January 8th, 2010 - Introduction
The title really says it all. This thread is all about my training, my nutrition (advice and meal ideas), and my passionate pursuit to spread as much knowledge to others as possible.
Stay tuned for frequent training logs, meal pics, and as much Q&A as I can get in between myself an inquiring minds.
Gym bag…check! Training apparel…check! Silverback gorilla…CHECK! Let’s roll!
Let’s roll!
Thanks for visiting and welcome to my world…
January 6th, 2013 - Growth Stimulus Training Press Day
Decline BB Press
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 6
225 x 2
235 x 6, 6, 12
Slight Incline DB Press
50s x 10
70s x 20, 16
Decline BB Skullcrusher
45 x 10
85 x 20, 20
Barbell Upright Row
45 x 10
85 x 20, 20
Leg Press Calf Raise
200 x 10
300 x 20, 20, 20
Seated Calf Raise
90 x 10
115 x 20, 20
I’d love to be posting multiple pictures up in my posts. Is there a way I can do this without uploading each posted picture to my hub and linking them from there?
Thanks!
Ryan
Guess The Food!
Nearly 2000 tasty calories per small container…what could I be?!
Tip for the Day
Barbell Upright Rows are excellent for the development of the front and medial delts. However, they are commonly overlooked and performed incorrectly.
Remember, the goal with an upright row is to take the front and medial delts through as much Range of Motion (ROM) as possible. In order to do this, two things need to happen.
Trainees typically go wrong by using an improper grip. Their grip is typically too wide, which restricts their ability to hold their elbows high and to lift their elbows as high as possible. As a result, the delts are not allowed to work through their max ROM!
When selecting your grip width, keep your hands as close together as possible, but far enough apart to keep the barbell from teetering during your set.
I personally recommend sticking your thumbs out at each other, touching them together, and then using that grip width on the barbell. Typically, this will result in your hands being about 6-7 inches apart.
As always, remember to think about the proper muscle firing to lift the barbell. In the case of the barbell upright row, your front and medial delts should be on your mind!
Raise with force and authority, lower deliberately with focus and control, and keep your core tight to avoid any momentum generating rocking from occurring.
Include the barbell upright row in your routine and enjoy your cannonball delts!
January 9th, 2013 - Growth Stimulus Training Squat Day
BB Front Squat
45 x 10
135 x 8
180 x 6, 6, 12
BB Walking Lunge
50 x 10
85 x 20 per leg, 20 per leg
High Bar Parallel Squat
95 x 8
145 x 20, 20
Leg Extension
130 x 10
175 x 20, 20, 15, 12
Reverse Grip DB Forearm Curl
25 x 10
35 x 20 per arm
30 x 20 per arm
January 10th, 2012 - Growth Stimulus Pull Day
Pullup Grip Lat Pulldown
100 x 10
140 x 6
190 x 6, 6, 12
Close Grip Lat Pulldown
100 x 10
125 x 20, 20
Bent BB Row
100 x 10
145 x 20, 18
Standing BB Curl
45 x 10
60 x 20, 20
Seated Calf Raise
90 x 10
120 x 20, 20
Leg Press Calf Raise
200 x 10
300 x 20, 20, 18
Hanging Leg Raise
BW x 20, 20
PUMPED!
Tip of the Day
Many times I’ll see people in the gym stringing the dip belt’s chain through the center of weight plates to add weight to their dips, pullups, or chinups.
As a tip, I’ll mention to them that it’s much easier to simply loop the chain around one end of a dumbbell than it is to string the chain through the center of a weight plate.
It’s actually pretty inconvenient to use weight plates versus a dumbbell. The dumbbell stands up on it’s own, you don’t have to squat very low before the chain reaches the dumbbell, and you don’t need to loop multiple dumbbells if you’re going heavier than a standard 45lb plate.
I highly recommend chaining up a dumbbell instead of weight plates when adding additional weight to dips, chinups, or pullups.
Of course, this only works up to the weight of your heaviest dumbbell! Anything over and above that heaviest dumbbell is all weight plate!
Give the dumbbell method a shot next time, you’ll be happy how simple and hassle free it really is.
Thank me later!
Ryan
Tip of the Day
Over the past few years, the popularity of kettlebells has increased, and I see people online recommending them to people who are aiming to build major size and strength.
These are usually people without a low level of training experience/beginning gym members who have taken a local kettlebell class, lost a few pounds, increased their stamina, and conclude that kettlebells are the answer to every training goal.
Recently, I actually saw someone recommend a high rep 30lb kettlebell workout to a guy who was looking to get ‘linebacker big and strong.’ That recommendation is nonsense!
In reality, kettlebells can provide a great endurance/cardiovascular geared workout, but they will not produce the type of strength that serious bodybuilders and powerlifters are looking for. Unless you’re working with kettlebells weighing hundreds of pounds, they will not replace barbells and dumbbells.
In summary, I recommend kettlebells for GST’s Active Recovery Complexes, as they’ll work excellent for those light weight movement training sessions.
They can also provide a great alternative to typical cardio machines (treadmills, ellipticals, etc) when a HIIT session is your goal.
Remember, they are one of many training tools, but not the right tool for serious size and strength gains.
Train Hard. Train Smart. Grow!
Training day! I have a couple of PT appointments to tend to, and then I’ll be hitting the iron hard.
Last night I had some fun ordering ingredients for a custom preworkout mix:
B-Alanine, Arginine, Creatine, Tyrosine, B Complex, Vitamin C, and optional 200mg Caffeine servings (to be used very sparingly.
Can’t wait to play chemist!
it’s rare to see someone give a full and logical explanation of why and how they do an exercise! I’ll follow along and will be giving the upright rows a shot tomorrow.
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
it’s rare to see someone give a full and logical explanation of why and how they do an exercise! I’ll follow along and will be giving the upright rows a shot tomorrow. [/quote]
I train for a living, so you’ll see that all the time in here!
Thanks for following,
Ryan
January 12th, 2012 - Growth Stimulus Lift Day
Trap Bar Deadlift
135 x 10
225 x 6
315 x 3
405 x 1
425 x 8, 1, 1
BB Shrug
225 x 8
305 x 12, 12, 12
BB Good Morning
135 x 10
205 x 12, 12, 12
GHR Negatives
BW x 12, 10, 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
300 x 12
380 x 12, 12, 12, 12
Today’s training session was a classic GST lift day, centered around posterior chain strength and hypertrophy. My hams are DOM’n as I’m typing this, so I know the next couple of days are going to be rough on the dumper…
Post Workout Meal from the training session above ^
Chicken breast, spanish rice, pico de gallo, nacho cheese, and avocado. In short, AWESOME.
January 13th, 2013 - Growth Stimulus Training Press Day
Decline BB Press
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 6
225 x 2
275 x 6, 3, 3
Slight Incline DB Press
50s x 10
80s x 12, 12, 12
Decline BB Skullcrusher
45 x 10
85 x 20, 20
Barbell Upright Row
45 x 10
95 x 12, 12, 12
Dips
BW x 12, 12, 12
Highest Decline Crunch
BW (Hands behind my head, grabbing elbows) x 12, 12, 12
In honor of yesterday’s training session:
Are you aiming to build ‘poppable’ pecs?
Trade out the traditional flat barbell press for the decline barbell press and feel the difference in pec activation immediately.
The decline barbell press will help deactivate the delts and accentuate the pecs, allowing for maximum chest growth and strengthening.
Keep most of your flat bench press form tips in check when decline pressing, and be sure to mentally zone in on the pecs for enhanced mind/muscle connection.
It’s also very important that you utilize your power rack’s safety pins if you’re alone, as you DO NOT want to get stuck under the barbell. Even if a spotter is present, I still advocate using the pins.
The decline barbell press is an excellent GST Press Day core exercise choice, and can also be used as a Press Day supplement exercise as well.
January 16th, 2012 - Growth Stimulus Squat Day
Barbell Front Squat
45 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 4
205 x 8
215 x 3, 3
Walking Barbell Lunge
30 x 8
80 x 4
130 x 12 per leg, 12 per leg, 12 per leg
High Bar Heels Raised Parallel Squat
135 x 8
195 x 12, 10, 8
Leg Extension
180 x 12
230 x 12, 12, 10
Reverse EZ Bar Curl
35 x 10
65 x 12, 12, 12
Had to throw up a pic of my fresh supp order!
I’ll be putting my own preworkout together with a good portion of this order.
Tyrosine
Arginine
Vitamin C
Vitamin B Complex
Creatine Monohydrate
B-Alanine
Optional Caffeine 200mg
This is gonna be good!
January 17th, 2012 - Growth Stimulus Pull Day
Pullup w/ Lat Pulldown Warm Up
100 x 10
140 x 6
180 x 2
BW + 15 x 8, 4, 4
Close Grip Lat Pulldown
100 x 10
150 x 12, 12, 12
Bent BB Row
95 x 10
155 x 12, 12, 12
Standing EZ Bar Curl w/ Wide Grip
35 x 10
65 x 12, 12, 12
Leg Press Calf Raise
300 x 12, 12, 12
Seated Calf Raise
120 x 12, 12, 12
January 19th, 2012 - Growth Stimulus Lift Day
Trap Bar Deadlift
135 x 10
225 x 6
315 x 3
405 x 1
475 x 5, 1, 1
BB Shrug
225 x 8
365 x 5, 5, 5, 5
BB Good Morning
135 x 10
265 x 5, 5, 5, 5
GHR Negatives
BW x 5, 5, 5, 5
DB Wrist Curls
35 x 5 per arm
55 x 5, 5, 5, 5 per arm
January 20th, 2013 - Growth Stimulus Training Press Day
Decline BB Press
45 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 6
225 x 2
300 x 4
305 x 1
310 x 1
Slight Incline DB Press
50s x 10
100s x 5, 5, 5, 5
Decline BB Skullcrusher
45 x 10
115 x 5, 5, 5, 5
Barbell Upright Row
45 x 10
115 x 5, 5, 5, 5
Dips
BW x 20, 12, 10
Leg Press Calf Raise
410 x 5, 5, 5, 5
Seated Calf Raise
135 x 5, 5, 5, 5
