LiftedMinds Ectomorph Bulk Log

[LiftedMind]

Hey guys I thought it would be a great idea to share my workout progress. For one, it helps me stay accountable and motivated. And two, I can get input from awesome readers!

I started training in 2007, and like everyone, I started out as a complete beginner. Let’s just say that being an Ectomorph and doing P90X while eating minimal food, it didn’t get me astonishing results. Although I got an awesome six pack, it kept me going to look further into what lifting was all about.

I was 140lbs while still running cross country and being very energy depleted. Through some reading and research I learned a little more about training and nutrition and set myself in a better path for my goals. I was able to reach 150lbs then the next thing I know I hit 160lbs. For me, stuffing my face was the most grueling part. I worked in a warehouse and my calorie needs were very high, somewhere in the 5000+ range to bulk. That is a lot of food to stomach and I could only go for 1 month bursts before falling back to old habits. I was focusing way too much on volume training, and not strength. This volume, combined with the physical stress of my job, and eating tons of food, led me to be constantly fatigued. I was not giving my nervous system enough time to recover from training and my job.

140lbs - 160lbs


Current stats:
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 158lbs
Bodyfat: roughly 10%

I wrote some general information you all have maybe heard before, its a little bit of detail for the new guys.

My goals:
I want to be realistic with my goals, while being smart about it. I’d like to bulk as efficiently as possible while putting on the most muscle, in the shortest amount of time. Yes this sounds like the perfect scenario, and yes it will take a lot of effort and dedication, but I think I am capable of pulling it off. Right now I weigh in at 158lbs and over the next 3 months I want to hit at least 175lbs. That is only 0.8lbs per week. It is possible to gain muscle while staying lean, but I don’t mind the change in bodyfat as long as I keep it under control. The following flowchart is a simple concept to keep in mind while training. Always ask yourself if you are moving in the direction of your goal and adjust accordingly.



My action plan: Obviously the most important factors towards my training will be nutrition, training, and recovery. If I can eat the right foods, stimulate my body the right way, and rest properly I should be well on my way to gaining quality mass.

Nutrition: The table shows the breakdown of my macronutrients that make up my diet. I’m aiming for around 4000kcal daily based on my previous gym experiences.


Keep in mind that I am ectomorphic so my base metabolism is higher than most people. This nifty calculator gave me a rough estimate of how many calories I’ll need to grow here. The number is a combination of your resting metabolic rate (how many calories you burn to stay alive), your activity level, and the thermic effect of food. The 30/40/30 ratio may not work for everyone depending on your genetics. It is best to find what works for you. Using someone else’s plan is fine; just remember to tweak it to your needs. If you’re tweaking it and getting nowhere, start from square one. While one plan might work perfect for somebody else, it may not work for you at all.

Training: My lifting scheme will be geared more towards lower reps while lifting as heavy as I can. You can think of higher reps as more endurance training, which will lead to more efficient glucose and water storage in the muscle. Many people train for this “pump” and you will also notice they are often still the same size a year later. Remember, different training methods work well for some people and horrible for others so find what works for you. I want strength and size, so lower volume it is. I plan for a 3 day split which will focus on the fundamental compound lifts. The split works well because it gives me plenty time to recovery for the next gym session. The following chart shows the 3-day split I’ll use.


I was told by a friend that the biggest goal you should have when entering the gym is to increase the bar weight from last week’s gym session. The human body has an amazing ability to adapt to change. If you’re not constantly trying to lift more weight, and give your muscles something new, you will most likely plateau. That is provided you’re eating adequately of course. You may just mindlessly enter the gym and not realize you are ready to lift more weight. The solution? Write it down. Keeping a log book keeps your lifts organized and lets you know how you have progressed, and at what rate.

Supplements: It’s very important to remember that supplements are only that, they supplement your diet and training. If you don’t have a solid foundation in those two, supplements alone will get you nowhere and you will end up wasting money. If you want to grab a couple supplements, stick with the basics. I’ll be using fish oil capsules, creatine monohydrate, and a 3-a-day multi vitamin. Protein in its supplemental form is very beneficial as well. It’s great to utilize around workouts and can easily be mixed in shakes when it might be hard to eat lean protein. I'll be using micellar casein as well as a simple whey. I also have a workout shake that contains 60g waxymaise and 30g of hydrolized whey.

What I’ll update:
It’s best to quantify results because they are easily measurable, and comparable. I will be tracking my weight, bodyfat, muscle measurements, mood, motivation, and lifts. I will also be taking pictures. The mirror is great, but you won’t be able to see exact changes that a picture can provide. I knew a guy at the gym who was around 350-400lbs and he must have had the opposite of anorexia. He said that when he looks in the mirror, he doesn’t see himself as fat. It was only when he looked at a photo that he realized he was very overweight. Here are a couple charts I will be using to gauge my progress weekly:

Mood and Motivation are ranked on a scale of 1 to 10.


Mood will be based on how I’m feeling energy wise, and my overall sense of welling being. Motivation will be the force that is pushing me to keep going in the gym, the stronger the better. These will be measured daily.

Bodyfat is measured in percent and I’ll use fat calipers to get an accurate reading. Muscle measurements will be measured in inches. My bodyweight and bodyfat will be measured once a week.


I’ll be measuring my lifts on a 3 day per week basis, the night of my training. Notice: I will warm-up for each major exercise based off this chart.


I'll use this chart to keep track of my lifts.


I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do sharing it. I hope to motivate others as they follow along.

[LiftedMind]

So today was my first day back to the gym, and it went quite well. I had to bike to the gym on my bmx (15 min bike ride), it was nice out so I couldn't complain. Getting the blood flowing was a plus, as I do very little cardio while bulking up. I ride my bmx at the skatepark once or twice a week so that is enough cardio for me.

I brought my recovery shake that I sip before, during and after my workout. It contains hydrolyzed whey , glutamine and waxy maise. 86g protein, 172.8g carbs ,1035 calories

Todays lifts:

Squats 4x4 165lbs
Good Mornings 5x5 115lbs
Calf Raises 3x8 200lbs

Slant Board Ball Crunch 3x12 8kg ball(holding the ball on forehead and crunching towards feet)
DB oblique side raise 2x12 60lbs

Mood - 8 felt pretty good going into the gym. I got a little fatigued by good mornings but since it was the last compound exercise I just kept going with the rest of my exercises.

Motivation- 8 I'm just getting back into things, once I start seeing the lifts go up my motivation will increase. I'm staying optimistic because my plan is pretty good and I think I can do well on it. As long as I do everything right during the day I know that the final result will be a sum of my day in and out effort.

Energy level I feel quite awake and all the food today has given me higher than usual energy. I've been keeping the veggie count good to balance out any acidity and I'll probably have a greens shake tonight. I'll see how training holds up this week and hopefully I can sleep snug in this hot weather (31 degrees Celsius!)

I made a batch of Kung Pao Chicken from John Berardi's Gourmet nutrition book. I try to cook my meals in batches for 2 days so I don't have to cook as much. I have a mini fridge in my room that has all my stuff so its convenient.

Water chestnuts, green pepper, minced chicken, roasted peanuts, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and my favorite thai peanut satay sauce!

[LiftedMind]

I thought today was going to be a tough one because I went bmxing the previous day to a skatepark out of town. I ate a big breakfast and I made sure to bring a some shakes with me to keep the catabolism lower. I just made sure to eat big when I got home and I took some gaba to help me sleep and recover.

Today's Lifts:
Floor Press 5x3 145lbs
DB Shoulder Press 4x5 40lbs (I was aiming for 45 but I guess I've lost my shoulder strength over the 3 months out of the gym.)
Lying Down Triceps Extension 3x6 75lbs
DB Side Lateral 1x6 20lbs

Mood 9 Although I was a little fatigued from biking the other day I was excited to hit the second gym session.

Motivation 9 The reason I raised a point is I'm already feeling my shape come back. I also think my plan is really going to get me results if I stick to it this time.

Energy Like I said above I was a little fatigued from being in the sun all day and bmxing, but I was ready for the workout and it went quite well.

There is this coaching program on another website for skinny guys, and the winner gets $10k! I think it would be a great opportunity to have mentorship and feedback to make sure I get my results, with the added bonus of a possible $10k.

[LiftedMind]

The days just keep getting better! I'm starting to feel my bodyfat rise slightly. Its easy to tell for me because I've been a thin ecto my whole life. I can feel my muscle shape coming back, probably mostly due to creatine water retention and the pump from the gym. Regardless eating is going well and my goals are well on their way to being acheived. I went to chapters with some friends and I wasn't sure how I'd get my calories in. Let's just say thank you mongolian grill for being an all you can eat buffet!

Today's Lifts:
Deadlift 5x3 215lbs
T-Bar Row 3x6 90lbs
Chinup 2x5 BW
Barbell Curls 2x6 85lbs

Mood/Energy 9 Feeling well rested and was ready to hit the gym. I was quite tired after the gym as those Deadlifts were quite taxing on my body so I took a nap.

Motivation 9 Not much has changed, just rolling along staying on top of my eating.

[LiftedMind]

Things have changed a little. I entered a $10k prize contest for going from scrawny to brawny. Its a whole coaching program that covers training and nutrition. I'll post soon once I get into it a bit more.

[Rettos]

I was focusing way too much on volume training, and not strength. This volume, combined with the physical stress of my job, and eating tons of food, led me to be constantly fatigued. I was not giving my nervous system enough time to recover from training and my job.