- Hoop_Dreams' road to Aesthetics -

[Hoop_Dreams]

Sup everyone. I don't expect anyone to read or follow this, I made this purely so I can track my progress. Get used to seein this on page 1 though because I'll be updating this constantly I had a workout log in the sports training section that I started last year but I'm no longer training for a sport.

The basics:

Height: 5'8"/5'9"
Weight: 151
Body type: Skinny as hell

Lifts:

DB Bench: 80 x 5
Squat: 230 x 5
Lat Pulldown: 145 x 6
DB Shoulder Press: 55 x 6
Deadlift: ???

Goals by the end of the year:

-Get to 165 by the end of the year by clean bulking.
-Squat 275 x 5
-DB Bench 90's x 5 with STRICT form

Current Routine:
Layne Norton's PHAT




I gotta step my diet up. Getting my workouts in isn't a problem, it's the making sure I don't miss any meals part that I get lazy on. Thus the sig lol.

Here we go..

[Hoop_Dreams]

Lower Power Day

Squats:
135 x 5, 155 x 5, 185 x 5, 235 x 5, 235 x 5, 235 x 3 (fuuuu... couldn't bust out the last two.)

Hack Squats:
185 x 6, 225 x 6, 245 x 6, 245 x 6, 245 x 6.. went REALLY deep on these.

Standing Calf Raise:
150 x 10, 150 x 10, 150 x 10

Seated Calf Raise:
75 x 10, 85 x 10, 85 x 10

Leg Extensions:
100 x 10, 125 x 10, 145 x 10, 145 x 10

Seated Leg Curl:
85 x 8, 100 x 8, 130 x 10, 130 x 10... meh

Roman Chair Leg Lift:
20 lb DB x 3 x 10

Hanging Leg Raises:
BW x 3 x 10

Legs didn't feel that sore today.. maybe I didn't go intense enough? I tried upping the weight from my previous workout so I don't know.

Now time for the hard part.. getting the calories in.

[pkahnman]

Yo hoops whats good

Good luck with your goals. Ill be following

[Hoop_Dreams]

Back and Shoulders

Seated Shoulder DB Press:
30 x 10, 50 x 10, 50 x 8, 50 x 7 (fuuuu incomplete sets)

Rack Chins:
BW x 8, BW x 8, BW x 8, BW x 8, BW x 8, BW x 7... I've avoided doing these in the past because I wasn't sure about the technique. But after the first couple of sets I really started to feel it in my lats. Got a nice pump with this, and I'll definitely be doing this every back & shoulder day from now on.

Side Lateral Raises:
15 x 10, 15 x 10, 20 x 10, 20 x 10

Upright Rows:
55 x 10, 65 x 10, 65 x 10, 65 x 10

Deadlifts
135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 255 x 3.. I could've went higher in weight but I pussed out. This was my first time doing deads in a while so I wanted to make sure my form was on point.

Pendlay Rows:
95 x 6, 115 x 6, 135 x 5, 115 x 6... Went back down to 115 because I was compromising my form at 135.

Close grip lat pulldowns:
85 x 10, 115 x 10, 115 x 10

DB Rows:
65 x 8, 65 x 8, 65 x 8

Pull-ups:
BW x 7, BW x 6, BW x 6, BW x 5.. I went pretty wide on these.

Reverse fly pec-dec
65 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 10.. went really slow and controlled on these.

Bent over reverse DB flies
22.5 x 10, 30 x 8, 35 x 8, 35 x 8


Got a nice pump from this workout. I'm really trying to improve my lats because I consider it one of my biggest weak spots (even though I'm 151 pounds and just about everything is a weak spot...lulz). Rest day tomorrow.

It felt great lifting late on a Saturday night. Lifting with people around has it's pros but lately I've been getting annoyed by the invisible lat syndrome dudes who like to have staring contests with everyone in the gym. I love when it's empty and it's just me, the weights, and my ipod. I can crank up coldplay and not feel self-conscious about it (no homo, the song "yellow" is dope)

Yo hoops whats good

Good luck with your goals. Ill be following

Not much man, just trying to stop half-assin this bodybuilding thing and go full throttle... I'm tryin to become a beast

Thanks for the kind words fellow sports misc brah.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Weight: 154

Chest and Arms Hypertrophy

DB Incline Bench
40 x 10, 60 x 10, 60 x 10, 60 x 9

Preacher Curls
55 x 8, 55 x 8, 55 x 8

Tricep Rope Pushdowns
55 x 12, 70 x 12, 70 x 12, 70 x 12

Hammer Strength Incline Press
140 x 8, 180 x 8, 200 x 8, 200 x 8, 200 x 6

Hammer Curls
35 x 10, 35 x 10.. didn't do the last set

Cable Flies
25 x 12, 35 x 10, 35 x 10 (above chest)... 35 x 10, 35 x 10 (chest high).. 35 x 10, 35 x 10 (below chest)

Tricep Dips
BW x 12, BW x 10, BW x 10

I just realized I forgot to do concentration curls.. that's what I get for forgetting my notepad.

Today's workout went ok. I increased the weight on most of the exercises from my last workout. But I swear, I'm such a homo.

I've been going to the gym at a new time recently so I can work around my school schedule, and I've noticed this really cute girl is there at the same time. She's just my type... brunette, with the girl next door look. I made eye contact with her the other day and instantly fell in love.



"Why do I fall in love with every woman who shows me the least bit of attention?" - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Anyways I saw her again today and I just got depressed. Because I know I'll never have to balls to approach her.

To add salt to the wound, I took a pic today after today's workout and I compared it to a pic from three months ago. It looks like I've made zero progress.



I mean if I had to give myself a grade for how hard I've worked for the past three months it'd go like this:
Lifting (i.e. intensity, not missing workouts): B
Diet (not missing meals, eating quality foods): C-

That's passing right? Apparently I've been doing worse than that though if I haven't made noticeable progress in 3 months.

Fukk me man. I have no one to blame but myself though. This bodybuilding thing isn't fukkin easy.

[Hoop_Dreams]

So today was supposed to be Leg Hypertrophy Day.. but I felt like going heavy again. So it was more like Lower Power Day.

My strength wasn't really there because I failed to prepare meals for today. I had school from 7-3:30 and all my classes are back to back. There's no time to stop somewhere and get a meal in between without being late for a class. After my classes, I drank a protein shake and took and nap, then ate a chicken breast and hit the gym. So basically I lifted on about 800 calories. Fail

Squats:
135 x 5, 155 x 5, 185 x 5, 235 x 5, 235 x 4, 225 x 4... Not making excuses, well yes I am, it was because I didn't have enough cals in me. If I don't get 240 by the next leg workout it won't because I didn't eat enough.

Hack Squats:
185 x 8, 185 x 8, 185 x 8... really deep on these.

Seated Leg Curls:
85 x 10, 130 x 10, 130 x 10, 130 x 10

Leg Extensions:
85 x 10, 130 x 10, 145 x 10, 145 x 10

Seated Calf Raises:
75 x 10, 80 x 10, 80 x 10, 80 x 10... mind=blown at people that can do this with like 3+ 45 plates.. I suck hard at this exercise.

Standing Calf Raises:
150 x 10, 150 x 10, 150 x 10

Romanian Deadlifts:
135 x 8, 185 x 8, 225 x 6 (stopped because my lower back was hurting)

And just because I felt like I didn't hit bi's enough yesterday, I tried a new exercise: Spider Curls.

Spider Curls w/ DB's:
15 x 10, 20 x 10, 20 x 10, 20 x 10... you don't need to use a really heavy weight doing this exercise. I've never gotten a pump this great doing arms before. Felt friggin awesome.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Upper Body Power Day

DB Bench Press
45 x 8, 65 x 6, 80 x 6, 80 x 5, 80 x 4... been on 80's for the past two weeks. Should be on 85's by now, fuark.

Rack Chins
BW x 10, BW x 10, BW x 10

Tricep Rope Pushdowns
55 x 8, 70 x 8, 95 x 8, 95 x 8

Cable Flies
25 x 10, 35 x 10, 45 x 8, 45 x 8 (slightly above chest), 45 x 8, 45 x 8 (chest level)

Seated DB Shoulder Press
55 x 6, 55 x 6, 55 x 7.... I wanted to try 60's x 5 but I couldn't get the 60's up. Son of a biscuit

Bent Over Rows
95 x 8, 115 x 8, 145 x 5, 145 x 5, 145 x 5

Spider Curls w/ DB's
25 x 10, 25 x 8, 25 x 8

Pull-Ups
BW x 8, BW x 6... I was dead. My body was not ready.jpg

DB Shrugs
75 x 10, 75 x 10, 75 x 10


Been a while since I lifted this late (2 am). I was fukkin drained from school all day and then I was busy wheelin and dealin' on craigslists for books. So my nap turned into a 6 hour sleep and I just ate and hit the gym at 2.

I'm starting to see some progress in my body... or maybe that's just the endorphins talking, but either way I feel pretty good about the way things are going right now

Lower Power Body Day tomorrow.. If I don't hit 240 on squats, son I will be disappoint.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Lower Power Day

Squats:
135 x 5, 155 x 5, 185 x 5, 240 x 5, 240 x 5, 240 x 5.. Not only was I able to set a new PR but I finished all 3 sets. Fuarrrkkkkkk yes.

Leg Press:
2 plates x 10, 3 plates x 10, 4 plates x 10, 4 plates x 10

Standing Calf Raise:
150 x 10, 150 x 10, 150 x 10

Seated Calf Raise:
90 x 10, 90 x 10, 90 x 10

Leg Extensions:
100 x 10, 125 x 8, 160 x 8, 160 x 8

Seated Leg Curl:
85 x 10, 115 x 8, 130 x 8, 145 x 8, 145 x 8

Roman Chair Leg Lift:
20 lb DB x 3 x 10

Crunches
6 sets x 25

Smith Machine Shrugs
185 x 12, 205 x 12, 225 x 12... been hitting my traps 3-4x a week and have been seeing solid progress.

Contrary to my last Lower Power day, I feel really sore in my legs right now. After I finished with squats, I could feel the burn in my ass lol. You mad I'ma have an apple booty? Yeah you mad (no homo).

240 is probably a warm-up for most people in this section but I was really pumped to get that # today. I remember being happy to get 225 for the first time and then thinking I'd never be able to get past that. Now my long term goal is to get 315 but I'd be happy with getting 275 by the end of the year.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Back and Shoulders

Seated Shoulder DB Press:
30 x 10, 55 x 10, 55 x 8, 55 x 6

Rack Chins:
BW x 10, BW x 10, BW x 10..... BW x 9, BW x 8, BW x 6. I did the last three sets at the end of my workout and explains why I wasn't able to get a full 10 reps for those sets.

Cable Lateral Raises:
10 x 10, 20 x 5, 20 x 5, 10 x 10

DB Lateral Raises:
17.5 x 10, 17.5 x 10, 17.5 x 10

Upright Rows:
70 x 10, 75 x 10, 75 x 10

Close grip lat pulldowns:
115 x 8, 130 x 8, 130 x 7

Wide grip lat pulldowns:
130 x 8, 145 x 8, 145 x 7

DB Rows:
70 x 10, 70 x 10

Rear Deltoid Machine
65 x 10, 75 x 8, 75 x 8, 75 x 8

Seated Cable Rows (narrow grip)
130 x 8, 130 x 8, 115 x 8... form was getting sh!tty so I moved back down to 115.

Seated Cable Rows (wide grip)
100 x 8, 100 x 8, 100 x 8

Smith Machine Shrugs
225 x 10, 225 x 8, 225 x 8

DB Shrugs
70 x 10, 70 x 9.. I picked a callous on my right hand, and it got pretty hard to hold the DB's because of the wound where my callous was. On a side note, I learned how to spell callous correctly thanks to the red squiggly line underneath my original spelling "callouse". now I know.. and knowing is half the battle *cue the G.I Joe theme song*


I weigh 155 as of right now (and that's before my PWO meal and a meal after that). It's about damn time that I gain some weight. 165-170 here I come.. I'm just prayin I don't dreamer bulk.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Chest and Arms Hypertrophy

DB Incline Bench
30 x 10, 45 x 10, 60 x 10, 60 x 10, 60 x 8

Preacher Curls
55 x 8, 55 x 8, 45 x 8

Tricep Rope Pushdowns
55 x 10, 70 x 10, 85 x 8, 85 x 8, 85 x 8

Hammer Strength Incline Press
90 x 12, 140 x 10, 160 x 10, 160 x 10

Hammer Curls
30 x 10, 35 x 8, 35 x 8

Cable Flies
30 x 12, 40 x 10, 35 x 10, 35 x 10

Tricep Dips
BW x 12, BW x 10, BW x 10

Spider Curls w/DB's
20 x 15, 20 x 15

[Hoop_Dreams]

Need to get back to logging my workouts since my memory sucks. I'm like Leonard Shelby when it comes to trying to remember what body parts I hit during the week.

Currently at 164 right now. I've been lifting pretty consistently since the last time I posted in this thread, and my diet has been 90% good for the past few months. Will post up pics sometime in the near future. Oh, and just checked the goals from the OP. Only reached 1/3. Gotta step my game up.

Chest/Triceps

DB Incline Bench
40 x 8, 70 x 3 x 6

Cable Flies
50 x 3 x 8 (3 different angles)

Tricep Pushdowns
55 x 12, 85 x 10, 85 x 10, 85 x 10

Hammer Strength Incline Press
180 x 8, 200 x 6, 220 x 6, 220 x 5

DB Incline Flies
35 x 3 x 10

Pec Machine Flies
120 x 8, 120 x 5 + 105 x 3, 105 x 5 + 90 x 3

Tricep Extensions, hand on bench
10 x 10, 12.5 x 2 x 10

Skullcrushers
55 x 8, 55 x 8, 55 x 6

Tricep Dips
BW x 10, BW x 8, BW x 9 (fuuu.. tri's were dead during these)

Knee Raises
30 lb. DB x 3 x 10

Hanging Leg Raises
3 x 10

[Hoop_Dreams]

Back day. Really want to start emphasizing my lats so I can build that v-taper.
Back

Pull-ups
BW x 8, BW x 6, BW x 5... went wide to target the lats.

Rack Chins
BW x 4 x 8

Wide-grip Lat Pulldowns
100 x 8, 115 x 3 x 8... been able to do more weight in the past, but that was with a narrower grip.

Barbell Rows
95 x 8, 135 x 3 x 5

DB One-arm Rows
65 x 8, 75 x 3 x 8

Seated Row Machine
100 x 8, 105 x 2 x 8

Behind the back Wrist Curls
40 x 3 x 15

[Hoop_Dreams]

Legs

Squats
135 x 5, 185 x 5, 250 x 4, 250 x 4, 250 x 3

Hack Squats
225 x 8, 275 x 8, 275 x 6, 275 x 6

Leg Extensions
120 x 10, 150 x 3 x 10

Leg Curls
115 x 3 x 10

Standing Calf Raises
165 x 3 x 10

Seated Calf Raises
90 x 3 x 8

Whenever I miss a workout, it's usually leg day. But I wear shorts a lot, so having chicken legs is not a good look. Plus, as Doug Miller shows, having a pair of well sculpted legs is aesthetic as fuarkkkkkkkkk.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Forgot to log my Chest workout from Wednesday.

Back/Arms
Wide-grip Lat Pulldowns
100 x 8, 130 x 3 x 8

T-Bar Row Machine
70 x 3 x 6

Rack Chins
BW x 2 x 10, BW x 8

Pull-ups
BW x 5, BW x 5, BW x 4... lol. I have to do these at the beginning of my workout.

Hammer Curls
40 x 5 (terrible form), 35 x 5, 35 x 2 x 8

DB Concentration Curls
25 x 10, 27.5 x 10, 27.5 x 8

Chin-ups
BW x 3 x 5

Tricep Extensions, hand on bench
12.5 x 3 x 10

French Overhead Press
50 x 8, 65 x 8, 75 x 6, 70 x 6

Behind the back Wrist Curls
40 x 3 x 15

Wide-grip Lat Pulldowns (again)
85 x 3 x 10... felt like doing some extra lat work, went light

[Hoop_Dreams]

Legs/Abs

Squats
135 x 5, 185 x 5, 250 x 5, 250 x 4, 250 x 3

Leg Press
4 plates x 6, then my legs gave out and I got a sharp pain in my lower back. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

I tried to tough it out and do some other exercises, but it hurt like hell to even bend down and pick up plates.

Leg Extensions
115 x 3 x 20

Seated Calf Raises
90 x 4 x 10

Leg Raises + Knee Raises w/25 lb. DB
3 sets x 10

Crunches
3 sets x 30

Weighted Ab Machine
95 x 3 x 10


It still hurts right now but I think I avoided major injury. Stretched out my lower back during my workout in between sets, and it seemed to help a little bit. The smart thing to do would be to take tomorrow off, but I'm gonna ice my back and see how it feels later on.

I'll try to get some pics taken soon. It's coming up on almost 2 years since I started lifting, so time for some progress pics.

[FatEars]

defintely in on this
just starrted phat myself a couple weeks ago

thought that video up there was you for a second Lol damnnn man thsoe legs

[Hoop_Dreams]

Bodybuilding class at school today. Which meant no barbells or dumbells... yay. All cables, but I still feel like it was a solid workout.

Shoulders

Military Press, one arm
40 x 10, 60 x 3 x 8

Side Lateral Raises
20 x 3 x 12

Rear Delt Flies
20 x 3 x 10

Seated Shoulder Press Machine
70 x 8, 90 x 4, 80 x 2 x 6

Front Raises
20 x 3 x 10

Pike Press
3 sets x 10

defintely in on this
just starrted phat myself a couple weeks ago

thought that video up there was you for a second Lol damnnn man thsoe legs

What up brah I'm not really following PHAT to a tee anymore ... tryin to switch it up for dat dere muscle confusion. I'm thinking about hopping back on it though in a few weeks. And I'd kick a newborn puppy if it meant I could have Doug Miller's legs

[pkahnman]

in.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Bodybuilding class.

Chest/Tri's

Cable Flies
40 x 10, 60 x 3 x 10 (PR)

Incline Press Machine
90 x 8, 130 x 8, 140 x 6, 140 x 5

Chest Press Machine
130 x 8, 190 x 3 x 6

Dips
BW x 3 x 10... I need to buy a dip belt.

Tricep Pushdowns
70 x 10, 85 x 10, 100 x 2 x 8

One Arm Pushdowns
40 x 2 x 10.. class ended before I could finish.
__________________________________________

So it's been two years since my first progress pic.

March 16, 2010 ~145 pounds?:
skinnyfat...groce/10


March 6, 2011 - ~150 pounds:
myspace ripped kid/10


Today - 161 pounds:



Slow progress is slow. Bulking is a catch 22 for me. Yeah I'll get bigger, but it seems like the first place the weight goes to is my face. I'm hideous with a high bf%, so I have no choice but to do a slow, clean bulk. When will it be my turn for 175 pounds and 10% bf?

[Hoop_Dreams]

Back/Arms

Pull-ups
BW x 9, BW x 8, BW x 6

Lat Pulldowns
130 x 3 x 8

EZ Bar curls
50 x 10, 60 x 2 x 8

Rear Delt Fly Machine
90 x 10, 95 x 8, 105 x 5 SS w/95 x 4

Deadlifts
135 x 5, 225 x 5, 255 x 4, 255 x 3.....first time doing these in months

French Overhead Press
60 x 3 x 10

Curl Machine
55 x 8, 45 x 10, 45 x 8, 45 x 7

Tricep Extensions, hand on bench
15 x 3 x 10

One arm pushdowns
40 x 10, 45 x 9, 40 x 10

DB Concentration Curls
25 x 2 x 10


Keep forgetting to log my workouts. I need to start doing it everyday, because I forget the amount of weight I do during previous workouts, and as a result I've been doing some exercises at weights lower than what I should be doing. F*ck.

[Hoop_Dreams]

Chest

DB Bench
50 x 8, 80 x 3 x 5

DB Incline Bench
70 x 3, 65 x 2 x 6

Incline Press Machine
220 x 3 x 5

DB Incline Flies SS w/push-ups
40 x 3 x 8 + 7 x 3 push-ups

Cable Flies
50 x 8, 60 x 4 + 50 x 4, 50 x 8

Knee Raises + 25 lb. DB
3 x 10

Hanging Leg Raises
3 x 10

[Hoop_Dreams]

Back/Arms

Pull-ups
BW x 10, BW x 8, BW x 7

Lat Pulldowns
135 x 8, 135 x 6 + 130 x 2, 135 x 5 + 130 x 3

Rear Delt Fly Machine
105 x 8, 105 x 8, 105 x 5 + 100 x 3

French Overhead Press
70 x 3 x 6

Curl Machine
45 x 8, 50 x 8, 50 x 4 + 45 x 4

Tricep Pushdowns
70 x 10, 85 x 10, 100 x 2 x 8

One arm pushdowns
45 x 10, 40 x 10

Hammer Curls
35 x 8, 30 x 10, 30 x 8

Chin-ups
BW x 3 x 5

[Hoop_Dreams]

Chest

DB Incline Bench
75 x 3 x 5

Incline Press Machine
225 x 5, 230 x 2 x 5

DB Incline Flies
40 x 3 x 7

Cable Flies
50 x 8, 60 x 4 + 50 x 4, 50 x 8

Dips
BW x 3 x 10

Decline sit-ups
45 plate x 3 x 8

Weighted Ab Machine
95 x 3 x 10

[Hoop_Dreams]

Do I even Shoulders? I've only been logging Chest & Back days because I hit Shoulders/Legs in my bodybuilding class and have a separate log for that.

Back/Arms

Pull-ups
BW x 11, BW x 9, BW x 7

Lat Pulldowns
130 x 3 x 6

Iso Lateral Machine (I think that's what it's called)
95 per arm x 3 x 8

Pendlay Rows
135 x 3 x 5

Smith Shrugs
205 x 4 x 10

Hammer Curls
35 x 3 x 8

Chin-ups
BW x 8, BW x 6, BW x 5

[Hoop_Dreams]

Shoulders/Abs

Pull-ups
(yeah not Shoulders, but felt like doing 'em)
BW x 11, BW x 9, BW x 7

Seated DB Shoulder Press
60 x 5, 60 x 4, 55 x 5

Cable Side Lat Raises
25 x 3 x 8

Cable Front Raises
30 x 3 x 8

Smith Shrugs
205 x 4 x 10 (2 sets front, 2 sets behind the back)

Elevated Push-ups
Not sure exactly what it's called. But my feet are on a chair and I do almost kind of a push-up, but they target the front delts.
3 x 12

Knee Raises
25 lb. DB x 3 x 10

Hanging Leg Raises
3 x 10

Was putting on too much BF looking at my last pic so I did a minicut. In the 150's right now. Weight is just a # to me though, I'm not gonna stress out about what a number on scale tells me anymore... gonna go off what the mirror tells me. Skinny as fuark but I'm tryna be lean for the summer. Clean bulking mode from here on out.