ChristopherClemens

Hey everyone! So once again class has been hectic and i haven't updated in a few weeks! My bad haha

So here is a huge updated journal!

CHEST SEPT 13

Incline Barbell bench press

155x12, 165x8, 175x6, 185x4

Most at that weight, stoked!

Flat dumbbell bench press

75x12, 80x8, 85x6, 90x6-7

Also most at that weight!

Flat barbell bench press

6x10 @ 135lbs

Narrow cable crosses from below shoulder level

5x10 @ 22.5lbs

Narrow cables from down low

4x10 @12.5lbs

Pec deck machine

4x8 @ 180lbs

BACK SEPT 14

Deadlifts

345x10, 335x5, 385x3, 435x1

Getting my max weight back up after my shaky 455lbs a few weeks back

Bent over barbell rows

Supinated grip, then pronated grip

135x12, 155x8, 175x6, 195x4

T-Bar Rows

135x10, 160x8, 170x6, 180x4

Then 3x15 @ 90lbs

Pullups

Wide grip, then narrows grip

Three sets of each until fail

Lat pull downs

5x15 @ 100lbs

SHOULDERS SEPT 15

Smith machine overhead press

12x45lbs a side

8x55, 6x65, 4x75; and then back down the pyramid

Narrow cable lateral and rear raises

four sets of each

4x8 @ 12.5lbs

Dumbbell shrugs

4x10 @ 100s

Dumbbell Arnold presses

10x30lbs, 10x35, 8x40, 6x45, 4x50

Stoked, most i have done with arnold presses!

Seated forward dumbbell raises

3x8 @ 25s

Seated lateral raises

3x10 @ 20s

Rear delt machine

3x10 @ 90lbs

ARMS SEPT 17

Neutral chins superset with dips

2 sets @ 25lbs, 8-10 reps

2 sets @ 45lbs, 6-8 reps

Wide cable EZ bar curs superset with tricep pushdowns

10x110 of both, 8x120, 7x130, 6x140, 5x150

Standing dumbbell curls

10x35lbs, 8x40, 6x45, 4x50

Superset with close grip decline bench

4x8 @135lbs

Dumbbell preacher curls

12x25lbs, 10x27.5, 8x30, 6x35, 5x40

Superset with flat bench skull crushers

10x70, 8x80, 7x90, 6x100, 4x100

Forearms

Four sets of leaning over forearm curls at 50lbs, superset with twists and behind the back curls

LEGS SEPT 18

Squats

185x10, 225x8, 275x5, 315x2

Failed at bottom of third rep

Front squat

3x8 @ 185lbs

Seated calves

4x12 @ 90lbs

Leg press

Seven plates a side for 10 reps, up 90lbs(two plates) each set until 13 plates a side for 2-3reps.

Pretty stoked on that, most weight i have ever pushed on leg press!

Standing smith machine calves

12x180lbs, 12x200lbs, 10x220lbs, 10x240lbs, 8x260lbs

leg extention and ham curls

four sets of each

4x10 @ 80lbs

Then four sets of hanging leg raises until fail superset with hanging wipers

Good solid day for legs, burned for quite a few days afterwards haha

CHEST SEPT 20

Flat barbell bench press

225x7, 245x4, 205x6, 185x8, 164x10, 135x10 twice

Really focusing today on the bottom part of the bench press, making sure the bar comes into contact with my chest each time. The bottom of my press is weaker than the top part, so im going to try and even it out here.

Incline dumbbell bench press

4x8 @ 60lbs

Narrow cable crosses from below shoulder height

5x10 @ 22.5lbs

Upward cable raises on narrow machine

3x10 @ 12.5lbs

Downward cable presses on narrow machine

4x8 @ 42.5lbs

Weighted dips

6@45, 4@70lbs, 6@45lbs

Cable rotator cuff exercises

Adduction and abduction

4x10 each @ 15lbs on wide cables

BACK SEPT 21

Deadlifts

Going for max today, so i kept the reps down leading up to my max.

225x10, 315x1, 405x1, 455x1!

Tied my old max, but it was A LOT smoother this time, with no stalling out. Pretty stoked on that, can hopefully do a bit more!

Barbell bent over rows

Supinated grip then pronated grip

145x12, 165x8, 185x6, 205x4

T Bar rows

4x10 @ 135lbs

Lat pulldown machine

10x140, 8x160, 6x180, 4x200lbs

Two sets at each weight; one set facing forward, second set facing away.

Lat pulldowns with V handle

10x130, 8x140, 6x150, 4x160lbs

Really good back day, best in a while.

SHOULDERS SEPT 22

12x45lbs a side, 8x55, 6x65, 4x75lbs, then back down the pyramid

Narrow cable raises rears and laterals

4x10reps of each @ 12.5lbs

Barbell shrugs behind back

4x10 @ 225lbs

Dumbbell Arnold Presses

12x35lbs, 10x40, 8x45, 6x50, 4x55.

Most weight i've done with Arnold presses, stoked!

Dumbbell shrugs

4x8 @ 100s

Rear delt machine

12x90lbs, 8x97.5, 6x105, 10x112.5lbs

---

Resting today and catching up on homework, will update after chest Tuesday!

Couple days behind again thanks to school, so here are the last three workouts in one post!

---

BACK DAY

Pull ups

Alternating wide grip sets with narrow grip sets

Three sets of each, 6-10 reps a set

Dead lifts

245x10, 335x5, 385x3, 425x1

Bent over barbell rows

Alternating supinated and pronated grips

four sets each

12x135, 8x155, 6x175, 4x195

T Bar rows

10x135, 8x145, 6x155, 4x165

Seated rows, straight bar supinated grip

4x10 @ 120

Lat pull downs

2x20 @ 90 to finish the day off.

---

SHOULDERS DAY

Smith machine shoulder press

12x45 a side, 8x55, 6x65, 4x75, and then all the way back down the pyramid.

Cable raises, lateral and rear

4x10 @ 12.5 for both lateral and rear

Dumbbell shrugs

4x8-10 @ 100lb dumbbells

Arnold presses

5x10 @ 30lb dumbbells

Rear delt machine

5x10 @ 90lbs

Forward dumbbell raises

4x8 @ 20lbs

Lateral dumbbell raises

4x10 @ 15lbs

At this point my shoulders were quite fatigued, so the finishing weights with the dumbbells weren't anything to write home about haha

---

ARMS DAY

Neutral grip chins superset with dips

4x8 @ 25lbs on belt

Close grip chins at bodyweight, superset with cable V-grip tricep pushdowns

4x8 with chins

4x8 @ 120, 130, 140, 150 with tricep pusdowns

Incline seated dumbbell curls, with elbows tight to body and arms rotated outwards (if that makes sense? ha)

4x10 @ 30lbs

Superset with incline skull crushers

4x10 @ 60lb barbell

Standing alternating dumbbell curls

12x35, 8x40, 6x45, 4x50

Superset with flat bench skull crushers

4x8 @ 80lb barbell

Barbell drag curls

4x12 @ 50lbs

Superset with seated Dumbbell french press

4x12 @ 40lbs

At this point my arms were super pumped and fatigued, just moving them was tiresome!

Finished with forearms

bench raises 4x15 @ 50lb barbell

superset with dumbbell twists 4x12 @ 27.5

Legs tomorrow!

Hahaha Odidnetne! Nothing is wrong with fiber, if anything i probably have too much of it in a day haha

Didn't get much done this weekend as i was visiting family in Minnesota and the condo gym was less than ideal.

Went and did chest today, and had a really good workout!

Barbell bench press

Warm up set at 135. Then 225x8, 245x6, spotter helped a bit on the last two. Most i have done at this weight, stoked!

Then 225x6, 205x8, 185x10.

Then i did a static overload rep @ 315 pounds, holding it for ten seconds. Then i finished with 135x18 reps to really get the pump going!

Incline barbell bench

135x10, 145x8, 155x6, 165x4, 175x3

Half Neutral grip dumbbell flat press

4x10 @ 60s

Wide cable crosses from below shoulder level upwards

5x10 @ 50

Wide cable crosses, down then slowly to eye level and out

5x10 @ 45.

Chest fairly tired and pumped afterwards, was a good session! Also back to eating like crazy since i didn't eat as much during my trip. Weighed in at 211 before the workout today!

Hey all!

It's been quite a while since i have posted here, training and school were a little hectic!

My last post was about a year ago (viewtopic.php?f=46&t=22158), and in said post i was complaining about plateauing, but i am happy to report that the old plateau has been surpassed!

About this time last year i was stuck around 170-173 pounds, and now i have been consistently weighing in around 207-210 pounds! All with fairly low body fat still (I haven't got it tested in quite a while, but i'm definitely still less than 10% still)

My secret has been literally eating as much as i can in a day, and making sure it is hearty calories with not too much filler or hollow calories (minus some beer here and there haha )

That and getting a good sleep has really helped me bulk up to where i am today, not to mention training hard five times a week!

So i have started this 'blog' to put my training logs online to keep track of them, as well as get some advice and give some if i can!

Since i have bulked up, my old goals have changed a fair bit. I used to want to be about 185-190 pounds, but now i am aiming more for 220-230 if i can get there! Being 6'1" with a broad frame, i think i can make it work! As well, i have some powerlifting goals as well that have developed and morphed that i would like to continue to strive for, such as deadlift 500 (Current max is 455), Bench 300 (current max is 270), and squat 350 (Current max is a little north of 315.)

So in this first post i am going to list my last five workouts, and then from here on i'll update as each workout happens!

So here goes!

BACK DAY:

Chin ups:

wide grip till fail superset with narrow grip till fail

Four sets, reps between 6-12.

Deadlifts:

245x10, 335x5, 385x3, 425x1

Max of 455 was last week, but it was a little shaky so i have backed off and i am going to work myself back up there slowly

Barbell bent over rows:

Supinated grip, then pronated grip. Four sets of each with 45 seconds of rest between.

135x12, 155x8, 6x175, 4x195

T Bar rows

10x115, 8x125, 6x135, 4x145

Standing cable stiff arm pulldowns

4x10 @ 52.5

Standing reverse cable crosses

4x12 @7.5

CHEST DAY:

Flat barbell bench:

185x12, 205x8, 225x6, 245x3.5, 185x10

Most reps i have done at 245! Stoked!

Incline barbell bench:

135x10, 145x8, 155x6, 165x4

Incline dumbbell bench w/ neutral grip

4x8 @ 60lb dumbbells

Decline barbell bench

135x10, four sets

Cable flys from below shoulder level upwards

FST-7

7x10 @ 22.5lbs

Cable presses from high

4x10 @32.5lbs

LEGS DAY

Back Squats

10x185, 8x225, 5x275, 2x315, 6225, 10x135

Failed on bottom of third rep @ 315, good old squat box saved me haha

Seated calve raises

4x12 @ 90lbs

Leg press

10 reps x 540 pounds, adding 90 more pounds each set and doing max reps until i hit five reps @ 900 pounds.

Standing calf raises on the smith machine

4x10 @ 180 lbs

Leg extensions and hamstring curls

4x10 @ 70lbs for each exercise.

Then about 20 minutes of an ab circuit.

ARMS DAY

Neutral grip chin ups

4 sets till fail with 25lb belt, superset each set with bodyweight chin ups until fail

Dips

Superset 25lb belt till fail with bodyweight dips till fail

4 sets

Close grip chins

four sets @ bodyweight, superset with cable tricep pushdowns with a metal v grip, 10 reps @ 120 lbs.

EZ bar '21s' barbell bicep curls

three sets @ 50lbs, superset each set with dumbbell hammer curls @ 20lbs until fail.

Decline bench skull crushers

four sets of 8 reps with a 70lb barbell, superset with standing dumbbell french press @ 40lbs.

Cable alternating arm curls

4x10 @ 17.5lbs

Single arm tricep pushdowns with cables

4x10 @ 22.5lbs

Forearms

Bent over a bench, supinated grip forearm curls with a 50lb barbell, aiming for 15 reps.

Superset with seated dumbbell twists @ 27.5lbs

Four sets of each

SHOULDER DAY

Smith machine seated military press

12x45lbs a side

8x55 lbs a side

6x65 lbs a side

4x75 lbs a side

And then back down the pyramid

Cable shoulder raises

Bent over rear raises

4x8 @ 12.5 lbs

Standing lateral cable raises

4x8 @ 12.5 lbs

Barbell shrugs, behind back

4x10 @185lbs

Upward barbell rows

4x8 @ 90lbs

Arnold dumbbell presses

FST-7 style

7x10reps @ 30lb dumbbells. 45 second rest and lots of water between sets.

Dumbbell shrugs

4x10 @ 80lb dumbbells.

Rear delt machine

4x10 @ 90lbs

.....

So there are my last five workouts!

I'll be updating after each workout. Any comments or questions are greatly appreciated!

-Christopher

Thanks for the response!

I would say I am just hitting a plateau now, as I did gain about twenty-two pounds before I hit this stalemate. Although I am happy to say that I have been consistently around 173 pounds since I got back from vacation, woohoo!

As far as my routine, I have completely cut out cardio aside from a quick warm up before I lift. I'm usually not in the gym longer than a hour, and have been doing each muscle group once a week with some success lately.

I mix in full body, compound type lifts with some isolation stuff with all my workouts.

Also trying in the last few weeks to eat literally as much as I can, focusing on the carbs and what not. Hopefully I'll be able to bulk for a few months, then cut a bit and repeat the process.

Thanks for your help!

New query though. Through my years of inactivity, my dominant arm(right) has gotten both stronger and slightly bigger in size than my left. I have been trying to focus on only doing arm exercises for my left so it can catch up, my thinking being that my right arm/shoulder get a good enough workout for now during chest/back days.

Is this a good idea? Isolating the left arm? Or should I be doing both arms and it'll eventually catch up on it's own?

It seems like it doesn't want to put mass on at all ha

Hey everybody. 

My name is Christopher, and I have been vegan for about two and a half years and vegetarian for a bit longer. 

I used to lift a bit back in my high school but stopped for about four or five years while I was in university. 

I started again last December, and have been trying a few different workout routines. It seems as though all "beginners gains" have happened and I am plateauing lately. 

I am 6'1" and have been hovering around 168-170 lbs for the last month and a half or so, having put on about twenty pounds since December.  I got a body composition done at my local gym a few months back, and had my body fat measured with the infared red tranducence method, ( which I have heard isn't all the accurate. Opinions? )

And my body fat was measured to be 3.5%

My ideal goal would to be about 180-185 lbs with body fat around 7%. 

The first four months I worked four separate groups, of arms/shoulders, chest, back, legs; each grouping twice a week. 

For fear of over training I have moved to just once a week with each grouping about four months ago. 

I am wondering if anyone has tips for me to put on the muscle I desire! I can break down each workout as well if that would help. 

I am trying bulk lately, so I am trying to get 3500-4000 kcals a day, and at least 200g of protein a day. 

As far as supplements go, I have a trueprotein mix shake once a day after my workout, with L-glutamine mixed in. 

 I tried creatine for a bit, I'm wondering people's opinions on creatine and other supplements. 

I know this has been quite a read, thanks in advance for everyone's advice! Looking forward to learning a lot from the people on this forum!

Christopher

Hey everybody. 

My name is Christopher, and I have been vegan for about two and a half years and vegetarian for a bit longer. 

I used to lift a bit back in my high school but stopped for about four or five years while I was in university. 

I started again last December, and have been trying a few different workout routines. It seems as though all "beginners gains" have happened and I am plateauing lately. 

I am 6'1" and have been hovering around 168-170 lbs for the last month and a half or so, having put on about twenty pounds since December.  I got a body composition done at my local gym a few months back, and had my body fat measured with the infared red tranducence method, ( which I have heard isn't all the accurate. Opinions? )

And my body fat was measured to be 3.5%

My ideal goal would to be about 180-185 lbs with body fat around 7%. 

The first four months I worked four separate groups, of arms/shoulders, chest, back, legs; each grouping twice a week. 

For fear of over training I have moved to just once a week with each grouping about four months ago. 

I am wondering if anyone has tips for me to put on the muscle I desire! I can break down each workout as well if that would help. 

I am trying bulk lately, so I am trying to get 3500-4000 kcals a day, and at least 200g of protein a day. 

As far as supplements go, I have a trueprotein mix shake once a day after my workout, with L-glutamine mixed in. 

 I tried creatine for a bit, I'm wondering people's opinions on creatine and other supplements. 

I know this has been quite a read, thanks in advance for everyone's advice! Looking forward to learning a lot from the people on this forum!

Christopher