JDJ's Westside Barbell Journal-Heavy Metal Style

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the day: Testament-The Gathering

Introduction: I would assume most of you reading this are somewhat familiar with DeFranco's modified Westside Barbell routine, but if not here is the link:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459321

I won't breakdown how the routine works because everything you need to know is in the link. For those of you who have a grasp on the Westside principles, the DE day has been replaced with a RE for upper and lower body.
Since I am not currently training for any particular sport, I added an extra workout per week. My training schedule appears as follows:

M/W/F/Sa

Monday-ME Upper
Wednesday-ME Lower
Friday-RE Upper
Saturday-RE Lower

I decided this routine was a perfect transition from Starr's 5x5 because I could maintain the strength I gained on that routine as well as put on some extra mass because of the higher volume on supplemental work. My exercise choices are as follows:

Max Effort Upper Body (Monday)

A.Max-Effort Lift- Work up to a max set of 3-5 reps
Barbell Bench Press/Decline/Incline (Change q3weeks)

B.Horizontal Row- Perform 4 sets of 10-15 reps
Bent-over Barbell Rows/ Dumbbell Rows (Included before supplemental lift to boost rowing strength. The antagonist exercise seems to prime the nerves that force the agonist muscle to contract ? priming them causes a stronger, more powerful contraction).

C.Supplemental Lift- Perform 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press/Flat Dumbbell Bench Press

D.Rear Delt/Upper Back- Perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps
Standing Face Pulls/Bent-over Dumbbell Rear Delt Flyes

E.Medial Delt or Trap Exercise 2-3 sets 12-15
Dumbbell Lateral Raises (I removed the abdominal exercises from upper to lower body days to work on medial delt development)

(Aside from ME lift, other exercises won?t change until week 7)

Max Effort Lower Body (Wednesday)

A.Max-Effort Lift- Work up to a max set of 3-5 reps
Box Squats/Rack Pulls/Deadlifts (Change q3 weeks)

B.Unilateral Movement- Perform 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps
Barbell Step-ups/Bulgarian Split Squat

C.Hamstring/Posterior Chain Movement- Perform 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps
Standing Good Mornings/Pull-throughs

D.Grip Training- Perform 3 sets of timed sets
Plate Pinch Gripping/Heavy Dumbbell Holds

E.Weighted Abdominal Exercise- Perform 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps
Low Pulley Swiss Ball Crunches/Hanging Leg Raises

Repetition Upper Body (Friday)

A.Repetition Lift- Work up to 3 sets of max reps, rest 60 seconds between sets
Barbell Bench Press (max reps on 185 lbs)/Bodyweight Dips

B.Vertical Pulling- Perform 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Reverse Grip Chins/ Wide Grip Chins

C.Medial Delt or Trap Exercise- Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Dumbbell Presses/Barbell Shrugs

D.Supplemental Lift (triceps)- 3-4 sets of 5-10 reps
Skull Crushers/Dumbbell Floor Presses

E.Elbow Flexion Exercise- Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Barbell Curls/Hammer Curls

(Exercises will change q6 weeks)


Repetition Effort Lower Body (Saturday)

A.Repetition Lift- Work up to 3 sets of max reps, rest 60 seconds between sets
Snatch Grip Deadlifts/Squats

B.Unilateral Movement-Perform 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps
Walking Lunges/Barbell Reverse Lunges

C.Hamstring/Posterior Chain Movement- Perform 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps
Glute-Ham Raises (Performed on Decline/Lat Pulldown)

D.Calf Work- Perform 3 sets 8-12 reps
Standing Calf raises/Seated Calf Raises

E. Abdominal Circuit Training- Perform in circuit fashion




For those of you familiar I made some changes to suit my needs. As you can see, I switched abs to leg days so that on my ME days I could concentrate my last sets on delt development. I also moved the supplemental lifts down so that after my ME push, I could follow the movement with a pull. Other than that everything is relatively close to Defranco's original.

[jdjprimer19]

Westside Barbell Weight Progression (Hypothetical progression, so you can see how I chose the rep schemes)

Calculations will be 12.5 % backwards from max on ME days as done in Madcow?s 5x5

Max Effort Upper Body (Monday)

A.Barbell Bench Press
Week 1: (warm-up sets) 5x185, 3x215, 3x245
Week 2: (warm-up sets) 5x195, 3x220, 3x250
Week 3: (warm-up sets) 5x195, 3x225, 3x255

Barbell Decline Press
Week 4: (warm-up sets) 5x205, 3x240, 3x275
Week 5: (warm-up sets) 5x210, 3x245, 3x280
Week 6: (warm-up sets) 5x215, 3x250, 3x285

Barbell Incline Press
Week 7: (warm-up sets) 5x145, 3x170, 3x195
Week 8: (warm-up sets) 5x150, 3x175, 3x200
Week 9: (warm-up sets) 5x155, 3x180, 3x205

(Repeat)

B.Bent-over Barbell Rows
Week 1: 10x165, 10x165, 12x155, 12x155
Week 2: 11x165, 11x165, 13x155, 13x155
Week 3: 12x165, 12x165, 14x155, 14x155
Week 4: 10x170, 10x170, 12x160, 12x160
Week 5: 11x170, 11x170, 13x160, 13x160
Week 6: 12x170, 12x170, 14x160, 14x160

Dumbbell Rows
Week 7: 10x70, 10x70, 12x70, 12x70
Week 8: 11x70, 11x70, 13x70, 13x70
Week 9: 12x70, 12x70, 14x70, 14x70
Week 10: 10x75, 12x75, 11x75, 11x75
Week 11: 11x75, 11x75, 13x75, 13x75
Week 12: 12x75, 12x75, 14x75, 14x75

(Repeat cycle 5-10 lbs heavier or change lifts)

C.Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Week 1: 6x70, 6x70, 8x70
Week 2: 7x70, 7x70, 9x70
Week 3: 8x70, 8x70, 10x70
Week 4: 6x75, 6x75, 8x75
Week 5: 7x75, 7x75, 9x75
Week 6: 8x75, 8x75, 10x75

Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Week 7: 6x80, 6x80, 8x80
Week 8: 7x80, 7x80, 9x80
Week 9: 8x80, 8x80, 10x80
Week 10: 6x85, 6x85, 8x85
Week 11: 7x85, 7x85, 9x85
Week 12: 8x85, 8x85, 10x85

D.Standing Face Pulls
Week 1: 12x40, 14x40
Week 2: 13x40, 15x40
Week 3: 12x45, 14x45
Week 4: 13x45, 15x45
Week 5: 12x50, 14x50
Week 6: 13x50, 15x50

Bent-over Dumbbell Rear Delt Flyes
Week 7: 12x10, 14x10
Week 8: 13x10, 15x10
Week 9: 12x15, 14x15
Week 10: 13x15, 15x15
Week 11: 12x20, 14x20
Week 12: 13x20, 15x20

E.Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Week 1: 12x15, 14x15
Week 2: 13x15, 15x15
Week 3: 12x20, 14x20
Week 4: 13x20, 15x20
Week 5: 12x25, 14x25
Week 6: 13x25, 15x25

Max Effort Lower Body (Wednesday)

A.Box Squats
Week 1: (Warm-up sets) 5x230, 3x270, 3x310
Week 2: (Warm-up sets) 5x235, 3x275, 3x315
Week 3: (Warm-up sets) 5x240, 3x280, 3x320

Rack Pulls
Week 4: (Warm-up sets) 5x260, 3x300, 3x345
Week 5: (Warm-up sets) 5x265, 3x305, 3x350
Week 6: (Warm-up sets) 5x270, 3x310, 3x355

Deadlifts
Week 7: (Warm-up sets) 5x235, 5x275, 3x315
Week 8: (Warm-up sets) 5x240, 5x280, 3x320
Week 9: (Warm-up sets) 5x245, 5x285, 3x325

(Repeat)

B.Barbell Step-ups
Week 1: 8x115, 8x115, 10x115
Week 2: 9x115, 9x115, 11x115
Week 3: 10x115, 10x115, 12x115
Week 4: 8x125, 8x125, 10x115
Week 5: 9x125, 9x125, 11x125
Week 6: 10x125, 10x125, 12x125

Bulgarian Split-Squat
Week 7: 8x40, 8x40, 10x40
Week 8: 9x40, 9x40, 11x40
Week 9: 10x40, 10x40, 12x40
Week 10: 8x45, 8x45, 10x45
Week 11: 9x45, 9x45, 11x45
Week 12: 10x45, 10x45, 12x45

C.Standing Good Mornings
Week 1: 6x115, 6x115, 8x115
Week 2: 7x115, 7x115, 9x115
Week 3: 8x115, 8x115, 10x115
Week 4: 6x125, 6x125, 8x125
Week 5: 7x125, 7x125, 9x125
Week 6: 8x125, 8x125, 10x125

Pull-Throughs
Week 7: 6x80, 6x80, 8x80
Week 8: 7x80, 7x80, 9x80
Week 9: 8x80, 8x80, 10x80
Week 10: 6x90, 6x90, 8x90
Week 11: 7x90, 7x90, 9x90
Week 12: 8x80, 8x80, 10x80

D.Plate Pinch Gripping
Week 1: two 25lb plates each hand, 10 seconds x2
Week 2: 15 seconds x2
Week 3: 20 seconds x2
Week 4: 25 seconds x2
Week 5: 30 seconds x1
Week 6: 35 seconds x1

Heavy Dumbbell Holds
Week 7: 100lbs, 10 seconds x2
Week 8: 15 seconds x2
Week 9: 20 seconds x2
Week 10: 25 seconds x2
Week 11: 30 seconds x1
Week 12: 35 seconds x1

E.Low Pulley Swiss Ball Crunches
Week 1: 8x40, 8x40, 10x40
Week 2: 9x40, 9x40, 11x40
Week 3: 10x40, 10x40, 12x40
Week 4: 8x50, 8x50, 10x50
Week 5: 9x50, 9x50, 11x50
Week 6: 10x50, 10x50, 12x50

Hanging Leg Raises
Week 7: 8xBW, 8xBW, 10xBW
Week 8: 9xBW, 9xBW, 11xBW
Week 9: 10xBW, 10xBW, 12xBW
Week 10: 8xBW+5, 8xBW+5, 10xBW+5
Week 11: 9xBW+5, 9xBW+5, 11xBW+5
Week 12: 10xBW+5, 10xBW+5, 12xBW+5

Repetition Upper Body (Friday)

A.Barbell Bench Press
Week 1: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 2: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 3: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 4: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 5: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 6: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set 70% max reps

Bodyweight Dips
Week 7: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 8: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 9: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW, 1 set 70% max reps

Regular Pushups
Week 10: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW+25, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 11: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW+25, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 12: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW+25, 1 set 70% max reps

(May drop the second set if too much fatigue accumulates over the first few weeks)

B.Reverse Grip Chins
Week 1: 8xBW+10, 8xBW+10, 10xBW, 10xBW
Week 2: 9xBW+10, 9xBW+10, 11xBW, 11xBW
Week 3: 10xBW+10, 10xBW10, 12xBW, 12xBW
Week 4: 8xBW+20, 8xBW+20, 10xBW, 10xBW
Week 5: 9xBW+20, 8xBW+20, 11xBW, 11xBW
Week 6: 10xBW+20, 10xBW+20, 12xBW, 12xBW

Wide Grip Chins
(Follows same pattern as Reverse Grip Chins starting with BW, then doing 2 sets of assisted, so BW -10)

C.Dumbbell Presses
Week 1: 8x50, 8x50, 10x40
Week 2: 9x50, 9x50, 11x40
Week 3: 10x50, 10x50, 12x40
Week 4: 8x55, 8x55, 10x45
Week 5: 9x55, 9x55, 11x45
Week 6: 10x55, 10x55, 12x45

Barbell Shrugs
Week 1: 8x225, 8x225, 10x215
Week 2: 9x225, 9x225, 11x215
Week 3: 10x225, 10x225, 12x215
Week 4: 8x235, 8x235, 10x225
Week 5: 9x235, 9x235, 11x225
Week 6: 10x235, 10x235, 12x235

D.Skull Crushers (EZ-bar)
Week 1: 5x85, 5x85, 7x75
Week 2: 6x85, 6x85, 8x75
Week 3: 7x85, 7x85, 9x75
Week 4: 5x90, 5x90, 7x80
Week 5: 6x90, 6x90, 8x80
Week 6: 7x90, 7x90, 9x80

Dumbbell Floor Presses
Week 7: 5x60, 5x60, 7x50
Week 8: 6x60, 6x60, 8x50
Week 9: 7x60, 7x60, 9x50
Week 10: 5x65, 5x65, 7x55
Week 11: 6x65, 6x65, 8x55
Week 12 7x65, 7x65, 9x55

E.Barbell Curls
Week 1: 8x75, 8x75, 9x65
Week 2: 9x75, 9x75, 10x65
Week 3: 8x85, 8x85, 9x75
Week 4: 9x85, 9x85, 10x75
Week 5: 8x95, 8x95, 10x85
Week 6: 9x95, 9x95, 8x85

Repetition Effort Lower Body (Saturday)

A.Snatch Grip Deadlift
Week 1: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185 lbs, 1 set 70% of max reps
Week 2: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185 lbs, 1 set 70% of max reps
Week 3: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185 lbs, 1 set 70% of max reps

Regular Squats
Week 4: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 5: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 6: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 7: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 225 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 8: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 225 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 9: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 225 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps

B.Walking Lunges
Week 1: 8x25, 8x25, 10x20
Week 2: 9x25, 9x25, 11x20
Week 3: 10x25, 10x25, 12x20
Week 4: 8x30, 8x30, 10x25
Week 5: 9x30, 9x30, 11x25
Week 6: 10x30, 10x30, 12x25

Barbell Reverse Lunges
Week 7: 8x125, 8x125, 10x115
Week 8: 9x125, 9x125, 11x115
Week 9: 10x125, 10x125, 12x115
Week 10: 8x135, 8x135, 10x125
Week 11: 9x135, 9x135, 11x125
Week 12: 10x135, 10x135, 12x125

C.Glute-Ham Raises
Week 1: (Decline) 6xBW, 6xBW, 8xBW
Week 2: 7x BW, 7xBW, 9xBW
Week 3: 8xBW, 8xBW, 10xBW
Week 4: (slower) 6xBW, 6xBW, 8xBW
Week 5: 7xBW, 7xBW, 9xBW
Week 6: 8xBW, 8xBW, 10xBW
Week 7: (Lat Pulldown) 6x60, 6x60, 8x50
Week 8: 7x60, 7x60, 9x60
Week 9: 8x60, 8x60, 10x60
Week 10: 6x70, 6x70, 8x60
Week 11: 7x70, 7x70, 9x60
Week 12: 8x70, 8x70, 10x60

D.Standing Calf Raises
(Same progression as previous exercises)

E.Abdominal Circuit Training
Crunches, Barbell Side Bends, Hanging Leg Raises

[jdjprimer19]

Here is the link to the cardio routine I will be following:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do...ydra?id=459414

Author is Christian Thib.


Here are the supplements I am currently taking:

Cytogainer
Muscle Milk
Whey Protein
Green Magnitude
NOS Blast
Multi-vitamin
Flax & Fish Oil
Vitamin C

(Subject to change during course of routine)


That's all folks. This routine gets underway on Monday, so tune in and leave comments as necessary. Advice & motivation are always appreciated.

Keep in mind that as fatigue accumulates I may throw my 4th day in as a floater for the following week. Also, if I start stalling I may cut back on some of the volume, so this routine will never be set in stone as modifications will take place during the course of the next few months. Hopefully, this log will help me perfect the art of progressive overload changing sets/volume accordingly to meet my bodies needs

[timeforsleeep]

subscribed, wish you the best of luck as i run viking's routine alongside yours

[jdjprimer19]

subscribed, wish you the best of luck as i run viking's routine alongside yours

Thank you, greatly appreciated. Countdown T-2 days.

[againstall0dds]

subbed, good luck!

[jdjprimer19]

subbed, good luck!

Thank you sir, appreciated!

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Blood Red Throne-Come Death

Tomorrow is the beginning of workout #1, so I figured I would post my current measurements and some UGLY before pics to mark my progress:

Height: 6'2.3" (1.89 m) <<Flat-footed, no shoes
Waist: 33''
Weight: 187 lbs <<<Fast metabolism has caused me to shed a few.
Thighs: 22" (55.88 cm)
Bodyfat: 8.4% (Irrelevant at this point because the goal is to bulk)
Calves: 15.25" (38.74 cm)
Chest: 39.25" (99.70 cm)
Forearms: 10.5''
Arms: 13.5" (34.29 cm)<<< Relaxed state
Shoulders: 48.5" (123.19 cm)
Hips: 39''
Neck: 17" (43.18 cm)



Front Bi's



Back Lat Spread



Side Tricep



Front Pose



Overall goal is to bulk up well past the 200 lb mark

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Darkane-Expanding Senses (This sucker hits hard on a pair of 15's. Peter Wildoer is my hero!)

December 31st, Week 1

ME Upper Body (Monday)

A. Barbell Bench Press
6x115
5x145
5x185
3x215
3x245

B. Bent-over Barbell Rows
10x165
10x165
12x155
12x155

C. Incline Dumbell Bench Press
6x65
6x65
8x55

D. Standing Face Pulls
12x90
14x90

E. Dumbbell Lateral Raises
12x15
14x15

Notes: My previous 3RM was 250lb but since I took a week off to rest & make the transition, I started at 245lb. It was a good thing because I barely managed 3 reps on my own, nonetheless successful though.

The only lift I struggled on were Barbell Rows. By the time I got to the 4th set at 155lb, I had to use momentum on the last 3 reps. I may lighten the weight up on the next workout using 160lb and 150lb rather than 165lb and 155lb in order to maintain proper form.

Incline's were far too easy at 65lbs, so I may jump to 70lbs and continue the rep progression from there (see my second post for progression on all lifts).

Since I am at home for Christmas break, the cable's for Standing Face Pulls are really loose, so 90lbs was the weight used. Once I get back to school, I will most likely use 40-50 lbs because the weight is much harder to pull on the cables there.

After doing three months of 5x5, the pump from these higher reps is great. I forgot the feeling of getting an incredible pump from my workouts.

Mood: 5/5, Felt fantastic & was pumped for day 1

Supplements:
1 1/2 scoops Precision NOS Blast pre-workout
1000mg Vit C pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops Precision NOS Blast during workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude post-workout
1 1/2 servings Carbo Gain mixed with 2 scoops Whey Protein post-workout=36 grams protein, 75 grams carbs

[Crankman]

suscribed for westside support!! good luck

[jdjprimer19]

suscribed for westside support!! good luck

Greatly appreciated, hope this log helps others as much as it will me.

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day:Meshuggah-Contradictions Collapse/None

For anyone interested, here is the mass building diet I will be following. I calculated this to suit my individual needs.

Carb Cycling

BMR: 2039.332 calories

2039.332 x 1.6 (moderate activity level) = 3,262.4 calories (maintenance level)

Ecto/Meso body type increase by 25% = 4, 078 calories to bulk



2 High Carb Days: 285.46 g protein, 509.75 g carbs, 99.68 g fat
2 Moderate Carb Days: 285.46 g protein, 408 g carbs, 99.68 g fat
3 Low Carb Days: 285.46 g protein, 306 g carbs, 99.68 fat

Per Meal: 47.5 grams protein divided by 6 meals & 33 grams fat divided by 3 meals

High Carb Days per Meal: 127.4 grams breakfast, 127.4 PWO, 127.4 1hr PWO, 127.4 g spread out

Moderate Carb Days per Meal: 102 grams breakfast, 102 PWO, 102 1 hr PWO, 102 g spread out

Low Carb Days per Meal: 76.5 grams breakfast, 153 g snack, 76.5 g lunch


(If no gains are made after 2-3 weeks, increase PWO meal by 25 grams P+C. If no progress is made after this increase add another 25-30 grams during breakfast)

Note: 50% of carbs during suggested cycling are supposed to be taken during the PWO meal, however 200 grams is excessive, so this will be split up.

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Evile-Enter The Grave

January 02, Week 1

ME Lower Body (Wednesday)

A. Box Squats
5x145
5x185
5x230
3x270
3x305

B. Barbell Step-ups
8x135
8x135
10x135

C. Standing Pull-Throughs
8x120
8x120
10x110

D. Plate Pinch Grip
Two 25lb plates, 10 sec x 2

E. Low Pulley Swiss Ball Crunches
8x90
8x90
10x80

Notes: My only complaint from this workout would be my effort on box squats. I was able to complete 305 lbs; however, my biggest problem was the use of my quads and toes to help propel me up rather than my glutes and hamstrings. To correct this problem for next week, I will either perform box squats for my RE day & concentrate on form, or I will reduce the weight until I can correctly come off the bench/platform.

Barbell step-ups were completed with ease, but man does that give you upper body a good pump with 135lbs resting on your upper back. Each time my foot stepped up on the platform, the impact caused a slight bounce in weight. Nothing noticeable by the visible eye, but definitely enough that I could feel it in my traps and upper arms trying to squeeze the bar tightly.

The only reason I performed Standing pull-throughs as opposed to Standing Good Mornings for this particular workout is because I had hogged the rack too long and ex-WVU football star running back Avon Cobourne asked if he could use the rack, so I gladly insisted. The pull-throughs were easily completed, however once again the weight was higher because the cables at my local gym are very loose compared to school, so when I get back to the gym in Morgantown, the weight used will be different.

Mood: 5/5 which quickly declined to 3/5 after my dissapointing bout with box squats. I tend to get down on myself if I felt unsuccessful with form.

Supplements:
1 1/2 scoops Precision NOS Blast pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops Precision NOS Blast during workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude post-workout
1 serving Cytogainer post-workout=54 grams protein, 75 grams carbs, 6 grams fat

[Crankman]

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle....=body_120squat

a good reading about boxsquat

[jdjprimer19]

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle....=body_120squat

a good reading about boxsquat

Thanks for the link, that was a great read! I have the Chuck's, so that's a plus from the read, but I realized I need to concentrate more on my abdominals and pushing from the sides of my feet rather than the toes. "Less quad activation, more hips."

[MISSINGLINK]

Nice journal so far. Good luck

[yoyohomieg5432]

Westside Barbell Weight Progression (Hypothetical progression, so you can see how I chose the rep schemes)

Calculations will be 12.5 % backwards from max on ME days as done in Madcow?s 5x5

Max Effort Upper Body (Monday)

A.Barbell Bench Press
Week 1: (warm-up sets) 5x185, 3x215, 3x245
Week 2: (warm-up sets) 5x195, 3x220, 3x250
Week 3: (warm-up sets) 5x195, 3x225, 3x255

Barbell Decline Press
Week 4: (warm-up sets) 5x205, 3x240, 3x275
Week 5: (warm-up sets) 5x210, 3x245, 3x280
Week 6: (warm-up sets) 5x215, 3x250, 3x285

Barbell Incline Press
Week 7: (warm-up sets) 5x145, 3x170, 3x195
Week 8: (warm-up sets) 5x150, 3x175, 3x200
Week 9: (warm-up sets) 5x155, 3x180, 3x205

(Repeat)

B.Bent-over Barbell Rows
Week 1: 10x165, 10x165, 12x155, 12x155
Week 2: 11x165, 11x165, 13x155, 13x155
Week 3: 12x165, 12x165, 14x155, 14x155
Week 4: 10x170, 10x170, 12x160, 12x160
Week 5: 11x170, 11x170, 13x160, 13x160
Week 6: 12x170, 12x170, 14x160, 14x160

Dumbbell Rows
Week 7: 10x70, 10x70, 12x70, 12x70
Week 8: 11x70, 11x70, 13x70, 13x70
Week 9: 12x70, 12x70, 14x70, 14x70
Week 10: 10x75, 12x75, 11x75, 11x75
Week 11: 11x75, 11x75, 13x75, 13x75
Week 12: 12x75, 12x75, 14x75, 14x75

(Repeat cycle 5-10 lbs heavier or change lifts)

C.Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Week 1: 6x70, 6x70, 8x70
Week 2: 7x70, 7x70, 9x70
Week 3: 8x70, 8x70, 10x70
Week 4: 6x75, 6x75, 8x75
Week 5: 7x75, 7x75, 9x75
Week 6: 8x75, 8x75, 10x75

Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Week 7: 6x80, 6x80, 8x80
Week 8: 7x80, 7x80, 9x80
Week 9: 8x80, 8x80, 10x80
Week 10: 6x85, 6x85, 8x85
Week 11: 7x85, 7x85, 9x85
Week 12: 8x85, 8x85, 10x85

D.Standing Face Pulls
Week 1: 12x40, 14x40
Week 2: 13x40, 15x40
Week 3: 12x45, 14x45
Week 4: 13x45, 15x45
Week 5: 12x50, 14x50
Week 6: 13x50, 15x50

Bent-over Dumbbell Rear Delt Flyes
Week 7: 12x10, 14x10
Week 8: 13x10, 15x10
Week 9: 12x15, 14x15
Week 10: 13x15, 15x15
Week 11: 12x20, 14x20
Week 12: 13x20, 15x20

E.Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Week 1: 12x15, 14x15
Week 2: 13x15, 15x15
Week 3: 12x20, 14x20
Week 4: 13x20, 15x20
Week 5: 12x25, 14x25
Week 6: 13x25, 15x25

Max Effort Lower Body (Wednesday)

A.Box Squats
Week 1: (Warm-up sets) 5x230, 3x270, 3x310
Week 2: (Warm-up sets) 5x235, 3x275, 3x315
Week 3: (Warm-up sets) 5x240, 3x280, 3x320

Rack Pulls
Week 4: (Warm-up sets) 5x260, 3x300, 3x345
Week 5: (Warm-up sets) 5x265, 3x305, 3x350
Week 6: (Warm-up sets) 5x270, 3x310, 3x355

Deadlifts
Week 7: (Warm-up sets) 5x235, 5x275, 3x315
Week 8: (Warm-up sets) 5x240, 5x280, 3x320
Week 9: (Warm-up sets) 5x245, 5x285, 3x325

(Repeat)

B.Barbell Step-ups
Week 1: 8x115, 8x115, 10x115
Week 2: 9x115, 9x115, 11x115
Week 3: 10x115, 10x115, 12x115
Week 4: 8x125, 8x125, 10x115
Week 5: 9x125, 9x125, 11x125
Week 6: 10x125, 10x125, 12x125

Bulgarian Split-Squat
Week 7: 8x40, 8x40, 10x40
Week 8: 9x40, 9x40, 11x40
Week 9: 10x40, 10x40, 12x40
Week 10: 8x45, 8x45, 10x45
Week 11: 9x45, 9x45, 11x45
Week 12: 10x45, 10x45, 12x45

C.Standing Good Mornings
Week 1: 6x115, 6x115, 8x115
Week 2: 7x115, 7x115, 9x115
Week 3: 8x115, 8x115, 10x115
Week 4: 6x125, 6x125, 8x125
Week 5: 7x125, 7x125, 9x125
Week 6: 8x125, 8x125, 10x125

Pull-Throughs
Week 7: 6x80, 6x80, 8x80
Week 8: 7x80, 7x80, 9x80
Week 9: 8x80, 8x80, 10x80
Week 10: 6x90, 6x90, 8x90
Week 11: 7x90, 7x90, 9x90
Week 12: 8x80, 8x80, 10x80

D.Plate Pinch Gripping
Week 1: two 25lb plates each hand, 10 seconds x2
Week 2: 15 seconds x2
Week 3: 20 seconds x2
Week 4: 25 seconds x2
Week 5: 30 seconds x1
Week 6: 35 seconds x1

Heavy Dumbbell Holds
Week 7: 100lbs, 10 seconds x2
Week 8: 15 seconds x2
Week 9: 20 seconds x2
Week 10: 25 seconds x2
Week 11: 30 seconds x1
Week 12: 35 seconds x1

E.Low Pulley Swiss Ball Crunches
Week 1: 8x40, 8x40, 10x40
Week 2: 9x40, 9x40, 11x40
Week 3: 10x40, 10x40, 12x40
Week 4: 8x50, 8x50, 10x50
Week 5: 9x50, 9x50, 11x50
Week 6: 10x50, 10x50, 12x50

Hanging Leg Raises
Week 7: 8xBW, 8xBW, 10xBW
Week 8: 9xBW, 9xBW, 11xBW
Week 9: 10xBW, 10xBW, 12xBW
Week 10: 8xBW+5, 8xBW+5, 10xBW+5
Week 11: 9xBW+5, 9xBW+5, 11xBW+5
Week 12: 10xBW+5, 10xBW+5, 12xBW+5

Repetition Upper Body (Friday)

A.Barbell Bench Press
Week 1: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 2: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 3: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 4: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 5: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 6: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set 70% max reps

Bodyweight Dips
Week 7: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 8: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 9: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW, 1 set 70% max reps

Regular Pushups
Week 10: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW+25, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 11: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW+25, 1 set 70% max reps
Week 12: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ BW+25, 1 set 70% max reps

(May drop the second set if too much fatigue accumulates over the first few weeks)

B.Reverse Grip Chins
Week 1: 8xBW+10, 8xBW+10, 10xBW, 10xBW
Week 2: 9xBW+10, 9xBW+10, 11xBW, 11xBW
Week 3: 10xBW+10, 10xBW10, 12xBW, 12xBW
Week 4: 8xBW+20, 8xBW+20, 10xBW, 10xBW
Week 5: 9xBW+20, 8xBW+20, 11xBW, 11xBW
Week 6: 10xBW+20, 10xBW+20, 12xBW, 12xBW

Wide Grip Chins
(Follows same pattern as Reverse Grip Chins starting with BW, then doing 2 sets of assisted, so BW -10)

C.Dumbbell Presses
Week 1: 8x50, 8x50, 10x40
Week 2: 9x50, 9x50, 11x40
Week 3: 10x50, 10x50, 12x40
Week 4: 8x55, 8x55, 10x45
Week 5: 9x55, 9x55, 11x45
Week 6: 10x55, 10x55, 12x45

Barbell Shrugs
Week 1: 8x225, 8x225, 10x215
Week 2: 9x225, 9x225, 11x215
Week 3: 10x225, 10x225, 12x215
Week 4: 8x235, 8x235, 10x225
Week 5: 9x235, 9x235, 11x225
Week 6: 10x235, 10x235, 12x235

D.Skull Crushers (EZ-bar)
Week 1: 5x85, 5x85, 7x75
Week 2: 6x85, 6x85, 8x75
Week 3: 7x85, 7x85, 9x75
Week 4: 5x90, 5x90, 7x80
Week 5: 6x90, 6x90, 8x80
Week 6: 7x90, 7x90, 9x80

Dumbbell Floor Presses
Week 7: 5x60, 5x60, 7x50
Week 8: 6x60, 6x60, 8x50
Week 9: 7x60, 7x60, 9x50
Week 10: 5x65, 5x65, 7x55
Week 11: 6x65, 6x65, 8x55
Week 12 7x65, 7x65, 9x55

E.Barbell Curls
Week 1: 8x75, 8x75, 9x65
Week 2: 9x75, 9x75, 10x65
Week 3: 8x85, 8x85, 9x75
Week 4: 9x85, 9x85, 10x75
Week 5: 8x95, 8x95, 10x85
Week 6: 9x95, 9x95, 8x85

Repetition Effort Lower Body (Saturday)

A.Snatch Grip Deadlift
Week 1: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185 lbs, 1 set 70% of max reps
Week 2: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185 lbs, 1 set 70% of max reps
Week 3: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 185 lbs, 1 set 70% of max reps

Regular Squats
Week 4: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 5: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 6: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 205 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 7: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 225 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 8: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 225 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps
Week 9: (warm-up sets) 1 set max reps @ 225 lbs, 1 set of 70% of max reps

B.Walking Lunges
Week 1: 8x25, 8x25, 10x20
Week 2: 9x25, 9x25, 11x20
Week 3: 10x25, 10x25, 12x20
Week 4: 8x30, 8x30, 10x25
Week 5: 9x30, 9x30, 11x25
Week 6: 10x30, 10x30, 12x25

Barbell Reverse Lunges
Week 7: 8x125, 8x125, 10x115
Week 8: 9x125, 9x125, 11x115
Week 9: 10x125, 10x125, 12x115
Week 10: 8x135, 8x135, 10x125
Week 11: 9x135, 9x135, 11x125
Week 12: 10x135, 10x135, 12x125

C.Glute-Ham Raises
Week 1: (Decline) 6xBW, 6xBW, 8xBW
Week 2: 7x BW, 7xBW, 9xBW
Week 3: 8xBW, 8xBW, 10xBW
Week 4: (slower) 6xBW, 6xBW, 8xBW
Week 5: 7xBW, 7xBW, 9xBW
Week 6: 8xBW, 8xBW, 10xBW
Week 7: (Lat Pulldown) 6x60, 6x60, 8x50
Week 8: 7x60, 7x60, 9x60
Week 9: 8x60, 8x60, 10x60
Week 10: 6x70, 6x70, 8x60
Week 11: 7x70, 7x70, 9x60
Week 12: 8x70, 8x70, 10x60

D.Standing Calf Raises
(Same progression as previous exercises)

E.Abdominal Circuit Training
Crunches, Barbell Side Bends, Hanging Leg Raises

hey man, im thinking about starting this program. where did you find this info at? is there a template or something that writes all this out for you?

[jdjprimer19]

No sir, lol. That was a result of several hours of free time planning this routine during my transition week.

[prop42]

Nice detailed clean journal JDJ! Subscribed. Keep up the good work.

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Dew Scented-Impact (German Thrash all the way!!!)

January 04, Week 1

RE Upper Body (Friday)

A. Barbell Bench Press
6x115
5x135
5x155
17x185, max repetition effort

B. Reverse Grip Chins
8xBW+10
8xBW+10
10xBW
7xBW

C. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
8x50
8x50
10x40

D. Skull Crushers
5x85
5x85
7x75

E. Barbell Curls
8x75
8x75
9x65

Notes: I was a little disappointed with my RE bench today. I thought for sure I could rep out 20, but I have to keep in mind the last 3 months I haven't pushed anything for more than 5 reps, so my endurance is definitely lacking. I did 17 on my own and had the spotter assist me on rep 18. My form was good and explosive with the exception of rep 6 because I did not touch my chest on the lowering. Everything other than that rep was smooth.

I really struggled with Reverse Grip Chins due to the fact that it puts so much stress directly on the bi's making it hard to recover from one set to the next. I successfully completed the first two sets with 10lbs extra weight as well as the third, but failed on the 4th set trying to attempt 10 reps. Next week, I may just attempt BW on all 4 sets since the reps will be increasing.

I successfully completed the Dumbbell Shoulder Presses but 50lbs was quite a struggle following the previous two exercises. Before heading to the gym I almost decided I was going to start with 55's, but I'm fortunate I stuck with 50's. Since shoulders seem to be my weakest link, I may put them in front of the chins for next week.

Skull Crushers and Barbell Curls were not a problem at all. Although, once my vertical pull exercise changes to wide grip chins, I may jump the weight by 10lbs or more on the curls since my biceps won't be nearly as fatigued.

Mood: 5/5. Since this is the first week, I have been pumped each day.

Supplements:
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Post-workout
1000mg Vit C Pre-workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude Post-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOW Carbo-Gainer Post workout w/ 2 scoops Whey Protein: 75g C, 36g P

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Machine Head-The Blackening

January 05, Week 1

RE Lower Body (Saturday)

A. Snatch Grip Deadlift
8x135
8x185
8x185
8x185

B. Walking Lunges
8x25
8x25
10x20

C. Glute-Ham Raises (Decline)
6xBW
6xBW
8xBW

D. Seated Calf Raises
10x145
10x145
12x145

E. Abdominal Circuit
4 sets Hanging Leg Raises

Notes: Snatch Grip Deadlifts felt very easy and controlled today. I decided to perform deadlifts as my RE movement since box squats were my ME movement. That way I could incorporate squats & deadlifts in the same week. I originally thought about 1 set of 20 reps which would be fine for squats, but I decided against this for deadlifts. I also decided that it would be most beneficial to use a lighter weight using straight sets and use slow, controlled reps to improve my form. Next week I may jump to 195, we'll see.

My Walking Lunges weren't walking lunges as the gym was completely packed. So instead, I simply performed stationary lunges and felt fine on all three sets.

Glute-ham Raises or ghetto raises as some like to call them, was my most difficult exercise. I performed this on a decline bench and MAN DID IT BURN. I honestly haven't performed these before, so it was very difficult to control myself on the way down. Plus, it was hard keeping my feet stabilized so it will be nice when my partner starts working out with me here in a week or so.

Seated Calf Raises and abs went well as expected, so no complaints can be made there

So far this week has not been a problem for me as far as recovery is concerned. I will be able to assess this better in the next few weeks, and as I have stated before will take the 4th day and float it into the next week if progress halts or fatigue accumulates. A great first week so far.

Mood: 5/5

Supplements:
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Post-workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude Post-workout
1 serving Cytogainer in Post-workout= 75g C, 54g P, 6g F

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Pig Destroyer-Phantom Limb

January 07, Week 2

ME Upper Body (Monday)

A. Barbell Bench Press
5x135
5x145
5x195
3x220
3x250

B. Barbell Bent-over Rows
11x160
11x160
13x150
13x150

C. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
7x70
7x70
9x60

D. Standing Face Pulls
13x90
15x90

E. Dumbbell Lateral Raises
13x15
15x15

Notes: Today I felt amazing on Barbell Bench Press. I felt extremely strong on my 3 reps at 250lbs. In fact, I probably could have pushed for 5 reps, so next week instead of going for 255, I may jump to 260 depending on how I feel. I was pleasantly suprised and very satisfied with my lift.

Bent-over Rows felt significantly better this week. I increased the volume but dropped the weight 5lbs from last week to make sure my form was strong on every rep, which it was. Next week when I increase the volume, I may increase the weight back to 165 on my first two sets if I am feeling good, it all depends. I was a little skeptical going into this lift today because my lats & rhomboids were still sore from Friday's vertical pull, but once I loosened up it turned out to be no problem at all.

Last week I knew 65lbs was too light for Incline Dumbbell Presses, so I made sure to increase the weight to 70 this week. I felt very good at 70lbs, but will probably just continue to increase the volume before jumping to 75's on my first two sets.

Face Pulls gave me no problems this week along with Dumbbell Lateral Raises, although you can really feel the burn at 15 reps. Next week the weight will increase for both exercises.

Mood: Another 5/5. Knowing that I have a journal to record my progress and a new PR to beat each week on my ME lift, keeps me highly motivated.

Supplements:
1 1/2 Scoops NOS blast Pre-Workout
1 1/2 Scoops NOS blast Post-Workout
1000mg Vitamin C Pre-Workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude Post-Workout
1 serving Cytogainer PWO= 75g C, 54g P, 6g F

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Threat Signal-Under Reprisal

January 09, Week 2

ME Lower Body (Wednesday)

A. Box Squats
6x145
5x185
5x235
5x275
5x315

B. Barbell Step-ups
9x135
9x135
11x135

C. Standing Good Mornings
6x135
6x135
8x135

D. Plate Pinch Gripping
Two 25lb plates each hand 15 sec x2

E. Low Pulley Swiss Ball Crunches
(Light weight, slow controlled reps, 14-15 x3)

Notes: My form was much better on Box Squats today. There is still room for improvement, but I felt more explosive especially on the last set. Last week my frame of thought was to reduce weight, but today I followed the advice from the article I read which proved to be very effective. I may jump to 325 or 330 next week depending on how I feel because 315 felt awfully easy today.

Barbell Step-ups are quite the challenge following a ME box squat. You can really feel the burn in the hams and glutes. Once the barbell is placed back on the rack it feels as if I just ran a 400. It takes everything out of you to place that bar on your back and do 9-11 reps each leg because an entire set may take a good 45 -60 seconds to complete.

Last week I performed pull-throughs because I could not get near a rack, but was able to accomplish Standing Good Mornings in today's workout. I hadn't performed these in nearly two years, but I felt comfortable with my form and made sure both the eccentric and concentric portions of the movement were slow and controlled.

Plate Pinch Gripping was a challenge like last week, but I successfully held two 25lb plates in each hand for the full 15 seconds. The hardest part about this exercise is simply getting a good grip around the plates in order to pick them up. It's kind of awkward at first until each is finally lifted off the ground. I could easily cheat and wrap my fingers around the handles on each of the iron plates, but I have been trying to hold them with a pinch grip so that all the emphasis is on the grip and forearms.

Low Pulley Swiss Ball Crunches were done in a very slow, controlled manner with higher reps. I did not worry about the weight this week, but concentrated on my form and balance.

Mood: Once again, another great 5/5.

Supplements:
1 serving Muscle Milk, 1 hour Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast PWO
1 scoop Green Magnitude PWO
1 serving Cytogainer PWO

(Just a little side note...along with these supplements I also make sure to take my multi-vitamin in the mornings and take a couple servings of flax & fish oil throughout the day. Here in a few weeks I may add Beta-Alanine & Glycergrow in the mix.)

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Carnal Forge-The More You Suffer

January 11, Week 2

RE Upper Body (Friday)

A. Barbell Bench Press
6x115
5x135
5x155
17x185<<<rep test

B. Reverse Grip Chins
9xBW
9xBW
11xBW
6xBW

C. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
9x50
9x50
11x40

D. Skull Crushers
6x85
5x85 (blah)
8x75

E. Barbell Curls
9x75
9x75
10x75

Notes: Okay, so today was not as successful as I would have liked it to have been due to a few reasons. 1) I was up until 4 AM at a friend's house drinking wine 2) I had not been grocery shopping since arriving back to my apartment at school 3) My mood was not the greatest

Barbell Bench was probably my most disappointing lift this afternoon. My gym partner has not arrived back to school so I had to get a spot from a random student. Well, on rep 17 I needed a bit of extra help but I decided to go ahead and push for 18. On the 18th rep my spotter was trying to help as little as possible, but in the process of doing so I completely hit failure and the barbell rested on my chest. Of course the spotter doesn't take the inititiative right away to help, so I immediately sprung up, rolled the bar off my chest and sat it on the floor. He looked at me like I was an idiot and said it wouldn't have been a prob to pull it off me. I kept thinking to myself, "If someone is at the sticking point and the barbell drops on my chest due to fatigue, it's time to give me some DAMN ASSISTANCE." I just kept my cool and told him thanks for the spot as I put the bar back on the rack. He stated that I completed 15 reps, so either I was off counting today or him.

Reverse Grip Chins were very fatiguing, and by the time I got to the last set I could only perform 6 reps. Last week, I used a 10lb weight on my first two sets but was unsuccessful on the last. So, I decided to cut the weight out altogether. Since my volume was increasing it would still be an improvement to complete all 4 sets, although once again it proved to be too difficult.

Dumbbell Shoulder Presses turned out to be the first exercise I completed all 3 sets on without any struggles. I was very satisfied there.

Skull Crushers went well with the exception of the second set. I had to stop one rep short with 85 lbs. I am still going to keep the weight the same next week and increase the volume.

Barbell Curls was another successful lift. My biceps really burned with such light weight, but after doing reverse grip chins that's expected. I can boost the weight up once I switch to wide grips.

Mood: 3.5/5 today. I was excited to lift, but I knew that I had little sleep and my eating was not consistent the night before. Most of my lifts suffered to some extent, but there is no reason to reduce the weight because of one bad night. Now had I came in there fresh and still struggled, it would be a different story.

Supplements:
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Mid-workout
1000mg Vit C Pre-workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude PWO
1 serving Cytogainer PWO

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Amorphis-Silent Waters

January 12, Week 2

RE lower body (Saturday)

A. Snatch Grip Deadlifts
5x135
8x195
8x195
8x195

B. Lunges
9x25
9x25
11x20

C. Glute Ham Raises (Performed at Lat Pulldown station)
7x45
7x45
9x45

D. Seated Calf Raises
(did not perform)

E. Abdominal Circuit
(did not perform)<<<Doing an ab workout tomorrow evening

Notes: I felt good on SGDL's today, although next week I will wear some straps because I almost lost my grip near the end of each set. I increased the weight by 10lbs from last week, but was still able to use slow, controlled form.

Lunges were very easy as expected. Although 25lbs is not very much, near the end of each set it becomes very tiring.

Since I am back at WVU and my lifting partner has still yet to arrive, I attempted to perform Glute Ham Raises on the decline bench as last week. The problem I encountered with the decline bench at the student rec center is the fact that the padding only sits on top of the leg rest (at home the padding wraps all the way around). Sooo, when I tried to hook my heels under, they were resting on the metal. This was extremely painful on each descent, so I decided to give it a try from the lat pulldown station using the rope. There are a few videos on Youtube that demonstrate this if you are uncertain as to what I am talking about.

For whatever reason, I took off after performing glute ham raises without even thinking about my calfs. So to make up for it, whenever I head to the gym tomorrow night to do an ab workout with my friend, I will make sure to hit my calfs.

Mood: 4/5

Supplements:
1 serving Muscle Milk 1 hr Pre-Workout
1 serving Liquid Amino's Pre-Workout
2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-Workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude PWO
1 1/2 scoops Carbo Gain PWO w/ 2 scoops Whey

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Amorphis-Silent Waters

January 14, Week 3

ME Upper Body (Monday)

A. Barbell Bench Press
5x135
5x155
5x195
3x225
2x260<<< a third assisted rep

B. Barbell Bent-Over Rows
12x160
12x160
14x150
14x150

C. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
8x75
8x70
10x65

D. Standing Face Pulls
12x30
14x30

E. Dumbbell Lateral Raises
12x20
14x20

Notes: I felt confident after last weeks Barbell Bench Press and decided to jump 10lbs from 250 to 260 today. Well it was a bit of over-confidence as I successfully completed the first rep, had just a fingertip on the second rep to get past the sticking point, and the third rep was more the effort of my partner than myself. Overall, not terrible but definitely not quite strong enough today to hit 260 as a 3RM.

Barbell Rows went successfully today as I was able to complete each and every rep on all sets. The last set was very difficult and I used a slight bit of momentum on the last two reps, but I can't complain as the first 12 came smoothly.

Incline Dumbbell Presses were cake today. In fact, I felt very comfortable with my set of 75's. The only reason I used 75's as opposed to 70's was simply because the rack had been cleared out. That's right, the new year's resolution folks were hogging all the weights. I was able to use 70's on set #2 because they were returned to the rack, but had to settle for 65's on the last set because all the 60's were gone. So, had there not been a huge crowd the weight would have been 70, 70, 60. Soooo, with that in mind it was actually an advantage having to work with heavier weights.

Standing Face Pulls as you can see are significantly lower than the weight at my other gym. This is simply because the pulley's at the rec center are much newer than those back at the Y, and it's much more difficult to pull the heavier weight.


I increased the weight from 15 to 20 today on Lateral Raises and received a good pump doing so. The week after next, I will increase to 25's.

Mood: 3.75/5....I knew the gym was going to be very crowded this evening, plus I have swollen lymph nodes under my right jaw which is very agitating and painful.

Supplements:
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast During workout
1 serving Liquid Amino's Pre-workout
1000mg Vit C Pre-workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude PWO
1 serving Cytogainer PWO

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Arch Enemy-Rise of the Tyrant

January 16, Week 3

ME Lower Body (Wednesday)

A. Box Squats
5x135
5x155
5x185
5x240
3x280
1x335<<<attempted 3, but failed

B. Barbell Step-ups
10x135
10x135
12x135

C. Standing Good Mornings
7x135
7x135
9x135

D. Plate Pinch Gripping
(did not perform)

E. Low Pulley Swiss Ball Crunches
20x30
20x30
20x30

Notes: I was very upset with my performance on Box Squats today. Yes, I may have done one complete rep at 335, but I felt like an idiot as I struggled on the last two with quite a bit of help from my partner. Last week I exploded at 315, but should have realized 20lbs is quite a jump. It was to the point that I could feel my upper body lean completely forward. My form had to be wretched on those last two reps. To make up for it I thought to myself that I would just add one more set of 3 at 315. Well, suprise suprise...it was unsuccessful after wearing myself out from the previous set. Of course one bad performance like this puts the whole workout out of whack.

Barbell step-ups were easy, but I was not in the greatest mood after squats, so I did them as quickly as possible. Next week I set the reps back and increase the weight.

Good Mornings were not a struggle tonight. In fact, it was the only exercise that I felt great on. Although, in a gym full of New Jersey newbs everyone watches because no one knows what the hell a good morning is.

I completely skipped Plate Pinch Grips as I felt that I attracted enough negative attention from my poor squatting this evening.

Last exercise was Low Pulley Crunches. I just concentrated on good form, contracting tightly on every rep. I haven't been following a rep scheme with abs since I am on a bulking phase. The serious ab workouts can come later, but for now this is sufficient.

Mood: As you can tell, my attitude is crap tonight. Probably a 2/5 considering the gym was packed & I had an overall "blah" workout.

Supplements:
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast during workout
1 scoop Green Magnitude PWO
75g Carbo Gainer with Whey

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: Soilwork-Sworn to a Great Divide

January 18

RE Upper Body (Friday)

A. Barbell Bench Press
5x135
5x155
15x185<<<rep test

B. Reverse Grip Chins
6xBW
6xBW
8xBW
8xBW

C. Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
10x50
10x50
12x40

D. Skull Crushers
7x85
7x85
9x75

E. Barbell Curls
8x85
8x85
9x75

Notes: Okay, so I was very upset with only performing 15 reps. I managed more in previous weeks, however when thinking back to it, the bench I used back in week 1 was much wider which stabilized me more. Last week I swore that I did 17 reps, however the spotter claimed 15. So assuming he was right, I haven't digressed but rather stayed the same. All is well though because next week I will perform a rep test using 205 and my ME lift will change as well.

Everything else was performed successfully. I dropped the reps on reverse grip chins simply because performing sets of 10 and 12 was unrealistic as it had been the previous two weeks. They may be easier to do than using regular grip initially, but they become harder after several sets because the fatigue really accumulates in the bi's.

Mood: Mood was so, so... 3.5/5

Supplements
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 1/2 scoops NOS Blast during workout
1 scoop Green Mag PWO
1 serving Cytogainer PWO

[jdjprimer19]

JDJ's Metal Album of the Day: The Absence-Riders of the Plague

January 19

RE Lower Body (Saturday)

A. Snatch Grip Deadlifts
5x135
8x195
8x195
8x195

B. Lunges
10x25
10x25
12x20

C. Glute Ham Raises (Lat Pulldown station)
8x30
8x30
10x30<<< The weight used this week was lighter, but that makes the exercise harder

D. Seated Calf Raises
8x140
8x140
10x140

E. Abdominal Circuit Training
Performed just 3x10 Hanging Leg Raises between sets of Calf Raises

Notes: Today was a great workout actually. The gym was not crowded for once! Snatch Grip DL's were a little easier on my forearms since I came prepared with my straps. My form was good and I made sure to keep the bar close to my shins which resulted in some minor bleeding .

Lunges were easy and perhaps that may be too light of weight, but it still wears me out performing several reps per leg. I still feel the burn significantly and breathe very heavily after finishing. Not to mention this exercise follows SGDL's, so this makes the issue of light weight minimal concern.

Glute Ham Raises BURNNNN!!! I love this exercise, and I think the Lat Pulldown station is a great way to do this exercise starting out. I find it much safer than performing this on a decline. A few more weeks of these then I will switch to regular GHR's from the floor using my partner to hold my feet. The weight decrease from last week actually makes the exercise harder if you think about it.

Calf Raises and abs don't need much discussion as both were performed well today.

Mood: 4/5

Supplements:
2 scoops NOS Blast Pre-workout
1 scoop Green Mag PWO
1 serving Cytogainer PWO

[liftingbuddy1]

Man, I heard that snatch-grip Deads are the hardest by far. Is it that much more effective that conventional Deads? Does it just work your body harder, and do you have to significantly lower the working weight vs. convential deads' working weight?

Mike