McQue's Training

Today after work i planned to do a fair bit of training it was pretty much 2 sessions in one. It was a bit ambitious and i felt shit after work today! I dont think its over training but it really felt like that. However sitting here now i think it was more lack of sleep, hydration and miss timing lunch and having a heavy lunch at that! 

Any way all things considered it wasnt bad!

• Skipping 10 mins
• Row 10 mins 
• Row intervals 10 mins (30 sec on/ 30 sec off) 
• Versa Climber 3x 3min rounds (only 30 seconds rest in between today)
• Treadmill Sprints 3x 1 min rounds (failed wanted to do 6x 1 min rounds but legs just wernt there today!)
• Push Ups 20 x 4
• Chin Ups 10 x 3

Core/ Ab work

• V-ups 10 x 4
• Leg Raises 15 x 4
• Back Extensions 10kg 10 x 4
• Side Bends 20kg 10 x 4 (each side)
• Bicycle Crunch 15 x 4
• Plank Hold 1 minute

And that was it, it wasn’t so much it was a bad training session just sometimes your just working and slugging through it and sometimes you blast through it. Its hard to explain but that feeling makes all the difference!! 

Anyway another full day of rest tomorrow before the final week! Going to really think about my food and water intake and see if that makes a difference!

Planned my training tomorrow, its going to be hard, two sessions in one basically so i can rest on monday before my final week of training in this cycle. I want to Finish really strong in the final week before doing a back off week. 

For the back off week i think it will be some basic cardio and bodyweight exercises. However im also going to do my Test Progress exercises. Im still undecided which exercises to preform but iv got some ideas. Basically they have to indicate everything. Eg 1 rep maximum for maximum strength. How many reps for something ie chin ups. How far or and high you can jump from standing will indicate explosive power. Maybe the old bleep test ect ect the list goes on. I just need a few tests that will give me an indication on weather im improving or not. 

After that week of “testing” I want to review my training change it up a bit with some different exercises and routines. Not only to improve performance but if nothing else just keep it interesting!

Im also going to start supplementing my diet for that next 4 week cycle. Im looking into a good Protein powder. I dont mind increasing in weight aslong as its athletic and not bulk but my main aim is to see weather my recovery and perfomance is enhanced.

Im finding it really hard to cut through the bull shit online as every sight has an agenda and is trying to sell you something! So im probably going to just pick one try it and see if in 4 or maybe 8 weeks iv noticed a difference. If i dont then ill know! My diet isnt bad but its not ideal either and my ever increasing work load training wise im going to give it a go!

Any suggestions ?

then you read this haha

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Athletes_and_protein__The_truth_about_supplements.htm

• Skipping 10 mins
• Dumbbell Bench Press 26kg 5x5
• Squat 60kg 5x5
• Calf Raises 80kg 8x5
• Overhead Press 35kg 5x5 
• Barbell Row 40kg 5x5 

Just a quick update! Really had a hard week this week and pushed it so todays session i didnt go too high on the weight and tomorrow i will be resting. Just at that point where i feel like iv pushed it and close to over doing it. 

Also finished off with high rep ab work

• Sit Ups 50
• Leg raises 50
• Trunk Curls 50
• Twists 6kg 50
• Scissor Kicks 50

Looking forward to a night out with mates for a bit of a change. Not going to worry to much about what i eat or drink just need the break from it ready to push it sunday and next week! 

Went boxing tonight and did a circuit with them afterwards

…………..dead

enough said :-D

Met my cousin this evening and what followed was pretty intense! Hes like me … competitive and wants to work hard so its awesome.

Warm Up

• Skip 10 mins

Mini GPP Circuit 

30 second drills for 10 min no rest at all!

• Burpees
• Dumbbell Punches
• Bosun Ball Alternating push ups
• Star Jumps

Main Circuit

1 minute each exercise 1 minute rest between circuits repeated 5 times!

• Box Jumps
• Vipr Lateral Shuffle (20kg)
• Weighted Squat walk (12kg)
• Kettle Bell Clean and Snatch 12.5kg
• Rotational Medball Slams 8kg
• Rest

And that was it 

… except for about 1/2 hour on pads and 15 mins body sparring and a load of ab work! 

SHATTERED doesnt cover it!

Quick update of what i did before my shift started today! Just got in from work very tired so no fluff tonight! Remember im including the Olympic bar weight of 20kg now in my recordings

• Bench Press 5x5 65 Kg (increase of 2.5kg from last week)
• Squat 5x5 65kg (increase of 2.5kg from last week)
• DeadLift 5x5 100kg 
• Dumbbell Shoulder 5x5 press 20kg
• Weighted Chin ups 5x5 15kg  

The strength section felt really good today can really feel progress, Im not going to increase the deadlift weight for now as i really want to work on the technique to be honest its probably ever so slightly on the heavy side for me as it is. The Shoulder press and weighted chin iv just got to be careful due to my left shoulder injury but should be able to start increasing them slowly.

Core Circuit

completed as circuit 4 time

• The Flag
• V -ups 8kg x 10
• Twists 8kg x 15
• Chinnies x 20

And that was it. I tried to work on some flexibility too again today so going to be looking to get that more consistent. 

Other things on my mind at the moment to think of is setting up some sort of test my progress thing. So after a 4 week cycle ill have a test week with test exercises, ie how fast, 1 rep maximums , cardio, anaerobic tests ect ect.

Also looking into possible using a protein shake, not something i believe is always needed by the fast majority but my workload is getting greater and greater. Im thinking more along the lines of recovery than mass building as im happy with my size and only interested in performance

Anyway so much for no fluff

Any opinions on protein supplements? 

Today was a brilliant session. I had my plan but for various reasons had to adapt it. It was far harder than what i had planned and more interesting! All In all pleased with the session. 

Something to note however was in the core section doing turkish get ups i really felt very unflexible. I have some great flexibility workouts but have been neglecting them due to time restrictions! Which is stupid and i need to find time for them! So tomorrow is a rest day but after iv finished my shift it will be a a case of getting in the gym and just doing foam roller and stretching exercises! Then ill go for a swim! 

Anyway this was the workout!

• Skipping 10 mins
• Row 10 mins (2492, resistance level 5)
• Punch bag 15 mins (working on technique and drills)
• Sprint and Carry Bag 3mins work, 1 min rest, 2mins work, 30 seconds rest, 1min work . (using the heavy bag, sprint to one end of the room and back then carry bag to one end of room and back!)
• Heavy bag shouldering 3 mins x 1 (exactly what it sounds lift the bag to shoulder put back down repeat constantly for 3mins)
• Sprints x 20 ( roughly 50m jog quickly back to the start)
• Chin Ups 12 x 4
• Decline Push Ups 25 x 2 , 20 x 1 , 15 x 1 (feet raised wanted 25 x 4 but couldn’t manage it!)

Core

 The Core workout went a bit wrong really, i had to stop the turkish get ups as i felt my hip wasnt right.  Like i said flexibility needs working on a again! But i got a bit in and just made it up there after

• Plank Hold 1 minute (completed 3 times)
• Turkish Get Ups 10kg ( completed 5 reps per side twice)
• Chinnies 20 x 3 

Played around after that and did some side bends 20 kg just did a couple sets of 12 each side. And also tried a new exercise called saxon side bends basically holding 2 dumbbells above your head and leaning laterally to one side then the other. Liked it need to work on it more!

Not going to train today! Going to group too sessions in one tomorrow when im off work! I didnt go overboard but a bit too much ale last night at the beer festival, feeling a little dehydrated and nackered today! 

Got a strength session in today after work! Met my cousin too and did the session together! Once again he did really well and impressed! 

Kept it short and pretty simple. Weight wasn’t mega heavy but at this stage just want to keep the right technique and get the 5x5 reps. By the way i am now including the 20kg Olympic bar in my recordings so if i put 40kg on my squat bar then im squatting 60kg. Just lets me know what im truly lifting. Im still doing a few warm up sets but i need to research into doing this properly as i know it then benefits your main sets when done properly

Strength

• Squat 5x5 60kg
• Dumbbell Bench 5x5 (26kg in each hand , one failed set of 30kg)
• Calf raises 60kg 8x5 (smith machine)
• Barbell Row 5x5 60kg
• Overhead Press 5x5 30kg

Ab work/core

• Sit ups 50
• Leg raises 50
• trunk curls 50
• twist 6kg 50
• scissor kicks 50
• Back Extensions 10kg 12 x 4 sets

Finished with Plank Hold 2 mins!

It was a good quality session and i enjoyed it! Its been a productive week training wise though im starting to feel it now! AND GOT TO STOP EATING CRAP

Adios im off to a beer fest tonight haha!

Well you know its serious when your doing it twice a day ;-)

Conditioning

• Skipping 10mins
• Rowing 1000m x 3 (1 min rest between all below 4 mins)
• Versa Climber 3 x 3min (1 min rest in between)
• Treadmill Sprints 6 x 1 min sprints (1 minute rest in between)

Now i did have planned bodyweight exercises ect but to be honest i had to keep in mind boxing so they will be done but probably on another day when im doing sprints or something!

Core Workout

as a circuit

• Ab wheel x 10
• V - ups  x 10 
• Side bends 20kg x 10
• Bicycle Crunches x 15

repeat 4 times 

Finished with plank hold for 1 minute

BOXING

 Boxing was great tonight really enjoyed it. 15 minutes conditioning(running, sprints, punch out drills , burpees, bodyweight stuff) and then 45 mins boxing drills. Great workout and loved it just need to try and get there more often! 

All in all a great day training wise! Shame about all the shit food iv just ate! But in the calories in vs calories out department i think ill be ok ;-D. Next week going to eat better again. 

Well there you go you learn something knew everyday! I didnt even think about the weight of the barbell im using to do my lifts! So i can add 20kg onto all my recorded weights. I wont bother now but from now on i will right it as the weight +20kg Olympic bar.

It really doesnt make a difference but its nice to think im actually lifting 100kg in my deadlift intead of 80kg! 

I went out today with the family for a roast carvery for my sisters birthday. It was really nice and made a change. It meant i was going to get to the gym a bit later on my day off but thats ok! Im trying to have a life these days too! 

Workout was

Warm Up

• Skipping 10 mins

Mini GPP Circuit

30 second drills on each no rest at all for 10 mins

• Burpees
• Dumbbell Punches 1kg
• Bosun Ball Alternative Push Ups
• Star Jumps

Main Circuit

1 min on each exercise no rest until designated rest period repeat 5 times

• Box Jumps
• Medball Slams 5kg
• Kettle Bell Clean and Snatch 16kg
• Squat walk/bunny hops 10kg
• Vipr Lateral Shuffles 20kg
• Rest 1 min

Finisher

I finished up with farmers walk basically 2 heavy dumbbells  (2x 28kg) 

I just walk up and down a set distance, i reckon its about 40m but its irrelevant really i did it 4 x, the 3,2,1 and it burns the forearms and shoulders like hell! Great exercise going to do it more often on the end of workouts i reckon!

Quick update! Got a good session in before i started my shift!

• Skipping 10 mins
• Squat 5x5 42.5kg (increase 2.5kg)
• Bench Press 5x5 42.5kg (increase 2.5kg)
• Deadlift 5x5 80kg
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press 5x5 20kg ( increased 2kg)
• Weighted Chin Ups 5x4 15kg

Core Workout

• The Flag x 5
• V-Ups 8kg  x 10
• Twists 8kg x 15
• Chinnies x 20

repeat as circuit 4 times

Twas a good session! Unfortunatly im worried iv hurt my shoulder hopefully its nothing major!

Today was my day off… well sort of! I had to attend a course about swimming pools! It was incredibly interesting…

Anyway  got a workout in afterwards! It was a bit of a hashed together from days that i missed on the weekend and a sprint workout. It didnt turn out too bad and i feel iv had a good simple effective session.

• Skipping 10mins
• Rowing 10 mins ( achieved 2498m )
• Chin Ups 12 x 4 
• Plyometric Bosun Ball Push Ups (alternating hands) 20 x 3
• Wind Sprints x 20 (sprint jog back , sports hall roughly 50m sprints)
• Agility Sprints x 10 *

* For the agility sprints i basically put out 5 cones , 4 in a square and one roughly 10 meters straight on from the top left corner cone. Starting about 10 meters back from the bottom left cone you sprint as fast as possible, touch the bottom of that cone and “explode” and touch the bottom of each cone going bottom left - bottom right - top right - top left - straight sprint to last cone jog back and repeat. Its quite simple just complicated to explain. I reckon this would work just as effectively in any pattern and i think i will mix it up every so often.

I finished up with a core work out

Core Circuit (little to no rest between exercises)

• Plank Hold 1 minute
• Turkish Get Ups 8kg Kettle Bell 5 per side
• Rotational Medball Slams 15 each side
• Bicycle Crunch 15

repeated 4 times

Well iv ended up having a couple days off this weekend. I went to the Cleverly Bellew fight last night so i didnt want to be rushing and doing a crap workout! Quality in sessions is always the aim!! However it makes pretty much zero difference. Day 4 i did most of day 5’s planned workout and day 6 (today) would have been sprints. So all it means is ill do the remainder of the 2 days combined tomorrow on what would normally have been the rest day, then go straight into the second cycle. Very boring but just so you all know im not cheating!! 

On a side note the boxing last night was awesome and i really enjoyed a night out and about. It makes a nice change to routine and everyone needs that break from training every so often! But i kept it clean and boring no alcohol and didnt pig out too much! 

Back on it tomorrow and i cant wait! 

Today i wanted to do the strength training and ab work i had planned and also the swim i have planned for tomorrow! It frees up my afternoon up tomorrow so i can get ready for a night at the boxing in liverpool!

But here was todays!

• Skipping 10 mins
• Squat 5x5 40kg
• Dumbbell Bench 5x5 26kgx2
• Barbell Rows 10x5 35kg
• Overhead Press 5x5 35kg
• Leg Raises 10x5 35kg

Ab work

• Sit Ups 50
• Leg raises 50
• Bicycle Crunches 50
• Trunk Curls 50
• Scissor Kicks 50
• Finished with plank hold 2 mins

• Swim 20 mins

Was a good session. The Barbell Rows and overhead press are new exercises to me so the weight was relatively light trying to get form correct and making sure it was comfortable to do the full 5x5. Will increase rapidly i would hope.

The swim felt good! I always start swimming again and forget how hard it is and great exercise. Everyone knows this its not a secret but man its good! Going to try and fit it in once a week at least! Downside is to it getting changed ect and making it worthwhile is time consuming but theres no reason why not to get it done. I think after a strength workout it will be a great thing to finish off with , doesnt have to be hell for leather just that little something extra .

Last few workouts have been good and im already feeling the difference with my “new” training and cleaning up my diet slightly. 

So far so good!

Quick write up so i can get some kip soon! Today was intervals and happened like this!

• Skipping 10mins (last 5 intense 30 sec on/off)
• Row 1000m x 3 (times 1st 3mins 59.8 2nd 3mins 58 3rd 4.20) 
• Versa Climber 3 x 3min rounds 1 min rest between
• Treadmill Speed intervals (6 x 1 minute sprint , 1 min rest in between)
• Push Ups decline (feet raised) 20 x 4
• Chin ups 10 x 4

It was a good session felt very intense really went for it on the versa climber! Rowing times dont seem to be as good as when  used to row a fair bit but something to work on!! 4.20 was because my foot decided to bleed on me and was a tad painful! Harden the f*ck up came to mind! haha!

Core Work (repeat circuit 4 times)

• Ab wheel from standing 5 reps x 2 kneeling 10 x 2 
• Side Bends 20kg x 10
• Back Extensions 10kg x 10 

Finished with plank for 1 min 40 sec

Having just looked at my plan Im a bit annoyed at myself that i completely forgot to do leg raises in my circuit!

Owel good work all in all! Tomorrow im thinking of doing 2 days worth of training in one afternoon! Im not sure yet its only because i want to have saturday afternoon free to get ready to go see a boxing match in liverpool! CANT WAIT!!!!

Today was a good session! My cousin joined me for it and i was really impressed. Great work ethic and attitude! He does kickboxing so this type of training is exactly what he needs and will do him wonders! I told him to do what he could and take brakes when needed! After all i believe in “stimulate not annihilate”, but sometimes its good to see someone really pushing themselves, as that is also very important. In any sport especially in combat sports!

He did amazingly well considering he never does this type of training ….. he did a bit too much for his own good and had to work through a bit of a puking stage! Not that i think thats a good idea but it shows how hard he worked!

Anyway enough writing heres what happened!

• Skipping Warm up 15mins (at least!)

GPP Circuit 30 second drills of

• Burpees
• Dumbbell Punches (very light)
• Alternating push ups
• Star Jumps

30 seconds of each exercises no breaks for 10 mins (5 rounds)

Main Circuit

1 minute of each

• Box Jumps
• Kettle Bell Clean and Press 16kg
• Rotational Med Ball Slams 5kg
• Squat walk with 10kg 
• Vipr Lateral Run 20kg 
• Rest

repeated circuit 5 times 

we then got on the pads, no idea how long for but we both did a good 10-15 mins non stop.

I finished up with some ab work 

50 reps of

• sit ups 6kg
• leg raises
• trunk curls 6kg
• twists
• scissor kicks

Love days off , will be heading down the gym for about 1pm to get some good work in this afternoon. Meeting my cousin in there whos kick boxing at the moment so going to put him through his paces! Having said that he might kick my arse!!

Iv labelled this as day one. Slightly misleading but in my head its day one of a new regime and really getting on top of training. Nothings changed majorly except Iv planned and written everything down and got 2 strength training sessions in per week instead of one. Its not my main focus but  i want to see improvements in my max strength. Im thinking of a 4 week cycle , a back off week and then going back to the drawing board and doing the next 4 weeks! Well thats the plan anyway! 

Im now doing warm up sets and then onto my “work sets” which  am completing for 5x5 with that main weight, rather than starting low and working up eg my squats were like set 1 30kg, set 2 and 3 35kg set 4 40kg and set 5 45kg. Now it would be some warm ups sets and just 5x5 40kg! Going to slowly add the weight. This way im doing full “work” sets of 5x5 rather than fluctuating weight up and down.

Rather boring but this is the way apparently to get a good strength foundation. Im not worrying weather my weight is lower than before as long as i am completing that full 5x5 (although my dead lift was 80kg today out of no where! Felt good!!)

Anyways this is what happened today!

• Skipping 10 mins
• Squats 40kg  5x5
• Bench Press 40kg 5x5
• Dead Lift 80kg 5x5 (NEW RECORD!!)
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press 18kg 5x5
• Weighted Chins 15kg 5x4 (* Cant seem to get a 5th set for these! Something to work on!)

Was really pleased about the deadlift but i have to chuckle and it just shows sometimes you can suprise yourself. I actually wasn’t concentrating and thought id only loaded up 60 kg…. then realised it was 80kg… and was too embarrassed to unload it !!!! So thought balls to it lets see what happens (not an attitude id recommend normally) and it actually felt really good!

Once id finished i just had to get through an hour of boxing!!!

All in a days work!

Adios

Iv started my new regime and after a crappy day managed to do 2 training sessions back to back weights and then boxing!!!…. that feels better! Hopefully now im over this bit of man flu ill be back on it and improve. Will post up my routines and some notes later on and as i do them over the next few weeks for those interested.

Have sat down this A.M and planned a weeks worth of training starting hopefully tomorrow if im feeling better! Nothing radical but i like it as it covers everything i can think of! Im thinking of doing another 4 weeks of this planand with everything planned and recorded im aiming to get times down, weights up and improve in everything. The 5th week will be slightly lower key before modifying it and doing another cycle. 

I need to also get my shoulder finally sorted. The physio said she will do it for cheap for me :-) so no reason not to get it sorted now! Now its just shifts getting in the way of the boxing :-(

Owel should be good few weeks aslong as life doesnt get in the way!

Still got a cold! Nothing too serious but enough to keep me from training. I was determined this monday to start a new regime! Owel it will wait, i dont want to make it any worse so just going to see how i feel tomorrow when i wake up and not stress over it…… easier said than done when you have OCD about training!