My journey to JACKED, and TAN

[Smack]

Well, I'm definitely not doing barbell rows for a while; just don't feel like I get anything out of them. I've done Kroc rows before with a 45kg dumbbell for 10 reps I think and my brachialis, shoulders and lats hurt like hell for a few days after.

[Smack]

OK so I'll be changing gyms now, mainly for financial reasons. New gym is the other uni in town's 28 million pound facility.

Pros: much more power racks and lifting platforms. Closer as well, and easier to get to.

Cons: no strongman equipment. That's about it, really. I live in the squat rack and my old gym only had the one - which was often used for other things as well since it had a lat pull down attachment - so I believe this is a much better choice.

[August West]

Pros: much more power racks and lifting platforms. Closer as well, and easier to get to.

sounds like a win. I'd be psyched to lift somewhere with real platforms and more than a single rack, enjoy it.

[DeepBlue]

OK so I'll be changing gyms now, mainly for financial reasons. New gym is the other uni in town's 28 million pound facility.

Pros: much more power racks and lifting platforms. Closer as well, and easier to get to.

Cons: no strongman equipment. That's about it, really. I live in the squat rack and my old gym only had the one - which was often used for other things as well since it had a lat pull down attachment - so I believe this is a much better choice.

I know the one ;-) (Bath right?) Lots of power racks. I wished I'd considered BBT when I was a student there.





All the Judo team have squats in the programs (I took a quick peek when I was last hanging around).

I saw some truly truly shocking form from some of the 'athletes' there. There was a girl doing what I hoped were an attempt at hang high pulls... I seriously wanted to shout down some advice from the walkway.

Subs there are *VERY* high. Why don't you look into the new CrossFit box in town?

[George Noble]

Yeah Smack you can do CrossFit while I leg press. LOL

[Smack]

I know the one ;-) (Bath right?) Lots of power racks. I wished I'd considered BBT when I was a student there.





All the Judo team have squats in the programs (I took a quick peek when I was last hanging around).

I saw some truly truly shocking form from some of the 'athletes' there. There was a girl doing what I hoped were an attempt at hang high pulls... I seriously wanted to shout down some advice from the walkway.

Subs there are *VERY* high. Why don't you look into the new CrossFit box in town?

That looks like an excellent gym. But I don't live in Bath, I live in Aberdeen. Our one has three, I think, full power racks, three or five Olympic platforms and two IPF style squat stands. Which is not nearly as much as Bath, it seems, but considering that apart from the university's athletes and one or two really really really strong guys no one else use them then it's pretty much heaven for me.

My old gym was run by a bodybuilder. I have nothing against bodybuilders really, but the Aberdeen uni's gym is much more suited to my needs than his gym.

[Smack]

First proper workout in like half a year it seems!

Back squats:

85 x 5
85 x 5

These were ... weird. I've done much more in the past. Was trying out different styles and these were very similar to Olympic style squats, with maybe a slightly lower bar position. Proper depth. Might have managed two plates for the same amount of reps but didn't want to push it. I'm practically having to relearn squats. Found a stance and style which seems to hit all my leg evenly, though.

Front squats:

40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

First time ever doing these. Since I've lost weight these don't choke me to death any more. Were very easy, will do more next time.

[Smack]

Push press:

45 x 5
45 x 5
45 x 5

Not as much strength lost on these as I had anticipated.

Chin ups:

bodyweight x 5
bodyweight x 5

These have always been an extreme weak point for me. Was going to do a set of 5 using a neutral grip; did one rep and failed. After that couldn't do any more. Sucks.

Dumbbell bench press:

used the 20's

40 x 6
40 x 4
40 x 1

Sucks. I used to be able to do the 22.5's for 12. I think I'll go down to the 17.5's next time and get 6-8 reps on each set.

Face pulls:

18.75lbs x 15
18.75lbs x 15

Quite easy.

Bodyweight is only 77kg. Much less than I anticipated. Goal is to increase bodyweight as fast as possible. This low bodyweight probably accounts for me severe loss of strength.

[George Noble]

Two workouts in a row!! You must look like a twig at 77 mate, time to get 70s big!

[Smack]

Squat 'workout' was on Wednesday. The reason I put workout in inverted commas is because it was cut short. I train at the same gym as Nick although I only have off peak membership so I have to have buggered off by half four and I think he's usually in later on. I can't get peak membership because it's way out of my price range, especially now that I realised I am so skinny and as such will require more food than anticipated in order to get 70's big.

So I've got a new gym now, my own uni's gym. Only downside is that it's further away from my home but it's slightly cheaper for peak there than it is at the Sports Village for off peak.

I don't actually look that bad at 77kg. Last time I was that weight I looked worse, but this time I look a bit leaner and my legs look a bit bigger.