AmazinJason's Road to Aesthetics Journal

[AmazinJason]

Hey guys, I decided to start a new journal because I am doing a transformation competition with my friends and I wanted to make a new journal to track my progress during this competition. The competition runs from now until spring break, which is March 23, 2013.

My previous journals:
February 2011 - December 2011: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=131569553
December 2011 - September 2012: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=140409423

My plan:
I started my bulk at the end of June, so I've been bulking for around 3 months and have gone from 156 to 163. I will continue to bulk to 170 by the end of this year (2-2.5 lbs gain per month), and then cut down to around 155 lbs by March 23rd (1-1.5 lbs loss per week).

I've never seen abs on myself in my life. My goal by March 23 is to have abs showing and also to look lean and aesthetic.

I will get progress pictures up in the next few days.

My split:
Push + Pull
Legs
Off
Pull
Push
Legs
Off

Sometimes I will be shuffling the days here and there.

My program:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=146471313

I will not be following the program exactly. What I will be doing is incorporating the principles of 50 rest-paused reps into my workout. But I will be changing up exercise selection and I won't be using the 50 rep scheme on all my lifts.

[AmazinJason]

9/23/12 - Push + Pull

DB Bench Press (3'): 60x5, 75x5, 90x6, 90x4

CG Pulldown (.5'): 130x12/5/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (13 sets)

Machine Row (.5'): 100x12/6/5/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (12 sets)

Yates Row (.5'): 135x12/6/5/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (12 sets)

Face Pull (1'): 50x15, 3 sets

Rear Delt Machine Fly (1'): 85x12, 3 sets

CG EZ Curl (1'): 50x12, 3 sets

DB Hammer Curl (1'): 30x7, 3 sets


Comments: Pretty good workout overall. My goal is to hit the 100 lb dumbbells for 8 reps on dumbbell bench press by the end of my bulk.

[ChosenBrah]

u cheeky kunt stop making so many journals

[AmazinJason]

u cheeky kunt stop making so many journals

Calm down brah, it's only my third journal. A new one for a new stage in my training to help keep me motivated.

[JustBulk]

In on fellow MISC-er's journal.

Reps for first page?

[AmazinJason]

In on fellow MISC-er's journal.

Reps for first page?

Welcome brah. Repped.


9/25/12 - Push

15 Degree Incline BB Press (.75'): 145x10/5/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/2/2 (14 sets)

15 Degree Incline DB Press (2.5'): 55x8, 55x7, 55x7

Machine Fly (1.5'): 115x8, 3 sets

Leaning Side DB Raise (.5'): 20x13, 3 sets

French Press (1.5'): 70x9, 70x9, 70x6

V-Bar Pushdown (.5'): 50x12/6/4/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (12 sets)

Ab Crunch Machine (1'): 135x8, 3 sets

Hanging Leg Raise (1'): BWx12, 3 sets


Comments: Good morning workout. My university gym is crowded as hell now anytime after 2 pm so I gotta start making it a habit to go in the morning to get a good workout.

[AmazinJason]

9/26/12 - Pull

CG Pulldown (.5'): 140x10/5/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/2 (14 sets)

Machine Row (.5'): 110x10/5/4/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (13 sets)

Yates Row (.5'): 145x10/5/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/1 (14 sets)

Face Pull (1'): 50x15, 4 sets

Rear Delt Machine Fly (1'): 85x13, 3 sets

WG EZ Curl (1'): 50x12, 3 sets

Spider Curl (1'): 15x9, 3 sets


Comments: Will be doing legs either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. My calves have been sore from a workout last friday, so I haven't been able to do legs.

[TrueEctomorph]

14 sets dat volume

good luck brah

[AmazinJason]

14 sets dat volume

good luck brah

Thanks brah.


9/27/12 - Legs

Front Squat (3'): 135x5, 175x5, 195x3, 205x5, 215x2, 165x10, 155x8, 135x8

Romanian DL (2'): 145x8, 3 sets

Standing Calf Raise (1.5'): 195x10, 3 sets


Comments: The 205x5 set felt surprisingly easy, I probably had a good 2 reps left in me, but I decided to just stop there. That tied a PR for my 5 rep max.

[AmazinJason]

Just found out I'm not gonna be as busy as I thought this quarter of school cuz I had to drop a class.

So I decided to lift 6 days per week, and take a deload week once a month (where I will only lift 3 days that week).

M: Pull A
T: Push A
W: Legs A
Th: Pull B
F: Push B
Sa: Legs B
Su: Off

Pull A and Pull B will be very similar, only difference will be bicep exercise selection. Legs A and Legs B will both use front squats as the main quad exercise, but will change up the hamstring and calf exercises. Push A will be a power day (1-5 reps per set, more rest, less volume), while Push B will be a hypertrophy day (using the 50 rest-paused reps method).

[AmazinJason]

9/28/12 - Push

15 Degree Incline BB Press (.75'): 145x12/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/2/2/2/2 (15 sets)

15 Degree Incline DB Press (2.5'): 55x8, 3 sets

Machine Fly (1.5'): 115x9, 115x9, 115x8

Leaning Side DB Raise (.5'): 20x14, 2 sets

French Press (1.5'): 70x9, 70x9, 70x8

V-Bar Pushdown (.5'): 55x10/5/4/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (13 sets)

Ab Crunch Machine (1'): 135x10, 3 sets

Hanging Leg Raise (1'): BWx14, 3 sets


Comments: The 50 reps of incline barbell press is really intense. Sweating like crazy and struggling like crazy.

[AmazinJason]

CG Pulldown (.5'): 140x11/5/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (13 sets)

Machine Row (.5'): 110x11/5/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (13 sets)

Yates Row (2'): 145x10, 5 sets

Face Pull (1'): 50x15, 5 sets

Rear Delt Machine Fly (1'): 85x14, 3 sets

Wide Grip EZ Curl (1'): 60x8, 3 sets

Spider Curl (1'): 15x10, 3 sets

Ab Crunch Machine (1'): 135x10, 135x10, 135x10, 135x10, 135x7


Comments: Really good workout. Gonna be following the split almost exactly starting now. Excited to make some gaaaainz.

[AmazinJason]

DB Bench Press (3'): 40x8, 60x8, 80x4, 90x6, 90x6

CGBP (3'): 75x5, 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155x5, 165x4

Leaning Side DB Raise (.5'): 20x14, 3 sets


Comments: Push power day. Can't seem to get past 90 lbs for 6 reps. Failed on my 5th rep for CGBP with 165 lbs, but I haven't done these in a while so I wasn't sure what I should start at, so I was just testing them.

[AmazinJason]

Front Squat (3'): 135x3, 175x3, 205x1, 225x1, 235x1, 245x1 (tied 1 rep max PR), 250x0

Standing Calf Raise (1.5'): 195x12, 4 sets


Comments: Didn't have much time so couldn't do hamstrings or abs. 245 lbs ties a PR for my max for front squats. Failed on 250. Next time I might skip doing 245 and just do 250 instead so I don't tire myself out.

[AmazinJason]

CG Pulldown (.5'): 140x12/5/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (13 sets)

Machine Row (.5'): 110x12/5/5/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (12 sets)

Chest Supported Row (1.5'): 30x10, 40x10, 40x10

Face Pull (1'): 55x12, 3 sets

Rear Delt Machine Fly (1'): 85x15, 3 sets

CG EZ Curl (1'): 50x12, 3 sets

Hammer Curl (1'): 30x8, 3 sets

Ab Crunch Machine (1'): 145x10, 3 sets

Leg Raise (1'): BWx15, 3 sets


Comments: Good workout. I feel my back is really improving, which is good because I am really trying to focus on it.

[AmazinJason]

15 Degree Incline BB Bench (.75'): 155x10/4/3/3/3/3/3 (7 sets)

Incline DB Press (2.5'): 55x8, 60x8, 60x5

Machine Fly (1.5'): 115x9, 3 sets

Leaning Side DB Raise (.5'): 20x15, 3 sets

French Press (1.5'): 70x9, 3 sets

Pushdown (1'): 55x8, 3 sets


Comments: Not going to do the 50 rest-paused reps anymore for push day. It works well for my back exercises, but not so much with my chest exercises. Going to just do 3-5 sets of 8. Start with 3 sets of 8, then try to increase to 4 sets of 8, then 5 sets of 8. Then increase the weight and do 3 sets of 8 again and work up again.

[AmazinJason]

Not doing legs today because I played intramural flag football yesterday with some friends (o-line and d-line) and today I'm sore as hell all over. Also went hiking this morning.

[AmazinJason]

CG Pulldown (.5'): 150x10/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (14 sets)

Machine Row (.5'): 120x10/5/4/4/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (13 sets)

Yates Row (2'): 155x10, 3 sets

Face Pull (1'): 55x12, 4 sets

Rear Delt Machine Fly (1'): 90x12, 3 sets

Wide Grip EZ Curl (1'): 60x8, 4 sets

Spider Curl (1'): 15x11, 3 sets

Ab Crunch Machine (1'): 145x10, 4 sets

Ab Twist Machine (.5'): 150x12, 3 sets


Comments: Solid workout. Back is getting stronger. Hitting them hard twice a week is really helping. Gonna do one cycle (pull/push/legs) of deload workouts next week. I think I am going to do 4 cycles of pull/push/legs followed by one deload cycle, then repeat.

[AmazinJason]

DB Bench Press (3'): 40x8, 60x5, 80x3, 90x7, 90x4



CGBP (3'): 85x5, 105x5, 125x5, 145x5, 165x5

Leaning Side DB Raise (.5'): 20x15, 4 sets


Comments: Got 90 lbs for 7 reps on DB Bench Press. Felt good. That is a PR.

[AmazinJason]

Going to lower training frequency to 4x per week. My schedule has suddenly become more busier than I originally thought it was going to be.

Fri: Upper Body Pull + Quads A
Sat: Upper Body Push + Hamstrings + Calves A
Sun: Off
Mon: Upper Body Pull + Quads B
Tue: Upper Body Push + Hamstrings + Calves B
Wed: Off
Thu: Off

[ChosenBrah]

What made u complicate ur workout so much with the precise rest periods and high #s of sets?

[AmazinJason]

What made u complicate ur workout so much with the precise rest periods and high #s of sets?

I use a timer for my rest periods to remain consistent. If you rest based on "feel", how do you know if you are getting stronger because you are actually getting stronger, or because you simply rested more between sets this workout than last workout? I just want to remain consistent and make sure I am resting the same amount between sets each workout.

As for the high number of sets, I only do that method for some of my exercises. It is a method by some guy on these forums. You basically do the first set for 10-12 reps (stopping 1 rep short of failure), then rest around 30 seconds, and go again, until you get 50 total reps. You rest as short as necessary so that you end up getting 3 reps per set eventually (usually by the 4th or 5th set). This is the rest-pause method. You get 50 total reps using the rest-pause method.


I did deload workouts yesterday and today but won't log them. I just used 50% of my usual weight. Gotta let my body recover.

[ChosenBrah]

I use a timer for my rest periods to remain consistent. If you rest based on "feel", how do you know if you are getting stronger because you are actually getting stronger, or because you simply rested more between sets this workout than last workout? I just want to remain consistent and make sure I am resting the same amount between sets each workout.

As for the high number of sets, I only do that method for some of my exercises. It is a method by some guy on these forums. You basically do the first set for 10-12 reps (stopping 1 rep short of failure), then rest around 30 seconds, and go again, until you get 50 total reps. You rest as short as necessary so that you end up getting 3 reps per set eventually (usually by the 4th or 5th set). This is the rest-pause method. You get 50 total reps using the rest-pause method.


I did deload workouts yesterday and today but won't log them. I just used 50% of my usual weight. Gotta let my body recover.

I track my rest periods too but they are usually just 2-3 mins. Urs seem more elaborate which is what i was getting at.

Do u think this rep scheme is more beneficial than the more conventional 3-4 sets of 8-12?

[AmazinJason]

I track my rest periods too but they are usually just 2-3 mins. Urs seem more elaborate which is what i was getting at.

Do u think this rep scheme is more beneficial than the more conventional 3-4 sets of 8-12?

There's nothing elaborate about my rest time. If it says 2', it means I rest 2 minutes, give or take a few seconds. If I were to give myself a range of 2-3 minutes, I wouldn't know if I was getting stronger or not. If I rest 3 minutes, I'm pretty damn sure I can bust out more reps on the next set than if I were only resting 2 minutes. For example, for incline barbell bench, I rest 2.5 minutes between sets and can get 3 sets of 8 with 155 lbs. If I rested 2 minutes, I know I can't get the full 3 sets of 8. If I rested 3 minutes, I'm pretty sure I can get 3 sets of 9, or maybe even 3 sets of 10. I like to keep my rest consistent so I know for a fact whether I got stronger or not. That's just my personal preference. Some people go on "feel"; nothing wrong with that. I just don't like doing that.

As for the 50 rest-paused reps vs 3-4 sets of 8-12, I'm not sure. One thing for sure is that the 50 rep method is a LOT more intense and will take more out of you than 3-4 sets of 8-12.

[ChosenBrah]

There's nothing elaborate about my rest time. If it says 2', it means I rest 2 minutes, give or take a few seconds. If I were to give myself a range of 2-3 minutes, I wouldn't know if I was getting stronger or not. If I rest 3 minutes, I'm pretty damn sure I can bust out more reps on the next set than if I were only resting 2 minutes. For example, for incline barbell bench, I rest 2.5 minutes between sets and can get 3 sets of 8 with 155 lbs. If I rested 2 minutes, I know I can't get the full 3 sets of 8. If I rested 3 minutes, I'm pretty sure I can get 3 sets of 9, or maybe even 3 sets of 10. I like to keep my rest consistent so I know for a fact whether I got stronger or not. That's just my personal preference. Some people go on "feel"; nothing wrong with that. I just don't like doing that.

As for the 50 rest-paused reps vs 3-4 sets of 8-12, I'm not sure. One thing for sure is that the 50 rep method is a LOT more intense and will take more out of you than 3-4 sets of 8-12.

Sorry i shouldv clarified. I do 2 minutes for most exercises and 3 minutes for my strength exercises.

Btw strong incline bench

[JustBulk]

There's nothing elaborate about my rest time. If it says 2', it means I rest 2 minutes, give or take a few seconds. If I were to give myself a range of 2-3 minutes, I wouldn't know if I was getting stronger or not. If I rest 3 minutes, I'm pretty damn sure I can bust out more reps on the next set than if I were only resting 2 minutes. For example, for incline barbell bench, I rest 2.5 minutes between sets and can get 3 sets of 8 with 155 lbs. If I rested 2 minutes, I know I can't get the full 3 sets of 8. If I rested 3 minutes, I'm pretty sure I can get 3 sets of 9, or maybe even 3 sets of 10. I like to keep my rest consistent so I know for a fact whether I got stronger or not. That's just my personal preference. Some people go on "feel"; nothing wrong with that. I just don't like doing that.

This. Most of the time when I go to the next set based on "feel", I end up struggling to get the reps.

I always take 3 mins for strength sets but a little lest strict with hypertrophy sets. For instance, I may dictate 1 min rest, but sometimes, I will go at 45 seconds.

Good luck with your road, Jason. Best wishes from a fellow MISC-er.

[AmazinJason]

Sorry i shouldv clarified. I do 2 minutes for most exercises and 3 minutes for my strength exercises.

Btw strong incline bench

Thanks brah.

This. Most of the time when I go to the next set based on "feel", I end up struggling to get the reps.

I always take 3 mins for strength sets but a little lest strict with hypertrophy sets. For instance, I may dictate 1 min rest, but sometimes, I will go at 45 seconds.

Good luck with your road, Jason. Best wishes from a fellow MISC-er.

Thanks brah. You are currently on recharge, I'll get you when you are off.

[AmazinJason]

Not going to be using preworkouts for the rest of my bulk. Might experience a little bit of strength loss initially, we'll see.

Front Squat (3'): 135x5, 185x3, 205x1, 215x5 (5RM PR) (vid)



CG Pulldown (.5'): 150x11/5/4/3 (some guy asked to work in so I couldn't finish)

Chest Supported Row (2'): 40x10, 4 sets

One Arm DB Row (.5'): 60x10, 3 sets

Face Pull (1'): 55x15, 3 sets

Rear Delt Machine Fly (1'): 90x13, 3 sets

CG EZ Curl (1'): 50x10, 4 sets

DB Hammer Curl (1'): 30x9, 3 sets


Comments: Gym was pretty busy so couldn't do exactly what I wanted to do. But still had a good workout.

[AmazinJason]

DB Bench Press (2.5'): 65x8, 5 sets

HS Incline Press (1.5'): 130x8, 3 sets

Machine Fly (1.5'): 115x9, 3 sets

Leaning Side DB Raise (.5'): 20x15, 3 sets

French Press (1.5'): 70x10, 3 sets

V-Bar Pushdown (1'): 55x9, 3 sets

Lying Leg Curl (1.5'): 100x10, 3 sets

Seated Calf Raise (1'): 80x12, 3 sets

Ab Crunch Machine (1'): 145x10, 3 sets, 145x8


Comments: Solid workout. Changed up exercise selection a bit for chest, and I think I'm gonna like it.

[AmazinJason]

Front Squat (3'): 135x1, 185x1, 205x1, 225x1, 235x1, 250x1 (1RM PR) (video), 255x0



CG Pulldown (.5'): 150x11/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3/3 (14 sets)

Machine Row (.5'): 120x11/5/4 (didn't have time to finish)

Face Pull (1'): 55x15, 4 sets


Comments: Had to cut workout short because I didn't have enough time. But still... I hit a 1RM PR for front squats. I am currently weighing somewhere between 166-168, so I basically hit 1.5x bodyweight front squat, which I am really happy about. Thing is... I still think I can improve a lot more on them and I still haven't even started utilizing a belt, which I might start doing soon, which should help my numbers even more.