Starting to track after my first full round of workout. Diet is between 3000-3200 calories for now.
Workout Routine
Based on 5x5 for compound lifts with some additional movement
A. Legs (no direct calves)
B. Chest (with tris after)
C. Back (Deadlift to 1RM x 2 sets every other workout)
D. Abs (primary exercise is weighted situps on a decline bench. 30-40 minutes of cardio type workout after)
E. Shoulders and Biceps (alternate workouts between DB's and Bar. Bar is 5x5 clean and press. DB workout involves seated press and additional side/rear raises)
A. Legs Again
Rest Day then restart with chest
X. Calves. Calf workout every 2 days in the morning. So 2 days rest between.
Weight (Lifts and Body)
Starting bodyweight after Week 1 is 191lbs. morning after using bathroom post shower
Bodyfat is too high to accurately calculate but in the low 20's
Working Weights for compound lifts
Front Squats - 115x5
Flat Bench - 135x5
Deadlift - 325x1
Military Press - 95x5
Decided to start actually tracking calories and made an adjustment. Going for 2400-2500 instead of 3K. Once I started tracking I realized I was well short of 3k anyway. Since I'm on week 2 and still at the same bodyweight I'm going to stick with it. Hoping what is actually happening is more of recomp at this point and once I start actually seeing a difference on the scale I know I'll be into a cut basically and go from there.
Chest this morning and did another good carb load an hour before. I decided to switch it up and do all incline to start in my basement. Did 6x5 sets there. Then I went outside and setup some pushups using 2 dumbells on top of 2 plates to get a deeper stretch. I figure being slightly inclined in a pushup position should be the same as a slight decline bench. Anyway, great pump and less shoulder pain than I was getting with flat bench. Starting to feel that chest muscle overtaking the tit flab I have going on.
Had a very weak back workout today. I'm almost certain the last time I did a deadlift max I miscalculated and had 305 not 325 as I thought. I struggled hard to get 305 today. I jumped into the workout right after work and had very little energy.
The only bright side I can think of is I'm up to 3 pullups. Really wish I had access to a lat pulldown but for now I'll just have to do as many reps as I can and hold halfway up as long as I can when I fail the rep.
Back is far and away my strongest, biggest bodypart though so not all that worried about it.
Shoulder/Bicep workout with dumbbells today. I did a few sets with seated bar actually 1st. 30lb. db's again, great pump. Scale said 188 this morning too, which surprised me. Have an exercise bike coming on Sunday so putting that in the mix as well.
Back day today. I got 305 a lot easier but failed 327. I'm just not feeling that old dig deep pull strength I had years ago. Did some reps at 255 and shrugs. Did some drop sets with rows using bb and then db's. Got 4 pullups this time so not too bad.
I may swap back in with something else next workout skip the deadlifts. Feeling a tug on the inner thigh high up. I think I need a few more squat workouts to build up before going heavy with them again.
Weight still 189-190, which is perplexing to me as I'm not only below maint. but doing a lot more cardio work lately. Hopefully replacing the fat with muscle is all that's going on right now. I'll take more pics to compare soon.
Good chest pump workout today outside. Setup bench for flat then incline and used the new 60lb dumbells. On the incline I did 3x6 then switched to 40's for 3 more sets. Finished off tris with champagne presses with 40s, skullcrushers with 25's then straight into champagnes with them. Lastly some mule kicks, my favorite tri burner, with a 10lb plate.
I've been taking a full day rest between workouts a lot the last week and seems to help. A lot fresher and stronger.
Did some legs this morning. Kind of a mishmash workout since my back was feeling tight and was getting fatigued quickly.
I tried to clean 145 to get it up for front squats but failed. I went back to 117lbs. for some reps (7-8). Felt like I got out of breath before my legs gave up. Need to finally stop smoking. Been still smoking but not that much. It's enough that I feel it's affecting my workout stamina a lot now though.
I ended up trying some landmine type squats, weight on one end of bar, other end in small hole in the ground. That really got my back tightened right up so stopped.
I did quite a few sets of lunges around the yard with 25's then dropped them and continued. Also did a couple sets on the stairs, stepping up 2 at once, alternating legs 6-8reps each.
Lastly I went in the basement and setup the leg extension I have for the bench. It's a bit cheapo but a nice rep out burn with just a 45 on it.
So I'm still debating whether to get this outdoor pullup/squat station going asap or start working more clean and press into my shoulder workout. I felt a big fail when I couldn't get 145 up and over. I know having the weight already up there will allow me to do more weight but on the other hand I feel like it'd be a big benefit to be able to clean say 185 then front squat it for 5-6 reps.
Pushed a chest workout a little too close to shoulders today. Shoulders got tired quick and right one sore.
I did manage to get 155x4 and could have pushed a 5th rep but shoulder was pretty sore. So really I am up 20lbs. on flat bench from my 1st chest workout 4 weeks ago. I may end up rotating a chest/tri workout ahead of next shoulder workout since this one got cut short.
Supposed to be back day but nasty outside so limited to what I could in basement. Decided on rows/shrugs and a lightweight pump for chest/shoulders/biceps.
It's been 4 weeks now so decided to take a few pics. I'm at 189-190 so only about 1 pound less. Eating healthy right at or slightly below maint..
Cleaned up the basement and got a good chest workout. I was feeling disappointed after drinking way too much with friends on Halloween night and wasting all of Sunday nursing a hangover.
Started with 5x5 incline 135lbs. Decided to move to flat and got 165x2 then 135x10. Then did 3 sets closer grip with 135.
Tricep sets after that with champagnes, skullcrushers and mulekicks.
Very satisfied with progress being able to get 165 after the sets of incline.
Legs today. Started off in the basement to try back squats. Just felt very uncomfortable and had a hard time getting past parallel. Tried a pretty wide stance and got better but still not great.
Managed a couple sets at 165lbs. and then went back down to 135.
Decided to take a bathroom break then move it outside despite only 40degrees out. Much better to finish off the workout though. Put 118 on and did 4x5 for front squats then stair lunges alternating legs.
Really going to have to work on my squat strength and form. I may have to just start with lower weight, higher reps until form is more comfortable. Legs are pretty scrawny but getting muscle tone and separation coming. It'll have to be a big focus over the winter.
I guess I'll call it a deload and reset. Started the rotation back with chest/tris.
Got a great pump and flat bench was 135x10, 165x3x3, 155x5x2. After I did incline DB's with 60s then dropped to 40s for higher reps.
For tris I did some champagnes then skullcrushers supersetted into cgbp. Did about 6 sets of biceps mixed into tri workout just for the heck of it. Great pump.
Added in some rear and side delt raises and db curls with 25's
Not bad overall but felt like a bit much volume.
Goal this week is fasted cardio on bike 20-30 minutes every morning, ab work and prepare for a big chest day and leg day. Looking to get 185 bench and 205 squat reps.
Did chest after dinner, incline focused. Shoulders not ready after going pretty heavy 2 days ago. I got reps at 140 bb but the 60lb. db's hurt too much to get past 3 reps.
Made the most of it and repped out a few pump sets with 40's then inclined close grip with 115. Finished off with drop set skullcrushers. Going to rest up shoulders and chest for a good full workout Sat. morning.
Debating on just saving legs for every Sunday morning as after work I'm just too tired. Going to keep up with the bike every morning and go a bit harder progressively. Gives a great quad pump that is hard to get even with front squats and lunges.
Decided to tweak a little and going to change up to back/bi's and put abs in with shoulder workout.
Too cold to workout outside so shoulders in basement.
I had to drop the weight to 95lbs for seated military. Did 5x5 slow and strict. Took a bit to get the bench setup good. Really wish I had a spot to unrack, rerack on these.
Declined the bench after and did weighted situps. Did side bends with dbs as well. Have read a few poor things about these and prefer to do them with a cable. I guess I should consider the source, the guys who said they were bad had crappy obliques and mine from last time I was working out were pretty damn good.
Have also been doing pretty good on the bike. Solid 10min. this morning at 150-160 heart rate. Morning weight down to 188. Really want to hit that 185 mark but need to stick with the gameplan.
Got 6 reps on pullups. Went up to 165 on rows and it was pretty heavy. Added BB and DB curls after along with some shrugs. Next back workout I'll deadlift again.
Was preparing for this chest workout and it did not dissappoint.
Preworkout I ate 3 packets plain oatmeal with 2 tbs. peanut butter and 1 banana in there. Gonna be hard to steer me off that now.
Flat Bench 165x5, 185x1, 170x4x3, 135x10
Incline Db 60x5x2, 60x6x1 (getting friggen stronger 35 minutes into it)
Skullcrusher superset into Cgbp 25's on the curl bar for failure reps (10-12)
Messed around with the band to try to get a fly and tricep angle. Both were ok but a far cry from a cable stack. It ended up being more of a static contraction at the end of the movement.
Very happy with the progress and this workout. Very minor shoulder soreness at the end of pressing movements. I did a bit more warmup than usual, need to continue to do that with all routines.
I was back and forth all morning whether or not to work out since I just did 2 pretty heavy workouts back to back days.
Decided to just go for deadlifts. Did 2-3 rep warmups with 135, 205, 255 then right to 350. It was tough halfway up but once the traps took over no problem. Did 2 more 3 rep sets at 275 and called it a day for those. Tugging on my left pec, didn't want to push it more.
Felt a lot better doing them in the basement on nice hard flat ground vs. outside in the dirt. Also have more confidence doing them 2 days after leg day no issues. I can do them more often. Should probably focus on triples for a couple workouts before I try to go to 365.
Outside workout. Didn't feel like getting 25's out of the basement so decided to hit 115 overhead press. I got 1,1,2,2 1,1. Not exactly a 5x5 but hopefully a good shock for them. Did 4 sets of arnold press standing with 25's in 12-15 reps (to failure). Then did front, side and rear delts 3 sets each with drop set from 15lb. db's right to 11lb. plates.
Getting a bit offtrack with this workout but shoulders have not been progressing strengthwise well. I'll go back to 5x5 next workout seated or standing. Side and rear delt work was good, need to keep up on those for sure. Noticed that when pressing shoulders are getting stronger a few sets in, which is odd. Same thing happened on DB incline last chest workout. 3x5 then a sixth rep on last set out of nowhere.
Legs today. Did squats and made a vid. Getting forward too much so going to back off and do pause reps, possible go up to 8-10rep range. Just need to squat more really.
Did the leg extension and ham curls again. Liking those at the end, really feeling the ham curls.
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