[Marc]

We all have body parts that are stronger than others. Like Jordan and Hilly said, don’t force things by doing even more. Be consistent over time and by time I mean years and the results will follow. Nail the basics, day in and day out, year by year and changes will happen!

[Marc]

Back session today with Kerry at Shredz. Really happy with today’s session, worked to 1 rep short of failure with my sets today with this still being week 1 in my training block.

Straight sets only, no extended sets with rest pause or dropsets that will come as the weeks go by. 5 exercises, 10 sets in total.

Today’s workout was;

Single arm d handle pulldown:
1 x 8
1 x 12

single arm Cybex row:
1 x 11
1 x 13

T-bar row:
1 x 6plates

D handle low cable rear delt row:
1 x 12
1 x 9
1 x 20

Shrugs:
2 x 15

[Marc]

Hi Andrew
The pictures are useful here, you look visibly leaner in your legs than upper body. I agree with Clare, continue to cut for a little longer, as this will put you in leaner position for you to start bulking and give you longer to push up bodyweight with less bodyfat.

[Marc]

So today has ended up being another rest day. I spoke with Cal as today I was travelling a few hours each way to see an osteopath about the restrictions I’m getting in my scapula and based on this he advised me to take a second rest day instead of training early morning.

So today with me not training I am one quad dominant session down this week, but after having a de-volume week last week it’s not necessarily a bad thing as this week still is essentially easing back into training.

Trip to see the osteopath was useful. He’s going to be feeding back to myself and Cal on how I can improve what’s going on. The things for me that I am finding frustrating is not being able to hit my poses to the best of my ability in particular, front lat spread, rear lat spread, side triceps and rear lat spread. I’ve also not done any shoulder pressing in months due to pain in my front delt (my physique hasn’t suffered for it) but it’s something I want to know why/how it can be improved.

I know I have more in each shot and although I am my all time heaviest this off season, I still refuse to accept it’s just a mobility issue. So this is why I made the trip today in person to get some answers and put a plan in place.

Looking forward to pull tomorrow and getting back in the gym.

[Marc]

Rest day today. Cal changed my non training day cals, my carbs have gone up by 50g, which now puts me at 750C, 350P and 100F. My weight this morning fasted was just over 301lbs, so considering my push phase ended a few weeks ago bodyweight is holding well as is composition.

I had a sports massage today, lower body focused.

Just over 6 weeks until prep starts and I’m at the stage now where I am counting down the weeks because I can’t wait to get started and see the improvements I have made over this off-season.

[Marc]

Solo session today close to home. I’ve had quite a few sessions recently where I’ve been training on my own. I think it’s good to have a training partner, in my case my coach who can help push me through my workouts and critique/tweak exercises. But I think what’s important is being able to take your sets there when you’re on your own. When you want something bad you need to be able to find it without relying on anybody else.

So today was calves, hamstring and biceps. I switched biceps and put it at the end of my workout instead of at the start. I wasn’t a fan of this change, after RDLs even though it was 1 set I’d much prefer to end my session there. So next time out I’ll revert back to biceps first in this session.

Today’s workout was good and went as follows;

Seated calf raise:
1 x 12-15
1 x 9
1 x 20

Seated leg curl:
1 x 10 –
1 x 8
1 x 15

Lying leg curl:
1 x 12 – plate
1 x 8
1 x 15

Seated adductor:
2 x 20

RDL:
1 x 6

Single arm cable bicep curl:
1 x 8
1 x 15

High cable single arm bicep curl:
1 x 15

[Marc]

Push session today at Shredz! Cal was back in for this workout and it was also filmed by magic eye for you guys on the JP members site.

Really happy with how today went, this is the most load I’ve used since my pec strain and also the first time I’ve used the prime incline press since I had the injury.

But anyway I won’t say too much on the session, I’ll leave it until the video goes live for you all to see.

The workout today was:

Pec deck
Stack x 15
Stack x 13

Chest press
5pps x 9+1
4pps x 11 +1

Prime incline press
2pps middle and 1.5pps top x 9+1
2pps middle and 1pps top x 9+1

High cable crossover
20 x 12 x 2sets
20 x 10

Lying cuff lateral
15 x 15
17.5 x 12
12.5 x 15 + 3

Standing cable lateral raise 1 dropset
12.5 x 8+2
7.5 x 6+3

Cable body cable extension
1 x 20
1 x 11
1 x 20 + 2

Over the shoulder cable extension
1 x 15
1 x 15

[Marc]

Hi Dan

I can’t see any pictures attached? Are you able to upload some please

Hi Marc sorry for that I thought they were attached [/quote]
That’s ok bud, thanks for attaching the pictures. I agree with Hilly you’re in a decent position for 5 weeks out. Your upper body is ahead of your lower in terms of condition, this is something that I experience myself with my legs particularly glutes and hamstrings coming in last.

For 5 weeks out, you can get those legs in condition to match your upper body, it’s more than doable. Keep pushing and chipping away, first show make the judges remember your name!

[Marc]

Hi Dan
I can’t see any pictures attached? Are you able to upload some please

[Marc]

First session back today since my de-volume training last week. Mentally and physically I was more than ready for this session today. Solo session today, but I knew that ahead of the session and I was up for it anyway.

12 straight working sets todays in total, with no extended sets from dropsets or rest pause. I played it sensible today, I always find after a de-volume week I feel really fresh and I set numbers that are so good, particularly on the pendulum in this workout that I can’t always hit numbers towards the end of the training block. So today, I paid more attention with pendulums on making sure my breathing and bracing was correct and I was happy with both.

Today’s quad dominant workout looked like this;

True Squat Calf Raise x 3 sets:
1 x 70kg per side x 12
1 x 80kg per side x 8
1 x 60 per side x 12

Prime Leg Ext x 3 sets:
2 x 12 (6 plates middle pin)
1 x 15 +(3 plates top pin / 3 plates middle pin)

GymShop Adductor x 2 sets:
7plates x 12
5 plates x 15

Atlantis Pendulum x 2 sets:
6 plates x 10
7 plates x 10

Dumbbell Split Squat x 2 sets:
2 x 15

[Marc]

Hi Asrar

I agree with what Hilly said with having 2 full leg days a week instead of splitting quads and hams. If you find hamstrings is a weaker area for you, think about prioritising them at the start of your sessions when you’re fresher and can give attention to the muscles group.

[Marc]

Rest day today, so headed back to the gym where I went yesterday because they have a sauna and steam room so I made us of that.

Check in video taken today, I’m not happy with some of the poses as I’ve got some restriction in my teres and infraspinatus which is not allowing me to hit some poses properly, when I know there is so much more in the shots if I was able to open up properly…

So I reached out to do a different therapist today (Manchester based, but I’m willing to travel for the right person – TrainedByJP team said he’s very good) to help with a few niggles I’ve got as the person I had been using doesn’t seem to be as responsive as before and I’m not willing to let this drag out any longer.

Not much else happening today from my end, a chilled day ready to get back to full volume training tomorrow

[Marc]

Hi guys,

Last de-volume push session of the week. Myself and Kerry headed over to a gym 20mins away from us today. We trained 1-2 times a week at this gym during our 2020 pro debut season, the gym has really good kit mainly hammer strength and some really good nautilus peices that’s really good for pull. Haider told me about this gym around 4 years ago, great kit weird set up with the kit over different floors, not much atmosphere but as long as you’re locked into your session you won’t leave disappointed.

So anyway, really good session no crazy weight but nice to use some different kit but match the exercises with what I would normally do for pull. The first two exercises using the nautilus kit, I really rate these machines!

Session went as follows:

Single arm Nautilus nitro latpulldown:
2×10

Single arm Nautilus xpload seated row:
1×10

T-bar row:
1×10

Reverse pec deck:
2×12

Shrugs:
2×10

[Marc]

Local session again today. It was my last de-volume leg session of the week, quad dominant. The session went fine, ready to get back to full volume next week ready to close out the end of the off season. Temptation was there today to do my usual volume, but I stuck to the plan and did what was set.

A)Leg press Calf Raise
1 x 20

B) Cybex Leg Extension
2 x 15

C) 45 Degree Cybex Leg Press
2 x 15

D) Cybex Adductor
1 x 20

E) Occluded Walking Lunge
2 x 60 seconds

[Marc]

Life has been very busy. Prep continues and is going well. Still focused on adding tissue. Diet is still one up day, one down day, repeat. To aid recovery, I’m now taking a 10 minute ice bath at least every other day. Otherwise, crushing my workouts, nailing my meal plan and doing all I can to recover. Just over 10 weeks until the show.

It sounds like you’re in a good spot. Keep ticking those boxes daily