[Andy]

Here we go, another week!

I feel like I’ve finally fallen into the groove of this offseason, so I’m excepting big things this week (touches a lot of wood). My strength hasn’t been sky rocketing like it usually does, but then again, I’m not been this lean going into an offseason.

Even after 16 years of training, there’s always something new to learn.

Chest today, it will be an interesting one as I trained shoulders yesterday and chest on Thursday, but I feel fresh so we’ll see. That’s another thing, is that going forward I shouldn’t have these diary interruptions either.

October is another exciting month, with the TBJP 2 Bros British on the 19th.

Anyway, we changed the chest volume slightly last week;

Seated cuffed chest flys – 1 working set, 12-15, 1 back-off set, 15-20 (adding in a 10s stretch once failure has been reached)

Incline DB press – 1 working set, 8-12

Prime PL chest press (narrow handles) – 1 working set, 8-12, + 1 cluster set (4×4 10s rest)

Standing cable flys – 2 working sets, 20

SA cable side raises – 3 working sets, 15-20

SA cable rear raise – 3 working sets, 15-20

Iso-lateral cable curls – 3 working sets, 15-20

Standing EZ-bar cable curls – 3 working sets, 15-20

Have a great week guys!

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[Andy]

That’s a week worth of training ticked off with an excellent shoulder session.

For the next 2 week (6 weeks in total) I’m running 40mg of superdrol with my shoulder session. Just to get an enhanced pump, nothing overly scientific on that one. I do get a bit of strength from superdrol, but it’s more just the pump I’m going for. Superdrol doesn’t impact my appetite like anadrol does. Like I said, I’ll only do this for 6 weeks.

On top of training I had to lug a 134kg fridge up 3 flights of stairs so that was fun, and did nothing for my recovery, but the kitchen is looking banging now!

I’m very excited for this week coming, as I’ve got quite a few clients on holiday, so I can have a bit more time in my training session.

I’d say I’m back in full flow! (touch wood)

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[Andy]

Checked in this morning at 271 on the button, just a subtle weight increase, nothing too over the top which is what Nick and I want as our goal is to not blow up but rather add tissue staying in “relatively” good shape

We have gone with a food and gear increase this week;

– An extra salmon fillet with M6 (2 in total)

– An increase in lantus to 15IU

– An increase to test E to 750mg/week

That’s the first change of the offseason, after 3 weeks.

I’ll post my full check-in tomorrow

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[Andy]

Another week signed off, and going back to Monday’s blog it wasn’t the best start with having to take a full day off everything on Monday, but my diet from Sunday onward has been perfect, and the 3 training sessions have also been excellent. I’ve still got shoulders to do on Sunday, but that’s not a problem – it’s after the session I’m worried about having to lug a 120kg fridge up 3 flights of stairs. . . and a cooker, I had to buy a new one as 4 out of 5 rings are goosed, and meal prep is taking fucking ages!

I’ve got another wedding tomorrow, the last of the year, but it will be a sober affair and I’ve already planned to be the taxi for the day so there’s no chance I can even squeeze in a cheeky one.

I’m fully locked in my offseason now, it took a few weeks to find my feet, but it didn’t help that September has been a insanely busy month.

October is too, but for some reason I’m not worried about it.

Back today was excellent, nothing has changed with that session, it’s exactly the same. . .

Close grip lat pulldowns – 1 working set, 8-12 + forced and negative reps

Conventional t-bar row – 1 working set, 8-12, 1 back-off set, 12-15

Chest supported t-bar row (upper back bias) – 1 working set, 8-12 + forced and negative reps

SA DB rows – 2 working sets, 8-12

Deadlifts – 1 working set, 6-10

Perfect! Have a great weekend guys!

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[Andy]

Feeling very fresh today, and it’s chest/biceps today.

For the bicep work last week we slotted in more in the way of sets/volume than what we were doing prior which was essentially 2x sub-maximal sets, and then a working set. The problem is that as much as many proclaim that “feeling the muscle” isn’t needed, I’d argue it is, and when I get so strong in a bicep curl I don’t feel the bicep working, it feels like everything else is.

My biceps grew from lighter weight, and higher sets, so that’s where I’ll now be taking my bicep work now that I’ve built up to said level of strength.

Seated cuffed chest flys – 1 working set, 12-15, 1 back-off set, 15-20 (adding in a 10s stretch once failure has been reached)

Incline DB press – 1 working set, 8-12, 1 back off set, 12-5 (NEW)

Prime PL chest press (narrow handles) – 1 working set, 8-12

SA cable side raises – 3 working sets, 15-20

SA cable rear raise – 3 working sets, 15-20

Iso-lateral cable curls – 3 working sets, 15-20

Standing EZ-bar cable curls – 3 working sets, 15-20

At peak offseason I was doing 4 exercises for chest, so there’s the option to add another once visual progress starts to slow. . .

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[Andy]

That’s another rest day done and dusted, and it was very much needed. These past 3 weeks I’ve been quite out of sorts with my routine, and even though it’s still been productive, it’s not been as productive as I’d like it to be.

I’ve spent too many months fannying around before bed on my phone, or telling myself, “it’s cool, you only need 6 hours sleep anyway”. It’s finally caught up with me though.

Yesterday while warming up on the leg extension, I felt like I had just trained my legs a few days ago, that never happens to me, I’m never that under-recovered. That was a bit of a wake up call to be honest along with my training partner telling me to get a grip – which he’s 100% right by way.

I knew September was going to be a very busy month both with BB and with social occasions, and with 1 more wedding this weekend that will be the busiest month of the year done. After which there’s a few things on, but not on consecutive weekends. I’m also restructuring my working week as well where I’m not doing any PT on a Saturday anymore as I’m usually in doing 3-4 sessions first thing. I still love PT’ing, and I also hate sitting at a laptop all day, but I trying to structure things almost like a 9-5 to prioritise sleep and recovery.

Anyway, a bit of a rant there. Chest tomorrow!

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[Andy]

I’m feeling refreshed today after having had 8 hours of sleep. My cold is almost gone, and the eye infection has died down a touch as well.

This is the first training day of the week, and it’s legs due to the reshuffle of my week.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I’ve removed the direct glute work as I feel it was making my hip worse. Since removing it, my hip has felt so much better. I might add in some abductor work though that they’re being at least bit hit a touch.

Last week’s leg session was a strong one, so I’m excited to see how today goes;

Leg extensions – 1 working set, 12-15

BB squats – 1 working set, 8-12, 1 back-off set 30 (I’ll use 3/4 reps during this set until I need to take a break)

Pendulum squats – 1 working set, 8-12

Prime PL lying leg curl – 1 working set, 12-15, plus forced reps and negatives

EZ-bar walking lunges – 1 (maybe 2) working sets of the longest distance in the gym

Seated PL calve raises – 3 working sets, 20

The fear is kicking in a bit more now!

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[Andy]

One thing I’ve learned from this past week is don’t travel to Birmingham across a 24 hour period. Driving from Glasgow is a 6.5 hour journey minimum – with stops – and then coming straight back after my client came offstage. You English based guys really have it good when it comes to shows. . .

Not only that, I’ve still got this cold, and now an eye infection. The good thing is that I’m up another 4lbs this week, and Nick and I haven’t even scratched the surface with the tools we have to play in the off season.

Be sure to check-out my most recent check-in on Instagram!

I think a food increase will be used once we see stagnation in the gym or the visuals, but everything looks like it’s growing at a nice rate. That’s the great thing about having kept it so lean post show is that I can – for once – see the difference in my physique every week/day now.

My routine has been slightly shot these past 2 weeks, and that’s making me feel like I haven’t been following the plan, but I have. If my days are even an hour off, I feel like I’ve fucked it. I know for a fact I’d tell a client they’re being ridiculous.

I’ve taken today off to catch up with work and to try and get rest to get rid of this cold.

Legs tomorrow which I’m so excited for as the hip feels brilliant!

Have a great week guys!

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[Andy]

Another excellent week of training under my belt, it’s been brilliant. A hectic week though with social occasions and things that have knocked me off my stride nutritionally, but in reality, I’ve still been on my game.

I’m down in Birmingham for the PCA first timers, and probably the 2nd last competition of the year for me client wise.

Luckily all training has been ticked off.

Stay tuned on Instagram for my check-in tomorrow.

Have a great weekend guys!

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[Andy]

Shoulder day today, but also a very busy one work wise, so fingers crossed I can get everything done and get to bed at a reasonable hour.

So long as I have the bare minimum of 6 hours, I’m usually good, and I can function. My sleep times range from 6-8 hours depending on what day it is. I think I’ve mentioned it before but I’m changing my work/PT around so that I don’t need to work a weekend and so that I’m doing far less during the week.

I’m currently in the middle of kitchen renovations and I’m waiting on a new cooker, as the current one only has 1 hob working out of 5, and it’s dying a death too, so meal prep is taking an age.

Today’s session;

Y raises – 2 working sets, 15-20

Read delt cable cuffed raises – 2 working sets, 15-20

High incline DB shoulder press – 1 working set, 8-12

Small incline SM close grip press – 1 working set, 8-12, 1 back-off set, 12-15

Straight-bar tricep extensions – 1 working set, 12-15

Standing rope extensions – 3 working sets, 15-20

I’m very happy with what I’m seeing in the mirror being 2 weeks into this push phase.

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[Andy]

I think I always forget that I have massage work the day after legs, what was worse today though was that my physio was getting things filmed for his practice, so with him being on camera, he decided to be extra brutal with my quads.

4.5 years on and I still get anxiety about going to see him, you know that way where when you’re nervous you want time to stand still, well that definitely doesn’t happen with the drive over to see him.

I feel fantastic though, sleep is perfect, digestion is back to normal after the bug that I had, we’re flying!

I’ve got a busy 4 days coming up with a wedding, and driving down to Birmingham on the Saturday, but so long as I stay on top of everything, and stick to my schedule I’m fine.

Shoulders tomorrow, and after a session with my mobility coach today, I’m hoping it’s a fruitful one!

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[Andy]

A very successful leg session in the bag, this is the first time in 5-6 weeks I’ve not had any hip pain. My squat was far more even and I was actually able to push off my left leg, where as before I was all over the place and pushing pretty much all through my right, and every time I’d finish my session, my left hip would be screaming for 2-3 hours after.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I’m going to remove the direct glute work as it’s obviously causing the agitation of my torn left hip as the glute is obviously a bit tight and pulling on the joint.

I’ve got massage, sauna, cold plunge and a mobility session tomorrow, so a complete rehab day, so that’s going to go down a treat!

The leg session went as follows;

Prime PL leg extension – 1 working set, 12-15 with forced and negative reps

BB squats – 1 working set, 8-12, 1 back-off set, 30 (this sucked)

Pendulum squat – 1 working set, 8-12

(Yes, 2 squatting patterns, this I think it helping keep that strain from the hip)

Prime PL lying leg curls – 1 working set, 12-15 with forced and negative reps

EZ-bar walking lunges – 1 working set, longest distance in the gym

Seated calve raises – 3 working sets, 15-20

Cable crunches – 3 working sets, 25

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[Andy]

So back up and running – almost.

I’d say I’m around 80% of myself after 2-3 days of food poisoning. I trained shoulders yesterday to make up for the session I didn’t do on Friday, and it ended up being a really good one. It’s always the cliche that when you think you’re going to have a bad one that you end up having the best session in a long time. It was definitely more the dehydration that got me than anything else.

Anyway, a full day of eating on plan yesterday, and I feel a touch more energetic today, so I’m expecting to see a nice of performance come off the back of today’s chest session – touch wood.

Monday is 1 of 2 days I get all of my meals in prior to the session – minus my PWO obviously.

An insanely busy week this week, with PT and setting up new clients – I still PT because I can’t sit at a laptop all day, and it also means I can get my steps in – and then the PCA First Timers in Birmingham on Sunday. Thankfully I’ve got a few friends coming so the drive won’t be a boring as it usually is.

I swear you England based guys have got it good! We’re so cut off up here in the great north haha. ..

Have a great week guys!

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[Andy]

An update on the foot poisoning; I’m still feeling pretty terrible, but it’s eased since yesterday. I missed my shoulder/tricep session because of it, so if I’m anything above 50% tomorrow I’m going train and make up for it.

When it comes to food poisoning, the biggest issue for me is staying hydrated, and only eating when I’m starving. I feel your body will give you the signs when it’s okay to eat and drink, so that’s what I’ve done these past 2 days, and I’ve kept protein fairly low and just played food by ear (stomach).

I think a deep sleep tonight will help shift some of it at least.

Not the best, but there’s nothing else I can do other than letting the body pass it. I was in full stride as well, but rather than smashing the “fuck it” button, we just do what we can and move on.

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[Andy]

So after a superb 10 days of training I’ve picked up some slight food poisoning, I’ve been eating 300g of protein a day for years, so I know when I’ve got a case of food poisoning. . .

I’m sure many of you are the same and you think that 1 day off will completely derail you, but it won’t. The best thing to do is to not stress the body out further.

It’s hitting me in waves, and I’m going through the cold shivers wave just now, and my limbs feel like they’re all made out of lead.

I’m keeping my TBJP health supplementation in to keep everything at 100% on that front, finger crossed it’s just a 24 hour thing!

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