Transition to Bodybuilding: Journey to Jacked

Monday April 3, 2023

Leg Day (Deload)

Beltless Pause Squat (shoeless too)
45 2x5
135x3
185x3
225x2
275x2
295x1
315x1

Backoff sets
225 2x3

Rack RDL (Beltless)
135x8
225x6
315x4

Body Master Leg Press
3pps x10
4pps + 25’s x10

Body Master Lying Leg Curl
70x12
80x8

Body Master Adductor Machine
70x10
120x10

Body Master Abductor Machine
100x12
140x10
170x8

Body Master Calf Raise
130x8
80x8

Rope Crunch
80x12
120x8

It looks like a lot of work but I prefer more movements and less volume per movement during a deload to not overuse or overload any particular muscle while staying away from @10 RPE sets.

On vacation and no scale so not sure of my weight. I’m going to be eating around maintenance this week though.

1 Like

Tuesday April 4, 2023

Back/Biceps & Abs (Deload)

Pull-up (Warmup)
100 lbs assisted x10
70 lbs assisted x8
50 lbs assisted x6

HS Lat Pulldown
91x8
181x6

Barbell Row (Beltless and no straps)
135x8
185x6
225x5

Seated One Arm HS Row
49x10
94x6
139x5

Straight Arm Pulldown
42.5 x15
52.5 x12
62.5 x8

Standing DB Curl
25’s x8 (complete one side before other)
35’s x6 (complete one side before other)
45’s x6 (3 on one side, 3 on other, repeat)
50’s x6 (alternating each rep)

Body Master Preacher Curl
45x10
60x8
70x6

HS Face Away Cable Curl
45 (22.5 per side) x15
55 (27.5 per side) x8

Hanging Leg Raise
BWx30,20,10 (PR; never did over 20-25 before on these)

1 Like

Wednesday April 5, 2023

Push Day (Deload)

Deload Push Day

Flat BB Bench
45x10
135x8
185x5
225x3
255x1 (overwarmup single with so many reps in the tank)
265x1 (overwarmup single also many reps in the tank)
225x13 (PR on a Deload; putting vacation calories to good use)

Smith Military Press
15x8
105x6
155x4

HS Dip
94x8
184x8
274x8

Flat DB Rollback
30’s x10
35’s x6

Body Master Side Lateral
50x15
60x12
70x8

Face Pull
60x15
70x10

On almost everything except for the 225x13 set of bench I kept at least a few reps in the tank. Even the 225x13 set I could’ve probably squeezed out another one that would’ve been a grinder but Volume is at least low for the Deload.

1 Like

Thursday April 6, 2023

Legs + Back/Abs (Ham Focus Deload)

Deadlift (no belt, straps or chalk)
135x5
225x4
315x3
345x1
365x1 (moved very fast; grip was a limiter if I wanted to do more reps but since this is a Deload I cut it here)

Neutral Chin-up
BW 2x10 (felt great)

HS Seated Leg Curl (Plate Loaded)
45x12,8

Prime Leg Extension
115x8
135x8
155x8

HS Seated Calf Raise
70x12,8

HS Crunch
65x8
50x10
40x10

Final Deload workout. Saturday is the start of my next cycle. Since I did heavy smith inclines for a PR last Saturday and hit a PR on 225 for reps on flat bench yesterday, I’m going to be cognizant of my first week and make sure I don’t hit too much volume to start.

1 Like

Saturday April 8, 2023 (Bodyweight 178)

Biggest Bench Workout of my life (Push Day)

Flat BB Bench
45 2x10
135x5
185x4
225x3
255x2
275x1
295x1
315x1 (monster PR)

Incline BB Bench
135x6
185x4
225x3 (monster PR)

Incline HS Bench
98x8
188x6
238x4
278x5 (failed 6; monster PR)

High to Low Cable Crossover
45x15
60x12
70x8

Straight Bar Pushdown
50x12
70x10
60x10

Cybex Rear Delt Fly
90x12
120x10
150x10

DB Side Lateral
25’s x16,10

Ultra happy with this. My Deload on vacation even while pushing one set on bench was super successful. The extra calories surely helped but I am ecstatic.

3 Likes

I know what it means to hit 3 plates that first time. Congrats.

makes it even more impressive!

1 Like

Thank you very much!

2 Likes

Sunday April 9, 2023

Legs (home gym workout)

Atlantic Fitness Lying Leg Curl (very old machine$
10x10
20x10
30x8
40x6 (rusted and uneven)

SSB Squat (Titan fitness)
61x8
151x5
201x4
241x3
271x2
291x1 (add belt)
311x1
321x1 (PR)
331x1 (mega PR)
(My SSB Squats are far weaker than Olympic barbell squats. I haven’t used a SSB in awhile so I am going to start including it again in my rotations)

Backoff set
241x10 (left foot cramped and right knee felt meh on rep 9 so cut this a bit short)

Titan Fitness Leg Extension (plate loaded)
45x12
90x10
135x10 (PR)

DB RDL
60’s x15
80’s x12

Hammer Strength Calf Press
208x15 + 8 + 6 (rest pause)

My home gym is fully decked out for legs and decent for bench workouts so since it’s getting warmer out I’ll be training lower body at least from home more often. I don’t have all the equipment I like for push and pull days but legs I’ve been setup nicely since before the pandemic lockdowns.

2 Likes

Tuesday April 11, 2023 (AM BW 177)

Back/Biceps & Abs

Pull-ups (overhand)
75 lbs assist x8
50 lbs assist x6
25 lbs assist x4
BWx3
BW + 20 x6
BWx8 (had more reps but right shoulder didn’t feel good on the 8th rep)

Chest Supported DB Row
50’s x10
60’s x8
70’s x6

Cybex Chest Supported Seated Row
135x8
115x8

Straight Arm Rope Pulldown
70x15
90x12
110x10
Dropset 135x6 + 100x6 + 70x6 (close to a PR)

EZ Bar Curl
80x8
100x8 (close to a PR)

HS Preacher Curl
49x8
74x8
61.5 x8

Incline DB Curl
25’s x12,6

V-up
BW 2x20

2 Likes

Wednesday April 12, 2023 (AM BW 176.4)

Push Day (Shoulders/Triceps Focus)

CG Bench Press
45 2x10
135x8
185x5
205x3
225x1
225x8 @8.5 RPE
185x16 (PR in name only)

Seated Military Press
45x8
95x6
135x12 (PR)
95x20 (PR in name only)

Decline DB Rollback
30’s x12,8

Incline Rear Lateral
30’s 2x15

Worked out from home today. Felt super sluggish waking up and took my time warming up. Once I got to my top set of close grip I felt good. Left a rep or two in the tank on close grip so 2 reps off my best close grip for 10 reps from when I first hit a 300 bench last month. Happy with the small PRs after that.

2 Likes

Thursday April 13, 2023 (AM BW 176.6)

Legs (Ham/Glute Focus) in home gym

Titan Fitness Seated Leg Curl
50x12
75x10
100x8
115x6

Beltless SLDL
135x5
225x5
275x3 (add straps)
315x3
350x8 (PR; 1 more rep than before Deload)

RDL
275x10

HS Leg Press
3pps 2x15

Unilateral Calf Raise
BWx12

2 Likes

Saturday April 15, 2023 (AM BW 175)

Chest Focused Upper Body

Narrow MAG Grip Lat Pulldown (did these to warmup the shoulders and for only hitting back once this past week)
50x15
85x15
115x10
130x10

Flat BB Bench
45x10
135x8
185x5
225x3
255x1
275x3 (PR in name only)

Incline BB Bench
135x6
185x4
205x2
225x4 (cheat PR)
195x8 (big PR)

Pec Dec Fly
90x10
120x8
150x6
170x6 + 2 partials (PR)

Nautilus Lateral Raise
50x12
70x10
Dropset 90x8 + 60x8 + 30x8 (probably a PR)

Rope Pushdown
40x20
50x10
Dropset 30x15 + 20x10

I’ve been walking the last few days between 1.25 to 1.5 miles. I’ll scale it up to a few miles every other day most likely in the coming weeks again with stationary biking on some alternate days.

Certain my NEAT is sky high right now as I ate so much on vacation and I’m eating more than I did prior to vacation (of course less than when on vacation though) but the weight gained is coming off without dropping my calories too low too fast. Very happy with that. This past week I’ve just been making sure my protein is north of 230g still while my carbs and fats are higher than before. I’ll bring my macros back to where the were when I stop losing again.

Goal is to slowly get to 10-12% bodyfat before going up 30 lbs slowly later this year.

2 Likes

Sunday April 16, 2023 (AM BW 175.6)

Legs

High Bar Beltless Pause Squat
45x8
135x5
225x4
275x3
295x2
315x3 ~7.5 RPE (using RPE for squats due to my left quad having been acting up a little ever since the beginning of my last training cycle. This is 2 more reps than on my Deload and it felt great)

Conventional Deadlift (no straps or chalk)
135x3
225x2
315x1
365x1 (add belt)
385x1
405x1
(Left my straps at home from Thursdays workout. Every single flew up easily. My grip couldn’t handle more reps at 405 but 405 was easy. I could almost count these deadlifts as speed work from when I dedicated my training to powerlifting. I’m pulling of some sort twice a week now; Thursdays have been my primary deadlift day but with the decreased intensity in squats some weeks, I’m going to pull moderately heavy on Sundays via autoregulation. I hit 405x4 before my Deload and know I at 5 reps in me today if I didn’t leave my straps at home)

Cybex Leg Press
3pps x8
4pps x6
4pps + 25’s x15
4pps x15
(Death)

Cybex Leg Extension
100x10
130x10
150x10

Hamflexor Unilateral Leg Curl
30x10
40x8

Cybex Hack Calf Raise
180x16 + 6 + 4

Nautilus Adductor
105x12
90x12

2 Likes

Tuesday April 18, 2023

Back/Rear Delts/Biceps + Abs

Chin-up
BWx5
BW + 10 x4
BW + 25 x7
BWx11

Barbell Row
135x8
185x5
225x4
255x6 (PR)

Cable Row
100x8
130x6
160x8

  • remaining movements had 30-45 sec rest between sets

Straight Arm Pulldown
90x10
110x8
135x7

HS Rear Delt Fly
115x10
145x8
175x8 (PR)
160x8

Rope Curl
30x12
42.5 x10
50x8
57.5 x6

Cybex Preacher Curl
50x8
60x8
70x5

V-up
BWx25,15,10

2 Likes

Thursday April 20, 2023

Push Day (Delt/Tri Focus) at home

Warmup Push-up BW 2x12

Flat DB Bench
60’s x10
80’s x8
100’s x9 (PR; clunky unstable Olympic adjustable dumbbells. Can’t wait to hit these with good dumbbells at Gold’s)

Standing OHP
45x8
75x6
95x4
115x7

Weighted Dip
BWx8
BW + 21 (Chain) x6
BW + 42 (Chains) x12 (around a PR)

Incline Y Raise
10’s x20
20’s 2x12

Band Pushdown
Light Band x20 + 12 + 8 (rest pause)

2 Likes

Friday April 21, 2023 (AM BW 175)

Leg Day (home workout)

Lying Leg Curl (old rusted)
10x10
20x10
30x8
40x8
50x6
30x12

Beltless High Bar Squat (got a work call midway through the workout so these were cut short and sucked)
45x5
135x5
225x4
250x3
225x4

Beltless Rack Pull (bottom of knee)
135x4
225x3
315x2
405x7 (PR)

Walking Lunge
BW 2x20 per leg

2 Likes

Saturday April 22, 2023 (AM BW 175)

Back/Biceps + Calves & Abs

HS Lat Pulldown
91x10
141x8
181x6
211x4
231x5 + 1 (PR)

Chest Sup T-Bar Row
1 plate + Machine x8
2 plates + Machine x6
3 plates + Machine x4
3 plates + 25 + Machine x5 (monster PR)

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
100x10
130x8
145x8
160x8

DB Shrug
105’s x10
120’s x8
135’s x6
145’s x6 (PR)

HS Preacher Curl
49x8
74x6
84x6
94x6 (monster PR)

Face Away Cable Curl
45x10
60x8
70x8

Donkey Calf Raise
120x10
180x6
160x6

Hanging Leg Raise
BW 2x20

2 Likes

Sunday April 23, 2023 (AM BW 176.4)

Push Day (Chest Focus)

Incline BB Bench
45 2x8
135x5
165x3
185x3
205x2
225x2 (heavier than I wanted it to be)
185x10 (PR; happy with this at least)

Flat BB Bench
135x6
185x4
225x2
265x1
225x13 (tied PR; massive tension headache on 13th rep)
135x32 (burnout set)

High to Low Crossover
45x15
50x10
40x15

Seated Tri Ext
40x15
50x12

One Arm Rope Pushdown
15x15
25x6 + 4 forced

Cable Rear Delt Fly
30x15
40x15
50x10

Nautilus Nitro Pro Plus Side Lateral
65x15
80x10
50x10

3 Likes

Well done

Nice work on all your PR’s

1 Like

Thank you!!

1 Like