This was not a good week at all. I’ve been a bit ill, I’m a little bit injured and I have been so tired I almost fell asleep at work! Really looking forward to Christmas so I can have a rest!
Monday 16th: Pressing with Tara and Anna.
Today was shit. I really wasn’t happy with how I was lifting: my technique was poor and consequently I couldn’t lift as much as I did the week before. So this is what the workout looked like:
- Axle clean and press:
- 27kgx5
- 37kgx1 😦
- 32kgx5
- 37kgx4
- 39.5kgx1
- Axle cleans (aka failed-to-press clean and presses):
- 39.5kgx3
- 42kgx3
- Crucifix:
- 4kgx48secs; 35secs
- Face pulls:
- 35kgx10
- 40kgx10
- 45kgx8
- Farmer’s holds:
- 39kgx20secs
- 49kgx20secs
- 64kgx48secs PR!!
My farmer’s holds amazed me! 48 seconds! I really need to start moving with the weight though. A 20m walk with 65kg in each hand scares the bejesus out of me! Haha!
Dinner came courtesy of GBK once again, and this time they had the buffalo burger. Yummy!
Buffalo burger, sweet potato fries and salad. My favourite thing about Monday!
Tuesday 17th: Deadlifts with Tara
After yesterday’s disappointment, I was determined to be awesome. Two sets in and something went ping mid-abs. I managed to convince myself I had a hernia! Thankfully, I didn’t, although the pain is now affectionately known as Ernie (and he’s still hurting now :-()
- Axle deadlift:
- 50kgx5
- 70kgx5
- 85kgx3
- 95kgx3
- 105kgx1
- 115kgx0 😦
- 110kgx0, 0 😦
- 110kgx1 (but only because Tara was feeling kind ;-))
- Sumo deadlifts:
- 60kgx5
- 80kgx5
- 90kgx3
- 100kgx2
- 110kgx1 PR!
- 115kgx0 😦
- Bent rows:
- 40kgx8
- 45kgx5, 8, 5 PR!
No dinner after training today, just home to worry that training might be buggered for a while because of Ernie! I was feeling pretty crappy anyway – many, many lurgies going around the office – and I was convinced I was coming down with something. Add Ernie to the mix and I was desperate for this week to be over already! Oh well…
Wednesday 18th: Rest
And it was seriously needed.
Thursday 19th: Pressing again
I thought I’d better do a bit more pressing seeing as though Monday evening was shit. It was due to be bench press day anyway, so it made sense to add some overhead stuff. Sadly, it wasn’t a great session either. I was happy with my bench, especially as Ernie was still hurting, but overhead didn’t quite work. Neither did the fat gripz. Think I might have to give up on those 😦
- Bench Press (5/3/1 C2W3)
- 20kgx5
- 23kgx5
- 28kgx3
- 35kgx5
- 40kgx3
- 44kgx6
- Barbell clean and press
- 25kgx5
- 30kgx5
- 35kgx3
- 37.5×1
- 30kgx15 (max reps in 75 seconds)
- Barbell cleans (i.e. failed to press :-()
- 37.5kgx2
- 40kgx1
- Face pulls – no idea what the total weight is, but this was the weight I added to our stack.
- 10kgx10
- 20kgx7 (really bad ones – too heavy!)
- 15kgx10
- 17.5×8
- Crucifix:
- 6kgx15secs; 20secs.
Today was also the day I decided, after much convincing from Tara, to start using Instagram. So, of course, there was much photographing of food (even more than usual). Here’s a highlight…
Cinnamon bagel with peanut butter – just a small snack!
Protein porridge recipe:
Protein porridge: kept me full for hours! 🙂
- 25g steel-cut oats
- 25g quinoa flakes
- 5g milled flaxseeds
- 15g Tesco cranberries and raisins
- Small banana
- 12g PB2 powdered peanut butter
- 15g My Protein Milk Protein Smooth
- 10g Balance Stevia dark chocolate
- 250ml water
Mix all the ingredients (except the chocolate) together and put in the fridge overnight. Microwave in the morning for about 4 minutes, stirring half way through.
Friday 20th: Rest
It was my work Christmas party today. I don’t drink but I had a great time watching my colleagues get more and more drunk. Usually, I hate being the only sober person in a group, but I just found all the shenanigans hilarious! Haha!
My boss gave me some amazing pressies too.
My boss knows me so well!
Saturday 21st: Squat day! 🙂
I was determined that Ernie wouldn’t get in the way and actually, I didn’t notice him at all. Which was awesome. As was my workout! Woohoo!!
- Squat (5/3/1 C2W3)
- 35kgx5
- 43kgx5
- 52kgx3
- 65kgx5
- 73.5×3
- 82kgx5 PR!!! Last time I attempted anything close to this – 80kg at the end of October – I got 2 piss-poor reps (if they could be classed as reps!). This 5 were solid. I was buzzing all day!
- Barbell split squats
- 40kgx5
- 45kgx5
- 50kgx5
- 55kgx5
- 57.5kgx3
- 60kgx3 PR!!
- Walkouts:
- 90kgx30secs
- 95kgx30secs
- 100kgx39.7secs PR!
Some My Protein muffin mix arrived in the post today. Obviously, I had to make some. I added some chocolate chips and a sachet of Options hot chocolate, and used applesauce to replace some of the coconut oil. They’re so moist and tasty (and sweet). Happy, happy! 🙂
Protein muffins. Yummy! 🙂
Sunday 22nd: Pressing with Tara, Anna and Hannah
I really, really enjoyed this session. I was much happier with my form and I got more reps at the higher weight again. Yay! Tara acted as my photographer too! Haha! We were also joined by Hannah, who is crazy-strong and has done a couple of Strongwoman competitions.
- Axle clean and press:
- 27kgx5
- 32kgx5
- 37kgx4, 6
- 39.5kgx2
- 32kgx11 (max reps in 75secs)
Axle clean and press. Not quite comp weight, but done for reps!
- Cleans (failed to press)
- 37kgx2, 2
- 39.5kgx2, 2
- Log press:
- 30kgx5, 5, 5
- 32.5kgx2, 2 PR!
Log clean and press. I don’t like these!!
- Crucifix:
- 5kgx25secs, 24secs
- Face pulls
- 35kgx10
- 40kgx10
- 45kgx8, 7
Then it was off to Putney Canteen for our customary breakfast: eggs rancheros! Lush!
The breakfast of champs! Eggs rancheros 🙂
And so to next week! Christmas is forcing me to have some rest! YAY! Until next time…
