Leangains and IF done right - 7 month cut/bulk

[ben_faulkner]

Here's a new pic, nothing great. Not sure where to go next with my body..Any suggestions?

looking sick brah, like someone else mentioned id go for a sick back, get bigger lats and make the V taper achieve beast mode

smash out some serious chest twice a week (do incline first to build upper chest)

[Cruxxe]

Thanks for pointing me to leangains.com. I may look into using many of his suggestions! Nice work as well!

[defixon]

I don't understand how ppl gain muscle and lose fat on this diet.

I've been doing this for about 1.5 months now and my strength just goes down every other workout. I am losing fat though.

Shrug, I never have problems with strength. Maybe try eating a little bit more.

smash out some serious chest twice a week (do incline first to build upper chest)

Yea, I've been doing chest 2+ times a week since I've started lifting again. Always incline DB first followed by pullovers. My upper chest has always been stubborn, but I am not giving up!

[MindWentBlank]

Yes. That is overall weight with my bodyweight included. I'm repping 180 + bodyweight at the moment.

damn bro that's impressive. I did 100x6 yesterday at 155lbs. Your def. inspiring to push myself harder great lift.

[kenethleclair]

Can't argue with success! You loojk great..

i used martin berkhan's leangains (www.leangains.com) method in order to slowly bulk up while virtually adding no fat to my body.

These two pictures are from july 2010 - jan 2011. I was only in a caloric surplus from sept-end of december. The rest of the time i was still in a deficit with intent to lose more bodyfat.

Same mirror, same lighting (pretty much).

July '10



jan '11

[KhaledMan]

u look gr8!!

[StormJB1]

Martin wrote an article on you. did he interview you??

[Cruxxe]

Martin wrote an article on you. did he interview you??

Just noticed; congrats!

[diggitydan]

just read that article on Leangains site good job u famous

[.ridiculous]

You may have covered this before but do you heavy deadlift/bench/chin all three upper days or just once a week?

[Cruxxe]

I do an upper body/lower body split. I hit my full upper body about 3 times a week or so, and i hit my lower body (legs) once a week. For my upper body I focus on the main compound lifts with some isolation exercises as well. Example:

Chest:
Incline DB Press
Decline Press
Incline flies

Back:
Various grip pull-ups/Chins
deadlifts
Bent over rows

Shoulders:
Shoulder press/Military press
side delt raises with cable
shrugs

Triceps:
Dips
Skullcrushers supersetted with close grip bench
Tricep pushdowns

Biceps:
Various grip curls
Hammer curls
Chin ups

I do all these in one day, but in keep in mind I only do about 2-3 sets per exercise. The whole workout takes me a little over an hour. And I switch up some exercises here n there as well as the order.

For legs I just do the normal ****:

ATG squats
Leg press
Leg extensions
Seated calf raises
standing calf raises

Here's what I saw earlier in the thread.

[Berzinator]

I don't understand how ppl gain muscle and lose fat on this diet.

I've been doing this for about 1.5 months now and my strength just goes down every other workout. I am losing fat though.

If you're losing strength every other workout then either:
A) You're not eating enough protein.
B) You're creating too large of a deficit.
C) Your training program sucks, and is probably overtraining
or D) All of the above.

Not eating for a portion of the day won't cause any bad stuff to happen unless you're doing things wrong to begin with. If you ate exactly the same macros and calories while not doing IF, I bet you'd be losing strength even faster.

[.ridiculous]

Here's what I saw earlier in the thread.

I saw that as well. I'm asking because it's hard enough for me to pr with dead lifting once a week, so I wanted to know if he goes light on 2 of the 3 days.

[Huntarious]

did you ever have to start counting macros/cals?

[MeatAndPotatoes]

I just read Leangains.com just now after seeing an above poster mention strength loss.

10. Generally speaking, people have no business contemplating specialization-routines for lagging body parts until they achieve two out of the following four goals: bench press 1.5 x body weight, chin-up 1.5 x body weight, squat 2 x body weight or deadlift 2.5 x body weight.

Above found from following link:
( http://www.leangains.com/search/labe...dom%20Thoughts )


Looks like I have successfully wasted my time with some majorly stupid bodybuilding routines .......... cause I definitely can't lift that weight ROFL

[Beliver]

Amazing physique, that's what Im aiming for! I've sent you a priv message, answer when you get some free time please.

[krayziee]

i'm mirin brah no homo

[Paulstig]

hello,nice work there!keep going like this!i am on 1st week of IF and i am trying to cut with 1500-1800 calories.I do these : 12: i break the fast with 2 whole eggs
2:workout
3ostworkout meal: quaker oats,milk,and meat i go like 1000cals on this meal.
8:last meal ,a yogourt with some almonds or a cottage
i do a refeed with lots of carbs once or twice a week.

somethink like that.what do u think?

[sportyaccordy]

I just read Leangains.com just now after seeing an above poster mention strength loss.

10. Generally speaking, people have no business contemplating specialization-routines for lagging body parts until they achieve two out of the following four goals: bench press 1.5 x body weight, chin-up 1.5 x body weight, squat 2 x body weight or deadlift 2.5 x body weight.

Above found from following link:
( http://www.leangains.com/search/labe...dom%20Thoughts )


Looks like I have successfully wasted my time with some majorly stupid bodybuilding routines .......... cause I definitely can't lift that weight ROFL

Its true its true

Curl jockeys w/14" arms will get nowhere, you gotta get as much work done as possible early on and tweak later.

[ipodps3]

Training Days Monday, Wednesday ,Friday, Sunday

11.30-12 AM or 5-15 minutes pre-workout: 10 g BCAA
Purple Wrath EAA

12-1 PM: Training
3 Days Upper Body 2 to 3 sets 8 reps
1 day Lower Body 2 to 3 sets 8 reps

Legs:
Leg press
Leg extensions
Seated calf raises
standing calf raises
Chest:
Incline DB Press
Decline Press
Incline flies

Back:
Chins
deadlifts
Bent over rows

Shoulders:
Shoulder press/Military press
side delt raises with cable
shrugs

Triceps:
Dips
Skullcrushers
Tricep pushdowns

Biceps:
Concentration Curls
Hammer curls
Chin ups

1 PM: Post-workout meal
Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake
Key Things:
Keep carbs high, protein moderate and fat low. Carbs should be the dominant
macronutrient this day.
Good food choices this day includes sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and other sources of
complex carbs and lean protein sources such as chicken, fat-trimmed beef and white fish.
Don’t be afraid to add some carb dense treats in the post-workout period, such as cereal,
low fat ice cream and similar foods. You get to eat quite a lot post-workout and there’s no
use being extremely obsessive by only eating “clean” foods.

4 PM: Second meal.
Same as post workout meal
9 PM: Last meal before the fast (largest meal)
Include a slow digesting protein source; preferably egg protein, cottage cheese (or any other source of casein based protein). Meat or fish is also ok if you add veggies or supplement with fiber. This meal will keep you full during the fast and exert an anti-catabolic effect on muscle protein stores by ensuring that your body has an ample supply of amino acids until the next meal.


Rest Days Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

11.30-12 AM :?

12-1 PM: :?

1 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal of the day).
35% to 40% of daily caloric intake mostly protein

Key things:

Keep protein high, fat moderate and carbs low. Protein should be the dominant
macronutrient this day.
Good food choices this day includes lots of veggies, moderate amounts of fruit and berries,
lean and fattier type of meats like ground beef and fish like salmon, whole eggs and egg
whites, and good fat sources like avocado, olives and almonds.

4 PM: Second meal.

9 PM: Last meal before fast


Include a slow digesting protein source; preferably egg protein, cottage cheese (or any other source of casein based protein). Meat or fish is also ok if you add veggies or supplement with fiber. This meal will keep you full during the fast and exert an anti-catabolic effect on muscle protein stores by ensuring that your body has an ample supply of amino acids until the next meal.

Questions:

What to do between meals? (fasting)


On rest days do you fast as well according to this set up I would start my fast after 9pm and end at 1pm the next day right?

Thanks sorry for the long over asked post but I'm a newbie I went through some of the previous posts and the lean gains guide and just had these questions.

[juhneticks]

OP is ****ing beautiful.

[mh1985]

...

bump on what ipo***3 said

I thought most people would have said 3x a week upper body is too much? and also the issue with doing heavy deads 3x a week?

[Razephon]

Thanks for posting that ipo***3! I'm looking to go on this diet next week myself after coming off a rather unsuccessful cut and your routine is looking similar to what I intend to do (time wise). Fortunately I haven't lost any muscle from it! Which is always goood! I'll probably be doing a bulking phase to really build up those areas I think I'm lacking in.

OP, was wondering how many calories did you go over your maintenance for your bulking phase? Approximately!

Also, anyone know what I do with my BCAA Purple Wraath tub on non weight training days???

Regarding nutrition, I think its safe to say that as long as your consuming 1g per pound of Protein, you are getting enough of the stuff! My questions are really carb/fat related:

On my currently planned diet (far from final!), I'm going to be consuming about 130g carbs and 40g fat on weight training days.

Here is my end totals of my thus far calculated diet:
Daily Total 1632kcal 147g Protein 143g Carboz 37g Fat


Meal 1: 696kcal, Meal 2: 530kcal, Meal 3: 406kcal

My stats:
5'6, approx 148pounds, 21% BF.
Target:
5'6, 155 pounds, 15% (hoping its do-able on a clean bulk!) BF.

Am I consuming enough/too many carbs for a bulk?

Am I consuming enough fat on a CLEAN bulk?

On off days I'll be upping the fat intake via eggs n stuff and generally going to maybe about 80-90g carbs.

From my diet numbers, I really think I'm not consuming enough cals! I wreckon I'm probably about 500+ cals short! Any suggestions? I'm already having meats, oats, sweet potatoes, a fruit, protein shakes. I could easily sky rocket my calories with some more fruit, but I'm just concerned that I'll be consuming too many carbs!

Remember, my goal is to clean bulk (hoping to do this for 1-2 months max, then jump on a cut) !

Advice is appreciated!

[rgo9393]

you would be a great model

[defixon]

bump on what ipo***3 said

I thought most people would have said 3x a week upper body is too much? and also the issue with doing heavy deads 3x a week?

Looks good to me. That's pretty much what my routine was like..very similar exercises.

I didn't do deadlifts 3 times a week, though. Well I did at first, but it was way too much and was causing pain. I do them usually once a week, once my legs are rested from leg day.

[punjabimunda]

'07 - on juice
before - off jiuice, narrow shoulders + traps
after - juicing, increasing mass in upper shoulders, traps, and back
lol

[ipodps3]

Thanks for posting that ipo***3! I'm looking to go on this diet next week myself after coming off a rather unsuccessful cut and your routine is looking similar to what I intend to do (time wise). Fortunately I haven't lost any muscle from it! Which is always goood! I'll probably be doing a bulking phase to really build up those areas I think I'm lacking in.

OP, was wondering how many calories did you go over your maintenance for your bulking phase? Approximately!

Also, anyone know what I do with my BCAA Purple Wraath tub on non weight training days???

Regarding nutrition, I think its safe to say that as long as your consuming 1g per pound of Protein, you are getting enough of the stuff! My questions are really carb/fat related:

On my currently planned diet (far from final!), I'm going to be consuming about 130g carbs and 40g fat on weight training days.

Here is my end totals of my thus far calculated diet:
Daily Total 1632kcal 147g Protein 143g Carboz 37g Fat


Meal 1: 696kcal, Meal 2: 530kcal, Meal 3: 406kcal

My stats:
5'6, approx 148pounds, 21% BF.
Target:
5'6, 155 pounds, 15% (hoping its do-able on a clean bulk!) BF.

Am I consuming enough/too many carbs for a bulk?

Am I consuming enough fat on a CLEAN bulk?

On off days I'll be upping the fat intake via eggs n stuff and generally going to maybe about 80-90g carbs.

From my diet numbers, I really think I'm not consuming enough cals! I wreckon I'm probably about 500+ cals short! Any suggestions? I'm already having meats, oats, sweet potatoes, a fruit, protein shakes. I could easily sky rocket my calories with some more fruit, but I'm just concerned that I'll be consuming too many carbs!

Remember, my goal is to clean bulk (hoping to do this for 1-2 months max, then jump on a cut) !

Advice is appreciated!

On non weight training days you don't take purple wrath instead get some whey protein, multi vitamin i believe

Search for Supplements You Might Actually Find Useful on lean gains for more info

Question:

how did you calculate how many carbs you needed for each meal this is the next i thing have to do so im wondering? Should i just pick foods from Macro & Micronutrients Explained! under Nutrition in the forum....

[Pancakes1]

you've probably answered this before just cant find it, do you do ab excercises?

[mbcoutinho]

I've been following this topic day-by-day, and i saw that nobody has a routine like mine, so i ask for your help.

My workout is at 12:30-1:30pm.
My last meal is at 7pm, so to reach the 16hours fast (in my case 15hours ), my first meal should be at 10am.
How many calories should i eat on this meal, considering my workout is at 12:30pm (just 2,5hours later)? And how should i divide the nutrients on this meal also?

My rouytine is

7am: Wake up. 200mg caffeine, is tha ok?
10am: breakfast (first meal)
1:30pm: PWO (around 1500kcal)
4pm: second meal
7pm: third and last meal
11pm: sleep

Please don't take into consideration my weight and size, as that's not for me.

[Alfz]

just wondering, when you do cardio on ur off days, macros treating them as a higher carb day or a lower carb day?