McQue's Training

So i began today.. again. Iv had about 4 weeks off. My shoulder is feeling better than ever but i know its not quite there. But i reckon these new exercises for mobility ect are really helping. 

Im not going to lie today was hard… really hard. I did a very light workout on purpose i want to do several days of general exercise work before i go back into it fully. Pre-conditioning and general fitness. But i must admit it felt like a fully on session! From past experience i know ill be back to where i was in 3-4 weeks but cant believe how unfit i felt today!

Anyways here was the light workout that made me light headed! 

• 10 mins Skipping
• 10 mins GPP work - 30seconds burpees 30 seconds star jumps 30 seconds dumbbell swings(13kg) and 30 seconds bodyweight squats. Non stop, no breaks until the 10 mins are done
• Decline Push Ups 15 x4
• Chin Ups 8x 4 
• Sprints 88m (football pitch) x 10 
• Sit ups 30
• Leg Raises 30
• russian twists 30
• foam roller 15

Couldnt get over how bad my recovery is and how low my repetitions were! Truly pathetic. However i know it wont be long before im back to where i was and hopefully if the injuries stay at bay i can improve!!

Its a couple hours after the fact now and im feeling good will get up tomorrow and do something similar. Going to keep it light and simple for a few days or even weeks. One to get back into it and two with starting my new job my hours are everywhere so i dont know what time im going to get.

Note i reckon these simple GPP workouts should be done by anyone wanting to get fit, the are simple, low on time, low on tech, high calorie burner and more importantly are effective! I especially like the 30 second drills. Anyone looking at it thinking its easy give it a go!! And people who say they havnt got time for exercise give it a go! Its 10 mins for christs sake and i would say that 10 mins is more effective than most people 2 hour gym routine! Quality, and intensity over quantity anyday… mini rant over :-)

12 stone 5 lb. I weighed myself properly today. First thing without food ect. Iv never really done this before but it means im not as heavy as i thought i was. I guess it really doesnt matter as long as the next time you weigh in your replicate the circumstances exactly to keep it consistent. Im still doing rehab exercises this week with the intention of next week doing light GPP work (general physical preparedness). So the expectations are to get under 12st with the GPP work and then i will probably  be back to just above 12st when i start training properly again and start putting some muscle back on! 

But we’ll see to be honest its just something i like to keep an eye on but i firmly believe if you exercise right and eat a healthy balanced diet your body takes care of itself. If you wish to over complicate it at this level….. try and make friends with a rocket scientist or be prepared to give Mr Smiley Personal Trainer lots of money ;-D

Ok maybe the footy lads wont be thanking me anytime soon….. woops !!

Well im back to the beginning again. Iv had pretty much a couple weeks off. I want to start again really and do it properly! I want the days back where my shoulder worked properly and i could do the training i wanted too. 

So the plan is this week to do some really light and gentle rehab exercises and see where i go from there. Im starting a new job on friday where the hours could be anytime really so im just playing it by ear. I would like to get back to the gym and although i dont really need one it would be handy. But im still undecided about that yet. Im also desperate to get back to boxing (may have mentioned that once or twice). Boxing is a great sport and even if you absolutely hate it and what it stands for the training is second to non. And if you try it you might suprise yourself …. as some of you know :-D. But for me its one step at a time. Its been a rough couple of months and i want to get back and do it properly but first things first fix that shoulder or learn to fight one handed for the rest of my life.

Hopefully if all goes right in a couple weeks or maybe sooner i will be ready to get back to general training and shift some weight. Jumped on the scales today and say 12st 11 lbs which iv not seen for a while!! But i should be back to 12st after a handful of sessions!

Im off tonight to train the football lads. I think they hate me , so i know its working!! And im sorry boys but its going to hurt tonight.. one day you’ll thank me!  

Being as though im not training myself at the moment and im bored and want to update something this blog is probably going to become a bit random for a while !

Last week on Thursday evening I took a training session for a football team. Iv done a couple before now. Obviously I AM NOT a trainer!!!! And i wouldnt even pretend to be. Although i dont rate alot of “Personal” trainers out there as they seem to be everywhere and are an “expert” in something (normally exercise to music!). However they are obviously infinitely more qualified than me.

The coach of the team is my uncle however and although im not qualified he knows i know enough to improve their fitness.

Its been the third week and needless to say that bunch of 17-18 year olds hate me. Which means im doing it right! Im keeping it very simple. Some running to warm up some general body weight and calisthenics. Some sprints which im getting them to do in two teams so its competitive with a punishment of 20 burpees for the looser’s. Iv surprised myself with how many exercises i know now and can real off the top of my head. Iv got no equipment and no gym and the last few sessions i haven’t needed one for them. 

Iv managed i think this week to get them over the embarrassment factor. Running on the spot, doing star jumps and lying down on the floor rolling around and army crawling suddenly seems to turn a bunch of hard cocky 18 year olds very red in the face. Its amazing what you can do with zero equipment and just a park as your gym!

It was a really tough session. Not far off the standard of the old sessions i used to be put through at the boxing gym. In the next few weeks now their bodies have got used to the shock factor i really want to up the intensity. Like their coach keeps telling them their not kids anymore and they all want to play football , so dribbling balls through cones then having a kick about wont cut it anymore. Some of these lads are really talented and are being offered scholarships. So if they think my bit of training is though wait till they have to play for a proper team! 

Overall im pleased with the way its going so far. Iv not had to repeat any exercises in 3 sessions and the 4th is already in my head. Like i said im no expert but iv done it all myself before and mostly did it all wrong the first time so i know from my mistakes what not to do. As long as they show some improvement come their first match i will be pleased and consider it a success.

As for me Im hoping im going to be working this week or maybe next. Unfortunately the job im hoping to get is in liverpool so god knows what time of night i will be getting back as i could be working until 9. Needs must but it will be a shame to have to leave them in the lurch. I want to get back into my training but just feel drained. I reckon the last 2-3 months have been the hardest iv ever had. Iv kept training through it all but maybe that wasnt a good idea in hindsight. And i think recent events has just been that bit too much! But im still here, and ill soon be back to the training!!! 

And to that person i mentioned a couple weeks ago or so. I hope your new training is still going strong…and that life is treating you good, i really do. 

Adios for now

Hi all im just about to go out and train a football team of 17 year olds so its got me thinking about training again for the first time in a while. My drive and ambition isnt really with me at the moment. The house iv been talking about is finally sorted and im now back with my mum ( yay…). So thats out the way. However at the moment im now job hunting furiously. Had an interview today which went really well so hopefully will be working again soon. Im not too worried about training at the moment. Iv got a good plan when i do decide to come back to it. But after id say about 4-5 years of training 4-7 days a week pretty much without a break maybe 1 week at the most i think i need a couple weeks off.

Iv been so determined not to get out of shape that iv never really done this. But i have 2 chronic injuries my achillies and shoulder that havnt ever been given proper time to heal or any rehab. My plan is to go back to training in a week or so. However im thinking of doing 1 full week of literally just flexibility and mobility work and exercises to strengthen and hopefully fix my shoulder. It may not work but at least ill know then i really did try everything with it and it does or doesnt need physio or professional treatment.

I will then probably do another week or 2 of preconditioning work and General Physical preparedness work before i go back to full on training. Unfortunately due to recent events i wont be going anywhere anytime soon so if my shoulder holds up i really really want to go back boxing, straight back into the ring sparring and pick up where i left off!!! I want to fight now more than ever! I used to enjoy boxing so much and skill wise it was the only thing iv ever been pretty decent at. But i dont think i ever had that killer instinct…… i think i might have found that now, however of course for the ring only… im still a nice guy, depending who you ask ;-D 

mattybeard:

If you’re thinking of working out, go and work out.

If you’re thinking of cancelling a work out, go for a work out.

If you’re thinking you have nothing to do, go for a work out.

If you have 10 minutes spare, do a 10 minute work out.

If you’re sat down with nothing to do, get up and do a work out.

Basically, if you can then do a work out. Remember that even 5 minutes of working out is better than 5 minutes of nothing.

training is on the back burner at the moment , wont be updating for a while. Its not important right now! Good luck too everyone still plugging away and remember to keep pushing and challenging yourself every time whatever your poison is :-)

I was up at 7 this morning and went swimming first thing. Good 45 mins to an hour later and i was ready for breakie. Really enjoyed the swim would like to get into it more but at 3.50 a pop its not really a cheap do if you want to go a few times a week. Anyways it wasnt really my training for the day just something a bit extra that my dad actually fancied doing.

Worked on the house again all day today but by 4ish we’d done as much as we could do and as tired as i was i just wanted to get my strength session in which was!

• 1 dumbbell clean and press 18kg 4 reps per arm 4 sets
• 1 dumbbell snatch 18kg 4 reps per arm 4 sets
• 1 legged squats (still need assisted ones) 5 reps 4 sets
• Barbell Dead lift 38kg 5 reps 4 sets
• Weighted Chin ups 5 reps (15kg rucksack on back)
• Weighted Push ups 15 reps (15kg rucksack on back) 

Felt good now my strength has increased technique is coming together quite well. Think next week im going to try and increase the weight. Just difficult with shitty plastic dumbbell weights! But think i can make the jump to possible 23kg set up on one dumbbell as thats the only way i can increase it.

That was it for the planned strength training. Went for a 3 mile run with dad this evening before tea. I didnt have time to fit in with a core work out that i would have liked. But with so much going on somethings got to give and i hate to say it but right now training isnt and cant be as important to me as getting this house sorted and a job. Both of which are stressing me out! But one day at a time and i will get the conditioning session done tomorrow at some point! 

Righto guys very quick update. I went to the normal monday bootcamp. Was really good tonight , think i need those couple days off from training. It was strange too the last 2 times iv been really carefully planned my food and water intake before and really thought about it trying to maximize my potential to do well and iv not felt so good. Being so busy sorting the house and doing jobs didnt even think of it. Had a handful of plain rice about 5 and felt really good. Still want to keep improving though. Its just trying to balance everything. 

My dad came tonight aswell which was nice. First bit of exercise hed done in a long time and he did really well. Kicked some of the young lad arses in there to be honest……. not mine though ;-) like i said to him “Dont get cocky kid!”   

Unfortunately not from training !! But its been a nice weekend although quite difficult in some respects. Although its been a hard one for me for certain reasons. My dad is back which is great and really enjoying seeing him. And we’ve been seeing alot of family and had a family wedding. I love these occasions but its always better when people ask you what your doing with yourself these days , if your life isnt such a mess! The training has suffered and my normal healthy diet has gone. But i think for now it is going to be a case after all of just doing what i can when i can. I have and really need to get other things sorted work wise. Got a million things to do but as much as i dont want to do it and dont really care very much at the min they wont do themselves so as dad would say H.T.F.U (harden the fuck up) and get on with it!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Today i failed! not had this feeling for a while and think it was down to many reasons. First off let me just say i did start the session late in the day, dehydrated , tired and my shoulder pulled. But i did and finished what i physically could without wrecking my shoulder. This was sensible i know but i still failed. 

I also went to help train a football team and ended up doing the conditioning with them which was good. But was a light workout for me. They did really well and i was really happy with how hard they worked so that was a bonus. Its pre-season fitness work for them and if they keep up like they did last night they will be very fit by the time the first match comes around

So im not going to post up a routine as i feel i didnt do what i was meant to so i might as well say it was a failed day training side. I know yesterday i was really tired. I want to make no excuses with training but last night i felt facts were facts and iv got alot going on physically, mentally and emotionally and i cant do it all. My dad is here on holiday which is fantastic. So last night i decided i would knock the structured training i had planned on the head and just train as and when i can to keep ticking over.

….. This morning iv gone back on that and decided to stick to it as best as possible! I think i just need a break, im going to do a conditioning session later today and then im away this weekend at a wedding where im going to try and just forget everything and get back too it on monday with bootcamp. 

So watch this space! I will post up the conditioning routine later or you may see FRIDAY FAILURE as a title 

Bye for now 

Today was a great session, really enjoyed it and can definitely feel the difference from my strength training. Really seems to transfer well as sprints seem to be alot more explosive and faster. Especially considering the grass was wet today and was probably faster than iv been in the dry on previous sessions ! Any way this is what happened! 

• Sprints 200m X 6 30 seconds rest inbetween
• Sprints 50 m X 6 no rest jog back restart
• Pull Ups  8 reps x 4
• Box jumps 1 min on 30 seconds rest 4 times 
• Chin Ups 10 x 4 
• Squat Box Jumps 1 minute on 30 seconds rest 
• Decline Push Ups 20 X 4
• Inverted Rows 8 X 4

Good session today really felt good and explosive. On the squat box jumps really tried to focus on really squatting down and exploding up onto the raised blocks. Less reps in a minute but far far harder and more effective!

No i had a core work out planned today  but unfortunately just ran out of time. Its annoying as its the first time iv not completed what i wanted too. But i had another good boxing session with my mate so still got 2 sessions worth of work! Core workout will be done tomorrow instead of the high rep work i think.

Got to keep it up but got alot going on at the moment and not enough time! But cant make excuses just need to keep it up! 

Right will make these couple posts short, lack of internet time will just be posting what iv done.

Max Strength (based on ross enmaits routines)

• 1 Dumbbell Push Press 18kg dumbbell 4 reps per arm 4 sets
• Heavy Bag Lift to Shoulder (33kg H.bag) 10 (5 per arm) 4 sets

Mini Circuit

• Dumbbell Step Ups (2 dumbbell 13 kg each) 6 reps per leg
• Romanian Dead Lift barbell ( 26kg) reps 8

60- 90 seconds rest

• Chin Ups Weighted (15kg rucksack) 5 reps
• Push Ups Weighted (15kg rucksack)  10 reps 

60-90 seconds rest — Go back to Dumbell step ups repeat all exercises 4 times 

Finisher Farmers Walk 13kg dumbbell each hand 3 sets each as long as possible (set 1) 2mins 25 1min rest (set 2) 1min 5 seconds 1 min rest (set 3) 55 seconds 

That was it for the strength bit, felt like a good session. Ideally the ross training program wanted RDL but with dumbbells. weighted PULL ups and weighted dips. Due to lack of equipment and also a chronic shoulder injury i tried alternatives as close to the original program as possible! 

Finished with Some High Rep Ab/core Work - numbers represent reps 

• 3kg Medball Sit ups 50,40,30,20,10
• Leg Raises 50,40,30,20,10
• Trunk Curls 50,50,50
• Twists 50,50,50
• Back Extensions 25,25,25 
• Plank For time 1.47

And that was tuesday done and dusted oh wait…..

45 mins boxing training with a mate! might be getting back to the boxing gym soon so trying to get sharp again and help him anyway i cant before his first session

Well its the start of the training week again and tonight it was bootcamp circuit training. Felt a bit flat tonight, but ill put that down to too much beer and junk food over the weekend! But it was still a great session. It was definitely and improvement on last week and it was stinking hot in that gym! But its a great feeling sometimes to just not think and push yourself to the limit.. although i never believe in doing anything till complete failure its good training mentally lol! 

Im going to get an early night and hopefully get lots of sleep tonight as i really need it. My internet at this house tomorrow gets cut off so will try and update whenever i can. I think i might start moving bit by bit this week so will probably have access to the internet of an evening. 

To those people starting back this week properly once again hope your training goes good and other things too . You know who you are lol :-) 

Night Folks 

Well its been a lazzzy sunday…… NOT!!!

Staying up last night for the fight and staying up on the computer till 3 am a lazy sunday is what i had planned but unfortunately couldnt sleep and had too much work to get done on the house! 

Food and drink wise its not been a great weekend. I dont believe in specified “cheat” days where you specifically eat crap but hey i have a life too and if it happens every so often then its no problemo. Although i really have eaten crap and drank too much alcohol. And It looks like i might have to go for a chippy tea. 

Iv done no specific training this weekend , except lugging furniture and boxes around! So im hoping tomorrow after a good nights sleep ill be refreshed and ready to hit the training hard again! 

Iv got lots to keep my busy but im determined to keep up the training… i have too! I need it in my life at the moment more than ever lol

Well i do think im going to go for a long walk at least tonight burn some calories at least and get the muscles moving again! Then come back have me unhealthy tea, in my very empty house. I feel quite surreal about it now, everything gone ! not even got a tele and soon this internet connection will be going this week so dont know how often i will be able to update. 

But yeh i feel quite strange tonight ….. but thats why i train. use whatever gets you motivated!

Well its saturday and iv got that cold beer in my hand. Lads round later for the fight. This weeks training went really well i feel. Happy with the structure especially. 5 days 2 of them strength 3 conditioning. Its been tiring and challenging but not over done it either. So im happy with this structure and will be keeping it for a few weeks. It trains all the aspects i can think of so until i have some specific goals then im going to keep it like this. 

However any workout plan is useless if it becomes stagnant. One because you quickly adapt and gains lessen and two because its bloody boring!!! So the exercises will change and the order of them might even change!

Improvements for next week > i really need to get on this flexibility work. I know how important it is so why i cant neglect it any longer. Even if i have to buy the foam roller and tennis ball i need ! (explain that one at some point). Also i thinking about it i may do the interval training next week on the Wednesday and the Wednesday conditioning on the Friday. By Friday just gone i was shattered and although it was a great sprint session by the end of the week im probably not getting quite as much out of it. Whereas the conditioning session i did on wednesday is designed to knacker you mentally and physically so it would be even more of a challenge by just moving it to the friday

Apart from that i was pretty happy this week. I enjoyed it, it was boring and i can really feel my body getting sharp again and back into condition. I reckon a week or 2 and ill go back to 6 days a week then back to 7. When i say 7 days a week i mean a well structured program where the 7th day is usually and active rest day eg. go for a long walk and a stretching routine. 

I know from experience and theory it is possible to train 7 days a week but it has to be alot better constructed than i have done in the past.

Anyways enough talk iv got beer to drink

Oh and to all you people looking to get back into great shape this week enjoy , you know who you are :-) 

Adios 

   God im absolutly shattered so going to make this quick. Today was interval sprints. Wanted to do 400 m x6 and 50m x6. 400m is hard to measure but sprinting 1 min as hard as possible is roughly equivalent. I did the main bulk of the training in the morning and just finished up my core workout just before tea time this evening! Today was physically hard but mentally it was exhausting. Everything felt wrong this morning, dehydrated lack of sleep ect. But i worked through it which is good because i got the workout done but sometimes its good to push yourself mentally. If you can do it well on the odd shit day then you can do it easy on the good days!! Anyway enough talk this is what happened!

• Warm Up Light Jog
• 1 minute Sprint X 6 - As hard as possible 1 minute rest between.
• 50m sprint X 6 - Going for max speed , no timed rest jog back to start line and go again!
• Box Jumps 1 minute X4 - 4 lots rest periods decreasing 60 secs,45,30,15
• Pull Ups 6 reps x 4 
• Chin Ups 12 reps x 4 -that was the goal it broke down in the last set! think it went 8 the 2 then 2 lol! Muscles were just stopped working!
• Full Squat Jumps 1minute x 4 - On to High Block, 1 min rest inbetween
• Decline Push ups 20 reps X 4
• Inverted Rows on a bar 8 reps X 4

That was the main workout done for the day, got back and just wanted to collapse! Just fatigued from the rest of the week and ready for those couple rest days! Couple More weeks and back to 6 days a week! In the past id have kept going until i couldnt anymore and then rest! I should know better now lol! Determined not to over train this time! Always have done in the past and it doesnt work!

Any way rambling again as you have probably noticed i do that alot!

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Woken up this morning feeling very tired and pretty grumpy! Definitely at the point where i am needing the planned rest days! Today is the last day of the week of intense exercises! Tomorrow im thinking of doing a stretching routine and i would like to do a little circuit i found in Ross Trainings book for all the forgotten and neglected areas. However i might try and fit it in today and have Both saturday and sunday completely off! And when i say off i mean a weekend of lifting , carrying , tidying gardening and D.I.Y jobs as still getting house ready to rent out! 

Owel im looking forward to Saturday night, having the lads round to watch the big fight and i have 6 cold beers with my name on them in the fridge!