Putting in the work

Hi Guys & Girls

Another week or so of training.
As always, trying to make small and gradual progressions.
It is easy to get desperate about progress and push too hard, risking injuries and burn-out which ultimately sets you back even further.
Being healthy, fit and strong is a life long journey.

I heard a great quote from strength coach Matt Wichlinski, it went something like this:
'Think of each workout as a strand in a rope, it might be the best workout in the world but it is only with consistency that you build up enough strands to make an unbreakable rope'

As always guys, this is my training plan for my goals and my body.
It is not a one-size-fits-all program.
If you want to try some of the sessions, great.
If you would like a more custom program, drop me a line and we can get working on a fitter, stronger you.

Tuesday 22nd January
Strength

1) 2 DB Swings 3 x 15  (2x25lbs / 2x30lbs / 2x35lbs)

2) Deadlift (normal stance - w/ straps) 4 x 3-5
    (120kg x 5 / 122.5kg x 5 / 125kg x 4 / x 3

3a) Planche (flat tuck) 4 x max (6-7 sec each)
3b) 1 DB OH Press + walk 3 x 10ps + 20 sec hold & walk  (2 x 55lb / 2 x 50lb / 2 x 50lb)

4a) Straddle L (box-low, straight leg) 4 x max
4b) BB Bench (flat, normal grip) 4 x 8-10 (60kg/65kg/70kg)

5a) Inchworm 3 x 5
5b) Reverse Hypers (s.ball) 3 x 10  (Great exercise for low back activation, going to try and do more)

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Wednesday 23rd January

Rest Day (1 hr Snowboarding)

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Thursday 24th January

Conditioning

So, I decided to try again with this session.

You might remember it from my previous post (attempted on Saturday 19th Jan).

I attempted this workout but was completely run down and fatigued and could barely get through 5 rounds.

Today was much better, it is a great little session that really kicks in towards the end.

In the future I will try and make it progressively harder.

5 Power Clean & Jerk (50kg)

5 Pull ups (kipping allowed)

5 Burpees (Lateral jump over bar - full technique with press up)

10 Star Jumps

Start a new round every 2 minutes 

x 10 Rounds (20 mins total)

REST AS NECESSARY

Row - Tabata Intervals (Level 10) x 4mins

covered between 95-99 meters per interval

Really recommend this session.

If you are not familiar with Power Clean & Jerks then drop a comment at the bottom and I can provide an alternative.

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Friday 25th January

Rest Day (1hr Snowboarding)

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Saturday 26th January

Strength

1) Deck Squat Jumps 4 x 5

2) BB Step ups  (BB on back - using a high step that comes 1/3 up thigh) 5 x 5ps

    60lbs / 70lbs / 80lbs / 85lbs / 85lbs

3a) Back lever (straddle - hips slightly flexed) 4 x max (5 sec)

3b) Front lever (couldn't get half so did slightly extended straddle) 4 x max

4a) 1 DB Row 4 x 10-12ps  (90lb x 10ps / x12ps / x12ps / x11ps)

4b) DB Rear Shoulder ex. 4 x 15 each  W / L / Y/ T

4c) Cable woodchop (low to high) 4 x 10-12ps  (22.5x12ps / 27.5x10ps / 32.5x10ps / x10ps)

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Sunday 27th January

Rest Day

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Monday 28th January

Strength

1) Full body plyo press ups (explode your whole body off the ground) 4 x 5

2) Flat BB Bench (normal grip) 5 x 4-5
    (175lb/79kg) x 5 / (185lb/83kg) x 4 / x 5 / x 5 / x 5 (spot for last 3 sets)

3a) Arch Rocks 4 x 30 sec (elbows in line with head)
3b) Hollow body Rocks 4 x 30 sec
      15 sec transition between exercises

4a) Good mornings 4 x 12  (20kg/25kg/30kg/35kg)
4b) Straddle L (one hand centre) 4 x 5 sec ps

5a) One legged S.ball curls 3 x 10-12ps  x12ps/x12ps/x10ps
5b) Planche (flat tuck) 4 x max  x6sec / x6sec / x6sec / x5sec

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Tuesday 29th January

Strength

1) 1 DB Rows (for power)  70lb x5 / x4 / 75lb x3 / 80lb x2 / x1

2) 1 Arm (Negative) Pull-ups (chin up grip) 4 x 3-5ps

     x3ps / x3ps / x3ps (free hand holding working wrist) / x1-5ps (first rep normal, then with wrist hold)

3a) BB Back Squats (normal stance) 4 x 12-15  (65kg x15 / x15 / x15 / x12)

3b) Handstand to lower 4 x 4

4a) Pistols 3 x 8-10ps  (x10ps / x8ps / x10ps)

4b) Reverse hypers (S.ball) 3 x 10

4c) Hanging leg raises (side to side) 3 x 6ps

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Wednesday 30th January

BJJ Training x 90 mins (Canmore Fight Club)

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Thursday 31st January

Rest Day - 1hr Snowboarding

Train hard, live happy

Bradbury

Ideas on Nutrition

Hi Guys & Girls,

I get asked a lot about my nutrition so I thought I would dedicate this post to it.

No matter what your goals are, nutrition is key.  I love the saying:

‘You are what you eat'

It is absolutely true.

Every cell in your body is made from the food that you put into it.  If you want to change that body, develop it, tweak it, improve it.  Then you have to look at the building blocks that you are giving it.

Now the first thing I want to make clear is that nutrition is very subjective, an ‘ideal’ nutritional intake will vary, often quite considerably, from person to person.

There are factors such as:

What are your goals? – Losing fat? Adding bulk? Strength? Endurance? General Health?

What is your level of activity? – Do you exercise regularly? Is your job active?

Personal Preference – What foods do you like? Do you have allergies?

What kind of budget do you have?

Do you access to a proper kitchen to regularly prepare meals?

Do you know how to cook?  Are you willing to learn?

Each of these factors is going to have an effect on both; what your ‘ideal’ nutritional intake should be and what it is.

That said, I generally work from a few nutritional ‘Rules’, things that I think are good for everyone’s health and goals regardless of varying factors.

1 – A regular intake of high quality protein from a variety of sources

Quality sources include: Lean meats, Poultry, Eggs, Fish, Nuts, Seeds & Dairy

It is also possible to obtain complete proteins by combining various veg, grains & pulses.

The body can only absorb a set amount of protein in one go so it is best to have it in at regular intervals throughout the day.

Now, the amount of protein each person needs will vary and there are a myriad of recommendations.  I don’t want to get into that debate here (but I’m happy to discuss it in the comments box below).

2 – A minimum of 5 portions of Fruit and Veg per day (with the emphasis on Vegetables)

This is where you should get most of your vitamins and minerals, they are essential if you want to digest and absorb all your other food effectively.

Without these the body simply can’t take in all the other great things you are putting into it.

Vegetables are generally preferable to fruit as they are normally less sugary.

Again variety is desirable, with dark green vegetables being King (Spinach, Broccoli, Kale).

A portion is roughly a handful.

3 – Keep well hydrated (plenty of water)

Without water your body slows down, works less efficiently and eventually stops.

Proper hydration improves concentration, athletic performance,

aids fat loss, recovery and muscle development.

Like protein, your body can only absorb so much at a time so sip regularly throughout the day.

The best way to check your hydration level is to look at your Urine, it should be clear or light yellow.

Water is best, avoid sugary drinks (including fruit juices), caffeine and alcohol.

4 – You need to eat Fat.

Your body needs fat just as much as any other nutrient.

A low fat diet will not necessarily help you lose fat and a zero fat diet will kill you!

Again, aim for good quality sources, taken regularly and in portions appropriate to you & your goals.

Quality sources include: Good cuts of Red meat, Olive (oil), Flax seed, Oily fish (fish oils), Avocados, Butter from organic grass-fed cows, Coconut oil, Nuts & Seeds, Organic Eggs, Greek yogurt (full fat varieties), Acai. There are more but these are some of the most well known and easily available.

5 - Always try and buy food in its purest form

Processed food, ready meals and fast food are never going to be as good for you as a home cooked meal made from pure, whole foods.  Now obviously this will depend on how much time you have to prepare food, your budget and your ability to prepare that food but with the right amount of planning and a few basic skills you can easily make some fantastic and nutritionally sound meals.

Outside of the nutritional ‘Rules’ outlined above the rest of what I’m going to run through are guidelines, and as such will vary quite substantially between individuals.  For your interest I will let you know what I personally aim for with each guideline but keep in mind that this is just for me, with my goals (currently, trying to build and maintaining strength while staying as lean as possible).  There are a huge number of factors that contribute to my personal nutritional intake, these will vary over time as my goals, body and knowledge change and progress.

The most important thing is to get to know your own body, know what works for you.

But remember, if you aren’t seeing the changes you want, then doing what you are currently doing isn’t working.

That doesn't mean that you scrap everything and adopt a totally new approach (I see way to many people on ridiculous, fad diets due to this thought process), just experiment with varying one or two things at a time and see what happens.

Guidelines:

1 - Frozen Vegetables are your friend

Easy to store, prepare and cook.  You can keep them for ages without them going off and they often have more of their nutritional value intact than when you buy ‘fresh’ veg which has been shipped half way around the world and sprayed with preservatives to keep it looking nice.  If you are buying fresh, try and get locally sourced products (less travel time and therefore less deterioration).

2 – Eat quality Carbohydrates in portions suitable for your goals.

Always try and have complex carbs over simple (sugary) ones.

Great sources include: Sweet potatoes, Oats, Brown rice, Quinoa, Pulses (beans/lentils) & Wholemeal pasta. I try to limit my intake of wheat in favour of the other options listed above.

The amount of carbs you have will vary massively depending on your goals and body type, if you are unsure as to what amount you need then start with a low amount and increase if you start to notice that you are experiencing lethargy, fatigue and/or delayed recovery from exercise.

You will also need different amounts of carbs at different times of the day depending on your activity levels.

3 - Supplements are supplements, not replacements.

Your primary source of nutrients should always be actual, whole foods.  Supplements are there to fill in little gaps in your diet, not provide the building blocks.

Also, be wary of claims (especially from sports supplements), many are unsubstantiated.

Personally I take:  Cod liver oil capsules, A simple Multi-vitamin tablet, Glucosamine Sulphate (with added Chondroitin & MSM), Whey Protein shakes after exercise and sometimes Creatine.

4 – Eat small, regular meals.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that small, regular meals throughout the day help to raise metabolism, burn fat and prevent unhealthy snacking or binge eating.  I have found this to be true for myself.

I aim to eat something roughly every 3 hours while I am awake.  Generally I opt for a good source of protein, at least one portion of fruit or veg, a small amount of quality fats and possibly some complex carbohydrates.

I could probably go on and on with guidelines and tips but I won’t.  If you have any specific questions then just drop a comment in the box.

Below is an example of an average day of meals for me.

I can’t stress enough that I am including this to show what all the above ‘Rules’ and guidelines look like when put into practice.

This is not a perfect day of eating and it shouldn’t be used as the basis for everyone.

It is specific to my diet, for my body and my goals at this particular juncture in my life.

If you find some bits useful, great, but it shouldn’t stand as the basis for your entire diet.

Meal 1 (Breakfast) – Porridge.  Made with: About 80-100g of whole oats, and semi-skimmed milk.

                                 A portion of fruit (usually blueberries – fresh or frozen)

                                 A handful of nuts (brazils and hazelnuts) or 1-2 tablespoons of peanut better

                                 1 teaspoon or ground flaxseed (or oil)

Meal 2 (Snack) – Chicken wrap.  90-100g of chicken meat in a wholemeal or mixed grain wrap.

                             With half a large avocado, chopped and a drizzle of olive oil.

Meal 3 (Lunch) – A couple of smoked mackerel fillets with an medium sized, oven (or microwave)

                            cooked sweet potato (skin on) and a portion of Spinach, about 100g.

Meal 4 (Post-workout shake) – 1 Banana

                                                 1 Scoop of chocolate Whey protein powder mixed with water or milk

                                                 If possible I blend the above with 1 sachet of frozen Acai puree,

                                                 1 teaspoon of Flaxseed oil and 50-100g of Waxy maise starch

                                                 (and maybe a squeeze of honey)

Meal 5 (Dinner) – Beef stir fry.  90-120g of quality beef steak, 100g of Broccoli,

                            1 chopped red pepper, Low sugar/salt sauce or spices for taste.

                            Served with rice (ideally brown but I have a weakness for white rice!)

                                                 

Meal 6 (Snack) – If I am hungry between dinner and going to bed.

                            200-300g Greek Yogurt + 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed & possibly a small apple.

Also during the course of the day I will generally drink 1-2 cups of Green Tea and enough water to keep my urine clear or light yellow.

Apologises for the long post.  The subject of nutrition is massive and I still feel that there is a lot I have left out but hopefully this will serve as a starting point for thought, discussion and change.

If you have any questions or comments then please write them below and I will answer.

Train hard, live happy

Bradbury

A Week of Highs and Lows

Hi Guys & Girls,

The training continues...

Sunday 13th January:
Conditioning Day

Today I decided to hit up my new barbell complex again but with a few changes.

3 Bent over rows
3 Hang Cleans (receive as necessary)
3 Push press
3 Back squats
3 Pull ups
3 Bar facing Burpees (full, no press up)
x 6 minutes, as many sets as possible

Rest 3 Minutes
x 3 Rounds

1st Round  - Olympic bar + 2x25lbs (about 43kg total)  Completed 5 sets

2nd Round  - Olympic bar + 2x35lbs (about 52kg total)  Completed 4 sets

3rd Round  - Olympic bar + 2x35lbs (about 52kg total)  Completed 5 sets

After about 5 minutes rest
Row (Level 10) 500m as quickly as possible
completed in 1.44 (.9)

This was a tough session.  During the 2nd Round of the barbell complex I felt I could have possibly achieved a 5th set but I couldn't quite push myself to get there.  It was frustrating but it made me determined to get 5 sets in the 3rd round.  When I finished the barbell complex I felt...well, fucked.

During the intensity of the session, trying to push myself to fill each 6 minute rounds with as much work as possible felt very similar to a Jiu-Jitsu fight.  I have mentioned before that I believe barbell complexes are a particularly good training modality for BJJ conditioning and this session strengthened that belief.  Complex bar movements like these work you from head to toe while challenging your cardiovascular system and grip at the same time.

There were times when I just wanted to give in and quit but I am glad that I pushed through...I just don't look forward to the next time I have to attempt this!

If you want to get incredibly fit and strong, and especially if you train in grappling then I recommend using barbell complexes as part of your conditioning programme, try the one above if you want.

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Monday 14th January:

BJJ class at the Canmore Fight Club x 90 mins 

It was great to get back on the mat and roll with some other Jiu-Jitsu fighters.

I hope I can make this a regular part of my training while I am out here in Canada,

although due to the scheduling of the bus service it does end up being a 4 hour round trip for a 90 minute lesson.  However, if you want something enough, you have to be willing to pay the price.

Unfortunately I also aggravated a rib injury which I got from snowboarding a few months ago.  I will have to be mindful of this and maybe adapt my Jiu-Jitsu game to avoid positions which will further hurt it.

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Tuesday 15th January:

Strength

1) Hang Power Snatch 3 x 3 (40kg)

2) Front Squats 5 x 3-5  74kg x 5 / 76kg x 4 / 79kg (175lb) x 4 / x 3 / x 3

3a) Around-the-world Pull ups  4 x 8-12  x10 / x10 / x8+2 / x6+2

3b) Straddle L  4 x max time  (bars-low, straight legs)

4a) Inverted bodyweight Rows 3 x 15 (pause at top, slow down)

4b) Rear shoulder exercises L / Y / W (on cable) 3 x 15 reps each

4c) Symmetrical Deadbugs 3 x 30 sec per side

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Wednesday 16th January:

Strength

1) Power OH BB Press  85lb (40kg) x5 / x4 / x3 / x2 / x1

2) Handstand press 5 x 3-5  (achieved x5 / x4 / x4 / x4 / x4)

3a) Back lever 4 x 12 sec (Flat tuck - bar)  PROGRESS THIS EXERCISE NEXT TIME

3b) Front lever 4 x 12 sec (Straddle - bar)  PROGRESS THIS EXERCISE NEXT TIME

4a) BB Stiff legged Deadlifts 3 x 10-12  (60kg - 80kg)

4b) Saxon side bends 3 x 10-12 per side  1DB (15lb-20lb)

5a) Nordic curls 3 x 8

5b) Hanging leg raises 3 x 10  (Just to 90 degrees due to rib injury)

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Thursday 17th & Friday 18th January:

Rest Days - each with 1 hour snowboarding

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Saturday 19th January:

Conditioning

I was feeling extremely lethargic when I got home from work today, I hadn't really slept sufficiently for a few nights and had also been snowboarding for a couple of hours in the afternoon.  Never-the-less I decided to attempt a challenging session which I had put together.

The aim was to do:

5 Power Clean & Jerks (50kg)

10 Pull ups (kipping allowed)

10 Burpees (full with press up)

- starting a new round every 2 minutes for a total of 10 rounds (20 minutes)

I quickly realised that I had very little left in my tank.

After just 1 round I had to adapt the session to only do 5 Pull ups on each round

and I called time on the session half way through, after only 5 rounds (10 minutes).

My hamstrings were still tight and achy after Wednesday's session and it was clear that my body was run down and needed more rest before pushing through a session like this.

I hate feeling like this, but it is better to listen to your body and rest when necessary rather than run it into the ground.  I decided to get some nutritious food in me, get a good nights sleep and see how I felt the next day.

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Sunday 20th January:

Strength

After a decent rest I was feeling ready to get back in the gym so this is what happened...

1) Muscle ups 3-5 x 1-5  (achieved x5 / x5 / x5 / x4)

2) Weighted Pull ups (neutral grip) 3-5 x 1-5  Bodyweight + 20kg x 5 / +25kg x 5 / +30kg x 5 / +70lbs (about 34kg) x 4 / +80lbs (about 36kg) x 3

3a) Handstand to lower 4 x 4

3b) 2 DB Lateral Step ups  4 x 12-15 per side  (achieved 2x45lb / 20kg x 12ps / x12ps / x14ps / x15ps

4a) Ab Wheel rollouts 3 x 8-10  (kneeling x 10 / standing - partial x 10 / x10)

4b) Overhead Squats 3 x 8-10  (43kg x 10 / x10 / 45kg x 10)

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Monday 21st January:

BJJ Training (Canmore Fight Club) x 90 min session

Another great night of training, it was brilliant to be on the mat, practising techniques that have been floating around in my head all week.  I also managed to avoid aggravating my rib injury again, which is a massive bonus.

So there you go, another week of training, highs and lows.  Had a couple of sessions where I was firing on all cylinders, I felt strong and made some good progress and then experienced a dip due to lack of adequate rest and recovery.  Lessons learnt.  Hope it helps some of you guys.

More posts coming soon guys,

Train hard, live happy

Bradbury

Inspiration from Peter 'Kid Chocolate' Quillin

Below is a short video about WBO Middleweight champion of the world, Peter 'Kid Chocolate' Quillin.

Quillin didn't have the best start in life.
He wasn't groomed to become a pro athlete.
He didn't have the optimal nutrition or state of the art training equipment.
He didn't have a professional coach or expertly written Strength & Conditioning programme.

He worked hard!
Day after day, to achieve his goal.
To better himself and his situation.

That isn't to say that the benefits of privileges listed above aren't of value.  Of course they are and of course they can produce incredible athletes .  My point is just that they aren't necessary and they aren't the most important factor in achieving success.  An individual's will to work hard and preserver in the face of difficulty will almost always be the deciding factor in their success.

And as shown through Peter, hard work can help you over come incredible odds.

Regardless of whether you follow boxing or not, it is well worth taking a look at this video.
We are into mid January now.  New years resolutions often fall by the way side.  Don't let this happen.
As Peter says himself:

'I hope that through this I inspire people that hard work can get you anywhere in life.'

Hard work always pays.  There are very few (if any) quick fixes or easy routes to success.
If you want it though, you can achieve it, you just have to work for it.  You're battle probably isn't in a boxing ring.  It might not even be within a sport, but the lesson is the same.  Work hard and in time the reward will come.  Stay strong, stay focused and achieve!

'You're a fighter, regardless of whether you get in the ring and do the things I do.  You're a Fighter!'

Train hard, fight easy
Bradbury

The latest training

Hi Guys & Girls

So. The new training plan has begun!
Here are the first couple of weeks of training.

As I said last time, the program should make a bit more sense now that you can see it fleshed out.

Any questions, drop a comment.

I realise that this entry makes fairly dry reading but I have some good inspirational posts coming up so stay tuned.

Tuesday 1st January 2013:
Rest Day - also a long day at work

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Wednesday 2nd January:

Conditioning

BB Complex

3 Bent Over Rows

3 Hang Cleans (full receive if possible)

3 Push press

3 Squats

3 Bar facing burpees with Deadlifts

x 6 mins complete as many rounds as possible 

Rest 3 mins

x 3 sets

Using a 45kg bar

1st Set - 4 rounds

2nd Set - 5 rounds

3rd Set - 5 rounds

Nice little conditioning session.

I decided to put this one together because I was disappointed with performance on the barbell complex I did on 31st December.  I believe that barbell complexes are excellent conditioning for grappling so I am determined to do more work with them, this was one such attempt.

I think in future sessions I might separate the Deadlifts and Burpees and hopefully add more weight.

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Thursday 3rd January:

Strength

1) 1 DB Snatch x5ps, x4ps, x3ps, x2ps, x1ps  (with 55lb / 55lb / 60lb / 65lb / 75lb)

2) Barbell Split Squat 4 x 5ps  60kg/70kg/80kg/80kg

3a) Weighted Pull ups (wide grip) 4 x 8-12  (bodyweight+20lb) achieved 12, 10, 9, 8 reps

3b) Cable face pull to external rotation 4 x 15

4a) Manna - middle split hold (MSH) bent legs 4 x max

4b) Planche (flat tuck) 4 x max (8-10 sec)

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Friday 4th January:

Strength

1) Clap press ups (behind back) 4 x 5

2) Incline BB Bench press (wide grip) 5 x 4-5  (60kgx4, x5, x4, x4)

3a) Back lever (flat tuck - bar) 5 x 10 sec

3b) Front lever (straddle - bar) 5 x 10 sec

4a) Cable pull-throughs 3 x 12  (42.5 - 52.5 weight on cable) - not sure if effective

4b) Standing cable rotations 3 x 10ps  (27.5 - 37.5 weight on cable)

5a) Swiss ball Hamstring curls (single leg) 3 x 10

5b) Headstand Reverse leg lifts 3 x 8

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Saturday 5th January:

Rest Day

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Sunday 6th January:

Conditioning

- Lateral (bar) jump Burpees

- Hang power clean & press

x Tabata intervals for 6 minutes

NO REST

Crosstrainer x 5 mins (Level 15) - Max distance covered.  Covered 1.25km

REST 5 mins

ROUND 2

- Pull up to press up

- Box jump Burpees

Crosstrainer - Covered 1.31km

ROUND 3

- 1 DB Snatch (25lb/30lb) - Too light

- Swiss ball BJJ drill (chest / back control)

Crosstrainer - Covered 1.41km

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Monday 7th January:

Strength

1) Split Jerks 4 x 3  (50kg / 60kg / 65kg / 65kg)

2) Rack Pulls (Deadlifts) normal stance - pulling bar from just above knees  3-5 x 1-5

    120kg x 4 / 125kg x 4 / x5 / 130kg x 5

3a) Handstand to lower (Lowering chest down to floor in controlled fashion) 3 x 3

3b) Straddle L (one hand centre) 3 x max (about 5 sec per side)

4a) Overhead BB press (normal/normal grip) 3 x 8-12  (42 - 47kg)

4b) Hanging leg lifts (side to side) 3 x 8ps

5a) 2 DB flat chest press 3 x 10-15  (2x55lb - 60lb)

5b) 1 DB Windmill 3 x 6ps (40lb) - increase weight next time

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Tuesday 8th January:

Rest Day - Unplanned.

I was meant to be doing BJJ at the Canmore fight club but class was cancelled so I had an unscheduled rest day.

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Wednesday 9th January:

Conditioning

Progressive Hills

Treadmill set at 6mph and 0% incline for 1 minute

Then increase the incline by 1% every 20 sec until failure

- 1st Round - I beat 15% incline (max machine can go to)

1 minute recovery at walking pace

- 2nd Round - 6.1mph beat 15%

- 3rd Round - 6.2mph beat 15%

Rest 5 minutes (roughly)

Tabata intervals on the Rower (Level 10) x 4 minutes

Covered between 94 - 102 meters per interval

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Thursday 10th January:

Strength

1) Clap pull ups (clap in front - Overhand, normal grip) 4 x 5

2) 1 DB Rows (Hands & knee on bench - try to pause at top) 5 x 5ps @ 100lb / 45kg

    Max DB - need more weight

3a) Planche practice 4 x 2 (max time - 8-10 sec)  30sec between reps

3b) Back Squats (normal stance) 3 x 12-15  60kgx15 / 65kgx13 / x15

4a) The Flag 4 x 5

4b) 2 DB Overhead walking lunges 4 x 8ps  (2x35lb / 16kg)

5) Farmers walk 3 x max distance  (2x85lb DBs)

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Friday 11th January:

Strength

1) 1 DB Swings (2 Handed) 3 x 15  (60lb / 70lb / 70lb)

2) Sumo Deadlifts (mixed grip) 5 x 4-5  (83kgx5 / 100kgx4 / x5 / 105kgx5 / 110kgx5)

3a) Back lever (flat tuck - bar) 4 x max (aim for 11 sec)

3b) Front lever (staddle / flat tuck - bar) 4 x max (aim for 11 sec)

4a) Handstand to lower  4 x 4

4b) See-saw DB press (flat) 4 x 8-12ps  (2x60lb - x12ps / x10ps / x8ps / x8ps)

4c) Dips 4 x submax  x9 / x10 / x8 / x10

- 30 sec between exercises and 2 minutes between sets

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Saturday 12th January:

Rest Day

Train hard, live happy

Bradbury

Inspiration from Felipe Costa

Hi Guys & Girls

Below is a video about BJJ fighter Felipe Costa.

In it he discusses his route to becoming World, European and Brazilian Champion at Roosterweight.
He didn't have instant success, he wasn't a prodigy, in fact for the first four years of his BJJ career he didn't win a single fight.

He overcame multiple failure and built himself back up time and again, mentally and technically, to achieve his goal.

Even if BJJ is not your sport I believe there is value here as Felipe discusses some of his insights into training and competing.

"Your mind is trying to make you do whatever is easier.

It's easier to sit on the couch and watch TV, than it is to get your Gi and go and sweat on the mat"

"You have to say, I'm not giving up now.

I'm going to go after this, I'm going to try hard, I'm going to go until the last minute"

"And when you don't put so much pressure on yourself, the results are going to come,

whether it is the gold medal or not, but you are going to be a happier person.

I think that has to be the main goal"

Train hard, Live happy
Bradbury