Breakz's Training Log

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

So, as one of the newly motivated individuals fired up by the Physique Clinic, its my turn to post a training log on here and track my progress.

Some stats before starting:
–5’6", 165 lb, unsure about my BF% (I’m guessing its in the 16-18% range, getting tested next week)

–going with muscle growth over cutting for now (don’t have enough muscle on my frame to justify a cut right now, maybe in 12 weeks)

–tried Rippletoe’s for 8 weeks before, as an introduction to compound lifts; saw big gains in 5RMs

–5RM: 155 on bench, 175 on squat (and rising), and 125 on deadlift (and rising)

A note on my deadlift 5RM: I had a form problem during the first part of my Rippletoe’s training. Now that my form is fixed, I’m slamming weight onto it without a problem. In summary: deadlift 5RM is misleading. That number could exceed 200, for all I know.

Anyway, some background: I “lifted” throughout my first two years of college. When I dropped out (for a short time), I shifted to boxing. That left me at a skinny-fat 150ish. Put that weight back on during the last two years of college, leaving me at 160ish. I used Rippletoe’s as a PROPER introduction to working out, after years of “3 sets, 10 reps, eat like a pig.”

I’m going to be using a program I built under Thibs’ “Damn Good Program” article. I saw some modest gains while using it before my Rippletoe period, and I’ll stick to it unless I get a better suggestion. My target caloric intake, after consulting with my physical trainer buddy: 2800 off-day, 3200 workout day. I’m working on adhering to Berardi’s 7 Habits before worrying about macro breakdown.

Splits:

Day 1: Chest/Triceps
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Back/Biceps
Day 5: Front & Side Delts/Rear Delts
Day 6: Off
Day 7: Off

It’ll either be this or the Antagonistic split he recommends.

I’ll be using compound lifts as my opening lifts for each day, supersetted with other “primary” exercises outlined in the article. For example, Day 1 opens with flat barbell bench supersetted with close-grip flat bench. This will give way to the article’s secondary and auxiliary exercises.

For all purposes, I’m treating this as a workout journal. I’ll definitely appreciate any and all feedback, since I’m still new to this serious lifting.

Motivation? I equate working out to playing Super Mario Bros, and I’m going for the high score now. That and better sex.

Thanks in advance, all.

2

All right, I’ve been at it since Wednesday. I’ll post those splits when I get my notebook out of my car. Here we go.

DAY 4: Back/Biceps (12/16/07)

A1. Barbell Bent-over Row
Warm-Ups: 10xbar
10x95, 8x100, 6x100, 4x115

A2. Standing Curl
Warm-Ups: 10xbar
10x45, 8x50, 6x50, 4x55

B1. Seated Cable Row
Warm-Ups: 10x60
8x100, 6x110, 4x110, 10x100

B2. Hammer Curl
Warm-Ups: 10x10
8x20, 6x25, 3x30, 10x20

C1. Lever Lat Pulldown
Warm-Ups: 10x75
8x100, 6x112.5, 4x125, 20x100

C2. Machine Curl
Warm-Ups: 10x50
8x50, 6x60, 3x60, 8x50

Forearms took a beating today; that and a lot of people using my weak DBs led to some messed up splits for B2 and C2.

I also think Superset A is a bit much for my forearms. Or I can just man up and do it.

Diet was sporadic today, since I spent the day at the movies (No Country For Old Men and I Am Legend, both great flicks). Half a Surge preWO, full Surge postWO, but the movie theater left me out of carb sources. Took some food to make up for it, but I went 3.5 hours without eating at one point. Not a good way to eat post.

Calorie count to come.

3

Okay, so I’m a few days late for this. Here are splits for Days 1, 2, and 4.

DAY 1: CHEST/TRICEPS (12/12/07)

A1. Decline Bench Press
Warm-Up: 10xbar; 10x140, 8x145, 6x150, 4x155

A2. Close-Grip Bench Press
Warm-Up: 10xbar; 10x65, 8x70, 6x75, 4x80

B1. Cable Crossover
Warm-Up: 10x20; 8x40, 6x50, 4x50, 10x40

B2. Overhead DB Extension
Warm-Up: 10x20; 8x30, 6x35, 4x35, 10x25

These rep structures are weird for me, by the way. I might switch back to something more focused on hypertrophy (8, 10, 10, 12, maybe). Can someone explain the physiological impact of increasing volume in a set over time? I’m an easy gainer, mind you, so maybe the extra work could improve body composition?

Oh, right. The last superset:

C1. Lying DB Fly (on flat bench)
Warm-Up: 8x8; 8x20, 6x25, 4x25, 20x10

C2. Triceps Cable Extension
Warm-Up: 10x20; 8x40, 6x50, 4x50, 20x30

So that’s that. I’ll post Day 2 and Day 3 splits later on, before tomorrow (Wednesday). A1 will be changing to flat bench for tomorrow.

PS On a diet note, I’ve been eating carbs at the wrong times during the day (lunch, post-post-WO meals, and non-workout dinners). As a result, I’ve started getting bigger around the waist. I’ll be working to bulk now while increasing carb intake ONLY during recovery periods (or morning meals).

PPS It also doesn’t help that I drink Surge like a madman (half a serving pre, full serving post). I’m changing it to a half serving each, and I’ll be breaking my carb intake into smaller intervals post-WO.

4

DAY 2: LEGS (12/13/07)…

will be skipped. I’m not posting splits because it was a horrible workout. I did it, but it took too long and I was sick for it.

I’ll post them this week. Onto Sunday’s delt workout:

DAY 5: DELTS (12/16/07)

A1. Standing Military Press
Warm-Up: 10x45, 10x45
10x65, 8x70, 6x70

A2. Rear Delt Row
Warm-Up: 10x45, 10x45
10x65, 8x75, 8x80

B1. Upright Row
Warm-Up: 10x45
10x50, 8x55, 6x60

B2. Machine Rear Delt Raise
Warm-Up: 10x60
10x90, 8x90, 6x105

C1. Arnold Press
Warm-Up: 10x10
10x20, 8x25, 6x30

C2. Rear Lat Raise (seated, bent at hips)
Warm-Up: 7x10
10x10, 8x10, 6x12.5

D1. Machine Military Press
Warm-Up: 10x50
10x60, 8x70, 6x70

D2. Machine Rear Delt Row
Warm-Up: 10x50
10x75, 8x87.5, 6x100

This was the best workout I’ve had under this program so far. Switching to the 10/8/6 split worked out well for shoulder work, but I might change it to 12/10/8 to focus on hypertrophy.

Thoughts?

5

So I’ll be posting yesterday’s Chest/Triceps workout a little later. Today’s a leg day.

Anyway, I gain weight easily. Very easily. During this bulk, my waist size has increased (pants that fit me baggy fit me well now) while I’ve gotten bigger.

I’ve found that this happened as I started drinking more and more milk. I didn’t understand until I read the label: a 12oz glass of lowfat milk (what I was opening my day up with) contains a good 20g of sugar!

I’m hitting cardio again, and yesterday I did one round of the Tabatha (sp?) method. How does this sound to everyone, considering goals? Is it counterproductive, and should I save the cardio for cutting in a few months?

6

No, I haven’t vanished. I spent the last week fine-tuning my routine and decided against posting my results. Last week was less about gaining and more about fine tuning anyway.

I had a hard time adapting to the routine’s volume, so I lowered it for the time being so I could build up endurance and get used to going all out again (haven’t lifted for hypertrophy/endurance in about 6-8 months).

Right then! On we go:

CHEST/TRICEPS - 12/26/07

A1. Bench Press
8x155, 8x145, 7x135
A2. Close-Grip Bench Press
8x75, 10x75, 12x75

B1. Cable Crossover
8x50, 10x40, 10x40
B2. Overhead DB Extension
8x35, 10x35, 12x35

C1. Machine Bench Press
8x50, 10x50, 12x50
C2. Cable Triceps Extension
8x85, 10x100, 12x100

Yesterday’s leg workout comes later.

7

Make more specific goals, such as “Gain 5 pounds of lean body mass.”

Tabata protocol is counter-productive if you’re bulking.

Ramping weight up is for strength training. Fully exhaust your muscles - ramp down, not up. Think intensity. Nevermind this if you’re figuring out your RMs.

Track calories and post counts.

Deadlift more.

Say Hi to Regi for me.

8

Will do, man. Although I’ve been terrible about tracking calories since I eat out for lunch. Suggestions on that? As for ramping up in weight…that’s a feeling-out problem. I just wasn’t stressing my body enough on the first set, so I upped the weight.

Hell, it’s an improvement from before, where I’d let low initial weight dictate my sets’ resistances.

LEGS - 12/27/07

I still want to get both squats AND deadlifts in, but I really don’t think that’s feasible (two primary, compound lifts that stress the lower back). I might rotate one for the other after a few weeks…thoughts?

  • = Warm Ups

A. Squat
*5xbar, *5xbar, *5x95, 8x155, 10x155, 12x155

B1. Leg Extension
*10x40, 8x60, 10x60, 12x60
B2. Leg Curl
*10x40, 8x80, 10x80, 12x70

C. Deadlift
*10xbar, *10xbar, 8x95, 10x105, 8x105

Notes:
1.) Check form on deadlift. I’m getting some pain in my hips, and I feel like I’m incorporating my back into it too much.
2.) Sore back from Wednesday’s chest workout. That means my bench form and my recovery are shit. Both need work.

Feeling good about my regimen now, but I’m still unhappy with my out-of-gym behavior (caloric intake, recovery). An early New Year’s resolution might be in order.

9

Get better at estimating calories from foods by constantly looking at the nutrition facts you have access to.

As for squats and deadlifts - decrease the volume. And do less DLs than squats. DLs are more mechanically complex, so the learning curve is steeper and you can still see great gains with less volume. Further, to get more focus on the entire thigh muscle, research and start doing conventional squats.

Enjoy.

10

Yesterday, Sunday, was a disaster.

I got caught up in “empty time” stuff yesterday (football on TV, video games, etc.) and missed my window for a shoulders workout.

Then I went and ate no more than 2000 calories, and got about one hour of sleep. I’m not kidding.

So, addendums to my goals (originally just “gain 5 pounds of lean muscle before cutting down,” in addition to whatever fat gains must take place):

1.) For at least the next two weeks, focus will shift to RECOVERY and DIET.

2.) No less than 7 hours of sleep every night…ideally, 8.5 hours is best (in my experience).

3.) BMR calculations put me at approximately 3200 calories to grow. That’s my workout day total, and I’ll scale it back to about 2800 on off days.
3a.) Adhere to Berardi’s 7 Habits. Strictly.

4.) Man up in general. Ignore toxic comments about “getting fat” or “you’re getting a bit chunky.” Its part of the process. I won’t get an immediate six pack from this (although people have already told me I look bigger in my upper body).

Lets see how this goes.

11

Okay, I’ve got a back/biceps workout to post. That came on Saturday, but I skipped delts on Sunday.

So today, I got my pump on doubly so.

CHEST/TRI - 1/3/08

*=Warm-Ups

A1. Bench Press
*10x45, *10x45, 8x135, 10x135, 10x125
A2. Close-Grip Bench Press
*10x45, *10x45, 8x80, 10x80, 12x80

B1. Cable Crossover
*10x30, 8x50, 10x40, 12x40
B2. DB Triceps Extension
*10x20, 8x40, 10x40, 15x35

C1. Machine Bench Press
*10x30, 8x50, 10x50, 12x50
C2. Triceps Pulldown
*10x40, 8x80, 10x100, 12x90

Bench press numbers dropped since I started changing my bench form with the goal of isolating pecs. I definitely liked the feeling (as opposed to fatigued back/shoulders), and felt like my pecs were hit well.

Triceps pulldown were all over the place in weight since I jumped from the rope to the bar.

Calories for the day are at 2900 (I estimated my lunch, a large tuna sandwich, at 800). I’m looking at a scoop of MD and a cup of cottage cheese (210 kcal) before bed, putting me at 3110 for the day.

Food sin of the day: white bread with that lunch tuna sandwich. I’ll be cutting that crap now, so I can clean bulk for the next 6 weeks.