I’m a new member on this forum, and I don’t post because my knowledge pales in comparison to those on this board. I am in my first full year of training.
I’m 16 years old, 6’1 185 pounds, with a BF hovering around 12%. I have always been more of an ectomorphic type, but I am finally starting to gain weight and se results. I was inspired by my good friend (who is a member here) and his amazing transformation he made and his raw ability in the weightroom.
I decided I wanted to be in shape as well. I look forward to being critiqued heavily…If I’m fucking up badly, let me know!
I’ll keep updating, but I have the SATs in the morning.
I play hockey and baseball and I am a goaltender/pitcher, so leg work is important to me.
Here are my max lifts (pathetic as they are)
Bench - 170( I weigh 185, benching 170…that’s fucked up.)
Deadlift-255
Squat-225
I am doing mostly bodybuilding training, but I mix in some more athletic/strength days as well.
I’m experiencing SAT burnout so I took an off day, but here is Friday’s workout.
Bent Over Rows 4 sets w/ 115
Single arm BB rows from the “New Exercises” article
3 sets per arm w/ a 25 and a 5.
Cable rows w. underhand grip 5 sets pyramiding up to 110.
Preacher curls 5x5 with a 25 per side
1 Drop set of zottman curls down the rack
Hammer curls leaning on an incline bench, 4 sets w/ 25’s.
Cable curl drop set
Got back on board today. My squat is still pathetic, which is frustrating me.
Workout:
Squats superset with DB pullovers (Ellington Darden’s method)
135 for 10
175 for 5
185 for 5
195 for 4
205 for 3
RDL-Hang Clean-Squat-Shoulder Press Complex
(From the “Combos for Power and Size” article)
4 sets of 3 reps
1 set of 85
3 sets of 95
Rotating Arnold Presses
3 sets to failure with 35’s
Set of 12, 10 and 8.
Bent over laterals/ DB shrugs.
And that’s that. My numbers suck. I know.
Are you following a specific training plan? How often do you hit the gym? What are your goals and what does your diet/nutrition look like?
I’m not following any specific plan, and my diet is as such:
Wake up with a 40g protein shake
Then water w/ a bagel
A couple Powerbars
Turkey sandwhich/protein bar at lunch
Oatmeal about 2 hours later when i return from school w/ Grow!.
Surge Postworkout
Dinner is usually chicken or steak with a salad.
I have a banana or strawberry blended smoothie with 2 scoops of Grow and a scoop of Metabolic Drive before bed.
My Goals= ( I workout 5 days a week)
Deadlift in the 3’s by end of summer.
Bench in the 2’s by end of summer.
Get squat over 3 by end of summer.
Push Press 135 by end of summer.
Thanks for posting.
Anyway, here is today’s workout.
Pullups w/ no weight 3 sets
12 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps.
Deadlifts
warmup set 135x10
185x5
195x5
205x5
215x5
225x5
Bent Over Rows
3 sets w/ 115
12 reps
10 reps
9 reps
Underhand Cable Rows
3 sets w/ 100.
I was pressed for time so that was the extent of my workout.
7 Hours of sleep last night…
Did chest today.
3 sets of bodyweight dips,
10, 10, and 7
Bench (I suck and I’m frustrated)
135 for 10
145 for 6
145 for 5
155 for 3
135 for 8
Incline DB Bench
12 reps w/ 40’s
12 reps w/40’s
8 reps w/ 45’s
10 reps w/ 40’s
Cable Crossovers
midrange 3 sets w/ 40
From the bottom point
3 sets w/ 45
Pressdowns (Everybody talks shit on pressdowns, but I like them.)
4 sets, running up the weight stack.
Tricep Bench Dips
2 sets of 12
That’s that.
7 Hours of sleep agian. Allergies attacked like hell today. I felt sluggish all day, and my workout suffered.
Box Squats (with box below paralell)
135x10
155x7
175x5
185x5
185x5
I did these slowly and methodically, to teach myself to really sit back on my glutes and hams. I felt it was productive.
Deficit Lunges from the high box
3 sets of 10 per leg with 20’s
(They really made me fatigue)
RDL’s
3 sets of 10 w/ 115
I’m so tired. School is draining me. Bring on the summer! Off day tomorrow.
On Thursday, I was asked to participate in a pullup contest during my PE period. The rules were as follows: You had to pull your self up, hold it for a second, lower yourself all the way down to lockout and hold for a second, and repeat til failure.
I completed 4 and a half reps, and I was nothing short of humiliated. That being said, I did the same thing in the gym today, except with chins. Also, I read an article describing how to use the 3x3 system, so I am implementing that.
Today’s workout=
Chins ( Full lockout/hold to completion/hold)
Set of 5
Set of 4
Set of 4
Deadlfits 3x3 with 225 ( I will attempt 230 next back day)
Bent over rows 3 sets to failure with 115
Underhand cable rows
4 sets to failure 90/100/100/100
I felt sluggish and weak all weekend, I took a Saturday off for the first time in at least 3 months. I am goign to get to bed extra early tonight, maybe my energy will comeback.
I forgot to mention that I ended my back workout with
5x5 preacher curl with 20 lbs. per side
Zottman curl drop set
Incline hammer curls with 20’s 3x
Cable curls w/ handles 3 sets
Cable curl w/ bar drop set.
This routine is form Thib’s “Canadian Cannons” article.
Chest day…sort of.
3 sets of bodyweight dips
14 reps, 12 reps, 10 reps
1 set of bodyweight pushups
4 sets of pushups w/ 25 plate on back
1 set of bodyweight pushups
I don’t remeber the reps, somewhere between 10 and 15 each time (bodyweights were 30 each)
Incline DB press
4 sets w/ 35’s. Got at least 12 reps in good form each time.
Crossovers
From the bottom 2 sets
Middle 2 sets
Pressdowns 2 drop sets
Bench dips 2 sets of 20
5 sets of roman chair situps.
This is the first time in a while I haven’t incorporated a flat bench variation in my workout. I hope this different approach pays off, I will keep updating.
Did legs today.
Squats 1 warmup set w/ 135 for 10 reps
1 set w/ 175 for 5
2 sets of 185 for 5
1 set of 195 for 5
1 set of 205 for 5
I did squats really far below paralell, almost ass to heels.
Deficit Lunges w/ 20’s.
3 sets of 20 reps
RDL’s
3 sets of 10 w/ 115
2 bodyweight sets of pushups
2 Sets of pushups with 25 on back, 12 reps than 10 reps.
Chest day…
Dips 3 sets of 10
Doing 3x3 with the main lifts…
Bench Press 3x3 w/ 155
Incline DB Press 3x10 w/ 40’s
Cable crossovers 4 sets to middle w/ 45
Pullovers w/ 40
Pressdowns/Rope Curls while pushing as far out as possible to the sides
Bench Dips 3 sets until failure
Back…
Deadlifts 3x3 w/ 235
Chins superset with bent over rows
(I held the chins at the bottom and top again)
9 chins then to failure with rows (105 lbs everytime)
6 chins then rows
3 chins then chin hold… rows.
I like chinup holds, im definetly going to do them more often.
Triangle bar cable rows
1 set w/ 80
2 sets w/ 90
Todays workout…
Clean from hang to push press
95x3
95x3
95x3
I don’t know if I’ll move up to 100 next workout…95 was tough but all 3 sets were clean.
Hang Cleans
115x3
115x3
115x3
115 was also a challenge, I really had to focus. Funny how on an variation of an oly lift, if your technique isn’t 100% you’re going to miss the lift. These required so much focus that I was really tired after them.
Farmers Walks
3 sets of 20 yards with 55 lb DB’s, there and back. (So really 3 sets of 40 yard walks) New York Sports Club isn’t the best place to do anything outside of curling in the power rack, i.e., farmers walks. I got looks like I was from another planet, which I oddly enjoyed. These really took a toll on my forearms.
Shrugs 4 sets w/ 55’s to failure
I tried doing some rear laterals but felt pain in my right shoulder, I’ll be keeping an eye on that.
I also did reverse curls on a preacher bench with a 45 bar.
I wanted to do the wrist rolling exercise form Thib’s latest article, but my gym doesn’t have one. I tried to somehow make a makeshift one, but to no avail. Any advice on how to do so is much apprectiated.
Today’s workout…
I read the 10 Tips From A Legend article, and I especially liked the point about doing less with more quality. I tried it today and it felt good.
Squats
135x10
185x5
205x3
205x3
205x3
Lunges w/ 35’s
3 sets of 8 reps a leg
Farmers walks w/ 55’s
3 sets.
I had also planned to do reverse curls as well as other grip work, but my friends invited me to go into the boxing room with them for the remainder of my workout.
I have zero boxing experience, but the instructor taught me how to throw a proper punch and a proper stance and all that good stuff, and said I have a good foundation. I really enjoyed it, and this is something I will definetly look into trying.
Chest Day…
Bench
135x10
160x3
160x3
160x3
Got 160 strong, but I will probably go back to it next time again, I didn’t feel like I dominated it.
Pushups w/ 25 on back
(I’d kcik off the 25 and then continue taking the set to failure)
3 sets
Rope extensions
3 drop sets
What kind of set up are you following? i dont see much consistency with your workouts (im not talking about your scheduling/times you go to the gym- im talking about your actual workouts). it kinda seems like you go to the gym and just randomly pick stuff to do.
I’m doing 3x3 with the main lifts, and my back/leg/chest days rarely deviate from the norm…I do different variations of exercises, but its pretty much the same deal my man, read it again.
Took today off because I caddied, but here is yesterday’s workout.
Chins
BWx10
BWx8
BWx5
Bent over rows
115x15
125x10
125x10
125x8
Cable Rows
3 sets w/ 100
too much variation may not be good. you have not done one workout with identical sets/reps/exercises. Try sticking to certain lifts (the same variation too) for 4-6 weeks and improving on them. Then switch up when you stall out.
For example, lets say you do flat bench one workout with 135, then the next workout you do incline, then the workout after that you do decline. Chances are the time in between your flat bench sessions was roughly 1.5-2 weeks. You wont get stronger on an exercise doing it 2-3x a month.
Tom, I squat/deadlift/bench with consistency, but otherwise, I get what you’re saying. I’m doing 3x3 until I stop having success with it.
Decided to workout today…
Squats
135x10
185x5
210x3
210x3
210x3
Im going to do the bicep routine from Thib’s latest article for a 4 week cycle…
Preacher bar curls
2 tens per side 8x3
Hammer Preacher Curls
25’s 8x3
I only did 4 sets of reverse curls with 45 because my gym closed and the lights shut off. Fuck NYSC.