Nate's Training Log

Training Logs
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Long time reader first time poster. I’m 6’3" and currently weigh 190 and played some college basketball, weighing around 175 when I did (geez. I do not carry ANY weight at all in my chicken legs). Definitely a classic ectomorph. I have learned alot about my own training in the last three years. I started on rippetoe (learned that I really can’t BB bench, hurts my shoulder BAD, plus DB does not hurt at all) and got up to around 210 a little pudgy. Eventually the squat volume and bball mixed with poor ankle mobility ended with me needing a knee scope for a frayed plica in my right knee, which is fine now. Took a break from lifting/eating right, back down to 180. I then got back to lifting in the offseason and jumped on ws4sb. Probably a year on that and my lifts progressed, eventually deadlifting 300x1. My best squat day was 225x6 and I suck at pressing. I stopped lifting again this past summer, graduated college, got a job, stopped partying 4-7 nights a week and that brings me here today. I turned 24 in January.

I have done some analysis and came to the conclusion that I no longer care much about physical performance and would just like to get as jacked as possible. I know that if I have big muscles I will be strong. Powerlifting for numbers hurts MY body too much to justify it.

So, after reading quite a bit (too much) I have settled on a split routine and have had good results for the first couple weeks. The split is:

1: chest/shoulder
2: legs/arms
3: off
4: Back/Abs
5: off
repeat

The actual lifts vary a little, such as different rows or incline/decline DB press but the movements are consistent. I usually warm up and do 1-2 “max effort” sets per exercise. Just because I don’t list a set doesn’t mean much, I get 3-4 working sets per exercise. Here is where I am at:

Chest/Shoulder: Flat DB press 60x10, DB fly (first ever) 25x6, Military Press 35x8, 20x10 cable lateral raises, 15x10 front vertical DB raises

Legs/Arms: Deadlift 185x15 (heavier next time), Leg press 180x8, Leg extension 65x8, calf raises 3xalmost failure. scott curl, close grip bench 135x8, incline db curl, tricep v bar pushdown, reverse ez curl, and skullcrushers. No weight #'s not relevant.

Back/Abs: Hang clean 135x8, Lat pulldown 135x8, Db side raises loose form (not sure of name) 25x8, Row machine strict 90x8, various leg raises and standing ab pulldowns (?) 3 sets of 3 exercises.

DIET: I have read for days and could write a book. That doesn’t mean my diet is always great. I have to force feed myself, especially breakfast. I usually get 1g protien/lb bodyweight, usually 150g from food and 50-100g from ON whey, which is my only supp. for now. Around 3kcal a day, prolly 30-60g carbs per meal half from juice half starchy. I drink real juice and whey immediately after ALL workouts. Pepsi max before (cheap, highly caffeinated). I don’t really need help on diet the info is already out there, I just need discipline and that comes from me.

I am looking for any positive input as this is my first attempt at bodybuilding. I really value the input of people who have done what I want to do. I would like to be around 225 with 10-13% bf eventually. My arms now are about 15" and I have never done much direct arm work, which is going to change. I am doing this log so that I can get advice and motivation. Thanks!!!

EDIT: sorry about sideways pics subsequent updates will be vertical

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3-15

Chest/Shoulder: Flat DB press 65x10, DB fly 30x8, Military Press 40x8, 20x10 cable lateral raises, 3x15x10 front vertical DB raises, angled sideways lateral raises (poluquin? style) 3x10x10, wrist curls

3-16

Legs/Arms: Deadlift 3x185x10, Leg press 180x8, Leg extension 65x8, calf raises 3xalmost fail holding extension. scott curl, close grip bench 135x10, incline db curl, tricep v bar pushdown, reverse ez curl, and skullcrushers. No weight #'s focusing on “pump” and form. its working :slight_smile:

lots of good sleep too, eating good but could always be better (more!).

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3-19

chin ups (waaaay better than pulldowns, so sore esp. abs and shoulders. I pushed off the ground to help get more reps then focused on negatives) 3x8, hang clean 135x10, cable row strict form 3x85x10, back DB flys 3x10x15#, DB shrugs 3x65x8, ab work leg raises, “vertical crunches” on the dip bars and cable bend-overs(?) all 3 sets 8 reps rotating. Eating everything healthy in sight. I think my stomach is stretching! weigh 196 now, not really surprised.

6

2 days off, I needed it. (chin ups)

3-21 setsxweightxreps (so i can actually decipher my own log)
chest-flat bench db press 70x10, incline hammer grip db 3x45x12, one arm cable crossovers 3x20x10, slight incline db flys 3x25x8

shoulders-seated db military press 3x35x8, cable lateral raises 3x20x9, front hammer raises 3x20x8, leaning lateral raises 3x10x12, forearm curls with bb.

3-22
legs-ATG squats 3x135x5 (first time in a year, felt great. Better ankle mobility helps.), leg extensions 3x80x8, leg curls 3x55x8, calf raises 4x80x8(need to train calves more often). no single legged work, it really tweaks my right knee. I still made my brother do it :slight_smile:

arms- incline bb close grip 2x135x4 (too heavy), tricep pushdown 3x55x12, tricep pullover on flat bench 2x45x8, pinwheel curls 3x40x5, incline bench db curls 3x25x8(almost), preacher db 3x25x8.

been adding ground flax, wheat gluten and olive oil to all my shakes. I ran out of oats, prolly gonna try to find some ground ones or grind them at my parents. thy don’t taste bad, I just remember to eat objectively.

7

Learned a valuable lesson today. High volume rack pulls are a finisher, not a starter. My grip was shot the second I finished them (duh).
Additionally, based on my recent research, I am going to start training my calves every session. I can’t do the seated calf raise because it hurts my knee even with low weight, so it’s standing and donkey. I am interested to see how well it works.

3-24
Back- Rack pulls 3x225x12, chin ups (jump assist) 3x6, chest supp. rows 3x45x6, back db flys 3x20x8, shrugs 3x45x16

Abs- leg raises, standing pulldowns and vertical crunches. Only one set of each. I was cooked.
*calf raises 4x80xfailure

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3-27
Had to work in my parents basement, rec closed. Light weights, heavy volume. Got a pretty good pump on the chest/shoulders. I’ll leave it at that, forgot to do calf raises.

3-29
Deadlift- max of 275x1, felt good. Tweaked my back with 225 on a warmup. TAKE THE WEIGHT SERIOUSLY NATE! Leg extensions to failure, calf raises to failure, leg curls to failure.

Preacher curls ez bar 2x65x8, 1x45x14 incline curls 3x20x8, bb curls no weight wide grip, narrow grip regular grip x12 each. Close grip bench max 135x12, pushdowns 3x60x8 done.

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weighing around 198. diet was sketchy this weekend.

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3-31

Back- hammer grip chins 3x7 (jump assist alot), hang cleans 135x12(record), cable row 3x75x12 strict, db shrugs 3x50x20 supersetted with chest supported rows 3x55x3, row burnout set x30 reps no weight

abs- same circuit, got 12 with most sets. 3 sets 3 exercises.

standing calf raises 3x115x12

lower back felt a little sore before, fine after workout. I think it got “lubed” up.

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4-2
My upper back is still sore from training (good sore, not hurt). I am trying to figure out why… I have ideas.
It lowered my weights with shoulder training.

Chest- flat db 2x70x10, db fly 3x20x10, decline db 3x50x8, incline hammer db 2x35x20

shoulder- military db 3x30x8 felt weak, lateral cable raises 4x20x10, front hammer db 3x15x8, bb militaryx20, leaning lateral raises and forearm curls.

calf raises 3x125x12

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4-4
Legs- ATG squat 135x8, calf raises, leg extensions, leg curls

arms- close grip bench 135x12, tricep extensions, tricep pullovers (great), pinwheel curls, preacher curls til fail.

4-5
back- chin ups assisted probably can’t do more than one focused so I on negative, rack pulls 315x5 YEA!, cable rows, one arm db row 3x70x5, lat flys supersetted with db shrugs

abs- same circuit, did all workouts individually instead of superset. 3x10

calf raises
Pendlay bb row finisherx30

Making great gains. Weighing around 202, eating like an animal. 250g+ protein, 4000+ calories. Huge breakfast, lots of oatmeal and eggs. Not all that clean, but im not gaining much fat so im not worried.

15

Been awhile since I posted, but I have still been training hard. My deadlift should be 315 this week which would be a huge milestone, been using the sumo and I am better at that. rack pulled 365x4 yesterday. Did chest today flat db 80x7, new record.

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weighing 206

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