Bet: To lose 5% body fat in 4 months

[CaptHook]

Been a while since an update. I missed quite a few days in the gym going maybe 3x out of 10. Was in last night and did a long session as punishment:

Tricep Pull Down 10kgx8x1, 25kgx8x3
Shoulder Press 10kgx8x1, 17.5x8x3
Incline D Bench Press 17.5x8x6/7 (was waiting for a flat bench/cable fly machine)
D Bench Press 20kgx8x1, 22.5x8x1, 25x8x2
Cable Flys 12.5x8x2, 10x8x1
7x7x7 20kg+bar x 2

5km run - 24:40.

Good session but I weighed in at 79kg after which was ****. I thought I was losing fat and think I look different to how I did 4 months ago or so but it's hard to know when the scales never make any progress. It doesn't feel like I've put on muscle either and I shouldn't considering the calorie deficit I've been on. Anyway I'm upping the carbs/calories by having rice with lunch & dinner so I'll report back in a week with results.

[CaptHook]

Dumbbell lateral raises 12.5kgx8x3
Dumbbell Shrugs 30kgx8x3
Machine Lat Pull Down 30kgx8x1, 60kgx8x2, 70kgx8x1
Dips: BW+5kgx8x2, BW+10kgx8x1
Dumbbell Bent Over Row 30kgx8x2
Pull Ups BWx5x2, BW-10kgx10x1
Machine Ab Crunch 15kgx8x1, 35kgx8x3

5km in 23:33.

Very happy with that session and the time for the 5km. Confident I'll be able to hit 22:30 within 3 weeks.

Weighed in at 77.7kg on a new scale too.

[CaptHook]

Won't be running today. Will do some chest/arms/core/legs workout:

Barbell Preacher Curls: Bar + 15kg x 8 x 4
Dumbbell Kickbacks: 15kg x 8 x 3
Bench Press: 20kg x 8 x 1, 30kg x 8 x 3
Cable Flys: 12.5kg x 8 x 3
Cable Kneeling Crunch: 30kg x 8 x 3
Seated Crunch Machine: 35kg x 8 x 3
Squat: Bar x 8 x 3 (first time ever attempting squat coming up! Will go with basis of starting strength for now)
Seated Leg Curl: 50kg x 8 x 3
Standing Calf Press: 50kg x 8 x 3
Leg Press: Super set narrow & wide stance 80kg x 8 x 3

I'll probably be dead come leg press time but we'll see. I've been having a coffee before the gym the last two days and I think it's a good idea. Will report back later.

[CaptHook]

Went like this:

Barbell Preacher Curls: Bar + 15kg x 8 x 1, +20kg x 8 x 3
Dumbbell Kickbacks: 15kg x 8 x 2
Bench Press: 20kg x 8 x 1, 30kg x 8 x 1, 30kg x 6 x 1 (to failure), 27.5kg x 8 x 1
Cable Kneeling Crunch: 30kg x 8 x 3
Seated Crunch Machine: 35kg x 8 x 3
Seated Leg Curl: 50kg x 8 x 3
Standing Calf Press: 50kg x 8 x 1, 100kg x 8 x 3
Leg Press: Super set narrow & wide stance 80kg x 8 x 1, 90kg x 8 x 2

No gym today, going tomorrow with a friend and will get the form of squat, deadlift & bent over row covered. Would it be recommended to start these compound exercises on a cut or should I wait until June-ish and introduce them with a bulking diet.

[CaptHook]

Signed up to a 10km at end of April too - aim for now is 55 mins but on a race day in 4 weeks time I can probably raise the bar to 52:30.

[swole-striation]

No gym today, going tomorrow with a friend and will get the form of squat, deadlift & bent over row covered. Would it be recommended to start these compound exercises on a cut or should I wait until June-ish and introduce them with a bulking diet.

start now.

[krete77]

Went like this:

Barbell Preacher Curls: Bar + 15kg x 8 x 1, +20kg x 8 x 3
Dumbbell Kickbacks: 15kg x 8 x 2
Bench Press: 20kg x 8 x 1, 30kg x 8 x 1, 30kg x 6 x 1 (to failure), 27.5kg x 8 x 1
Cable Kneeling Crunch: 30kg x 8 x 3
Seated Crunch Machine: 35kg x 8 x 3
Seated Leg Curl: 50kg x 8 x 3
Standing Calf Press: 50kg x 8 x 1, 100kg x 8 x 3
Leg Press: Super set narrow & wide stance 80kg x 8 x 1, 90kg x 8 x 2

No gym today, going tomorrow with a friend and will get the form of squat, deadlift & bent over row covered. Would it be recommended to start these compound exercises on a cut or should I wait until June-ish and introduce them with a bulking diet.

Like i said, you should be doing those compound exercises as the main focus of your workouts, and your accessory work after. is your ankle healed? i think you said that's what was stopping you. you need those compounds!!! they work all your muscles in your body!! forget about cable crossovers and dumbbell kick backs lol.. do some close grip bench and weighted dips for tri's. deadlifts for that back; pullups/chinups for back also.. so many muscle fibers are recruited it's ridiculous to not use them

[CaptHook]

Hey krete, the ankle can handle the runs fine so it's definitely time to start the compounds. How do you break up your workouts, i.e. do you do back with triceps or biceps? Then what with legs and back? I'm going to make 3x workouts based around chest/back/legs, just wondering which days incorporate tris/bis/delts or does it matter really? If you're working out more than 3x a week do you just rinse & repeat ya?

Chest: Dumbbell Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Cable Fly Overs

Back: Deadlift
Bent Over Row
Pull Ups
Dumbbell Shrugs
Machine lat pulldown

Legs: Squat

[CaptHook]

Just did a short chest/biceps session:

D Bench Press: 15kgx8x1, 27.5x8x3
Then I super setted the dumbbell bench press with 10 chin ups: 30kgx8x1,30kgx6x1, 27.5kgx8x2, 4x10xchin ups
Barbell Curl: 10kg bar + 20kg x 10 x 3

Weighed in at 80kg then which was slightly unpleasant but what can ya do.

[CaptHook]

Ugh poor last few days. I'm all over the place. Weighed in at 78.7kg after this routine for chest/bis/tris:

D Bench Press: 15kgx8x1, 22.5kgx8x1, 27.5kgx8x1, 30x8x1
D Incline Bench Press: 10kgx8x1, 15kgx8x1, 25kgx6x1, 22.5kgx8x1
Cable Flys: 7.5kgx8x1, 12.5kgx8x1, 10kgx8x2
Preacher Curls: 5kg bar + 20kg x10x4
Dumbbell Curls: 10kgx16x1, 15kgx16x2
Dips: BW+5kgx8x1, BW+10kgx8x3
Cable Tricep Extension: 15kgx8x1, 30kgx8x3

[krete77]

Your weight has stayed the same since the start.
You've been doing chest/tris/bis since the start, basically the whole month and a half.

Go back to the beginning of this thread and remember what I said. Time to find a workout program, that increases lifts and based around compounds and get to it. Takes many years to look good, not a short few months

[CaptHook]

Hey krete, first off I know you're right. I am trying to implement the compound exercises in & when I am 100% able to do them they will be the core of my workouts. I did some bar squatting at the weekend and really felt it on my ankle. I know 20-40kg would be bearable but I wouldn't trust my ankle to have any more weight on. Still, I will involve them more starting today. I've just had a good read of starting strength & their novice programme which looks v easy atm compared to my workouts. So tonight is legs/core/back but I want to implement Day 1 of SS prog which is as follows:

Start week one with a 20kg bar in every lift.
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench press / Press (Alternating)
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

So I will base my workout around this...
Squat: Barx5x1, Bar+20kgx5x3
Leg Curl: 50kgx8x3
Calf Press: 100kgx8x3
T Bar Row: 40kgx8x4
Lat Pulldown: 30kgx8x1, 70kgx8x3
Bench Press: Bar+20kgx5x3
Ab Rope Pulldown: 30kgx10x4
Seated Crunch Machine: 35kgx10x4
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure

If my legs aren't too bad I'll do a 5km after this. If they are I'll do some shoulder presses.

[krete77]

Definitely don't do any compound lifts if your injured. I hope that's not how I came across. I just assumed you were better (I thought I saw you write it somewhere) and was making sure your on the right track.

How long are you spending on your workouts? Remember, its the quality of reps (each and every rep) that counts!\

[CaptHook]

Ya I thought it was as good as new myself as there was practically no trouble when running the last couple of weeks. I'll try the squat tonight with 20kg & just won't push past the point when I can feel it weakening. Really need to see a physio about this.

I would say I spend about 1 hour avg on weights per session, but I get quite a bit done. Yesterday's workout was around 70 mins for example. I'm going to take that last comment on board this evening as I may rush early reps in sets when there isn't too much effort required. Obviously new exercises I take very slow especially the squat.

[CaptHook]

Squat: Bar+20kgx5x3, x10x1 (ankle was fine bar one set, was messing around with position a good bit but think the form was ok)
Leg Curl: 50kgx8x3
Calf Press: 100kgx8x3
T Bar Row: 40kgx8x4 (need to look up vids of this before next session - think my form was pretty awful but maybe not)
Lat Pulldown: 30kgx8x1, 70kgx8x4
Dumbbell Shrugs: 40kgx8x3 (have had a niggling pain in my right deltoid for the last week, this has it aggravated again)
Bench Press: Bar+20kgx5x3 (form was definitely **** here, couldn't keep the bar straight)
Ab Rope Pulldown: 30kgx10x4
Seated Crunch Machine: 35kgx10x4
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure

Had a protein shake after which I'll now be doing after workouts. Having no carbs for recovery from now on I don't think, just with lunch a few hours pre workout. Weighed in at 78.2 and I don't want to see it higher until I'm cut enough to start bulking, 10% BF here we come!

[krete77]

Squat: Bar+20kgx5x3, x10x1 (ankle was fine bar one set, was messing around with position a good bit but think the form was ok)
Leg Curl: 50kgx8x3
Calf Press: 100kgx8x3
T Bar Row: 40kgx8x4 (need to look up vids of this before next session - think my form was pretty awful but maybe not)
Lat Pulldown: 30kgx8x1, 70kgx8x4
Dumbbell Shrugs: 40kgx8x3 (have had a niggling pain in my right deltoid for the last week, this has it aggravated again)
Bench Press: Bar+20kgx5x3 (form was definitely **** here, couldn't keep the bar straight)
Ab Rope Pulldown: 30kgx10x4
Seated Crunch Machine: 35kgx10x4
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure

Had a protein shake after which I'll now be doing after workouts. Having no carbs for recovery from now on I don't think, just with lunch a few hours pre workout. Weighed in at 78.2 and I don't want to see it higher until I'm cut enough to start bulking, 10% BF here we come!

I'm on the road to 10% as well. Got two other guys maybe 3 in a thread I started in this forum. We're all pretty much doing the same thing, cutting in hopes of getting to close 10%.

Good luck man. Keep up the good work.

[CaptHook]

**** sake what is with this site & so many replies just disappearing. Has happened me at least 5 times in this thread :/ Anyway I'll update later going gym now for chest/tris. Yesterday was a mix of everything with a decent bit of squatting.

[CaptHook]

Had two good workouts over the weekend - Fri was a mix of squatting, core & biceps, Sat was a very good chest/tris day. I want to make April a great month so I'm going to outline a number of goals here that have to be achieved by May 1st. I don't know what increases I can expect to make in the compound movements as I'm only really getting used to form now but if anyone thinks I should aim higher or lower for 30 days progress let me know.

Current weight: 79.8kg (as of 31/03) Target weight: 76kg
Current body fat: 15.6% Target BF: 13.5%
Bench press: 65kgx6x4 Target: 75kgx6x4
Squat: 35kgx8x4 (not a struggle really) Target: 90kgx6x4
Deadlift: Have not done one yet Target: 80kgx6x4
5km: ~23:30 Target: 22:30
10km: haven't completed one. Target: 52:00.

I know that the runs are achievable, the weight loss is too. However I don't really have a clue about the squat & deadlift but at least it's something to aim for.

Going to break up workouts as follows: Day 1 (today): legs/shoulders, 2: back/biceps, 3: chest/triceps, 4: core/cardio. If I go a fifth day I'll probably do 50/50 cardio & whatever weights I can do.

Today's workout will be squatting, leg curling, calf raises, shoulder presses, Arnold shoulder presses & dumbbell front raises. Hope to get up to 45kg on the bar for the squat.

[krete77]

So how did the squats feel?

[CaptHook]

So how did the squats feel?

Much better on Friday . Don't think the ankle bothered me once. I did around 10 sets of 5 reps overall I think, from the bar up to the bar +35kg.

[CaptHook]

Decent session:

Calf raises: 50kgx10x1, 110kgx10x4
Arnold Shoulder Presses: 10kgx10x1, 15kgx8x4
Dumbbell Front Raises: 10kgx8x1, 10kgx6x4
Squat: Barx5x1, +20kgx5x2, +30kgx5x2, +40kgx5x5 (form didn't feel right for the most part here, didn't go as low with the 40kg on I don't think)
Shoulder Press: 12.5kgx10x1, 17.5kgx10x4
Leg Curl: 30kgx10x1, 55kgx10x1, 50kgx10x2

[Wilcox28]

Keep up the hard work and dedication man! Your doing great. Stick with it!

[CaptHook]

Cheers mate. Yesterday was back/bis with the introduction of deadlifting. Think my form was pretty poor so didn't go any higher with the weight.

Deadlift: Bar+10kg*5*2, +20kg*5*2, +30kg*5*2
Preacher Curls: Bar+15kg*10*1, +20kg*10*4
T-Bar Row: +20kg*8*2, +40kg*8*2
Cable Curls: 30kg*8*2, 27.5kg*8*2
Dumbbell Shrugs: 40kg*10*4
Lat Pulldown: 35kg*8*1, 70kg*8*3

[CaptHook]

Today, chest/tris. Want a tough session so aiming for this:

Bench Press: Bar*8*2, +30kg*8*3
D Bench Press: 20kg*8*1, 25kg*8*1, 30*8*2
Cable Tricep Extension: 15kg*8*1, 30kg*8*3
D Incline Bench Press: 12.5kg*8*1, 22.5kg*8*3
Bent Over Cable Triceps Extension: 15kg*8*1, 25kg*8*3
Dumbbell Flys: 7.5kg*8*1, 12.5kg*8*3
Dips: BW+5kg*8*1, BW+10kg*8*3

Tomorrow is cardio/core so will be have to put a big effort in there, haven't done cardio in about 10 days!

[CaptHook]

Didn't make the gym today so I think as punishment/test I'll attempt a 10km tomorrow. Won't be aiming for anything major, I'll take it steady & set a provisional time of 57:00. Will do some core work before this too.

Just a quick question, do people ever try to cut & bulk simulatenously, e.g. having a deficit on non-workout days & a surplus on training days?

[CaptHook]

Didn't make the gym today so I think as punishment/test I'll attempt a 10km tomorrow. Won't be aiming for anything major, I'll take it steady & set a provisional time of 57:00. Will do some core work before this too.

Just a quick question, do people ever try to cut & bulk simulatenously, e.g. having a deficit on non-workout days & a surplus on training days?

Well, knocked that out of the park. 10km in 52:30 - very pleased with that! Tomorrow I'm going to try bench 70kg 5 x 4, squat 50kg 5 x 4 & deadlift 50kg x 5 x 4. One thing about the run I noticed was my legs were definitely stronger which has to be credited to the squats!

[CaptHook]

Was in the gym Sat & Sun, did a mixture of things. Today had a v good legs/shoulders session:

Squat: 20kg*8*1, 50kg*8*1, 60kg*6*2, 70kg*6*1, 80kg*6*4
Barbell behind neck shoulder press: 25kg*10*4
Leg Curl: 55kg*10*4
Military Barbell Press: 25kg*10*1, 35kg*8*2, 25kg*8*1
Leg Press: 90kg*8*2 (wide stance & narrow super-setted)
Arnold Dumbbell Press: 10kg*8*1, 15kg*7*1, 15kg*5*1
Calf Raise: 50kg*10*1, 106kg*10*3

Weighed in at 78.2. Going to start trying to increase most of these every session from here on out. Was a lot more focused today & think I've lit a fire inside and am well up for going above & beyond the goals set earlier. I'll change the squat to 90kg for now which should be very do-able & if I can do 70kg*5*3 bench this weekend I'll increase the goal there too. Now time to completely cut the **** out of the diet & see real results!!!!

[krete77]

Just a quick question, do people ever try to cut & bulk simulatenously, e.g. having a deficit on non-workout days & a surplus on training days?

Yes but your just spinning your wheels. Pick one goal and stick to it!

[CaptHook]

Back/bis:

Deadlift: 25kg*8*1, 40kg*8*3, 50kg*8*1 (these didn't feel good at all, will get form sorted this weekend with someone who knows)
Barbell Preacher Curls: 30kg*12*3
Dumbbell Shrugs: 20kg*12*3
Barbell 7x7x7: 30kg*3 supersetted with 12 box jumps
Bent Over Row: 30kg*8*4
Lat Pulldown: 35kg*10*1, 65kg*12*1, 60kg*12*1, 60kg*9*1
Don't know name for this one but involves crossing the cables & works the upper back, 4 sets
Wide grip pull ups: 3 sets to failure: 5,4,3

[CaptHook]

Today will be chest/tris, here's what's planned - hopefully can get all this in:

Warm up (what sort of warm ups do you guys do? It's something I need to do more of, and warm downs, I plan to just go on cross trainer for 5 mins but have been researching foam rolling which looks really beneficial)
B Press: 20kg*12*1, 40kg*12*2, 50kg*12*2
Incline B Press: 20kg*12*1, 30kg*12*1, 40kg*12*3
Cable Flys: 10kg*12*3 (I was shown a new way to do these lately by someone studying personal training, means dropping the weight)
Dumbbell cable flys: 10kg*12*3
Jog 2km @ 13km/hr (going to implement this into 2 training sessions each week along with 1 all out cardio session to get my pace up for a race at end of month)
Tricep Dips: BW*12*1, +10kg*12*3 (slightly optimistic)
Rope Tricep Extensions: 15kg*12*3
Dumbbell Tricep Extension: 25kg*12*3
Warm down (prob just a km slow pace cycle or something)

As you can see that's quite a serious session but tomorrow is cardio/core & on Sat I'm going to be getting the form of deadlift & squat down with the help of a friend so won't be exerting too much again until Sun/Mon. Cardio tomorrow I think I'll do HIIT rather than another 10km but we'll see. Diet clean as a whistle last 3 days.