Gym Journal

[SargeMaximus]

Hey guys, went back to the gym for the first time in years today.

In my heyday of staring pick up and approaching and working out I got myself to 180lbs with 10% body fat. It was an achievement because I am naturally skinny and putting on weight is very hard.

because of that, I lost all my gains when I stopped going to the gym and watching my diet.

I don’t know what I’m at right now, I have to get a battery for my scale tomorrow, but I’d guess I’m about 160lbs and maybe 15% bf.

mynew goal is 190lbs with 10% bf and re-assess once I’m there.

min days past it was to look hot to get hot girls but I’ve refined my reasons over the years and now I want to actually be strong enough to act on my dominant desires as well as be able to intimidate so random people stop harassing me which happens rarely but does happen.

so today I started with back day:

hereis my log:


B Day

Dumbbell rows:
15(10 reps)-20(10 reps)-25(10 reps)
*start at 20 lbs next time
Lat pull-down:
25(10 reps)- 27.5+5(10 reps)-40(10 reps not in form)

Chin Ups: assisted 100 lbs (10 reps)- assisted 90(10 reps) 80(10 reps)

Side laterals:
5(10 reps)-5(10 reps)


*Include face-pulls next time

 

[monkeybrain]

Hey man how's this going? You get that scale up and running? Where are you at?

 

[SargeMaximus]

Hey man how's this going? You get that scale up and running? Where are you at?

Hey thanks for checking in! I haven’t gotten the scale up and running yet as I’ve been pre-occupied with trying to fix my diet. Stuck between a rock and a hard place quite literally with digestion issues ><

Currently I seem to track a lot of my issues down to carbs. I don’t get enough carbs and when I do they make me hella sleepy. Yes I have contacted my doctor about this and I am doing testing. They dont seem to think it’s diabetes.

Anyhow as for the carbs. I don’t want to eat rice as there is the risk of that bad bacteria which can literally kill you from rice, so no go there.

I’m trying to stay away from bread as it causes my rosacea to flare up.

Beans and lentils aren’t good for my digestion.

White potatoes also cause rosacea to flare up.

I added sweet potatoes last night but I read you can’t eat too many of those either.

I can’t eat most nuts but I’m trying walnuts atm to see how I do with those.

And then there’s oatmeal which may cause the rosacea too but I’ll be testing it this week.

So that’s where I’m at. On days where I feel good I can continue to make progress in the gym and I was starting to feel good consistently but then my digestive issues got really bad and so I had so focus on my diet again. I swear food is the bane of my existence. It’s like I can’t eat anything without problems.

Sorry for the rant but that’s where I’m at currently!

 

[monkeybrain]

Man I am sorry to hear about your struggles. Do you have a diagnosed digestive problem or are you basically trying to figure that out? Feeling tired after eating a lot of carbs I think is fairly normal but its also unusual to hear of someone not getting enough of them. What carbs do you eat? Do you eat them alone or with other things?

 

[SargeMaximus]

Man I am sorry to hear about your struggles. Do you have a diagnosed digestive problem or are you basically trying to figure that out? Feeling tired after eating a lot of carbs I think is fairly normal but its also unusual to hear of someone not getting enough of them. What carbs do you eat? Do you eat them alone or with other things?

Thanks man. Yeah we are trying to figure it out.

I guess feeling tired after a meal is normal but like I feel like I’ll fall asleep while driving after my mid day meal. I normally eat around 3-4pm then head out to work at 445pm. When I’m on the road I get hella drowsy. Sometimes my eyes close and i have to fight to keep them open.

I normally eat a meal of protein and carbs. I read that such a meal can cause sleepiness and even yesterday I read that for diabetics a strategy to use is eat your protein and veggies first then eat the carbs 15 minutes later to minimize the sugar. I will be trying that today.

But it is odd how I can eat in the morning or evening and not have this issue.

The carbs I eat are usually pasta and bread although I am trying to switch to oats and sweet potatoes today. We’ll see how it goes.

And yeah I normally don’t eat a lot of carbs and I been trying to get on top of that but I don’t want to eat bread due to gluten and as you see by my list, there aren’t a lot of carbs I can eat. But carbs are needed to gain weight which is my ultimate goal. I’m a skinny guy and a hard gainer. I have all the worst traits stacked against me

 

[monkeybrain]

Gotcha I feel for you man I am a hard gainer too. What you are describing though about eating and then driving to work around 5 sounds like it would put me to sleep too. It could have something to do with the time of day. Do you feel tired when you are not driving? How did the oats and sweet potatoes go? Also do you have diabetes ? There is a solution I promise you that.

 

[SargeMaximus]

Gotcha I feel for you man I am a hard gainer too. What you are describing though about eating and then driving to work around 5 sounds like it would put me to sleep too. It could have something to do with the time of day. Do you feel tired when you are not driving? How did the oats and sweet potatoes go? Also do you have diabetes ? There is a solution I promise you that.

I don’t think I have diabetes. Doctors have never brought it up but I’ve been tested for glucose levels in my blood.

Sweet potatoes and oats are going good. Also, eating less carbs around 3-5 seems to do the trick.

Cutting out broccoli and using meta musil while also adding kale to every meal has helped with the constipation.

I plan to go back to the gym next week

 

[CAPSLOCK BANDIT]

We could start a gym routine if you want, I spend a lot of time at the gym these days getting my brain right, I'm not doing any pick ups right now but if you want broads oogling on you I'm the guy, think about it, I go every day, city recs only though

 

[SargeMaximus]

We could start a gym routine if you want, I spend a lot of time at the gym these days getting my brain right, I'm not doing any pick ups right now but if you want broads oogling on you I'm the guy, think about it, I go every day, city recs only though

I already have a routine but you’re welcome to look over it and offer your opinion if you’d like.

3-5 Sets of 8-12 Reps!!

Warm up on treadmill 5-10 mins first

Day Pattern: ABCA BCAB CABC

A Day
Incline Dumbbells:

Bench Flies (Fly Machine if Avail.):

Pullovers:

Plate Raises:

Tricep Pulldown:

Dips (Counter Weight):

B Day

Deadlifts:

Bicep Curls:

Dumbbell rows:

Lat pull-down:

Lower back cable rows:

Chin Ups: assisted



C Day
10 reps

Squats:

Leg Extension:

Leg Curls

Standing Calf Raises (2 Sets 25 Quick Reps):


Lunges (In Steps):


Core Day:

Hanging Leg Raises:

Leg Lowering Drill (5 sets):

Plank:

Leg Raises:

 

[CAPSLOCK BANDIT]

I already have a routine but you’re welcome to look over it and offer your opinion if you’d like.

3-5 Sets of 8-12 Reps!!

Warm up on treadmill 5-10 mins first

Day Pattern: ABCA BCAB CABC

A Day
Incline Dumbbells:

Bench Flies (Fly Machine if Avail.):

Pullovers:

Plate Raises:

Tricep Pulldown:

Dips (Counter Weight):

B Day

Deadlifts:

Bicep Curls:

Dumbbell rows:

Lat pull-down:

Lower back cable rows:

Chin Ups: assisted



C Day
10 reps

Squats:

Leg Extension:

Leg Curls

Standing Calf Raises (2 Sets 25 Quick Reps):


Lunges (In Steps):


Core Day:

Hanging Leg Raises:

Leg Lowering Drill (5 sets):

Plank:

Leg Raises:

Chest I do Barbell Bench Press bar only, 5 second pause uptop, 5 second lowering and exploding up, I use 3 different grip, close hand, average grip and far apart grip.

Then I do Dumbbell Bench Press, same Rep scheme as the Barbell only mimic the grip by bringing Dumbbell close/far

Then I do the sitting chest press machine, grip end of handles 1 set then beginning of handles next set, same activation time as bench press, I also like this machine because you can do isometric hold safely.

Then I do fly machine, we have 2 where I go so it's always available.

Leg day is even worse than chest day, I make a point to use every leg machine I can, also do hindu squats except ill hold a medicine ball with my arms extended out to add torque to my squat.

I basically do a **** load of volume on one muscle day then the next time I do that muscle I use low volume and heavy weight, constantly switching between volume and weight each time.

 

[SargeMaximus]

Chest I do Barbell Bench Press bar only, 5 second pause uptop, 5 second lowering and exploding up, I use 3 different grip, close hand, average grip and far apart grip.

Then I do Dumbbell Bench Press, same Rep scheme as the Barbell only mimic the grip by bringing Dumbbell close/far

Then I do the sitting chest press machine, grip end of handles 1 set then beginning of handles next set, same activation time as bench press, I also like this machine because you can do isometric hold safely.

Then I do fly machine, we have 2 where I go so it's always available.

Leg day is even worse than chest day, I make a point to use every leg machine I can, also do hindu squats except ill hold a medicine ball with my arms extended out to add torque to my squat.

I basically do a **** load of volume on one muscle day then the next time I do that muscle I use low volume and heavy weight, constantly switching between volume and weight each time.

Interesting. I don’t like barbell exercises like chest press but thanks

 

[DonJuanjr]

One needs to have the right shoulder movement mechanics to have a safe barbell bench press. It's not an exercise for everyone. That's why it's often advised to do a decline bench press at about 15 degrees instead.

I just switched from barbell rows to meadows rows. Love the switch.

Have you considered adding RDLs on your leg day? @SargeMaximus My only criticism to your routine is that it seems a little light on shoulder specific exercises. All I see are plate raises. I'd at least add some sort of dumbbell press.

 

[SargeMaximus]

One needs to have the right shoulder movement mechanics to have a safe barbell bench press. It's not an exercise for everyone. That's why it's often advised to do a decline bench press at about 15 degrees instead.

I just switched from barbell rows to meadows rows. Love the switch.

Have you considered adding RDLs on your leg day? @SargeMaximus My only criticism to your routine is that it seems a little light on shoulder specific exercises. All I see are plate raises. I'd at least add some sort of dumbbell press.

My approach is compound movement mostly and once my strength is up down the road I can go more specific.

 

[DonJuanjr]

My approach is compound movement mostly and once my strength is up down the road I can go more specific.

Standing overhead dumbbell press is a compound exercise.

 

[SargeMaximus]

Standing overhead dumbbell press is a compound exercise.

Isn’t that the same as inclined dumbbell press?

 

[DonJuanjr]

No. An incline dumbbell press is more upper chest oriented. A standing overhead dumbbell press is more like a military press. A compound exercise focusing on shoulders.

 

[SargeMaximus]

No. An incline dumbbell press is more upper chest oriented. A standing overhead dumbbell press is more like a military press. A compound exercise focusing on shoulders.

Ah. Well I’ll think about shoulders when I’ve improved my compounds

 

[CAPSLOCK BANDIT]

Interesting. I don’t like barbell exercises like chest press but thanks

By sitting chest press I mean the machine with the two handles at your shoulders that you press outward horizontally while sitting down, I still do overhead barbell chest press but it's hard on the shoulders for me

 

[SargeMaximus]

By sitting chest press I mean the machine with the two handles at your shoulders that you press outward horizontally while sitting down, I still do overhead barbell chest press but it's hard on the shoulders for me

Ah cool. I used to use that machine back in the day

 

[monkeybrain]

Your routine looks pretty solid. How often do you change up the parameters like reps, sets, tempo?