More pics to critique

springs

It seems like everyone is at it so I'm going to jump on the bandwagon. Here are some photos of my current progress. I have a specific question regarding these photos, however what I am trying to point out hasn't shown up very well. It relates to deltoid development. My front delts are pretty big at this stage and my lat. delts aren't too far behind. However my rear delts look really small in comparison. I understand that they are a smaller muscle but it is making my shoulders appear rounded from the side. After a workout it is most noticible. I just look disproportionate from front to back when standing sideways.

I just can't seem to find the excerises to hit them good. I am a real fan of big heavy compound lifts or as close to them as possible. And benching really helps my front delts. But I can never seem to get a good workout on my rear delts.

I have been training and eating very well since August last year and being a skinny bastard I had to work and eat my ass off to add any weight. I was your typical ecto at 6'1" (186cm) 156lbs (71kg). I now weigh 178lbs (81kg) and am very happy with my progress. But the more weight I add the more apparent my imbalances become.

Any advice?

Back (and tricep) day:
Deadlift - 8 sets of 3 @ 150kg
Weighted wide-grip chins - 5 sets of 5 (BW+10kg)
Weighted Dips - 3 sets of 8 (BW+20kg)
DB Rowing - 3 sets of 10 @ 30kg each
Rope Pulldowns - 3 sets of 10
Bent over DB lateral raise - 3 sets of 10 @ 8kg each

justsomebloke

eh pics?

Hanley

cance

take the ? from the end of each pic.

instead of xxxx.jpg? use xxxx.jpg

BossArky

Knock the question mark off the end of each link and they work.

Hanley

You're in much better shape than I was expecting. It'd be helpful to have a posed (flexed) back pic and some leg shots too.

springs

I decided to give up and just imageshack them. I know its annoying but my other way was pissing me off.

I can get some leg shots up. I don't really have any problems with my legs. Except for how sore they are today. Does that last photo count as a back pose? What should I do differently?

Hanley

Back Pose = Rear Double Bicep - http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p3/spaceclown/Erich/RearDoubleBicep.jpg

springs

Gotcha. Thanks. I'll get one of those up tomorrow.

cance

you're in great shape fella, I'm envious, if after a year i look like that i'd say its 100% success.

infact im so impressed i'd be interested in seeing your weekly plan!

springs

cance wrote: »

you're in great shape fella, I'm envious, if after a year i look like that i'd say its 100% success.

infact im so impressed i'd be interested in seeing your weekly plan!

Thanks Cance. I attribute 90% of it to front squating and deadlifting for deep heavy triples. Especially when you are an ectomorph. I cant give advice to people coming from the other end of the spectrum because I have never had to lose weight.

But without doubt eating BIG and lifting BIG is most of the reason I could put on some muscle. There is no excuse for not eating MASSIVE when you are as skinny as I was. I still find it very hard to put on weight which is why im very happy with 10kg in 8 months. And thats all lean.

My week normally looks like this:

Monday:
Deadlift - 8 sets of 3 @ 150kg
Weighted wide-grip chins - 5 sets of 5 (BW+10kg)
Weighted Dips - 3 sets of 8 (BW+20kg)
DB Rowing - 3 sets of 10 @ 30kg each
Rope Pulldowns - 3 sets of 10
Bent over DB lateral raise - 3 sets of 10 @ 8kg each

Wednesday:
Bench Press - 5 sets of 5 - 90kg
Preacher Curl - 4 sets of 10 - 30kg
DB Incline press - 4 sets of 8 - 30kg
Incline Hammer Curl - 3x10 - 12kg

Friday:
Overhead Squat - 2x6 - 60kg
Front squat - 5x5 - 95kg
Military press - 3x8 - 42.5kg
Upright row - 3x8 - 40kg
Twist Shoulder press - 3x4 - 24kg each
Rear delt raise - 1x as many as possible

And a shed-load of food!!!

Anyway, as I said before does anyone have any ideas on the whole rear delt problem? Thanks again.

springs

Hanley wrote: »

Back Pose = Rear Double Bicep - http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p3/spaceclown/Erich/RearDoubleBicep.jpg

Ok. Does that make the posterior/anterior deltoid imbalance mre apparent? Any excercise ideas?

Vegeta

You livin in UL on campus accomodation by the way, those sinks look very familiar

either way dude you're in good nick compared to most people. Impressive stuff for the amount of time you've been lifting.

I look no where near that good and I have been doing it just over a year.

Pen1987

springs wrote: »

Ok. Does that make the posterior/anterior deltoid imbalance mre apparent? Any excercise ideas?

Maybe I missed something, how do you know you have an imbalance in your A/P deltiods?

springs

Indeed, well spotted. Kilmurry Village to be exact.

Thanks but I am just lucky to have a low bf %. Very fast metabolism. I eat like a monster. I need to to gain any weight.

With regards to the imbalance, my sports therapist told me that he could see rounding of the shoulders. And I notice that I can never hit the rear ones as good as I can hit the front. Perhaps it is because I am choosing the wrong excercises.

rubadub

What is your daily calorie intake?

gabgab

That is the physique I want my man, fair play to you!!

Hanley

springs wrote: »

Ok. Does that make the posterior/anterior deltoid imbalance mre apparent? Any excercise ideas?

Your back looks pretty good. Visually there's no imbalance but there could be any number of muscular recruitment dysfunctions causing the problem you mention. I know I had a winging scapula that wasn't visibly apparent in pictures but caused me alot of trouble.

some of the best upper back exercises you can do are;
-Face Pulls http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=kexr7CqnVng 9 (I've recently started doing the ones at 35 secs and I'm a HUGE fan, I've done every other variation but they're my fave)
-Seated Dumbbell Powercleans http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=kvVEz-tBgvg
-Prone Rows http://www.beerbellyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/45-degree-prone-dumbell-row.jpg (althougth I prefer doing them with the bench on a shallower incline)

I do ALOT of pressing and the exercises above are one of the primary reasons I don't have any shoulder problems imo. (It's worth noting my shoulders had been VERY suceptible to injury, I dislocated the right one over 15 times and had to have it completely reconstructed). I've no idea if any of those will help your actual shoulder problem, but they will help pack a serious amount of mass onto your upper back if nothing else.

Other than that, you lower back and lats look a bit behind but these are muscles that take a LONG time to develop a serious set of. It's one of the muscles that only show after true dedication to the iron.

springs

In case anyone has looked at this thread and wondered if what Hanley suggested worked: it did! Thanks man. One year on and I have no pain with my pressing movements and I really hit my rear delts with face pulls and seated db power cleans. That was some great advice.

Anyone doing a lot of bench presses should take note. These excercises will save your shoulders.

chillywilly

i only saw this thread now, you lookd in great shape last year, id be interested to see how your getting on now?

springs

Thanks chilly. I've been doing ok. Caught glandular fever over Christmas and dropped from 84kg to 78kg unfortunately but have since managed to get back. Since last year my back has really come along and my lifts are progressing slowly. My bench went up to 105kg for 4. Deadlift to 190kg for 3.

Bodyfat never really changes so I don't worry much about that. I have been doing some westside for skinny bastards recently and have been loving it. Joe DeFranco's stuff. Check it out.



Check it out: Venice beach California (i'm the spotter)



Other than that top photo I don't have any recent pictures but I'm still around that size. Hoping to hit 86kg sometime this summer.

jayoo

U fecker, ur abs are sweet, can i have them:pac: ah no but seriously, keep up the good work

PeakOutput

how much are you weighing in at now?

your pictures have totally confused me

im an inch taller and 13kg heavier from your stats last year and i look nowhere near as big as you i dont know weather or not to cut or bulk now grrrr... i was going to aim for 95 kg with 10% bf over the next 6-12 months but now i dont know what to do

do you know what your bf% is?

coincidently i also live in kilmurry and have done for the last 2 years

RealistSpy

I hope you work on your legs aswell yeh?

Hanley

RealistSpy wrote: »

I hope you work on your legs aswell yeh?

That's a bit Irish.

Magic Eight Ball

I’m very envious Springs, that’s some get results your getting there.
Best of luck with the training.

billyhead

Springs,

Would you mind posting your daily diet. I am the same height at 12stone in weight but a little bit more ripped by looking at your pictures. I want to get to 85kgs with around the same bodyfat levels (7-8%)

Transform

i think you need to rephrase that as '12stone and a little more skinnny (not ripped)' as being 12 stone at that height is not going to look ripped just a bit slim for your height.

Thanks for posting and your doing well - aiming to get over14stone?

ben bedlam

excellent results springs, like others here i too would like to know whats your diet/calorie intake like-tired of being an ectomorph!

Dovers

ben bedlam wrote: »

excellent results springs, like others here i too would like to know whats your diet/calorie intake like-tired of being an ectomorph!

Yeah post up your diet there springs if you dont mind, cheers

springs

PeakOutput wrote: »

how much are you weighing in at now?

your pictures have totally confused me

im an inch taller and 13kg heavier from your stats last year and i look nowhere near as big as you i dont know weather or not to cut or bulk now grrrr... i was going to aim for 95 kg with 10% bf over the next 6-12 months but now i dont know what to do

do you know what your bf% is?

coincidently i also live in kilmurry and have done for the last 2 years

I'm 84kg. Are you saying you are 97kg? That is pretty big for your height! Fair play. I pretty much don't have an ounce of bodyfat right now. And that can make me look bigger than I actually am. I am not big. I wish I was. I'm working on it.

Surely whether you bulk or cut depends on your goal but the summer is coming up so you could always cut to rock the beach bod :cool:

I have no idea what bf% I am. I measured on these weighing scales my friend has that you stand on bear foot (from lidl I think) and it says 11.1%. Otherwise I have no idea.

Kilmurry is the only place to live if you want to gym it up!! Just 10 seconds walk to the greatest sporting facility in Ireland. We are so lucky!

springs

RealistSpy wrote: »

I hope you work on your legs aswell yeh?

Haha:D Training legs is the reason I have put on all that weight in the first place. Can't be heavy deadlifts or deep heavy triples of squatting for piling on the muscle.

Legs are my favourite. By far the hardest to do but the most rewarding. I do a sprint session, box jumps, glute ham raises, band box squats, deadlifts, squats and front squats.

I am a volleyball player first and foremost so legs are the most important part.

Below is my standing 54" box jump:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8YGk47XSs8

(sorry, I know its sideways)

This is my 64" running jump:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I22w6vbsETM

http://www.cormacbyrne.ie/volleyball/showimage.php?dir=photo_galleries/April%2019th&whichFile=photo_galleries/April%2019th/1_0070.jpg (just to prove I can jump)

springs

billyhead wrote: »

Springs,

Would you mind posting your daily diet. I am the same height at 12stone in weight but a little bit more ripped by looking at your pictures. I want to get to 85kgs with around the same bodyfat levels (7-8%)

So you must have a lower bf% than me. So you just want to put on the weight. Well my diet is like this right now but to maximize gains I used to eat way more:

100g Porridge w/milk and flaxseed and honey and 20g whey protein
1g Vit C with 3 fish oil tabs

Pre-workout drink with 7g BCAA and 5g Creatine
Post-workout drink with 37g Protein and 55g Carbs

6 Scrambled eggs and 2 slices of wholegrain toast
100g frozen fruit, 250ml natural yoghurt, some OJ

200g Filled tortellini Pasta with sundried tomatoes in oil and 1 chicken breast

Protein shake with 20g Casein and 15g whey and some carbs

2 Chicken breasts for dinner with some brocolli and garlic and sometimes wholegrain rice

Bedtime shake with 35g Casein

Should come out as around 220g Protein a day.

springs

ben bedlam wrote: »

excellent results springs, like others here i too would like to know whats your diet/calorie intake like-tired of being an ectomorph!

Just eat!! Seriously, if there is one thing I 100% know all skinny guys are doing wrong, its not eating enough!!!

If you can't put on weight you are not eating enough. EAT EAT and EAT. Everything in sight. If your girlfriend cooks dinner eat hers. Feeding your dog? You need it more! Got children? Plenty of calories right there!!

I am still not eating enough and it sucks. It might sound hard to believe but it has hard to eat as much as you possibly can.

2 weeks ago

PeakOutput

springs wrote: »

I'm 84kg. Are you saying you are 97kg?

im around 94 if i weighed myself in the morning id prob be 92

i imagine im about 20% bf but i still dont think if i cut to 10 id have the same look as you i reckon id be a stick

i was talking to someone about it the other day an they reckon my goal of 95-100kg lean is a good one and that any smaller lean and id look skinny but your pics seriously have me questioning that

ah i enjoy lifting so what harm

springs

No if I were you I'd keep going to 95kg. Pictures can be decieving. So can lower body fat%. I look skinny with my clothes on

It sucks and I wish it wasn't so but I am still on a bulk. I probably will be forever on a bulk!!!I'd love to get to 200lbs (90kg). But that will take a while. Maybe if I come back in a years time again i will be there. But whatever happens I will make sure it doesn't interfere with my sport.

Thanks for posting, I think you're in great shape - legs and all. I also agree with what Hanley said about the guy who asked about your legs, that was a very Irish comment to make.

PS: What age are you?

springs

Thanks. I'm 21.

itsallaboutheL

im 95kg and look kinda big but id kill to be 85!!

springs

Well to all those guys who actually want to cut up I suggest the v-diet!!
And adding a sprint session if possible. My friend did the V-diet and had rediculous results. He didn't do it to a tee (he had a healthy solid meal everyday as opposed to once a week). Its hard to do but incredibly rewarding.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_program/sports_body_training_diet_velocity/velocity_diet_Program_30?vdietNavTop

Hanley

Dude's got hops!!! Seriously impressive jumping there dude. Do you do anything to train specifically for it, or is it just a result of all the volleyball and weights?

What are you putting up on the squat and DL?

springs

Hanley wrote: »

Dude's got hops!!! Seriously impressive jumping there dude. Do you do anything to train specifically for it, or is it just a result of all the volleyball and weights?

What are you putting up on the squat and DL?

Haha. Thanks. I did train for it specifically for about a year. I got my deadlift and squat respectable and then just did a course of explosive squats, heavy partials, and a sh!te-load of plyometrics. Nothing will improve your jump better than jumping. At my peak I only weighed 79kg so right now my jump has dropped being 5kg heavier and all. I also don't do plyos anymore.

I'm just going to spend a good while lifting heavy and see how that pans out. So many people debate the best way to develop a good jump. I am curious to see if I blitz my squat and deadlift numbers will my vertical improve. The best way to find out is do it yourself, you know.

I deadlift 190kg for 3 reps now conventional and with no belt or straps. I am squatting 130kg for 3 reps oly style (narrow stance, ass to ankles) which is pretty weak but I haven't focused on my squat as much as I have deadlift.

WolfForager

That V diet looks ridiculously hard to follow and expensive. Surely just sticking to your good old high protein low carbs & fat diet would work just as well even if it does take a bit longer.

And btw, what do you do for your abs? Congrats on the whole thing man, your physique is top notch.

floggg

Thanks buddy. You've just motivated me like no other.

Such a shame that i'm off all training for the next two weeks or so due to a sprained ankle, by which time this new burst of motivation may have left me!

Swizz

Springs
What supplements do you take? if any?

Hanley

Swizz wrote: »

Springs
What supplements do you take? if any?

Without wishing to be insulting, do you think it matters?

Like do ya think one protein powder is going to be so superior to another that Springs couldn't have achieved what he has without it?

Pretty much the only posts I've seen from you are about supplements. Do you think they have THAT much of an effect?

springs

WolfForager wrote: »

That V diet looks ridiculously hard to follow and expensive. Surely just sticking to your good old high protein low carbs & fat diet would work just as well even if it does take a bit longer.

And btw, what do you do for your abs? Congrats on the whole thing man, your physique is top notch.

Oh I am for sure with you on that one. T-nation is a fantastic website but people must be aware that in essence it is just a big advertising machine. You don't need Biotest supplements to do that diet no matter what they say.

But liquid meals are good. The diet really worked for my friend and he didn't have any biotest stuff.

Abs, well I have always had ok abs since I started kayaking. I do freestyle kayaking which is all torso movements. I don't normally work abs. I sound like a broken record here but you really can't top front squats or pull ups for core work. Sorry if thats not the answer you wanted to hear. If I had to pick one worthwhile isolation exercise I would go with hanging leg raises.

springs

Hanley wrote: »

Without wishing to be insulting, do you think it matters?

Like do ya think one protein powder is going to be so superior to another that Springs couldn't have achieved what he has without it?

Pretty much the only posts I've seen from you are about supplements. Do you think they have THAT much of an effect?

In fairness to Swizz I think he might be curious about what type of supplements and not necessarily the brand. Well I swear by my post-workout shake!! Most important supplement for me. You just can't top quick carbs, quick protein.

I'd like to lie and say I just have a great diet and don't need supplements but I can't. They are just handy sometimes and I hate fish! So the 2 other supplements I take are fish oils and casein protein (slow-acting). But I'd rather not give the supplement industry a big plug here. Nothing beats good food. Does that answer your question? Or do you want to know the brand?

WolfForager

springs wrote: »

Abs, well I have always had ok abs since I started kayaking. I do freestyle kayaking which is all torso movements. I don't normally work abs. I sound like a broken record here but you really can't top front squats or pull ups for core work. Sorry if thats not the answer you wanted to hear. If I had to pick one worthwhile isolation exercise I would go with hanging leg raises.

It's a perfect answer actually, cheers. I used to kayak every summer up until 2nd year, haven't gone near it for close to 5 years now but i've always thought about taking it up again.

Swizz

springs wrote: »

In fairness to Swizz I think he might be curious about what type of supplements and not necessarily the brand. Well I swear by my post-workout shake!! Most important supplement for me. You just can't top quick carbs, quick protein.

I'd like to lie and say I just have a great diet and don't need supplements but I can't. They are just handy sometimes and I hate fish! So the 2 other supplements I take are fish oils and casein protein (slow-acting). But I'd rather not give the supplement industry a big plug here. Nothing beats good food. Does that answer your question? Or do you want to know the brand?

Thanks. Im guessing Optimum Nutrition Casein Protein? :pac:
and Hanley, what the hell are you on about? I just asked a simple question, I didnt say he couldnt achieve what he has without supplements. Someones angry with the world!

springs

Swizz wrote: »

Thanks. Im guessing Optimum Nutrition Casein Protein? :pac:

No. Reflex actually. A guy on my team gets me a good deal. Reflex Growth Matrix is the post-workout shake if you are interested. Quality stuff.

Today was max-effort upper body which meant I got to do some of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5hVgJNKoE0

bad-ass!! :cool: