[ajmorris]

Hello mate,

So my brief wrap up would be..

– Overall exercise selection looks solid, but I would always favour the sequence of an isolation leg move prior to any compound. For example, leg ext prior to squat patterns, to help with activation but also to keep you safe.

– Volume is a little on the high side per exercise. I think once you get to a certain strength you simply won’t be able to tolerate 3 sets on a squat or a SLDL, and before you even get there, the volume will hold you back from achieving peak strength.

– The microcycle frequency of 2 on one off will most likely work well for a time period, but the upper lower split itself will have a life span which will totally depend on how strong you get over the next 4-6 months.

Overall, things look good, just a few tweaks!

[ajmorris]

As above – Agreed with Jamie the balance between sodium & potassium is important to maintain perfect electrolyte balance.

2-3g Salt / 1-2g Lo Salt per meal and then Sustain has Sodium/Potassium in it too for your intra.

A more hydrated muscle cell is a better operating muscle cell. Sodium & potassium play a huge role in this, alongside fluid.

[ajmorris]

A really good leg session today, as you will all know by the live stream with Kuba, that I am training alongside him at the mo. All within the rules as I’m actually just stopping round his for a little bit, allows us to get into a routine together for when the gyms open, and favours both our preps, that’s why 🙂

Leg day food today at 400c 50f 230p

x3 Pin Press Calves
x2 Adductor
x2 Leg Extension
x2 Seated Leg Curl
x1 Pendulum
x2 Banded Pivot Leg Press
x1 Rest Pause Lying Leg Curl
x2 45 Degree Hyperextension
x3 Machine Crunch

Smashed now, few more check ins then an early night 🙂

[ajmorris]

Rest day today. 174 LBS.
On my rest days I fill it with client work, new set ups, responding to applications or creating content.
There is always ‘something’ to do in the world of online businesses.
However, I do like to ensure that I have some time during the day to switch off and relax when possible, this is usually in the evening for around an hour ????

I’m guilty of not switching off lol. I have to force myself to stay off emails and admin work on Sundays ???? Do all my weekly check ins with clients on Saturdays now!

_________________________________________

Personal IG: merattaf
Work IG: merat.up

[/quote]
Yeah I know how you feel. Since getting busier and busier with coaching it becomes harder. There is not a day where I don’t do check ins now ????

[ajmorris]

Rest day today. 174 LBS.

On my rest days I fill it with client work, new set ups, responding to applications or creating content.

There is always ‘something’ to do in the world of online businesses.

However, I do like to ensure that I have some time during the day to switch off and relax when possible, this is usually in the evening for around an hour 🙂

[ajmorris]

Time for the cashews to be swapped out iso then mate

[ajmorris]

Hey Nathan,

Probably best just to assess your eating habits..

Are you chewing your meals?

Eating without distractions?

Drinking fluid away from meals?

If you’re ticking these boxes just remove the cashews and focus on hitting your fats from another source

[ajmorris]

Just to note the reason why I added food now is to simply slow rate of loss for the next 7 day period before I consider high days again. If the high days were enough I wouldn’t of bothered with the daily increase

[ajmorris]

Check in today – 175.8 lbs, which is over a pound down from last week but the average ( I take 7 day averages) is down 2.2 lbs even with refeeding.

My training days are now

350c 50f 230p (+25c / +10f)

Rest days the same at

275c 50f 210p

No changes to steps / expenditure

10k Steps TD
12.5k Steps NTD
No cardio

Stiff legs today 🙂

[ajmorris]

Definitely agreed with Oscars comments – I’ve discussed this so many times about how it takes years and years to build up your ability to train hard.
Best advice for getting better at that, is simply try and train with people that can train harder than you ????

THIS!!
Train with people that will be bluntly honest with you, will push those extras out of you. Once you’ve felt it, you’ll know where to find it[/quote]
Glad you agree Rich 🙂

[ajmorris]

Definitely agreed with Oscars comments – I’ve discussed this so many times about how it takes years and years to build up your ability to train hard.

Best advice for getting better at that, is simply try and train with people that can train harder than you 🙂

[ajmorris]

Great Push Day today.

Volume is perfect in this one, feel like me and Kuba have nailed this day for sure.

Took some pics post workout and happier with how the look is coming on with the added fullness 🙂

[ajmorris]

Hey Jack,

In reality the same principles apply to both natural and assisted, you really want to take it steady to protect muscle.

Dr Andrew Chappell did some extensive research (using competitive natural athletes as the cohort) into methods of dieting. Check it out, but to sum it up, diet for enough time so you don’t really ever have to see a rate of loss greater than 1% of your bodyweight, keep carbohydrates as high as possible to protect performance and muscle fullness.

I talked about my approaches at length on my guest appearance on the U.K. Pro Muscle Podcast too.

If you have any other queries in the future just let me know or start another thread 🙂

[ajmorris]

Refeed looks good mate,
why didn’t you just adjust total weekly cals to have a slower loss though?

Great question – so linear higher calories is not the same as a re-feed, the aim of a re-feed is to restore some of the negative adaptations (both physical and psychological) of dieting.

Two days of either maintenance or above will have a positive effect. Linear higher calories won’t really.

Thats the rationale

[ajmorris]

Hey dude,

First of all consider how you’ve identified this weakness, have you dieted down to stage lean? Because sometimes the traps can appear smaller just like any other body part when you are heavier.

If it’s truly weak…

I personally would never do a shrug variant prior to my stiff leg as it would ruin my upper back tightness and pull away from the lift too negatively. I’d do it after.

There is no reason why you couldn’t add additional trap volume with one rest pause set on leg day 🙂

Hope this helps