[green19210]

Here we go with the basics.

Aged: 20

Height: 5ft 8' (173.5cm)

Weight: 14st 7 (203lb, 92kg)

Body fat: 20%

Waist: 34'

Chest: 44'

Arms: 15'

Occupation: Student

Sport: Swimming - National Senior Age Group (Masters 18-25)

Rugby League - Ex semi-pro, aiming for England Students in 2010/11

So in June last year (2009) my appendix burst and had to have them removed, followed by a full year of physiotherapy on both my shoulders, due to playing rugby, has led me to been out of the gym and lifting weights for about 14 months. Gutted. But now with fully recovered shoulders i can happily say i am back in the gym.

Been out of the gym for that long has obveusly had a negative effect on my body, aswell as not been able to swim as much as i would like to due to my shoulders i have gained fat and lost some size.

I have managed to keep some shape and after 14 months out, i must say overall im not too disapointed.

This Journal is to show my progress back into a good shape and hopefully onto bigger and better things. Hopefully with me documenting my training etc. it will help keep my motivation up to losing the fat and gaining the good stuff, as well as gaining some good advice and tip. Plus it where i can ramble on if needs be!

My goals

1) Lose some body fat and get down to about 12-15%

2) Get more bulk and definition

3) Make England Students selection squad

4) Compete in at least 4 swimming galas this season

Diet/supplements

Not really following a set diet yet, as im just getting back into thing, but plan on starting in 2 weeks

Taking 1 protein shakes a day (after training)

Starting on 30m/g day Dbol in 2 weeks

Training

Monday-Friday

-chest

-back

-bi's & tri's

-legs & shoulders

-whole body workout

30 min cardio everyday

So thats it so far, hopefully will get alot of support and some grief if im doing bad...

Any questions/comments welcome

Here are some current pictures taken today (11/08/2010), with me been back into the gym for 3 weeks.

 

[matt1989]

considering you have been out due to injury for so long mate you aren't in bad shape at all, good fresh starting point imo!

goals and training sound good!!

get on top of the diet asap though mate! make sure no longer than 2 weeks as you said or it will never come round

 

[green19210]

thanks mate, always good to start with a positive!

 

[xpower]

Your not in bad shape mate,especially considering the issues you've had.

You will be back in no time :thumbup1:

 

[green19210]

Bit of an up and down week this week...

Monday- Arms

Tuesday- Back

Wednesday- Off

Thursday- Off

Friday- Chest

Just got back from only my 3rd session of the week...had to have 2 days off due to moving some stuff and settling in etc into my new house for uni, so it hasn't been the most productive week...ontop of that i went to my uni gym today and i started working out:

chest press 10, 8, 8, 6

incline press 10, 8, 8, 6

flies 10, 8, 8, 6

cable cross overs 10, 8, 8

then *ding dong* unfortunatly due to maintenance the gym will be closing in 5 mins. WTF! no pre warning or anything. admittidly there was only me and 2 other in the gym but i hardly got started and i had to finish! NOT HAPPY.

So abit of a wasted week.

On the plus side ive started to plan my diet which i will start a week on monday so thats a good thing

Thinking about joining a spinning class to help shed the weight, not sure though. Only as a tempeary measure as the swimming season starts in september. Cant wait.

 

[green19210]

So I thought I would write this to help people who are worried about been injury or who are currently injured.

As I've said in the opening of this journal, until 4 weeks ago I have been out of the gym for 14 months. I was out for 2 months with a burst appendix and 12 for injury on both my shoulders.

It was ok for the first few weeks, as the rest from training was a bit of a luxury, but as many who train hard will appreciate, it got very frustrating. The constant checking in the mirror to see how much muscle I had lost or how much fat I had put on did get obsessive towards the end of the 14 months. I knew I had done well to keep what I have got, but clearly disappointed at been unable to train.

I'm no bodybuilder, so I've never been massive, but I've had a good size from playing semi-pro rugby league, and training in the gym 5 times a week.

When my appendix burst and I was recovering from my operation I thought it was ok, as it wouldn't be long until I back in the gym, pool or rugby pitch. But then disaster, my physio tells me if I don't get my shoulders sorted they won't be much use. 12 months of physiotherapy or 6 months if I have a full reconstruction on my left shoulder then a further 6 months if I have a reconstruction on my right shoulder. So I choose the physio option.

It was a lot of hard work and very painful at times but it did mean I could at least keep swimming in the pool 2-3 times a week. But nothing intense, and if I over did it, I'd have to spend a full week with a dull ache and the inability to do very much, which I found out on more than one occasion.

It wasn't always over doing it or trying to get back to full health quicker than I should that made me suffer, sometimes it was just if I had slept funny or lifted a heavy bag, just little everyday stuff that for most wouldn't have effect them but for me made my life hell. To put it simply...my shoulders were fcuked.

For 12 months I saw this lovely woman called Michelle. She was a sport therapist. I was lucky because she was involved with the uni I go too and it meant I got the whole thing for free! The only downside was the hall I did a lot of my sessions in was next door to a gym! Gutting. A lot of the rehab work was very repetitive and after a while did get boring but at the end of every month they did tests to see how my shoulders were recovering and each month they got better. This does help a lot with motivation as you can see how well you are doing. I stuck to her plan and recovering work she gave me and was strong enough not to resist the temptation to get back on the weights, earlier than she said.

It's been a long and rocky process to get back, but finally 14 months on she gave me my final test results and said my shoulders were back to near enough full strength! Brilliant!

But now is where the hard work begins again. Battling with motivational issues and dealing with the fear of injury and setbacks. When I first got back to the gym it was daunting. But the fear of injury was defiantly outweighed by the massive disappointment of losing so much strength. The first week was a nightmare. After each session I thought what is even the point! and did end up only going 3 times. Week 2 was a bit better, I bought myself some protein and motivated myself to stick the full week out, and I did.

Now it's been 4 weeks and I'm loving the gym again, the pump and the burn of a good set! I'm flying back up through the weights and seeing big gains in strength with every session. My confidence is sky high!

I have another 6 weeks before my swimming season starts and hopefully will be competing in November. Such a relief.

The uni rugby league season starts too in about 6 weeks so I can't wait to get back onto the pitch (even if it is a massive drop in level).

I plan on having a big year this year. I am aiming to get too the National Senior Age Group Championships next May for swimming and into the England students squad for rugby league.

I hope people who read this who may be injured can see that, although it seems like it at first, it's not the end of the road. Trust me I've been there and felt that. If you can stay positive recovery is much easier.

If anyone has any questions I'll be more than happy to answer them.

 

[vsideboy]

Good bit of size to start your training from mate, should progress well if you sort a diet out.

Dan

 

[james12345]

Good luck with your training and goals! ur avatar.. is that havannas?

 

[green19210]

Ahaha yeah it is I work there!

 

[james12345]

thought i recognized it from pics haha. where do you train?

 

[green19210]

I am starting my new diet/training programme on monday.

Goals

- To put on some good muscle mass

- To hopefully drop some fat

- Add some good strength gains

- Look good for super league grand final (going in morphsuits)

Supps

6 weeks on 30mg Dbol.

Protein

Milk thitle (i know most will say ohh these don't work, but it gives me peace of mind!)

Diet

Meal 1 - scrambled eggs (5 eggs) on 2 slices of wholemeal toast

Meal 2 - tuna and wholewheat pasta

meal 3 - chicken + green bean stir fry

meal 4 - protein shake

meal 5 - toasted wholemeal bagel with tuna + peanuts

meal 6 - chicken + green bean stir fry

Allow one cheat meal a week, including one cheat standard chocolate bar a week (get massive cravings for chocolate).

Training

Monday- Chest + 30 mins cardio

Dumbell chest press 10, 8, 8, 6

Incline chest press 10, 8, 8, 6

Dumbell Flys 10, 8, 8, 6

Cable crossovers 10, 8, 8, 6

Incline dumbell flyes 10, 8, 8, 6

Machine press 10, 8, 8, 6

Finish with some abs work.

Tuesday- Back + 30 mins cardio

Standing flyes 10, 8, 8, 6

Lat pull down 10, 8, 8, 6

Bent over row 10, 8, 8, 6

Cable rows 10, 8, 8, 6

One arm dumbell row 10, 8, 8, 6

Machine pull back thing LOL 10, 8, 8, 6

Wednesday- Core stuff + 30 mins cardio

Squats 10, 8, 8, 6

Deadlift 10, 8, 8, 6

Bench Press 10, 8, 8, 6

Shoulder press 10, 8, 8, 6

Bicep Curls 10, 8, 8, 6

Pull ups 3x failure

Dips 3x failure

Finish with some abs work

Thursday- Legs + Shoulders ( the reason i double these up is because of my shoulder injuries i had in the past, i cant work them too much just yet)+ 30 mins cardio

Leg extensions 10, 8, 8, 6

Dumbell lunges 10, 8, 8, 6

Hamstring curls 10, 8, 8, 6

Calf raises 10, 8, 8, 6

Shoulder press 10, 8, 8, 6

Dumbell shrugs 10, 8, 8, 6

Dumbell upright row 10, 8, 8, 6

Friday- Arms + 30 mins cardio

Dumbell bicep Curls 10, 8, 8, 6

Tricep pull downs (rope) 10, 8, 8, 6

Hammer curls 10, 8, 8, 6

Cable overhead 10, 8, 8, 6

Cable hammer curls (rope) 10, 8, 8, 6

Tricep press 10, 8, 8, 6

One arm cable curls 10, 8, 8, 6

reverse plate curls 10, 8, 8, 6

Tricep push downs 10, 8, 8, 6

21's x 3

Finish with some abs work

Saturday - OFF

Sunday - OFF

Still a touch unsure about the diet but im hoping im not too far off!

 

[green19210]

thought i recognized it from pics haha. where do you train?

currently at thornes park...only back from uni for the summer so its not my normal gym.

 

[vsideboy]

Allow one cheat meal a week, including one cheat standard chocolate bar a week (get massive cravings for chocolate).

Alright matey, was gonna pm ya but no option to so will put it on here instead.

Take 40g (sorry not sure how much it is in ml as I just weighed it, think its about 6 tablespoons or something like that) of whipping cream, add a scoop of chocolate protein powder and give it some good stirring, after a while it gets kind of stringy. Then leave it in the fridge overnight (or eat it straight away if you can't resist) then it ends up like a nice soft fudge/toffee. Really helps with the choc cravings.

 

[Bill-87]

Alright matey, was gonna pm ya but no option to so will put it on here instead.

Take 40g (sorry not sure how much it is in ml as I just weighed it, think its about 6 tablespoons or something like that) of whipping cream, add a scoop of chocolate protein powder and give it some good stirring, after a while it gets kind of stringy. Then leave it in the fridge overnight (or eat it straight away if you can't resist) then it ends up like a nice soft fudge/toffee. Really helps with the choc cravings.

That sounds awesome.......

 

[vsideboy]

That sounds awesome.......

Sure is brother, and a bit better for you than a mars bar. Handy for the keto diets too as theres hardly any carbs in it if your protein powder doesn't contain any.