McQue's Training

Well sometimes you just dont know why it happens but today i was really motivated. I was full of cold but for some reason my mind was switched on to training mode today! Tried some new things too today which i really like! I am now truly shattered! 

Warm Up

• Skipping 10-15mins

Work Capacity Circuit

• 5 push ups (total 50)
• 10 medball slams (total 100)
• 10 burpees  (total 100)
• 20 star jumps (total 200)

Bascially start the circuit every 2 minutes for 20 minutes (10 rounds). No break between exercises you rest once you have done all 4 exercises until the next 2nd minute and start again! This really increases your ability to keep working! 

Kettle Bell Circuit

using a 16.5 kg kettle bell 

1 minute on each of

• Two handed swings (full motion to overhead)
• Clean and press from floor alternating hands
• Half snatch alternating hands
• Full Snatch alternating hands
• Figure of 8 through legs

rest one minute i repeated circuit 4 times.

” Sled Drags”

Iv been wanting to do these for a while! Its basically a weighted sled which you either push or pull with maximum effort! However i have no sled so had to be a bit inventive. 

The gym i use have these weighted rubber tubes called Vipr’s. 

I grabbed two 20kg ones (the heaviest theyve got). Got a couple of straps and then i had a weighted i could drag either running backwards or sprinting forwards! 

I did

• 3 x 3minute rounds Dragging 2x20kg Vipr’sgoing backwards approx 50 meters turn around and go back dragging behind me sprinting forwards! This was an absolute killer.
• 1 x 3 minutes flipping one 20kg Vipr getting to one end of the hall and pushing it along the floor backwards!

….i then got told off for making too much noise!!! 

That was pretty much it for the conditioning aspect! 

Some more skipping before going onto ab work

Ab work

• 50 sit ups
• 50 side bends holding x2 25kg plates
• 50 side crunches
• 50 touch ankles while lying on back
• 50 trunk curls
• 50 scissor kicks
• 50 back extensions 
• 50 knees to chin 

I also made sure today i had a goood flexibility and foam roll!

If i was off all the time (from work) just think what i could do :-) ….. unfortunately im not and now in for 10 days straight!

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.

What a lovely evening to get punched in the face. Gotta love that boxin feeling!

Just a quick type up today , went to the gym like i said in previous post backing off the strength work for a week and going for aerobic/ anaerobic conditioning and muscular endurance work. It was tough but felt good , it was based on a workout i used to do too often but is still a great workout.

• Cross Trainer 5 mins
• Push Ups 40 then 30 (70)
• Sit Ups 6kg medball 50 x 2 (100)
• Rower 10 mins (2.3 km approx )
• Decline Push Ups 20 then 10 (feet on bench hands in close together) (30)
• Versa Climber 15 mins (beat the computer on contender) 
• Leg Raises 25 x 4 (100)
• Chin Ups 10 x 4 (40)
• Twists 50 x 2 (100)
• Bike 20 mins (hill mode (this was intense!!!) 
• Bench Press 20 kg 40,30,20,10 (100)
• Bent Over Barbell Rows 15kg 20 x 5 (100)
• Trunk Curls 50 x 2 (100)
• Scissor Kicks 50 x 2 (100)

think that was everything pretty much 100 of everything except chin ups. Not exactly complicated but iv found it effective for increasing my muscular endurance. Iv got boxing tomorrow and possible thursday so will do a circuit wednesday and another conditioning day on friday but that will probably be more anaerobic work and intervals

Thanks for reading 

Bye for now

Was really tired after work today and couldnt face a full on conditioning session but thats ok the explosive session fitted in nicely.

• Skipping 10 mins 
• 2 Dumbbell Split Snatch 18kg 3 reps x 5 sets
• 2 Dumbbell Push Press 20kg 3 reps x 5 sets

Complex pair

• 1 Armed Bench Press 5 reps per arm (set 1 and 2 24kg, 3 ,4 26kg and 5 28kg)
• Straight into 4kg medball slams 10 reps

Completed as circuit 4 times

Complex Pair

• Wall Sit 60 seconds
• Straight into Split jump lunges x 10

Finisher Kettle Bell Swings 16 kg 15 x 3 per arm

Core Work

• V-ups 6kg x 15
• Side Bends 20kg x 10
• Plank Hold 30 seconds
• Chinnies x 20

repeat as circuit 4 times 

Finished Ups with 5 mins skipping as fast as possible and ran home! 

Tonight was awesome. I went hell for leather straight away and started fading before the half way mark! It took alot of mental focus to come back and i eventually got my second wind after thinking i was going to throw up! Really good and still buzzing from it!

Unfortunately its the last bootcamp for the forseeable :-( i can do the same stuff and i train as hard as i can but theres nothing like having someone else pushing you to your limit, with the best intentions in the world you cant push yourself to breaking point! For me having someone pushing me and showing them they can’t break me gets me that extra % 1 and thats all the difference! 

Im going to roughly write up what bootcamp involved tonight as i dont normally but its the last one so id like people to know what it involves. Its nothing magical its just like i said the environment that pushes you that bit harder!

All OF IT IS NON-STOP NO BREAKS!!! 

• 15 mins skipping (just me personally i like to start warmed up)
• Running round the hall up to 10 mins , increasing speeds , changing direction, touching hands to floor, sideways backwards ect ect
• Body weight instructions tonight are shouted out randomly whilst running
• PUSH UPS 10,9,8,7,6,5, ect ect
• Squats 20,15,10,5,
• Squat Thrusts 20,15,10,5
• Sit Ups 15,10„9,8, ect ect
• More running changing directions , sprints
• Running and jumping over 3 gymnastic boxes of increasing heights ( several times)
• The Circuit Time everyone finds a stations and completes the usual and unusual exercises for unknown amount of time until trainer shouts change!
• Trainer calls you over randomly to complete even more intense exercises one on one (eg tuck jumps holding 8kg medball)
• Whatever else pops into the trainers head!
• More Running And sprints 
• Finish with cool down stretches

It changes week to week and its a great class i cant wait until its back and will endeavour to keep the same intensity in my workouts!

Im determined to get back to boxing tomorrow so its another time of the week ill be being pushed to my limits! I really want to use my training for a purpose and that means a fight! Its just work getting in the way. Im a strong believer in you can play football , rugby ect…. YOU CAN’T play at boxing. So if i cant train multiple times a week and give it my all then i wont step into the ring for the hell of it! 

Anyway sorry for the lengthy post 

Adios 

off today! means gym time later :-) explosive lifting and might do some sort of conditioning, maybe bag work or pads if iv got someone to hold them for me.

want to try some new stuff for explosive training

anyone got any advice or links to olympic lifting?

Well as you might notice im a couple days late. Thursday I was really sore and drained and this sort of training gains pretty much nothing if your fatigued. Then friday I was on an early shift with work and was just shattered! Anyway enough excuses i did it today!! Means i can rest up tomorrow and get a massive conditioning session when im off on monday!

Warmed up with quite a bit of skipping mainly to wake me up!

• 2 Dumbbell Split Snatch reps 3 sets 5 , set 1,2,3,4 18 kg set 5 20kg
• 2 Dumbbell Push Press reps 3 sets 5, 20 kg

Complex Pair

• 1 Armed Dumbbell Bench Press 24kg reps 5 sets 4
• Straight to clap push ups x 8

Complex Pair

• Wall Sit 45-60 seconds Maximum Tensions
• 8 squat jumps

Finisher Kettle Bell Swings 15 each arm x 3 sets 12kg

Ab work 

• 50 sit ups with 6 kg med ball
• 50 Leg Raises
• 50 Trunk curls
• 50 twists 6 kg med ball
• 50 scissor kicks

on a side note getting really back into the old skipping. practising and adding more tricks to my arsenal. Im up to doing squat jumps with a rope and then springing up to do double unders in the same movement! I think this is the last trick before im better than Floyd Mayweather Jr ;-D

Yesterday i hit the gym before work for a spot of interval training. It felt really good today (thursday) should be an explosive weight training but i think im going to rest today and do it tomorrow as i really feel i wouldnt get any benifit due to tiredness. 

Anyway Wednesday Went a little like this

• Skipping 12 mins
• Sprint Intervals treadmill 6 x 1 min sprints 1 minute rest in between
• Box Jumps 1 min x 3 with 30 seconds rest in between 
• Rower 1000m x 1 in 3 mins 50 seconds resistance 4
• Hurdle Jumps (over bench) 3 x 1 min , 1 min rest in between
• Skipping 10 mins
• Decline Push Ups 15 x 4
• Skipping 5 mins
• 30 normal push ups

Core Work

• The Flag x 5
• V-Ups (weighted 6kg) x 10
• Side Bends (6 each side 20kg)
• Chinnies x 15-20

repeat core circuit 4 times

After that i hit the sauna the benefits of a health club

Thats everything i think felt really good but feeling it today! 

Well tonight after work i did my first max strength session for quite a while! It felt good and although the gym was fairly busy in the weight section with the usual posers…. yes i actually say a guy finish his dumbbell curls and lift up his top to check out his top (god knows how they are connected). Any way this is what i managed to do 

• 1 Arm Dumbbell Clean and Press 24kg 4 reps per arm 4 sets
• 1 Arm Dumbbell Snatch 24kg 4 reps pers arm 4 sets
• Decline Push Ups 15x 4 ( height 2 aerobic steps)
• Weighted Chin Ups 5 reps x 4 ( 15kg)
• Squat 5 reps 4 sets 40kg
• Deadlift 5 reps 4 sets 60kg
• Heavy Bag Shouldering 5 reps alternating shoulder x 3 sets

Was great and felt good doing this workout. I want to learn more about strength training. I know the weights are comparatively low to all you strength buffs out there but its not something iv worked on for a very long time in the grand scheme of things and my conditioning and fitness will always be my priority really.

Anyway its 11.30 at night and im sore and nackered 

Night all

Right im updating a tad late (tuesday evening )  due to computer problems. And its as accurate as possible due to memory problems! So ill get straight to it! 

• Cross trainer and foam roller Warm Up 5 mins
• Workout 101 with Push Ups 5 decline push ups, 10 medball slams,10 burpees and 20 star jumps every 2nd minute for 20 mins (10 x each)
• Versa Climber 5 minutes (beating computer opponent on intermediate)
• Skipping 10 minutes ( 30 second bursts of intense work when possible)
• Pads (worked with my mate and fellow tumblr user Matt Beard who held pads for me basically until I was knackered)
• Push Ups 50
• Chin Ups 10 x 4

I also did a load of ab work and core work but i cant remember for the life for me how much  

That was it for monday it felt really good 

Oh wait i also had a Vipr taster session (45min class) through work which was harder than i thought it was going to be! Vipr Seems to be a decent bit of kit!

Oh and i ran home :-)

Just spent a little time in the gym tonight finished work early but was feeling the last couple days. I did a bit of a warm up and a handful of bodyweight exercises

AND the Versa Climber… basically this is hard .. really hard! I can see it becoming my preferred conditioning machine! Think its great. 10 minutes on it killed me I can see why they are becoming so popular! 

Note this is not me!!!

Really great workout! Recommend everyone has a go if their gym has one!

Tomorrow is a rest day, i may go for a light swim and sit in the sauna for a bit. Serious training starts again Monday i feel really ready for it! Ready to get back in great shape! 

Has been a nice day today. I was off work but up fairly early. Chilled this morning and then got in the gym about 2ish. Really wanted to push it today conditioning wise. My mate was in there so was good to see him and he did a mini circuit with me which he did really well in! All in all good day. Only bad thing was iv got two massive blisters on my ankles from my new shoes to walking and certain things were pretty much agony.

• Warm Up Cross Trainer 10 mins
• Skipping 10 mins
• Heavy Bag Work, 4x 3min rounds
• Mini Circuit — 1 min aerobic step ups, 1 min turkish get ups (8kg kettlebell) 1 min burpees, 1 min clean and press using the Vipr tube, 1 min rest repeat 4 times
• Treadmill Intervals 6 x 1 minute sprints (as fast as possible) 1 minute rest in between
• 3 x 1min box jumps 1 minute rest in between 
• 2 x 1 minute hurdle jumps ( two footed jump over bench from standing) 
• Chin Ups 10 x 4

Core 

This kind of went a bit to pot as my mate came back over and we got chatting lol

• Leg raise 15x 2 ( at dip station vertical position) 
• Sit ups holding 6kg med ball x 35
• twists 6 kg medball x 40
• Plank Hold 1 minute 

So felt pretty good today getting back into the conditioning. Tomorrow im not sure what im doing but probably be a bit of cardio stuff, going to have a go at the versa climber in intervals which should be interesting as iv never used one. Then i want to do a shit load of bodyweight and core exercises and really go to town! 

After all that i may go for a swim and a sauna or leave that as “Active Rest” for Sunday before the serious work starts on Monday. No matter what my shifts are i should be able to fit it all in now im working close to home so i will be back to conditioning Mon , Weds , Fri , Max Strength Tues and Explosive strength Thursday. Then Saturday i may do whatever i fancy. Might even give tennis or squash a go!!!

Well thats the plan anyways!

Was out the door this morning at 7.20 to get on an emergency response course for my new job. It was really interesting and spent most of the day in the pool “rescuing” people and flipping them over ect ect. Thought it was a good course something to add to the old C.V.

But we got back quite late so just wanted to get in and do something. I dont mind that sometimes it was still fairly intense for my fitness level right now.

• Row 5 mins
• 20 x 4 Decline push ups (using perfect push up handles)
• Bike 20 mins (12k completed)
• Chin ups 10 x 4 
• Sit ups 50
• leg raises 15 x 4
• trunk curls 25 x 2 
• Vipr Over head press from floor 10 x 3

Did a quick cool down and got home for tea… which i still havn’t got yet!!! Starving isnt the word!

Lots to be improved but getting back into it now and really feeling the difference again.

Also this was my first time using the Vipr. Its all the rage in this place im working. They do classes and im booked on for one so will let you know what i think. So far i think its just another tool to go with the million others but i reckon used in the right way it could be really really good!