I want to start by saing Im not expecting to have my workout rewritten by somebody else. HOWEVER, I understand other might have insight on something I might have overlooked - afterall we all come from different backgrouns (westise types, Poliquin types, Renegade types…), and as such follow somewhat different approaches.
Goals are:
A)Bring pullups from the current 11 to 16
B)Bring bench press from the current 6x175 to 6x250
c)Gain 8 lbs
D)Keep my 5 mile runs 2-3 times/week (this is mandatory for me to keep fit for boot camp. it took me a long time to get to the 5 miles)
Workout:
Day 1: Med grip pronated pullups - 10x5
Spinal extensions - 3x8-12
Seated DB curls - 8x5-6
Reverse bb curls - 3x6-8
Wrist ext/wrist curls - 2x6-8 each
Day 2: Core strength (planks, obliques, swiss ball balance work, situps, box jumps); 50 min run
Day 3: Flat BB Bench Press - 10x5-6
Swiss ball incline db press(one arm) - 2x10
Clean & press - 4x5-6
Swiss ball lat raise/rear delt raise superset - 2x8-10 each
Weighed dips - 8x5-6
Day 4: Core strength; 50 minute run
Day 5: One leg squats - 6x5-6
Deadlifts - 6x5-6
Standing calf raise - 3x15
Seated db shrugs - 4x5
Day 6: Core strength only
Rest periods will be 90 secs between sets.
Tempo will be 2010 - I have followed a slow tempo thus far, and a fast concentric will help me develop some speed and work the muscle differently.
You can notice the emphasis on pullups and bench press, since these are the numbers I need to bring up.
You can also notice I use a reduced number of sets for shoulders, since they’re preceded by heavy chest work.
At 202 lbs, 10% bf, my calculated caloric intake is 3500. To bulk I will add 750 cals/day to this number - 4250. Taking into account the 50 min runs and intense core training every other day, I will add an extra 800 cals on these days - ~5000 cals.
The strong repetition of bench press, pullups, and dips will allow for greater neural adaptation thus allowing for greater progress with these specific lifts.
The core strength and runs are important to me at this point. Increasing daily caloric intake on these days should help compensate for the calories lost.
The caloric intake should be enough for me to gain 1-2 lbs/week.
Any links that I might be missing will be apreciated. Thanx!!!
Why not just follow a modified Westside program to help bring your bench up?
If not follow a program, at least try using Westside benching form. I increase my 1RM by about 10-15 pounds just by switching to the Westside benching technique.
I would agree 100% w/ Char-dawg. On the point why are you trying to bulk up for boot camp? Boot camp is mainly about endurance. How long can you last in the pac as per say not how much you bench! Work on your endurance diesel not strength or size!
i personally think you would need more horizontal rowing in the program. its hard to bring your bench up with out it.
you have hit lower back twice (Spinal extensions and deadlifts) and no horizontal rowing… i think this is a big over sight.
it looks like alot of frills and not enuff basic shiznit.
2 exercises (and 13 sets) on biceps, wrist curls, swissball lat raises, seated db shrugs. get back to basics.
Halve the bicep work and do some more back.
drop the DB shrugs and grap a bar with a shit load of plates stuck on, there is no way you could overload you traps with normal db’s.
do overhead press ing for your delts or up right rows…
actually just pick up a Westside program, and add three runs to it…
Have you thought of doing other types of pullups, i.e. supinated grip, wide grip etc? These will work all of your muscles collectively, hence bringing up your pullups and your back at the same time. Any thought on doing negatives for pullups?
One thing for grip strength. I saw you do db curls, I believe. My uncle has quite possibly the strongest grip I’ve ever felt. When I was younger, he would grab my wrists so tight, he could manipulate you in anyway he wanted. All he did was buy 2 racquetballs and squeeze them as many times as he could at night. He did this for years while wrestling. This is where I got my wrist/grip workout from.
I came to the same copnclusion that I included too much biceps work. I will also get rid of the frills, which I’d added for variety’s sake.
I too had a strong feeling that a lack of horizontal work might hinder my progress.
Since my greatest priority is bringing up my # of pullups from 11 to 16, I am considering doing horizontal pulling and vertical pulling on 2 different days so as to allow me to work extensively on my pullups.
I am considering also doing regular chinups, which will also target my bis, thus allowing me to reduce direct biceps work.
I appreciate your concerns- Char and Fitone. However, as my recruiter put it to me, chances of me leaving prior to March are close to none. Unless someone in the DEP for C-5 Crew Chief changes his mind, I wont be going anywhere for the next7 months.
Since I’ve spent the past 12 weeks focusing on my endurance, I noticed my strength was in need of a major overhaul. Also, I expect to lose mass in Bootcamp, so adding 8 lbs will give me more leeway when I come back, to regain what I may have lost. As such I will be spending the next 2 months focusing on strength and hypertrophy protocols - with the tweak that I will keep up my runs, all my core strength and situp/pushup training.
I also agree that bulking for bootcamp isn’t really the best idea, because u’d be carrying that extra weight during all those long runs. I’d concentrate on keeping your strength and increasing your endurance. Also it would be very very hard to gain weight running 5 miles 3 times a week. You would have to eat so many calories it would be unreal.