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Muscles here I come! Lobsteriffic's Log


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Okay wow, it's been awhile.

 

I was training for a marathon but had to back out due to a knee injury. Lame, I know. I haven't been running in just about 2 months. I have clearance to start running again (SLOWLY), but I have been advised to not really train for speed or any great distance. I am not sure what's happening with tri season next year. Perhaps some sprints/olys, but nothing more than that probably. We will see.

 

My weight has stayed stable since I quit marathon training, but I have lost muscle. I am more ....jiggly...then I would like to be. Definitely time to add some muscle.

 

I am now in California, I LOVE it so far! I have a gym at my apartment complex as well as at work. The weight equipment isn't super great, so I will be relying on dumbbells and body weight exercises.

 

I will write more tomorrow, but so far I am thinking of giving IF a try and see if I can lean out and put on some muscle. I would like to do some fasted cardio in the AM (run, bike, or swim), work out with weights at lunch at work, and then have a feeding window from 1-7 PM or something like that. Might take awhile to find a routine that works. I haven't been working out very much the past couple of weeks (the fun of moving...) and I'm not happy with the shape I'm in.

 

I've missed these boards a lot and can't wait to get caught up with everyone.

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Thanks! So glad to be back! Life is slowly getting back to normal.

 

I would love some input from more experienced bbers on here. I have never tried to 'bulk' before, so I'm in unchartered territory. I am thinking of doing something like 5 days a week light fasted cardio in the AM (easy jogging, easy cycling, maybe some easy swimming but the pool situation is kind of iffy right now). I am thinking of either a 4 day/week upper/lower split or a 3 day/week full body workout for strength training. This would be at noon at work. Not sure if a 3 day or 4 day split would be best for putting on muscle. Since I'm not doing much in the way of cardio I am thinking 4 days might be best? 3 days doesn't seem like I am doing "enough."

 

Timing on the workouts is pretty non-negotiable. For IF, I am thinking of having a feeding window from 12-8 or so, some BCAA's before I train, then the post-workout meal being my first real food for the day.

 

I don't really know what I'm doing here, so any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

Goals:

-STRETCH everyday!

-Get stronger, I am sick of being weak

-Get back some muscle on my arms...I am getting spaghetti arms and I don't like it

-Gain muscle and get rid of my 'jiggle'

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IF has been good to me for the last 2 weeks. and as far as building muscle on a DB only program, my coworker does it. We talk about it often. I'm not sold on dumbells, but it is definitely possible. big lifts, heavy weight. same as barbells.

 

My opinions aren't always welcome (I tend to try to prove that overtraining is a myth) so I won't get into frequency with you, but I will say that if you're enjoying yourself and can stay mentally fresh and recover, just go to the gym as often as you want. in 45 minute to 1 hour blocks.

 

You'll build muscle with either routine. What lifts are you picking? Bulking is more about what you eat than what you lift. lift heavy and eat enough and the bulking will handle itself (says me).

 

good luck. I had planned on commenting on here, just so it would be in my posts to keep up with, but if I can help at all, I'm happy to. IF questions or otherwise.

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I want to stick to the compound lifts. Joining a gym is pretty much a non-negotiable at this point...I am stuck what is available at work, which means no squat rack, boo. My main problem with db's is that I have trouble initially lifting a heavy enough weight. For example, for a db bench, I could never get a heavy enough weight up in the air for the initial rep. I've never lifted with a spot before, and I don't really know anyone at the gym at work. I was looking at the minimalist stronglifts (link here) and was wondering if that was better. I've never heard of the steinborn lift before.

 

I have been spending a lot of time reading leangains.com, pretty excited to start IF.

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I've never heard of the steinborn lift before.

 

Haha, yeah, that's a lift you won't see anyone doing any time too soon I guess it made sense when squat racks were in short supply, I did one once with 225 lbs. and it was hard as hell getting into position and probably won't do one ever again

 

The DB-only routine can still be very good, some things will take a bit of adjustment, but nothing that can't be made to build some size and strength well enough. Don't worry too much about asking for a spot, it seems odd the first few times but after a while, those same people usually offer one for you before you even have to ask (as long as you train with the same crew around).

 

Best of success with the new routine, I'm sure you'll get plenty of help if you have more questions!

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I always have trouble lifting heavy enough for my legs with db's...any suggestions there? I've tried goblet squats and lunges, not really sure about how to hit the hamstrings. I've seen DB DLs before, guess I can work those in somehow.

 

I should also add that there ARE weight machines, but I figured sticking to DBs was probably better than using machines, is that necessarily true?

 

Thanks for the help you guys.

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I don't know if this will help or not, but the first 8 months that I was a vegetarian, I put on 14 lbs (not fat) and i predominately used the 30 lb dumbbells that I own. I would bench at the fire station, and sometimes deadlift...but that was about it. I'm not sure why the gains came so easy then, and I don't know if anyone else would have the same results. But I figured posting this might provide a little encouragement.

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oh wow, I had to google pistol squats, those look tough!

 

Thanks Rob!

 

Rumor has it that my work gym has a barbell or two hiding somewhere. I know for sure my apartment just has db's. Will investigate the work situation at lunch. It's a fancy schmancy gym, but it is mostly cardio equipment and weight machines. Sigh.

 

EDIT: went to work gym at lunch and I STILL don't have security clearance. I submitted my application 1.5 weeks ago! I phoned to ask what's up. I have a feeling someone lost my application. Lame.

 

Guess I will go to the crappy apartment gym this evening.

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Heavy 1 armed cleans (and push press if you want). Good all rounder there. (if you want to hit hamstrings more, aim for a more horizontal back, keep the knees back the same as you would in a romanian deadlift. Since it requires more hip extension than knee extension it shifts the balance from your quads to your hamstrings/glutes)

 

Teamed with heavy ass lunges - if you've got enough weight to keep the reps low for rep maxes (at least under 10), I don't see why you can't absolute kill your quads/glutes.

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Hey thanks everyone! I love the suggestions!

 

Still having troubles with the gym at work and security clearance (I'd like to go check out if the hidden barbell rumors are true...), so I am stuck with the db's at my apartment gym for the time being. Need to actually get a routine down and start keeping track of progress. Right now I've been going in and doing things kind of haphazardly.

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28/10/10:

 

chickpea & veggie stew, apple

sushi roll with avocado & tofu

butternut squash soup with chickpeas, sauteed veggies, apple

<>

2 glasses soy milk

 

hit up the apartment gym in the evening:

 

Incline DB Bench:

20x8

25x8

25x8

 

Walking DB Lunges:

30x8

35x8 (form was bad, too heavy)

30x8

 

Overhead DB Press:

15x8

20x8

20x5 (fail)

 

Goblet Squat:

35x8

40x8

45x8 (this was probably too heavy, felt my form was off a bit)

 

DB Lateral Raises:

10x8

10x8

10x8

 

10 lbs was a bit too heavy, 5 lbs was too light. 7.5lbs would have been perfect but no dice. Oh well.

 

A quick 10 min. jog on the treadmill, 5 min. walking

(building up mileage again sloooooowly, so I don't re-injure myself)

 

Reverse crunches: 3 sets of 12 (last set was sad...)

 

Stretching

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30/10/10:

 

Knee Push-ups: 3 sets of 10...last set kind of sucked

 

DB RDLs:

30x8

35x8

35x8

 

One Arm DB Row:

25x8

30x8

30x8

 

DB Split Squats:

30x8

35x8

35x8

 

stretching

 

 

31/10/10:

 

didn't have a formal cardio session, but I was out walking around for a few hours and it was definitely a workout.

 

 

Diet on the weekend kind of sucked. Need to get that back in line. No more mindless snacking. My Ph.D. defense is in less than two weeks and I'm stressed out about that, and for me stress = mindless eating.

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Yay! I was FINALLY given security clearance for the gym at work. It is pretty fancy and there are a ton of cardio/weight machines, but the free weight selection sucks. Someone told me there was a 'hidden' part with some barbells. I went and found it. Basically it is a bench press set up (bench, barbell) and a 3d smith machine (aka a jones machine). So I am still in a dilemma about what to do about squats. Posted in the Bodybuilding section of the forum for advice.

 

3/11/10:

 

A messed up version of workout #1 of Stronglifts (supposed to start with just the bar):

 

Goblet squat:

5 sets of 5 @ 45 lbs

 

Bench press:

5 sets of 5 @ 45 lbs

 

Inverse Rows:

3 sets of 12 --> I really suck at these

 

Knee Push-ups:

3 x 10

3 x 8 (fail)

3 x 5 (fail)

 

(was trying to make sure my chest went all the way to the ground, no partial ROM allowed)

 

Reverse crunches:

3 x 12

3 x 10 (fail)

3 x 8 (fail)

 

5 min. stretching

 

Wow I feel like I've lost a lot of strength. Not that I had that much to lose. Eager to see what my progression will be like.

 

bcaa's

<>

baked tofu, roasted kabocha, celery sticks, banana, apple

red lentil-veggie curry, more kabocha, apple

 

I know written out that doesn't look like much food, but my portions were huuuuuge. Trying out this IF thing...seeing if eating 2-3 times a day works out better for me than the traditional 5-6.

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4/11/10:

 

AM: 45 min. yoga

 

Our cable package came with an on demand channel that has a lot of free stuff. It's mostly crappy movies that nobody wants to watch, but there are also quite a few workout programs. Decided to try out some yoga since I've been so stiff now that I am sitting in a chair for 8-9 hours a day.

 

<>

...

lentil-veggie stew, banana, apple

spaghetti squash with black beans, salsa, and nutritional yeast sauce

collard wraps with sprouted lentil hummus

 

wanted to get in a trainer ride in the evening but I didn't get home until late and by the time I ate dinner it was almost bed time. Will get to bed at a decent hour and make myself get out of bed tomorrow AM to hop on the trainer. I have to get back in the habbit of morning workouts.

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