S&P Training Logs

Welcome to the S&P Training Logs. Here our athletes share their training regimes with you.

We hope you use these logs to inspire and motivate you to obtain your own goals.

Chris Thomas – 18/5/11 – Pull day

My glutes were still aching from Monday’s training, so I wasn’t looking forward to my pulls. Mainly because I didn’t want to miss a new PB. Once I warmed up, I felt pretty good and got cracking.

Deadlift:

Bar x many
60 x 5
60 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 3
195 x 1
215 x 5 *PB*

Happy with another PB. The 1st rep was real heavy coming up then the rest felt great, though my grip started to feel a little ropey.

Military Press:

Bar x many
40 x 5
57.5 x 5
55 x 5
62.5 x 7

This still feels miles out of my comfort zone, my upper body work never seems to feel natural.

GHR:

bw x 12
bw x 12
bw x 12
bw x 12

Super set with

Ring Dips:

bw x 8
bw x 8
bw x 8
bw x 8

GHR abs

bw x 8
bw x 8
bw x 8

super set with

Rope recline rows

bw x 12
bw x 12
bw x 12

Did some sled work after and messed around with the 48kg kettlebell.

Snatched it.

Don’t forget you can contact me via:

Tags: 18/5/11, CHRIS THOMAS, Deadlift, Military Press, Snatch

Chris Thomas – 16/5/11 – Squat Day

So I had some time off to recover after my should/elbow flared up last week. I felt much better, and so far no problems have shown up again. I’ve kept it mobile with band stretches and it seems to have helped.

Food is going well, as too is the fasted cardio in the mornings. I’ve increased my cardio to 7 days a week now, I find it keeps me focused and I’m enjoying starting the day this way

Squat Day –

DB Snatches:

25 x 5
30 x 5
30 x 5
30 x 5
30 x 5

Felt good and light, it’s nice to get some shoulder work in again.

Squat:

Bar x many
60 x 5
60 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 3
160 x 3
180 x 5

Walking Lunges:

40kg x 2 lengths of gym
40kg x 2 lengths of gym
40kg x 2 lengths of gym
40kg x 2 lengths of gym

Superset with

KB Swings:

24kg x 12
32kg x 12
48kg x 12
48kg x 12

I did the walking lunges with a log, and the KB swings with the big dog had my glutes on fire…they are still on fire now, haha.

Grip – Fat grip barbell Holds for time

60kg x 30sec
70kg x 15 sec
60kg x 15sec
60kg x 22sec

my pick and hold grip strength is sucky, and it’s going to let me down when my deads start getting heavier if I don’t address this soon.

Superset with

Plank Stirring:

3 sets of 8

This was horrible.

Over hand prowler pulls with fat rope:

many times, in relay with Liam.

Sled drag and pull on rubber mats:

1 length of the gym for each, this was horrific on my calves.

1 arm BB snatches (fun)

40kg both arms
50kg right arm

Love doing these

Don’t forget you can contact me via:

Tags: 16/5/11, CHRIS THOMAS, Lunge, Snatch, Squat

Ste McGrath Update 11/5/11

Keep forgetting to fill this in after my sessions, sorry! At least i have an excuse with my final assignments for the uni year being due in the next couple of weeks.
Progress is going well, started getting some plyos done finally! (knees been really good the last week or so, i think a lot of the residual pain in its been due to groin tightness as it seems to be fine if i keep on top of stretching it) also hit 100kg on the bench for 10 reps and then 102.5 for 10 reps in the last few weeks, so my pressings going up nicely aswell!

Today:
Powercleans:
60kg 5×3

Box Squat:
100×5
120×5
130×5
140×3
160×10

Single RDL:
Yellow KB 3×10
TKE:
Blue band

GHR:
5×10

Chris Thomas – 9/5/11 Week 7 Day 2 – Another Deadlift PB

Last night was a good session, light squats and heavy deadlifts. My military press suffered a little. My left bicep tendon tends to flare up every now and then and last night it mad military press pretty difficult forcing me to stall. Not too worried about it as it doesn’t happen all the time, so weight will go back on the bar next week and hopefully my arm won’t give me any trouble.

The weight is coming off nicely so far, no need to change anything yet. Staying consistent with my food, and enjoying it, which is always a bonus

Last nights session:

Squat:

bar x many
60 x 5
60 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5

Military Press:

bar x many
40 x 5
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 3
77.5 x 0

Pain shot through my left arm when I tried to press it out. I racked it n jacked it.

Deadlift:

60kg x many
100kg x 5
120kg x 5
150kg x 3
170kg x 3
190kg x 1
210kg x 5 *PB*

Nice PB for me, everything felt horrible right up to my top set and it felt light and flew up. Looking forward to more weight next week!

Superset

Pressups x 15 x 2
Facepulls x 15 x 2
Woodchop holds x 30sec x 2

Don’t forget you can contact me via:

Tags: 9/5/11, CHRIS THOMAS, Deadlift, Military Press, pb, Squat, week 7 day 2

Chris Thomas – 7/5/11 Week 7 Day 1, UKSA, weight loss and Zero Carb Ham and Egg Muffin

It’s been a while since I posted. I’ve been without a laptop for weeks and it’s pretty much halted all my logs for ages.

Training is continuing the same, for the most pat. My squat, deadlift and military press are going up and my bench is stalling a little. We’ve adjusted my bench training to alternate between a close and wide grip on alternating days. So far so good, but the real test will come once I start pressing 100+ kgs again.

In 10 weeks S&P are hosting their first UK Strongest Athlete competition, which I have decided to enter. I’m aiming to compete in the under 90kg category, which means I need to loose around 10kgs before the competition. My current weight is not all functional muscle, so it makes sense to get my weight down to where I am going to be able to use all my weight to my advantage. This is going well, I’ve started fasted cardio on my non-training days and I’m carb cycling with my diet.
On non-training days I consume higher amounts of fat and very few carbs, then on training days I have more carbs and as little fat as possible. I follow all my meals with a pint of water and I’m solely consuming water throughout the day.

My plan is to keep my diet as consistant as possible, and as I get closer to my goal I will increase my cardio. Firstly adding fasted cardio on training days, then I’ll gradually increase the time as I go on.

On to this weeks training:

Squat

Bar x many
60 x 5
60 x 5
100 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 5
170 x 5

Hips were a little tight at first, which is pretty normal. Stretched out in between my warmup sets and everything felt great. Happy that weight is coming off and so far my strength is not effected.

Bench – Close Grip

Bar x many
40kg x 5
40kg x 5
60kg x 5
68kg x 5
77kg x 13

All felt pretty good, I think the movement is becoming a lot more natural. I still have to concentrate on my line but my coach and training partners have noted my improvements.

Barbell Row

Bar x many
50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 5

All felt good.

Chins, Dips, GHR super set -

10 Dips
8 Chins
10 GHR

3 sets. The Chins were a bit grindy, my upper back is always a bit knackered after those heavy barbell rows.

Zero Carb Ham and Egg Muffins

These are really easy to make and taste like a McDonalds bacon and egg muffin!

Turn your oven on, I have a fan assisted oven and I stick it on 180 degrees.

Take a muffin tin, I have a silicone one, and squirt some oil in however many you are going to make.

Take some deli sliced ham and lay single slices if big enough, or double them up if not, inside the muffin sections to emulate a muffin case.

Crack an egg into each ham case.

Once your oven is hot enough, pop the muffin tin in the oven for 12 minutes. Keep checking after 10 mins to make sure the egg is cooked through properly. Once all the eggs are white, your good to go.

They should just pop out easily onto a plate.

Eat

Here’s a crappy picture of them finished.

Don’t forget you can contact me via:

Tags: 7/5/11, CHRIS THOMAS, ham and egg muffin, Recipe, UKSA, week 7 day 1, weight loss, zero carb

Chris Thomas 25/4/11 – Week 4 Day 2

Week 4 Day 2

Squat

Bar x many
60 x 5
60 x 5
85 x 5
102.5 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5

Military Press

Bar x many
50 x 5
57.5 x 5
65 x 5
72.5 x 5

Deadlift

100 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 5
180 x 5
200 x 5

Chins

Superwide Neutral x 10
Superwide Neutral x 8

Superset with

Ring Dips

10 x BW
8 x BW

Plank

3 x 60sec

Nothing exciting today, but another 200kg x 5 pull. Happy I retained some strength after the week off. The Military Press was pretty comfortable at 72kgs, looking forward to that weight going up next cycle.

My bench numbers will be going down however, which I’m not too bothered about. Something needs addressing here and it’s more than likely all due to me being a relative beginner lifter. I’m starting a new approach to the bench on Wednesday, so lets see what happens.

Don’t forget you can contact me via:

Tags: CHRIS THOMAS, Deadlift, Military Press, Squat, week 4 Day 2

Chris Thomas 23/4/11 – Week 4 Day 1 : Back in the gym

Back in the gym after my week away

Week 4 Day 1

Squat

bar x many
60 x 5
60 x 5
85 x 5
102.5 x 5
125 x 5
142.5 x 5
160 x 5

Bench

Bar x many
40 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 5
90 x 5
100 x 3

Again lockout was weak and could get the 4th rep past mid point.

Barbell Row

Bar x 5
57.5 x 5
67.5 x 5
77.5 x 5
87.5 x 5
97.5 x 5

GHR

bw x 8
bw x 8
bw x 8

Superset with

Ring drop outs

bw x 8
bw x 8
bw x 8

Ring Dips

10 x bw
10 x bw

Finisher:

Overhead prowler pull, prowler push, 10 x sledge hammers x 2

Glad to be back training. No real aches or pains which was nice, though I was disappointed with my bench again. Hopefully things will progress now, I’ll be adding in some more assistance work and more conditioning.
I’m off to the Maldives in a year for my 30th birthday, and I’m determined to be shredded by then. Will be looking into my diet and maybe try a new approach over the coming weeks and see how I respond.

Don’t forget you can contact me via:

Tags: Barbell Row, Bench, CHRIS THOMAS, Squat, week 4 day 1

Ste McGrath – 15/4/11 – upper

Med ball slam:
4kg 5×5

Military:
50×5
60×5
67.5×3
60×8

DB Neutral Bench /w chins
20kgx8 – 9 chins
25kgx8 – 9 chins
30kgx8 – ” “
35kg x8 – ” “
35kg x8 – ” “

Ring Scarecrow / Rear delt fly
BW x12/ 10kg x10 ( 3 Sets)

Hammer Curl:
20kg 5×10

Ste McGrath – Lower – 14/4/11

DB Snatch
worked up to 35 5 reps each arm

Cambered bar Zercher squats:
60×5
80×5
100×5
120×5
140×5
160×3 (Probably had the leg power for 5 but the bar was pressing on my diaphragm and i was close to passing out, should have some interesting bruises tommorow anyway)

Single RDL/ Palloff press
yellow kb 3×10
pallof 3×10

GHR:
Bw x 20/20/20

Plank:
3x 60 sec

Chris Thomas 13/4/11 – Week 3 Day 3

Week 3 Day 3

Squat

85 x 5
102.5 x 5
120 x 5
137.5 x 5
160 x 3
120 x 8

Bench

60 x 5
67.5 x 5
77.5 x 5
87.5 x 5
100 x 3
77.5 x 8

Barbell Row

45 x 5
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
87.5 x 3
65 x 8

Close Grip Pressups

10 x bw
10 x bw
10 x bw

Superset with

DB Curlz

10 x 12.5kg
10 x 12.5kg
10 x 12.5kg

Bench is still a struggle, tring to find my groove is proving difficult and I’m still struggling with the weight. More Bench is probably the best cure. JUst need to drop the numbers down and grind in a decent bar path and lean to activiate all the right muscles.

On my Hols for a week tomorrow. I’ll be avoiding any sort of training for a week, but I’ll be getting in plenty of NEPA while I’m away and enjoying a load of rest.

Don’t forget you can contact me via:

Tags: Barbell Row, Bench, CHRIS THOMAS, Squat, Week 3 Day 3