J.Stone?s Journey of an Aspiring BodyBuilder

[jstone28]

This is my Journey to taking the Bodybuilding stage. Feel free to comment/critique as you like. If you have any up coming events in the NY or So.Cal area let me know!

My Stats:
Hieght: 5'9"
Weight: 178pds
BodyFat: ?

Background:
Been lifting for a few years now, gone to both extremes: bulking up to 4800 calories and gaining fat, as well as the opposite-cutting and doing up to an hour of cardio (fasted) with low calorie diets. I am currently attending St. John's University in Queens, NY. My home town in Temecula CA (near San Diego)

Today:
Now I work HIGH Volume, HIGH Intensity, and High Frequency. A lot of people will scream overtraining but I have seen a lot of gains out of what I am doing. I am open to experimenting, so post comments at your will.

My Goals:
My goal is to step on stage with in the next year.
Gain Lean Mass through my diet up from 178-190 in the next 6 months


The Workout Schedule
Sunday-Legs
Monday-Delts/Traps
Tuesday-Bi’s/Tri’s
Wednesday-Back
Thursday-Chest
Friday-Repeat

*I have no scheduled “off days”, I take them if I feel my body needs more time to recover.
*6 sets on every exercise
*rep range usually follows:
8,8,6,6,4,4/dropset

Key:
/ means "drop set" i usually do this on the last set to add intensity
*supp* means superset between the above exercise and the below exercise
*pumpset* means a superset
(35) means the wieght
8-4 means the rep range for the exercise
6 sets on every exercise


The Gym:
I workout at St. John's University in Queens, NY, the gym is a small two story fitness area. It lacks calf machines but does have 2 squat racks, 2 benches, 2 smiths, D-bells run up to 100.

When the school gym is closed due to holidays or repairs I work out at the Kew Gardens, Bally Total Fitness.

The Supplements:
Controlled Labs Green Buldge and White Blood
Animal Pak Multi
Costco Multi
Fish Oil
ZMA
All The Whey whey isolates
All The Whey Miceller Casein
Gaterade Powder

[jstone28]

will post diet and workouts from day 1 later on

[jstone28]

The Diet

Weekday: workouts are at 9 because gym opening time at 7:00
Weekend: work out at 12 because gym opening tine at 12:00

[jstone28]

The Supplement Plan:

as of 11/23/06

White Blood- 2 times a day (4 pills pre-workout/ 3 pills before bed)
Green Buldge- 1 time a day (7 pills pre-workout)
Animal Pak Multi- 1 time a day (1 pak with pre-workout meal)
Fish oil-2 times a day (2 pills with pre-workout meal/2 pills before bed)
ZMA-1 time a day (2 pills before bed)
Costco Multi-1 time a day (1 pill before bed)

[jstone28]

Todays Workout:

ARMS (11.23.06)

Notes:

went to Bally's because the University gym was closed. Got into Bally's for free (usually $20 for non-members).

Mentally started out well, felt sick through the middle, but now that i am sitting at home i can feel the after effects (sore/stiff). trying to watch the blood sugar levels through the workout. made some gains on bi's and tri's today. couple of sets felt the burn and decided to push myself and lost some form.
WORKOUT AT BALLY”S

D-bell curls 8-6 (55)
60—6reps/50—8reps
EZ wide skulls 8-6 (45+5)
45+10—6reps/35+5—7reps (use sit in method)
B-bell curls 8-6 (95)
115—8reps
*supp*
D-bell curls 12 (45)
45—21reps (last set)
Standing EZ bar ext (35+5)
45—6reps/35—6reps
Incline curls 8-6 (35)
45—4reps/40—3reps
Olympic skulls flat 8-6(35)
35—6reps
*supp*
Lying crossovers 15 (35)
40—20reps
Reverse EZ curls *pumpset* close EZ curls 8-6 (35)
31+5—11reps (reverse)/6reps
Pulldowns *pumpset*cable curls
170—7reps/150—4reps—140—6reps/120—4reps
Preacher curls 8-6 (100)
100—5reps/2reps

[jstone28]

Pic:

Oct. 2006

[jstone28]

another pic...

this one is from today

*sorry about the bad quality

[jstone28]

going to hit back tomorrow at Bally's working hard with thickness and width

lots of compound rows and wide chins

[jstone28]

hit back today at Bally's this is how it went:

Pendlay row 8-6 (215)
245—5reps/205—7reps
T-bar row 8-6 (5p+10)
5p+35—4reps
*supp*
Long bar row 8-6reps (3p+10)
3p+35—6reps
Wide chins (6x12)
40pds assisted—14reps
Bent b-bell row 8-6 (215) *from the floor
245—4reps/215—7reps
Long bar rows 8-6 (4p)
4p+25—4reps/4p—4reps
LAT Pulldowns 8-6
270—3reps/225—6reps
*Pumpset* Unilat row 8-6 (3p+35)/6reps (different machine)
2p+35—4/2—2p+35—6reps
Close chins (6x12)
30pds assisted—14reps
DC long bar (3p+25)+10
3p+25,3p+35,4p—4/3/2/2—4/3/3/3 (reversed)
Yates Row *strapless* 8-6 (195)
7th set 225—4reps/195—7reps


felt good through the workout, started crashing toward the middle but continued through and felt good.

[jstone28]

Longbar rows should be a staple in anyones back workout. make sure when you do them you keep a stiff lower back and really feel the wieght in you inn cords of your upper back. if you super set them with t-bar rows its brutal.

[jstone28]

Genetics is something of a conundrum to everyone who ever spoke the word. On one hand you have those who see genetics as an impassable barrier that cannot be over come. On the other hand you have those who see these genetic barriers and crash right through them. Lastly there are those who are defined as “genetic freaks” but talking about them is worthless because they are just gifted. The fact is, you have to ask yourself how bad you want it. Genetics is mental barrier not a physical one. My genetics are nothing to be proud of; 5’9 meso/endo, puts on fat easily, sensitive to carbs. Everyday I walk into the gym I see guys who are “genetic freaks”, these guys don’t put half the work in, eat like crap and gain like crazy. I don’t concern myself with what these guys are doing. Instead I lay my hat low, wrap my hands around the cold rusty bar and grind out another 6 reps; after all, the day I step on stage those 6 reps will have benefited me more than whining about genetics

Keep mental focus, keep at the task at hand

[jstone28]

tomorrow's Chest Day at Bally's only problem is their dumbells only go up to 80pds that means i am going to subistute heavy d-bell presses with hammer presses. i know you dont work the stabilizers as much but its all i can do until i can get back to the heavier d-bells at my university.

gotta keep the mind right and stay focused

[jstone28]

Hit Chest at Bally's today, this is how it went down:

Bally’s Workout

B-bell bench 8-4 (205)
225—4reps
Hammer incline 8-4
275—3reps
Hammer Uni-Lat bench 8-4
255—3reps
B-bell incline 8-4 (175)
195—5reps/175—3reps/155—4reps/135—5reps
D-bell flyes/press 8-4 (55)
65—5reps/55—2reps
*supp*
D-bell press 8(55)
55—5reps
Smith Incline 8-4 (195)
215—5reps/185—4reps/3reps
B-bell bench 6-8 (185)
185—6reps/155—5reps
*supp*
D-bell bench *pumpset* pushups (50/-)
55—5reps/3/2
D-bell Fly/Press 8-4 (60)
70—3reps
Pec Dec 8-4
7th set 165—4reps/120—4reps


the mind was alright on this workout increased on B-bell flat bench, finally had to pay $20 to get in. pec deck with the arm pads are terrible, i felt it in my chest but not near as much as the extend arm pec dec. i wanted the cable crossovers but they were taken so i opted for the next best thing. Hammer Strength machines are for egos, i built mine a little with 275 incline on a hammer....complete bull****. but its all i had. finally done with Bally's and tomorrow i am going to hit the legs at my University's gym, hoping its going to be empty around noon on a holiday weekend. trying to bring the quads out.

[jstone28]

working out back at my university will allow me to get back into my extreme stretching routine. extreme stretching post workout is amazing. it speeds up recovery time and is a good way to flush out the toxins from you muscles by pulling blood into them.

i usually finish up my workout, hit some abs, then go into 2-3 minutes of "pumping out" this is my last blast at the muscle which usually contains several dropsets. after the "pump out" i hit my post workout shake and gaterade, then i go straight into extreme stretches while the muscle is still pumped. feels great and bring your body down from all the beating it has just taken.

i am interested in trying out the foam rollers...i hear they do "wonders"

[jstone28]

Why do you fight, what pushes you beyond limits, what causes you to see past failure?

As I stand in front of the load squat bar, I can feel the blood pulling into my legs.
Why do I put myself through this?

There must be something; some reason why I push myself beyond limits I thought to be impassable.

Then suddenly I am a child again, “hey fat boy come here”, I gradually age “your need to lose a few pounds”, continue a few more years, “you want to body build? Why? You will never make it”. These words, these course through my veins as I count 5, 6, 7th rep. The blood rushes from my head and suddenly I feel the weight through my entire body, “YOU WILL NEVER MAKE IT!” I pull out the last rep, rack the bar and gasp for air.

Suddenly its clear to me, my goals, my motivation…..nothing is without reach.

[kennny d]

Nice workouts... Where in Queens are you? I live in the jamaica estates now, I even went to st johns for a semester... its like 5-10 min from my house lol.

[jstone28]

Nice workouts... Where in Queens are you? I live in the jamaica estates now, I even went to st johns for a semester... its like 5-10 min from my house lol.

I am living in the dorms at St. John's its terrible.

Jamaica Estates? isnt that just right down 168th?

i am trying to find an apartment and start working out at a 24 hour gym any ideas?

[kennny d]

I am living in the dorms at St. John's its terrible.

Jamaica Estates? isnt that just right down 168th?

i am trying to find an apartment and start working out at a 24 hour gym any ideas?

Yea bro its down on 180th-188th st, like 3 blocks from st johns.. I moved here 3 months ago so I don't really know anything about the apt's or the gyms for that matter, sorry bud :|

[jstone28]

leg day this is how it went down:

Full B-bell Squat 8-4 (245)+7th set
305—4reps/7th set 315—3reps/225—4reps
Smith Front Squat 8-4 (245)
305—4reps/225—3reps
Leg Press 8-4(12p’s)
12p+25—5reps*assisted/10p+25—11reps*assisted
*supp*
Calf Raises 25 (12p’s)
12p+25—25reps
B-bell FT squats 8-4 (195)
235—5reps
ATG B-bell squats 8-4 (205)
245—4reps/205—3reps(drop to ft squat)
Uni-Lat Leg Press 8-4 (7p+25) seat position no. 6
8p+10—4reps/2reps—7th set drop 7p+10—3reps
*supp*
Standing D-bell 6x25 (100)
100—25reps
Leg Ext 8-4 (245)
255—6reps/195—3reps
Lying Leg Curls 8-4 (165)
190—4reps/160—6reps/130—9reps
Leg Ext 10-12(235)+7th set
235—8reps/200—3reps/170—8reps

worked in some extra dropsets on the extention. the other leg press machine is out of order so i had to hit the quads on the extentions twice. i used high and low rep ranges to really feel it. mentally first sets of squat were tuff but after a few sets i got into it.

the gym opened late so rest times were shorter for me. need to make that next meal. besides all that i had the whole gym to myself except for some cardio hamsters.

squat is moving up, first set of squats is one to parallel while the second sets is done ATG. parallel to hit the quads, ATG to hit the glutes and hammies

[jstone28]

Yea bro its down on 180th-188th st, like 3 blocks from st johns.. I moved here 3 months ago so I don't really know anything about the apt's or the gyms for that matter, sorry bud :|

where do you workout at?
how are those apartments? rent wise?

what are your stats?

[jstone28]

Delts/Traps today went something like this:

B-bell FT press 8-6 (145)
165—4reps/135—5reps
B-bell upright rows 8-6 (145)
185—4reps/155—6reps
Smith BK shrugs 8-6 (485)
7th set 535—4reps/495—9reps
*supp*
Smith FT shrugs (485)
7th set 535—4reps/495—9reps
D-bell Press 8-6 (75’s)
85—3reps/55—5reps
B-bell shrugs 8-6 (455)
505—4reps/485—6reps/465—4reps
Arnold press 8-6 (60)
70—3reps/55—4reps
*supp*
D-bell lat raises (40)12
40—22reps (last set)
Standing B-bell Press 8-6 (35+5)
35+5—5reps
D-bell W raises*pumpset* inclince bench raises 8(35)/6-8(+5pds)
40—8reps/+5—5reps
Hammer Press 8-6 (225)
235—4reps/225—2reps

last 3 exercises were rushed because i wanted to stay with in my time limit. felts the traps all the way down the back. delts had a good burn going, added 5pds to my dumbell press from last week. barbell press fell from last week but this could be because of improper warm up and lack of rest during the first exercise (wanted to get started). went back to eating the ****ty dinning hall foods again today (powder eggs and whole wheat bread).

Keep my head down and work hard.

[jstone28]

appetite was amazingly high today, hungry all the time but that might be because i went back to ****ty dinning hall food and worked out legs yesterday (feelin the legs today)

tomorrow is Bi's and Tri's and i know that mean supersets and pumpsets, cant wait to get the pump going.

[jstone28]

Arms went something like this:

D-bell curls 8-6 (55)
60—8reps/50—10reps
EZ wide skulls 8-6 (45+5)
45+15—3reps/45—6reps
B-bell curls 8-6 (105)
125—8reps
*supp*
D-bell curls 12 (45)
45—22reps (last set)
EZ swiss incline (35)
35+5—6reps/35—3reps
Incline curls 8-6 (40)
45—4reps/40—1rep
Olympic skulls flat 8-6(35)
35—5reps
*supp*
Lying crossovers 15 (40)
40—20reps (last set)
Reverse EZ curls *pumpset* close EZ curls 8-6 (35)
35+5—11reps(reverse) /7reps
Lying d-bell ext/incline d-bell (100)/(35)6
100—4reps/45—4reps
Preacher curls 8-6 (100)
100—4reps/2/3



hit the wall around the last few sets, blood sugar drop and a massive headahce, felt good though. going to change up this workout for next week so that i can concentrate more on strength. longer rest periods and less supersets sounds like a good recipe

[jstone28]

*just as a side note:

45+15 means 45pds+15pds to both sides

for example

45+15 skullcrushers --> 140pds

[jstone28]

hit the back today:

Pendlay row 8-6 (215)
255—4reps/215—6reps
T-bar row 8-6 (5p+10)
6p—3reps
*supp*
Long bar row 8-6reps (3p+10)
4p—6reps
Wide chins (6x12)
23reps (last set)
Bent b-bell row 8-6 (225) *from the floor
265—4reps/225—6reps
Long bar rows 8-6 (4p)
4p+35—3reps/4p—3reps
D-bell pullovers 8-6 (75)
80—4reps/60—4reps
*Pumpset* Unilat row 8-6 (3p+35)/8-6reps
4p+10—4reps/2reps—3p+35—6reps (1 arm)
Close chins (6x12)
23reps (last set)
DC long bar (3p+35)+10
3p+35,4p,4p+10--5/2/2/2reps—3/2/2/2 (reverse)
Yates Row *strapless* 8-6 (195)
7th set 225—4reps/205—4reps

my T-bar row strength has gone up. attacked this workout with a strong mental cause today. overall good day in the gym.

funny part is i put a good 6 inch hole in the corner of the wall from t-bar/long bar rows.

[jstone28]

thought up a stack i am going to try for a few weeks, it looks something like this:

Gaspari Sizeon
No-explode
Animal Pak
Fish oil
ZMA

plus my usual ALL THE WHEY whey isolates and ALL THE WHEY miceller casien.

cant wait to try it! already ordered it from BB.com

i am going to take the No-explode 30mintues pre-workout and then take Sizeon half way through the workout finishing it at the end. post-workout i am going to take my usual two scoops of whey isolates but i am not going to take in the gaterade because Sizeon has the equivelent number of carbs already.

[jstone28]

Dedication is a war created by passion.
Passion is a battle in a war of dedication.

My passion is not blinded by failures, it’s fueled by them; every negative comment, every perverse situation. They feed my desire.

My only desire is to exceed perfection

Dedication is the sum of passion and desire
-the only equation you will ever need

Keep your mind right, lift heavy, and eat big

[jstone28]

tomorrow i am going to hit chest, gotta put some intensity in it. i have been adding to my bench every week but i need to build some size before my show

[jstone28]

i plan on competing in the April 14th NGA Natural NorthEast. i will log my diet when it starts.

i am going to start 14weeks out and diet slow. i will update as it comes

this is my first comp. so if you have any advice, send it my way

[jstone28]

finished out the month with some chest:

B-bell bench 8-4 (205)
225—4reps
D-bell incline 8-4 (85)
90—4reps
D-bell bench 8-4 (90)
95—4reps
B-bell incline 8-4 (175)
195/175/155/135—4/3/3/6reps
D-bell leg lock decline flyes 8-4 (60)
65—4reps/55—1rep
*supp*
D-bell Flip Incline press 8(55)
55—4reps
Smith Incline 8-4 (195)
225—4reps/195—3reps
B-bell bench 6-8 (185)
185—7reps/155—4reps
*supp*
D-bell bench *pumpset* pushups (50/-)
55—4reps/---3/3
D-bell Fly/Press 8-4 (65)
65—4reps/50—3reps
Hammer Bench 8-4(215)
235—4reps/205—3reps

mentally this workout was alright, was tuff starting out. its hard to go past failure without a spotter so i try and lift smart. made some gains on smith incline. after bench, flyes make up the majority of my workout. i am trying to stretch the muslce fibers to expand and grow