AllPro: A Simple Beginner's Routine part III

[Ali18]

hmm, how's your diet? Maybe you simply not eating enough, so it doesn't grow?

Eating at maintenance, used Emma's thread to work out nutrition. Hitting my micros. Was cutting the first 2 cycles.

The lack of progress in gains is really demotivating

[Vaylor]

Eating at maintenance, used Emma's thread to work out nutrition. Hitting my micros. Was cutting the first 2 cycles.

The lack of progress in gains is really demotivating

Well yeah this is your problem. Recomping takes a long time. You would have been better off going on a 300-500cal bulk.

[mistrvi]

Eating at maintenance, used Emma's thread to work out nutrition. Hitting my micros. Was cutting the first 2 cycles.



The lack of progress in gains is really demotivating

as Vaylor said, recomping can take a long time, plus it's possible only for certain body build i guess. You should start bulking

[WAGZ10]

I've been stalking this thread for 6 months and just finished my cycle 5 heavy day. I started at 190 lbs and I'm now down to about 184 lbs with a noticeable gain in muscle. I'd kind of like to get to the 170's and start more of a bulk. Kind of feel like I'm stalling on my lifts. What should I do? Just continue to plug away till I reach my "goal" weight or try to bulk?

Last set of C5W5 heavy day...
Squats- 215, 12 reps
Bench- 175, 10 reps
Bor- 135, 12 reps
OHP- 115, 6 reps (really feel like I'm going backwards on this one)
SLDL- 205, 12 reps
Curls- 100, 10 reps
Calf- 255, 12 reps

Bench, ohp, and curls have stalled.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[rgs1400]

First test day tomorrow! (Cycle 1 Week 5 Heavy Day). Unfortunately I haven't been feeling well and I had to do two heavy days for Week 4/11 reps (instead of heavy, medium, light as usual) and my diet was off. As it turns out, I had to get some antibiotics for a dental infection and it looks like I need a root canal. FML...

I might fail OHP, but I hope to pass everything else...

[MeadMaker]

I've been stalking this thread for 6 months and just finished my cycle 5 heavy day. I started at 190 lbs and I'm now down to about 184 lbs with a noticeable gain in muscle. I'd kind of like to get to the 170's and start more of a bulk. Kind of feel like I'm stalling on my lifts. What should I do? Just continue to plug away till I reach my "goal" weight or try to bulk?

Last set of C5W5 heavy day...
Squats- 215, 12 reps
Bench- 175, 10 reps
Bor- 135, 12 reps
OHP- 115, 6 reps (really feel like I'm going backwards on this one)
SLDL- 205, 12 reps
Curls- 100, 10 reps
Calf- 255, 12 reps

Bench, ohp, and curls have stalled.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Your stalling on your upper body and still progressing on the lower body. Which seems the most common on beginner routines. All Pro had suggested in the past to add a couple sets of incline hammer grip dumbell presses towards the end of the routine. This will help with the bench and ohp. This many cycles in and cutting will probably be tough no matter what you do. Good luck

[EastSideBoxer]

Can I use dumbells instead of barbell? And, would I be able to do something like for benching? -

Warm up set
Warm up set
Flat bench set
Flat bench set
Incline set
Incline set

[mistrvi]

seems like everybody likes it xD


Cycle 7 Week 1 Heavy day was today. Weight 175.5lbs (April 8, 2013).

Sq 215*8,215*8
BP 200*8, 200*8
BOR 135*8, 135*8
OHP 100*8, 100*8
SLDL 180*8, 180*8
URR 90*8, 90*8
Calves 165*8,165*8
Face Pulls 48*8, 48*8

Squats were harder than other lifts, but overall workout was easier than expected. I also added Cable Face Pulls on Heavy days, Incline Dumbbell presses on Medium days and Triceps pushes on Light days for this cycle.

bump

Any long term lifters here can tell me if my stats are fine for 7 months in?

[Jimmer74]

Can I use dumbells instead of barbell? And, would I be able to do something like for benching? -

Warm up set
Warm up set
Flat bench set
Flat bench set
Incline set
Incline set

If you've already been running the routine with a barbell, then why would you go back to dumbbells? That said, if your circumstances change and you only have access to dumbbells, then I suppose that will have to do, but you'll run up against grip strength problems and your progress will stall prior to the point at which you could still be adding weight and making gains with a barbell.

All Pro, as others have already mentioned, advised people to add incline dumbbell presses as an accessory lift to help with the barbell presses. Why not keep running the routine as written with a barbell and add the incline hammer-grip dumbbell presses at the end. That way you get the best of all possible worlds and stand less of a chance of messing up your progress....

[VegasBhoy]

C1W5 Heavy day complete!
So I started back at square one after being out for a few months with a dodgy back, heavy test day complete yesterday and boy what a struggle it was! All lifts completed though and I recon I felt it tough as I didnt sleep too well the night before (had a pretty heavy weekend on the sauce!)
Anyway ive noticed some pretty decent gains but ive also put on noticable weight around my gut! Cycle 2 Im determined to eat better because although Ive been hitting all my macros I defo could be doing with cutting out some fat along with maybe adding in a abs routine on rest days.
Looking forward to Cycle 2 as this is when I really started to see and feel the difference last time!

[pyaarawala]

My bro's on this program and he said he's been suffering from severe DOMS in his legs. Any tips?

[Jimmer74]

My bro's on this program and he said he's been suffering from severe DOMS in his legs. Any tips?

Ha ha! Keep lifting?

Seriously, keep doing an activity and it'll stop giving you DOMS in a few weeks. If the DOMS is in the legs, then going for an easy walk on non lifting days can work a few things out.

[BitofJazz]

How are you going to do the med/light days with chin ups? there is a reason AP doesnt recommend chin ups.


Dont add anything till after cycle 3 then add 1 set

Cheers man will take your advice I think it's just the whole me being a newbie wanting to try things I shouldn't try,
Gonna try sort my diet out in the next 2 cycles and then add upright rows on the 4th cycle .

Really love the program it makes me wanna go the gym everyday it keeps me focused and in a good rhythm which is perfect.

[Ali18]

as Vaylor said, recomping can take a long time, plus it's possible only for certain body build i guess. You should start bulking

Surely eating at a bulk would make my belly bigger, since it has gotten a bit bigger since I've started eating at maintenance, so eating at bulk would make it bigger

Also if I recall correctly, you've been cutting and you've made awesome gains

[Aadagio]

Having been out of the gym for a couple of years, after a session I'm finding I am wiped out. My arms and back ache for days after. How am I meant to maintain my schedule when I can barely lift my arms for days after?

It's now Tuesday. Saturday was my last visit to the gym and my chest is still really sore. Painful to raise my arms and very tight. Is this normal at the beginning? I was expecting to feel looser today, but if anything I'm feeling just as tight. I'm starting to worry I might have pulled something?

[makeitright]

I woke up today to find small stretch marks beginning to form on my right bicep. This wouldn't really bother me if it weren't for the fact that I already have enough half-faded marks around my belly and armpits from when I was fat. Fuuuu. Has anybody had any success with over the counter creams or anything?

[aja5040]

Have no idea how I did it, but I lost my workout notebook.

I think I remember all my weights for my heavy days so I'll just have to recalculate I guess.

Depressing to lose that though. I liked tracking my progress from the start

[HYMENATOR]

I found some guys workout notebook earlier, brb absorbing his gainz.

[aja5040]

I found some guys workout notebook earlier, brb absorbing his gainz.

NNNNOOOOO!

I'm feeling weaker by the minute!

[FitnessFan76]

Have no idea how I did it, but I lost my workout notebook.

I think I remember all my weights for my heavy days so I'll just have to recalculate I guess.

Depressing to lose that though. I liked tracking my progress from the start

Log it into your PC as well - that way if you lose your notebook, no problemo.

[ashhabah89]

Guys I have a question , why can't I train the 3 days with the same weight ?? I have a good recover rate and I have been training for 4 months till now

Will this make me over train ?? will it hider my progress ??

I really liked this program and I wanna start it right now , but these 20% rep max calculations and such , are not my style .

[EastSideBoxer]

Guys I have a question , why can't I train the 3 days with the same weight ?? I have a good recover rate and I have been training for 4 months till now

Will this make me over train ?? will it hider my progress ??

I really liked this program and I wanna start it right now , but these 20% rep max calculations and such , are not my style .

I do, just completed my first cycle by doing that. Just make sure you're eating enough. And make sure you do your warm up sets

[banjoman23]

Starting Cycle 4 today

I'm thinking of adding in incline cable flys to develop my upper chest, as I have noticed no chest development at all in this programme. I know AP said not to add any workouts but getting to cycle 4 and only adding 2 extra sets at the end of the workout can't hurt can it?

As others have said, add incline hammer grip DB press after 3-4 cycles. And I bet the neutral/hammer grip will help with the pain you mentioned having on normal incline DB press. IHGDBP is good for not just the upper chest, but the outer by the armpits too, which helps with that "squared" look that everybody loves.

[banjoman23]

Can I use DB squats instead of using a barbell? Would they be as effective? (I'm aware there may be issues with grip as the weight gets heavier)

I don't have a squat rack so its not that safe/cant get a heavy enough weight on my shoulders.

Barbell squats hit your core hard. Helps with abs, spinal erectors, etc. DB squats, by the time the weight gets high enough to start working that core you won't be able to hold the DBs. But you get some extra grip, forearm, and traps work out of the DB squats. That's the tradeoff. Both hit the legs hard if done right. If you don't have a squat rack, DB squats should be the first substitute option (over, say, a leg press). Until you can't hold them.

[banjoman23]

Significant results? More like 4-6 months.

^ This. And even that depends on your definition of "significant results". Time and patience -> Willpower on those two factors is more important than all the little micro-decisions like what you eat for dinner tonight or should you tweak the routine.

[ashhabah89]

I do, just completed my first cycle by doing that. Just make sure you're eating enough. And make sure you do your warm up sets

Thank you very much +Rep

what do you think about the progression method ??

can't I progress the this way : when I reach 12-10 reps for certain exercise then I just increase the weight ??

[teaayemmmmwhy]

My bro's on this program and he said he's been suffering from severe DOMS in his legs. Any tips?

Foam roller... it's like a miracle worker.

Just youtube some of the movements.

[EastSideBoxer]

Thank you very much +Rep

what do you think about the progression method ??

can't I progress the this way : when I reach 12-10 reps for certain exercise then I just increase the weight ??

Follow the program as it is written, when you get to the fifth week, add 10% more weight on all lifts and start over at 8 reps. Don't add any weight on during the program or you'll plateau. Find out your 10 rep max and go from there.

[teaayemmmmwhy]

Thank you very much +Rep

what do you think about the progression method ??

can't I progress the this way : when I reach 12-10 reps for certain exercise then I just increase the weight ??

Why would you do that? What's your logic?

I don't understand why you would want to change it, cause then you would be only aiming for 11-10 the week before. Don't just aim to move up weights all the time, aim for getting the perfect form and completing the exact amount of reps required which allow you to move up in weight. If you can't do that, then you shouldn't move up.

[blindspot13]

Have no idea how I did it, but I lost my workout notebook.

I think I remember all my weights for my heavy days so I'll just have to recalculate I guess.

Depressing to lose that though. I liked tracking my progress from the start

Start a daily log on here, that way you can't forget!