A SoaringSwine's effort to become a BeefyBull

[SoaringSwine]

Hi guys,

I'm starting this journal to provide me with some motivation to achieve my goals... (and hopefully receive some great advice from you guys!)

So here they are:

General goals: get bigger, stronger and generally look good!

Exercise goals:

Squat: 160x1/142.5x5 (Current: 85x5)

Bench: 100x10/90x5 (Current: 45x5)

Deadlift: 170x1/150x5 (Current: 100x3(?))

Barbell curl: 45x5 (Current: 27.5/30x5)

Although I originally decided to head to the gym to gain some bulk etc. I've found the desire to lift more has been the determining factor in me going back for the last month or so.

My current body stats are:

Height: 183cm/6'0

Weight: 81kg

Chest: 96cm/37.8"

Bicep: 34.5cm/13.6"

Waist: 79cm/31"

Hips: 88.25cm/34.75"

Thighs: 60cm/23.6"

Calves: 40cm/15.75"

Shoulders: 117cm/46"

And now for the pasty, skinny and weak photos (Hopefully soon enough these will just be the "before" photos) ...

[SoaringSwine]

Pre-emptive strike on the undies joke by the way... everything else was dirty. And if you must ask yes my mother did buy me them for xmas.

Also my training will look something similar (not exactly the same) as this. I might add some light training days for bench press and squat as time rolls on.

[diamond]

good on you for setting some goals to work towards. lots of scope with that physizue to put on size.

nice socks.

[diamond]

i mean " physique "

nice socks..

[Mike Zero]

nice socks..

All 3 of them :pfft: Jokes

What program are you on?

Edit: Whoops, just read your other post. Here's a more detailed write up for 5x5: http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5 ... ar_5x5.htm

[SoaringSwine]

I'm only wearing 2 socks!

... I use a salami for the other enhancement.

Thanks for the link. I've read a very similar article (maybe even the same). But I'm still unsure about whether I should be doing something like that or split the exercises up more. I've given your journal a good read and see that you do yours seperately. Obviously you were a lot more advanced than me when you started that though. What worked for you early on?

[poos_n_wees]

Good luck with this! Look forward to following your progress :grin:

[2guns]

mike zero, please fantasize some where else

[SoaringSwine]

Entry #1 - Sunday 30/12/2007

Wasn't starting my programme proper today, just testing my deadlift and having a play around on some of the machines

Warmup

5 mins on the cycle at high intensity to get the heart rate up

Deadlifts

Just testing my deadlift before deciding on my programme starting weights

60x5

70x5

80x5

90x5

100x3 - was going for 5, but my tired and sweaty hands let me down (will be looking into getting some chaulk)

Bench Press

Not one person in the room, so couldn't go too heavy

20x8

30x5

40x5

45x5

47.5x5 - felt easier than the 45 for the first 4 reps, I could have done 50 but I'd rather not without anyone around

The rest of the time I spent mucking around on isolation machines. Just seeing how much stronger I was on them compared to earlier in the year (I went for a few months, but only did shitty machines and made no gains). Absolutely destroyed anything I used to do.

My regular gym reopens on the 3rd and I'll be there with bells on. Then starting the routine proper on the 7th with my training partner :grin:

Oh yeah, I'm going with the 5x5 routine Mike linked me to. If I managed to follow it perfectly until 01/07/08 I'd manage 12.5kg over my squat and 17 kg over my deadlift goals. So that's a bit of leeway for plateauing etc. However, if I followed the programme my bench would come up 4kg short. Should I still go for 90x5 and hope I get some good beginner gains?

I guess I might reassess after a couple months :nod:

[poos_n_wees]

Oh yeah, I'm going with the 5x5 routine Mike linked me to. If I managed to follow it perfectly until 01/07/08 I'd manage 12.5kg over my squat and 17 kg over my deadlift goals. So that's a bit of leeway for plateauing etc. However, if I followed the programme my bench would come up 4kg short. Should I still go for 90x5 and hope I get some good beginner gains?

You're overanalysing. Just get in there and do it

[SoaringSwine]

Roger that!

[Mike Zero]

I'm only wearing 2 socks!

... I use a salami for the other enhancement.

Thanks for the link. I've read a very similar article (maybe even the same). But I'm still unsure about whether I should be doing something like that or split the exercises up more. I've given your journal a good read and see that you do yours seperately. Obviously you were a lot more advanced than me when you started that though. What worked for you early on?

I was on Rippetoes for a bit and got some good gains out of that. If I were to do things again I would've done a run of 5x5 before moving on to a split. You will get good gains out of 5x5 no doubt.

[diamond]

mike zero, please fantasize some where else

lmao :pfft:

[SoaringSwine]

Entry # 2 Thursday 03/01/2008

Not the official start of my programme, but I did what my first workout will look like plus some extras. Basically just testing whether I got my weights right (should be around 10% under my 5RM)

Squat

42.5x5

52.5x5

62.5x5

72.5x5

82.5x5 - For some reason I struggled with this, which is odd considering I've done more easily before. Could be due to a few factors; too short a rest, going too hard on the bike before hand or that I had my workout early morning rather than in the afternoon. Dunno :?

Bench Press

20x8 (meant to be 22.5x5 but couldn't be stuffed putting the little ones on)

30x5

35x5

40x5

45x5 - EZPZ, looking forward to the heavier weights in the weeks to come!

Bent over row

20x5

25x5

30x5

35x5

42.5x5 - Very easy. Think I underestimated myself on this one. Might go somewhere around 50 instead next week

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press - these next exercises were just me testing some things

17.5x8

20x8

22.5x3

I'm going to be doing these on Wednesdays normally

Wide grip lat pulldown

42x8

54x8

66x5

Tricep pushdowns (w/ V-bar)

50x8

62x8

I'm thinking of adding the lat pulldowns on a Wednesday after doing my main lifts. I think I'll post my weekly plan below so people can follow more easily.

[SoaringSwine]

Here it is. I think I may be bumping up the weights a little quicker than it specifies for some lifts

david's regime.xls

[Mike Zero]

going too hard on the bike before hand

The exercycle? Ewww, drop it. It won't warm you up for squat what-so-ever. Only waste your energy.

[SoaringSwine]

So ditch the warm up totally?

[Mike Zero]

So ditch the warm up totally?

No. Keep stretching and if you don't already, start it. Static stretching before a workout is personal opinion. You lose a bit of strength for the hour after but light stuff shouldn't hurt. I do some adductor stretches before I Squat otherwise I'll have no chance at hitting depth with my stance. I also do heavy static stretching before every session, but not for the muscles I'm working i.e. I'll stretch out my hip flexors and adductors so I can arch on the Bench and stretch my shoulders so I can get my grip narrower on the Squat. But do dynamic stretches as much as you can.

Stay off the bike though. Lighter sets will prime your CNS for your top sets. But just like you get no carryover (strength gained in one exercise leads to strength gain in another) at all from biking to squatting, biking won't warm you up and just waste energy like I said above. A couple of sets with the bar though is just dandy.

Check OB's journal to see pro warmups.

[SoaringSwine]

Awesome thanks for that, I'll take that on board.

[shane]

I would do a light five minute warm up on the bike just to get the blood pumping through ya body and lightky stretch throughout your workout :nod:

[SoaringSwine]

Back to work , but back to the gym :grin: . The 5x5 programme I posted up earlier is probably more designed for someone who has run out of beginner gains - I've got plenty of those left. So I'm just going to up the weights as I can do them (no 4 week build up period).

Entry #3 - Monday 07/01/2008

Squat

42.5x5

52.5x5

62.5x5

72.5x5

82.5x5

Didn't do the bike before this time and all went up like a piece of piss. Will be increasing to 87.5+ come friday methinks.

Bench Press

20x5

30x5

35x5

40x5

45x5

50x5

55x5

I just felt like keeping on going. Won't be so restricted by the programme.

Bent Over Row

25x5

35x5

40x5

45x5

50x5

Getting there but still felt I had a lot more in me.

Core

Did a set of 20 reps for situps, crunches and leg raises.

By the end of the workout I felt like I could do it all over again. Bring on Wednesday!

[SoaringSwine]

P.S - If there are any other weak/feeble people out there, I urge you to also start a workout journal. Keep me company!

[SoaringSwine]

Random Blog-like thoughts

Had workout itch all day today - 11:30 tomorrow can't come sooner. Chicken is currently on the boil, more protein powder should be arriving tomorrow (at least I hope so because in about half an hour I'm going to be fresh out). To think a month and a half ago I'd never touched a barbell or lifted a dumbell over 12.5kg... And tomorrow I'll be deadlifting 100kg+ and possibly incline BPing 25kgs DBs x5. I've realised for a long time that I have an addictive personality, I'm glad that I'm now channeling it into something that will both benefit be physically and give me a great sense of accomplishment. Life is good :grin:

[Pseudonym]

Hahaha! Sounds like you've been bitten by the bodybuilding bug all right!

[SoaringSwine]

After all that I had a bit of a lousy day. Been quite tired etc.

Entry #4 - Wednesday 09/01/2008

Squat

40x5

50x5

60x5

70x5

70x5

(Light day)

Incline DB Bench Press

15x5

17.5x5

20x5

22.5x5

25x1

20x5

Was all psyched up for this one, but energy levels let me down. Next week I will hit 25x5!

Deadlift

60x5

70x5

80x5

90x5

100x5

110x1

120x0

Did the sets of 5 fairly easily. Just thought I'd try a couple singles for fun, but by the time I came to 120kg my body was sapped of energy.

How much should I be using my quads while doing deads? I intentionally tried to recruit them today but never really felt it.

Wide grip lat pulldowns

70lbx8

90lbx8

110x8

120x8

Want to go heavier but had to go, also missed out on doing my core exercises. Will do those tonight.

Will be looking to do a 57.5 and 95 triple for the BP and squat on friday. Thinking of maybe doing 60 for the Row triple. Fun Fun!