Pros don't train differently from you

There's an idea, possibly given by pro body-builder DVD's and the like, that top level athletes train differently from the average Joe. On occasion I've even seen it suggested that they are privy to secrets - drugs, training and the like - that others do not have.

It's a crock. While it's true that some pros get help from what we now call 'gurus's on training, nutrition and so on on (which shows they do not know everything) nothing they are shown or taught is a secret. 99.9% of what they are shown is known. Very little is new. I have in my ever growing collection of physical culture books (100+) and magazines (4500 and growing) some which go back to the 1930's. 

Even before such methods were named lifters used supersets, giant sets and the like. The idea of high levels of protein is as old as Roman Gladiators and the first Olympic athletes.

If you look carefully at a top level athlete working out you'll see that they try to get as much as they can from an exercise. Combined with their genetics they have an ability to squeeze something dry. Small, small twists such as contracting a muscle at the hardest point, holding a dumbbell thus and being obsessively, even to the point of stupidity, to work, work and work some more. They are anal about meals, will have an afternoon nap if it helps and can be very selfish in their aims.

One suggestion I've offered before is to see if you are doing everything you could have done to succeed. Did you give everything, did you neck all your shakes, did you take some time to chill out and recover??

In your next session I want you to go all out - to the point where you get a thumbs up from the local 'face' (assuming it's not you ha ha).

Back to the grind... Wednesday 6th June 2012 workout

Wednesday
Back in the gym where I belong... ahhh now exhale. That's better. Onwards. I'll ease in over the next couple of sessions. Today was shoulders-n-arms. As per I warmed up with a light set of rotator cuff work with dumbbell.

Seated Press in Jones
bar x 8 reps, 50kg x 8 reps, 80kg x 6 reps, 90kg (with sleeves) x 4 hard shaky reps.

H/D/B/Curls
10kg@ x 12 reps, 20kg@ x 10 reps, 30kg@ x 8 reps - 15kg@ x 15 or so reps (wasn't counting just pumping)

s/s with

TPD (used double ratio pulley machine)
50kg x 12 reps, 80kg x 12 reps, stack 9105kg) x 12 reps - 60kg x 15 reps

F/W/Curls
12.5kg x 12 reps @, 22.5kg x 10 reps @, 32.5kg x 12 reps @ - 17.5kg x 15 reps L and 17 reps R.

Wednesday 30th May 2012 - training grippers = pain

Ouch. As only a little while previously stated (you get to moan loads when you hit a certain age and so I am taking full advantage) my palms are torn. Not much but just in the sweet spot where you anchor the end of a gripper. My right is almost healed but I felt like I was pulling on the tear on my left. 

Now the skin of your palms etc heal real quick. A week would do it and although I thought about it I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave it a week without hitting grippers. This morning my left thumb was remind me that picking up rounded end solid dumbbells (York style) by their heads is a width too far if you over extend. Combine that with the other grip stuff we did at Bulks and that hurt today.

So all I could do was work to 5/5 x a rep or two on the Vulcan and then some light sets and reps with my handy HG300. If I am lucky I might get a little scare tissue and the gripper will anchor just so. Always looking on the bright side.

Thursday 10th May 2012 workout +

Thursday

Sent of a shed load of bumpf to Muscletalks James regarding the protein scandal yesterday. 

Spent sometime this morning sorting out stuff for the 3 working weekends coming up.

Had a crack at a couple of Argos catalogs - did them but need more speed and flare.

V/Gripper

Could have been better.

Finished with HG300 for a few higher than usual rep sets

L/H: 1, 6, 6, 6 reps - all no set

R/H: 1, 8, 8, 8 reps - al no set

Monday 7th May 2012 workout

Monday

Umming and ahhing all the way down the hill to the gym - legs or Deadlift. This may have been aided by enjoying a pint or two with David yesterday during Rochester's Sweeps Festival (pics on facebook)
 

Leg Press

f/p x 20+ reps, 120-kilos x 20 reps, 240-kilos x 20 reps, 360-kilos x 20 reps, 500-kilos x 8 reps

Leg Ext

35-kilos x 15 reps, 80-kilos x 15 reps, stack x 2 x 10 reps
 

Leg Curl

35-kilos x 12 reps, 50-kilos x 12 reps, 75-kilos x 8 reps

F/W/Curls

17.5-kilos x 8 reps, 30-kilos x 8 reps, 40-kilos x 8 reps d/s 25-kilos x 8 reps @ 

Added some free range egg whites to my protein drink today. We'll see how I get on. 

Thursday 3rd May 2012 gripper work+

Thursday
More protein scandal work and my 1 Rep Max shirt arrived: sweet :)

V/ Gripper
B/H: 1/1 x 8 reps @, 3/3 x 1 rep @, 5/5 x 1 rep @,
L/H: 6/5 x 2 x 1 easy reps, 6/6 x F (poor set), N, N, N, VN reps
R/H: 6/6 x 1 rep, 7/6 x 1 easy rep, 7/7 x F, dropped to 7/6 x 1 easy rep back to 7/7 x F (both F were poor sets), then N, N reps

Monday 30th April workout + job interview

Sunday
Enjoyed a nice walk out Chatham and back with a few beers and lunch in between with my brother David, Back to Chatham again today (Mon) for a job interview and again Wednesday... I should move there ha ha. Did ok at the interview. I made sure to mention the upcoming work and move to Wales and, from the interviewers reply, I (and may still be) was good to go. Not bad for my first interview since 2005.

Monday
Leg Press
to 500kg x 12 reps

Leg ext
to stack x 15 r/p reps

s/s

Leg Curls
to 70kg x 12 r/p reps

R/W/Curls
to 20kg x 8 and then 5 reps @ + 5kg x 12 reps d/s

Wednesday 25th April 2012 workout + protein scandal work

I spent far too many hours (3000+ words and growing) typing on the protein scandal (revealed any day now) and well over an hour chatting with the main ripped off man - Spencer Clark of STC that I was running well behind today
 

Wednesday

S+A

Seated Press in Jones

bar x 12 reps, 50-kilos x 8 reps, 65-kilos x 8 reps, 90-kilos x 4 reps (s)
 

Alt standing dumbbell curls

10-kilos @ x 8 reps, 20-kilos @ x 8 reps, 27.5-kilos @ x L5/6R reps
 

1 arm TPD

20-kilos @ x 8 reps, 35-kilos @ x 8 reps, 50-kilos @ x 2 x 8 reps (s) - 2nd set d/d left arm
 

F/W/Curls

17.5-kilos x 8 reps, 25-kilos x 8 reps, 50-kilos @ x L6/8 reps d/s 25-kilos x 8 reps

Monday 23rd April workout

Monday

Leg Press

to 500kg x 11 reps
 

Leg Ext

to stack x 14 d/d reps

s/s
 

Leg Curls

to 70kg x 11 d/d reps

RT work

B/H: 60-kilos x 8 reps @, 80-kilos x 3 reps @, 100-kilos x 1 rep @. My lower back was stiff and I spent time loosening it between sets.

L/H: 115-kilos x F then 3 x 1 rep. 117.5-kilos x 1 and then 4 reps.

R/H: 117.5-kilos x 3 x 1 reps, 123.75-kilos x 1 then 2+2 (RP style). 

As before my mind was in Bodypower mode but by golly it took some getting there. ALL of the warm up sets, esp left handed, were hard work. But I got a sort of second wind once in BP mode for the heavy ones. 

Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th w/outs

Tuesday

V/gripper
 

Wednesday

errands, inc posting ID re house purchase then

Iso Press(Jones in use)
handles x 15 reps, 16.25kg@ x 8 reps, 32.5kg@ x 8 reps, 55kg@ x 5 tough reps
 

s/s
 

H/D/B Curls

10kg@ x 8 reps, 20kg@ x 8 reps, 30kg@ x 8 reps, 37.5kg@ x 8 (loose) reps d/s 20kg@ x 8 tight reps.

s/s
 

T/P/D

30kg x 8 reps, 50kg x 8 reps, 80kg x 2 x 6 reps

R/W/Curls

7.5kg x 11 reps, 12.5kg x 11 reps, 20kg x 8 - d/s 12.5kg x reps both sides.

Monday 16th April w/out

Monday
Sooo washed our during and after training. This snotty nose thing must be viral. I'm getting better but does it take something out of me or what?

Leg Press
usual then 120kg x 12 reps, 240kg x 12 reps, 360kg x 12 reps, 500kg x 10 reps

Leg Ext
35kg x 15 reps, 80kg x 15 reps, 120kg x 13 reps r/p

Leg Curl
35kg x 12 rep, 45kg x 12 rep, 70kg x 11 d/d reps

RT

B/H: 60kg x 8 reps, 80kg x 3 reps, 100kg x 1 rep,

L/H: 115kg x 3 x 1 reps, 117.5kg x 1, 1, 2 reps

R/H:   117.5kg x 3 x 1 reps, 122.5kg x 3 x 1 reps, 125kg x 1 and then a bomb. Was done in.

Was HARD work with virus. Sufficient to say the gyms music and my wanting to do well at the NEC got me through... just.

Motivation - thy name is Kyle Maynard

I posted a pic on facebook the other day - one someone else had put up and I liked it so I shared it. Here it is:

Now I have absolutely no idea who this guy is, why he's missing limbs (he may have been a nutter, done drugs, been attacked, be a war hero, whatever) and to be honest it doesn't matter. It might add a little weight to anything we feel but truthfully it's often what we bring to the table, our personal sentiments, that add weight and depth to our emotional response.

Now for me and I hope more than a few of you it's a powerful image which evokes a 'can do' attitude. It's fairly obvious that the guy is limited in what he can do in the gym. even with artificial limbs there wont be a lot of leg work, or curls and the like. Yet there he is, on a bench, flying or benching (not sure which)with a half decent weight.

Now think about what excuses most people bring to the fore when you ask them why they can't do something. For us, with this blogs focus and our share passion for the gym, it's blatantly going to be why they can't get to the gym. I'll add he's not on his f'kin mobile phone, eye-balling babes or wearing the latest designer label but only cos I hate that shit ha ha (+ it's real hard for obvious reasons d'uh). 

But most of all it's a can do attitude. With or without help he's got onto the bench. With either adapted equipment or, more likely, ankle straps. He got slated something chronic for daring to think he could take part in an MMA match. His name is Kyle Maynard. I'd LOVE him as a training partner.

Sunday 15th April gripper work

Sunday

V/Gripper

Could have been better but still close to where I once was.
B/H: 1/1 x 8 reps, 3/3 x 3 reps, 5/5 x 1 rep
L/H: 6/5 x VVG, 1,1, reps, 6/6 x F and N, N (1/4inch or so)
R/H: 6/6 x 1 rep, 6/7 x 1, 1 reps, 7/7 x F, F, N reps.

Get ALL your shit right = best results

I'll admit up front that very few of us, myself include, get all our 'shit' right all the time but...

The combination of rest, recovery, food / nutrition AND training work together to give you the best results. 

Training

When, as I have mentioned in passing to gym buddies recently, I see guys chatting away while training (not between sets - during) you know the lack of focus and effort will equate to mediocre results. God forbid I hear them outside the gym environment claiming either 1) this trainings easy or 2) I train hard but nothing happens.

Here's the thing - basics/compounds+hard work+intensity of effort is training. Chatting on mobiles or to buddies while you go through the motions is not.

Pick-me-ups and sleep

I've written before about either overuse of pre-workout products as a boost - starts off on fire and a few scoops and sessions later and 'it doesn't work any more', followed by 'I'm not sleeping. Join the dots guys, join the f'kin dots!!

Sleep and recovery

Others have stated what I'll state now - the newbie habit of weekends out late and enjoying themselves does not equal great restful sleep. Late night coffee or cola does not. Late night movies do not. You get the idea? A god nights kip following a hard leg sessions helps with recovery as does a good nights sleep before a hard workout. It has been said that recovery from training is as important as the training itself and you wont find me arguing with that.

Nutrition

Bare in mind I rep for a supplement company and enjoy my protein package gratefully received every month in return for my agreed work... but some young guys will ask about the latest article or new fangled product just on the market. You ask the right questions and they aren't eating the basics, their training is... shit and sleep - for girls etc etc. Here's the deal - Product X wont do shit if the rest isn't in place. I'm happy to debate and argue about said products with the informed on various forums but only from the view that you're eating right before spending £30+ on a small tub of something new and potentially wonderful.

Start with 3 square and if you can four. Eat your damn breakfast! Make sure each meal has some protein and make sure your totals for the day (so-called 'macros') workout to decent numbers. Throw a decent protein and or creatine supplement in and THEN add on other.

Oh and eat for what you wish to be and not what you are (unless that's the thing you want). So less calories for weight loss and more for gains. Take baby steps to get there - so don't be 200 and eat for 240, be 200 and eat for 205 then once there, 210 and so on.

None of what's written is new - just keep it in mind.  

A holiday for some...

Another day in the gym for others. Today is Good Friday - a religious holiday in many parts of the world. For me, regardless of whether or not I have a day job, if I am off and available it's gym time. I do, however, have something of a schedule but at the moment said schedule had me training today. If, by chance, you have family commitments then get up VERY EARLY and get your sh*t done.

To be fair this article is less about training regardless of what the wife, kids and god might have to say about it. Putting aside any theological thoughts it's more about a level of dedication and consistency. I'd imagined the gym (still Beef's in Strood - talking of which the Gym owner was almost nice asking me why I hadn't signed on as a full member?) might be a little busier than it was. Perhaps more work bank holidays than of old or, more probable, it's likely that 'hey the suns out' or some other excuse came up. I did, as you might have done had you gone in, take advantage of the extra elbow room so to speak. What's the betting it'll be busy tomorrow morning?

For sure a day or two out wont make that much of a difference but add up all those 'days or two', all the little excuses and missed sessions, fucked meals and late night pizza and beer and you can look in the mirror (if a bodybuilder) and see why you haven't quite hit the heights you'd dreamed of. 

I'm lucky in that most of what might be called hard core gyms (my preferred type) tend not to close as often as the public or mass market ones. Hours can still be restricted but that's as much about the banks to put their daily takings in being closed early as it is the food shops they get their nosh from doing the same. Those of you with home gyms have even less of an excuse. Hell do a session out of sequence (say a Wednesday AND then a Thursday and take an extra days rest than Wed/Fri and then off) if it helps. 

Life can and will throw up obstacles which make doing what we want to, gym wise, hard. Don't then make so many choices of your very own that your also the reason why you aren't quite getting where it was you wanted to go. 

Those of you, not always the genetic freaks, who are dedicated and apply themselves in the gym and nutritionally without too many reasons not to, day in and day out, will be surprised what you can achieve with steady, plodding application and the least excuses.