Decisive's Workout Journal

[decisive]

Dec's Bulking Journal – Starting this week, to track progress and get feedback


Height: 172cm
Starting Weight: 69kg [151.8lb] <8% body fat [can see ribs] am a hardgainer..

Goal-------------->80kg [176lb]

Background Info:
I've been reading Lifeforce's journal [the whole thing!] and it’s been a great inspiration. I’ve always been a skinny guy and that’s affected who I was and how I’ve acted in the past/relations with people. Since coming to this site a year ago, I’ve studied and practised the DJ / NLP techniques etcetera but there is only so far you can go… they are no substitute for being naturally confident and strong [and fvckable] and I think lifting is a good solution...

I’ve had enough of checking out HBs and it being a one-way street, [fvck that] … I want them to check ME out.

Thoughts:
I’m doing this for myself… I want the feeling of self-respect, physical power and strength that, as a male, are my birthright and lie dormant within.

To change the world, one must FIRST change oneself… I believe in that,

As stated by AlphaMa1e;

Its a competitive world and uve gotta rise to the challenge and go for what your after.

If you can’t beat them, join them… or rather, do lifting, then come back, beat them up and take their women… ;-)

Equipment:
Home Gym - Bench, Leg-Press, Weight Plates, Adjustable Bar and Barbell...

Nutrition Plan:
- I've printed out Diesel's Bulking Guide and studied it, my rough diet plan is to eat 6-8 meals a day [reading labels and adding up is too time consuming... I'll do that eventually]

This is the eating plan I’ve been on for a week… will raise it this week…

Meal 1: Oatmeal + Milk

Meal 2: 6 egg white omelette

Meal 3: Whey Protein Shake + Banana

Meal 4: Sirloin Steak + Veg

Meal 5: Boiled Potato + Cottage Cheese

Meal 6: Dinner [rice, chicken, lentils, veg]

Supplements:
Flaxseed Oil
Fish Oil MultiVitamin
Max’s Muscle Builder Whey
Musashi Micronised Creatine [not sure how to use this]

Comments, Criticisms, advice and tips would be welcome,
Lifeforce, Double, SOLID and others … I know I’m lifting like a total pvssy at the moment, but I’m a total beginner… so recognise my limitations...

End
Oh yeah, watch out, I’m coming to get ya!

 

[decisive]

6 April - I've actually been working out for two weeks before [3x a week] but this is where I'll start to post...gradually upping the weights...

Legs – Quads – Squats
20kg x 16
20kg x 16
20kg x 25
- Hamstring
20kg x 15
20kg x 15
20kg x 15F
Back - Bent-Over Row
20kg x 12
20kg x 8
20kg x 10F
Deltoid- Side - Upright Row
20kg x 9
20kg x 5F
20kg x 8
Chest Pecs – Bench
10kg x 22
15kg x 18
20kg x 16
25kg x 12
25kg x 12
25kg x 12F
- Military Press
15kg x 8
15kg x 9F
15kg x 5F
Bicep – Curl Barbell
10kg x 15
12.5kg x12
15kg x 10F
Triceps – Close Bench Press
20kg x 8
20kg x 11
20kg x 10

 

[decisive]

TODAY

Legs – Quads – Squats
25kg x 18
25kg x 22
30kg x 22
- Hamstring
25kg x 16
25kg x 16
25kg x 16
Back - Bent-Over Row
20kg x 12
20kg x 12
20kg x 15
Deltoid- Side - Upright Row
20kg x 10
20kg x 11F
20kg x 10F
Chest Pecs – Bench [started on this]
10kg x 10
25kg x 12
25kg x 12
25kg x 12
- Military Press
10kg x 10
15kg x 8
15kg x 10
15kg x 8F

Bicep – Curl Barbell
10kg x 10W
15kg x 12
15kg x 10
15kg x 12F
Triceps – Close Bench Press
10kg x 10
20kg x 10
20kg x 6 Interrupted
20kg x 10

Hmm, the workout is too long, I'm pushing 1.5-2 hours each session!

I've had enough of full body and want to really go intense with split routine but not sure if I'm ready... this is my 2nd week.

 

[Double]

hey decisive, ok dont have much time now a few things:

-get some protein before sleeping - dinner is too far away normally from bedtime
-buy a bar for the doorframe so that you can do chinup which is important - its only around 20€
-you are eating way too clean - u need to get more calories - up the fries up the rice up the weight gainer up the toast whatever you like you need more calories if you wanna bulk fast this is not cutting!!!!!
-i dont understand how you can be 8%bf 1,72m 69kg.....that would be pretty BIG.....and with so much muscle mass you can't look skinny and you should be able to bench 80-100kg not 20kg....can you post a pic of you and have you measured you're bf with calipers......are your abs visible(perfect sixpack?)

 

[silverwex]

Hey why wasn't I mentioned for advice?! lol

try to make your rep range between 4 - 8 reps and add in dips, deadlifts and the big compund exercises.

apart from that ... good luck!

 

[Double]

cauz i am the benchmaster but good advice!

 

[Lifeforce]

It's pretty amazing people actually is able to read through that entire journal. That tell loads about their character.

If you're skinny the BF percentage will be off. When I was 61 kg with clothes I had 7% BF and I couln't see my abs but my ribs. Now I realize it was around 12-15%. You are probably at a higher BF percentage than you think.

Try decreasing the rep range to perhaps 8-12 then go down to 4-8 after a week or two. You're ready for a split maybe not to go out full fledged all heavy, go heavier but feel how the joints and muscles respond. For a split, try mine, it's pretty straightforward:

Day 1 quads+calves+shoulders
Day 3 Chest + bis + forearms or abs
Day 5 Back + bi + abs

Just fill it with your favoirite all heavy basic compound and compound exercises.

I'd move the boiled potatoes to your egg omelette. egg is pretty nutritionless, just 18 g of protein total and nothing else. Eat the cottage cheese as the last meal instead off eating dinner. Carbs in the evening is a sure way to store fat, the body want and need carb in the beginning off the day.

Like silverwex says, add in some deadlifts, they are a killer for the back.

Using creatine: Put the recommended amount in a glass of orange juice or sim fast carb liquid. Drink after workout, on other days I haven't figured out when to drink it, just drink whenever pleases you. Try to get 1 dl liquid to 1 spoon off creatine. Also make sure to drink alot more than usual. The effects should be noticable at training in around 5 days after starting to take it. If you don't respond try eating more than recommended dose, if that doesn't work then you're a non responder like double and all you can do is to highjack every thread in the HF section putting -smileys everywhere and telling drunken adventures.

Anyway, stay in there, don't let this be like so many other journals who are very enthusiastic in the beginning which later whitter and die. Keep at it from different angles even if you get nowhere or go backwards. Result will come if you are persistant. Now I feel I have used up my daily allowance of clichés so just a good luck and I'll be off. Good luck.

 

[Double]

lol i think i gotta post one new from the weekend

 

[Double]

hey lifeforce if a man can only bench 25kg then i wouldnt worry about putting on a bit fat.......muscles are a bit more important whatever im starving now ahhhhhhh didnt eat something for 45minutes ahhhh the metabolism goes crazy i feel like dieing://

 

[Lifeforce]

Yeah, you're right double. When I began I ate everything and ****loads off it.

 

[decisive]

Thanks for the replies,

Today's workout.

Lifeforce - I've decided to try your split, but do it in a different order, i.e. do daY 3 first [Chest + Biceps + Forearms]...
Is this w/out sufficient?

Chest
- Benchpress
25kg x 14
25kg x 12
25kg x 14
25kg x 12
25kg x 10F

Biceps
- BB Bicep Curl
10kg x 18 [warmup]
15kx x 18
20kg x 8
20kg x 7F
20KG x 8F
20kg x 7F

Triceps
- DB Kickbacks
10kg x 12 [Bad technique... but I think I know how to do it now]
10kg x 12
10kg x 12

Tricep Dips
x 20

Barbell Preacher Curl
10kg x 6 [bad tech]
10kg x 4
10kg x 4F

Forearm
- DB Hammer curl
5kg x 12 [easy...need heavier DBs now]
-DB wrist curl
10kg x 12
-DB wrist curl reverse
5kg x 12 [i'm weaker doing these reverse]

Double, oops, Lifeforce was right... I'm sure I underestimated my BF, I must be like 12-15%

Yeah, I need to eat more, I'll try to eat more calories. I just had some gainer as per your advice,

Silverwex, heh, thanks dude... I forgot to mention that I'm doing deadlifts now... they feel awesome make me feel as straight as a flagpole.

Double, Lifeforce, Silver.. - thanks guys, I'll keep at it.

 

[Lifeforce]

Cool man.

Just a few pointers on the choice of exercises you do.

Kickbacks are pretty worthless for building mass. Dips, skullcrushers or close grip bench are the best mass builders.

Hammer curls are not good either, your brachioradialis will be hit when you lift with the EZ bar and when you lift heavy on the back exercises.


For your biceps, don't overtrain them, keep around these guidelines:

/orginally by diesel/
Chest: no more than 10 work sets
Back: 10 sets
Legs: 10 sets
Bis: 4-6 sets
Tris: 5- 7 sets
Delts: 4-6 sets
Traps: 4 sets
Calves, Abs, Forearms (can be done 2x week - 6-10 sets)
//

Up the sets on the chest a little, maybe 4 sets of ordinary bench and 4 sets off db bench (in incline if you like). And drecrease the sets on the biceps.

 

[decisive]

Day 1 of week

Quads / Calves / Shoulders Day

I've got strong legs already cos I recently came back from skiing, cycling - anyhow...

Quads
- Squat
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 14


- St. Leg Deadlift
30kg x 15
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 15
30kg x 15

Calves - not very enthusiastic about these
- Standing Calf Raise
10kg x 10 [+ can do more]
0kg x 40
0kg x 40

Shoulders
- Military Press [My current favourite!]
20kg x 10
20kg x 8
20kg x 8 [bad technique on last few reps]
20kg x 12
20kg x 6 Fail


Lifeforce: Thanks!

Thanks, I've read Diesel's bulk guide but I forgot about the limits for each week, I shall apply... [assuming I understand correctly... ]
Just confirming, a set is like 8 reps x 3? so 10 sets a week is sufficient

OK, i'll concentrate on exercises you suggest...

I feel more confident lifting heavy stuff now, i've upped the weight a bit... getting near my current limit I think.

Went to a party on the w/end. There was a huge guy there [but had as much personality as a piece of wood] that looked like how I want to be... doesn't matter, I still charmed more chicks than he did.

****, eventually next time I'm going to steal the HB9 GF of some ugly prick there... ****, I am so much better than him... and will be... she kept on bouncing on his lap in a mini dress and looking back in my direction...., bumping into me, walking in front of me... just you wait,

I'll get her... but for now... focus, eat, rest, work-out, balance.

God, I feel like puking after all that... is that normal?

 

[semag]

God, I feel like puking after all that... is that normal?

Yes, especially with legs.

Just confirming, a set is like 8 reps x 3?

A set is one group of 8 reps. So... if you're doing 3 x 8 (sets x reps) you're doing 3 groups of 8 reps, each with a slight break in between (1 minute).

Quads
- Squat
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 14

After your warm up, do 3 sets, pile on the weight, way more than that, and do 5, 5, 5.

- St. Leg Deadlift
30kg x 15
30kg x 12
30kg x 12
30kg x 15
30kg x 15

Make sure you have good form on these, and you should feel your hammy's stretching. I think you should probably cut the sets down on these too, especially if you're a hard gainer. Shock the muscle (heavy + low reps) and then give it a shytload of rest.

Calves - not very enthusiastic about these
- Standing Calf Raise
10kg x 10 [+ can do more]
0kg x 40
0kg x 40

You should be able to pack weight on calves... waaaaay higher. Your calves won't grow if you don't really shock them, because in essence, they get 1 "rep" every time you walk, so you need to blast them.

Make sure you bust your post-workout protein shake + dextrose. Take the dextrose first (50-70 grams) and then 10-15 mins later follow it up with 3 scoops of whey.

 

[Lifeforce]

5, 5, 5? That seems very low semag. What's your reasoning behind it?


Decisive, just because the limit says 10 sets on the legs doesn't mean you have yo do 10 sets. You're probaly ecto so if you do fewer sets you could actually gain from it as semag says. Doing 3 or 4 sets per exercise on the squats and SLDL will be a little easier, especially when you start climbing weights.

Up the weights, you can probably safely go down to 4-8 reps and try it out.

Strong looking workout nontheless... 5 sets squat and SLDL would kill me =)


haha... it really gives motivation to see something you want and work to get it.

 

[Double]

haha keep it up.....and when you're more familiar with the exercises then increase the fvcking weight!!! the easy beginner times are over

 

[semag]

5, 5, 5 is a set of numbers that I like to throw in there because it feels like you're doing enough to tax the muscles, but you can crank up the weight and just power out 5 reps. You do 2 and you're like... "I'm almost there."

I've also been reading stuff about hardgainers and doing low volume/high weight work, and so that's what i was recommending.

 

[Lifeforce]

Okey, I understand. I'm on a similar program, 5x5, or at least my varioation off it =) I'm hoping to get some results too with such low reps.

 

[silverwex]

Dips, skullcrushers or close grip bench are the best mass builders.

true, i use all these on triceps day.

good luck on ur bulking decisive, i gained 30lbs in 3 months (obviously not all muscle but i still look a hell of a lot better than i did a year ago - my forearms have so much more thickness to them now after doing deads etc...!)

maybe ill post a pic of my arms on my 21st bday (stick thin) compared to now to give ya a little inspiration! lol. i nearly died of shock at how skinny i was back then!

 

[decisive]

Originally posted by silverwex
maybe ill post a pic of my arms on my 21st bday (stick thin) compared to now to give ya a little inspiration! lol. i nearly died of shock at how skinny i was back then!

Yeah! that would be great!