Level 2: Getting Massive

choons

Onwards and Outwards!

This is my second log and follows on from SL 5x5 for 12 weeks of summer.


Stats (as of 13/9/10):
Age: 20
Weight: 66kg
Height: 178cm
BF%: 12%


Goals for the rest of 2010:
Increase body weight
Drop Body fat below 10%
Increase main lifts - Squat, Bench, Dead Lift and Overhead press.

Basically I want to get ripped and improve overall fitness!


I tried the Stronglifts 5x5 program and this was a great introduction to weight training. I made some great gains but now its time for me to move on and take things a bit more seriously.


I intend to hit the gym at least 5 times a week if possible. I've come up with a 3 day split which I'll try out for a few weeks. After the 3 days, I'll have a rest day or maybe get in a bit of cardio.


Weights:
I'm going to keep working with the main lifts, bodyweight and other free weight exercises. I'm going to do 4 sets of 8 reps for most exercises.

3 day split on weights:

1. Squats, Overhead Press, Various shoulder & bicep exercises.
(Chin ups, DB shoulder press, Lat raises, Bicep curls etc.)

2. Bench, Various Chest and Tricep exercises, Abs.
(Incline bench, DB chest press, push ups, flies, tri dips etc.)

3. Squat, Dead Lift, Various back exercises.
(Seated cable row, pull ups, inverted row, shrugs etc.)


Cardio:
Jogging and Cycling.


Diet:
Diet has been fairly bang on for the last 4 months. Only changes will be quantity size, I'll try to eat more!


I'll be back in college soon so it's going to be more difficult to eat properly but a little bit of preparation and planning should help. I'll try making a few protein bars at the weekends to keep my protein stocks up throughout the day.


My Myprotein referral code: MP244120
As always, all constructive/positive comments welcome!
Stay chooned for more

choons

Squat:
20kg x8
60kg x8
70kg (8,8,8,8)

Over Head/Shoulder Press:
20kg x8
35kg (8,8,8,6)


Massive Superset:

• DB shoulder press
  12.5kg (8,8,8,10)
  
  
• Side Lateral raise
  7.5kg (8,8,8), 5kg (8)
  
  
• Chin ups
  (8,8,8,8)
  
  
• Bicep Cable Curls
  40lbs (20kg) - (8,8,8), 35lbs (8)

Spectacular form on my squat if I may say so!

d'Oracle

Why did you give Bench a day to itself and pair off your Deadlift with Squat?

choons

d'Oracle wrote: »

Why did you give Bench a day to itself and pair off your Deadlift with Squat?

I didn't really give benching a full day to itself, I split my workouts into:

1. Squat, OHP, Biceps & Shoulders;
2. Bench, Chest & Ticeps, Abs;
3. Squat, Dead Lift, back;

So I'm squatting 2/3 days. I would have switched days 2 and 3 but from experience, my biceps and shoulders need time to recover before I can work on my back. Either way, I would be squatting on days 1 and 3. Hope this makes sense!

What would you recommend?

choons

Bench:
20kg x8
40kg x8
55kg (8,8,8,7)


Incline DB chest press:
20kg (8,8,8,6)

Superset with

Push ups:
(10,10,10,10)


Ticep cable pull down:
45lbs (8,8,8,10)

Superset with

Tircep Dips:
(5,4,3,3)


Cable fly:
30lbs (8,8,8,8)


Ab machine 1:
17.5kg (15,15)

Ab machine 2:
40kg (15,15)
50kg (15)

Side bends DB:
30kg (15,15)

d'Oracle

choons wrote: »

I didn't really give benching a full day to itself, I split my workouts into:

1. Squat, OHP, Biceps & Shoulders;
2. Bench, Chest & Ticeps, Abs;
3. Squat, Dead Lift, back;

So I'm squatting 2/3 days. I would have switched days 2 and 3 but from experience, my biceps and shoulders need time to recover before I can work on my back. Either way, I would be squatting on days 1 and 3. Hope this makes sense!

What would you recommend?

I'll put it this way.
Heavy Squatting is really frickin hard.
Heavy Deadlifting is really frickin hard.

Bench press is ostensibly a chest and triceps exercise.

So, as I see it:

Your deadlift might be negatively affected by squatting beforehand.
And you seem to have done that to allow for more chest and tricep assistance exercises.

It seems to me to be more efficient to partner a big lower body lift with a big upper body lift, like you have done with your day 1. Rather than flay yourself with two big lower body lifts.

So if I were you, and you have little to no reason to take this on board, I would be looking at:

1. Squat, OHP, Shoulders & Biceps.
2. Deadlift, Back, Abs
3. Squat, Bench, Chest & triceps.

Thats how I see it anyhow.
Looks from the pics like you are making good progress anyhow. Good job.

choons

Squat:
20kg x8
60kg x8 . . . I than gave up! I had serious DOMS in my legs and ass from Monday and it just wasn't happening.

Dead Lift:
60kg x8
80kg x8


Pullups:
(8,8,8,6)

Superset with

Inverted Row:
(8,8,5,5)


Seated cable row:
65lbs (10)
70lbs (10)
75lbs (10,10)

Shoulder push down:
50lbs (8,8,8,8)


Row:
1km in 4.50mins

choons

Squat:
20kg x8
60kg x8
75kg (8,8,8,8)

Over head press:
20kg x8
35kg (8,8,8,8)


Massive Superset:

• DB shoulder press
  15kg (8,8,8,8)
  
  
• Side Lateral raise
  7.5kg (8), 5kg (8,8,8)
  
  
• Chin ups
  (10,8,8,8)
  
  
• Bicep BB Curls
  20kg (10,8,8,8)

choons

Row 500m

Dead Lift:
60kg x8
90kg x8


Pullups:
(8,8,6)

Superset with

Inverted Row:
(8,8,6)


Seated cable row:
80lbs (10,10,10,10)

Shoulder push down:
55lbs (8,8,8,8)


Ab machine 1:
17.5kg (15,15,15)

Superset with

Ab machine 2:
40kg (15,15,15)

choons

After trying out my new split last week, I've decided to follow d'Oracle's advice and go with the following split instead:

Updated 3 day split:

1. Squat, Overhead Press, Various shoulder & bicep exercises.
(Chin ups, DB shoulder press, Lat raises, Bicep curls etc.)

2. Dead Lift, Various back exercises, Abs.
(Seated cable row, pull ups, inverted row, shrugs etc.)

3. Squat, Bench, Various Chest and Tricep exercises,
(Incline bench, DB chest press, push ups, flies, tri dips etc.)

This is very similar to what I'd been doing a few weeks so I'll keep at it.

choons

Bench:
20kg x10
40kg x8
57.5kg (8,8,8,6)


Inclin DB Chest Press:
20kg (8,8,8,8)

Superset with

Push ups:
(10,10,10,10)


Tricep Push Down:
45lbs (10,10,10,10)

Superset with

Tricep Dips:
(6,5,4,4)

choons

30km Cycle

choons

Squat:
20kg x10
60kg x8
75kg (8,8,8,8)

Overhead Press:
37.5kg (6,6,6,5)


Massive superset:

• DB OHP:
  15kg (8,8,8,6)
  
• Side Lateral raise:
  5kg (8,8,8,8)
  
• Chin ups:
  (10,10,10,10)
  
• Bicep Cable Curl:
  45lbs (8,8,8,8)
  
• Shrugs:
  20kg (8,8,8,8)

choons

Deadlift:
60kg (8,8,8) & more - PT helped me with technique

Pull ups:
(8,8,8,7)

Seated Cable row:
80lbs (10,10,10,12)

choons

Squat:
20kg x10
60kg x8
77.5kg (8,8,8,8)

Bench:
20kg x8
40kg x8
60kg (7,4,4,1)


Incline DB Press:
20kg (8,8,7,6)

Superset with

Push ups:
(10,10,10,6)


Tricep Dips:
(8,8,8,8)

Superset with

Tricep Push down:
50lbs (7)
45lbs (6)
40lbs (8,8)


Cable chest fly:
30lbs (8,8,8,8)

choons

Joined my college gym, €210 for the year.

It's a lot bigger than my current one but has a smith machine instead of a squat rack.

I'll be able to go between lectures and the likes.

itsallaboutheL

choons wrote: »

Joined my college gym, €210 for the year.

It's a lot bigger than my current one but has a smith machine instead of a squat rack.

you paid to join a "gym" that doesn't have a squat rack?

choons

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

you paid to join a "gym" that doesn't have a squat rack?

Yep

I know it sounds like a stupid decision considering I get to use my other gym for free. Realistically though, I can only get to the college gym during the week.

Trust me, I thought about it for a few weeks before paying all that cash!

choons

First day in my new gym!

Row:
1km 4.20mins

Squat:
20kg x8
60kg x8
80kg (8,8,8,8)

Overhead Press:
20kg x8
37.5kg (7,6,5,4)


Superset:

• DB shoulder press
  15kg (8,8,8,8)
  
• Side Lateral raise
  5kg (8,8,8,8)
  
• Chin ups
  (8,8,8,8)
  
• Bicep Cable Curls
  22.25kg - (8,8,8,8)

Swim

choons

Row:
1km 4.20mins

Deadlift:
60kg (5,8)
80kg (8)

Pull ups:
(8,8,8,6)

Inverted Row:
(8,7,6,5) . . . . . . . . . . only counting reps when my chest touched the bar

Seated Cable row:
43.75kg (10,10,10,9)

Shoulder Push down:
18.75kg (10)
23.75kg (10,10,12)

Swim

choons

Bench:
20kg (8)
40kg (8)
60kg (8,6,5)
57.5kg (6)
55kg (5)

Incline DB Press:
22.5kg (8,7,6)

Push ups
Tricep Dips

Only had half an hour today unfortunately

choons

Squat:
20kg x8
60kg x8
80kg (8,8,8,8)

Overhead Press:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,7)
35kg (8,2)
30kg(10)


DB shoulder press:
15kg (8,8,8,8)

Superset with

Side Lateral raise:
5kg (8,8,8,8)


Chin ups:
(8,8,8,8)

Superset with

Bicep Cable Curls:
22.25kg - (8,8,8,8)

choons

Row:
1km 4.18mins

Deadlift:
60kg (6)
82.5kg (8)

Pull ups:
(10,8,7,6)

Seated Cable row:
43.75kg (10)
46.25kg (12)
48.75kg (10,10)

choons

Bench:
20kg x8
60kg (8,7,6,5)

Incline DB chest press:
20kg (10,12,9,9)

Tricep Dips:
(10,10,10)

Cable fly:
13.75kg (10,10,10,10)

1 Arm DB Row:
26kg (8)
22kg (10,10,10)

choons

Overhead Press:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,8,8,6)


Superset:

• DB shoulder press
  16kg (8,8,8,8)
  
• Side Lateral raise
  6kg (8,8,8,8)
  
• Chin ups
  (10,8,8,8)
  
• Bicep Bar Curls
  30kg - (10,8,8,8)
  

choons

Row:
1km 4.28mins

Deadlift:
60kg (6)
90kg (8)


Pull ups:
(8,4,4,4)

Superset with

Inverted Rows:
(10,8,6,6)


Seated Cable row:
48.75kg (10,10,10,8)

1 Arm DB Row:
26kg (8)
24kg (10,10,10)


Ab sesh

choons

Bench:
20kg x8
50kg x8
60kg x6
72.5kg x1 PB
60kg (7,6)
62.5kg x4


Incline DB chest press:
22.5kg (8,7,6)
20kg (8)


Ticep cable pull down:
40lbs (12,12,12,12)

Superset with

Tircep Dips:
(10,8,7,6)


A few squats on light weights

choons

Squat:
20kg x8
60kg x8
80kg (8,8,8,8)

Overhead Press:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,8,5,5)


DB shoulder press:
16kg (8,7,6,5)

Superset with

Side Lateral raise:
5kg (10,8,8,8)


Chin ups:
(12,8,6)

Superset with

Bicep Cable Curls:
18.75kg - (8,8,8)

choons

Row:
1km 4.30mins

Deadlift:
60kg (8)
92.5kg (6)
60kg (8)


Pull ups:
(8,8,7,6)

Superset with

Inverted rows:
(12,10,9,8)


1 Arm DB Row:
25kg (8,8,8,8)

Shoulder Push Down:
18.75kg (10)
21.25kg (12,12,12)


Super Ab sesh

choons

Bench:
20kg x8
50kg x8
60kg (8,7,6,4)

Incline DB chest press:
22.75kg (7)
20kg (8,8,7)


Tricep Dips:
(14,14,11,9)

Superset With

Push Ups:
(10,10,10,10)

choons

Squat:
20kg x8
60kg x8
82.5kg (8,8,8,8)

Overhead Press:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,8,6,6)
30kg x8


DB shoulder press:
16kg (8,8,8,7)

Superset with

Side Lateral raise:
5kg (10,10,10,10)


Chin ups:
(10,9,6,4)

Superset with

Bicep Cable Curls:
18.75kg - (8,8,8,8)


1hr Taekwondo class
1hr Olympic Weightlifting class

choons

I joined the DCU Weightlifting Club!

They do mainly Olympic lifting but do the usual squats, OHP etc as accessory lifts.

Its 3 times a week so I'll give it a go and see what happens!

choons

Row:
1km


Deadlift:
60kg x8
92.5kg x8
60kg x8

Pull Ups:
(8,8,6,4)

1 Arm DB Row:
26kg (8,8,8,8)

Inverted Rows:
(8,8,8,8)


Abs:

Superset

Crunch (20,20,20)
Hands past knees (10,10,10)
Prone Bridge (the Plank) (60,60,60) seconds

choons

Bench:
20kg x8
40kg x8
60kg (8,8,6,5)
40kg x8

Incline DB Chest Press:
22.5kg (8,8,7)
20kg (8)

Close Grip Bench:
20kg x8
30kg x8
35kg (8,8,8)


Tricep Dips:
(12,10,9)

Superset with

Push ups:
(10,7,6)


Tricep Pull down:
21.25kg x8
23.75kg (8,8,8)


Squat (smith):
20kg x8
60kg x8
70kg (8,8,8,8)

choons

Squat (free):
20kg x8
60kg x8
72.5kg (8,8,8,8)

Over Head Press:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,8,7,6)
30kg x8


DB OHP:
15kg (8,8,8,8)

Superset with

Lateral raise:
5kg (10,10,10,10)


Chin ups:
(10,10,10,10)

choons

Row:
1km 4.40mins

Deadlift:
60kg x8
95kg x8
60kg x8


Pull ups:
(8,8,7,7)

Superset with

Inverted row:
(6,6,6)


Seated Cable Row:
90lbs (10)
80lbs (10,10,10)

Superset with

Shoulder Push down:
45lbs (10,10,8,10)

choons

Bench:
20kg x10
40kg x8
60kg x5
75 kg x1 PB
60kg (8,6,4)
40kg x10

Incline DB Press:
20kg (10,8,8,8)

Close Grip Bench:
20kg x8
40kg x6
37.5kg (8,6)

Tricep Dips:
(10,10,10,10)

superset with

Push ups:
(10,10,12,11)

Abs

choons

Squat (free):
20kg x12
60kg x8
75kg (8,8,8,8)
50kg (8,8,8)

Overhead Squat:
EZ bar x8
20kg Oly bar x8

Abs superset:
Crunch (20,20,20,20)
Up & left then Right (20,20,10,10)
Raise legs (10,10,10,10)
Crunch (20,20,10,10)

. . . a total of 240 sit ups :cool:

Row

choons

Row:
1km 4.30mins

OHP:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,8,7,6)
30kg x8


BD OHP:
16kg (8,8,8,8)

Superset with

Lat raise:
6kg (10,10,10,10)


OHP:
20kg x12


Chins:
(10,8,7,7)

superset with

Cable curl:
21.25kg (10,8)
18.75 (10,10)

choons

Row

Deadlift:
60kg x8
97.5kg x5
80kg x8
60kg x8

Pull ups:
(10,8,8,8)

superset with

1 arm DB row:
25kg (10,8,8,8)

I realized that i'd never tried any of the machine weights in my new gym so I pissed around on them for a few minutes. Very fancy and smooth but I was able to lift the max on several of them for reps

May try the lat pull down and row machine again.

choons

Row:
1km 4.30mins

Bench:
20kg x12
40kg x8
60kg (8,8,7,5 . . . fail)
50kg x8

Incline DB Press:
22kg (8,8,7,7)

Close Grip Bench:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,8,8,8)

Tricep Dips:
(10,10,10,10)

superset with

Tri Pull down:
23.75kg (8,7)
21.25kg (10,10)

Cable chest fly

choons

Hit the gym 7 days in a row last week!!

I'm significantly stronger than a few months ago and I've been getting comments all over the shop

I've managed to keep up a decent diet during college. I bring tuna sambos, packets of cashew nuts and whey shakes in to keep me going throughout the day.

I'm off the booze accept for maybe twice a month which is very helpfull. I can't train for at least 2 days after a mad night out.

I've ordered some Creatine, whey & casein protein, cashew nuts and oats from MP. I'll be getting my measurements and BF% done before I try the creatine so I can tack my progress.

Few days off now to recover from last week

itsallaboutheL

choons wrote: »

I'm off the booze accept for maybe twice a month which is very helpfull. I can't train for at least 2 days after a mad night out.

IMO this is the most significant change anyone can make to their training

choons

OHP:
20kg x8
37.5kg (8,7,6,5)
30kg x8


Superset:

DB OHP:
1. 15kg (8,8,8,8)
2. 10kg (8,8,7,8)

Shrugs:
3. 17.5kg (10,10,10,10)

Lat raise:
4. 2.5kg (8,8,8,8)


Chins:
(12,8,6,5)

Superset with

BB curl:
15kg (8,6)
10kg (8,5)

choons

Row 1km

DL:
40kg x8
60kg x8
90kg x6
60kg x8

Pull ups:
(10,9,8,8)

Abs

choons

Bench:
20kg x12
40kg x8
60kg (8,8,7,7)
50kg x10

Incline DB press:
22.5kg (8,7,6,5)
15kg (8,7,6,5)

Close grip bench:
30kg x10
40kg (8,8,6,6)


Tricep dips:
(12,10,8,8)

superset with

Tricep pull down:
18.75kg (8,8,8,8)


Squats:
20kg x8
50kg x8
70kg (8,8,8,8)

choons

OHP:
20 x8
35kg (8,8,8,8)
20kg x10 - behind head

DB OHP:
17.5kg (8,8,8,7)
10kg (8,8,8,8)

Shrugs (20kg) & Lat raise (5kg) - (8,8,8,8)

Overhead press behind head (20kg) x 10


Chins:
(10,8,8,8)

superset with

Cable curls:
35lbs (8,8,8,8)

choons

Row 1km - 4.30mins

DL:
45kg x10
60kg x8
90kg x7
60kg x10

Pullups:
(10,8,8,8)


Seated cable row:
48.75kg (10,10,10,8)

superset with

Shoulder push down:
21.75kg (10,10,10,10)


Machine Row:
45kg (8,8,8)

Lat pull down machine:
55kg (8,8,8)

Abs

choons

Bench:
20kg x12
40kg x8
60kg x5
80kg . . . fail
77.5kg . . . fail
60kg (8,6)
57.5kg (8,6)

Incline DB press:
22.5kg (8,7)
20kg (8,7)

Close grip bench:
40kg (8,8,8,7)


Dips:
(10,12,9,8)

superset with

Tricep pull down:
40lbs (8,8,6,6)

choons

OHP:
20kg x12
37.5kg (8,8,8,7)
20kg x10 - behind head

DB OHP superset:
16kg (10,10,8,7)
10kg (8,8,5,6)

Shrug (22kg) & lat raise (3kg): (8,8,8,8)

Squat:
20kg x10
40kg x8
72.5kg (8,8,8,8)


Chins:
(15,12,10,10)

superset with

Hammer Curl:
10kg each hand (8,8,8,8)

choons

Row 1km

DL:
60kg
90kg x8
60kg x8

Pullups:
(10,10,10,10)

Bent over row:
45kg x8 - my back kept arching so i gave up. I'm gonna sort out proper technique and try this again soon.

1 arm DB row:
28kg (8,8,8,8)