Generic Bulking Routine

6/16/15

Morning Weight: 183.4 lbs

Paused Bench- 285x1, 235x8,7,6
Paused Close Grip- 185x8,10
Seated OHP 145x3x10 Tied PR
Cable Row- 200x3x10
Lat PD- 200x3x10
Underhand Lat PD 140x2x10
Reverse Pec Deck- 3 sets

6/18/15

Morning Weight: 183.8 lbs

Squat- 305x3x10 Volume PR
1.5" Defecit Sumo Deadlift- 355x5x1
Back Raise- 3x20
Seated Calf- 3 sets
Standing Calf- 3 sets

6/19/15

Morning Weight: 182.6 lbs

Touch and Go Bench- 290x1
Paused Bench- 235x9,8,9
Paused Close Grip- 185x2x10
Incline Bench- 195x5,5,6
Cable Row-200x3x10
Lat PD- 200x3x10
Underhand Lat PD- 160x10, 180x10
Lateral Raises- 30sx12,12,10
Side Plank- 1 minute each side

6/2215

Morning Weight: 182.2

Had some sunburn on my back so I decided to only do 1 set of squats instead of the usual 3.

Squat- 315x12 Lifetime PR

This was a big PR for me. This is the first real PR I’ve had on any lower body lift in the past 2 years (due to injury). My previous best was 315x10 which I did in high school.

2" Defecit Sumo Deadlift- 265x1x10

Stiff Legged Deadlift- 255x3x6

Leg Curl- 95x1x30

6/23/15

Morning Weight: 185.4

Touch and Go Bench- 295x1
Paused Bench- 230x10,10,5,7
Seated OHP- 155x3x6
Lat PD- 205x3x10
Cable Row- 205x3x10
Reverse Pec Deck- 35 ish reps total
Cable Curls- 3 sets
OH Tricep Extension- 3 sets

I really like your programming set-up, and if you still look like your avatar, I’m envious of your leanness.

Does the programming call for the deadlift singles, or is that an improv by you? I thoroughly enjoy singles for deadlifts, but I rarely see bodybuilding-style programs call for singles.

[quote]brady888 wrote:
I really like your programming set-up, and if you still look like your avatar, I’m envious of your leanness.

Does the programming call for the deadlift singles, or is that an improv by you? I thoroughly enjoy singles for deadlifts, but I rarely see bodybuilding-style programs call for singles. [/quote]

Hey, thanks for stopping in. Nope, the deadlift singles are an improv by me. I tried linking the original version of Lyle’s Generic Bulking Routine, but T-Nation took it down; you can find the original just by googling it. The deadlifts are actually a bastardized version of one of Greg Nuckols deadlift programs. Here is Greg’s original program:

Week 1
Day 1-60% 15 singles
Day 2-70% 10 singles
Day 3-80% 5 singles

Week 2
Day 1-65% 15 singles
Day 2-75% 10 singles
Day 3-85% 5 singles

Week 3
Day 1- 55% 15 singles
Day 2-65% 10 singles
Day 3- Work up to a new max

The idea is that the frequency will ingrain good technique, and that the singles will build “first rep strength” (all that really matters in powerlifting.) I modified it by taking away day 1 and adding in 3x5 stiff legged deadlifts on day 2.

Actually, the reason I am doing a hypertrophy-centric program is because of an article I read by Greg Nuckols, “Why Powerlifters Should Train More Like Bodybuilders.” He is one of my favorite writers in the industry.

6/27/15

Morning Weight: 182.8

Squat- 315x2x10 Volume PR

Sumo Deadlift- 415x1 Five pound post-back injury PR

I love singles. For a good amount of time I played with Jamie Lewis’s Chaos and Pain training ideas, basically only doing singles, doubles, or triples for a lot of volume with low reps. Was lots of fun, but I struggled to progress. Probably needed to play more with the loading percentages and the rest periods.
If you like low reps, it’s something to look in to.

[quote]brady888 wrote:
I love singles. For a good amount of time I played with Jamie Lewis’s Chaos and Pain training ideas, basically only doing singles, doubles, or triples for a lot of volume with low reps. Was lots of fun, but I struggled to progress. Probably needed to play more with the loading percentages and the rest periods.
If you like low reps, it’s something to look in to.

[/quote]

Thanks, I’ll check that out.

6/28/15

Paused Bench- 295x1 This is a paused PR for me. Still had a lot in the tank.
235x10,10,9 Volume PR Failed on the 10th rep of the last set and had to slide the bar all down my torso.

Cable Row- 205x3x10

Hammer Strength Incline Press- 6 sets

Lat PD- 205x10x3

Cant remember if/what I did for arms.

This week has been kind of crazy for me and I haven’t really been able to eat or train. Bodyweight is back to where it was a month and a half ago. Gonna get two light sessions in fir the rest of the week and call it a deload week and then get back to the routine next week.

7/6/15

Morning Weight: 181.8 lbs

Seated Calves- 3 sets

1.5" Defecit Sumo Deadlift- 295x10x1

Stiff Legged Deadlift- 265x3x6

Leg Curls 3 sets

All the squat racks were taken so Ill come back tomorrow and do them.


Picture at 182 lbs. 7/6/15. No pump

7/7/15

Squat- 315x10,8 225x10

Some ab/ core work.

Definitely was feeling beat up today from yesterday’s deadlifts and from work.

7/9/15

Morning Weight: 182 lbs

Cable External Rotations
Paused Bench- 245x7,6,6 PR. I am now striving for 3x8 instead of 3x10 on bench.
Lat PD- 210x3x10 PR
Seated OHP- 145x3x10 Tied PR I believe
Cable Row- 210x3x10 PR
Cable Overhead Tricep Extension- 4 sets
Cable Curls- 4 sets
Cable Upright Row- 2 Sets

You are in good shape. How did you get so lean? What is your BF approximately? Do you adapt your training to being that lean?

7/10/15

Squat-315x3x10. Landmark PR for me. Will be striving for 3x8 in my coming work outs.
Defecit Sumo Deadlift- 335x5x1
Back Extensions
Calves

7/11/15

Wasn’t feeling it on this day, so I did 2 sets of everything instead of 3.

Paused Bench- 245x8,7 PR
Incline Bench- 195x2x8 PR
Lat Pulldown- 215x2x10 PR
Cable Row- 215x2x10 PR
OH Tricep Extension- 2 sets
Cable Curl- 2 sets
Cable Upright Row- 2 sets

7/13/15

I was tired on this day, but decided to go all out regardless.

Squat- 325x3x7 Some sort of PR. Dont think I’ve ever actually handled this exact weight before.
Defecit Sumo Deadlift- 320x10x1
Stiff Legged Deadlift- 275x3x6 PR
Leg Curls- 3 sets
Seated Calf Raise- 3 sets
Standing Calf Raise- 3 sets
Decline Sit Ups- 3 sets

[quote]DaneMuscle wrote:
You are in good shape. How did you get so lean? What is your BF approximately? Do you adapt your training to being that lean?[/quote]

Hey, thanks for stopping in. I have always been very skinny/lean for as long as I can remember. There is even a picture I found of myself when I was 5 or 6 years old where there was a distinct outline of abs. As far as bodyfat goes, your guess is probably is as good as mine. I would say around 7-8%, and I seem to stay in that range even in a caloric surplus. The only downside is that it is very hard for me to gain weight. I’ve been stuck at around 180ish for about 3 years now. I don’t adapt my training to being lean, I train just like anyone else. My main training goal right now is to train with high-ish volume (for me) to maximize hypertrophy and to sort of build a base for effective peaking later on.

On 7/15 I did an upper body workout where I pause benched 245x3x7 and seated overhead pressed a PR of 155x3x10

7/18

1.5" Deficit Sumo Deadlift- 360x5x1

Did some light squats and some paused incline bench.

7/20

Squat- 325x3x8 PR
Glute Kickbacks- 3 sets
Leg Curl- 3 sets
Hyperextensions- 3 sets
Standing Calf Raise- 3 sets
Seated Calf Raise- 3 sets

7/22

Paused Bench- 275x1 easy
Touch n Go Bench- 305x1 easy
Paused Bench- 245x8,6,6,5 Volume PR
Cable Row- 3 sets
Single Arm Lat PD- 4 sets
Seated OHP- 165x6,5,3
Reverse Pec Deck- 2 sets
Curls- 4 sets
Tricep Pushdowns- 4 sets

7/24

Morning Weight: 182.2 lbs

Sumo Deadlifts- 420x1
425x1 5lb PR
435x1 15lb PR
445x1 25lb PR
450x1 30lb PR!
455x0 Couldn’t budge it off of the floor.

These are the training days you live for. The deficit deadlifts have really been paying off in helping my dramatic weakness off of the floor.

Squat- 335x3x6 PR

Ab Wheel Rollouts.

Edit: Video of 450x1 attached. Hips rise a little faster than I’d like, but that’s to be expected on a 1RM. My technique on the previous sets looked pretty damn good. (hips didn’t shoot up)