Layne Norton's Journey to the Natural Pro Stage

[str8flexed]

Now that I have achieved my goal of turning pro as a natural bodybuilder, it's time to take 2 years off and improve my weakpoints so I can actually place well in a pro contest. I have enlisted Gene's help yet again in designing a program. I will be using a russian squat cycle to start off and once I achieve my strength goals (see below) I will switch over to a more pure hypertrophy regime.

goals
-squat 500X3
-deadlift 600+
-stay healthy
-increase back width/thickness
-stay under 11% bodyfat
-reach 235 lbs at 11% bodyfat

Current macro breakdowns are

leg days: 250/450/60
upper body: 250/350/60
cardio: 250/250/50

obviously these seem low for bulking but for right now I'm holding a **** ton of water due to the post contest rebound (my abs don't even look like i dieted lol) so I'm sticking with this until I hit a steady state. As of now I'm weighing in at 198 lbs so I know all of it is water, I'll just wait til i get it flushed out and my weight stabalizes & then I will do calipers and adjust my macros.

The time is now.

-Layne "Army of Me... It lives in us all!"

[W8isGR8]

Do the damn thing!

[ShreddedShruggin]

In before this thread gets too crowded!

-Grimface

[str8flexed]

started my russian squat routine today

first workout of the week (3 squat workouts per week)

speed box squats (45-90 secs rest between each set)
10 sets of 3 with 275

leg extensions
2 sets of 6 with the whole stack (285) + 15
2 sets of 8 with the whole stack +5
2 sets of 10 with 270

glut ham raises
3 sets of 5 with bodyweight + 20 lbs

lying leg curl
2 sets of 7 with 210 lbs

single leg curls
2 sets of 9 with whole stack + 10 lbs

leg adductor machine
20 super slow reps with stack

standing calf raises
2 sets of 7 reps with 375 lbs
2 sets of 8 reps with 365 lbs
1 set of 9 reps with 355 lbs

seated calf raise
2 sets of 6 with 270 lbs
1 set of 7 with 255 lbs
1 set of 8 with 240 lbs
1 set of 10 with 225 lbs

-Layne

[khocha]

best of luck layne, i will be following this thread for sure!

[kkeane]

looking forward to this... it will be awesome to see how someone who really knows what he is doing progresses.

[Tyrbolift]

Not a lot of volume, there, but who am I to criticize...

[The Real Deal]

good luck, very interested to see the progress.

[lefty the clown]

i'm subscribed.

[Bignbuff]

This is awesome, Layne! I was just actually going to PM you the other day to see what you were doing training-wise now that you have accomplished your goal.

I really look forward to reading this.

[dexterium]

Layne you're goin all the way man.

[BASEBOD]

I'm subscribed! I can't wait to see your progress. If this journal is anything like your last, it's going to be AWESOME!!

[Elijah_MB]

sounds good man, looking forward to this...

[King of the Misc]

i was wondering why you didn't have a journal before...good lcuk

[str8flexed]

Originally Posted by Tyrbolift

Not a lot of volume, there, but who am I to criticize...

35 sets for legs... doing legs 3x per week

mmmk?

[waitlifter82]

Originally Posted by str8flexed

35 sets for legs... doing legs 3x per week

mmmk?

what's your point?

[str8flexed]

Originally Posted by waitlifter82

what's your point?

he said "not alot of volume there"

I disagreed



Anyway today was just cardio

I ended up walking around campus about 40 minutes doing various tasks.

went to the gym tonight & did

-ten 50 meter uphill sprints only resting as long as it took to walk back to the bottom of the hill

-power clean cardio... 10 sets of 3 with 135 lbs resting 20 secs in between each set

-12 minutes on the elliptical at grade 12 (15 is the max)

abs
-2 sets of 10 reps of hanging leg raises holding a 15 lb dumbbell in between my feet
-2 sets of cable crunches with the stack for 15 reps, then the stack + 25 lbs for 12 reps
-2 sets of 10 reps of hanging leg raises to the side

-Layne "I'm back to put it in motion, i'm back to tell ya no lies!"

[brawny]

35 sets for legs, 3x per week? Do you honestly expect to grow from this?

[str8flexed]

Originally Posted by brawny

35 sets for legs, 3x per week? Do you honestly expect to grow from this?

high volume is the only thing my legs have ever grown off of. The more i increased my volume the better I responded. I don't grow for **** off of regular routines. It was good enough to take me from chicken legs to getting my natural pro card.

I have attached pictures to show you what I mean. The first 2 were taken after I had been following normal volume 1x per week training for years... years of busting my ass and got nothing. The next 3 are after the same period of time training with what most people consider "ridiculous" volume and everyone telling me I'd overtrain.

Guess what... it worked.

So yes... I expect them to grow quite well. Protein synthesis in response to a workout returns to baseline after 48 hours of rest... you might as well stimulate it again.

-Layne

[brawny]

I see what you mean about improvement. I'm impressed Layne. If you don't mind, could you post your current routine?

Thank you.

[str8flexed]

thank you... i'm actually in the process of finalizing it... don't worry it will all be posted in here. You can see my old routine here

http://www.mindandmuscle.net/forum/i...=6277&hl=layne

[jkeithc82]

Awesome Layne. I read your journals at M&M about 50 times, so I'll definately bookmark this one.

[maffie2]

You've always helped me and answered my questions/doubts... I'll be following this!

[BASEBOD]

Originally Posted by str8flexed

he said "not alot of volume there"

I disagreed



Anyway today was just cardio

I ended up walking around campus about 40 minutes doing various tasks.

went to the gym tonight & did

-ten 50 meter uphill sprints only resting as long as it took to walk back to the bottom of the hill

-power clean cardio... 10 sets of 3 with 135 lbs resting 20 secs in between each set

-12 minutes on the elliptical at grade 12 (15 is the max)

abs
-2 sets of 10 reps of hanging leg raises holding a 15 lb dumbbell in between my feet
-2 sets of cable crunches with the stack for 15 reps, then the stack + 25 lbs for 12 reps
-2 sets of 10 reps of hanging leg raises to the side

-Layne "I'm back to put it in motion, i'm back to tell ya no lies!"

LMAO! Just cardio you say I don't know to many people who do power cleans for cardio, will they be included in every cardio session? What's with the ab training? I thought it was a waste of joules lol

[spirit3530]

No Sh!t coach I'm in too.

[CENTAUR]

Subscribed

man u look vascular. Wats ur BF like in the 2002 pics like 4-5%? looks lower than tat

[V-shape]

Every journey begins with a small step....eeeeerrrrrr.....a 35 sets leg workout ;-)

Looking forward to your log.


O/T questions about your contest prep: Did you experience any insomnia during your final weeks? Also, how was your health doing during your prep - did you ever come down with a cold or even a flu (even though I know that this wouldn't really stop you from busting your ass in the gym:-))?


-V-shape "like a tank he's coming!!!!"

[pali012]

looking forward to seeing you progress

[ukstrongman]

i'm in here aswell. Journal looking good already.
Volume wise, if it works for you, great! I know many people who grow off high volume.

if you want any specific help for your squat/dead goals i'll be willing to help.

[Tyrbolift]

Originally Posted by str8flexed

35 sets for legs... doing legs 3x per week

mmmk?

Yeah, my bad, sorry. I misread how it was laid out...

Pretty good volume, actually...