Update Tuesday 7th July 2015: Finally made it back to the gym, so we are on track again. Update Friday 3rd July 2015: I have posted a more detailed explanation of the Year One Challenge on my Fact-Reviews website, which includes a download link to the Excel spreadsheet I use, and instructions on how to use it. I will be glad when all these interruptions can go away. So I am only finishing week 2, even though I have done week 1 several times as I learn the exercises. On top of that I have been plagued by a bad cold (it is winter in SA) and an abscess that required 2 days in hospital. Each individual day isn't too bad, but the cumulative effect is pretty hectic. So far I have found the first phase of the One Year Challenge tough. If the target weight is 32kg, I have no excuse: I can either lift it or I can't, but I can't blame the gym for not having a 32kg barbell. I already had two plates that weigh 0.5kg, so now I can choose any 1kg increment between 30 and 35 kg and not stress about whether I am about to injure myself with an increase that is "too big". They are called "fractional weights" and I found a local supplier who could sell me four 1kg plates that fit on the Olympic size barbell I use at the gym. Without a spotter I just can't manage, and a spotter isn't always available at my gym. Not a problem for Squats and Deadlifts, but definitely a challenge for Seated Military Press. The smallest weight in my gym is 2.5kg, so a barbell can only go from, say 30kg to 35kg. In spite of being used to doing much more than 3 sets on the "big 4" exercises, I found it difficult to jump by a full 5kg when doing Seated Military Press and some of the other exercises. The next challenge came when I actually tried to do the exercises. In this way you always make progress and know what your next target is. From that it will use the standard Epley Formula for a one-rep maximum to calculate the target weights for warm-ups and sets for the following week, based on Mike's recommendation of doing working sets in the 80-85% range. So while you are working out you only need to record the weight and reps performed. The actual reps are in the next column, next to the target reps. The sets in blue are warm-up sets, with the target weight in the third column, and the actual weight used in the 4th column. Shown here is a screen shot from my phone for day 5. it lists each exercise for each day, and uses the weight and reps used to recommend what the next week's weight should be, based on the calculated one-rep max from the previous week. I have created a spreadsheet for the first phase of the program. So I used my HiSense Android smart phone's software that can edit Excel files on DropBox, called WPS Office. Next I realized that my normal note-taking procedure when working out wasn't going to be good enough for the BLS program. I can't afford a trainer more than one day a week. That makes 4 days for a 5 day program, meaning that every Friday I would be able to do a different workout under the supervision of my personal trainer. During May and June I worked through all the new exercises with my personal trainer, and decided to aim to work out every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They arrived at the end of April this year. When the Second Edition of " Bigger Leaner Stronger" came out, I ordered the print versions of both the BLS book and the companion workout diary, " The Year One Challenge for Men".
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