Training in the heat

- Sumo Deadlift: 140/308 x 10 x 2 (1 minute rest)
- Row: 70/154 x 2 x 8
- Drag Curl: 30/66 x 3 x 10
- Core work
- Prowler: 10 x 20m trips with 180lbs in 10:00



Today was the first day deadlifting according to Steel’s Train Like An Athlete program. I had to tape my hands to cover my torn calluses, but they tore further anyway. Now the calluses are all but gone, which will allow me to start afresh and ensure that they don’t build up in the first place. Aside from my hand absolutely killing me, these deadlifts felt good and I like the repetition of setting up and pulling quality reps over and over again.

Didn’t do much else really, my hands were too fucking sore. I had my bone scan and will have the results by tomorrow afternoon. Fingers crossed.

Torn calluses

- Conditioning: 180 KB Snatches in 10:00

I told myself to shave my calluses before doing the Kettlebell stuff. I didn’t listen. Tore two calluses. Currently applying salt to the wounds to toughen the raw skin.

Bone scan for foot tomorrow at 9AM.

The outlook is bleak

- Bench: 90/198 x 5 x 2, 68/150 x 10
- Seated Press: 71/156 x 6, 65/143 x 8
- Weighted Chin: 20/44 x 10, 8
- Core Work
- Neck Harness: 24/53x4x40
- Prowler: 10 x 20m trips with 180lbs in 10:00

I started Steel’s “Big Bench Program” today. I also plan to progress my deadlift according to the Train Like An Athlete program. I’m taking a break from squats to give my knee a bit of a rest.

It looks like I have a possible stress fracture in my left foot. Nothing came up on the x-ray, so now I am awaiting a bone scan. If the physiotherapist is correct and I do have a stress fracture, I’ll have to use crutches for several weeks, which means not only will I be unable to walk, run, sprint, jump, squat or deadlift, but I might not be able to go hiking and camping in Tasmania in January.

I’ve been looking forward to this Tasmania trip all year and words can describe how fucking disappointed I will be if I can’t go.

Morale wavering

- Press: 70.5/155 x 6, 62.5/138 x 8
- Box Squat: 132.5/292 x 6, 100/220 x 12
- Tricep Extension (from floor): 40/88 x 15, 15
- Core work
- Neck Harness: 24/53x2x40

I felt pretty flat today. Things didn’t go too badly in the gym really; I just didn’t feel very strong. Truth be told, I felt small and weak.

I weighed in at 84kg/185lbs this morning and my waist was about 33.25 inches. I also just fit into the 4th hole on my belt, which I have never done before.

A few more weeks of fat loss and then that’s it. I just have to stay the course and keep doing what I’m doing.

Small but significant progress

- GHR: BW x 2 x 10
- Bench: 97.5/215 x 8(+1), 92.5/204 x 8(+1)
- Rack Pull: 210/463 x 12
- EZ Curl: 42.5/94 x 12, 35/77 x 15
- Core Work
- Neck Harness: 24/53x2x40
- Wrist Roller


I bumped the bench down a bit, as I wanted to hit higher in the rep range and then microload from there. The first set was actually an equal rep PR, I hit this just before I went to NZ to visit Mitch when my bench was at its strongest, I was eating like a pig and was nearly 5lbs heavier then I am now. So this was a small but definite victory.

Absolutely crushed the rack pull and I had a couple more in me for sure. Looks like I’ll have to buy some more plates.

Got a wrist roller the other day. Talk about forearm burn, that thing kills.

In other not so good news, I’ve done something to my left foot, it’s all bruised and I can’t even walk or put any weight on it without experiencing some serious pain. I can only assume that it was caused by wearing shoes that I don’t normally wear on my AM cardio. Let’s hope it gets better soon.

Back to box squats

- Seated DB Press: 66/145 x 8, 60/132 x 12
- 12” Box Squat: 130/286 x 6, 120/264 x 8
- Steep Incline CGB: 60/132 x 8,8
- Weighted Chin: 25/55 x 8,6
- Prowler: 10 x 20m trips with 180lbs in 10:00

I did some AM steady-state this morning and will continue to do so over the next month to accelerate fat loss a bit more. I won’t bother logging it as it will be a given.

Seated DB press felt great.

I decided to box squat today so that my knee could have some time to recover. I also realised that if I can box squat without knee pain, then I should just box squat most of the time, especially if I end up playing football next year. I just can’t see any reason to continue fucking my knee up and most probably causing long term damage to my body. Obviously I understand that regular squats are superior for both general strength/mass and athleticism, however given my knee issues, box squats seem to be a perfectly suitable substitute that will still allow me to get stronger and carry over to athletic endeavours, ie football.

I am starting to get the hang of the steep incline close grip. Triceps were smoked after it.

I’m pretty sure the weighted chins were some kind of PR, I don’t think I have ever done that weight for that many reps.

Not so good

- DB Bench: 84/185 x 8, 75/165 x 10 (+2)
- Sumo Deadlift: 190/419 x 3, 140/308 x 15
- Seated Alternating DB Curl: 34/75 x 14, 10
- Core work
- Neck Harness: 24/53x2x40



The session started well when I smoked the DB bench on both sets.

Unfortunately I didn’t do so well on the deadlift. After I struggled on the lockout of rep 3, I knew the set was over. I’m strong off the floor but I get stuck just before lockout and my legs start to wobble and I can’t fully lock my legs out. Feeling pretty dejected I stripped some plates off and banged out an easy 15 with a little over 300.

I’ve had a damn good run with my deadlift over the last few months and I know I can’t expect to just continue marching on to 500 without any hiccups, especially while losing body fat. However I ‘m not exactly sure what I should do now. I can reset and work back up trying to break rep PRs on the way. Or I can try and progress my 3rm for a few weeks. I think I might get John’s opinion.