Thought I would start a journal to keep track of progress and for motivation.
Bit about me, was chubby around 15, decided I would change this, managed to go from around 9 and a half stone at 5`6 to under 8 stone, done in a very unhealthy way on ****e food, near enough no protien, low calories and lots and lots of press ups, sit ups, running and biking.

Was happy for a while, started feeling small, got some weights given to me by a family member, plenty of ****ing around doing a full body workout every night for a couple of months. Did some research on exercises, led me to bodybuilding sites, decided that’s the route for me. where I started my plan to get bigger.

Around 9 stone at this point.
Bench 26kg couple of shakey reps, deadlift 46kg for about 5-6 reps, OH press around 20kg.
Went from around 1000-1200 calories a day to 3000 a day with plenty of protein over the next week or so.
Went onto a 4 days split, day 1 Chest, day 2 Deadlifts, 3 Rest, 4 Legs, 5 Shoulders, 6 + 7 rest.
Over the following 18 months, I got to 14stone 8 at heaviest, then back down to 14stone 2 at 5`7.
This I believe was only so much due to age and being on such low calories for quite a while.

Previous lifts.
Bench 1 rep max 95kg, Slow down, 1 second pause, and up with no spotter. 80kg for 10, 66kg for 8 sets of 8.
Deadlift to 175 for a single, 150 for around 7-8.
BB Bent over row, 66kg for 4 sets of 8.
Clean + OH press, 82 single. 46kg for sets of 10.
Clean + front squat, never moved any decent weight because I couldn’t clean enough, so used to twat my legs going from 26kg up, in sets of 10 with 30second breaks till I couldn’t stand.

Trying to find some pics from my smallest, have to root through family albums etc, will upload the ones from my heaviest soon.
Best measurements were at 14stone 2,
Chest - 47inches
Waist - 34inches
Right quad - 29inches
Left quad - 28inches
Right arm tensed - 17 and a bit
Left arm tensed - just under 17
Right calf - 17 and a smidge
Left calf - 16 ½
Right forearm - 13
Left forearm - 12
Stopped training when I started working, wish I hadn’t now, I could be in alrite nick now.
Learnt that I have alrite genetics for adding size to my frame, but not for being lean.

So starting again here;
Current stats;
Age - 18
Weight - 13stone 8
Chest - 45.5 inches
Waist - 36inches
Right arm - 15.5inches
Left arm - just under 15inches
Right calf - 16.5inches
Left calf - 16 inches
Right quad - just shy of 27inches
Left quad - 26
Right and left forearm - 12inches
All in all not massively different from before the layoff.

Here I am 9 month on, went to start again on January first, 14 stone 10, not too bad nick for building on, 2 session in, ill, knocked me for weeks, lost weight, down to 13stone 8, looked terrible, pics from new year, and just before I started at 13` 8 to follow.

Sessions to date, nobody will be interested in these, just getting them typed up to look back on and track progress. Feel week as a kitten.

All benching is done with a slow controled deccent, 1-2 second pause on the chest, with a slow press.
BB bent over rows are held at the top to my chest before a slow deccent.
Deads are held for 1-2seconds at the top.
Squats all the way as far as my flexibility allows, 1-2 second pause and back up.

Jan 28th - Back - BB bent over row - 26kg - 10 - 10 - 39kg -10 -10 - 52kg - 8 - 8 - 8
Loaded one end of the bar, one end in a corner, to row with - 40kg - 10 -10

Jan 30th - Shoulders - clean + OH press - 26kg -8 - 8 -39kg - 8 - 8 - 8 - 26kg - 10 - 10 - 9


Feb 5th - Deadlifts - 66kg - 5 - 5 - 79kg - 5 - 5 - 94kg - 5 - 107 kg - 5 - 119kg - 5 - 125kg - 3
Happy, set a target of 100kg for at least 1, pleased with how it went.

Feb 10th - Chest - Flat bench - 26kg - 10 - 39kg - 10 - 46kg - 8 - 54kg - 6 - 59kg - 6
Incline - 46kg - 10 - 39kg - 10 - 26kg - 9

Feb 17th - Shoulders - clean + OH press - 26kg - 10 - 10 - 10 - 39kg - 6 - 39kg - 6 - 39kg - 8
39kg - 8 - 26kg - 10 - 26kg - 10 - 26kg - 10

Feb 18th - Deadlifts - 66kg - 5 - 5 - 86kg - 5 - 5 - 5 - 99kg - 5 - 112kg - 5 - 5 - 125kg - 5
Happy with the improvement, just getting used to driving through the heels and not pulling so much with me
back and I`ll be on me way again.

Feb 20th - Back BB bent over row - 26kg - 10 - 10 - 10 - 39kg - 10 - 10 - 46kg - 8 - 8 - 8 - 59kg - 6 - 46kg - 10

Feb 21st - Chest - Flat bench - 26kg -10 - 8 - 39kg - 8 - 8 - 46kg - 8 - 8 - 54kg - 6 - 59kg - 6 - 46kg -10 46kg - 8 - 26kg - 20 - dips set of 8.


Feb 25th - shoulders - Clean + OH press - 26kg - 8 - 8 - 8 - 39kg - 6 - 6 - 46kg - 6 - 6 - 5 - 7
Feeling better, changed my grip width and managed more reps on the last set.

Feb 26th - Deadlifts - Felt really weak didn’t expect much, only around 4 - 5 hours sleep.
66kg - 6 - 5 - 86kg - 4 - 4 - 4 - 99kg - 4 - 4 - 4 - 112kg - 4 - 125kg - 8
Pleasantly surprised.

Feb 27th - Flat bench - 26kg - 8 - 8 - 39kg - 8 - 8 - 46kg - 6 - 6 - 54kg - 6 - 59kg - 6 -
63kg - 6 - 66kg - 6 - 46kg 15 touch and go no lockout.

March 1st - Back - BB bent over rows - 26kg - 8 - 8 - 8 - 39kg - 8 - 8 - 46kg - 8 - 8 - 8 - 59kg - 8
Meant to drop to 46kg but somehow forgot to unload the bar, pulled 1 rep, noticed, carried
On and managed another 8 with 59kg, - 46kg - 13 ½.

March 2nd - Legs - Clean front squat, 30 seconds rest between sets makes for interesting times.
26kg - 10 - 10 - 10 - 39kg - 8 - 8 - 8 - 46kg - 8 - 8.

March 4th - Shoulders - Clean + Press - 26kg - 8 - 8 - 8 - 39kg - 6 - 6 - 46kg - 6 - 6 - 6 - 6 - 52kg - 5½
Triceps gave out so couldn’t get past half way, think next week I`ll do some close grip benching with some incline then back to flat week after.

March 6th - Normally deadlift day, legs are still fried, and my back keeps getting horrendous pumps, so I`ll give them a
miss this week.
Cleans as I`m doing these a lot of the time, worth increasing the weight I can clean.
26kg - 8 - 8 - 39kg - 6 - 6 - 46kg - 6 - 6 - 52kg - 6

Overall happy so far, doms arnt as bad the next day, weight and reps seem to be creeping up, up to 14stone 4 not eating as much as I should be though, bit hit and miss so far, most days about 4500-5000cals, some days 3000.

Going to keep going like this, try to leave 6 days between sessions so I feel fresh and can have a good session.
Shoulders, Deadlifts, Chest, Back, Legs is how I`ll keep it, so doms doesn’t affect any other sessions.
Reps and sets arnt decided, I`ll just gauge it on how I feel like I always have done that’s when my gains are best.

Goals;
Consistant training is the first thing, don’t really have any other specific goals, not bothered about being lean, would prefer to be bulky, so I`ll just keep plugging adding weight to me and the bar and see where I end up.

Quite a lot there, wont get read but never mind.
Any general comments or advise is welcome.

Chest tonight.
Flatt BB benching - 26kg - 8 - 8 - 39kg - 8 - 8 - 46kg - 6 - 6 - 54kg - 6 - 59kg - 6 - 65 - 6 - 69kg - 6 - 74kg - 4 - straight into 46kg - 16 - only just manage it.

Feeling better now, a lot more comfortable than last session. Could have maybe squezed an extra rep on the 74kg but train alone with no spotter.

Back tomorow.

Back today.
Bent over BB row.
26kg - 8 - 8 - 8
39kg - 8 - 9
46kg - 8 - 8 - 8
59kg - 8 - 8 - 10 - Only just got the last rep.
46kg - 16

30 mins done.
Happy with the extra set and 2 reps with 59kg.
Extra 6 reps with 46kg too.
Didnt expect that as ive only had 1 meal today.

good lifts and stats mate and at 18, its very good, theres a few of us 18 year old flying around. good to keep each other on target and motivated

You are not your Job
You're not how much money you have in the Bank
You're not the car you Drive
You're not the contents of your Wallet
You're not your ****in Khakis
You are the all singing all dancing crap of the World.

Cheers for popping in Adam.
Ye ive been suprised by the lifts so far, seem to be making ok progress.
Just had a scan through your journal, your getting some good sessions in mate well done, i`ll keep an eye on it.

Right, ive got some photos from the 23rd of january before training, and some ive just taken as progress today.
Could anyone suggest a good site to upload them to so i can post the links in here please?
Preferably somewhere i can stick them in seperate albums cheers.

The last 3 darker pics are from jan 23rd, other 4 from today.

Link

Weight in the first pics is 13stone 10-12pounds.
Weight this morning on 11hours sleep before breafast, 14stone 6 at 5 foot 7
Dont think i look that different.

Legs tonight.
Same as usual, burn them out as fast as i could because i have no squat rack so heavy weights are a no go.
Set breaks between 25-40seconds, 40 when ive got to add a bit more weight.
Keeping quads tensed all the time, getting the reps done fast.

Clean + front squat
26kg - 8 - 8 - 8
39kg - 8 - 8
46kg - 8 - 8
54kg - 8 - 8

Looks pathetic, is pathetic, but it was thoroughly uncomfortable due to horrendous cardio ability, and the legs were wobbly after.

Shoulders today.
Clean + Push press
26kg strict press - 8 - 8 - 8
39kg strict press - 8 - 6
46kg slight leg drive - 6 - 6 - 6
59kg - 6 - 4

Clean + static hold, 59kg - 36seconds. Held in level with chin.
Didnt expect any improvement on last session so pleased really.

I read most of your first post but missed random bits when I let my eyes wonder onto the next paragraph. Very good lifting there. From your newest workouts it seems you've lost abit of strength? Was this down to cutting or stopping for a while?

Look beefy in those pics. You still 5'7?

Age - 18
Bench - 95kg (at 63kg)
Deadlift - 120 (at 63kg)
Front Squat - 92.5kg (at 62kg)

I can understand that mate, long post.
Ye ive had 9 months off with no exercise at all, no walking or anything, so all could be worse.
Ye i`m still 5 foot 7, not good being small is it, 5`6 yourself arnt you?
Ive had a good scan through your journal mate, your consistency is impressive mate, good stuff.

ORIGINAL: dale1989


I can understand that mate, long post.
Ye ive had 9 months off with no exercise at all, no walking or anything, so all could be worse.
Ye i`m still 5 foot 7, not good being small is it, 5`6 yourself arnt you?
Ive had a good scan through your journal mate, your consistency is impressive mate, good stuff.

Well it has its ups and downs. We look alot bigger in pics for one.. We look bigger with less 'actual size' to. Would like to be about 5'11 idealy though. Want be lifting heavey in the future but not looking like a square. Too big at 5'6 will look abit silly imo.

Hopfully I can push out another inch

Will keep popping in every now and then.

GL

Age - 18
Bench - 95kg (at 63kg)
Deadlift - 120 (at 63kg)
Front Squat - 92.5kg (at 62kg)

Ye there are a few ups, wouldnt like to be any taller really, taller peoples gains appear slower.
I think i`ll be heading towards strength myself soon as i get into a gym.
As long as you keep your wasit in check you wont be looking like a square.

Cheers for dropping in mate.

Cleans today, i dont do a front squat with these, they go right up to my shoulders, so more a power clean?
26kg - 6 - 6
39kg - 6 - 6
46kg - 6 - 6
59kg - 6 - 6

Much better than last session. Struggled the last 2 reps on 54kg last session. All easy tonight now i`m getting the drive from the shrug and pushing my hips through faster.

Chest today.

Flat BB Bench.
26kg - 8 - 8
All with 1 second pause on the chest from now on.
39kg - 8 - 8
46kg - 6
56kg - 6
66kg - 4
76kg - 4
83kg - 2 - done just to test the water for next week. 2nd touch and go.
Straight into - 46kg - 23

Different approach to normal, decided to do it this way last night, planned it up untill the 66 then just played by ear.
Delts still a bit fried from shoulders, going to change things around from now on, do a low rep higher weight session for chest, next shoulder session, higher reps light weights, switching from heavy chest to heavy shoulders.
All felt very comfortable, much better than last session, should have gone better, poor eating meant i felt shattered.

Back today.
Bent over BB rows.
26kg - 8 - 8
39kg - 9 - 8
46kg - 8 - 8 - 8
59kg - 8 - 8 - 8
46kg - 18

All felt shockingly hard work, really crap session., but didnt back pedal too much.

BB curls
26kg - 8 - 6

Biceps absurdly pumped after this, they havnt done anything in ages, they dont get worked when doing back either, i felt a bit stupid after this lol.

Back playing up today, didnt fancy shoulders due to this.
Had a quick mess around at triceps.
Close grip bench.
26kg - 10 - 10 - 10
39kg - 8 - 8
47kg - 8 - 8
Was enjoying these, started to get awkward racking the weight due to the width of the sh!te rack on the bench ive got.
BB overhead tricep extentions - 19kg - 8 - 8
Didnt like the feel of them, felt too awkward.
Tried some pushups with my hands in the middle, did 6, wrists started hurting.
Then picked a dumbell up and did some overhead extensions, right one gave in after 8, left after 5.
All in all, from this ive decided i wont be training triceps on there own, nothing felt natural other than the close grip benching.

Might attempt deads tomorow if me back aint playing up again.

Still had the lowerback pain this morning.
Decided to workout anyway.

Deadlifts.
66kg - 4 - 4
86kg - 4 - 4
99kg - 4 - 4
112kg - 4
125kg - 10

Back feels great now, back to normal.
Really focused on form today so my lifts were`nt as backy as usual.
All felt really really easy, last set i just completely ran out of puff at 8, could have pushed to 12 i think.
Wish i could start going higher with weight, more wont fit on though because i use the york style vinyl weights at home.
Plus the bar is finished in a lovely slippy smooth chrome style which doesnt help.
Going to do the same each workout, untill i can hit 20reps on the 125, and i may continue to increase the reps, or try something else.

Chest today, Flat bench.

26kg - 8 - 8
39kg - 8 - 8
46kg - 6
59kg - 6
70kg - 4
80kg - 3
87kg - 1
All the above paused for around a second on the chest, all very nice and smooth, could have pushed another 5kg, but no spotter so rather not.
66kg - 8
46kg - 19
Happy with this, thinking of doing sets with 70kg next week.

ORIGINAL: AdamSimpson

good lifts and stats mate and at 18, its very good, theres a few of us 18 year old flying around. good to keep each other on target and motivated

Yerp nother 18year old here.

Good size to you mate - keep on plugging away.

Plan to compete?

"When i let go of what i am, i become what i might be"