Bulking phase

[veggiesasquatch]

Ok so I'm just kicking off my third week of a 12 week plan. I switched from being a long distance runner, toning with high reps to soley lifting. Purely to gain size.

I work on a 4 day split. I work continental shifts so training fits in with this.

16th oct: Back & biceps. I focus more on lats this week for back.

Hyperextensions 4xfailure in 25 reps, weighted


Reverse grip pulled down. 1 warmup set then 3xfailure in 12 reps increasing weight
Wide grip pull down. 3xfailure in 12-15reps increasing weight
Hammer & reverse grip chins 4xfailure (alternating grips)
Bentover barbell rows 4X10 reps (various grips)

Biceps:
Alternating curls. 1xwarmup then 3Xfailure in 13 reps

To finishes biceps I did mc preacher curls 3xfailure in 10 reps then super setted with spider curls till failure, also 3x...

Monday 17th: Shoulders,Abs & Calves.

Shoulders:

Front & side raises superset 1xwarm up then into 3xfailure in 12 reps per movement
Seated press 1xwarm up 2xfailure in 8 reps 1xfailure in 20 reps
Upright rows with a wide,medium & narrow grip. 7,7,7x3
Bent over raises 15x4 superset with calf raises, weighted & body wight so failing between 15-30 reps

To finishes with abs superset crunches, v'ups & leg raises. All 3 is one set so 3x failure.

I apologise if any words have been changed as am using my iPhone to post. It's also fiddley to do a nice lay out of info so shall try using laptop next time.

[veggiesasquatch]

To days workout below, The superset right at the end had myself & my workout buddy laughing hard. Trying to do the close pushups were hilarious.

Decline barbell Press:
2 warm-up sets of 8-10 reps
3 sets to failure in 6-8 reps

Straight Arm Pullovers:
2 sets to failure 10-12 reps

Incline Flyes:
3 sets to failure 10-12 reps
1 drop set to failure

Seated chest press
3 set to failure

Overhead Tricep Extensions:
1 sets to failure 25reps
2 drop sets to failure

Dips:
3 sets to failure 12-15 reps

Superset:
Lying Dumbbell Extensions:
3 sets to failure 10-12 reps

Narrow Pushups:
3 sets to failure


Bench Dips:
3 sets to failure 12-15 reps

[veggiesasquatch]

Flat as a pancake today.Only got a couple hours sleep yday after finishing a night shift stink. Got round seven hours sleep last night but I didn't want to get up today. Struggled on hack squat. I can usually max out the load with 250kg & hit 20ish reps. The 100 rep drop set killed me.

Two days off now so will hit back hard Monday:

Leg Extensions:
2 warmup sets of 8-10 reps
1 drop set of 100 total reps

Leg Press:
2 warm-up sets of 8-10 reps
3 rest-pause sets to failure in 30 reps

Standing Hamstring Curls:
1 warm-up set of 8-10 reps
3 sets to failure in 20 reps

Hack Squats:
2 warm-up sets of 8-10 reps
3 rest-pause sets to failure in 30 reps

This finishes week three of the twelve week plan I'm following at present.

[Nicholas_Weir]

Congrats on finishing the 12 week plan!

[veggiesasquatch]

Congrats on finishing the 12 week plan!

Hahaha alas this was the end of week 3

[veggiesasquatch]

Ok not quite sure what happended today! I moved a few weeks ago & dead lifted the day after. I hurt my lower back through the moving & putting furniture together. All week my back was stiff but come following Monday I felt good. But half way through my working sets My back went again. I haven't hit dead lifts now for a few week, Instead using hyperextensions to hit my back.

Today I dead lifted & my left hand grip was shot after my two warm up sets. On my first working set I was hanging on by my nails almost, After two reps my hands was just opening & I couldn't do a thing to stop it. Even my wraps did nothing, So I went light & just hit reps. Feel deflated as I really filled my face & got early nights ready for hitting dead's. Todays workout below

Back & Biceps

dead lifts: 2x warm up sets then not quite sure what I did after
Bent over rows 1xwarm up 3xworking sets failing by 12 reps
Wide grip chins 3xfailure
Cable pull downs 3xfailure

Superset]

Seated rows & underhand lat pull downs. Both 3xfailure

Biceps

3 sets of 21's curls
Machine spider curls 2xfailing by 6 reps (heavy) then a final set with a triple drop set
Laying down cable curls 3xfailure

[Nicholas_Weir]

Sorry, My bad!

[chewybaws]

Hey mate, what type of grip do you use on deadlifts? If you're using double overhand remember you can switch to mixed grip or a hook grip (http://www.allmykit.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Hook-Grip.jpg)

How come you don't post what weights you're using? A log's a great tool for tracking progress.

[veggiesasquatch]

I have tried the under/over grip & just found it pulled on my bicep to much. Also the overhand grip felt more comfy. I think maybe my outter forearms just lost a little strength while I rested my back. The grip hook looks interesting will give that a bash

Don't know why I've not posted the weights, not a conscious thing. I never make notes on what I lifted I can always remember:)

[veggiesasquatch]

Ps, my forearms feel disgusting this morning lol

[chewybaws]

The hook grip is really sore on your thumb but if you just bare it it should work.

You might be able to remember what you lifted last week, but I can assure you you won't remember as the months go past (unless of course you're not adding weight to the exercises, lol)

[veggiesasquatch]

Maybe ill start using the notes on my iphone or something but I always go heavier with each set/each week so would it really matter what I lifted a month ago if I know I'm now lifting more (genuine question not a know it all response:)

My bench is the biggest improvement. I can bench 100k now for 3x6 working sets & I almost did 8 the other day but my partner for some reason decided to try taking the bar off me haha

How do you find squatting going beyond parallel? Squats are a strong point of mine but I only go parallel as I'm scared of pulling my back (had a few injuries over a life time from sports & work)

[chewybaws]

It's as simple as guaging progress, so you can see what training cycles/methods worked compared to others. It's quite common to plateau at some point, and logging weights over time is a good way to look back and try and see what went wrong. Also beating rep maxes can be motivating, you're not always going to remember your 1RM/2RM/3RM/4RM etc for every lift, or how long ago it was you hit them.

If you built up deep squats gradually over time like any other lift there's no more risk of injury than any other exercise. How deep you can go will depend on your flexibility and bar position, you generally don't want your lower back to round (I have a problem with this when I go too deep, excessive tailbone tucking). Never been injured from it.

I would just take parallel as an absolute maximum for how high you go. When you start squatting higher I'd take a bit of weight off and work on getting them a bit deeper again.

As far as what I feel when I go deeper, a lot more hamstrings haha. And a shitload more work, it's a long way up haha.

[veggiesasquatch]

Awesome advice. Think I may grab a little pad from wh smiths

I can free weight parallel squat a solid 150kg for 10 reps. Hack squat 250kg but they don't feel like you lift anything.
Maybe when I hit legs this week I'll strip some weight off & see how far I can get down. I think being a long distance runner over hills ect in the Malvern area of England gave me the strength in my legs.

Cheers for replying man, pretty damn cool

[veggiesasquatch]

So after last weeks problems with my hand/forearms this seems to of passed. I didn't really push on the deads because of this last week but two days after my hand/forearms feeling fine so next week I'll be pushing the Dinosaur Training methods by kubik in compounds.

This weeks workouts:

Sunday 30/10/11

Dead lift: 2x warm ups at 60k & 80k
1x8 100k 2x8 120k

Chins with wide grip & hammer grips: wide grip 1x11 1x8, Hammer grip 1x15 1x13

Bent over rows 1x60k 15 reps 1x10 80k 1x8 90k stripped weight down to 60k after this to do 1xFailure

Seated lat row machine: 1x12 50k 1x8 70 k 1x8 70 drop set into 1x6 50k

Resistive bicep curls, 1x20 on 7th yellow plate 1x15 on 2nd red plate 1x8 4th rep plate the. A strip down in weight to 1xfailure

Incline curls: 1x15 24k 1x10 28k 1x9 28k drop set into 24k till failure

Mc spider curls 2x12 reps 25k 1x12 drop set down to 15k 1xfailure.

Monday 31/10/2011

Front shoulder raises: 10k plates x20, 1x15 25k 1x13 25k 1x10 25k

Seated db press (this is a weakness of mine) 1x12 40k 1x12 48k 1x10 52 drop set into 40k x failure

Mc side raises: 1x10 45 plate 1x10 50 plate 1x8 50 plate drop set down to 35 plate failure

Bent over raises: 4x15 28k

Shrugs: 1x12 2x10 76k db

Mc press: 1x20 77k 1x12 84k 1x10 91k drop set 1x7 77k

superset abs with leg raises; 20k weighted crunches & an roller. All 20-30 reps x 3

My eating been good this past week too