Training Journal: Monday 9th February 2009

09 February 2009 | Tristan's Training Journal

Monday - chest and run

This week is the start of a slightly altered exercise regime for me. I’ve decided that I need to do more cv work and spread my weight lifting across four days rather than three days. From now on, I’ll be doing four gym workouts per week, with each one consisting of at least 20 minutes cv work. In addition, I’ll be doing some running outside of the gym, and playing some squash too. My aims now are to lose a bit of fat, but keep the muscle I’ve built up over the last few months.

Chest

I started off with a few warm up sets on the chest press, 20kg for 15 reps, followed by 30 kg for 15 reps, then into a six set pyramid set of slow, controlled reps, each rep taking about 6 seconds.

  • 40kg for 10 reps
  • 50kg for 10 reps
  • 60kg for 8 reps
  • 60kg for 8 reps
  • 55kg for 9 reps
  • 45kg for 10 reps

After the chest press machine, I moved onto the free weights, using the decline setting on the bench. Just a three set workout for decline dumbbell chest press, keeping the weight the same for each set, aiming to do three sets of 10.

  • 20kg dumbbells for 10 reps
  • 20kg dumbbells for 10 reps
  • 20kg dumbbells for 10 reps

That was it for my chest workout. At the time I felt like I’d had a good workout, but looking back on it now, I think it was maybe a little short. I should have done some press-ups, some incline bench dumbbell press and some flyes too.

Run

Twenty minutes of steady running on the treadmill at a pace of 10kmh, which is equivalent of 6 miles per hour or ten minute mile pace. For some reason I found it a bit hard today, still struggling with breathing through my nose. I had my iPod with me though, so had some good tunes to listen to.


10 Responses to “Training Journal: Monday 9th February 2009”

  • 1 Hamish Says:
    February 9th, 2009 saat: 10:06 pm

    I have been reading your blog with interest, as I have started a more organised training regime this year.
    Mon, Wed, Thu & Sun I follow the interactive rowing training from Concept.
    Tue, Thurs & occassionally Sun Weight training.
    Saturday bike ride (3hrs currently)
    Friday Rest
    Food diet is pretty good, similar to yours, without the supplements, but maybe slightly more fruit & veg.
    My goals are sub 7 mins for indoor rower in Nov.
    May 100 mile bike ride
    Dec 100kg bench press, 20 pull ups

    Have been exercising pretty regularly most of adult life, but snapped achilles last year has slowed my progress.
    Your thoughts on the above would be much appreciated..

    Keep up the good work on yours.

  • 2 Tristan Says:
    February 10th, 2009 saat: 9:35 am

    Hi Hamish

    My only comment would be to maybe include some supplements in your diet, the protein shakes are a great way of getting in high quality protein without the extra fats and carbs that you tend to get when you eat meat (unless you can stomach eating tins of tuna or chicken breasts by themselves).

    Also the creatine is good, it definitely makes a difference to your training. I’ve been taking it for about 3 weeks now and I can see the improvements and feel them when I’m working out.

    As for weight training, I’m a big advocate of it, so I would try and increase the weight training, or at least make it a bit more stringent.

    Rather than doing two maybe, three workouts, I’d do two definite workouts, and in those workouts, try and give each body part a good session, so maybe day 1 is chest and back, day 2 is legs and shoulders. I woulnd’t worry too much about biceps/triceps as they will get a workout from the other areas. Unless you want to be a body builder it’s not that important to train your arms, it’s only really done for vanity in my opinion :-)

  • 3 Hamish Says:
    February 10th, 2009 saat: 12:26 pm

    Thanks for that, will go and have a look - have seen some of the stuff Maxi Muscle does, but it all seems expensive, do you know of any more economical sources?

  • 4 Tristan Says:
    February 10th, 2009 saat: 2:23 pm

    Maximuscle is expensive, but that’s because they do loads of advertising, you’re better off using some of the discount suppliers.

    I currently get my stuff from MyProtein.co.uk, click here to buy the whey protein I use and highly recommend, I’ve only tried their chocolate, but I really like it, tastes great with water or milk.

  • 5 Hamish Says:
    February 10th, 2009 saat: 8:21 pm

    Thanks for that I will order some. Did weights tonight - an all overall body circuit, where I went from one exercise to the next then repeated twice, but reading your blog I think it may be better to concentrate on different areas.
    Thanks for your help, I’ll keep you posted on progress.

    Routine was:
    Cross Trainer warm up 5 mins
    Deadlift 15kg x 12
    Bench Press 45kg x 12
    Lat Pulldown 45kg x 12
    Squat 15kg x 12
    Shoulder Press Dumb bells 12kg ea hand x 12
    Flyes 12kg a/a x 12
    Pull ups 5
    When I got to end I did it again, then a third set

    nothing to failure and feeling nicely tired putting my daughter to bed!

  • 6 John Says:
    February 11th, 2009 saat: 10:40 am

    Hamish,

    If you use MyProtein stick in the discount code: MP97090 and you’ll get 5% off your first order.

  • 7 Hamish Says:
    February 11th, 2009 saat: 1:04 pm

    Thanks for that - put the code in and have ordered!

    Thanks once again

  • 8 Tristan Says:
    February 14th, 2009 saat: 10:06 am

    Good lad Hamish, let us know how you get on with the protein (and creatine if you ordered any). You should see some difference in your physique within a few weeks.

  • 9 Hamish Says:
    February 15th, 2009 saat: 9:49 am

    Ordered Protein and Creaine and started taking Friday. Just a teaspoon of Creatine on my cereals (muesli + fruit); is that OK?
    Am pleased that I have trained 6 days out of 7 since beginning of year.
    Cycled 3hrs yesterday, mainly hill stuff, will do an hour light cycle today + 1hr weights. Will stick to routine, but will do 3 weights sessions a week on top of cycling and rowing.
    Looking forward to seeing results in the next 6 weeks or so. Have recommended your site to a few people and put your address on “stumble”, so hopefully you’ll get more hits.
    H.

  • 10 Tristan Says:
    February 15th, 2009 saat: 10:03 am

    Good stuff Hamish. I’ve never heard of people putting creatine on your muesli but as long as your are taking it with fast digesting sugars, which you should be given their is fruit in the muesli it should be alright.

    I take mine with fresh orange juice, but that’s also so I get one of my five a day in, otherwise I struggle given the high protein diet I’m on.

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