baker's journal

[baker]

Training Revisions

The more I look at my schedule the more I think....what the heck are you thinking. I think training upper body twice a week and lower only once was a smart idea. Dropping squats back to once a month was a bad idea. Also, if your going to train upper body twice a week you should probably split it up so your not hitting all the same bodyparts. So, slight revisions, same concept. I'll probably switch everything to a reverse pyramid with only two work sets for the next few weeks. Other than that I'm going to cut my Saturday 5K's back and start doing more tempo training, at least until I have to start my next 8K training cycle.

Mondays
Narrow(er) Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Pullups

Wednesdays
Deadlifts or Squats
Good Mornings

Fridays
Military Press
Floor Press
Bar Curls

[baker]

12/10/11
Macros - 156/342/172/3549

12/11/11
Macros - 136/245135/2952

12/12/11
Macros - 236/192/93/2562

Narrow(er) Bench
5x185 4x205 7x185

Incline Bench
3x175 6x155

Pullups
4xBW+25 5xBW+10

Comments
This weeks is a rep range of 4-6 reps to failure. Doing 203 warm up sets then blasting out max weight for the first set. Reducing the weight by about 10% and going again. Narrow Bench went well, next week I'll go straight to the 205 for the first set. Incline good too. Pullups were surprising, thought I'd be able to pull a lot more weight with all the volume I've been doing.

12/13/11
Macros - 165/91/59/1606
2 Miles - 22:11


12/14/11
Macros - 211/185/87/2340

Squats
6x185 3x225 1x275
3x205 8x185

Good Mornings
10x95 (3 sets)

Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets 10

Comments
Squaterday. The first few sets up to the single were just gauging where my strength was after such a long layoff squats. The 275 felt good, ATG baby!! The next couple sets were sans belt and to failure.

[Bo_Flecks]

12/13/11
Macros - 165/91/59/1606

Wow... did you miss a couple of meals that day?

[baker]

Wow... did you miss a couple of meals that day?

Rough day at work that day.

[bamazav]

Merry Christmas Baker Family.

[Getsum]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Baker!

[baker]

Merry Christmas Baker Family.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Baker!

Thanks guys. Hope yours was good too.


Been sick for a few days so no training. Will restart again today.

I did however manage to keep an experiment going. The last 4 weeks I have eaten whatever I wanted, no real structure other than to track the macros and keep track of my weight and waist measurement. It was very interesting to see how my weight would fluctuate based on what I ate the day before. Highs for the last 4 weeks were 197.9/34.25 and lows were 190.2/33.25. Today I'm sitting at 197.2/34.00 so even though I'm under for the week the lack of exercise has probably tuned that negative into a positive. No wonder sedentary people get fat so quickly.



The next 12 weeks I'm going to follow a pretty strict protocol to see how things trend.

[baker]

12/26/11
Macros - 268/201/100/2741

Narrow(er) Bench
15x95
15x135
15x155
11x165*
13x160*

Incline Bench
15x135
6x155*
12x145*

Neutral Grip Pullups
8xBW*
7xBW*

Ab Wheel
3 sets 5 Reps

Hanging Knee Raise
3 sets 5 reps

Neck
2 sets 10 reps


Comments

Since I took off a few days I wanted to start finding the higher end of my rep ranges. I figured 12-15 reps would be a good start. Rep counts marked with * are to failure and ended up in the rack.

Narrow(er) Bench - Focusing on squeezing and contracting the muscle. Strict reps. Lower weight. Feels good man.

Inclines - Thought I'd be stronger, but concentrating on the muscle. MMC.

NG Pullups - After some experiments, I feel like I can "feel" this style pullup more than the other ones. Deadhang to bar touching clavicle at the top of the movement.

Abs & Neck - Both are weak points for me so I'll be ending all workouts with abs and neck training. Starting out pretty light on neck extensions and crunches. Also hitting the sides for a couple sets.

[Bo_Flecks]

Macros - 268/201/100/2741

Just curious how you are getting 100 grams of fat in. I really struggle to get enough fat in my diet, so I have to plan it in with certain foods I eat every day.

[baker]

12/27/11
Macros - 196/84/110/2086
A tad short of target today but still getting the grocery list and routine dialed in for the next 12 weeks.

12/28/11
Macros - 236/255/91/2846

Deadlift
15x135
15x135
15x185
15x205

Bent Over Rows
15x115
15x135

Good Mornings
15x95
15x115

Ab Wheel & Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets 5 reps each

Neck
2 sets 10 reps w/ 5lbs each position

Comments

Teh Deads - Wow. These were done conventional w/no belt. I think I got the form nailed down pretty good so I'll bump the weight to 225 next round. Really have a hard time "feeling" this exercise since all the major muscle groups are involved. I did focus on flexing my abs during the movement. Abs still sore from Monday (as is chest).

Bent Rows - Did these Ironwill style with my feet wide. This really helped me feel more comfortable and concentrate on the MMC. Nice contraction through the lats and traps. I do stand a little more erect kind of like the way Dorian Yates used to do em.

GM - Still not comfortable going heavy on these. Will bump to 135 next cycle.

Just curious how you are getting 100 grams of fat in. I really struggle to get enough fat in my diet, so I have to plan it in with certain foods I eat every day.

I get mine mostly from almonds, peanut butter and eggs. Here is what my diet looked like today.

I do follow an IF style nutrition plan. Breaking fast around 1PM and eating evenly spaced meals until 9PM. Not really a whole different than your 5 meal plan I eat just one less meal per day. On non-training day I'll drop most of the carbs from the later meals.



There is usually some chicken breast in there but I'm fresh out till we go shopping again.

[Bo_Flecks]

^^^Yep. The peanut butter is what makes the difference. Thanks for posting your nutrition plan. I like seeing them (I'm kind of odd that way ).

[baker]

^^^Yep. The peanut butter is what makes the difference. Thanks for posting your nutrition plan. I like seeing them (I'm kind of odd that way ).

I really think that's where more people (including myself) should pay a tad bit more attention. I believe I've read that nutrition is as much as 80% of the equation when it comes to making progress. Maybe that's broscience.

[bamazav]

I agree with BoStevus, thanks for posting a sample diet. How are you tracking this? software, website?

[baker]

I agree with BoStevus, thanks for posting a sample diet. How are you tracking this? software, website?

I use myfitnesspal.com. They have an "app" I use on my phone to log everything.

[baker]

12/29/11
Marcos - 237/104/96/2301

12/30/11
Macros - 229/344/178/4183

Military Press
15x95
15x100
15x105

Redneck Dips
15xBW+10
15xBW+12.5 (13/2)*

Chinups
15xBW (10/1/4)*
15xBW (6/4/4/1)*

Reverse Grip Bench
15x135
15x135
15x135

Ab Wheel & Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets 5 reps each

Neck
2 sets 10 reps each position w/5lbs

Comments................

Military - Lower back bothering me a bit so I'm doing these with back support. Full range of motion. These burn something awful after you hit 10 reps. Slow controlled pace, sick pump by the end of the sets.

Dips - The parallel bars I'm using really are challenging for this exercise. I lowered the pin placement so that my knees touch the ground at the bottom of the movement. Seems to help stabilize the rack and keep me in a consistent groove.

RGBP - Had some extra time so I hit a finisher for triceps.

Abs & Neck - Will add reps next week to all exercises. The HLR I'm actually doing these as a hanging reverse crunch. Bringing my knees up to my chest and then rotating my hips up to get a nice hard contraction. These are nasty, especially after the ab wheel.

Macros - Date night. We went to Outback and I was peer pressured into Aussie Cheese Fries and splitting a desert. The Fosters was me alone, that stuff is awesome.

[baker]

Thinking of hitting a full body program after my race in March. I'll have my bodyfat down to where I want it by then and will be looking for something different. I specifically want hypertrophy gains on the program. After reading Casey Butt's site for the last couple weeks and the HST website I'm sort of convinced that I've missed the boat by always doing split training.

If anyone has some advices please post away.

[bamazav]

LOL, you have opened a can of worms. (inB4realbbonlydosplits) Many of the really old school BBers worked fullbody, Park, Reeves, Eder, etc... Others started with FB and moved to splits, Arnold for example. IMHO, this is not the most fullbody friendly site, unless you mention that you are newb. I can recommend some other reading for you, but they are on a competing site (s), so posting them would only result in ******** If interested in more reading, email me and I will send you the links.

[baker]

12/31/12
Macros - 212/227/100/2876

01/01/12
Macros - 223/125/91/2224

01/02/12
Macros - 244/274/75/3001

Narrow(er) Bench
15x135
13x165*
7x155*
10x135*

Incline Bench
15x95
10x115*
10x100*

Neutral Grip Chins
10/4/3

Ab Wheel & Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 6 reps

Neck Training
2 sets of 12 reps w/ 5lbs


Comments

Bench - Slow controlled reps. Consistently hitting the bar directly across the nipples. This is a bit higher for me as I'm used to the powerlifters arch and hitting below the chest, right across the sternum actually.

Inclines - Good tempo on these also, hitting the bar at the top of the chest. I normally bring it down to the middle or lower chest so this is a big change (as of last week). I can really feel the contraction and the pain during the entire movement.

Chins - I switched these up a bit. Three sets with as many reps as possible. Pulling till the bar touches my clavicle/upper chest.

Training Pace/Rep Range - One other tweak I made was dropping my rest time down to two minutes. I never really paid that much attention to how long I was taking between sets. The shorter rest times had a big affect of my strength, as has the hand position, concentration on the muscle and the target reps which is fifteen. I noticed that once I hit about the ten rep mark my strength drops significantly. Probably keep this target reps range for another couple weeks and then drop to ten, then back down to five again.

LOL, you have opened a can of worms. (inB4realbbonlydosplits) Many of the really old school BBers worked fullbody, Park, Reeves, Eder, etc... Others started with FB and moved to splits, Arnold for example. IMHO, this is not the most fullbody friendly site, unless you mention that you are newb. I can recommend some other reading for you, but they are on a competing site (s), so posting them would only result in ******** If interested in more reading, email me and I will send you the links.

Thanks again for the links. I like the structure of the HST program and the H/L/M option that Casey Butt recommends. I did see Arnold's "Golden Six" which he recommends hitting three times a week. Squats, Bench, Chins, Overhead Press, Bar Curls & Situps until your at your desired size. That's a pretty big contradiction from everything I've seen written by or about the way Arnold trained.

This requires more research.....

[-=FLEX=-]

'Sup bakes?

I'm not gonna crap all over a FB routine, but honestly I could never do one.

Whatever you do, I'll keep following along.

Happy New Year.

[Bo_Flecks]

Bench - Slow controlled reps. Consistently hitting the bar directly across the nipples. This is a bit higher for me as I'm used to the powerlifters arch and hitting below the chest, right across the sternum actually.

Do you have your hands a little wider on the bar using this method, too?

[baker]

01/03/12
Macros - 231/98/83/2141
2 Miles: 22:56 Temp. 21 degrees (brrrrrrr....)

01/04/12
Macros - 257/171/99/2711

Squats
15x95
15x115
15x135
15x155
15x160

RDL
15x95
15x115

Dip Belt Calf Raise
15x35
15x35
15x35

Hanging Leg Raise & Ab Wheel
3 sets 6 reps each

Neck Training
2 sets 12 reps w/ 5 lbs

Comments...............

Tempo - Three minutes between sets/exercises for legs. One minute for abs and neck training. This resulted in some pretty significant decreases in strength, not to mention the higher reps.

Squats - High bar placement, on the shoulder as opposed to the power position. I'm feeling this more directly in the quads which is what I wanted. The power stance really seems to target the glutes more than the quads. Running is difficult with sore glutes, not so much with sore quads.

RDL - Started light on these. After squats I thought I was going to puke (srs) so I didn't push it too much.

Calf Raise - I thought it would be a good idea to add calf training but couldn't figure out how. So I though what would McGyver do? So I set up my 70 lb hexbells and and using them to stand on while using the redneck parallel bars to lean on while doing them. Sort of a modified donkey calf raise. Maybe I'll build something soon, good enough for now.

[baker]

01/05/12
Macros - 258/124/84/2366
2 Miles - 23:56 Slower pace due to some leg soreness.

01/06/12
Macros - 233/271/106/3222

Military
15x45
15x65
15x95
6x110*
8x100*

Parallel Bar Dips
15x10
12x10*

Chinups
BWx11,5,3

Low Incline DB Bench
15x40
15x40
15x40

Hanging Leg Raise & Ab Wheel
3 sets 6 reps each

Neck Training
2 sets of 12 reps w/ 5lbs

Comments...........

Tempo - Two minutes rest between sets/exercise for upper body. One minute for abs and neck training.

Military - Reps took a nose dive with the shorter rest times. Should have known better than to increase 15 pounds on the second work set. At least I know what my maxes are for the lower reps ranges.

Dips - Stuck with the same weight across sets. Missed on the second set, will hold weight till I get all reps.

Chins - Pulling to clavicle. Really feeling these in my back and arms. Nice pump and a small increase over last week.

Abs & Neck - Will increase reps on all next week. Will stick with five lbs on the neck training until I get to 5x12, then increase the weight. My neck has been feeling better since I started training it directly again.

Experiment - I'm going to do a small experiment with the Low Incline DB Press. I'm going to do these at the end of every training session. Starting @ 3x15 w/40, I'll increase the number of sets for the next couple weeks until I hit 5x15, then start increasing weight. Need to invest in some Platemates soon.

[baker]

01/07/12
Macros - 231/123/84/2238

01/08/12
Macros - 217/101/106/2328

01/09/12
Macros - ~~~~~~~

Narrow(er) Bench
10x135
10x155
8x160*

Incline Bench
10x95
10x100
10x105
10x115
8x120*

Neutral Grip Chins
12/6/3

Low Incline DB Bench
15x40
15x40
15x40

Ab Wheel & Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 7 reps

Neck Training
3 sets of 10 reps w/ 5lbs


Comments.................

Tempo - Short rest between sets. I'm guessing it was under two minutes, left watch in the house.

Bench - Took the reps down just a bit slower than last week. Really trying to feel the chest/tri/delt contraction at the top. Killer.

Inclines - These felt better than last week. Could have upped the weight a bit and dropped the number of sets back.

Chins - Slight improvement over last week.

'Sup bakes?

I'm not gonna crap all over a FB routine, but honestly I could never do one.

Whatever you do, I'll keep following along.

Happy New Year.

Thanks Flex. Many of the old school trainers and pre steroid era bodybuilders used full body training. Actually, Mark Rippetoe's program is full body, as is Madcow, Sheiko, Bill Starr's 5x5, etc., etc. Here is a quote from Glen Pendlay:

The research I did getting my master's degree was all hormonal based. I'm always looking at how training influences the hormonal response, and, if you get it right, how hormonal response influences the results you get from training. That made a huge impact on how I've designed my training philosophy.

The whole-body type of workout, where you're doing big, stressful exercises, stimulates a powerful hormonal response. That's one of the reasons why people who aren't on drugs get the most benefits from a completely different training style than those who are on drugs.

Someone who's on drugs already has all the testosterone his system can handle. Someone who's not on drugs needs to train in a way that stimulates his body's production of hormones.

If you're a pro-bodybuilder who's taking the things that pro-bodybuilders take, then you don't have to train the same way or worry about the same things as your average 25-year old guy who wants to build muscle and isn't going to take drugs to do it. Those are two completely different systems of training.

What we're talking about is doing things that stimulate the whole body more. You're not doing isolation work; you're not coming in and doing curls and blasting your biceps once a week with 20 sets. Instead you're doing big exercises, leaning towards a whole-body workout.

Not everyone needs to do a whole-body workout, but they certainly don't need to do chest one day, biceps the next, etc. Whole-body workouts or upper/lower splits are the answer.

You're training more frequently, and as you get into better shape your goal is to start including "extra" workouts where you do very explosive, fast movements and, generally, concentric-only movements.

That being said, I'm still undecided on what I want to do come March. I specifically want hypertrophy. I like the PHAT program a lot and did well on it last time around, but it's too many days (5). I just feel like I'm missing something and can't figure out what it is yet.

Do you have your hands a little wider on the bar using this method, too?

Narrower actually. I normally used middle finger in the outside groove of the oly bar, now the outside of my palm is resting against it. So what's that about 3 inches narrower per side. Makes a big difference in the ROM and where I'm feeling the contraction. My chest is a lot more sore now after benching, used to have really sore delts all the time.

[baker]

01/10/12
Macros - 221/62/49/1635 (Didn't get enough fat in....)

01/11/12
Macros - 237/249/83/2636

Pendlay Rows
10x45
10x65
10x95
10x95
10x95
10x95
10x95

Romanian Deadlift
10x135
10x185
10x185
10x185
10x185
15x185

Floor Crunches & Lying Leglifts
7 sets 10 reps each s/s

Neck
3 sets 10 reps w/ 5 lbs

Low Incline DB Bench
15x40
15x40
15x40

Comments.........

Pendlay - This is an exercise I've always hated. I never could find a comfortable position to do them correctly and was frustrated because I couldn't do as much as regular barbell rows. I decided to give them another try since the barbell row always seems to make my traps sore and not my lats. Started light and will work my way up slowly. My traps are still sore but so are my lats and even directly across the shoulder blades. Lower back is stronger now too, maybe that helps.

Deadlift - After looking at several deadlift videos over the last few weeks I've noticed that my "sweet spot" in the conventional deadlift has my hips higher and looks more like a Romanian style. This is the way I'm going to stick with conventional deadlifting from now on, it just feels more comfortable and may actually allow me to make progressions.

Abs - Switched up to crunches and leg lifts this session. No biggie.

Reps/Sets/Tempo/Rest - Two minutes rest between sets. Added some work sets this week and on the last set (deads) went to 15 reps. I notices Stebo doing that so I thought I'd try it.

[baker]

01/12/12
Macros - 197/91/97/2106

01/13/12
Macros - 251/209/71/2606

Military Press
10x65
10x95
10x95
10x95
10x95
17x95

Redneck Dips
10xBW
10xBW +10
10xBW +10
10xBW +10
10xBW +10
22xBW +10

Chins
8xBW
7xBW
3xBW

Hanging Leg Raise & Ab Wheel
3 sets 7 reps each

Neck
3 sets 10 reps w/ 5lbs

Low Incline DB Bench
15x40
15x40
15x40


Comments................

Military - Technically this is seated shoulder press. I am using back support so I could have went a tad heavier. I did extra sets and went to failure on the last one. Kind of liking this technique.

Dips - Dips are slowly coming back. I'm using some wood clamps to keep the 4x4's from sliding. This is helping keep me more stable during the exercise and not worrying about slipping. I got a nasty sliver in one of my fingers during the first set, went through my glove and right into my hand. Need better workout gloves, sounds like I need to go to Lowes.

Chins - I was expecting to make a little progress but my back was still sore from earlier in the week. Seemed to affect my strength a bit but we still kept the form good and really got a nice stretch in the bottom. I think this is actually a better bicep exercise than straight bar curls. I really try to concentrate on getting a nice negative and the biceps are screaming at the end of the set.

Misc. - My weight is still trending down. I missed a 32 inch waist measurement by about 1/8th of an inch. Will post up numbers when the week is completed. I feel like if I'm going to start cutting calories it's going to be protein and not carbs and fat. Carbs are targeted at 100 on rest days and 200 on training days. That should be fine. Protein is targeted @ 240-250 which is 1.5xLBM. I think I could trim that down to 200-225 and still be fine.

[baker]

01/14/2012
Macros - 227/115/93/2237

01/15/2012
Macros - 212/140/65/2044

Week 7/14 Results



After three weeks of actual effort to try and drop bodyfat and weight I'm down about a pound. I am tracking macros very carefully and eating quality food. Based on the over/under numbers and the fact that I've dropped only slightly tells me that the target calories (maintenance) is incorrect. Will make the necessary adjustments to start trending down.

[Bo_Flecks]

Dips - Dips are slowly coming back. I'm using some wood clamps to keep the 4x4's from sliding. This is helping keep me more stable during the exercise and not worrying about slipping.

Just curious... do the you feel the dips hitting your triceps any differently with the 4x4 grip being much wider than a standard sized dip bar? I only ask this due to my curiousity about how the fat grips (like BergMuscle is experimenting with) affect arm development.

[baker]

01/16/2012
Macros - 200/220/61/2223

Narrow(er) Bench
10x160
10x160
7x160*
6x160*
10x135

Incline Bench
10x95
10x95
10x105
10x105
12x105

Neutral Grip Pullups
9xBW
7xBW
3xBW

Ab Wheel & Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets 8 reps each

Neck Training
3 sets 12 reps w/ 5lbs

Low Incline DB Bench
15x40
15x40
15x40
15x40


Comments...........

Bench - Too much of an increase too soon. Should have stuck with 155 for all 5 sets since I didn't complete the sets/reps the previous week. Will back down to 155 next week and do it correctly.

Incline - Started too light. Will stay @ 105 for all sets/reps next week.

NG Pullups - I don't like the progression here. Will switch this to match the schemes of the rest of my training. Four sets of five reps and then the final set to failure.


01/17/12
Macros - 200/131/60/1880
2 Miles - 22:02

[baker]

01/18/2012
Macros - 206/201/73/2276

Pendlay Rows
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115

Romanian Deadlift
10x205
10x205
10x205
10x205
10x205

Dip Belt Donkey Calf Raise
10x70
10x70
10x70
10x70
15x70

Ab Wheel & Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 8 reps

Low Incline DB Bench
15x40
15x40
15x40
15x40


Comments..............

Pendlay - Going well. Will add five lbs next week. Lats are getting pretty sore from this exercise. May need to add a traps exercise to this day.

Teh Deadz - This was an intense exercise for me. I barely got the last rep on the last set, some slight hitching so I'll stick with it for another week. Really concentrating on keeping my abs and core tight since I'm not wearing a belt for these. My guts are really sore the day after too.

Calves - Succeeded in inventing a great calf exercise. Also succeeded in making myself too sore to do any running the rest of the week.


01/19/2012
Macros - 217/101/63/1889

[baker]

01/19/12
Macros - 211/241/69/2422

Military Press
10x115
10x100
10x100
8x100*
6x100*

Redneck Dips
10xBW
10xBW +10
10xBW +15
10xBW +15
10xBW +15
10xBW +15

Chins
6xBW
6xBW
5xBW

Hanging Leg Raise & Ab Wheel
3 sets 8 reps each

Neck
3 sets 12 reps w/ 5lbs

Low Incline DB Bench
15x40
15x40
15x40
15x40


Comments................

Military - Should have learned from Monday that small increases and getting all the reps is smarter way to train.

Dips - Done good this week. Added five the second work set and finished strong. Will stick with the weight for all sets/reps next week.

Chins - Tried to implement the revised structure on chins. Should have went five reps like on pullups. ROM is a full extension in the bottom and touching my chin on the support beam that's in the shed. It's about six inches over the top of the rack.

Misc. - My weight is still trending down. I missed a 33 inch waist measurement by about 1/8th of an inch. Will post up numbers when the week is completed. I feel like if I'm going to start cutting calories it's going to be protein and not carbs and fat. Carbs are targeted at 100 on rest days and 200 on training days. That should be fine. Protein is targeted @ 240-250 which is 1.5xLBM. I think I could trim that down to 200-225 and still be fine.

^^Fixed^^

I did implement this strategy all week and am trending down at a better pace. Will update Sunday.

Just curious... do the you feel the dips hitting your triceps any differently with the 4x4 grip being much wider than a standard sized dip bar? I only ask this due to my curiousity about how the fat grips (like BergMuscle is experimenting with) affect arm development.

Yes, the way I do them now doesn't allow me to lean forward as much as I did on the parallel bars at the gym. My triceps are getting a really nice pump from these and getting some good deep soreness the following day. Hopefully some bigger guns are in my future.