Narrowbacks Training Log

1st January

Below Knee Deadlift
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 10 x 2
60 x 10 x 2
80 x 10 x 2
95 x 10 x 2

Deadlift
40 x 10 x 2

Others
OH Squats x 8 x 2
Steps Up x 8 x 2


3rd January

Bench Press
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 10 x 2
55 x 10 x 2
65 x 10 x 2

Rows
20 x 10 x 2
30 x 10 x 2
40 x 10 x 3

Others
Curls, Rear Delt Fly, Cuban Rotations


Basic plan is to continue the gradual increase on the exercises I've re-introduced recently, come February to start building in a bit more movement - e.g. power cleans, push press etc., then in March more focus on fitness - e.g. sprint intervals.

Going to play cricket this year (after 8 years away) so the main aim is to be as athletic and explosive as possible.

Good to hear you're making a comeback.

Do you think your dodgy hip will hold up?

I will make a comeback one day, but will probably be closer to 50 than 40 by that time.

5th January

Deadlift
20 x 10 x 2
30 x 10
40 x 10
45 x 10 x 3

Squat
5 x 8 x 3

Step Ups
10 x 3

Others
Plank, Side Planks


6th January

Bench Press
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 8
55 x 8
70 x 5
80 x 5 x 2

Close Grip Bench
70 x 8 x 2

Chin Ups
6, 6, 6

Strict Press
20 x 10
32.5 x 10, 8, 8

Others
Rear Delt Flyes, Cuban Rotations

Hope so, otherwise I'll be throwing down some dodgy leg spinners!

Get the kids playing or scoring with you, back by 40 easy! I've seen plenty of good batters play well into their 50s, so you've got ages once you 'hang up' the atlas stones

8th January

Below Knee Deadlift
20 x 8 x 2
40 x 8 x 2
60 x 8 x 2
80 x 8 x 2
100 x 8 x 2

Deadlift
40 x 8 x 2
50 x 8 x 2

Others
Steps Up x 8 x 3
OH Squats x 10 x 3
Side Plank, Plank
Rear Delt Flyes, Cuban Rotations

10th January

Bench Press
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 10 x 2
55 x 10
67.5 x 10 x 2

Rows
20 x 10
30 x 10
42.5 x 10 x 3

Others
Curls, Rear Delt Fly, Cuban Rotations


11th January

Deadlift
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 10 x 2
55 x 10 x 3

Squat
10 x 5 x 3

Step Ups
10 x 3

Others
Plank, Side Planks


13th January

Bench Press
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 8
55 x 8
70 x 5
82.5 x 4 x 2

Close Grip Bench
71 x 8 x 2

Chin Ups
6, 6, 7

Strict Press
20 x 10
35 x 8 x 3

Others
Rear Delt Flyes, Cuban Rotations

How long do you hold your planks for? Do you use any resistance?

Not got a clock in the garage but I'd guess around 45 seconds each in a row with no rest between.

I was going up to 2 minutes on them a few months ago but I'm not sure there's much benefit in extending the time that long, and of course it's pretty boring!

Don't use any weights but will occasionally lift top leg in air (side planks) or pull one leg into chest (front plank) to vary it a little!

Good grafting Rob

Hope you are right about the cricket!

Good grafting Rob, a bit of milk in your diet and your numbers would skyrocket, just like in the glory days!

Thanks Dungeon monsters, will keep plodding on, no milk though, don't touch the stuff these days, soya or coconut all the way.

14th January

Run: 1.9 miles in 15:04, average pace 7:55 per mile, 222 cals

First run in 6/7 weeks, legs were sore today.


15th January

Below Knee Deadlift
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 10 x 2
60 x 8 x 2
80 x 8 x 2
90 x 8 x 2

Deadlift
50 x 8
60 x 8 x 2

Platform Deadlift
40 x 8 x 2

Others
Steps Up x 8 x 2
OH Squats x 10 x 3
Side Plank, Plank
Rear Delt Flyes

Deload on the below knee deadlifts?

Yea, 'deload to reload'. Just a bit sore from the run so didn't want to push them.

Looking forward to phasing them out once deads from floor get heavier, doing them off the bench as I don't have a power rack so bit of a faff.

17th January

Narrow Grip Bench
20 x 10 x 2
40 x 8 x 2
55 x 8
70 x 5 x 5

Rows
20 x 8
30 x 8
40 x 8
45 x 8 x 3

Others
Curls - 32.5x10x3
Rear Delt Fly - 3.75x12x2
Cuban Rotations - 1.25x15x3

Back to narrow grips on bench as seem to be regressing with wide grip, will run 5x5 for a while.