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Macros?! Damn, I feel special.

 

It's funny, though, because I tested the waters this weekend and the only thing I really tracked was my protein intake and I took two days completely off in a row. Haven't done that since I was doing StrongLifts back in October, I think.

 

I get two days over the weekend off. Monday-Thursday Upper body & Tuesday-Friday lower. I would use deads on a back day but now I use them with ghr & front squats...Seems to be working.

 

I obviously get why people track macros....If you plan on competing in a bb shows then it's obvious you need a very tight grip on what you eat. I personally just listen to my body but I make sure to get plenty of protein no what my appetite is like. It's a different kettle of fish I think for those of us wanting to basically move a barbell.

 

Yesterday each time I ate 2 hours later I was hungry, So I ate as my body is clearly using the food due to recovery which is what we are all after....but I certainly wouldn't not eat just because It's not "time", Even if it's just a handful of mixed nuts & dried fruits. Even 150g of dried wholemeal pasta went right through me with veggies, Protein ect....

 

Out for dinner tonight for valentine's day so really food won't matter for me today (good job it was deadlifting today haha)

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Tues-14th-Feb Cycle 2 week 2 (3x3)

 

Appetite was though the roof yesterday, Clearly all the chin ups & military pressing worked well.

 

Brisk walk, Treadmill sprints for warm ups with foam rolls & lighter sets to finish.

 

Deadlifts (3x3): 85kg 97.5kg 110kg+5

Front squats (programmed assistance 2x8 1x6): 42.5kg 50kg 57.5kg

GHR: 5x10

 

Ab circuit: Hanging legs raises, Side bends, Front leg raises, Cable crunches.

 

Everything again no problem. Ass to the floor on squats. Power rack was positioned weirdly today & I hadn't really notice till my 2nd from last set. Think from now on I'll actaully lift out of the rack in front of it. The frame along the floor is actually quite off putting.

 

Grip feels like it's improving all the time. Called it a day at 5 reps, Plenty left in the tank & could of carried on....Nice to add a bit of weight to the bar if nothing major.

 

On another topic I need to maybe start looking into using shakes (with all the nutrition I need from that meal) for work as It's difficult on a day shift during the week, With managers & office staff about to keep going off to eat.

 

Made up a post workout shake of maize starch, x2 whey, creatine, glutamine & bcaa's.

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http://i40.tinypic.com/2aig7bs.jpg

 

Think my backs looking thicker haha

 

Need to do some front shots but this is a quicky...Compared the this pic of me cooking where I don't actually have a back I'm happy with 8 months of hard work

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/2is6oa1.jpg

 

can see my hemp & soya protein there when I went vegan...Not a good time for me

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Macros?! Damn, I feel special.

 

It's funny, though, because I tested the waters this weekend and the only thing I really tracked was my protein intake and I took two days completely off in a row. Haven't done that since I was doing StrongLifts back in October, I think.

 

I get two days over the weekend off. Monday-Thursday Upper body & Tuesday-Friday lower. I would use deads on a back day but now I use them with ghr & front squats...Seems to be working.

 

I obviously get why people track macros....If you plan on competing in a bb shows then it's obvious you need a very tight grip on what you eat. I personally just listen to my body but I make sure to get plenty of protein no what my appetite is like. It's a different kettle of fish I think for those of us wanting to basically move a barbell.

 

Yesterday each time I ate 2 hours later I was hungry, So I ate as my body is clearly using the food due to recovery which is what we are all after....but I certainly wouldn't not eat just because It's not "time", Even if it's just a handful of mixed nuts & dried fruits. Even 150g of dried wholemeal pasta went right through me with veggies, Protein ect....

 

I do the 2-days on, 3-days off with PHAT since it fits my work schedule the best. I didn't think it was adding up but I came back feeling so much better after those two days off. I'll probably set up 5/3/1 the same way you have it, though, my two days off in a row will be dependent on my haphazard schedule.

 

I've become less strict with counting my macros than I was, say, two months ago when I was measuring my food and all of that neurotic shite. Now that I've pretty much figured out what works and doesn't work for me, it's easier just to hit my protein and fill my calories.

 

Back's looking thick, mate. Definitely can see serious progress.

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I prefer oly, when I cross hand it always pushes against my throat cause my necks quite thick....you?

Oly as well for me, really is the best/most optimal way to do them.

 

Your photos have a real 'Fight Club' fell to them, I think it's the nature of the colours ?! Pretty cool

 

 

Haha cheers, I'll be at fight club in my mates basement Sunday.

 

Few of us get together to train (we all study keysi fighting method) but I stopped for now to concentrate on lifting

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Thurs-16th-Feb Cycle 2 week 2 (3x3)

 

Decent night sleep & breakfast before benching today.

 

Usual warm up for upper body days.

 

Bench Press: 67.5kg 75kg 85kg+5

 

Assistance work:

Incline press (programmed assistance 2x8 1x6) 50kg 57.5kg 65kg

Kroc rows: 2x10 16kg 1x28 26kg (all per arm)

Dips, Hammer curls, Hammer strength lat pull.

 

Blasted though this today. Felt strong on everything I had to hit, Form on benching felt tight as hell. Nothing major again weight wise.

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Friday-17th-feb cycle 2 week 2 (3x3)

 

Nothing pretty about today's workout. In, required reps & out.

 

Full of a cold & not much sleep today after working a night.

 

Usual warmup.

 

Squats: 87.5kg  100kg 112.5kg

 

Assistance: 

Good mornings (programmed assistance 2x8 1x6) 45kg 52.5kg 60kg

GHR 5x10

 

Ab circuit: hanging raises, leg raises, side bends & cable crunch. 

 

Hanging out my ass hole, could do of not working :/

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8 months, insanity...

 

two(ish) years of change. Though a year seriously lifting weight, 8 months of which just generally trying to get stronger (the other 4 months spent treading water)

 

I still think it's amazing how much progress you've made thus far.

 

Hope the cold's gone away and you're back to 100%.

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Pre workout nutrition fairly simple, been at work all day so have eaten plenty of food/supps. First meal of the day at 5:30 being oats. Then during the day things like rye bread & almond butter, chickpea salad & cottage (local organic) cheese, home made chilli with pasta ect few shakes.

 

Still have a cold but should be gone in a day or two.

 

I have decided to clean my diet up a little. Not that it was ever "bad" but I had become a little reliant on processed food for my protein at meal times to often. So I decided to boil up a load of dried chickpeas & borlotti beans. The pre soak & boil is a bit of a ball ache but you get so much more for such a small amount of money, time to sack up.

 

Generally my diet as a whole is bland eg plain steamed veggies, salad with no dressing, plain pasta so it's something to look at. I'm thinking stuff like hot chilli mixed with some olive oil & home made mustard dressings.....

 

Mon-20th-feb Cycle 2 week 3 (5/3/1)

 

Usual warm up....

 

Military press: 35kg 40kg 45kg+7

 

Assistance:

Close grip bench (programmed assistance 3x5)52kg 60kg 68kg

 

Various chin ups 5x10

 

Cable seated row, tricep push downs, cable curls (light work)

 

Power rack empty & also bench free after. Absolutely hate training in the evening. I'm not entirely convinced having all day to take in food before training benefits me, I'm sure it actually does but I'm able to wake up & basically train just as well.

 

Felt really focused tonight though & blazed through the worked out. Started at 19:20 & was hitting the treadmill at 19:50 (no pre treadmill, rack was empty so I got right on it)

 

Post workout shake: maize starch, x2 protein scoops, glutamine, bcaa & creatine.

 

Post workout meal: mixed veg, Quiona & tofu in pepper sauce

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21st-Tues-Feb Cycle 2 week 3 (5/3/1)

 

Going to mini blog during the day after being inspired by Vegansludge:)

 

6:30:

 

Sat at work waiting to start with a coffee. Had some converge & cannibal corpse blasting on the bus ride in, didn't improve my mood much.

 

Woke up at 5:00 & my cold was back with a vengeance. Also fully expected my hamstrings to be tight after the treadmill yesterday, warmed up & stretched but they were throbbing come bed time....alas they were not though

 

Work today, 7:00-19:00. Training right after then home, hopefully by 20:30 & start prepping food again for Wednesday, absolutely sucks balls.....

 

If anyone is in any doubt I have woken up in a foul mood. Right now I have no energy & just want to crawl back into my pit. Must write to my cns to apologise.

 

11:30:

Wish my metabolism would hurry up, this colds killing my appetite.  Managed to shovel down a wholemeal roll with greens, local organic cheese & local bought mango chutney with a shake, tidy.

 

15:00:

Finished watching the incredible hulk on my iPhone & power nap while listening to cattle decapitation on break. Woke up & ate. Feel chipper now, lifting isn't far away. Boring, Uneventful day which usually means nothing's fucked up (yet) at work.

 

18:20:

Got that weird, pre workout feeling of "please let the rack be free" in my gut. Already hit 3000/just over calories for today & I still have my post shake/meal & bed time shake to have yet just about Take some bcaa.

 

19:15

Warm up was quick, couldn't spend ages doing foam rolls

Ect.

 

 

Dead lifts: 87.5kg 100kg 112.5kg+5 

 

Assistance:

Front squats (programmed assistance 3x5) 47.5kg 55kg 60kg

Ghr 3x10

Reverse hypers 3x10

 

Ab circuit: hanging leg raises, leg raises, side bends, v-ups

 

Post shake: maize starch, x2 protein, bcaa, glutamine & creatine.

 

Post meal: mushroom stir fry, quorn pieces & brown rice.

 

 

Rack area was free thank god. Pretty good session, weight still isn't very challenging. Smashed through. 

 

If anyone's wondering why my deads are not mega heavy it's because I set my sciatica off while moving home 6 months ago. I then ran 12 weeks without squatting or dead lifting at all.

 

Bit of rehab work & since I have very slowly started them & upping weight, almost from scratch.  That's why 5/3/1 is so great for me. Good mornings, ghr & proper form seem to be correcting my issue. Along with foam rolls.

 

22.27 & just climbed into bed, alarm set for 5:00:(((

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Thurs-23rd-Feb Week 2 cycle 3 (5/3/1)

 

Still not 100% :/

 

Bench press: 70kg 77.5kg 87.5kg+4

 

Assistance:

Incline bench (programmed assistance 3x5) 52.5kg 62.5kg 70kg

Kroc rows: 2x10 16kg 1x20 26kg (all per arm)

Cable lat pulls, Dips, Hammer curls all 3x10

 

I don't track anything besides main lift, programmed assistance but a 8 rep loss on kroc rows was noticeable. Only thing I can think is that my lats were still sore from the 70+ chin ups from Monday. Never one to ache for long after a session but I think the prolonged cold that won't go away maybe just zapping me a little. Bit annoying wanted 30 reps per arm today....All in all good workout again.

 

Saw my parents for coffee today. My father saying I'm looking more & more like my grandfather which is a huge compliment. He was a beast of a man, 52" chest & a 24" neck. Barrel with limbs....

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That's a good compliment, sounds like a solidly built guy.

 

70+ chinups definately would have affected your bench so don't stress it too much.

 

bench was fine it was the kroc rows...Chins are usually not much of an issue. I recover really quickly but they still ache from Monday when my cold was pretty bad....

 

My grandfather's no longer with us but he (in younger days) worked digging, laying the roads. Proper hard graft, Typical Irishman

 

cheers mate

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21st-Tues-Feb Cycle 2 week 3 (5/3/1)

 

Going to mini blog during the day after being inspired by Vegansludge:)

 

Thanks for the shout-out and, even though blogging is time-consuming, I hope you do this more often - you've got quite the head on your shoulders when it comes to programming/lifting.

 

Saw my parents for coffee today. My father saying I'm looking more & more like my grandfather which is a huge compliment. He was a beast of a man, 52" chest & a 24" neck. Barrel with limbs....

 

Your progress pictures definitely show what your parents are saying and I can definitely see why you'd take the comparison as a compliment - you're turning into a straight up tank, mate.

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Fri-24th-Feb Cycle 2 Week 3 (5/3/1)

 

All good today! Treadmill, Lighter sets, Prison squats ect foam rolls to warm up.

 

Squats: 90kg 102.5kg 112.5kg+6

 

Assistance:

Good mornings (programmed assistance 3x5) 47.5kg 55kg 62.5kg

GHR 5x10

 

Ab circuit: V-ups, Side bends, hanging leg raises & Leg raises.

 

Squats felt great today, 6 solid reps on the 1 set holding back a lot of reps. Form felt tight & ass to the floor.

Deload next week, Tempted to do an upper/lower big lift on same day with less assistance (even deload assistance) to allow for more recovery....There's a 2 day a week template where this is shown

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