Stibby's 12 Week Mass Journey

Training Training Logs
141

Here’s the second workout of the week (arms), and it goes a little somethin like this:

A1. STANDING BARBELL CURLS
1st set: 37.5KG x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 37.5KG x 8
75 secs rest
3rd set: 37.5KG x 8

Notes- these were really hard, Form was pretty solid, i tried to use slower deliberate reps and not use a back swing. I’ve been using a wide grip on these and i’m wondering if i’d be better served using a narrower grip in the coming weeks. Anyway, whatever grip i decided to use i’ll definitely have to up the weight to 40KG next week.

A2. TRICEPS DIPS
1st set: BW plus 17.3kg x 8
60 secs rest
2nd set: BW plus 17.3kg x 8
60 secs rest
3rd set: BW plus 17.3kg x 8

Notes- These were seriously hard, used the same weight as last week and was able to progress to get 3 full sets of 8. Wondering how much more weight my rucksack will be able to hold in the coming weeks if i keep progressing at the current rate. Next week i’ll up the weight again to something around 20KG.

B1. SEATED CURLS
1st set: 20.9’s x 10
45 secs rest
2nd set: 20.9’s x 9
45 secs rest
3rd set: 18.1’s x 6

Notes- these were really hard also, form was a bit dodgy, on some reps i used more of a hammer grip in order to lift the weight. Today was the first time i’d done 20.9’s and you can see why as i struggled to get 6 reps on the last set. Next week i’m probably gonna change this exercise as i can’t see much more progression at the current time.

B2. 1 ARM TRICEPS EXT (LYING)
1st set: 14’s x 10
45 secs rest
2nd set: 14’s x 10
45 secs rest
3rd set: 14’s x 10

Notes- these were really hard, decided to change to the 1 arm version here and put the 2 arm version at the end of the workout. These felt a bit more safer than the 2 arm version as my form was pretty solid, my triceps were definitely struggling by this time. Gonna try increased weight next week.

C1. CONCENTRATION CURLS
1st set: 15.5KG x 12
30 secs rest
2nd set: 15.5KG x 12
30 secs rest
3rd set: 15.5KG x 10

Notes- these were really hard, these seemed a lot harder than last week, perhaps as a consequence of the heavier barbell curls this week. Next week i’ll either increase the weight on the 1st two sets alone or on all 3 sets.

C2. 2 ARM TRICEP EXTENSION (LYING)
1st set: 14’S x 11
30 secs rest
2nd set: 14’S x 11
30 secs rest
3rd set: 14’S x 10

Notes- these were pretty hard, I felt the need to lower the weight due to the slightly higher reps and as i had struggled a bit with these i past weeks with a heavier weight, perhaps not performing with good form. I think this was a wise move, as you can see i didn’t manage to get 12 reps on any of the sets with improved form.

Total session length: 57 mins.

Overall today session was really good, I managed to set new PB’s on most exercises which was great. I was sweating quite a lot at the end and my biceps, triceps and forearms were particularly fatigued, aswell as pumped. Next week i’ll hopefully have found suitable replacements for the exercises noted above, and progress can continue.

142

Here’s the nutrition stats for yesterday (13/05/09):

Protein: 229g
carbs: 401g
fats: 115g
calories: 3601

Overall i was pretty happy, got plenty of protein and carbs which were pretty clean. I mixed up the post workout nutrition slightly, i decided to have a large bowl of cornflakes with skimmed milk and sugar, which was a delicious change form the regular shake. Ideally i would have liked fats to be below 100g and protein up at 250g, but i suppose what i got isn’t too bad. Another workout day tomorrow, so plenty carbs again.

143

Here is the third workout of the week (quads/hams):

A1. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS
1st set: 21.2’s x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 21.2’s x 8
75 secs rest
3rd set: 21.2’s x 8

Notes- these quite hard, although i probably shit out a bit, choosing too light a weight and being cautious cos my form on these in the past hasn’t been great. I did okay with form mostly, but felt i was getting too close for comfort to rounding my back on the right side. I did feel my quads working hard, but not as hard as i would have liked. So next week i’ll change these for another exercise, which is safer from wise and allows for better progression.

A2. DB ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
1st set: 40’s x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 40’s x 6
75 secs rest
3rd set: 40’s x 6

Notes- The were really hard, again i felt more stimulation in the lower back and not much in the hams, didn’t feel much of a stretch. After these my lower back was pretty tired. So next week i’ll change to a different exercise for the hamstrings.

B1. DB LUNGES
1st set: 26’s x 10
60 secs rest
2nd set: 26’s x 10
60 secs rest
3rd set: 26’s x 10

Notes- swapped these for split squats and i’m glad i did. I was slightly worried about my form on these over previous weeks with a heavier weights so i dropped the weight and focused on real solid, safe form for every rep. This worked out pretty well, and the slightly higher reps definitely fatigued my quads something special. I had problems with grip again here, so i took a 30 secs rest between sides on the third set to give my forearms some respite. Next week i’ll up the weight.

B2. BODYWEIGHT LEG CURLS
1st set: BW plus 12.1KG X 10
45 secs rest
2nd set: BW plus 12.1KG x 10
45 secs rest
3rd set: BW plus 12.1KG x 10

Notes- these were also really hard, as i had mentioned last week, i was unsure as to the effectiveness pf adding weight to this exercise via my backpack, but today’s sets were pretty hard and convinced me that the heavier weight is making these harder. I will probably keep adding weight via this method until i feel i can do them without a barbell.

C1. STEP UPS
1st set: 21.2’s x 12
30 secs rest
2nd set: 21.2’s x 12
30 secs rest
3rd set: 21.2’s x 12

Notes- these were really hard, my quads were really fried after these. Towards the end grip was becoming a problem again, so i added in a 30 sec rest for the forearms. This seemed to work as i managed to complete all sets/reps before my grip failed. Gonna have to up the weight again next week.

C2. SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT
1st set: 16.3KG x 12
30 secs rest
2nd set: 16.3KG x 12
30 secs rest
3rd set: 16.3KG x 12

Notes- really hard, I upped the weight significantly, not sure if my form is totally correct, but i can definitely feel the quads and hams working during these and i make sure i keep my back flat/arched. My balance was pretty solid today, having done these for 3 weeks now, and next week i’ll try upping the weight again.

Session duration: 64 mins

Overall it was a really really hard session, aside from playing it a bit cautious/safe on the first exercise, the session was pretty good. I achieved PB’s on all exercises, so progress is still continuing which is good. Next week i’ll try continue progress and probably change up some of the exercises for better option, one’s where progression over several weeks will be easier to monitor.

144

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (14/05/09):

protein: 216g
carbs: 420g
fats: 115g
calories: 3610

Today was okay, i was a bit lower on protein than i’d like, but i did have a cheat meal (sweet chilli chicken pizza), so i don’t suppose i did badly. Aside from the cheat meal, all the food was pretty clean so thats pretty good. Tomorrow is a rest day so i’ll do the old carb/fat switch around and try get protein to be around 240g.

145

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (15/05/09):

protein: 218g
carbs: 302g
fats: 161g
calories: 3593

Everything went pretty well, got sufficient protein, reduced carbs quite a bit and upped the fats significantly. I achieved what i wanted to, aside from having more protein and less carbs/fats i probably couldn’t have done much else better. I think the portein was pretty high seen as it was spread over only 5 meals, which is over 40g protein average per meal, which i think is pretty good. Tomorrow is a workout day so i’ll have more carbs again, with less fats.

146

Here’s the fourth workout of the week (anterior and lateral/rear deltoids):

A1. STANDING BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS
1st set: 42.5kg x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 42.5kg x 8
75 secs rest
3rd set: 42.5kg x 7

Notes- These were really hard, in the 1st set my back was arched slightly more than i would’ve liked for the last rep as was the case last week. So for the 2nd and 3rd sets i tried to limit the extent to which my back arched again, but i still managed to get 8 and 7 reps respectively. I’m starting to think this may not be the best shoulder exercise for me, as i feel i am using more triceps than shoulders in this.

A2. BENT OVER REAR DELT RAISE
1st set: 14.6’s x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 14.6’s x 7
75 secs rest
3rd set: 14.6’s x 6

Notes- These were really really hard, did better with ROM this week on all the reps. I did well to get more reps overall, next week i’ll use the same weight again and look to get more reps again.

B1. SEATED SHOULDER PRESS
1st set: 20.8’s x 8
60 secs rest
2nd set: 20.8’s x 8
60 secs rest
3rd set: 20.8’s x 6

Notes- these were also really hard, i can definitely feel the shoulders working a lot more in these than during the barbell shoulder press. I upped the weight this week, which is why i was only able to get 8, 8 and 6 reps for the three sets. Next i will use the same weight for 3 full sets of 8-10.

B2. SEATED REAR DELT RAISE
1st set: 11.7’s x 10
60 secs rest
2nd set: 11.7’s x 9
60 secs rest
3rd set: 11.7’s x 8

Notes- Really hard, i used a heavier weight and was still able to get 3 sets of 8-10 which is good. My form was pretty good and i don’t think ROM was much of a problem aside from a couple reps towards the end. Same weight next week.

C1. LATERAL RAISES
1st set: 6.6’s x 12
45 secs rest
2nd set: 6.6’s x 12
45 secs rest
3rd set: 6.6’s x 12

Notes- really hard, used the same weight as last week and made improvements. My form was pretty good as well, with very little momentum used. Next week i’ll up the weight and try for 3 sets of 8-10.

C2. LYING REAR DELT RAISE
1st set: 5kg x 12
45 secs rest
2nd set: 5kg x 9
45 secs rest
3rd set: 4.1kg x 10

Notes- Really hard, again with this exericse i’ve made very little progress, but i suppose improving my 1 rep on the 2nd and 3rd sets isn’t so bad for such a small muscle exercise. Gonna try the same weight again for more reps next week.

Session length: 50 mins.

Overall it was a good session, was sweating significantly at the end and could feel my shoulders and upper back were fatigued. I improved nearly every lift’s performance on last week and will aim to do the same again next week with increased weights.

147

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (16/05/09):

protein: 231g
carbs: 409g
fats: 109g
calories: 3596

Overall i’m pretty happy again, plenty of protein and carbs and less fats than yesterday. Food was all clean and calories were just about spot on.

148

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (17/05/09):

protein: 249g
carbs: 283g
fats: 157g
calories: 3598

Overall i’m very happy with todays food intake, very high protein (for me anyway), reduced carbs and increased fats, as it was a rest day. Calories were spot on and all of the food was pretty clean. As far as the week has gone, it has been pretty good, been bang on with calories all week, so i’m excited to see what the extra 250 cals each day has done for the stats when i take them in the morning. Hopefully i’ve made good progress this week.

149

Right, so after eleven weeks of the current training phase, i took measurements again this morning.

Here’s my current stats:
all taken upon waking 18/5/09, after going toilet

Weight: 188.8 lbs (up 3)
Supra-illiac: 17mm (same)
Body fat: 17% (same)
Lean mass: 156.7 lbs (up 2.48)
Fat mass: 32.1 (up 0.52)
waist: 33.88 (same)
chest: 39.06 (down 0.56)
left arm: 12.5 (same)
right arm: 12.44 (same)
left forearm: 11.25 (up 0.06)
right forearm: 11.30 (up 0.06)
left thigh: 23.56 (down 0.26)
right thigh: 24.12 (up 0.12)
left calve: 14.18 (down 0.06)
right calve: 14.25 (up 0.12)

Overall my weight is up 3 lbs, talk about in contrast to last week. My waist measurement has stayed the same as well which is what i was aiming for. Although the body fat stats would suggest the majority was muscle/LBM, i really can’t be sure, the accuracy of such measures is pretty low, i’ve been reading the same suprailliac measure for the last 5-6 weeks. Now i’m not saying this is impossible, i just think my bias has affected the measure. 17mm is significant as it is bang on 17% body fat, i think maybe i never wanted to go above this level, so maybe i’m conning myself into measuring the same body fat every week. What this has taught me is the need to make sure the measurements are standardised, either by using the same method every week, or getting someone else to take the measures. So i think in the future i may not bother monitoring body fat myself, i’ll just really shore up the other measures so there really accurate. I suppose in the long term i hope to just keep lifting heavy and hard every week, keeping cals around the same level until weight maintains and then upping by 250 cals. Ideally i will probably add more protein aswell, going for more of a 40/30/30 split. I can then use the measurements in conjunction with scale weight to track overall progress. So i think the main thing to take home from today’s measurements is that BW has gone up by 3 pounds with little or no increase in waist size, which is probably indicative of a small fat gain. Of the other measurements, they’ve either increased very little or varied largely due to inaccuracy. I now have 1 more week of this 12 week phase left, so i’m gonna give it my all and see if i can make more progress.

150

Here’s the first workout of the week, chest and back:

A1. DB INCLINE PRESS
1st set: 28.4’s x 6
75 secs rest
2nd set: 28.4’s x 7
75 secs rest
3rd set: 28.4’s x 6

Notes- These were really hard, i upped the weight on last week. For one reason or other, i got less reps on the 1st set than the second, maybe i wasn’t fully warmed up. So i set a new PB on this exercise again.

A2. CHIN UPS
1st set: BW plus 7.5kg x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: BW plus 6.25kg x 6
75 secs rest
3rd set: BW plus 5kg x 5

Notes- these were also really hard, i used the same weights as last week and had mixed results. For the 1st and 2nd sets i was able to get 1 more rep than last week, but could only maintain performance on the last set. I suppose i’ve made good progress on this exercise over the 12 weeks.

B1. DB BENCH PRESS
1st set: 28.4’s x 8
60 secs rest
2nd set: 26.5’s x 10
60 secs rest
3rd set: 26.5’s x 8

Notes- again really hard, the weight chosen for the 1st set was too much to maintain for 3 sets, so i dropped the weight slightly for the last two sets. I could definitely feel my chest again as a result of doing the incline press first.

B2. 1 ARM ROW
1st set: 36.7kg x 8
60 secs rest
2nd set: 36.7kg x 8
60 secs rest
3rd set: 36.7kg x 8

Notes- really really really hard, upped the weight again and was able to get 3 sets of 8. I tried to make sure my back remained flat throughout and as a result form was okay.

C1. DB FLIES
1st set: 21’s x 12
45 secs rest
2nd set: 21’s x 10
45 secs rest
3rd set: 18.7’s x 10

Notes- i seemed to struggle more on these than usual, maybe as a result of the heavier weights used above. I was still able to get 12 reps first set, but only 8 for the second. My chest was fried after these.

C2. BENT OVER REAR DELT RAISE
1st set: 9.5’s x 12
45 secs rest
2nd set: 9.5’s x 12
45 secs rest
3rd set: 9.5’s x 12

Notes- these were really hard, same weight as last week. The ROM was pretty good aswell on all sets.

Session length: 56 mins

Overall, this was a really hard session, really hard work, sweating a lot throughout. My chest/back/arms were really fatigued by the end of the session. I had PB’s on most exercises again which means its been another good session.

151

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (18/05/09):

protein: 250g
carbs: 376g
fats: 117g
calories: 3600

Very happy with today’s stats, plent of protein and carbs, with lesser fats. All the food was clean as per usual, and calories were bang on, so a really good day.

152

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (19/05/09):

protein: 188g
carbs: 484g
fats: 105g
calories: 3659

Today was not my typical day, so the nutrition wasn’t exactly ideal. I only had 4 meals today as i was pretty busy etc. The protein was much lower than usual as a result, but still 1g/lg BW. Carbs are off the chart as i had a load of carbs after footy, where i’d normall have eggs and green veggies. Fats were eokay i suppose, could maybe have been a bit lower. Overall i’m not too worried as i was pretty active today (grass cutting and footy), so a lot of the carbs will likely have been used for exercise, and also the fact that me being so poor with nutrition rarely happens. I’ll get back to the normal consistency tomorrow again.

153

Here’s the second workout of the week (arms), and it goes a little somethin like this:

A1. STANDING BARBELL CURLS
1st set: 40KG x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 40KG x 7
75 secs rest
3rd set: 40KG x 6

Notes- these were really hard, form was pretty good, i tried to use slower deliberate reps and not use a back swing. Even with the heavier weight i was able to get 3 sets of 6-8.

A2. TRICEPS DIPS
1st set: BW plus 18.4kg x 8
60 secs rest
2nd set: BW plus 18.4kg x 8
60 secs rest
3rd set: BW plus 18.4kg x 6

Notes- These were seriously hard, used the a heavier weight than last week and was still able to progress to get 3 full sets of 8. The weight i’m using now makes me question how much stress i’m putting on my shoulders.

B1. SWISS BALL PREACHER CURLS
1st set: 15.9’s x 8
45 secs rest
2nd set: 15.9’s x 9
45 secs rest
3rd set: 15.9’s x 7

Notes- these were really hard also, changes to these for the last week as progress had become a bit stagnant on the seated curls and i was maybe not using good form on each rep. It was a nice change of pace using these, my biceps were really fatigued and i got a ince stretch on the eccentric which seems to make the exercise harder.

B2. 1 ARM TRICEPS EXT (LYING)
1st set: 15.9KG x 8
45 secs rest
2nd set: 14.9KG x 8
45 secs rest
3rd set: 14.9KG x 8

Notes- these were really hard, as per usual my form on these was not so good, i tend to perform the reps with a jerky action, i.e. not a smooth movement through the range of motion, this would probably indicate the weight was too heavy as the reps were a real struggle.

C1. CONCENTRATION CURLS
1st set: 16.3KG x 11
30 secs rest
2nd set: 16.3KG x 8
30 secs rest
3rd set: 15.5KG x 8

Notes- these were really hard, i upped the weigh for the first two sets which really fried my already fatigued biceps. As you can see i only got 8 reps for the 2nd set and for the 3rd set even though i lowered the weight to last weeks weight. Nevertheless, my biceps were burned out after these, a good way to finish the workout.

C2. 2 ARM TRICEP EXTENSION (LYING)
1st set: 14’S x 12
30 secs rest
2nd set: 14’S x 12
30 secs rest
3rd set: 14’S x 12

Notes- these were pretty hard, the weight felt a bit light the first two sets but was perfect for the 3rd set. Form was okay, a lot smoother than the 1 arm extensions previously.

Total session length: 51 mins.

Overall today’s session was really good, I managed to set new PB’s on most exercises which was great. I was sweating quite a lot at the end and my biceps, triceps and forearms were particularly fatigued, aswell as pumped.

154

here’s the nutrition stats for today (20/05/09):

protein: 225g
carbs: 383g
fats: 131g
calories: 3641

155

Here is the third workout of the week (quads/hams):

A1. BARBELL HACK SQUATS
1st set: 60KG x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 60KG x 8
75 secs rest
3rd set: 60KG x 8

Notes- these quite hard, first time i’ve ever done these. I didn’t do too bad for the first attempt, but at times form was a bit shaky, the reps weren’t exactly smooth, with me rubbing the barbell against me at several points.

A2. DB ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
1st set: 60KG x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 60KG x 8
75 secs rest
3rd set: 60KG x 8

Notes- The were quite hard, i decided to change to the barbell as i wasn’t feeling my hams that much with DB’s. I definitely got a better strecth of the hamstrings this way, even though i played it cautious with the weight.

B1. DB LUNGES
1st set: 28.6’s x 8
60 secs rest
2nd set: 28.6’s x 8
60 secs rest
3rd set: 28.6’s x 8

Notes- really hard, i kind of played it safe going for 8 reps on each set, making sure i’d get an equal number of reps for each leg without grip failing. This is not to say they were easy, my quads were pretty fatigued after these.

B2. BODYWEIGHT LEG CURLS
1st set: BW plus 13.4KG X 10
45 secs rest
2nd set: BW plus 13.4KG x 10
45 secs rest
3rd set: BW plus 13.4KG x 10

Notes- these were also really hard, i upped the weight from last week and was still able to get 3 sets of 10. I tried to make sure i limited the involvement of the arms/shoulders on the concentric of the rep, so the hmastrings did most of the work.

C1. STEP UPS
1st set: 23.5’s x 10
30 secs rest
2nd set: 23.5’s x 10
30 secs rest
3rd set: 23.5’s x 10

Notes- these were really hard, my quads were really fried after these, especially as i upped the weight again. Towards the end grip was becoming a problem again, so i added in a 30 sec rest for the forearms. This seemed to work as i managed to complete all sets/reps before my grip failed. Gonna have to up the weight again next week.

C2. SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT
1st set: 18.2KG x 12
30 secs rest
2nd set: 18.2KG x 12
30 secs rest
3rd set: 18.2KG x 10

Notes- really hard, I upped the weight significantly again, i could definitely feel my quads and hams working hard during these and i tried to make sure i keep my back flat. Grip was even becoming an issue towards the end on these, even though it was only 1 DB.

Session duration: 59 mins

Overall it was a really hard session, aside from playing it a bit cautious/safe on the first 2 exercises, the session was pretty good. I achieved PB’s on most exercises, so progress is still continuing which is good.

156

yo stibby-

you should feel good in that youve stayed with the program for so long. good shit.

any chance of seeing progress pics before the 12 week mark? im really interested

157

yeah thanks, feels good to have stuck it out. You’ll have to wait til monday for the pics, i’ll try post a comparison and write up the progress of the stats.

158

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (21/05/09):

protein: 236g
carbs: 374g
fats: 126g
calories: 3601

159

Here’s the nutrition stats for today (22/05/09):

protein: 252g
carbs: 199g
fats: 185g
calories: 3541

160

Here’s the fourth workout of the week (anterior and lateral/rear deltoids), which is also the last of the 12 weeks:

A1. STANDING BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS
1st set: 45kg x 6
75 secs rest
2nd set: 45kg x 8
75 secs rest
3rd set: 45kg x 5

Notes- These were really hard, probably played it a bit safe on the 1st set but i did well on the 2nd and 3rd sets. Definitely felt these a lot more on the shoulders this week than last.

A2. BENT OVER REAR DELT RAISE
1st set: 14.8’s x 8
75 secs rest
2nd set: 14.8’s x 7
75 secs rest
3rd set: 14.8’s x 6

Notes- These were really hard, did better with ROM again this week on all the reps. I didn’t really make any progress on this exercise. I think overall, the usefulness of this exercise is diminished as the weight is too heavy to maintain proper form.

B1. SEATED SHOULDER PRESS
1st set: 21.3’s x 10
60 secs rest
2nd set: 21.3’s x 5
60 secs rest
3rd set: 21.3’s x 5

Notes- these were really really hard, i did well on the 1st set getting 10 reps but this seemed to take it’s toll with me only able to get 5 reps on the last two sets. For the first time with this exercise it was quite a struggle to get the weights in position.

B2. SEATED REAR DELT RAISE
1st set: 12’s x 10
60 secs rest
2nd set: 12’s x 10
60 secs rest
3rd set: 12’s x 10

Notes- Really hard, i used the same weight and managed to improve on last week to get 3 sets of 8-10 which is good. My form was as per usual, not totally sure of proper ROM on all reps.

C1. LATERAL RAISES
1st set: 8.9’s x 12
45 secs rest
2nd set: 8.9’s x 10
45 secs rest
3rd set: 6.6’s x 12

Notes- really really hard, used a heavier weight than last week for the first two sets and was able to get 10-12 reps. My form was pretty good as well, but i had to drop the weight for the 3rd set as i became fatigued.

C2. LYING REAR DELT RAISE
1st set: 5.1kg x 11
45 secs rest
2nd set: 5.1kg x 9
45 secs rest
3rd set: 4.1kg x 10

Notes- Really hard, again with this exercise i’ve made very little progress, probably went backwards by 1 rep on the 1st set.

Session length: 50 mins.

Overall it was a really good session, a good way to end the last week of the 12 weeks. I got PB’s on several exercises but struggled on other. My shoulder are still pretty weak and probably lagging behind other body parts.