SportsShoes Blog

Well, almost a month has gone by now and my training seems to be going well.

I can definitely notice a difference. I have reverted to the good old classic split of 4 days a week.

Monday: chest & triceps

Wednesday: Shoulders & Abs

Friday: Back & Biceps

Saturday: Legs & bodyweight press-ups.

I feel like I am stripping some fat away and building muscle again so over all I am quite pleased.

However, it could all go a bit wrong this weekend as I am away seeing some friends and we are going for a slap up tapas meal. That means buckets of chorizo…. umm, I can taste it now! All washed down with numerous beers ( and a cheeky tequila) I predict.

Ah well, back in the gym on monday… pretend the weekend never happened!

James

Well, a new year again already! New year’s resolutions and new promises to myself ( some I have already broken ).

Towards the end of last year my training really fell at the wayside! Other commitments and grief from the Mrs about too much dedication to the gym ( and not other stuff that is equally as important ) really stopped any training in it’s tracks and I was lucky to get to the gym once a week!

I have decided though that I just can’t spend so much time in the gym so I have had to rethink training and goals to make them more likely to achieve.

I am now training 4 times a week…

2 full upper body workouts and 2 full lower body workouts.

I have decided I can’t commit to splitting it all down and training each body part individually so I am having to find another way and this is a 4 week trail to see how it goes.

I have done a couple so far and believe me, if you stick to mainly compound exercises you really ache the next day!

I am interested in other peoples’s opinions on this matter. Has anyone else done training like this and do they believe that it works just as well?

Snow coming down hard today so it may be a long walk to gym! If it is even open that is!

Hi everyone,

Apologies for being slack on my blogging recently but my training has really taken a back seat of late and i’m very disappointed in myself. It seems to have been one injury after another.

First my neck, then my back then my wrist and so on! makes me wonder whether keeping fit is good for your health! haha.

Anyways, I had a good session back last night on my chest and triceps. Bit tight in the back today but that is to be expected i guess.

Just got back from a week in the lake district and did a lot of walking which seems to have been a good kick start to my summer regime ( although no point as it is such RUBBISH weather at the moment, so much for the promise of a good summer ).

Going again tonight, going to try and have a workout on my shoulders, i’ll let you all know if they hold up tomorrow.

James.

Right, well I have had some time off ( well, not time off, but not committed training ). I am now feeling like I have my direction back, now that the days are lasting longer and I am in talks about this years holiday, and if you have been following my blog you know I like to try and achieve that “unachievable beach body”.

Anyway, had a large back and bicep workout yesterday and it felt great. Off again tonight to hit the “delts”, and do some cardio …. boohooo.

j.

Well it’s been a bit warmer this week so I finally took my bike off the turbo and ventured outdoors! It was so much more enjoyable and the time just flew by! Did a good 3hr ride on Wednesday with Joel Davidson, a local rider and went up to Gargrave and back via Skipton.  Had another nice ride yesterday from Bingley over to Queensbury and along the lanes in Halifax - much to Joel’s surprise - apparently he expected me to ’stay where its flat and avoid the climbs’ …what cheek!

Also been in the gym this week over in Leeds, need to get my core back in gear after the Christmas break but with a couple of planks every day its coming along nicely!

Got exams at the moment so busy revising for those but by this time next week they’ll be over until June!

Well I’m ill again! I seem to have caught every virus going so far this winter. Since the Revolution I picked up a cold which meant being confined to my bed and drinking honey and lemon on my 18th birthday! After a week off the bike I then tried a bit of steady training and a trip to the gym which then resulted in a chest infection. I’m on antibiotics at the moment so hopefully it will clear up soon.  I’ve just sorted out a 6 month gym membership with Cannons Health Club in Cottingley which they have kindly provided for free through the BOA.  Having a gym so near will cut down the travelling time as I currently train in Leeds.  I’ll continue to go there once a week as the strength and conditioning coach there, Mike Morely really knows his stuff, but then go to Cannons for the second session.  It’ll also be nice to finish off the weights with a quick trip to the jacuzzi and pool..all to help muscle recovery of course!

So … It has now been over a week since my neck went again and my cold has cleared ( why does everyone want windows practically glued shut in the winter, just to create a playground for germs ? ). Anyway, a short back and bicep workout tonight is definitely in order. I’ve already gorged on quality streets for my breakfast for the past week so now starting to think I better do something about it, especially after walking round with my neck stationary and not moving for more than 10 yards at a time!

So, tonight, I need to start back into it slowly and not over do it…

I think just some wide grip pull ups, deadlifts, bent over rows and shrugs should be enough for my back. Then I am going to do curls and hammers for my biceps, then depending on if my body has held up I am going to have a quick 1000 meter sprint on the rowing machine.

I must help the abs to appear again and knowing I have quite a few clothes coming my way for Christmas, I don’t want to disappoint Santa with them not fitting!

I’ll let you all know how I get on,

J.

JI have ust come back from a break off the bike and so I’m getting back into it again now. Went to the gym last Thursday and absoloutly died!! Apart from that I’m just doing easy riding at the moment as I don’t have any competitions for a while.  The weather’s pretty bad at the moment - typically it was lovely weather during my week off! I tried to go for a run to make the most of the weather but only managed 20 minutes and had aching joints for 4 days afterwards! I should be hearing pretty soon about whether I’ve got a place on the Olympic Academy Programme which I applied for at the end of August! Fingers crossed!

Oh dear.

I joined a my new gym about a week ago and it was going great until this morning. Doing my normal chest flyes ( normal 26’s), and that annoying, niggling muscle has gone again in my back! So, had to cut my training short. Hope it is only a short lived problem though, hopefully will be back in a couple of days.

Think i may start back with some cardio anyway as thinking i am quickly slipping into comfort food teritory after holiday, need to stop that asap!

J

Afternoon everyone.

Well, i’m back on the blog. I have had my holiday now and you know what? I was actually quite happy with the results. I was a lot leaner and more defined. However, it all went wrong quite quickly. This was due to the fact we ate out every lunch and evening and ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING was served with chips, not just a portion, but a bucket load and i was never one to leave food. It was always drummed into me to eat all my main course! So the six pack started to disappear quite quickly. Not just blaming the food but the hot weather really make you crave a cold lager as well and we all know the claorie content of those bad boys!

Anyway back now and feel like i want to find my next challenge. I have just been reading about the Mens Health cover model challenge and all the contestants etc. Now, this is something i have always talked about but never had the discipline to do. I think now though that it may be something i would like to try and aim for, the only thing is that at the moment i am training in a small under-equipped gym so am looking into joining a large gym again and then i can see where i could go with it.

Untill then, i am watching what i am eating again and going regularly to the little gym. Off tonight for a shoulder workout.

J.