A Scot in Clapham - Now in search of mass!

Seeing as my last journal post has been removed, probably because I wasn't updating it enough...I'm now 8 weeks into my Frankies 5x5 push/pull routine and trying to gain.

When I started (all weights do not include bar wieght) :

Powercleans : 30
Barbell Rows : 50
Hammer curls : 18

Close grip bench press : 50
Dumbell bench press : 20
Shoulder press : 20

Weighted crunches : 10

Yes I haven't been doing legs because I need them for basketball, and have an ankle injury that Im still getting over.

Now after 8 weeks my stats are as follows :

Powercleans : 35
Barbell Rows : 70 (well chuffed with this!!)
Hammer curls : 20

Close grip bench press : 55
Dumbell bench press : 22
Shoulder press : 25

Weighted crunches : 20

Happy with the gains Ive made as I've tried my best to eat plenty but sometimes I suspect I've not been doing it properly and eating enough. Only supp Im using right now is whey/malto, after I've finished my 12 weeks with this routine I'll have my week off, order some CEE caps, more whey and malto and change the exercises.

Training day diet goes like this :

Wake : boal of oats, cup of coffee/whey in water or 3 eggs and 2 slices of brown toast

Train drinking lots of water!

PWO : 2 scoops whey scoop of malto in water

PPWO : 100g wholemeal pasta, 150g chicken, mixed veg or 100g wholemeal pasta, tin of sardines, mixed veg

Lunch : 100g wholemeal pasta, 150g chicken/tin of tuna/sardines, mixed veg or wholemeal chicken/tuna sandwich with lettuce/cucumber and peppers or 3 egg omelette with onions/peppers/mixed veg and 2 slices of wholemeal bread

Dinner : 100g wholemeal pasta/potatoes/rice, 150g chicken/mine/fresh fish and mixed veg, glass of milk/scoop of whey in water if I feel I need it and a piece of fruit

Last meal : wholemeal chicken/tuna sandwich with mixed veg or 100g quark, nuts or scoop whey in milk, peice of fruit

I also eat olives whenever I get a hold of them and include them in almost evey meal, take 2 flaxseed capsules per day and a multivit tablet. I know this is far from ideal and I will be changing this in the next few weeks, probably after my 12 weeks are up.

Thanks for reading and any comments are welcome!!

Ok it's the last week of this bulk, after Wednesdays pull session it's one week off and changing around the exercises, going to get some CEE to help as well and then back on a 10 - 12 week bulk. I've managed to put on 2 - 3 kg of bodyweight during this first one so here's hoping I'll put on more!

Today was push

Shoulder press

5, 5, 5, 5 @ 45kg, 5 @ 47kg (weight includes bar)

Dumbell bench press

5, 5, 5, 5, 5 @ 26kg each arm

Dips

5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Never done these before but there were no benches free to do close grip bench presses but pretty chuffed!

Weighted crunches

10, 10, 10 @ 20kg plates on my chest

Will add my Wednesday stats on er, Wednesday!

Okay thats me for a week and a bit, managed quite well today!

Barbell row

5, 5, 5, 5 ,5 @ 94kg

Hammer curls

5, 5, 5, 4, 4 @ 20kg each arm

Powercleans

5, 5, 5, 5, 5 @ 54kg

Going to change the exercises in my routine when I get back to these :

Push

Barbell bench press
Tricep dips
Barbell shoulder press

Pull

Barbell curls
Dumbell rows
Deadlift

Legs

Squats
Barbell SLDL
Weighted calf raises

Will be doing weighted crunches on push and legs day. Going to start using CEE as well and hopefully see better results combined with my diet

Hey CDJ,

I’m toying with trying the 5 x 5 system as I keep reading good things!! I’ll keep a close eye to see what sort of progress you make!!

Good luck mate!!!

Cheers mate, I think I may have to change the exercises around a bit because I'm moving home for the summer to work and the gym here has no power racks and the dumbells are not heavy enough for me! There is a smith though...

I've made good progress with my first 5x5 routine, gaining up to 25kg on previous lifts after 11 weeks so Im sticking with the 5x5 but changing the exercises to give my body a bit of variation so I can keep gaining! Good luck with your own 5x5 mate!!

Didn't notice your weight or height mate?

Oh sorry, I meant 25kg's as in exercise. I've gained 3 - 5kg in body weight over the 11 weeks, which brings me to 80kg at 6ft tall, not great I know but I've just started following this bodybuilding programme strictly so over time I should gain more

will be droppin' mate

Same sort of stats as me mate, would be interested to see some photos!

Cheers mate so would I!
Thing is I don't have any, I'll get a vid of my new pb's though.

lol, okay guys, once I get the cable for my camera phone I'll pop some up

I’m looking to get some progress shots up by the end of the evening, should be worth a laugh

Started the new routine today with pull

Dumbell rows

5, 5, 5, 5 @ 38kg per arm, 5 @ 40kg per arm, will be changing to 40kg next week

Hammer curls

5, 5, 5, 5, 5 @ 20kg per arm, will switch to 22kg next week

Deadlifts

5 @ 50kg, 5 @ 60kg, 5 @ 70kg, 5 @ 80kg

Was getting my technique correct for the deadlift at the beginning with the help from another guy in the gym, think I've nailed it so will be going for a PB then doing 80% of it 5x5 next week. Pics to follow shortly!

Good luck chilleddj, what are the main goals you have in mind? Is this as a way of improving basketball physical ability?

Edit: was gonna say your diet isn't the terrible IMO, you could do with adding a bit more fats, to the meal last thing at night as this will slow the digestion of the protein and reduce the length of time you are fasting

Thanks for the positive feedback mate, how would you suggest adding more fats in?

Goals are bulking around my upper body to give me more presence in the post area and strength for driving to the basket, leg work out will be specifically designed for power to give me more of a leap! A nice side effect of this is to make me feel better about myself

Some sources of fats that I take evening time with the protein to slow the release are peanut butter, cottage cheese with oatcakes. I get a dirty look from the missus if I have mackeral (sp) with oatmeal, but it is another one I try.
I also go for avocados with prawns and salmon.
But if you're diet is working I wouldn't change it much

Yeah I sometimes have peanut butter on wholegrain bread or a sardine sandwich on aforementioned bread as well

I went climbing with my girlfriend on Sunday which totally killed my grip and gave my upper body a good workout so I've only just made it back into the gym today. First push day of the new routine.

Shoulder press

5 @ 43kg, 5, 5, 5, 5 @ 46kg Will up it to 48kg next workout as I was working pretty hard to get the last few reps of 46kg out at the end

Dumbell bench

5, 5, 5, 5, 5 @ 26kg each arm Will try 28kg next time but don't expect to complete the 3 - 4 sets, we'll see...

Close grip barbell bench

5 @ 44kg, 5 @ 46kg, 5 @ 48kg, 5, 5 @ 50kg Will try 52kg next workout

Weighted crunches

13, 13, 13 @ 20kg plates on my chest Again will up next time

So far so good I think, now, time for the sardines and wholemeal pasta

Todays legs day went pretty well considering I've been off it for so long, avoiding legs because of my ankles.

Squats

8 @ 60kg, 8 @ 65kg, 8 @ 70kg Will start with 75kg next week

SLDL

5 @ 60kg, 5 @ 65kg, 5, 5, 5 @ 70kg Again, will start with 75kg next week

Weighted calf raises

15, 15, 15 @ 28kg dumbells in each had There was no power rack/smith free but will try using them next time and see what stats I can push out

Weighted crunches

13, 13, 13 @ 20kg plates on my chest

Today's pull went well

Deadlifts

5, 5, 5, 5 @ 80kg, 5 @ 85kg

Dumbell rows

5, 5, 5, 5, 5 @ 40kg each arm

Hammer curls

5, 5, 5, 4, 4 @ 20kg each arm

Felt really tired when it came to the hammer curls which is why I couldn't complete the final set of, probably due to the effort put in to the first two exercises! I think I need to invest in some CEE caps to keep me going for that bit longer but money is a bit tight at the moment, hopefully I'll be able to secure a job soon and be able to get some!