new PB on the pendulum squat today… happy that I listened to my body and took the rest needed

[Marc]

Another rest day today, time spent with family. I usually nap everyday for short time during the day but I haven’t done that at all this weekend with having my kids. Surprisingly I actually feel ok, which is a good sign taking the few rest days off from gym will be setting me up good for training tomorrow.

Rehab work is going good on my pec, hoping this week with push as confidence is there that’s it’s healing that I can step things up abit from last weeks session.

Appetite is down the last few days, still hitting my NTD calories but it’s definitely taking me more time to get the meals down but I’m not missing my 5325 calories that have been set!

[Marc]

I agree with all of the comments above here. I’ve been there and done it when it comes to higher volume. The pros are you look great because you look full. The cons is that you will likely burnout out pretty fast as training like this week on week isn’t the most effective method of training.

The last year I’ve switched to a PPL split and once I got my head around this method of training my strength has improved a lot and this has transferred into new muscle tissue.

With your strength increasing now continuously with PPL I honestly wouldn’t change anything.

[Marc]

Still on rest day until Monday.

Got my rehab work done in the morning along with some mobility. Also prepped my tbJP supps for the week, saves me doing it daily and then it’s set out for AM and PM.

Busy day with my daughter and niece today, always good to spend quality time with family. Most of the time I go underground as I want to make the most of the time I have with them.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

[Marc]

Evening guys!

So coaches orders today was to take some
Rest until Monday. Next week was potentially going to be a de-volume training week, but myself and Cal agreed to use the remaining days of this week as rest instead, but keep on top of rehab work.

Next week will then give us another 4 weeks in the last of this push up phase before pulling back and solidifying this new weight for a few months before heading into prep. So with this in mind, the goal is to drop some fatigue over the next few days and have me ready to push on from Monday. I’m ready for it, I still feel like there’s some more tissue to go on without comprising body composition so I’m focused on that completely.

In other news my TBJP nutrition supps landed today and I’m finally going to have some cream of rice lol believe it or not I’ve never tried it before