Motivation for training

Hi Guys & Girls,

I recently stumbled across this advert on youtube, after originally seeing it quite sometime ago.
It contains a very short but to the point insight into training motivation which I find speaks to me.

Now obviously everyone's motivation for exercising is different but if you are involved in any kind of competitive sport then this message might particularly resonant with you, I know it does with me.

Even if you are not exercising to be better at a particular sport, I think that this message can be applied.
We are all exercising for some reason, maybe to be healthier or look better or gain confidence.  Whatever it is, there will be those moments that test your progress, and when you come across those moments don't you want to honestly be able to say to yourself: "I tried as hard as I possibly could".

You make dozens of choices everyday which will effect your ability to reach your goals. You have the power to do what it takes to bring yourself closer to realising your full potential or set yourself back further.
Generally I find that people pretty much know what they should be doing to make themselves healthier, the problem is that they make the wrong choices, time and again.

If you want to do something, you can do it!  Don't listen to the nay-sayers.
However, you are going to have to stay focused, I find that messages like the video above keep me focused and help me to make all those little choices that when you add them together, make the difference between me and the next guy.

Train hard, live happy
Bradbury

The training goes on!

Hi Guys & Girls

So here is another couple of weeks worth of training,
I have decided to make a slight change to how I present these sessions to you.
I have decided to no longer include the weights that I used for the particular exercises, or the number of reps achieved.  I will still be keeping a record of this for my own purposes, as I believe it is very important to track progress in any type of training that you are engaged in, with the purpose of continually trying to improve.

I don't want anyone getting hung up on the particular weights that I personally am lifting, if a lift calls for 3-5 reps, it should be 3-5 reps at a weight which is right for the individual, not what I happen to be lifting that day.  Hope you like the changes.

Sunday 3rd March:
Strength:
1) 1 DB Swings (one hand)  3x10ps

2a) Deadlift (normal stance and grip - w/straps)  3-5 x 1-5
      Trying to really focus on posture and technique, I sometimes take my camera to the gym and
      filmed my sets, checking my posture and reducing the weight until I was sure that I can keep perfect
      form.  With big compound lifts, it is important to do this.  Form must never be compromised!

2b) BB Overhead Shrugs 3-5 x 10

3a) Handstand hold 4 x max
3b) One arm press ups  4 x 8-10ps

4a) The Flag 3 x 5
4b) Reverse Hypers (S.ball) 3 x 10
4c) Dips 3 x submax

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Monday 4th March:

Rest Day - was slightly ill so decided to rest and recover

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Tuesday 5th March:

Conditioning:

One Mile Sprints - Treadmill set to 5% incline

Rest for 5 minutes between sets

1 - 7.25  (previously 7.30)

2 - 8.06 (previously 7.35)

3 - 8.32 (previously 8.50)

I was happy with the first set, but obviously the next two went downhill in terms of performance.

Will try harder next time as I am determined to get my cardiovascular fitness up.

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Wednesday 6th March:

BJJ x 90 min @ Canmore Fight Club

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Thursday 7th March:

Rest Day - Early mornings and long days at work had me tired so I took another rest day

Snowboarding x 60 mins

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Friday 8th March:

Strength:

1) Cleans (full) 5 x 3

2a) BB Bulgarian Split Squats 5 x 5ps
2b) Planche 5 x max

3a) BOR BB  3 x 12-15
3b) Front lever hold  4 x max (Alt. between flat tuck and straddle)

4a) Back lever hold 4 x max (Alt. between flat tuck and straddle)
4b) Around-the-world Pull ups 3 x 8-12
4c) Farmers Walk (with DBs) 3 x max

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Saturday 9th March:

Strength:
1a) Weighted Dips 5 x 3-5

1b) Clap press ups 5 x 5

1c) Resistance band 'pull aparts' 5 x 20

2a) Headstand Reverse leg lifts 4 x 8

2b) Hanging leg raises (side to side) 4 x submax

3a) Deathwalks (2DB) 3 x 10-12ps

3b) Inchworm 3 x 8-10

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Sunday 10th March

Rest Day

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Monday 11th March

6-7 hours of Hiking in Jasper (Canada)

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Tuesday 12th March

Conditioning:

Tabata Intervals

- Burpees (full with press ups at bottom and pull up at top)

- BB Landmines (Bar with 25lb plate)

x 6 minutes

REST 3 mins

- Skipping

- 2 DB front squat to twisting uppercut

x 6 mins

REST 3 mins

x 2 rounds

REST 5 mins

Row 5 x 200m  with 30 sec rest between sets

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Wednesday 13th March

BJJ x 90 mins @ Canmore Fight Club

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Thursday 14th March

Rest Day - Driving 600km and doing 6-7 hours of hiking at the weekend had worn me out slightly

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Friday 15th March

Strength:

1) 2 DB Swings 4 x 15

2a) Sumo Deadlift 4 x 5

2b) Overhead BB Shrugs 4 x 8-10

3a) L-sit hold (5 sec) to Headstand and 3 Reverse leg lifts  3 x 3

3b) Symmetrical Deadbugs 3 x 35 sec ps

4a) BB Overhead press (wide grip) 3 x 8-10

4b) 2 DB Bench press 3 x 8-10

4c) Dips 3 x submax

Perform exercises 4a, 4b, 4c back to back with little rest in between, then rest for 2-3 minutes after 4c

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Saturday 16th March

Strength:

1) Muscle ups (bar) 3-5 x 3-5

2) One-arm Negative pull ups  4 x 1-5ps Alternate  (When you can't control the speed of the decent, use the spare hand to grip your working wrist)

3a) Back Squats 3 x 12-15

3b) Rear shoulder exercises (2DBs) L / Y / W  3 x 15-20

4a) Lateral lunges (2DB in racked position) 3 x 8-12ps

4b) Hollow body rocks 3 x 35 sec

4c) Arch rocks 3 x 35 sec

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Sunday 17th March:

Rest Day

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Monday 18th March:

Conditioning:

Sprint - using a Spinning Bike

60 sec sprint

90 sec recovery

x 5 sets

40 sec sprint

40 sec recovery

x 7 sets

20 sec sprint

10 sec recovery

x 10 sets

Normally I would have added some other exercises to this session but I strained my low back slightly on Saturday with squats and I wanted to rest it up.  This sprint session allowed me to get some good cardio conditioning in while keeping the low back relatively rested.

Don't allow yourself to become stagnant with your training, always look to progress, somehow, depending on your goals.

Train hard, live happy

Bradbury

Training

Hi Guys & Girls

I know it has been a while since I last did an update on my training but here we go.

Tuesday 12th February:
Conditioning

Rower Test
- Row 6 x 500m (level 10) Rest as long as the previous set took, your score is the average of all 6 sets.

1 - 1.40 (.0)
2 - 1.41 (.3)
3 - 1.43 (.6)
4 - 1.43 (.1)
5 - 1.45 (.2)
6 - 1.46 (.0)

Average = 1.43 (.2)

My previous score was 1.43 (.4) so this was an improvement.
This is a nice little session, quite short but absolutely brutal and there is no faking the scores, I am glad that I got an improvement as even a slightly faster time is tough to obtain with this one.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Wednesday 13th February:

BJJ x 90mins @ Canmore Fight Club

(+ 90 mins of Snowboarding during the day)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thursday 14th February:

Strength

1) 2 DB Swings 3 x 15  (2x35lbs) / (2x35lbs) / (2x40lbs)

2) Deadlift Rack pulls (normal stance - bar just above knees) 5 x 5

    Using straps 125kg / 130kg / 135kg / 140kg / 140kg

3a) Planche (flat tuck) 3 x 2 reps for max time

3b) Cable 1-arm sword draws 3 x 15ps (7.5)

3c) See-saw DB press (2x50lb)x20ps / (2x55lb)x13ps / (2x60lb)x10ps

4a) BB Suitcase Deadlift 3 x 8ps  @  43kg / 43kg / 47.5kg

4b) Dips x13 / x16 / x15

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Friday 15th February:

Strength

1) Clean (full receive) 50kg x2 / x3 / x3

2) 2 DB split squat (front foot on 12 inch box) 5 x 5ps

    (2x20kg) / (2x25kg) / (2x27kg) / (2x29kg) / (2x34kg)

3a) 2DB BOR 3 x 15-20ps  (2x45lb) x17 / x15 / x16

3b) L-sit on DBs (5 sec hold) transitioned into Headstand (5 sec hold) and back  3 x 3

4a) Around the world Pull ups x8 / x8 / x6+2 / x6+4

4b) Symmetrical Deadbugs 2 x 35 sec ps / 2 x 30 sec ps

4c) Farmers walk (2x100lb) x2 without straps / x2 with straps

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Saturday 16th February:

Rest Day

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunday 17th February:

Conditioning

5 Power Clean & Jerk (50kg)

5 Pull ups (kipping allowed)

7 Burpees (full technique, with press up and lateral jump over bar)

12 Star Jumps

The above is 1 round, start a new round every 2 minutes for a total of 10 rounds

This is a killer session. The first few rounds aren't too bad but by round 6 you are gasping for breath and the 2 minute timer seems to be getting faster and faster.

Previously I had did this session with only 5 Burpees and 10 Star jumps per round so I was happy that I was able to increase the difficulty and still complete it, next time will have to be harder again!!!

Rest 5-10 mins

Tabata intervals (20 sec work, 10 sec recovery) on the Rowing machine x 4 mins

Kept between 95-99 meters covered per interval

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Monday 18th February:

Strength

1) Supine one arm med ball throws 4 x 5ps  (5-7kg)

2) Incline BB Press (normal grip) 5 x 3-5

    65kg x5 / 70kg x5 / 72kg x3 / x3 / x3

3a) BB RDL 4 x 12-15  70kg x15 / 75kg x15 / 76.5kg x15 / 80kg x15

3b) Handstand to lower 4 x 4 (tried to push back up but not getting it today)

4a) Reverse hypers (S.ball) 3 x 10-12  (x10 / x12 / x12)

4b) One leg S.ball hamstring curls 3 x 10ps

4c) The Flag 3 x 5

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tuesday 19th February:

Strength

1) 1 arm DB Snatch 4 x 3ps (65lb)

2) Weighted Pull ups (OH wide grip) 5 x 2-5

    (+65lb) x3 / x3 / x2 / (+55lb) x4 / (+45lb) x4

3a) Front squats (pause at bottom) 3 x 10-12  (115lb/52kg) x12 / x10 / x10

3b) Rear shoulder ex L,W,Y using 2DB 3 x 15 each

4a) Back lever 4 x max  Alt. between Straddle and Flat tuck

4b) Front lever 4 x max Alt. between Flat tuck and Straddle

4c) Pistol 4 x 10ps

      Bodyweight / 15lb DB / 15lb BB in front squat position x5ps + BW x5ps / 15lb BB x5ps + DB x5ps

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Wednesday 20th February:

BJJ x 90 mins @ Canmore Fight Club

- mostly sparring, great session for practising technique and learning weaknesses

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Thursday 21st February:

Conditioning

Progressive Hills

- start at 6.3mph and 0% incline for 1 minute

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

  Bring the treadmill down to a recovery pace for 1 minute, then repeat for a total of 3 sets

Set 1 - 6.3mph beat 15% incline (machine's max)

Set 2 - 6.4mph beat 15% incline

Set 3 - 6.5mph beat 15% incline

Happy with this result, last time I completed 3 sets at speeds of 6pmh, 6.1mph and 6.2mph so this is a good increase.  Again, next time I will continue to try and increase the intensity.

Rest 5 mins

Tabata Interval Shuttle in hall x 6 mins

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Friday 22nd February:

Strength

1) 1 DB Swings (2 hands) 3 x 15  (70lb / 75lb / 75lb)

2a) Sumo Deadlifts (mixed grip) 5 x 3-5

    106kg x5 / 110kg x5 / x5 / 115kg x5 / x3

2b) OH BB Shrug 4 x 10  70lb / 85lb / 100lb / 100lb

3a) Planche (flat tuck) 4 x 2 max reps (30 sec between reps)

3b) Wide grip BB bench 4 x 12-20  52kg x 20 / 57kg x 17 / x15 / x14

4a) T.get up (BB) 2 x 3ps  (30lb / 50lb)

4b) Cable woodchop (low to high) 2 x 12ps  (32.5)

4c) Crossfit style "butterfly sit-ups" with pad under low back for increased extension x 35 / x 50

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Saturday 23rd February:

Strength

1) Broad jumps 4 x 3

2) BB Front (Box) Squats (12 inch box - thighs to parallel) 5 x 4-5

    70kg x5 / x5 / 74kg x4 / x4 / x5

3a) 1 DB Row 3 x 15-16ps  (80lb/36kg) x15ps / x16ps / x15ps

3b) L-sit (5 sec hold) to Headstand (5 sec hold)  3 x 3

4a) Pull up to 'Ice cream maker' (flat tuck variation) x5+3 / x7+1 / x6+2 / x6+2

4b) Inchworms 4 x 8

4c) Un-even Farmers walk (DBs) x2 sets (1ps) without straps / x2 sets (1ps) with straps

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunday 24th February:

Rest Day

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Monday 25th February:

Conditioning

Row (level 10) - Rest as long as previous interval

1,000m - 3.29 (.6)

500m - 1.43 (.8)

250m - 49 (.1)

250m - 49 (.6)

100m - 19 (.3)

100m - 19 (.8)

100m - 19 (.8)

100m - 19 (.7)

Total = 8.17 (.8)

This was my first attempt at this session, it was recommended by a friend.  I liked it because it forces you to work hard, it is measurable so that progress can be charted and the variation in distances keeps the body guessing, however perhaps in the future I will include some other work afterwards.

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Tuesday 26th February:

Conditioning

BB Complex which I have nick-named "The Fight"

I have given it this nick-name because each round last 6 minutes, the length of a competition fight at my level of BJJ and just like a fight it taxes your physical strength, your lungs and your mind.

By the end of each round my forearms are blowing and my body feels fully tested from head to toe.

3 Bent Over Rows

3 Hang Power Cleans 

3 Push Press

3 Back Squats

3 Pull ups (no kipping)

3 Bar facing Burpees (full technique, no press up)

Complete as many sets of this complex as possible in 6 minutes, then rest for 3 minutes, repeat 3 times

Round 1 - 5 sets with 50kg bar

Round 2 - 4 sets with 50kg bar

Round 3 - 5 sets with 50kg bar

This performance is an improvement on last time where I used 40kg for the first round.

This session was horrific.

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Wednesday 27th February:

BJJ x 90 mins @ Canmore Fight Club

(+ 45 mins of Snowboarding during the day)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thursday 28th February:

Strength

1) Backwards roll to feet (powerful OH press) 4 x 3

2) Handstand Press 5 x 2-4  (on DBs) x 4 / (with DBs end on for full ROM) x 2-3 / x 2 /

                                            x2 + 3 NEGS / x2 + 3 NEGS

3a) Deadlift (pause 2 inches off the floor on each rep) 3 x 10  @ 60kg using straps

3b) Symmetrical Deadbugs 3 x 35 sec ps

4a) Back lever 4 x max  Alt. between Straddle and Flat tuck

4b) Front lever 4 x max Alt. between Flat tuck and Straddle

5a) Nordic curls 3 x 8

5b) 'Butterfly style sit-ups' holding BB overhead 3 x 12  with 60lb BB

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Friday 1st March:

Strength

1) Muscle ups (bar) x3 / x3 / x4 / x4

2) One arm Inverted Row (feet on box) 5 x 5ps with overhand grip

3a) Back squats 3 x 15 @ 65kg (can do more next time)

3b) Resistance band Rear shoulder ex. 3 x 20 each (Pull aparts & face pull to external rotation)

4a) Straddle L (middle split hold) 3 x 4-5 sec ps

4b) 2DB Walking Lunges 3 x 12ps  (2x40lb) / (2x45lb) / (2x50lb)

4c) 1DB Overhead hold (lats engaged) 3 x 20 sec ps  @ 50lb / 55lb / 60lb

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Saturday 2nd March:

Rest Day with 1 hr Snowboarding

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So there you go, a couple of weeks of what I have been doing.

I hope your training is going well, maybe you have found a few ideas from this blog, but if you don't feel that you are progressing towards your goals or if you are bored of the same old sessions then drop me a line and I can help you achieve your potential.

Train hard, live happy

Bradbury

Females in Sport

Hi Guys & Girls.

Those of you that follow the UFC will know that a major event took place last night.
For those of you that don't, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the worlds biggest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organisation.  It was started in the early 90's as a way to settle the argument as to which was the world's best and most effective martial art.  Any style of fighting can be used and there are few rules.

MMA is considered the world's fastest growing sport and while other, smaller organisations, have hosted female bouts, until last night the UFC never had and I have to admit that until then I had never watched one.

Last night marked the first ever female fight in the UFC between Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche.

The standard of fighting was great, these are top level athletes: Rousey is a 2x Olympian, winning a Bronze medal in Judo at Beijing and Carmouche, while relatively new to mma, is a former US Marine.

This wasn't presented as a cute exhibition, but a serious competition and I hope that it is the start of many more such changes in sport in general.  In my opinion female divisions being included in the UFC and MMA in general, is long overdue.

The disparity of opportunities between male and female athletes is disgraceful.
To say that female athletes, who are just as dedicated and skilled in their sports as their male counterparts, are over-shadowed is an understatement.  In many organisations they aren't even given the opportunity to compete at the highest levels. I can think of no reason that this can be justified.

I was in the crowd at London 2012 when Gemma Gibbons won her Silver medal in Judo and watched the excitement the next day at my home club of Camberley as Karina Bryant (from the same club) won Bronze.  Judo has been an Olympic sport since 1964 but female Judoka had to wait until 1992 before they could even compete as Olympians in the sport that they had dedicated their lives to.
In 2012 Bryant and Gibbons were the only two members of Team GB to win medals in Judo.

At Camberley Judo Club I have watched many of the full time athletes there (male and female) train harder than most people will ever be able to imagine.  Training multiple times a day, often while holding down jobs and living on site in less than desirable conditions.  I find it infuriating to think that other athletes around the world who similarly train tirelessly for their particular sport may be denied the opportunity to compete at the highest levels on the seemingly arbitrary basis of their gender.

I am going to pick on the Olympics here because they are promoted as a display of unity and sporting equality, where almost every nation in the world comes together, puts aside differences and disputes to engage in the passion of sport.
How hypocritical then, that over the years so many athletes have been denied the opportunity to compete at the games simply because they are female.  Here are some examples of when various sports were introduced and then when women finally were able to compete.

Swimming: Men - since 1896, Women - since 1912
Gymnastics: Men - since 1896, Women - since 1928
Rowing: Men - since 1900, Women - since 1976
Cycling: Men - since 1896, Women - since 1984
Football: Men - since 1896, Women - since 1996
Weightlifting: Men - since 1896, Women - since 2000
Boxing: Men - since 1904, Women - since 2012

As I talked to people leading up to the UFC event last night many people still referred to it as: 'That chick fight' however when the fight started the reception it received in the bar that I watched it in was just as reverent and respectful as for any of the male fights on the card.  Long may this continue, hopefully this is just the next step in greater athletic equality.

Train hard, live happy
Bradbury

Training continues

Hi Guys & Girls

So, another week or so of hard training.

I decided to focus a bit more on the conditioning this week, really trying to improve my cardio fitness and muscle endurance.

Remember, this is what I have been doing.  It isn't a one-size-fits-all program.
If, however you see somethings that you think are interesting then drop me a line or leave a comment at the bottom and I will get back to you.

Friday 1st February:
Conditioning

Mile Sprints

On a treadmill set to 5% incline, cover 1 mile as fast as you possibly can, then rest for 5 minutes.
Repeat three times

Round 1 - 7 min 30 sec
Round 2 - 7 min 35 sec
Round 3 - 7 min 50 sec

After resting for 5 minutes following the third round, proceed straight into:

Rower Intervals (set to level 10)
5 x 200m with 90 sec rest between intervals
1 - about 43 sec (display malfunctioned)
2 - 38.0 sec
3 - 37.4 sec
4 - 38.4 sec
5 - 38.4 sec

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Saturday 2nd February:

Strength

1) 1 DB swings (2 handed) 3 x 15 (70lbs)

2) Snatch grip Deadlifts  5 x 3-5  (83kg x 5 / 88kg x 5 / 92kg x 5 / 97kg x 5 / 100kg x 2+1)

3a) Back lever (straddle) 4 x max (about 5 sec)

3b) Front lever (straddle) 4 x max  (next time will alternate with flat tucks for longer sets)

4a) BB Push press 3 x 10 (55kg/125lb)

4b) Symmetrical Deadbugs 3 x 35 sec ps

5a) 2 DB flat bench press 3 x 12-15 (2 x 55lb) x 15 / (2 x 60lb) x 15 / x 13

5b) Windmills (1DB) 3 x 6ps  (40lb / 45lb / 50lb)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunday 3rd February:

Strength

1) Hang Snatch 3 x 3  (43kg / 52kg / 47kg)

2) Front Squats 4 x 4-5  (76kg x5  / x5 / 79kg x4 / x4)

3a) Side to side pull ups 4 x 8-12  (x12 / x10 / x8 / x8-2)

3b) The Flag 4 x 5

4a) Rear shoulder 'L' ex. using cable stack 4 x 15

4b) Saxon side bends 4 x 10-12ps  (20lb DB) x12ps / x10ps / x10ps / x10ps

4c) Farmers walk (2DB) 4 x max  (2x85lb) x 2 sets / (2x95lb)  / (2x100lb) using straps on last set

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Monday 4th February:

Rest Day

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tuesday 5th February:

Conditioning

Back to an old favourite, simple but effective

100 Rope turns

10 Burpees (full technique, no press up)

10 Press ups

10 Bodyweight Squats

10 Pull ups (no kipping)

x 10 Rounds for time

Last time I attempted this was 30/12/12 and I completed it in 26 min 17 sec (it was my 3rd attempt)

This time I managed to complete it in 25 min 17 sec, taking 1 minute off my previous time.

A great full body session, its going to be tough to do it quicker next time!

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Wednesday 6th February:

BJJ class x 90 mins (Canmore Fight Club)

+ 1 hr Snowboarding during the day

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Thursday 7th February:

Conditioning

Again I decided to attempt a session that I have done before, but with a slight variation.

Tabata intervals (20 sec work, 10 sec recovery repeated for time)

- Sprawl Burpees with a lateral jump (over bar)

- BB Hang power clean & Jerk (70lb / 31kg)

x 6 minutes

NO REST - STRAIGHT INTO...

Progressive Run

Start treadmill at 5mph and 2% incline.

Increase the speed of the treadmill by 0.3mph every 20 seconds until failure.

REST 5 MINS

x 3 Rounds

On the Tabata intervals I was aiming to maintain a minimum average of 8-9 reps of Burpees and 7-8 C&J on each interval, during the run I achieved

1 - Beat 9.5mph / 2 - Beat 9.2mph / 3 - Beat 9.5mph

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Friday 8th February:

Rest Day - 1Hr Snowboarding

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Saturday 9th February:

Strength

1) Backwards Roll back to feet (with an explosive handstand press up) x5 / x5 / x3 / x3

2) Overhead BB Press  5 x 3-5  (52kg x 5 / 56kg x 5 / x5 / 58kg x 3 / x3-5

                                           - last 2 reps used push press with slow negative

3a) One legged RDL (2DB) 4 x 15ps  (2x9kg / 2x11kg / 2x13kg / 2x13kg)

3b) Handstand to lower 4 x 4  -  Next time I am going to try and push back up (if balance allows)

4a) Nordic curls 3 x 8

4b) Straddle L (on box, low with straight legs) 3 x max

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Sunday 10th February:

Strength

1) Muscle ups (on bar) 4 x 3

2) BB One arm rows (end of BB wedged in corner) 4 x 5ps  BB+75lb / +85lb / +95lb / 100lb

3a) Back lever 4 x max  (straddle x 3 sets / Flat tuck x 1 set)
3b) Front lever 4 x max (Straddle x 2 sets / Flat tuck x 2 sets alt.)

4a) BB Alt. lunges 3 x 8-12ps  (43kg x12ps / 52kg x10ps / 61kg x8ps)
4b) Cable rotations 3 x 12ps  (Standing - 32.5 / 37.5 / Lying on Decline bench - 17.5)

5a) One Legged Deck Squats 3 x 15ps alt.  (Normal / Jump onto 4 inch step / vertical jump)
5b) Reverse Hypers (S.ball) 3 x 10

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Monday 11th February:

Rest Day

Hope this gives you a few ideas,

Train hard, live happy
Bradbury

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