Hannah\’s Blog

This was inspirational picture for ARM training yesterday.  Her name is Ava Cowan and she is a new up and coming figure pro, bet she’ll place 1st next year at Arnold or Olympia. 

I trained Arms with James in Torquay yesterday and they are sore today, especially my triceps!  See visualisation is the key!  I am on this week 12/10/8 to help save and look after my central nervous system as the last 2 weeks training has tired me out a little.  It was fun and we did incline supination curls, ez bar incline french press, machine preacher curls and overhead rope extensions, hanging knee raises to finish.

This afternoon I trained BACK with Dave in Paignton.  I could really see my strength improve noticeably today.  We started on wide grip chins and I had a least the first 2/3 on my own for 8/8/6 and then a little spot to keep me going.  Machine deadlifts were next, 2 weeks ago I did 22.5kg for 3 reps a side and today I was able to do this for the 10 and 8th reps.  Heavy neutral grip pulldowns 3 x 8 reps and then single arm rows with 17.5kg 3 x 8 reps.  We did some crazy ab work, as I really want blocky abs!.  V sits with a 5kg plate on the end of each feet, doing small movements as to not get the hip flexors involved and then lying crunches with feet up on the bench and a 5kg plate overhead.  Can feel them now and my triceps. 

Tonight is PUMP and then PUMP in the morning and then going to hit legs after with Becky.  This week of the cycle can be called ‘downtime’ recovery and then next week, its either 120% negatives or 3 x 5 reps, we’ll see after I speak to SJ about this week and food etc.

Well done Jemma, today we did 4 sets of 5 reps chins (neutral grip) and the first 2 were clean for you, you shocked yourself and it was a great chest, back and bicep workout! (more…)

Trained Chest on Wednesday with James and Sam, and it was 1 x rep max on back.  I did deadlifts with 31.25kg either side for 5 reps and back has taken 3 days to recover but all good.  Neutral grip chins with 5kg for a bit of weight 3 x 8 and that was it, workout took ages with 3 of us and long rests in between but that’s all you need!  I have to keep thinking that my neural pathways are opening up and will be ready to accept my weight and grow when my hypertrophy cycle starts again!

Trained Shoulders this morning with Dave, last of the 1 rep max cycles.  Military standing shoulder press with 12.5kg a side of the olympic bar.  Then 3 x 8 reps of dumbell lateral raises into fast dyno bnad lateral raises 3 x 20 reps for power and speed.  Single arm leaning raises with 3 x 8 reps each side and shruggs with 1 plate a side into rope crunches.  Nice workout, feeling a bit tired now.

So, just setting myself up and my clients for the week ahead, hope you will be plannng too.  All clients seem focussed and happy and we are at work getting ready for our Serious fit Event held for our members on April 11th, I’ll post tomorrow the event so you can see it.

Rest up, enjoy your day and plan your training and food for the week ahead x

Had a crazy cold over the weekend that knocked me for six, got through Arms on Friday and then it was a blur!  Back to it today with Chest and 1 rep maxs.  Flat Bench press 17.5kg a side 5 sets of 1 rep with huge rests of 1-2 mins which I really struggle with as I just want to get on, I added in clap push ups in between and did 4 x 10 reps, still with huge rest patterns.  That felt really good and I feel tired now as I am typing away.  Went upstairs and did 3 x 1 reps max on the 22.5kg for incline db press, my idea was to press the 25 kg, but they kind of freaked me out today and I let them get the better of me, besides last week, I hadn’t done as many clap push ups, but I felt stronger this week doing those though, so I’ll take the 22.5kg.  I also did sojme push and pull with the 15kg barbell to add some strength to my chest and triceps.

I would have like to have added dips in at the end, but 50 mins had passed by and time was up!

Sarah, I hope you get better this week.  Lucy is finding her triceps at last and I am pleased to say she has e mailed me to say that last nights incline ez bar french press and close grip push ups with an added in heavy shoulder press has made them tight and sore!  Way to go!!

Jemma, well done today, you were really strong and the press ups were amzing form.  Chantel, I hope you are eating well and working out in your gym whilst working away from home, catch up with you next week.

And finaly Lesley, how nice it was to have you back today for a new program and diet plan, I am really excited and hope you are too!  Enjoy your sessions and your half term break!

Pump tonight and if everything ok, Deadlifts and Back training tomorrow!

Well done Yvonne - 13lb lost in less than 8 weeks now, thats great going girl!  You look great, and things are definately working out for you!

Well done Chantel, this morning you pressed the 9kg for Db shoulder press for 12/10/8 reps, really strong and brilliant jump chins for early morning session, 3 x 5!!  Can wait to practice them outdoors on the monkey bars in the sun!

Monday I sent my 2 piece electric blue back to the States for Crys Corner to stone for my comp at the end of the year.  Really excited to have it out again, and can’t wait to see what it will look like with the stones and the pattern.

Yesterday I trained Shoulders with Dave in Paignton gym, it was my last cycle of 3 x 5 reps.  I did standing military shoulder press and got up to 12.5kg each side, it was hard and my shoulders are sore today.  We heavy db lateral raised, machine shrugged, reverse delts with the fly machine and front delt cable raised! Nice!

Today Dave and I trained in Torquay for legs.  It was the start of my 1 rep max cycle week, this is where the growth phase is really taking place.  The idea is to open up the neuro muscular pathways and to encourage adaption for growth to take place.  I pressed 117.5 kg either side for 5 x 1 reps.  Dave did a personal best of 10 plate a side - total of 400kg and pressed 10 clean reps!!! Amazing!!!  We went upstairs and did hard lying leg curls 3 x 8 reps and 3 x 8 leg extensions and then we called it a day.  Legs wobbling as they carried me home for chicken and sweet potato! Lush!  Had to eat double amount as was starving!!!

Rest day tomorrow and then Arms Friday.

Friday I trained Chest.  It was 3 x 3 reps today.  Flat bench press 15kg, Incline db press 22.5kg, felt really strong today!  That ws my heavy work, next was 3 x 8 reps so I did incline db flyes 10kg and 3 sets of free dips, I finished with a set of power bosu ball push ups.  Thats a bit crazy as you have to explode off the floor as you come out of the press, needless to say it was very hard, but I’ll work on that, it makes clap push ups feel easy!

Rested Saturday and trained Back this morning with Dave.  We started with weighted chins - neutral grip 3 x 3 with 12.5kg on the weight belt.  Deadlifts on the hexagonal bar 20kg 3 x 3.  Neutral grip pulldowns 3 x 8 55kg, seated row 3 x 8 and straight arm pulldowns 3 x 8 superset with 1 min plank.  Really good session.  Had shake and apple, ready for next meal!  Got to grow!  Adding in MCT oil tomorrow as took a break off it this wek, think I was having too much in one serving!

Tomorrow is a rest day as I have trained for 3 days on the trot.  Shoulders was the end of the cycle at 5 x 5 reps.  It was good and they have been sore.  I opted for seated db press and got the 17.5kg up for 5 reops with a spot from James and I did heavy dumbell lateral raises 5 x 10 kg.  the rest was nice, it was single arm leaning lateral raises and plate front raises with a 10 kg plate, both were 3 x 5 reps to finish.

Arms was yesterday and I felt strong and it was week 2 cycle starting with 3 x 3 reps.  Incline bicep curls with 15kg and lying incline french press with 12.5 kg a side.  Heavy preacher curl machine and overhead rope extensions all 3 x 3 reps.  then it was 3 x 8reps of cable curls and pressdowns.  Triceps feel it more today, maybe biceps will kick in later?  Next week wil go for ez bar preacher curls I think.

Took Rachel out last night for outdoor cardio in the fresh air, it was great, we did plyometrics on the seafron promenade steps, interval hill work.  Park benches for step ups, press ups , dips, shuttle runs and a run back 50 mins cardio with abs back at the gym, well done Rachel, you did great! 

This afternoon I trained legs and it is a lighter cycle for me this week, so I just covered leg extensions, seated leg curl and stiff legged deadlifts which I superset with seated calves. 

Rest day tomorrow and then into Chest on Friday.

Jemma, I hope you get better by the weekend and are ready to go again next week!  Jemma.C, I hope you focus on your food now for a whole week and see what improvements you can make!!

Well, I had a great session on Friday and have taken the weekend off to recover in order to train Shoulders tomorrow morning.  I went a little crazy and got my nutrition perfect and hit Chest in the morning and Back in the afternoon.  I thought of myself as an athlete, ate well, rested and trained hard!

Chest was 5 x 5 reps on flat bench press with 15kg a side and then I went into clap push ups.  Incline db chest press 20kg 5 x 5 reps into olympic bar push and pull to recruit more chest fibres.  Upstairs for db incline chest press 10 kg for 2 x 8 reps and then 2 sets of free dips.  It was good and hard and the aim for working chest is to also help thicken up my triceps, as that is one of my goals.  James spotted me throughout which was a great help as I could just think about going heavy!

Back was with Dave in Paignton.  5 x 5 reps of weighted wide grip chins with 5kg.  Machine deadlifts with working weight of 22.5kg each side.  Single arm cable rows 3 x 8 reps, neutral pulldowns 3 x 8 reps and abs.  chest and Back still sore today but should be ready for shoulders tomorrow, last 5 x 5 reps tomorrow, next cycle is 3 x 3 reps.

Had a look through the Arnold classic results and pics today, have sent you a link, so you can see too.  There are also the amatuer pictures on their too.  Helen has been sending me updates of who is in the expo and who looked good on stage, but it is nice to have a look at the girls in their choices of suits with their tans.  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2010-arnold.htm?mcid=EMAR030210ArnoldGuide

I hope you are planning your week ahead and you are on course to acheiving your goals, or if you are almost there, its time to focus and pick a new one.

Have a good day!

Nicole Wilkins Lee 

For those that don’t know her, this is the 1st place Figure winner at the Arnold classic.  She is very beautiful and presents really well.  The review said her condition wasn’t as good as her win in the Olympia 2009 and I agree with that.  But she still looks really nice, I like her size of her delts, just maybe a bit smooth in her lower body. 

This is a picture of Monica Brant.  I think she looks amazing and in the best shape I have ever seen her.  I have no idea why she she placed 7th as she definately should have placed higher. Nice conditioning and symmetry,  I think she looks amazing!  for me, this picture is inspirational.

Well done to Jemma who did a 20km run into work and back on Monday, needless to say her legs were sore on Tuesday for training.  Well done girl, can’t wait to have you up and down Muscle Hill very soon, you are street ahead in terms of last years fitness, well done!!!

Triceps still a little sore from Tuesdays workout, so decided not to train Chest today and to leave it till tomorrow morning.  I am really buzzing about training and really want to train Back with Dave tomorrow afternoon in Paignton, if I continue to get my food right today, sleep well and food right tomorrow I should be on course.  I really want to have Saturday off as rest and hit Shoulders Sunday.

Yesterday I trained Legs in Torquay with Dave, Jon and Becky.  Leg extensions and seated leg curl for warm up and then leg press - 4 plates for 5 reps and then 5 plates x 4 sets x 5 reps!  Loved it, felt strong!  Lying leg curl 3 sets of 8 reps, leg extensions 3 sets x 8 reps and then for calves, donkey and francois for 2 sets.  thats my heavy cycle for legs now as its just lighter training next week then heavy week after.  The outside of quad, lateral is sore today, but otherwise not as in much pain, hungry though!