Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes. 

This time of year is mental and it really gets in the way of your routine, or at least that's what I've found. I went for about two weeks without going to the gym, which is quite a long time for me. 

Never mind though, my progress wasn't hindered too much. I don't appear to have put on much weight over the festive period and I kept my alcohol consumption at zero, so no stupid calories added, just to get a hangover. 

My weight is a still a solid 13st 6lb, which it has been for a while.

I was beginning to feel a bit flabby though, but I think that's just due to my usual pump disappearing and holding a bit more water than normal. 

I forced myself back to the gym on Boxing day or I knew it would just become harder and harder to find the motivation. 

Entered the gym and there was a grand total of about 5 people there, which was good. Although the place was an absolute tip. My intuition tells me that the New Years resolution members had started early as there were weights just scattered everywhere, barbells loaded and plates all over the weights section. 

Last night I hit my chest and triceps. 

3 x 10 reps of 45kg Barbell bench

3 x 12 reps of 18.5kg cable flyes

3 x 10 reps of assisted chest dips

3 x 12 reps of 50kg Seated dips

3 x 12 reps of 54kg tricep extensions

Superset

To failure of 8kg overhead dumbbell tricep extensions. 

Safe to say it's the end of the day after and I'm beginning to feel my chest aching, so it's all good knowing that I'm back on track.

Off to the gym in about an hour to hit my Back and Biceps, maybe with some Abs thrown in for good measure. 

How did you all get on over the Christmas period. Did you still manage to get your workouts in? 

Any PR's?

Three Week Cutting Guide - Week 1

This is the first post in a three week guide to cutting down your body fat. Comprising of three strength days and 3 cardio days along with one rest day, this should put you in good standing for cutting down some of that body fat in the gym. Always remember that regardless of how much time you put in at the gym, it won't make any difference if your diet isn't under control along with it. I'll be providing a sample meal guide in the coming weeks on the blog. So keep your eyes peeled.

Let's get started.

The routine goes as follows -

Week 1 - Upper Body day
              Cardio
              Lower Body day
              Cardio
              Upper Body day
              Cardio
              Rest

The cardio should be a mix of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on cardio days. For example on Cardio day 1 you could do 20 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill. On Cardio day 2 you could do 20 minutes HIIT on a Rowing machine.

The weights used should be challenging to reach the first 12 reps. Weights should remain the same throughout the routine. 

Upper Day - Week 1

Lower - Week 1

Upper 2 - Week 1

Workout guide influenced by Muscle and Strength

Going up!

One of my main problems with trying to bulk is simply that I can't do it. I eat so much food, but never seem to gain any weight.

It was nice to see that things are changing, since the last time I stepped on the scales. It would appear that I have managed to gain just over a pound in a week, which is definitely the sort of speed of gaining that I'm aiming for.

Up at 86.5 kg

I have decided to go back to another three day split as I felt I wasn't really getting too much out of stronglifts. So thought I'd give you a run through of the routine that I'm doing today. 

I decided to start off with a quick 10 minute cycle on the stationary bike. Nothing too exciting. Just wanted to get the blood flowing in my legs given that today was mainly leg day. 

After the cycle was completed it was onto the squat rack for 3 sets of 10 squats. I think I just started with 50kg squats. Nothing too heavy. 

After squats it was onto the leg press machine for three sets of 96kg leg presses. I actually really enjoy these, because I can see my legs working so much during them. 

After the leg press it was onto some romanian deadlifts. Something that I haven't done very many of before so I started with a light weight, just so I could get the form right as that is much more important than how much weight I'm lifting. Today I started with 20kg.

That concluded the legs for the day, so onto shoulders I went. Starting with overhead dumbbell press using I think it was 14kg dumbbells. 

Next up was side lateral dumbbell raises, with about 3 sets of 10 reps. I think I used 8kg dumbbells for this.

After those brutal raises were done it was onto the seated cable row. I love this machine. There's so many people I see using it incorrectly and my form on this machine is something I pride myself on. 

So there you have it. That was my legs and shoulders day along with some awesome news about my weight gain. Can't wait to keep seeing progress. Really glad to have found that magic calorie number that finally allows me to put on some beef. 

Breezing through the lifts

Today saw another day of my Stronglifts workout routine and first on the cards was the same as always is, Squats. I was jumping up again today after flying through the 60kg sets first time. This time stepping up to 65kg. Again this was no trouble and I successfully completed all five sets without much struggle.

Next up was bench. Now this is around the weight that I've been stuck at for quite some time now, so I'm hoping that Stronglifts will help push me past this and get my bench going upwards again. Todays target weight was 50kg. With a little bit of effort I stumbled through the first set, but soon after was coasting through the final five sets. Sometimes it just takes the first set to warm my body up to the exercise.

Last exercise of the day was bent over rows. Something I quite enjoy doing although after doing 5 sets of squats, my legs always feel like they are wanting to give out. Todays weight was 45kg. No real struggle to complete these five sets, so that means a full house for todays workout and it's onwards and upwards for the next.

Todays Workout - 07/10/13

Tonights workout was another Stronglifts session.

Comprising of the usual Squats, Overhead Military Press and Deadlifts.

Having dropped my weights back down and starting again in order to build a good base strength I am starting to get closer to my limits I think, so hopefully will start hitting the point where my muscles are working to full capacity soon and begin building new and stronger muscle fibres.