My challenge to myself.

Starting next monday, August 25th, I am challenging myself to finally put on some mass and gain some strength, but i’m also trying to keep my speed. Right now i am 5’8 and 140 lbs. I always get told i look like i weigh more than that but i still look at the scale and the mirror and see a scrawny 140 pound bitch. My plan is to try and eat between 3,500 and 4,000 calories a day. I have 3 programs wrote out that i will be using, they are kinda a mix between Chad Waterbury and Christian’s programs. I want to gain 15 pounds by christmas and up my weights as much as possible. I wont be doing squats just yet because i am still coming off of a lower back injury in june. I’m totally healthy but i’m going to be sticking to step ups, lunges, 1 and 2 leg back extenstions, natural Glute ham raises, and leg curls. Here are my programs if anybody has any suggestions, please let me know. I will only be lifting on monday wednesday and friday and i will just rotate the days untill 6 cycles are completed which will take 4 weeks.

Phase 1
Day 1
A1- bench press- 10x3, 20X, 1 min rest
A2- pullup- 10x3, 20X, 1 min rest
dips- 1 x max
chin ups- 1 x max
Day 2
Jumping box squat- 8x3, 1 min
1 leg hyperextension- 5x6,40X1,1 min
leg curl- 5x6- 40X1, 1 min
timed hyperextensin- 2xmax in 40sec, 1 min
abs
Day 3
explosive pushup- 8x3- 1 min rest
explosive chin up- 8x3, 1 in rest
incline db press- 5x6, 40X1, 1 min
seated row- 5x6, 40X1, 1 min
Day 4
A1-step up- 10x3, 20X0, 1 min
A2-1 leg back ext- 10x3, 20X0, 1 min
abs

Phase 2
Day 1
incline bench- 5x5- 40X1- 2 min
chin up- 5x5- 40X1, 2 min
timed bench- 3xmax in 40 sec, 2 min
time seated row- 3xmax in 40 sec, 2 min
Day 2
jumping box squat- 8x3, 1 min
GHR- 4x10, 20X1, 2 min
hyperextension- 4x10, 2 min
abs
Day 3
explosive pushup- 8x3, 1 min
explosive chin up- 8x3, 1 min
dips- 4x10, 20X1- 2 min
1 arm row- 4x10, 20X1, 2 min
Day 4
lunge-5x5, 40X1- 2min
1 leg hyperextension- 5x5, 40X1-2min
timed leg press- 3xmax in 40 sec, 2 min
50% 1RM
timed hypers- 3xmax in 40 sec, 2 min
abs

Phase 3
Day 1
bench press- cluster- 5-8 reps-20X1, 30 seconds between reps
pullup- same as bench
A1-incline machine bench- 7x3, 2/1 technique, 50X1 1 min
A2-seated row- same as incline bench
Day 2
jumping box squat- 6x3- 1 min
hack squat- 5x2- 10-0X0, 1min
GHR- same as hack squat
1 leg hyper- same same as hack squat
Day 3
isometric bench- 6x3sec holds, 30sec/sets
isometric pullup- same as bench
ballistic pushup-6x3, 1 min
ballistic chin up- 6x3, 1 min
incline bench- 5x2, 10-0X1, 1 min
chin up- same as incline
Day 4
step up- cluster same as bench on Day 1
leg curl- 7x3, 2/1 technique, 50X1,1min
leg press- same as leg curl
1 leg hypers- 3x8, 20X1, 1 min
abs

Sorry for the long post fella’s but i really value every T-mans opinion and i need all the help i can get as i’ve tried to add mass for like 3 or 4 years now and have been unable to do it. If i feel comfortable with it i’ll slowly start adding in romanian dead lifts, good mornings and then maybe eventually squats. But we’ll just have to play that by ear. And after i cycle through all these routines i’ll prolly just switch the exercises around and go at it again with the same basic routine. Thanks alot guys i really appreciate it.

join the race to 200. You’d have to gain 12 lbs by Nov 26th and be under 15% bodyfat. Look for “OFFICIAL Race to 200 in the photo forum”

Bin:

Inevitably the diet will make or break this routine. It appears quite solid, except for rest breaks and sequencing. I rarely find 1 minute of recovery enough for anything, and attempting ballistic pushups just two days after heavy benching may prove to be too much.

But hey. Try it.

DI

KnightRT: I will onlky be lifting on monday wednesday and friday so my ballistic pushups will be 4 or 5 days after my heavy benching. Monday will be upper body then the next upper body will be friday, then wednesday.

And the 1 minute rest periods with the supersets are actually giving me more than 2 minutes of rest and the others i’m not looking for complete rest i’m looking for inadequite rest like on waterburys last article, endurance and hypertrophy paradox.

I see.

Differing opinions on that one, but again, your call.

DI

Lots of explosive/quick lifts for a hypertrophy program. I have nothing against dynamic movements whatsoever, it just seems like that’s almost your entire plan.

JaredNFS: Thats the way i like to train, and i only have 1 explosive exercise for lower body and 2 for upper, the rest are strength and hypertrophy. If it doesn’t work like this i will have the change it, but i dont think the program will be the problem in me gaining mass i think it will be whether i can take in enough food, which i haven’t been able to keep up over an extended period of time before. I’m going to have to eat between 3,500 and 4,000 calories a day to gain weight, and i only weigh 140 lbs. Fast metabolism sucks. And Phase 3 of the program is basically a strength only program. And also i normally can’t handle alot of volume, but i may have to cut out a few sets of explosive exercises. I like to try and train everything at once, not a big fan of old style periodization. But as i say, eating enough food will be the big deal for me. Thanks alot, any other suggestions will be helpful.

I guess one of the reasons I brought that up was diesel’s slow tempo post earlier.

And you’re right, your diet is going to be more important than anything. Let us know how it goes.