Project Mass - Let's get BEEFY! (With homo-erotic back photo)

Ok, thought I'd start YET ANOTHER journal up seeing as it's new year and all.
 
On the whole, my training's been good to me with the exception of chronic knee problems no doubt caused by tight calves and glutes where I'm walking for hours on end. My lower body training has suffered a fair bit as a consequence, but I've battled on regardless.
 
Shoulders have been fantastic and can't really ask for anything more. Lower back is usually upset whenever my glutes cramp up, so I'm addressing this issue now.
 
Weighing 12.5 stone right now at 5'9". That's 175lbs in old money, or 79.5kg in new money. For some reason my body LOVES being at this weight and I'm finding it extremely hard to add anything from here without getting fatter.
 
I'm hoping to get back up to about 182lbs again and reasses from there.
 
My routine is Upper/Lower body split style, focussing on compounds with a couple of isolations thrown in here and there.
 
I'll try and do some photos at some point too.
 
My routine looks as follows:
 
Upper body 1: Weighted Dips, Weighted Chins, Chest Supported Dumbell Rows or Machine Rows, 4 sets of shoulder isolation work.
 
Lower body 1: Split Squats or leg press, Hamstring Curls, calves, core work
 
Upper body 2: Dumbell Bench Press, Pulldowns, single arm DB rows or machine rows, arms
 
Lower body 2: Front squat grip reverse lunges or single leg press, RDLs or Rack Deads from the knee, calves, core work
 
Diet: Just keep it clean and healthy, eating every 3 hours or so. I throw in some junk and have the odd slap up meal, but for the most part it's quite good.
 
Some days it's not as good as the previous because I work shifts. This really messes things up, considering that I have a very active job too it doesn't help that I can't get enough calories in.
 
Down to some training:
 
I'll start from my last lower body session which was on Friday:
 
(Not inc. warm ups)
 
Single leg press: 150kg x 2 x 8
Front squat grip reverse lunges: 60kg x 2 x 8
Rack Deads from the knee: 120kg x 5, 130kg x 2 x 5 (Easy, next time will be more)
 
Plate Woodchops: 2 x 8 each side with 10kg
Hanging leg raises: 2 x 12
 
Calve press: 150kg x 2 x 50
 
Yesterday's Upper body session:
 
Flat Dumbell Bench: 40kg dumbells x 8, 42kg x 2 x 6
Pulldowns: 84kg x 3 x 10
1 arm Dumbell Rows: 42kg x 14, 12
Machine Rows: 100kg x 2 x 10
 
Hammer Curls: 20kg x 2 x 8 supersetted with Cable Pushdowns: 2 pins up from whole stack x 2 x 8
Barbell Curls: 30kg x 15 supersetted with Cable Pushdowns: 3 pins up from whole stack x 15
 
 

good luck fella.. will follow this one! im a big fan of upper/ lower splits.. used to do something veyr similar to this that ur doin now..
1 question- is the absence of nay overhead pressing due to a previous injury?? i think i remember u talkin about shoulder problems in the past???

anyway, subbed! :-)

Hi mate,

yes, no overhead work because of past injuries. I don't really get anything from it and I've learnt (touch wood) how to not aggrovate my shoulders.

Shoulder isolation work is fine, so I'll stick with that in the mean time as long as I'm getting stronger in the other core lifts.

nice one..
to be honest mate, some shoulder iso work + benching of some form will still lead to plenty of delt growth..

That's what I'm bargaining on.

I've found that my delts have started rounding off nicely and my strength has increased so if it's not broken I won't fix it!

I'm tempted to try and see what my flat BB bench 1 rep max is because I've maxed out on the dumbells in my gym now (42s are the biggest)

Anyhow, must go and get my eat on! :)

Good luck with the beefing up! Will there be any gurning bicep disco boy pics???

Jimbo

As I know how much you like them Jimmy...yes, yes there will be.

Leggies today.

Fancied some high rep squats today with 60 seconds rest

Back squats: 60kg x 20
70kg x 4 x 20

Hamstring Curls:

2 up from bottom x 12
1 up from bottom of stack x 2 x 8

Finished off with calves and abs, 3 sets of each.

Great session.

Today's eating:
 
1) 3 whole eggs, oats + berries in milk
2) 2 x scoops of whey, small oats so simple, bagel
3) 2 x slices of bread + peanut butter, chicken + mackerel salad
4) Mexican steak, rice and beans meal
5) 2 x scoops whey in water + banana
6) wholewheat pasta, tomato sauce, veg, minced beef
7) Cottage cheese + pineapple

**** day's eating today, morning nutrition didn't go to plan because we were shovelling snow and gritting pathways rather than being tucked away having breakfast like we normally do at that time of day on that shift

1) Large bowl of oats + banana, 3 whole eggs
2) 2 scoops Whey in water
3) 2 wholemeal rolls + peanut butter, chicken breast, salad, grapes
4) 2 chicken legs, 2 chicken thighs, 5 whole eggs, cous cous
5) loads of brown rice, peas, mackerel fillet, scoop whey in water
6) 2 x scoops of whey in skimmed milk

Today's training:

Upper Body:

Weighted Parallel Bar Dips: Me + 30kg x 6 x 8

Underhand Chin Ups: Me + 20kg x 2 x 8
Neutral Grip Pull Ups: Me + 20kg x 2 x 8

Single Arm Supine Rows: Me x 2 x 8
Chest Supported Prone Dumbell Rows: 40kg DBs x 2 x 10

Lat Raises: 12.5kg DBs x 2 x 12
Bent Over Rear Lat Raises: 12.5kg DBs x 2 x 12

DONE.

I'm loving the high volume parallel bar dipping, the pumps are immense and leave an insane sense of satisfaction after I've finished doing them. I'm certain that I could throw an extra 5-10kg on the belt and still hit 8 reps for less sets.

Here's a back photo from a couple of days ago, completely cold and unpumped.

Shockingly bad work out yesterday. Was meant to be legs, but turned out to be just purely ****e.

Barbell Split Squats: 80kg x 3 x 8 - last set I got tendon pain in my left knee.
RDLs: 100kg x 3 x 8 - these felt weak for some reason, I can usually do alot more but didn't want to push it.
Single Leg RDLs: 32.5kg DBs x 1 x 8

Finished with some hanging leg raises and calves

Solid looking back and very impressive dippage!
 
Jimbo

Cheers mr Rat

Today's workout:

Dumbell Bench: 42kg DBs x 7, 5 (****) 40kg DBs x 8
Supersetted with:
OH Lat Pulldowns: 91kg x 3 x 8

I blame the heavier pulldowns for the poor benching performance

Chest Supported Machine Rows: 104kg x 8, 108kg x 8, 7

Barbell Curls: 40kg x 8 - bicep tendon started flaring up
Supersetted with tricep pushdowns: 2 pins from bottom x 8

Hammer Curls: 20kg DBs x 8 (these felt better)
supersetted with tricep pushdowns: 2 pins from bottom x 10

**** workout all in all. Not happy.

Yesterday I started getting a pain in my left knee, today I woke up and it's hard to walk on.

Got some sports massage booked anyway for today coicidentally, so that's going to be the focus for it I reckon.

Fancied doing some volume training for a few weeks just to let a few niggles go down.

Today I did 'back'. All for 60 seconds rest

Neutral Grip Pull ups: 15, 13, 11, then 1 set of 8 overhand pull ups
1 arm DB Row: 40kg x 10, 42kg x 2 x 10
Chest Supported Incline DB Rows: 35kg DBs x 3 x 10
Pull Downs: 77kg on stack x 3 x 10
Chest Supported Incline Row Machine: 1 pin from bottom x 3 x 8

Finished off with 2 sets of stiff arm pulldowns and supine pull up supersets

I make that around 20 sets

Did some hill sprints last night.

The niggle in my arm is probably better left to rest, so tomorrow I'm going to train legs, then a day off, then maybe a hill sprint session. Should be fine after that.

Hey mate, not on here that often but just popping in to say good luck, I'll be joining you in the quest for size in a month or so's time...16" guns or bust

We'll see! I won't be betting my mother on it though.

Yesterday's workout:

Back Squats: 50kg x 20, 75kg x 5 x 20!
Ham Curls: 2 pins up from bottom x 4 x 12

Calves and abs, DONE.

Had some sports massage on my calves, hams and arm today.

Forearm is still tight and niggly, but I'm optimistic it'll be okay soon enough. Squats and sprints should keep me happy until it's sorted.