[quote]dt79 wrote:
Rather than plan to reach these numbers in some abitrary timeframe, plan to get all you can out of each workout and meet your nutritional needs and you’ll get there sooner than you expect.
[/quote]
This is excellent advice.
I measured my weight today I was at 135 lbs. I’ve basically cut out all junk food, except for one meal a week, which is a family bbq on the weekend. I think that’s attributed to my weight loss, plus all the cycling. I was around 142 in late July. I’m tempted to continue leaning out until the end of August (it’s only two more weeks) and then starting in September start adding mass.
My plan is to workout three times a week, squat every day and up my reps by two every workout (for all lifts).
In the example below I’m just showing how I plan to increase my squat. However, when I hit 9 reps the next workout I only increase by 1 to 10. After that, I add weight and go back to 5. Other lifts like bench, etc will progress in similar fashion.
Week 1:
Workout 1:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x5
Workout 2:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x7
Workout 3:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x9
Week 2:
Workout 1:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x10
Workout 2:
Squat - 110 lbs - 3x5 (add 5-10 lbs to lift)
Workout 3:
Squat - 110 lbs - 3x7
…
Definitely don’t focus on bulking, especially if you’re relatively new to lifting weights. When I started out I was 5-9 about 210 lbs, and without worrying too much about diet, I dropped down to 173 lbs and had abs for the first time in my life. Right now, just focusing on lifting weights and getting stronger!
[quote]DiddlySquat wrote:
I measured my weight today I was at 135 lbs. I’ve basically cut out all junk food, except for one meal a week, which is a family bbq on the weekend. I think that’s attributed to my weight loss, plus all the cycling. I was around 142 in late July. I’m tempted to continue leaning out until the end of August (it’s only two more weeks) and then starting in September start adding mass.
My plan is to workout three times a week, squat every day and up my reps by two every workout (for all lifts).
In the example below I’m just showing how I plan to increase my squat. However, when I hit 9 reps the next workout I only increase by 1 to 10. After that, I add weight and go back to 5. Other lifts like bench, etc will progress in similar fashion.
Week 1:
Workout 1:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x5
Workout 2:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x7
Workout 3:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x9
Week 2:
Workout 1:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x10
Workout 2:
Squat - 110 lbs - 3x5 (add 5-10 lbs to lift)
Workout 3:
Squat - 110 lbs - 3x7
…
[/quote]
If your goal is going to be to hit the 1.4x bwt bench, 2x bwt squat, and 2.2x deadlift, I wouldn’t focus so much on adding reps, but more so on adding weight. What I found worked best as a beginner was working with a 5x5 program, and just once 5x5 with a certain weight was easy, I would up it by 10 lbs.
Then once your 5x5 lifts are nearing 80% of your goals for 1 rep maxes, try moving to doubles or triples, and move to 90% or more of your goal max. Then when you know that your goals are attainable, give a one rep max a try.
[quote]DiddlySquat wrote:
I measured my weight today I was at 135 lbs. I’ve basically cut out all junk food, except for one meal a week, which is a family bbq on the weekend. I think that’s attributed to my weight loss, plus all the cycling. I was around 142 in late July. I’m tempted to continue leaning out until the end of August (it’s only two more weeks) and then starting in September start adding mass.
My plan is to workout three times a week, squat every day and up my reps by two every workout (for all lifts).
In the example below I’m just showing how I plan to increase my squat. However, when I hit 9 reps the next workout I only increase by 1 to 10. After that, I add weight and go back to 5. Other lifts like bench, etc will progress in similar fashion.
Week 1:
Workout 1:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x5
Workout 2:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x7
Workout 3:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x9
Week 2:
Workout 1:
Squat - 100 lbs - 3x10
Workout 2:
Squat - 110 lbs - 3x5 (add 5-10 lbs to lift)
Workout 3:
Squat - 110 lbs - 3x7
…
[/quote]
Where did you get this program? Is it something you made up yourself? Have you been seeing results on this?
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Where did you get this program? Is it something you made up yourself? Have you been seeing results on this?
[/quote]
Yes, I made it up myself. Is it stupid?
[quote]KD10powerlifting wrote:
If your goal is going to be to hit the 1.4x bwt bench, 2x bwt squat, and 2.2x deadlift, I wouldn’t focus so much on adding reps, but more so on adding weight. What I found worked best as a beginner was working with a 5x5 program, and just once 5x5 with a certain weight was easy, I would up it by 10 lbs.
Then once your 5x5 lifts are nearing 80% of your goals for 1 rep maxes, try moving to doubles or triples, and move to 90% or more of your goal max. Then when you know that your goals are attainable, give a one rep max a try. [/quote]
Should I do the Stronglifts 5x5 program? Did you have any one 5x5 program you’d recommend?
[quote]KD10powerlifting wrote:
Definitely don’t focus on bulking, especially if you’re relatively new to lifting weights. When I started out I was 5-9 about 210 lbs, and without worrying too much about diet, I dropped down to 173 lbs and had abs for the first time in my life. Right now, just focusing on lifting weights and getting stronger![/quote]
I need to add mass. Today my pants were falling off even with my belt on. After noticing that today I’m going to stop with the weight loss and slowly start upping my calories. I don’t plan to do an “eat everything” bulk. I’m just going to add enough calories to grow at a steady rate.
[quote]DiddlySquat wrote:
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Where did you get this program? Is it something you made up yourself? Have you been seeing results on this?
[/quote]
Yes, I made it up myself. Is it stupid?[/quote]
It would be better to do one of the more popular beginner programs because you will be able to get input from others who have done them if you encounter any problems along the way.
When you feel confident of your technique and can troubleshoot your own problems with progression, you can then do your own stuff.
Stronglifts is fine.
Add a 4th day where you do:
A. Pullups/ Chin-ups
As many reps as possible in 4 sets. Try to increase weekly.
B1. Barbell/ Dumbbell Curls
B2. Tricep Pushdowns
4 × 8-12
C1. Side Raises
C2. Rear Delt Raises
4 × 12-15
For the isolation exercises, squeeze/flex the weight up hard and lower under control with the intended muscle group.
The objective is to get a pump in the muscles and develop better MMC. If you can’t feel the intended muscles doing the lifting, do not increase the weight.
For example, for triceps pushdowns, if you do them right, you should be able to get your triceps to almost cramp at lighter weights.
[quote]dt79 wrote:
You should be gaining weight. And increasing your lifts.
I completely, utterly have no bloody idea what the term “bulk” means nowadays, so let’s just use the term “gain”.
Gain
The objective is to gain muscle mass while minimizing fat gain.
This is done by:
A. Eating in a reasonable caloric excess.
B. Increasing strength in the major lifts.
Generally, a good physique will require a strength to bodyweight ratio of at least:
Bench: 1.4 times bodyweight
Squat: 2 times bodyweight
Deadlift: 2.2 times bodyweight
Give or take subject to individual leverages and genetics.
This is achieved through:
- Using common sense
Use the mirror and the scale to gauge progress weekly. Always strive to break strength PRs.
-
If you gain 5lbs in a month but your bench goes up by 3lbs, you’re getting fat.
-
If you gain 20lbs in 1 month for no rhyme nor reason just to make the scale move, you’re getting fat. And you’re fucking stupid.
BUT If you are a genetic outlier and can gain 20lbs in 1 month while increasing your bench by 100lbs, don’t change what you’re doing just because everyone else says what you’ve done is impossible.
- Consistancy in your diet
Develope good eating habits at fixed intervals in a day. Do not skip meals. Use a calorie tracker like Myfitnesspal and hold yourself accountable to meeting caloric targets.
- Intensity in the gym
Don’t just move the weights around. Explode the weight up and lower under control. See CT’s “The Perfect Rep” article.
- Do not have any pre-conceived notions of your bodytype and genetics.
Understand that we all fall on a bell curve when it comes to genetics.
A true hardgainer is as rare as an IFBB Pro. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
If you are not gaining it’s almost always due to a lack of consistancy or effort in your diet or training.
[/quote]
fantastic post!
You’re killing it here
[quote]Yogi wrote:
[quote]dt79 wrote:
You should be gaining weight. And increasing your lifts.
I completely, utterly have no bloody idea what the term “bulk” means nowadays, so let’s just use the term “gain”.
Gain
The objective is to gain muscle mass while minimizing fat gain.
This is done by:
A. Eating in a reasonable caloric excess.
B. Increasing strength in the major lifts.
Generally, a good physique will require a strength to bodyweight ratio of at least:
Bench: 1.4 times bodyweight
Squat: 2 times bodyweight
Deadlift: 2.2 times bodyweight
Give or take subject to individual leverages and genetics.
This is achieved through:
- Using common sense
Use the mirror and the scale to gauge progress weekly. Always strive to break strength PRs.
-
If you gain 5lbs in a month but your bench goes up by 3lbs, you’re getting fat.
-
If you gain 20lbs in 1 month for no rhyme nor reason just to make the scale move, you’re getting fat. And you’re fucking stupid.
BUT If you are a genetic outlier and can gain 20lbs in 1 month while increasing your bench by 100lbs, don’t change what you’re doing just because everyone else says what you’ve done is impossible.
- Consistancy in your diet
Develope good eating habits at fixed intervals in a day. Do not skip meals. Use a calorie tracker like Myfitnesspal and hold yourself accountable to meeting caloric targets.
- Intensity in the gym
Don’t just move the weights around. Explode the weight up and lower under control. See CT’s “The Perfect Rep” article.
- Do not have any pre-conceived notions of your bodytype and genetics.
Understand that we all fall on a bell curve when it comes to genetics.
A true hardgainer is as rare as an IFBB Pro. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
If you are not gaining it’s almost always due to a lack of consistancy or effort in your diet or training.
[/quote]
fantastic post!
You’re killing it here[/quote]
Thanks Yogi. I’m off work these 2 weeks and having to deal with my wife’s relatives from China visiting. When people from China visit, they come in GROUPS OF 10 and stay in your bloody home. This is time off LOL. Posting’s a great distraction.
Thanks man, time to put all this advice to work!
I’ll use this thread to update my progress.
Should I do the Stronglifts 5x5 program? Did you have any one 5x5 program you’d recommend?
[/quote]
Stronglifts 5x5 is a really good one! When I was starting out I didn’t know about it, and what I did was basically one week I would hit 5x5 for each lift, the next week 4x4, the next week 3x3 with as heavy as I could go, and then re-start like that trying to bump up 10 lbs each time. So if I started with 100 lbs 5x5 then when I came back to 5x5 I would try it with 110. Does that make sense?
That’s smart, but really all in all you just need to focus on putting on muscle. Your actual bodyweight should be your last concern, when I lost all that weight when I started I actually got bigger while I dropped 30 lbs from putting on so much muscle.
Thanks for all the advice and tips. Today I start the SL 5x5 program. LET’s see how this goes…
Good luck man!
Today was my first workout. These are the numbers I’m starting at:
Squat - 75 lbs
Bench - 75 lbs
Bent over Rows - 65 lbs
I don’t have much experience doing Bent over rows so my form was terrible. I need to work on it. I don’t even think I was hitting the right muscles when I was doing it. The bench felt too easy and lastly the squat wasn’t too bad. However, I felt like the squat should have felt super easy, but it didn’t feel like that…it still wasn’t difficult, but should it have felt like a breeze at such a light weight?
One concern I have is that I don’t have a power rack. At what lifting numbers do you think I need to get a rack? Once I get close to 200 lbs for squats, bench? I’m in the process of building a gym so I do plan to get a rack at one point.
[quote]DiddlySquat wrote:
I don’t have much experience doing Bent over rows so my form was terrible. I need to work on it. I don’t even think I was hitting the right muscles when I was doing it. The bench felt too easy and lastly the squat wasn’t too bad. However, I felt like the squat should have felt super easy, but it didn’t feel like that…it still wasn’t difficult, but should it have felt like a breeze at such a light weight?
[/quote]
The first couple of workouts are ALWAYS going to have some wonky feelings like this: some sets will feel lighter than you expected, some heavier, etc as you are figuring out the proper form and feel for all of the lifts. This will be less and less of a problem with more experience.
Don’t worry too much about the weights in the first couple weeks. You’ll get there eventually. Six months from now it won’t matter a lick whether you used 65 or 75 pounds in the very first workout.
For back exercises, google how to do a rear lat spread. Apply it to the exercise. Keep your chest up, flex the lats and pull with your elbows while retracting your shoulder blades. Do this explosively. If your chest starts to cave and you’re losing your arch, your lats are not doing the work.
This will be the same for pullups. Only you’re pulling your shoulders down.
Start light. You’ll get the feel of it gradually.
P.s.
Keep your ass flexed and abs tight to avoid injury.