Siman's fat bar odyssey

[Siman.]

Now firstly I think it beneficial to show ya’ll where this will be occurring, or just to show off my toys, as i finally have most of the equipment i want.

see here my rack and bench. (appologies for the quality, will get better ones in daylight)



the chains hanging from the rack are where I do my dipping from. They have a length of pipe through them as handles, i just put my bar at top of rack and attach em, you get the picture?.

Rack Review

The bars:-
1. My main rack bar, technically a length of scaffold (diameter: 48.9mm).
2. My 50mm thick bar, a 4’ length of solid steel round bar from work. Used mainly for deads, rows and cleans (weighs around 20kg).
3. My sexy 60mm DB handles. Each 500mm long , with a mass of around 8kg. (Can ya say ‘mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!” )

…and what would my bars be without plates? – naked I suppose.
i will Need to get more soon, but for now i have a total of around 100kg


Ok, so to business; below is my Schedule, 2 day a week good-old-fashion strength & size, plus 1 day focusing on callisthenic type stuff.
No nonsense. (at the risk of sounding gimmik'y) Nothing but fat bars are to be used, because thats all i have and it feels so right. I will be starting from fairly light and building up in gradual steps, after a few weeks settling into things I will be adding weight when ever I can.
The pace of the sessions will be as fast and furious as possible with Rests not exceeding 2 mins.



(numbers followed by a letter will be supper sets)
(sets x reps)
DAY ONE (Monday)

1. One arm clean. 2 warm-up sets + 4 working x 3 reps
2. Back squat . 2 warm-up sets + 4 working x 5 reps
3a. Bent Row
3b. Bench Press . 2 warm-up sets + 3 working x 5 reps
4. Saxon Side bends 2 x 8 – 12
5. Russian twist 2 x f

Grip Work (2xf):-
A. extensor loop lifts for 30sec.
B. Rubber Band Extend (#. Bands for 6 reps)
C. Eagle claw ( reps )

DAY TWO (Thursday)

1. Snatch + OH Squat . 2 warm-up sets + 4 working x 3 reps
2. The Deadlift 4 warm up sets + 1 working set of 4-6 reps. (w-up sets will be double overhand, the working will be mixed)
3. OH. Press . 2 warm-up sets + 4 working x 5 reps
4a. Weighted decline sit-ups 3 x 5-8
4b. Dragons Flag 3xF

Grip work (3xf):-
A. Hand gripper (60s Holds)
B. Extensor loop lifts (60sec.

DAY Three (Saturday)
1a. Pull-ups
1b. Dips.
1c. Inverted Row
1d. Push ups 3 x f
2. One leg squat 3 x f ( Assisted for now )
3. DB lunges – or – Front squat 3 x 8
4. Plank 2 x 60 s
5. Side Plank 2 x 60s
Grip Work (3xf):-

Nunchaku warm up
A. Wrist Roller
B. Front Raise
C. Rear Raise
D. lever twist + twizzle / Club stuff - (if I’ve got it in me)
Nunchaku warm down


sessions will be brief as possible, lasting an hour max


Other activity:-
I have a desk job so that’s time on my bum I can appreciate. Other than the above routine I will be walking to & from work (35min each way, twice a day, very flat terrain)
Plus occasional cycling to work. (once or twice a month, try to keep it at a minimum, especially in winter!)
And of course the weekly shop, 15 min. walk with a backpack and bags. Not fun when busting for weee!

Diet:-
Generally high fat, lots of veg, meat & eggs, no dairy or grains. (apart from the occasional yoggurt, and MP ultra fine oats, soaked for a min of 24hr.. have them in my pre-workout shake, at 16:00)

An average day includes 3 whole food meals. Plus 2 shakes in-between. Plus (typically) 1 apple, 1 pear, 3 kiwi and some blueberries. But not on Wednesdays were I will generally fast or just eat fruit and coconut and lots of water as I’m at college and don’ have much time to eat / digest. Typically I hit all my meal targets, sometimes I miss a shake.



That concludes the introduction.


P.S. I’m thinking of taking pics every 2 weeks or so, what poses would be best to include? im thinking 2 or 3, maybe front lat spread, front double bicep and back double bicep, or just a relaxed ones?, opinions welcome.

[hailtotheking]

Nice equipment mate! I'd love to train in a gym with that kind of stuff

You use a nunchaku for a cool down ?!? wtf. lol.

[Siman.]

Monday
24/11/2008

(KG x Reps)

One arm clean. 5 x 3 reps
Bar x 10
5 x 3
10 x 3
10 x 3
12.5 x 3

Back squat . 5 x 5 reps
bar x 10
bar x 10
30 x 5
40 x 5
50 x 5

3a. Bent Row
20 x 5
25 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

3b. Bench Press 5 x 5 reps
10 x 10
20 x 5
30 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

4. Saxon Side bends 2 x 8 – 12
one fat handle x 8
two fat handles x 6

5. Russian twist 2 x f
11 kg x 16
11 kg x 16

A. extensor loop lifts for 30sec.
3 kg
3 kg

B. Rubber Band Extend (#. Bands for 6 reps)
2 sets x 4 bands
C. Eagle claw ( reps )
2 sets x 10

time : 1 HOUR

Comments : - generally a good session, felt like I should have done more squatting, but that would be because i ramped my weights because i wanted to get my form down. Pretty happy with form in all, apart from Bench press which needs a lil work, not really done this much. Could have concentrated more with me snatches too, grip wasn’t an issue this session, hopefully it won’t be too soon, will have to wait and see.

Night!

[Siman.]

Quote

Nice equipment mate! I'd love to train in a gym with that kind of stuff

You use a nunchaku for a cool down ?!? wtf. lol.

yea it rocks ! i'm just soooo lucky to work at a company that deals with steel . mega chuffed with all my free equipment, bar the rack, which in hinesight i should have built! bah.

with the Nunchaks, the warm down is just some light 'twizzling' just to get a pump sorta thing, just can't do much with my hands for about 20 mins after :P. so much fun.

[Siman.]

Thursday
27/11/2008

Snatch + OH Squat . 2 warm-up sets + 3 working x 3 reps
bar x 5
15x 3
25 x 3
25 x 3
25 x 3
Good strong sets, snatch needs work though.

The Deadlift 5 x 4-6 reps.
25 x 6
35 x 5
55 x 5
85 x 5 double over hand!
90 x 4
40 x 1 ( 1 handed DL’ with 60mm DB!) to lock out. Only just got 45 off floor, was too slippery, should have used more chalk perhaps.

– well happy with me deads today! Grip wasn’t much an issue (although it did get a bit slippy with the 85) )until my final set which I did with mixed grip. Had a play with a DB’ at the end, sooo nice, and you can really notice the difference between 60 and 50mm! its quite special.


OH. Press . 5x5 reps
bar x 6
20 x 5
25 x 5
40 x 3
- definitely a weak point, should have did one more warm-up set. needs a lot of work. Rack is a life saver with these (at least for my floor it is!).

Dragons Flag 2xF

6 negs
8 negs
- getting stronger with these. Could have worked them much harder. Was a bit pooped from all the previous gravity defiance. Just being lazy!

Weighted decline sit-ups 2 x f
15kg x 15
30kg x 10
- same as above, should have used more weight, could have easily gone one for 20 maybe 30 reps. Next time I’ll nail em!

Hand gripper (60s Holds of level 1 VHG)
20s hold both hands
20s hold both
15 right, 20 left
- very weak on this today! Level 1 Vulcan hand griper, could close this last week, but I think all the deads and cleans wore my grip a lil, think a lil persistence will do the trick

Iron-minds extensor loop lifts for 30sec.
3.5kg x 30s
4kg x 30s
4kg x 30s
getting stronger on these, look forward to using some decent poundages soon!


Total time including warm up = 1 hour 15min

Comments : happy with today, could have taken less time with the complementary core and grip work but its all a learning flap.

Until next time. Night!

[Luffers]

Sweet set up dude and some interesting equipment. If I had room I'd have something similar, I always preferred to train at home.

[Siman.]

Quote

Sweet set up dude and some interesting equipment. If I had room I'd have something similar, I always preferred to train at home.

Cheers mate. I'm too tight to train at a gym, and too fussy when it comes to equipment, love building things too! I've only trianed in cermercial gyms a few times (maybe 10), dont mind it but there are quite a few distractions. always done it at home generally, soo lucky to have the space, thinking of putting me rack in the garden in summer. not sure what i'm gona do when i move out next year though (at me mum's atm).

Really happy with the way my setup is progessing, looking to get more plates in the newyear, gona look out for some bargins.

[LionHair]

Nice thread 'n' pics Siman
What ya gonna get made next mate?

[Siman.]

Quote

Nice thread 'n' pics Siman
What ya gonna get made next mate?

Hehe, welll i plan to get some car wheels tomorow to put on my bar as bummper plates. will keep ya posted.

I'm also thinking about a large-ish frame for a punch bag and some still rings for me garden, will be made from scaffold, gona look at prices at the weekend hopfully.

[Siman.]

sat
29/11/2008

Pull-ups
8
6
5

Chain Dips - found these really difficult.
4
4
3

Inverted Row & Push-Ups
10
9
6

One leg squat
Skipped – didn’t have the coordination or the motivation for these.

Front squat
bar x 10
30 x 6
40 x 6
40 x 10

Plank 2 x 60 s

Side Plank 2 x 45s

Grip Work:-

Wrist Roller
10kg x up & down
20kg x " "

Front Raise
fat DB x 3
fat DB x 3

Rear Raise
fat DB x 3
fat DB x 3

Nunchaku warm down

Time : ~ 1 Hour

Comments :- This session was totally pants x 10^26. rest times were all over the place and it really dragged . but thats what i get for going out Friday night. I don’t think it was the drink as much as the lack of sleep, only got maybe 4 hours. Hence the weak performance. Felt sick all the way through, and had poor motivation. But these things happen.


and I did go get some car wheels, but think I got ripped off though, £10 each ! meh, wasn’t totally with it. Never mind.