Jake's Road to Bodybuilding

Training Training Logs
181

Shoulders & Traps (kg/lb)

Seated DB Military
28/62s x 8 - 30/66s x 8 - 32/70.4s x 4

Seated DB Laterals
14/31s x 10 - 16/35s x 10 - 18/40s x 6.5

DB Front Raise
18/40s x 10 - 20/44s x 7 - straps - 22/48s x 8 PR

Machine Laterals
42.5/94 x 12 - 52.5/116 x 7 PR drop x some

DB Rev. Flyes (standing)
8/18s x 25, 14, 12

BB Deadstop Shrug
120/264 x 8 - 130/286 x 8 - 140/308 x 8 PR - 150/330 x 5.5 PR

DB Shrug w/3 second hold
40/88s x 10 (set #1 pr) - 40/88s x 6 - no hold - 50/110 x 20 pr

Yet again, traps went pretty well… Shoulders didn’t go great. Military DB stalls like hell when your set-up for it sucks balls and makes you look like a beginner. Frustrating me. Also, C_C once wrote: some lateral machines are useless, some are amazing. My one at this gym is definitely utter shit. Leaning away db lateral or cable lateral will replace that next week

182

Shoulders & Traps (kg/lb)

Seated DB Military
28/62s x 8 - 30/66s x 8 - 32/70.4s x 4

Seated DB Laterals
14/31s x 10 - 16/35s x 10 - 18/40s x 6.5

DB Front Raise
18/40s x 10 - 20/44s x 7 - straps - 22/48s x 8 PR

Machine Laterals
42.5/94 x 12 - 52.5/116 x 7 PR drop x some

DB Rev. Flyes (standing)
8/18s x 25, 14, 12

BB Deadstop Shrug
120/264 x 8 - 130/286 x 8 - 140/308 x 8 PR - 150/330 x 5.5 PR

DB Shrug w/3 second hold
40/88s x 10 (set #1 pr) - 40/88s x 6 - no hold - 50/110 x 20 pr

Yet again, traps went pretty well… Shoulders didn’t go great. Military DB stalls like hell when your set-up for it sucks balls and makes you look like a beginner. Frustrating me. Also, C_C once wrote: some lateral machines are useless, some are amazing. My one at this gym is definitely utter shit. Leaning away db lateral or cable lateral will replace that next week

183

I found push presses pretty effective for bringing my military up when it was stalling over the summer. Keep the leg drive reasonably conservative with them and it definitely gets your shoulders used to heavier weights.

Out of curiosity, why no barbell military pressing? Have you found the dumbbells to be better for delt hypertrophy or something?

184

@phlegms: Push pressing is something I enjoy for sure, but I’m just not sure how effective I think it is for shoulder building. My shoulder routine is based around what works for the majority of guys with strong/big delts… and the military db choice is based on that too. If I’m honest I dislike the DB militaries a lot because of the horrible set up… but I would only want to replace it with seated BB militaries or smith militaries… both of which I would guess are as good for delt hypotrophy and I am considering if my DB luck doesn’t change…

Triceps & Biceps (kg/lb)

CGBP
72.5/160 x 8 - 80/176 x 8 - wrist wraps - 90/198 x 6 PR.

For my final set I had my hands 1" further out accidently (perhaps because I’m not used to using this weight unless its on standard bench)… so fingers were barely touching the smooth where normally 2 fingers are normally on smooth. Didn’t feel as good as my standard grip but I tried keeping elbows reasonably tucked and not making it a chest lift. Next week normal grip and hopefully same/more reps.

Cross-body Hammer Curls
18/40s x 8 - 20/44s x 8 PR - 22/48s x 8 PR (no grip issues this week) - 24/53s x 5/6 PR (can’t actually remember… was very “in” the set)

Dips (slightly angled torso now- better on shoulders & progression should be consistant again)
BW x 8 - +10/22 x 8 - +20/44 x 5.8 (almost locked out) PR

Preacher Curls (ez bar, close grip)
Bar + 20/44 x 10 - +20/44 x 8 - +20/44 x 6 - These still hurt my forearms so may swap back to DB variation…

EZ-Skullcrusher (pjr? Style using stretch/lower then bench)
Bar + 22.5/50 x 10 - +27.5/61 x 10 - +32.5/72 x 6 PR

Alt. DB Curl
16/35s x 10 - 18/40s x 6

DB Hammer Curl
18/40s x 10 - 20/44s x 7 PR

DC Bicep stretch x 80+ seconds (owwwww)

OH Tricep extensions (slanted bar)
20/44 x 12 (set #1 pr) - 25/55 x 12 - 30/66 x 12 PR = 35/77 x 4 PR (lol)

Reverse/medial Extensions (straight bar)
15/33 x 12 - 20/44 x 10 pumpz

DC Tri Stretch (db skulls)
14/31s x 60~ seconds

Excellent arm session today, decent working weights and great pump, especially in bis (much easier to get for me then tri pump… had it after just 2 sets of cross-body hammers.)

Liked adding high reps/volume for tri’s though… seems to feel good.

185

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
Dips (slightly angled torso now- better on shoulders & progression should be consistant again)

EZ-Skullcrusher (pjr? Style using stretch/lower then bench)
[/quote]

these are two of my favorite Tri exercises. You ever try the PJR style skullcrushers on an incline bench? I like them more.

186

@gregron: Damn! The man w/ the sweet total/singlet/stache himself in my log! Those two feel great to me and it’s strangely satisfiying to have certain exercises you can always rely on to deliver the results you want. Incline PJRs is something I want to try for sure! When I next stagnate on my flat pjrs I will most likely try them. Are they done in basically the same way?

Hamstring/Deadlift & calves day (kg/lb)

Deadlift (mixed grip, stapless)
150/330 x 6 - 170/374 x 6 - 190/418 x 2

SLDL/Romanian deads
125/275 x 5ish… called it on these today, they weren’t feeling great

SLDL (w/ 10kg plates for stretch/huge rom)
100/220 x 10 PR - 110/242 x 10 PR - 120/264 x 5 PR (prs all round because I normally do 3 heavy sets of romanian style AND it’s only my second week doing them this way)

Seated Leg Curl
52.5/116 x 12 - 57.5/131 x 12 - 62.5/138 x 12 - 67.5 x 5/6 recent PR - drop x some

Plate-loaded Calf Raise Machine (2+ second neg. & 2 second pause & double popped)
1pps x 10 - 1pps +10/22 x 10 - 2pps x 8 PR - drop - 1pps x 10 held contraction

Seated DB Calf Raise (using box in front of bench)
50/110s x 10 - 50/110s x 12 - 50/110s x 15 PR

Good hamstring pump today despite deads not feeling amazing and romanians feeling really bad. The SLDL with extreme stretch really hit them nice and hard. I always feel like I could do a little more volume wise on my quad day and hamstring day is no different… calves too… just got to factor more in whilst making sure I’m actually progressing on some of the most important exercises for the muscle group.

187

Still see some great work going on in here brotha! Keep it up…were both getting that 315 soon!

188

Jelly of the deads man, keep killing it! Hows the weight gain been going?

189

@pbclax1: thanks man… Re the 315, presume you mean front squat? I’m not sure if I’m still in with a fight there as I’ve hit a wall with them somewhat and am highly considering going back to back squat as priority strength movement… It is still a goal to hit that for one relatively soon though for sure

@phlegms: thanks- re the weight gain… I’ve being trying not to step on the scale every day… Especially as its mechanical/old and probably varies very slightly each time anyway… I know I’m at least 198 morning weight though… I will most likely check on saturday morning… Be nice if I’ve hit the big 200!

Chest Day (kg/lb)

Incline Bench
70/154 x 8 - 75/165 x 8 - 80/176 x 6 - 85/187 x 3 - 90/198 x 1 PR (easyish pr though, have more in me)

Flat DB Press
34/75s x 10 (set #1 PR) - 36/79s x 6 (set #2 PR) - 38/84s x 4

Low-incline DB Flyes
24/53s x 10 - 26/57s x 7 - 26/57s x 8

Cable Flyes/MMs
7.5/17 x 12 - 10/22 x 11 (set #2 PR) 12.5/28 x 5

DC Power Fly stretch
18/40s x 30~ seconds

One arm OH DB ext. (Standing)
6/13s x 12 - 10/22s x 12 - 12/26s x 8 - 12/26s x 8 - 12/26s x 9 (liked these)

Knee Raises (lower abs)
12, 12, 12, 14

Cable crunches (w/rope)
30/66 x 8 - 30/66 x 7 - 30/66 x 4 - 20/44 x 12

Game over. Good workout, amazing pump… By far best I’ve ever looked in mirror after workout. Chest, delts, bis, tris and traps have all come up visually…

190

1600×1200 403 KB

Just thought I’d throw this in here. What I eat (usually all in 4hrs following training) every day:

400-440g chicken breast (2 portion controlled fillets)
170-200g of rice
4 organic free-range eggs
2 handfuls sliced mushroom
2 hansfuls sliced mixed peppers
2tsp chopped chilli
2tsp chopped garlic
2tsp evvo
Pre-mix seasoning (eg. 5 spice, steahouse pepper, peri-peri)

Easy stuff- fry the chicken in tsp of evvo till cooked, add seasoning if your an exciting person, add the chilli and garlic and fry up for awhile, add mushrooms and peppers until somewhat shrunken/cooked adding more evvo if needed, throw in the rice you’ve boiled and dried ready an shortly after throw in the eggs you’ve scramled and cook until the mixture is no longer gooey. Throw a little light soy sauce on there to blend it all together then serve with franks hot sauce ready to go. Awesome.

Cal breakdown is something like :
1600 cals
135g protein
160g carbs
15g= fats

I split it over 2 meals unless I don’t get to eat till late, then I go at in one

191

Franks red hot is the sauce of Gods! That looks awesome, I really need to get on the food prep train. Most of my meals at uni consist of chicken breasts with some Franks’ and a wholewheat bagel with natty PB. Sounds good at first, but having it a couple of times a day every day can get somewhat boring!

192

@phlegms: chicken and PB is obviously fine (though preferably MP 0sugar/added fat brand… sure you know who I’m talking about)… bagels not so much but still not the worse diet around! My carbs are literally: loads of rice, a little rye/3grain bread with breakfast, occasionally MP mixable oats (with protein shakes) and dextrose peri-workout. You could say <5% of my budget goes on carbs then… all cheap besides the bread which is reasonable from certain places (Aldi, 75p p/loaf)

Anyway…

Back Day (kg/lb)

Pull-ups
BW x 8 - +10/22 - +20/44 x 4 (I seem to hit the same rep number on my first exercise last set… ALOT… not for lack of effort…)

Lat Pulldown
Wide-grip - 65/143 x 10 - 75/165 x 10 (set #2 PR)- 85/187 x 6 PR

Rack Pull (~1/2" above knee)
220/484 x 6 (set #1 PR) - 240/550 x 6 (set #2/mid-set PR) - 260/572 x 6 PR - 280/616 x 3 PR
^ Pretty damn happy with these. Last rep with 280kg was one of the toughest of my life despite the ROM… my CNS/body was so shot after these… we’ll see how much longer I can keep up this sort of progress though… would be very satisifying to throw 300kg/660lbs on the bar! 7 plates over here in England… and I tripled 6 and a half… doable…

Seated Cable Row (didn’t fancy Yates row after above!)
35/77 x 10 - 50/110 x 10 - 60/132 x 6 (most likely a PR… haven’t done these since I was much weaker)

DB Deadstop Rows (widowmaker/20-rep attempt)
50/110 x 14 rep PR

DB Pullover (widowmaker/20-rep attempt)
30/66 x 13 rep PR

Hanging from bar with wide grip lat stretch x 30~ secs

DB Hammer (hi-rep for pump)
14/31s x 15 - 16/35s x 9 - dropset - 12/26s x 12

Game over. Definitely one of my best back workouts ever. I luv training.

Keeping reasonably on top of life + not being stressed = better training… fo’ sho’

193

If youve hit a wall with the FS, try changing up the sets/reps/volume/paused ones/etc

194

Shoulders & Traps (kg/lb)

Seated DB Military
28/62s x 8 - 30/66s x 8 - 32/70.4s x 5 (boring… slow progress on these)

Seated DB Laterals
16/35s x 10 (set #1 PR) - 16/35s x 11 (set 2 rep pr) - 18/40s x 7 minor pr

DB Front Raise
18/40s x 10 - 20/44s x 10 (set #2 PR) - straps - 22/48s x 5

Cable Laterals (per side)
3.75/8 x 12 - 5/11 x 6 - 3.75/8 x 15… can’t use much on these then… felt decent thoguh

DB Rev. Flyes (standing)
8/18s x 25, 19, 16 (volume pr/last 2 sets pr)

BB Deadstop Shrug
130/286 x 10 (set 1 PR) - 140/308 x 10 (set 2 PR) - 150/330 x 8 PR

DB Shrug w/3 second hold
40/88s x 10 - 42/92s x 7 (PR) - no hold - 50/110 x 14

Didn’t think it was the best of sessions but seems to be some PRs there… just tired of the military db progress… probably switching to smith military or barbell military if I want to be “that guy” who drags a DB bench over to the racks…

195

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
@phlegms: chicken and PB is obviously fine (though preferably MP 0sugar/added fat brand… sure you know who I’m talking about)… bagels not so much but still not the worse diet around! My carbs are literally: loads of rice, a little rye/3grain bread with breakfast, occasionally MP mixable oats (with protein shakes) and dextrose peri-workout. You could say <5% of my budget goes on carbs then… all cheap besides the bread which is reasonable from certain places (Aldi, 75p p/loaf)

[/quote]

Yeah thats the natty PB I get. Its really good value, 5 quid for a kilo of the stuff! I literally have 6 tubs of the stuff in my cupboard stockpiled :stuck_out_tongue:

196

@pbclax1: I tried to change things up for todays quad-based leg day and it worked pretty well:

Quads & calves (kg/lb)

Squats
110/242 x 6 - 120/264 x 6 - 130/286 x 6 - 140/308 x 3 - 150/330 x 1 PR

Front Squats
80/176 x 3 - 90/198 x 3 - 100/220 x 3 - 110/242 x 2 PR - 117.5/259 x 1 PR

Leg Press
6pps x 8 - 7pps x 8 - 8pps x 3 - 5pps x 20 rep PR
(No weight pr but definitely not gone this heavy after 2 squat variations before)

Leg Extension
72.5/160 x 10 - 77.5/171 x 8

Plate-loaded Calf w/2+sec neg & 2+sec pause
1pps x 12 - 1pps + 10/22 x 11 (set pr) - 2pps x 8 (not amazing but still best volume yet on this exercise)

DB Seated Calf Raise
50/110s x 12 - 50/110s x 11

Knee Raises
12, 12, 12, 12

Cable Crunch
30/66 x 10 pr, 7, 5 (volume pr) - 20/44 x 12

Morning session- no breakfast, just shakes… Felt good. Happy with the back squats considering I’ve been trying to focus on fronts for awhile… Think I’m going to give this setup a run for awhile… Sets of 6 for backs then 3 for fronts… Means I seem to be able to use decent weight on both movements then add volume after with the leg press and as many leg extension sets as needed.

Good times were had. Also: amusingly I only just hit over 1000lb raw total on actual performanced lifts. 105kg/231lb bench, 150kg/330lb squat and 200kg/440lb deadlift = 1001. I venture to guess I could get at least 110kg bench, 160kg squat and 210kg deadlift with a proper 1RM test/attempt… these were all after normal work sets. Next strength goal = a hell of a lot higher in everything… 180kg squat, 220kg deadlift, 120kg bench… probably some rough goals for now

197

Triceps & Biceps (kg/lb)

CGBP
72.5/160 x 8 - 80/176 x 8 - 90/198 x 6 (+1 forced w/spotter) PR… last time my hands were further out now normal CG position. 100/220 x 2 PR (+1 forced/spot)

Cross-body Hammer Curls
20/44s x 8 - 22/48s x 8 - 24/53s x 8 PR (form not the best but no swinging)

Dips
BW x 8 - +10/22 x 8 - +20/44 x 2… that 100kg set on cgbp took it out of me

Preacher Curls (ez bar, close grip)
Bar + 20/44 x 10 - +22.5/50 x 8 - +22.5/50 x 8

EZ-bar french press (turned around on preacher bench)
Bar + 20/44 x 12 - +22.5/50 x 10 - +22.5/50 x 7 maybe

Alt. DB Curl
16/35s x 10 - 18/40s x 7/8 PR (memory…)

DB Hammer Curl
18/40s x 10 - 20/44s x 9 PR - 22/48s x 5 PR

DC Bicep stretch x some

OH Tricep extensions (rope)
20/44 x 12 - 25/55 x 12 - 30/66 x 9 maybe…

Reverse/medial Extensions (straight bar)
15/33 x 12 - 20/44 x 10 - drop - 15/33 x 5

DC Tri Stretch
14/31s x some (standing db)

Probably be editing some of the reps as I can’t really remember it all and I’ve left my log book upstairs (still not got internet installed in my new flat…) im stealing unis wireless to update this. Anyway… pretty happy with a double at 100kg/220lb for cgbp considering 105kg was my previous “after-set max” for standard bench… seems incline bench + cgbp + dips = good for bench strength still…

198

Sick back squat, sick front squat, sick deadlift, sick benching… Big things happening in here, your strength is definitely on the way up. Great progress mate!

199

Nice PRs dude! Great lifting.

200

Good shit brother, your numbers just keeping creeping right on up! Keeping hammering those cross-body hammers/pinwheels, those are money ass exercises. Don’t be afraid to put some English behind 'em too, it looks like you’ve got a good amount of bicep isolation work so you might as well get a little sloppy with some monster weights!

Keep up the good work bronameth.