veggiesasquatch

This is a good read:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_truth_about_bulking;jsessionid=F3E68444BCA60EF72A917B70EF409CEE-mcd02.hydra

Build your workouts a round the 4 big lifts (barbell work) so Military pressing (no leg movement), Deadlifts, Bench press & squats. Then you add assistance to work compliment the big lifts & to also balance out the body & any weaker areas. People do a stupid amount of machine/isolation in gyms, Where as if they actually thought about what they did a bit more they'd get better results. More bang for for your buck & all that...

I haven't ever known a bodybuilder who runs a low carb diet for very long unless it's that magical time of year for the all important "cut". It's pretty standard that carbs are fairly high when gaining weight over the seasons where people cover up. Then you have off shoots, carb cycling ect as I'm Not a bodybuilder I have no interest in all that jazz. I eat so I can perform. I wholeheartedly agree that you wouldn't tell an obese person new to training to take in at least 1g per body lb (obviously the goals to drop weight & raise general fitness)  but the  person who's training 3-5 days a week as a bodybuilder/strength training ect usually are clued up to the fact that we cannot store protein so a steady stream is need for muscle growth. But these people aren't obsess so it's a more general rule of thumb they'll follow protein in take wise & it would be touching a stupid amount of grams if over weight people did this (unless you're a strongman haha)

I wasn't asking for specifics as to why you follow the 80/10/10 diet, just that I absorbed the information on it & just couldn't see the benefit's from it, the "why" wasn't personal. Thats my view that's all, let's be fair neither of us shall be losing any sleep over one another's diets. That's awesome you enjoy it & more power to you for doing it man. I'd like to see how you've progressed on such a diet if you did a log & it's what keep me interested in seeing,talking about this stuff & people's methods.  If I wanted to know why I would politely ask as I'd have genuine interest. I'm forever asking questions, only way to learn.

My sessions are based off a lift, not an area but it does break down as Mon:upper Tues:lower Wed:off Thurs:upper Fri:lower wkend off.

All I really do is get in at least 1.5g of protein per body pound, that's about it I just eat usually.

Have read the 80/10/10 diet a few times, I understand it & the reasoning but my brains still says "why" much as meat eaters do to us in general. I love that everyone has their own thing & I respect you following that diet, it's just not something is even contemplate doing.

I don't count macros or calories. I'm just at a point now where I know what works. I didn't really ever count macros & it seems to be something the majority of people do on here where as people I know have no idea what that even means (fyi they all are big strong guys also bodybuilders).

When I lost a lot of weight I did become, for a time a calorie counter. I became obsessed but it's something I wouldn't ever do now. This week is a deload so I won't eat as many carbs but Sunday I'll eat a lot ready for a heavy session. 

This article is something you may find help full

http://www.jimwendler.com/page/2/

Listen to your body, not what a site/calorie counter tells you to eat. If you're hungry a lot then training is working, you're responding. If however you had little appetite it would be (more than likely) over training, once you over train  the body releases hormones which kill the appetite but you do sound like an extra meal on lifting days would help. I wouldn't not eat just because it's not time or whatever plan you are following. When I ohp, do 50 pull ups ect I eat like a horse after, same as when I deadlift. So I eat.  I usually have 4-5 meals a day, don't fall into the trap of the "6-8 meals a day" crew find what works for you. I gained a load of size just eating 4-5 times a day.

You can't eat like a mouse & expect to lift like a lion. Guys are for some reason afraid that one night of eating big will mean their skirts won't fit in the morning. I eat strong so I can be strong. If you're looking to get bigger/stronger & gain some weight you just have to accept that you'll gain a bit of fat. Granted you want as much as  possible to be muscle but you are eating more calories than you're burning so just remember that. I don't get what the big deal is with people's precious abs, I see mine as a means to keeping me stable to squat ect. If you are eating quality foods & the focus on training is to be as awesome as possible then it'll just fall into place.

I haven't really tracked the Diablo 3 news as I don't think my laptop will run it on a high setting but I know it's coming out on Xbox so I may have a catch up over the next few days. Atm I'm looking forward to Darksiders

Nice work again, I'd suggest hitting a military press (barbell work) over the dumbbells but if you only have the one oly bar that's going to be hard. Dumbbell pressings assistance work to me, if It's not on a barbell it's not a big lift. Also on the Monday where you do 5 reps if you're feeling good on the last set blast past the 5 reps (always keep a rep or two in the tank) this is a good to dominate the workout (taken from Mr  Wendler)

Welcome to the board! I'm also a lacto ovo veggie & feel damn sight better for it. I tried a vegan diet but it destroyed my stomach (one reason why I stopped eating meat) though it's a vegan site the community here are welcoming & friendly to vegetarians.

As for strength simply you need to eat, eat & eat some

More. I detest macro counting with a passion, unless you're a bodybuilder looking to compete it is pointless. As long as the food you eat is whole, healthy & works for you have at it. I  ve spent countless houra reading into just about every diet going & it came to a point where they all just blend into one. I don't really care if I should eat a banana over an apple, if you eat well 90%-95% of the time, stretch well, lift hard & condition decently shit just falls into place! I'd sooner count sets/reps than if I should have an extra gram of rice.

Strength program's wise stuff like starting strength, strong lifts or 5/3/1 which I run. All the best 

Had a pretty awful nights sleep & I was still a wake watching Frasier (fyi I love that show) at 3:00. Got up at 8:00, ate some oats, had a coffee & got going to the gym as I have a delivery of supp's coming (cookies & cream whey:). I went in with the plan to keep assistance to a minimum & the idea of pairing OHP with deadlifts as recommend in the ebook/on jimwendler.com....The week off I had means now my deload week lines up with my 60hr week (Mon-Wed nights & weekend of days my worst week) so really it has worked out well. Funny how my shift rota is over a four week period as is 5/3/1.

Everything felt good, I always feel deadlifting a light weight (as with squats) can mean forms a little off but I concentrated & got some good work in.

Warm up was decent, I have now a little shoulder routine I run through to get the blood flowing. Only 1.25kg plates in each hand, I shrug five times, then shrug five times followed by five front raises. I do this adding a front raise, Side raise & rear delt fly (never stopping & shrugging between each movement) & finally some rotation stuff. Then I grab my first warm up set, five reps then I stretch & do a set of ten chins. Works well.

Mon-2nd-April Cycle 3 week 4 Deload (3x5 required reps only)

OHP: 20kg 25kg 30kg

Assistance:OHP Boring but big sets at 40% 3x10 20kg (free bar)

Chins 3x10 (2 sets wide 1 set hammers)

Deadlift: 50kg 62.5kg 72.5kg

Assistance:Deadlift Boring but big sets at 40% 3x10 50kg

Hanging leg raises 3x10 (I still stink at these)

Looks like a big workout but it really wasn't, Everything was light & easy. It's something I'll continue to do on deload weeks from now on & will do it either Thurs/Fri this week.

Anyone who follows my blog will see I went with boring but big for my assistance work. I did this to just get use to the extra volume & also I plan to run the ebook temple of bbb not the three month challenge. It's something I really want to run but I shouldn't be using an "extra" method to the 5/3/1 program without first running the ebook template for a couple of cycles. My plan is to work with 50% off my 1RM's for one cycle then on the second maybe have a play with the bbb sets. Like two sets at 60%, two at 50% then 1 at 40%. Shall see but in all decent today, Now off for an afternoon nap before work, PPPPOOOWWWWWW

Jesus watching you skate would be a sight! I'm guessing you have good balance for a guy your size?

Is the axle bar proper coke can thickness?

In all honesty I'm not going to run the bbb challenge....yet. I haven't even ran the bbb template from the ebook & it seems short sighted to jump onto an "extra". Also as Wendler says the average stall out can be round 5-6 cycles, I don't want to be having to re test lifts half way through it. So for now it's going to be the standard template with 50% on the 5x10 set (remember on deload week it's 3x10).

Thanks  for the info on the shoes, Adidas has a store in Birmingham which is only a 40min train ride so I may call them to see if they stock/can get them in for me. The average over here for them is $144 (£90) without shipping if I had to order them.

Had the same debate over Chris Hemsworth's muscle gains for Thor. He had a great based to work off of but in 4-5 months he was freaking huge...I don't care how much liver,Chicken & protein shakes he claims to of eaten, It's just impossible unless your dna was bestowed upon you by actual norse gods!

Thanks for that, they are expensive here so maybe cheaper to ship them in. Where did you order yours from?

These are also a possibility https://www.strengthshop.co.uk/strength-shop-lions-weightlifting-shoes.html

How did you find the fit of those shoes? Did you order your actual size, one above/below? I'm going to have to order from U.S so returning them would be a pain. Thanks

pre workout= yawns all day long again & not much energy...sucks

Some decent mobility work before squats then the usual run through of warm up jazz...

Mon-30th-March Cycle 3 Week 3 (5/3/1)

Squats: 92.5kg 105kg 117.5kg +5 (PR I believe 1RM of 138kg off of that which would mean I have added 10kg to my squat 1RM in 3 cycles)

Assistance:

Good Mornings (programmed assistance 3x5) 52.5kg 60kg 67.5kg

GHR 3x10 Hypers 3x10

Ab circuit of side bends, leg raises, Cable crunch, v-ups.

I think since having to start from the ground up on squats todays session marked a pr on squats.On the fifth rep I did take a while to come back up half way) & I had 1 more rep after I think but it's still pleasing to of pushed out 5 reps on a required rep of 1. All week actually I have hit 5 on every 1 set so that's pretty decent I think. That's me done on another cycle as gaining is concerned, deload next week then it's onto the bbb 3 month challenge...

The only problem with the builtfit prog is the weight it says to add soon adds up & you will hit a wall sooner rather then later. I hurt my back so couldn't squat or deadlift for a while & I used the program to get some strength back quickly. I then went over to 5/3/1 which is amazing.

It's better to start to light than to heavy.

I use to love Diablo 2 on pc, many hours spent on that badboy!!! Mass Effect is pretty sweet tbh! haha pilfer love that word!

Nice workout amigo

I'm about to look at these adidas shoes as right now I squat in my running ones. Theres a good site called strengthshop over here & they have some pretty heavy duty power stuff...I used my mates belt & it was amazing how it supported me. As I suffer sciatica it's something I have to train a round, I go raw as much as possible & only ever "belt up" on my last set of deads (did this the last couple of week) & it does help me out. But even now typing this I'm aware of my back.

Nice work all round again, will be interesting to see (once you nail down a template) the progress. I think your going to make some seriously great gains on this. I ve gone back & fourth over the three month challenge as you never go for reps on any of the working sets, but I know there's even more work to do in reality when that lift has it's 5x10. I have looked a the three cycles with the rise in percentages & month 3 looks disgusting, game on.....

I came to the conclusion this week I don't like incline barbell work either & good mornings. But alas you have to throw them in!

ps I personally prefer you with a laptop haha

That's a pretty sweet dead pr!! Glad to see you're already making gains! I

Followed Wendlers advice, required reps on the 3x5 weeks then push on the 3x3-5/3/1 weeks. Well

Done!!! 

You can't really sub squats, they are what they are. It has to be barbell work, if the gym has no power/squat rack then really you're in trouble. How could you load a heavy weight otherwise? Dumbbell squats are possible but pale in comparison, the next thing I'd suggest is hitting up lunges but again you'll have to really use dumbbells for heavy(ish) work.

Ez bars are for curls & tricep work, it won't be stable on your back.

 For a deadlifting routine, deadlifts are the routine. Your workouts should be based a round bench press (do not sub barbell work with dumbbell if anyones says to do this then they have little intelligence) military press (no leg movement) squats & deaslift. As you're training 3 days a week I'd highly recommend these program's as your after strength, starting strength by Mark Rippetoe or this one over at builtfit http://www.builtfit.com/workouts/strength-and-powerlifting/builtfit-5x5-workout

If you focus on big multi jointed compounds you can cut the crap out people think you need to do a million & one assistances, check out my log (the last few pages) I train for strength/power & have added a lot off mass. There's only 1 Olympic bar?

Look over YouTube for technique videos by Mark Rippetoe, so search Rippetoe squats/ Rippetoe military.

What games you working on? I'm loving mass effect 3's multiplayer

squats are killer but on smith machines they are not...Use a barbell buddy. Otherwise it'll be your back that kills (English slang for painful not sure if you guys use it over there)

If it's power to weight ratio it's not bad but....1)his forms f**king awful 2)it's on machines.

Nothing of note to report before this workout, days off from work this week Mon-Wed. Spent all day playing Mass Effect 3 & doing house work. Back to work today:(

Thurs-29th-March

Bench press: 72.5kg 80kg 90kg+5

Assistance 

Incline press (programmed assistance 3x5) 55kg 62.5kg 72.5kg

Dumbbell rows ( per arm) 3x10 20kg 24kg 30kg

4x10 chins 

Tricep push downs.

Work Felt like an age today, I had been yawning constantly, was hot & stuffy so felt very drained (5:00 alarm call to) so was not holding much hope for a good session. I managed 5 solid reps on the last set (1 required rep) so that was (in the end) pleasing. Assistance felt fine.

haha nail bending that's pretty awesome I may have a look into that!What was it like? Have you ever tired the crushing a piece of paper one handed? Obviously you need to add more paper the stronger you get, not a cost effective way to train grip. ALso the wasted paper!

The hammer curls we're something impressed onto me by the strongmen guys & once I started to do them I could feel the difference in my wrist. I have an airline break down the outside of my left hand (on the top) & switching was a huge help. But as you say VE I do hammers maybe once a week & then it's nothing to shout about, I'd sooner bang another set of pull ups in.

if you want to bulk, just eat man it doesn't need to be a science. JUST EAT!!!

Check my log in the workout blog/pics in this section..I have gone from overweight-to underweight to powerlifting (also gaining muscle/weight)

I used running & fighting as my tool to drop a load of weight. Then I became real skinny so i stopped doing cardio to focus on lifting, I can still run whenever I want..On crossfit, don't do it man crossfitters are usually complete tool bags.

Can't beat filling up a punnet out in the sticks that enough British in one sentence haha