Ru Anderson - Journey to the Stage 2012

Hello guys,
Here is my very own Transformation! 
I was a typical skinny lad who had an interest to gain muscle. I spent many years following magazine programs and there nutrition plans with no avail. The fast muscle gain and quick fat loss promises they made were simply not true.
This picture is me at the ripe old age of 16, around 10 stone. This is when I decided that my body had to change, but very little seemed to happen for a long time! 

 
After making my way through a host of free workouts (some very well known) and following typical bodybuilding diet plans I had totally transformed my body…….. for the worse!! I had gone from being under weight to over weight and still no closer to my ideal body.


 
In the above picture, I weighed a huge 15 stone and felt/looked like rubbish!
 
Most of us have a time when we see a picture of ourselves and decide that it is not how we want to look (or thought we looked in my case), so we do something about it. The above picture was my cue. However I had already tried all the exercise programs, all the expensive nutritional supplements and consumed the high protein diet so I was unsure of the missing link…........'Personalised Nutrition'.  
 
What I mean by 'Personalised Nutrition' is an eating plan that is designed for YOU to work in perfect sync with your body. I have spent years of my spare time reading about weight loss and muscle gain and the quickest way to achieve it. However it is only after I experiment with it can I make my final judgement. Over the last few years I have devised a diet plan that finally works and has allowed me and my clients to gain muscle & achieve weight loss, at the same time. 
 
The results:


 
It is possible to achieve your perfect/ideal body, even without good genetics, expensive nutritional supplements and drugs. It is a matter of wanting it so badly, that you are willing to make sacrifices that many simply cannot even comprehend. 
 
I always have goals, and this progress journal is one of them - to help others achieve their physique goals. I still have a long journey ahead of me, nobody is perfect, but this journal will hopefully help me enjoy it that little bit more! 

Current Goal: get super lean and jump on stage (1st time)
 
So it starts now - clean diet and hard training!
 
I plan to get some pictures up on a weekly basis - first ones will be put up this weekend.
 
Here are a couple of pictures from 2 years ago when I dropped some weight:


 
And this is a short video from May last year:
http://www.youtube.com/wa...J-NUNtS5UL_uLxin3KjEHd
 
My current weight is 173LBs as of this morning.
If people are interested in my current diet and training then just ask and I will post it up in detail.
 
Cheers

Awesome physique in those pics. Zyzz-esque in terms of shape and leanness.
 
Any pics of what you look like now?
 
Good luck

Thanks buddy. I plan on getting some more recent pictures this weekend when my training partner is around.
Tonight's workout looked like this;
A1. Seated overhead press from pins - work up heavy 3x2 (reps/sets)
B1. Thick barbell standing overhead military press - 5 x 6 (reps/sets) (wave loading pattern i.e. alternate the weight on the bar every set -usually by around 2.5kg)
B2. Heavy cable shrugs in between sets of pressing 
C1. Incline bench press - 5 x 6 (reps/sets) (wave loading)
C2. Leaning over dumbell rows in between sets of benching
D1. Hack Squat 5x 6 (reps/sets) 
D2. Calf raises in hack squat in between sets of squats 

This is a medium volume week. I'll post up all my training this week which will give a better indication of it - but thats the basics!

Todays training:
A1 Flat bench press from pins - work up heavy 3x2 (reps/sets) 
B1. Incline bench press - 5 x 6 (reps/sets) (wave loading) 
B2. Leaning over dumbell rows in between sets of benching 
C1. Thick barbell standing overhead military press - 5 x 6 (reps/sets) (wave loading pattern i.e. alternate the weight on the bar every set -usually by around 2.5kg) 
C2. Heavy dumbbell shrugs in between sets of pressing 
D1. Hack Squat 5x 6 (reps/sets)  
D2. Calf raises in hack squat in between sets of squats  

Very similar to yesterday but more chest volume. 

What exactly is your routine mate? Looks like you just did two fairly high volume full body sessions on consecutive days?

I'll post up my daily routine every day for while so can you get a feel for it. But yea, it is always a full body session except when I train back and arms together. The next two days will be more legs focused. 
 
Todays session - Back and Arms
A1. Back circuit on Cables with rope - I set up 3-4 exercises using the cables and rope to get some blood into my back and help me 'feel' it better. 
B1. Back curcuit with compounds - Again I set up 4-5 exercises and go through them in a circuit (depending on business of gym) Tonight I did - seated cable row, pull ups, one arm dumbell row, pull down, cable stretchers. Repeated this 3 times.
C1. Dumbell curl 3 sets of 10-12
C2. Behind neck dumbell press 3 sets of 10-12 
D1. Bicep circuit - 3-5 exercises set up to really pump the muscle - did 2 rounds of this
D2. Tricep circuit - 3-5 exercises to work the long head of tricep - did 2 rounds of this
 
Oh, and down 1lb today - 172lbs.

Tonight's training:
A1 Back Squat - Worked up to 5 rep max - usually about 6 sets+
B1 Hack Squat - 6 sets of 5 reps (wave loaded)
B2 Seated calf raises (max reps)
C1. Incline Bench Press - 6 sets of 5 reps (wave loaded)
C2. Seated rear delt machine - Heavy 1/2 ROM for 40+ reps per set 

Big weekend of training ahead - 2 twice a days Saturday & Sunday. Mornings will be fasted. 

Bring it!

Start of diet Pictures:
 



 
Some work to do!

Big weekend of training:Saturday AM: Total body isolations circuits
A1. Shoulder Circuit - 4-6 exercises to isolate the shoulders and cause deep fatigue - 3 rounds 
B1. Chest Circuit - As above
C1. Back Circuit - As above
D1. Arm Circuit - As above
 
Sat PMA1. Bent over dumbell swings - 40+ reps x 3
A2. Lean away lateral raises 
B1. Standing dumbell swings - 40+ reps - drop set 
C1. Cable laterals 3 sets - max reps
D1. Isometric holds and stretching techniques for shoulders 
E1. Leg circuit - 5 exercises to focus on pumping the quad muscles - 3 rounds
 
Sunday AM: Total body isolations circuits
A1. Shoulder Circuit - 4-6 exercises to isolate the shoulders and cause deep fatigue - 3 rounds
 B1. Chest Circuit - As above
C1. Back Circuit - As above
D1. Arm Circuit - As above
High Volume sets this week - bring it!

LOL, I love that, you are leaner in your 'start of diet' pictures than I have ever been in my life. If I am anywhere near your 'start of diet' condition when I finish my cut I'd be delighted!

Hi mate, and welcome to MT!
 
greap shape already, and very lean, should do well mate if you get in the correct class.
 
possibly the most complex training programme ever... lol! Im not understanding your numbers and letters system, a1, a2, d2, e1 etc etc.
 
 

dazc

possibly the most complex training programme ever... lol!

 
x2... haha.
 
Would also be interesting to see what kind of numbers you're putting up in your sessions, rather than just saying sets x reps, etc.

x3 
PT's for ya ;) lol
Great arms and shoulders!!!

Edit

   Edit

MRENIGMA


x3 
PT's for ya ;) lol
Great arms and shoulders!!!

 
Thanks budddy! 
 
I am a qualified PT but I work full time as a land surveyor. 

dazc


Hi mate, and welcome to MT!

greap shape already, and very lean, should do well mate if you get in the correct class.

possibly the most complex training programme ever... lol! Im not understanding your numbers and letters system, a1, a2, d2, e1 etc etc.

Thanks mate, I will fall into the lightweights I believe.  
  
A1 A2 means in a superset/circuit type style, then B1 B2 would be the next exercise pairing. Hope that clears it up.  
  
And yea, it does look bloody complicated when written down - but I promise it's not.... 

citizankane
 
x2... haha.  
   
Would also be interesting to see what kind of numbers you're putting up in your sessions, rather than just saying sets x reps, etc.  

 


I would post up my weights used but I don't think it really helps anyone? 
  
I'll give you some maxes instead: 
Bench: 170kg  
Squat: 220kg 
Deadlift: 200kg 
  
Deadlift is below par but I haven't trained it since a started lifting - it simply drains me too much.  

 

good numbers there mate!

Tonights session
A1. Seated overhead press from pins - work up heavy 3x2 (reps/sets)
B1. Thick barbell standing overhead military press - 5 x 10 (reps/sets) (wave loading pattern i.e. alternate the weight on the bar every set -usually by around 2.5kg)
B2. Heavy cable shrugs in between sets of pressing 
C1. Incline bench press - 5 x 10 (reps/sets) (wave loading)
C2. Leaning over dumbell rows in between sets of benching
D1. Hack Squat 5x 10 (reps/sets) 

High volume week, hence the number of sets.