AutoCautionDoor's Workout Journal

[AutoCautionDoor]

Alright. I'm making this journal as a way to track my progress and motivate myself. I've been working out inconsistently for about 6 years. I've gone from 140 lbs to a current 177 lbs.

I will post my bodyfat % and measurements in 2 weeks or so as I don't have a way to accurately calculate them at this time. I'll also try to get access to a camera for a before picture. My long term goal is to be 210 lbs 7-8% bodyfat as well as increasing strength and size in the legs and back. Like most inconsistent lifters I've neglected these areas in favor of the chest and arms.

My short term goal is to be 195 lbs without doing too much damage to my bodyfat %.

I will post the reps/weight for each excersize when I return from the gym each day. I made my first workout plan and eating plan yesterday - so I hope to get some good gains from finally organizing my schedule.

I'll also try to increase weight or reps each week in atleast 2 excersizes per workout.

[AutoCautionDoor]

I ripped my workout plan from <a href="http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=143006"> BRIT_BEEF's thread </a> with the addition of two forearm excersizes. I also plan to double up the sets for traps and maybe 1.5 up the sets for legs.

Monday Legs

Squats (3 sets)
Leg press (3 sets)
Leg extension (2 sets)
Leg curl (3 sets)
Stiff leg deadlift (2 sets)
Standing calf raise (3 sets)
Seated calf raise (2 sets)

Wednesday Back/biceps

Deadlift (3 sets)
Pullups (3 sets)
Barbell row (3 sets)
Dumbell row (2 sets)
Shrugs (3 sets)
Barbell curl (3 sets)
Dumbell incline curl (3 sets)
Hammer curl (2 sets)
Behind the back wrist curls and reverse wrist curls (2 sets each)

Friday Chest/shoulders/triceps

Bench press (3 sets)
Incline dumbell press (3 sets)
Dips (2 sets)
Military press (3 sets)
Seated Side laterals (2sets)
Rear laterals (2 sets)
Lying tricep extension/skullcrusher (3 sets)
Close grip bench press (3 sets)

[AutoCautionDoor]

Feel free to criticize this. Perhaps the sugar is high, but most of it is consumed in the morning or after a workout. Some background info: I'm a college student so I don't have a lot of cash. I hate oats.

Meal 1:
1 cup cottage cheese
3 egg whites 1 whole egg
2 slices whole grain bread

Meal 2:
protein shake with milk
2 bananas

Meal 3:
1/2 lb ground turkey
broccoli
brown rice
2/3 cup bruces yams
multivitamin and flax

Meal 4: (Post Workout)
protein shake with milk
2 bananas
2 slices whole grain bread
2 tblspoon peanut butter

Meal 5:
1/2 lb chicken breast
brown rice

Meal 6:
protein shake with water
2 slices whole grain bread

Cals Carbs Fat Protein Sugars
3,678 489.4g 58.3g 279.8g 156g

[No Sents]

Everything looks really good! But, you should probably start your workout w/ all compound movements first.

Like this:

Monday Legs

Squats (3 sets)
Leg press (3 sets)
Stiff leg deadlift (2 sets) << moved
Leg extension (2 sets)
Leg curl (3 sets)
Standing calf raise (3 sets)
Seated calf raise (2 sets)

Wednesday Back/biceps

Pullups (3 sets) << moved
Deadlift (3 sets)
Barbell row (3 sets)
Dumbell row (2 sets) << could get rid of this one
Shrugs (3 sets)
Barbell curl (3 sets)
Dumbell incline curl (3 sets)
Hammer curl (2 sets)
Behind the back wrist curls and reverse wrist curls (2 sets each)

Friday Chest/shoulders/triceps

Bench press (3 sets)
Incline dumbell press (3 sets)
Close grip bench press (3 sets) << moved
Dips (2 sets)
Military press (3 sets)
Seated Side laterals (2sets)
Rear laterals (2 sets)
Lying tricep extension/skullcrusher (3 sets)

[No Sents]

Your diet looks really clean!

If you were to add 1 cup of cottage cheese before bed that would help your gains out big time.

[AutoCautionDoor]

Thanks for the advise, No Sents. I agree with both points and will take them into account.

Today was a pretty disappointing day at the gym with the exception of bench. But that is mainly due to the fact that I am unfamiliar with some of the excersizes. The only 2 excersizes in this routine that I have done consistently in the past are bench and dips. To let you know where I'm coming from..I took a year off from lifting and over the past 3 months I've been doing a routine similar to this:

pick whatever 8 out of these 11 excersizes that you feel like doing and split them up over 2 days.

bench
incline bench
tricep pushdowns
wide grip pull downs
seated row
curls
dips
leg press
calf raise
leg curl
and some various ab excersizes

Obviously a terrible routine.

[AutoCautionDoor]

Anyway here are the numbers I put up today.. I expect rear lat and skullcrushers to go up signficantly next week as they were new to me. I was trying to get the form right before I move up in weight.

bench:
225 lbs / 11 reps
235 lbs / 7 reps
245 lbs / 5 reps

incline bb press:
185/7, 205/4

dips:
bodyweight/23, bw/15

db military press:
35 lbs each / 6, 35 / 6

side lats:
25/8, 25/8

rear lats:
15/8, 15/8

skullcrusher:
45/10, 45/8

close grip bench:
115/6

Yeah..I know I left early. I need to take shorter breaks (it had already been an hour). Any advice on where I need the most work would be appreciated.

[No Sents]

Nice bench man!

If you wanted to save some time you could alternate between close-grip and skullz weekly or bi-weekly.

[Heisman]

Take your time to learn the form on each exercise. You have your whole life to lift; no need to rush into it and get injured.

I would get rid of the leg extensions if I were you. Then, the squats and leg presses would be for the quads, and the sldls and the leg curls would be for the hamstrings. Also, leg extensions can cause knee problems and are not a good exercise IMO.

I would do the deadlifts first, then the pullups. I think No Sents contradicted himself. He said to put compound exercises first, and you can't get more compound then deadlifts!

I would do chin ups instead of the dumbell rows and get rid of 3 sets of bicep exercises.

I would get rid of the skullcrushers and do the cgbp after the military presses. You will be doing flat bench, incline bench, dips, military presses, and the cgbp. With all of those, you don't need skullcrushers to further hit your tris. You could even get rid of the close grip bench presses if you wanted to.

[AutoCautionDoor]

No Sents: Nice bench man!

Thanks for the compliment. :)

Since you and Heisman both agree that I have enough for tris I'll probably end up switching between cgbp and skullcrushers every couple months.

Heisman: I would get rid of the leg extensions if I were you.

Sounds good to me..I think the squats and leg presses should be plenty - especially since legs are one of my weakest areas.

You also both agree that the db rows aren't necessary..so I'll scratch those and add some chin ups.

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate as much advice/criticism as you care to give.

[AutoCautionDoor]

Based on everyone's suggestions my new workout schedule will be as follows:

Monday Legs

Squats (3 sets)
Leg press (3 sets)
Stiff leg deadlift (2 sets)
Leg curl (3 sets)
Standing calf raise (3 sets)
Seated calf raise (2 sets)

Wednesday Back/biceps/forearms

Deadlift (3 sets)
Pullups (3 sets)
Barbell row (3 sets)
Shrugs (3 sets)
Chinups (2 sets)
Dumbell incline curl (3 sets)
Hammer curl (2 sets)
Behind the back wrist curls and reverse wrist curls (2 sets each)

Friday Chest/shoulders/triceps

Bench press (3 sets)
Incline dumbell press (3 sets)
Close grip bench press (3 sets)
Dips (2 sets)
Military press (3 sets)
Seated Side laterals (2sets)
Rear laterals (2 sets)

Wednesday still seems a little long, I guess I'll see in 5 days.

[Heisman]

Do the shrugs at the end of the workout on Wednesday. You could also drop a set of the dumbell incline hammer curls and pullups if necessary. Although it may seem a bit long, the wrist curls and shrugs don't take much energy, so it isn't that big of a deal.

[AutoCautionDoor]

Heisman: Do the shrugs at the end of the workout on Wednesday. You could also drop a set of the dumbell incline hammer curls and pullups if necessary.

Good advice. I'll do shrugs last and drop some sets for the biceps if I take too long on Wednesday.

Today is an off day so I just have to worry about nutrition and homework. I'm actually a bit sore from my workout yesterday, which hasn't happened in quite a while.

[AutoCautionDoor]

[AutoCautionDoor]

Today's another rest day. Just biding my time 'til tomorrow for legs. I'm curious to see how far they are lagging behind.

[AutoCautionDoor]

Today was leg day. It was about what I expected.

Squats 135x10 285x6 225x3
Leg Press 270x8 360x6 360x6
SL Deadlift 135x8 205x7
Leg curl 70x8 110x6
Standing calf raise 220x10 180x13 180x13
Seated calf raise 140x6 140x6

A lot of improvement needed there. But thats why I have this journal - to track my progress and to remember where I started

[AutoCautionDoor]

Today I skipped my workout due to time constraints. To make up for it I had a double whopper with cheese, a soda, and 6 protein shakes.