[Sam King]

So safe to say I have pretty much spent the last few days in my skimpies. Only donning clothing for socialising and the gym. Everything else, just undies. Lovely. And with that, working in a backlog so here is Saturday’s session:

Pull-up: 40kg x 8, 30kg x 12
3 inch deficit deadlift: 160kg x 11, 180kg x 6
Hammer strength row, one arm: 75kg x 9, 66.25kg x 13
Wide grip pulldown: 13 plates x 18.5
Flat machine press: 150kg x 6.5, 120kg x 12
Dip: 50kg x 6, 30kg x 13
Flat dB flye: 26kg x 16
Incline side lateral: 2 sets
Single arm press down: 6 plates x 17
Cable rear delts: 4 plates x 21
Abs: 3 sets

Absolutely write me off for the day that workout. Came home, showered, ate and then back to bed.

Didn’t even mention last week’s check in, but weight dropped to 84kg so body is clearly demanding more food and that’s exactly what we’re going to give it.

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[Sam King]

Thur 6th Aug: lower B

Cable adductor: 6plates + 1.25kg x 17
Seated ham curl: 62.5kg x 9, 57.5kg x 15
Leg press: 440kg x 12, 470kg x 7
Hack squat: 110kg x 12, 100kg x 15
Barbell RDL: 160kg x 8, 130kg x 12
Lying dB curl: 34kg x 23
Single leg leg press: 150kg x 18
Back support leg raise: BW 35 reps, 32 reps
Seated calve raise: 3 sets
Single arm preacher: 2 sets

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[Sam King]

Ok, extremely busy last few days. Work has been full on. Last couple of sessions as follows:

Tues 4th Aug: Upper A

Low incline cable side raise, single arm: 5 plates x 13, 4 plates x 20
Low incline smith: 95kg x 8, 85kg x 10
Incline hammer press: 140kg x 8, 125kg x 10
Narrow smith: 90kg x 8, 80kg x 10
Pec dec (rp set): 10 plates x 17,11,5
Press down: 14 plates x 13
Lat pulldown, overhand: 15 plates x 13, 14 plates x 13
Barbell row: 120kg x 8.5 reps, 110kg x 13
Neutral pull-up: 21.25kg x 13
Cable U handle row (rp set): stack + 20kg x 13,7,5
Barbell shrug: 140kg x 15, 150kg x 11
Bent over lateral: 2 sets
Machine crunch: 3 sets

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[Sam King]

Definitely prepare to be humbled, especially initially until you get used to the movement. It’s very similar to a front squat in the way your torso stays upright, if you’re bracing correctly though. If not, your torso will fall forwards. Give it a shot and you may have a new favourite.

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[Sam King]

Big ol rest day yesterday and a lovely way to cap off the weekend catching up with people. Just what I need before today’s lower session. Went down as follows:

Seated ham curl: 62.5kg x 8, 57.5kg x 14
Cable adductor, single leg: 6plates + 1.25kg x 15, 7 plates x 10
Safety bar squat: 120kg x 15, 135kg x 7
Horizontal leg press: 270kg x 9, 240kg x 15
Leg extension: 70kg x 20
Barbell glute bridge: 130kg x 12, 130kg x 10
Glute ham raise on floor: BW x 13
Single standing leg curl: 8 plates x 14
Hanging leg raise: 2 x BW
Standing calve raise: 3 x 10-12
Single arm dB curl: 2 sets

Cracking lil session and squats, yes squats are actually feeling alright. Putting this down to a few things. Primarily I am stretching properly. So in addition to my standard DC stretches, I’ll spend 10-15 mins stretching everything out: glutes, adductor, lower back, hamstrings and hips. Aside from rivalling a gymnast, the increase in flexibility has definitely loosened everything up. Unfortunately a side effect of working a desk job leads to everything switching off and just being tighter.
Another change is actively squatting more upright, keeping everything tight and pressing through my legs. Sounds ridiculously obvious doesn’t it haha? In any case, happy all round.

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[Sam King]

Oooooo swanky ? the face says it all haha, one very happy lady. Like the nod to Dorian Yates – black and white grainy filter on pics.

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[Sam King]

First time ever doing stiff legged deadlifts today and just to make it more fun, this was with a 3 inch deficit ? session as follows:

Pull-up: 40kg x 7, 30kg x 10
3 inch Deficit SLDL: 150kg x 10, 160kg x 6
DB row, chest supported: 26kg x 14
Underhand pulldown: 12 plates x 17
Flat machine press: 150kg x 6, 130kg x 9
Dip: 40kg x 9, 30kg x 12
Incline DB flye: 22kg x 21
Single arm cable side raise: 4 plates x 12, 4 plates x 10
Single arm rope press down: 4 plates x 19
Rear delt machine row: 80kg x 18
Decline crunch: 2 sets
Ab circuit: 1 round

SLDL felt good but crazy hard. Taking all leg drive out was interesting, but killed my hams and glutes. Lots of room for progression on this movement that’s for sure. 180kg for 6 is doable I reckon.

Check in on Thursday went well. BW still hovering around the 85kg mark, but physique filling out nicely. Composition still on point. Steps have been reduced to 10,000 now so need to be careful and slightly cut my routes down. Always find with steps I am usually a creature of habit and often will do the same routes. One because they’re scenic- going through woods and ending at the beach- and two that repetition is forced into me. I know where I am in terms of output.

Plans for today is just to take it easy and got some adulting jobs done. Can’t believe it’s August to be honest. This time last year I was around 2.5 weeks out from my first show, how weird.

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[Sam King]

As GN has said, rest day before and after pull. 3 days on burns you out quickly when training all out.

Also, just to be sure: ensure your nutrition, rest and recovery are in line. There may also be a touch too more volume so may be good to share your exact split and some tweaks can be made there to maximise your training time.

Lifetime natural myself, but know for a fact that 3 days on with PPL is likely too much, even for assisted athletes.

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[Sam King]

Lower B 30th Jul
Adductor, cable single leg: 4 plates x 30
Standing single leg curl: 8 plates x 15, 9 plates x 9
Hack squat: 110kg x 15, 120 x 5.5
Paused leg press: 340kg x 10, 300kg x 13
RDL: 140kg x 11, 120kg x 13
Seated ham curl: 50kg x 15
Horizontal single leg leg press: 100kg x 15
Horizontal leg raise: 2 x BW
Seated calve raise: 3 sets
Single arm machine curl: 2 sets

Hack squat of doom strikes again. I was discussing with Corinne and it is a heavy model, a ‘true’ machine. The amount of people I see doing 5-6 pps on hacks but only 2-3 plates on squats doesn’t add up. Some hack models are ridiculously forgiving and let you pile it on. Failed in the hole but a very good set.
Decided on the paused leg press to lower my stance as typically feels most comfortable at the top of the platform. However, for the sake of variety and to allow for some different stimulus it’s good.

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[Sam King]

Upper A – 28th July
Standing side cable raise: 4 plates x 12, 3 plates x 21
Low incline DB press: 45kg x 8, 40kg x 10
Mid incline smith: 80kg x 8, 75kg x 9
DB floor press: 40kg x 10, 40kg x 9
Cable flye (RP): 6 plates x 20,12,8
Dual rope press down: 4 plates x 17
Wide lat pulldown: 15plates x 10, 13 plates x 16
DB dual row: 45kg x 14, 45kg x 11
U handle pulldown: 12plates x 13
Low machine row (RP): 140kg x 14,8,5
Seated DB shrug: 40kg x 12, 36kg x 12
Rear delt flye: 5 plates x 10, 4 plates x 14
Abs: rope crunch x 3

Haven’t done the incline press with dumbbells since last year so very happy with the starting figures. Be the 50s in no time. Floor press used to cause agro previously on my shoulder too, but again felt good.

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[Sam King]

Blimming heck, what a busy week. Three days worth of training coming up.

Lower A – 27th Jul
Lying ham curl: 35kg x 9, 30kg x 14
Cable adductor, single leg: 6plates x 10, 5 plates x 15
Horizontal leg press: 250kg x 15, 270kg x 11
Paused barbell squat: 130kg x 11, 130kg x 9
Leg extension: 70kg x 18
Glute bridge; 130kg x 10, 120kg x 12
Back extension: 25kg x 15
Single seated leg curl (RP): 27.5kg x 10,6,3
Hanging leg raise: 2 x BW sets
Standing calve raise: 3 sets
Single dB curl: 2 sets

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[Sam King]

No probs matey. Of course programming the deadlift will depend on your training days I.e if you did 3 days in a row as PPL, deadlifts may not fit if you’re lower back loading with legs. Personally I’d do something like legs, push, off, pull, off, repeat. Frequency is good and lower back can recover adequately. Obviously tailor to your specific requirements and if you feel you’re not recovering, then re-evaluate.

Whatever happens, hope it goes well ?

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[Sam King]

More or less a similar session to the Golden Era ala Arnold and co. High volume and intense I’m sure, but would certainly floor most if they were going all out.

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[Sam King]

Body’s priority when sick is to fight the illness, not lay down new tissue. Got to think of others as well as not fair to pass it on.
What could’ve been a cold for 2-3 days could be stretched out over a week.
These days especially you wouldn’t be viewed favourably going to the gym and being ill.

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[Sam King]

Wouldn’t worry about lack of equipment in the slightest. Not the be all and end all.

Doesn’t look too bad, would like to see some form of deadlift in one of the pull sessions as well as the RDL in leg sessions you currently have.
Personally wouldn’t do low reps for the isolation stuff like pressdowns, flyers or side raise. Higher reps are the order of the day. The rigid 5-9 for each first set probably doesn’t need to be for every exercise, maybe the first two.
Biggest question is how are you finding this split and have you made progress? If it’s a new split, obviously time will tell.

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