[Becca]

(Original post by HFerguson)
The judging was pretty consistent - someone got utterly shafted because they lowered the bar before the down command, even though the judge took a ****ing lifetime to give the command. I thought that was pretty harsh. Otherwise judging was consistent. Jerk definitely needs work. Did I see any big lifts? Yeah, one of my teammates (he's 81kg) opened with an 85kg snatch and 112kg clean and jerk, which I thought was ****ing awesome. Some pretty strong guys, but one guy from Brunel uni stuck out - he was so ****ing quick Brunel's coach was also ****ING hilarious - he was saying stuff like "oh that's ****ing useless, that's a **** snatch, what the **** is the point in that" etc
it was really awkward for the other lifters, and we were pissing ourselves laughing about it afterwards - it's a terrible way to coach, and no wonder they were failing so many lifts. I kinda felt bad for the guys. The guy was quite harsh, and also sounded just like Brick Top out of the movie "Snatch", which made it EVEN funnier.

Also, over summer I won't be able to train 7 times a week - 3 or 4 if im lucky. As such, will probably need to be redesigning my program. Keeping front squats and back squats as they are (M = FS 3x5, W = BS 3x5, F = FQ 5x3), want to still include barbell bench, push press, leg curls, chin ups, clean pulls and romanian deadlifts, face pulls... also won't be able to join or find a gym with bumper plates or that allows dropping...

That happened to me at my last big comp. Made a PB, got 2 reds for dropping it too soon Never again.
Yeah I couldn't work with a coach that was so negative like that.
Where will you be living over the summer? S'gonna be a bit rubbish if you can't drop. You can still do loads of technical stuff with light weights though.

[HFerguson]

(Original post by Becca)
That happened to me at my last big comp. Made a PB, got 2 reds for dropping it too soon Never again.
Yeah I couldn't work with a coach that was so negative like that.
Where will you be living over the summer? S'gonna be a bit rubbish if you can't drop. You can still do loads of technical stuff with light weights though.

Will be back in and around Milton Keynes, still haven't figured out what im gonna do regarding a gym can't not train over summer
will probably be doing a lot of technical stuff lightweight, just really solidifying my engrams and technique, and heavy as **** squats, clean pulls and romanian deadlifts all summer long and just get stronger so I can smash it when I come back in september

[HFerguson]

Monday AM - pretty ****ty if im honest, hadn't eaten well the past 4 days

Front squat 50x5, 60x5, 75x5, 75x4, 75x5
Barbell bench press bar x8, 40x5, 50 3x8
dips - 2x5 - these seemed to aggravate both AC joints and left tricep long head
face pulls - warmup sets + 3x8 (21 on the stack)
Ab rollout negatives 3x8

Rotator cuffs feel utterly raped now
triceps tendinitis is bugging me a bit (both elbows, left is worse), as is a little bit of persistent patellar tendinitis (both knees)

[redbuthotter]

Howd that knee stretch work out for you?

[HFerguson]

(Original post by redbuthotter)
Howd that knee stretch work out for you?

didn't really do it if im honest but a bit of rest seems to have done wonders, feeling much better today and back squated, my hip flexors however, are not happy lol

WEDNESDAY AM:

back squat 60x5, 70x5, 85x5, 87.5 2x5
push press barx8, 30x5, 40x5, 45x5, 47.5x5 (need to work on my form on these, have an idea of what im supposed to be doing, but having never done them before, feels quite foreign to me, will take me a week or 2 to get an engram)
neutral grip chin ups 2x5 negatives, 1x5
leg curls 68x8, 80x8, 82 2x8
bicep curls 2x8 with the EZ curl bar (6.25kg on either side, focusing on negatives)

push press - no supraspinatus pain

[kingkongjaffa]

Why are you fasting on a bulk?

[HFerguson]

(Original post by kingkongjaffa)
Why are you fasting on a bulk?

to get leaner and improve anabolic response to training
fasting doesn't mean "OMFG you'll go catabolic and burn all your muscle!!!1"

[HFerguson]

Wednesday PM session:

Pretty ****ing horrendous. One of the worst in a while.
Was warming up and was overzealous on the dynamic leg work and *ping* groin pull. ****ing infuriating because it had been healing really nicely and rehabbing great the past few months. Probably the 5th time I've pulled it in 9 months. This is getting silly now.

As for the actual lifting
worked up to 45kg snatch triples, failed a few reps, realised I was looking down and not forward, hence losing my chest/thoracic
was mainly working on moving the feet aggressively, I'd been being lazy on my snatch and just dropping down from where my feet were

worked up to clean triples with 55kg, pretty lightweight, working more on power jerk technique

decided to end with some clean pulls - 75kgx5, 80kg 3x3
form on these was ugly as ****, hadn't deadlifted in ages, and my erectors were definitely feeling it
then did romanian deadlifts 50kg 3x5, hyperextended - definitely ****ed my erectors, have been in pain since

[HFerguson]

a rest week during exam week is looking pretty likely right now given injuries I'm amassing.

edit: **** that ****, realised I can't afford a week off, will just do a week of only squatting and maybe some pulls. Want this tricep tendon and rotator cuff to heal up though.

[redbuthotter]

What happened to the 80kg clean attempt?

[HFerguson]

(Original post by redbuthotter)
What happened to the 80kg clean attempt?

haha wasn't feeling it, my first pull ****ing falls apart at 80kg.

update on the back: good night of sleep seems to have done a world of good. Little painful to hold it in flexion, just feels like standard doms
also must have banged my knee last night in training because I have a painful lump on my kneecap ¬_¬

[HFerguson]

Friday AM:

Front Squat 50x4, 60x4, 75x3, 77.5 4x3 (**** yeah 4 triples at bodyweight, feels good man)
BB bench barx8, 40x8, 50 3x8
cable flyes 1x10, 1x2 *ping* rotator cuff unhapy
incline dumbbell press 3x12 (supraspinatus unhappy)
tried a few dips, rotator cuff unhappy
face pulls 3x8
push crunches 30kg 2x8


taking next week off any upper body stuff. Nothing but squats and pulls. Need to let this shoulder heal.

[HFerguson]

Monday AM:

****ing ****. Worst night sleep ever, very unusual for me, had a head full of revision voices.
Overslept by an hour.

Front squats 50kg x5 , 60kg x5, 77.5kg x3, 75kg x3 (hip flexors in agony)
Deadlifts: 60kgx5, 70x5, 80x5, 90x3, 95x1 (lower back was fine, upper back was utterly collapsed, cant ever get any bloody thoracic extension)
(really wanted to be doing clean pulls but not happy enough with form so stuck with deadlifts)
snatch pulls 60kg (very happy with first pull, good thoracic extension, felt light, like i could probably snatch 60 on a good day)

[HFerguson]

Much better night of sleep last night.

Was pretty hyped last night and pumped/looking forward to getting 90kg squat lol.
Started warming up (as in mobility work), felt a bit lightheaded, nauseous, did not have high hopes for the workout. Then went and had the runs ¬_¬ was like "oh well, time to squat" lol

Monday AM:
(Back) squats: 60x5, 72.5 x3, 82.5 x3, 87.5 x5, 90 2x5
was well chuffed to get 90 for 2 sets of 5 and was also much happier with form. Was tough as ****. 2nd set, 3rd rep, thought "that was pretty difficult. near failure." 4th rep was close to failure. Thought "god ****ing damn do I want that 5th rep". And with that I descended into hell...
came out of the hole and hit a sticking point about half way up - screamed out at the top of my lungs "FFFFUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKK" and got through it though, was a proper 100% RM attempt on that last rep lol
also managed to ping a hamstring.
...100kg soon

was pretty knackered after that, psychologically mostly
DB bench press: 18x5, 22x5, 28x4, 26x8, 26x4 (couldnt be bothered)
Neutral grip chins 3x8 (assisted ) - grip gives out on these before lats do ¬_¬ worst forearm pump ever
curls for the girls 3x8

[HFerguson]

Friday PM:

not too shabby at all
snatch - triples up to 40kg, then singles and/or doubles, worked up to a 55kg power snatch PR
front squat 70kg 3x3
push press 47.5kg 3x5
snatch pulls 60kg 3x5

shins are torn to **** because my first pull form is ****

[Becca]

(Original post by HFerguson)
Friday PM:

not too shabby at all
snatch - triples up to 40kg, then singles and/or doubles, worked up to a 55kg power snatch PR
front squat 70kg 3x3
push press 47.5kg 3x5
snatch pulls 60kg 3x5

shins are torn to **** because my first pull form is ****

Wear football socks.

[HFerguson]

(Original post by Becca)
Wear football socks.

I used to and still have em in my locker, I just don't wear em because my coach says if its hitting my shins, my technique is off, and I think of bloody shins as a punishment and good deterrent LOL forces me to rethink the bar path
my logic is "do you see any of the top level lifters wearing em? they don't have any problems getting their shins out of the way"

[Becca]

(Original post by HFerguson)
I used to and still have em in my locker, I just don't wear em because my coach says if its hitting my shins, my technique is off, and I think of bloody shins as a punishment and good deterrent LOL forces me to rethink the bar path
my logic is "do you see any of the top level lifters wearing em? they don't have any problems getting their shins out of the way"

I have seen may top level lifters with grazed shins (not saying this is a good thing though)

[HFerguson]

Monday AM:

very enjoyable
front squats 50x4, 60x4, 70x3, 75x3, 77.5x3, 80x3 (PR), 82.5 x1 (went for a 2nd but felt lumbar spine round and dumped it, didn't feel like fighting it)
barbell bench bar x 10, 40x5, 50x5, 55 2x5, 57.5 x3
face pulls warmups + 3x8
leg curls 68x8, 80 x8, 82x8, 80x8

wont be able to work out til Friday morning now, packed with exams this week but finish on friday

[HFerguson]

Also realised this morning that since having Flu mid-march, I've added 20kg to both front and back squats