Pull-ups
Neutral grip - BW x 8 - +15/33 x 6 - wide grip - +30/66 x 2 - drop to medium grip x 1 - BW x 13-14
^ I don’t like neutral grip, not sure why… it might be too close on this rack (handles about 5 inches apart)
One-arm Barbell Row (1p = 10kg plate)
5p x 8 - 5p x 7 - 5p x 5 Volume PR for weight < Form was a little off on these today, work needed
Meadows Rows (1p = 10kg plate)
2p x 10 - 2.5p x 10 PR - 3p x 10 PR - 3.5p x 5 (+3 extra on left side) PR < Felt frickin’ awesome today, as the PRs suggest… definitely a keeper. The “stretch” isn’t so intense because of my build on these but the contraction is insane and pretty much every other movement I do on back day has a huge stretch.
Seated Cable Row (allowing full stretching out of lats)
40/88 x 10 - 50/110 x 8 Sequencing Technique PR
Stretchers
50/110 x 12 - 60/132 x 9 PR < LOVE stretchers… perhaps my favourite back movement!?
DB Pullovers (to forehead)
40/88 x 12 Sequencing PR - drop - 20/44 x 10 - drop - 8/18 x 8 < also nominated for favourite back movement.
Awesome session. Best I’ve ever looked in the mirror in the gym, best back pump I’ve ever had in the changing rooms after. Really can’t complain.
Enjoying the gains and PRs man. Even the cheap ones! (especially those? lol) Also we need more pics up in hurr with you constantly proclaiming your sessi swoleness!
[quote]Jab1 wrote:
Shoulder prussing progresses SO SLOWLY.
Enjoying the gains and PRs man. Even the cheap ones! (especially those? lol) Also we need more pics up in hurr with you constantly proclaiming your sessi swoleness![/quote]
I take every type of PR I can get! When you use the same exercise/sequencing session to session it’s great for trying to beat your best on every single exercise. Of course it doesn’t always work out but in the long run the progression difference is pretty legit compared to too much “switching it up”.
I will have to take some updated pictures soon, I’m still almost as lean as I was but not quite as tight due to drinking a little more then usual over the past few weeks, still, I imagine I’ll see some good progress. MD style training is treating me well for the upper body to say the least.
[quote]phlegms wrote:
Smells like gains up in hurrr bro! [/quote]
Bro I’m making all kindsa gains. Got my creatine onnn and my protein powder onnn. Thinking of trying some of those there back snaps, feel like I’ll see real good muscle mayn.
@bug: Will try to take some later just for you bro <3. Had a look in the mirror and I’m in the awkward stage of being way too water logged from peri-workout drinks combined with having lost nearly all my pump from my session, yet still being too close to the session to flex my guns/bring definition out well.
Here’s what I did:
Arms
Cross-body Hammers (strict/tri flex at bottom)
18/40s x 10 - 20/44s x 10 PR - 22/49s x 6-7 PR + 2 extra for that smaller left arm. volume PR
EZ-Bar Spider Curls
Bar + 20/44 x 8 - +22.5/50 x 6 PR - +20/44 x 5 volume PR
Oly Bar Curls w/3 sec. ecc.
40/88 x 8 - 42.5/94 x 5 PR - 40/88 x 5 volume PR
Fixed-bar Reverse Curl
30/66 x 13 - drop to drag curl - 30/66 x 7 PRs
Rope Pushdowns (rope pulled apart/tris flexed)
25/55 x 12 - 25/55 x 12 - 30/66 x 12 PR - 30/66 x 9 (+3 reps hands together) volume PR
Bench Dips
+40/88 x 8 - +60/132 x 8 - +60/132 x 6
Incline EZ-Bar Extensions (15 deg. incline)
Bar +20/44 x 15 - +22.5/50 x 15 - +25/55 x 12 PR
Meadows Kickback
5/13s x 15 - LR - 8/18s x 12 PR - drop to reverse hand position - +5 reps.
PRs for cross-body/oly bar curls are for strict form/3 second eccentric&sequencing rather then my loose-mode-versionz where I’ve gone to 70s and 135~ respectively. Needless to say I’ll be sticking to this form for awhile.
Another awesome arm session. With a pump, my arms are finally not embarrassingly small looking… only taken 4 years or so…
[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
What are you cals/macros looking like? Also in for da pics[/quote]
Calories, 3000-4000 per day. Macros are high protein, moderate fats and carbs (well, ~350-400g on training days). Basically Mountain Dog Diet foods make up the majority of my calories: organic eggs, grass fed beef, evvo, coconut oil but I’m big on my brown rice too (basically my only two carbs are dextrose and brown rice most of the time)
Carb/calorie cycling extends only to not drinking my peri-workout shakes on my 2 off days (1000 calorie shakes, 100g protein, 160g carb)
I’m not trying like mad to push the weight gain, back up to 192.5lb this morning from the low of 187lb… that’s a pound a week or so and my only real change is quitting work (which was 3600 calories of cardio a week)… I’m seeing how high I get without having to eat much more since my waist is staying down near 32" and when I started this log I was 194 with a 34" waist (pretty big body comp difference, more muscle, less fat). May have to push the calories again soon, we’ll see.
My main improvements have been in shoulder width/delt region, arms and to an extent chest, if my left pec looked like my right I might actually have some aesthetics…
Decided my back thickness sucks, my width is fine but I just need many, many more pounds of muscle back there. My backs much stronger then my pressing muscles, so I might have to start trying these “1.5” reps and movements to deliberately emphasise “thickness”… it may just be a case of having to get a lot heavier, though.
Would prefer to be a little leaner… but my waist is still 32.25" in the morning…
My main improvements have been in shoulder width/delt region, arms and to an extent chest, if my left pec looked like my right I might actually have some aesthetics…
Decided my back thickness sucks, my width is fine but I just need many, many more pounds of muscle back there. My backs much stronger then my pressing muscles, so I might have to start trying these “1.5” reps and movements to deliberately emphasise “thickness”… it may just be a case of having to get a lot heavier, though.
Would prefer to be a little leaner… but my waist is still 32.25" in the morning… [/quote]
Looking solid in those pics man. Delts are def looking good.
When you say “get a lot heavier,” are you speaking in terms of BW or weights used on back exercises? If it’s the latter, I’d actually recommend against it. From what I’ve seen, recruitment is usually more of a problem than loading for those with an underdeveloped midback. The 1.5 reps should be great, and I’d also recommend super-slow band pull aparts (been loving these lately).
My main improvements have been in shoulder width/delt region, arms and to an extent chest, if my left pec looked like my right I might actually have some aesthetics…
Decided my back thickness sucks, my width is fine but I just need many, many more pounds of muscle back there. My backs much stronger then my pressing muscles, so I might have to start trying these “1.5” reps and movements to deliberately emphasise “thickness”… it may just be a case of having to get a lot heavier, though.
Would prefer to be a little leaner… but my waist is still 32.25" in the morning… [/quote]
Nice pics man. You’re seriously putting on some mass. I think we all always want to be a bit leaner, but I think if you got a tan you’d be content. lol
Keep it up man. By this time next year you’ll be pretty damn impressive IMO
Dude, looking good. I’m actually mirin’ your chesticles as well, once you get your bench numbers up to the 3 plate range I think they’ll be pretty stand-out.
Speaking of bench numbers, my mum just hit a pretty big bench PR today so I hope you’re not letting her catch up.
Seriously though, looking good man, I can tell you lift.
Bug/Ryan/Jab: Since your in, got you pics of them all kindsa kinds.
@bigmac: Really appreciated, your physique pretty much defines “solid” looking w/ good delts, so means a lot, I’ll be working towards you haha. I definitely mean gain bodyweight, I’ve done the whole 300+lb for reps “barbell rows” before and whilst I’m sure they sparked a bit of growth… I think my back will require a lot more careful destruction. I’ll be keeping up the work for sure, will look into the 1.5 reps and pull aparts too. Thanks.
@spidey: Thanks a lot! In certain shots the difference is a little hard to observe but just in general how big/thick/wide I look especially in the gym… it’s a noticeable/I’ve had friends comment… I think the front relaxed shows some of the width improvements I’ve felt have taken place. Your so right on the tan… looking forward to trying to get the tan PRs in Ibiza. I’m going to be giving it my all to look as good as I can in 12 months time.
@jab: Thanks again! I’m definitely not the guy who gets big pecs automagically from benching, but no doubt getting closer to the 3 plate range is a part of my goals right now! Now I’m training my chest in a way which actually hits it hard, I think I have decent genetics for a good chest, assuming my left side can catch up somewhat to the right. Tell her to bring it on, haha, my healthy shoulders are going to guide me to a not-sucky bench eventually! “I can tell you lift” is actually a pretty big compliment when someones not in the gym with a pump, so I appreciate it too.
Looking pretty damn thick man. Do you do any other measuremnts other than waist. That is a pretty dman thin waist consider yourself lucky there. really putting on a lot of quality mass across the shoulders and chest.
Back seems to be an area almost everybody needs a lot of mass on. I love working back and at least attempting to make it grow
@Ryan: Appreciated. At my last measurement my legs are above 26", my calves just above 15.5… arms just above 15 (though these are a big focus now). Hard to measure chest/shoulders but they are definitely growing. Time to get a hyuge back!
Max Testing Day
Squat
Warmups - Bar x lots - 60kg x 2 - 100kg x 2 - 120kg x 1
Belted/testing - 140kg/309 x 1 - 150/331 x 1 - 160/353 x 1 PR - by 5kg < smoke show/cake… sooooo… - 170kg / 375 lb x 1 PR by 15kg / 33 lb
Front Squat
100/220 x 1 - 120/265 x F < oh well
Deadlift
Warmup/beltless - 60kg x 2 - 100kg x 2 - 140kg x 1 - 160kg x 1 - 180kg x 1
Belted/testing - 200/440 x 1 - 222.5kg / 491 lb x 1 PR - by 2.5kg
BW still about 87.5kg this morning. It’s fair to say I’m happy with how this session went.
