T Nation

Tackling Next Goal

Bodybuilding
#1

Hi everyone I am new here and have been lurking for a while but I now have set some new goals and have some questions.I am 5’9 maybe 5’10 and I weigh 178 lbs at maybe 15 % bf.At one point I was 155 lbs but I gained some muscle over 3 months sadly not all of it was muscle.

Training wise I tend to focus on total body training with maybe a saturday of isolation work for biceps other and body parts.Nutrition wise I can eat very clean when I want to but there are times I cheat.

Now my goals are to gain some muscle but look lean. I would like to be around 180 lbs of lean mass with about 7-8 % bf. I have great admiration towards that bodies of old body builders like Steve Reeves and would like to achieve something similar.

I am about to have a 4 and a half month vacation from school and was hoping I could reach my goals by then. Is it possible?

#2

I say it is achievable, but it’s all on you. You have to have the drive, willpower, determination, and mindset to do so, among other factors. Train smart, diet smart, and you will see results.

One question: How did you score 4 1/2 months off from school? Nice work.

#3

[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
I say it is achievable, but it’s all on you. You have to have the drive, willpower, determination, and mindset to do so, among other factors. Train smart, diet smart, and you will see results.

One question: How did you score 4 1/2 months off from school? Nice work.[/quote]

I graduated highschool early and have earned a good amount of college credit so I am going to take a semester off which is around 4 1/2 months.

#4

A question are there any exercises I should avoid that will give me a larger waist like wide stance squats, and deadlifts?

#5

How long have you been working out? What do you dead and squat and bench?

If you have been working out less then a year then just do the beginners blast off program and don’t worry about anything but eating clean and getting stronger. I believe that will move you toward your goal faster then microanalyzing things at this point. On the other hand if you can double body weight squat or dead, or 1.5 body weight bench, then you know enough to put the info available to you here to work. Nobody wants to be a beginner or intermediate but most folks are. Don’t let ego get in the way of progressing.

#6

I have been lifting for about 4 years 2 yrs seriously , problem was that I ran alot so alot of potential muscle/mass was lost.

I dont deadlift so often don’t know why , But the last time I DL I got 5 reps with 215lbs. My 1RM squatting is about 200-215 lbs.

#7

I am planning on doing fullbody workouts, for my goals would 4 weekly sessions or 3 be better?

#8

So I have been reading through some of the programs and have decided to follow Chad’s HFT guidelines and build my own routine. Do these set/rep scheme look good?

mon:5x5
tues:3x10
wed:4x6
thurs:off
fri:4x8
sat:3x12
sun:off

#9

Can anyone give any input on exercises I should incorporate more or stay away from? Here is a sample week:

Mon:5x5
a1)db bench press
a2)close stance squat
b1)DB military press
b2)weighted pull-up
c1)seated row
c2)dips

tues:3x10
a1)romanian deadlift
a2)incline db press
b1)split squat
b2)lat pull-down
c1)lateral raise
c2)straight arm pulldown

wed:4x6
a1)decline bench press
a2)stiff leg deadlift
b1)chin up
b2)lunge
c1)reverse fly’s
c2)tricep rope pull down

thurs:off

fri:4x8
a1)flatbench
a2)barbell row
b1)back squat
b2)t-bar row
c1)db pull over
c2)e-z bar curl

sat:3x12
a1)incline db press
a2)seated row
b1)db upright row
b2)lat pull down
c1)close grip dip
c2)incline db curls