# Working Mass Hero



## 33sun33 (Jan 30, 2011)

...is something to be...

Alright, hopefully I can stick to this new journal for more than a few weeks or months!  I cant seem to delete my journals of the past, but perhaps this can be my permanent journal for awhile!

Very briefly:

Goals: right now it is to do a slow bulk - adding muscle with minimal fat gain.  I dont have a specific weight gain or strength goal in mind.  Come March or April, I will switch to a cutting routine.

Current Stats: 6"3; 210.5lbs; approx 13-14% bodyfat.

Diet/Supps: following a 6 meal plan based on various bulking diets sketched out on this site; supplements include two protein shakes a day (whey in the morning and/or PWO; casein at night); as well as creatine and various vitamins (multi, fish oils, glucosamine for my wrecked knees).

Bulk Gym PLan:  Im following a basic Push/Pull full body workout, based on cowpimp's stickies with a few adjustments.  The reps and sets generally will remain consistent, although here and there I may perform "shock" week of increased reps as needed.  Its been hard for me to get motivated to do much core/ab work - given the core work that is intrinsic to the workout plan already.  But I do want to strengthen my core/abs, so perhaps I should throw some sets in at the end of my workouts.

Push

Incline DB Press: 3x8-10
Back Squats: 3x8-10
BB Military Press(Standing): 3x8-10
Front Squats: 2x10
Tricep Accessory Work: 2x10

Pull

Weighted Pull Ups: 3x8-10
Sumo Deadlifts: 4x3-6
DB Rows: 3x8-10
Romanian Deads: 2x8-10
Bicep Accessory Work: 2x10


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## 33sun33 (Jan 30, 2011)

*Sundays Push Workout*

Incline DB Presses

[50x8] 70x8; 70x9; 70x7

Squats

[135x8] 185x8; 185x9; 185x8

Military BB Press

95x8; 105x7; 105x6

Front Squats

95x8; 105x8

Tricep French Press

80x8

All in all pretty good WO.  Had to leave the gym early to take care of my baby, so cut a couple of sets out at the end (triceps, core...)


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## JerseyDevil (Jan 30, 2011)

Great journal title!


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## 33sun33 (Feb 1, 2011)

*Tuesday's Pull Workout*

Thanks Jersey!  Hopefully I can stick to this journal thing for once, and actually contribute to other peoples journals too!

I had a fairly good workout today, in the midst of the crazy snow storm that is hitting the east coast (expecting 15-30 inches of snow tomorrow, on top of the 6 inches today!!!).  Was able to get to the gym, thanks to my trust subaru awd and snow tires!

Pull Ups

Bodyweight x 10 reps; +15lbs x 5 reps; +15lbs x 5 reps; Bodyweight x 10 reps.  Overall pretty happy with this, though I had hoped I would have been able to get 8 reps in at 15lbs.  

Sumo Deadlifts

[135x8] 225x6; 275x5; 300x3; 300x2.  Again, happy with these lifts!  300 was no joke, and definitely was difficult.  That said, it wasnt sooo difficult that I ever felt that my form would suffer, or that I would lose control of the bar.  

DB Rows

80lbs x10; 85x8; 85x8.  Pretty good here.  I love DB rows- the only things I hate are my weak grip, and the horrible calluses it gives my hands (which my wife hates...)

DB Bicep Curls

35x10; 45x8

Didnt get around to doing my regular 2 sets of Romanian deadlifts at hte end, or any core work - largely because I knew I would have a bunch of shoveling to do once I got home!  Tomorrow I look forward to  shoveling my house and car out of anywhere from 1-2 feet of more snow.  awesome.


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## davegmb (Feb 1, 2011)

Love the journal title, nice lennon reference!

How do you find sumo squats, im switching to these next week as im fairly tall around 6'3" like you but not as heavy so hoping will be easier on the back?


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## 33sun33 (Feb 1, 2011)

Dave, I absolutely LOVE sumo deadlifts.  You should definitely give them a try.  I used to do regular/standard deadlifts, and found them challenging to perform with proper form.  I think my height had something to do with it, as the movement just felt unnatural and placed a lot of strain on my lower back (I actually tweaked my back doing regular deads, and had to go to the chiropractor for a couple weeks!!!).  

It might not be completely due to my height- Ill admit that Im not as flexible as perhaps I should be (Im working on that!).  

In any event, Sumo deads feel like a much more natural and fluid movement to me, and I can perform them with perfect form and confidence.  Starting out, I did scrape the hell out of my shins with every pull (dragging the bar across my shins to ensure form).  That happens less now that Im more flexible (and confident), but I still wear tall socks and neoprene sleeves over my shins/calves to keep my shins from getting bloody!

As much as I love Sumos, I will probably go back to regular deads sometime in the future just to mix things up.


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## JerseyDevil (Feb 1, 2011)

33sun33 said:


> Thanks Jersey! Hopefully I can stick to this journal thing for once, and actually contribute to other peoples journals too!
> 
> I had a fairly good workout today, in the midst of the crazy snow storm that is hitting the east coast (expecting 15-30 inches of snow tomorrow, on top of the 6 inches today!!!). Was able to get to the gym, thanks to my trust subaru awd and snow tires!
> 
> ...


Good work! We are not getting the snow you are getting, but still alot! Yeah, shoveling snow is going to give you all the workout you need for biceps, spinal erectors, traps, rhomboids, lats, hamstrings, etc, etc,


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## davegmb (Feb 2, 2011)

Couldnt resist






YouTube Video


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## naturaltan (Feb 2, 2011)

A push/pull routine like this is done skipping a day inbetween and continuing on like that?

I do a similar routine but run on the off weight days.


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## 33sun33 (Feb 3, 2011)

Im trying to limit cardio as much as possible right now, since Im doing a slow bulk (and hope to take in more calories than I expend!).  I still do a short warmup on the bike before each gym session however (for my bad knees, not so much for cardio).

When I switch to a cut (probably following the UD2 diet in March or April if Im lean enough), I will likely only lift twice a week, and spend my off days playing basketball for the hell of it (though I understand any fat loss will be mostly tied to my diet).


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## 33sun33 (Feb 5, 2011)

*Saturday's Push Workout*

Solid workout today- squats felt great, but didnt "feel" any progress in my incline press.  My WO came a day late due to a work conference, but heh.

Incline DB Press

[50x6] 70x10; 70x9; 70x7

Squats

[135x6] 185x10; 185x9; 185x9

Standing BB Military Press

95x10; 105x7; 95x8

Front Squats

95x10; 95x10

French Press

70x10; 70x10

planks - 1 min


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## JerseyDevil (Feb 5, 2011)

You might try alternating the DB inclines with BB inclines.  DBs are great for the stabilizers, but for me anyway, the BB is better for increasing mass and strength.

Good military's especially since you preexhausted with the DB inclines


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## 33sun33 (Feb 7, 2011)

*Monday's Pull Workout*

Very good idea Jersey!  

Sometimes I fall too in love with a particular movement, and stick to it despite the need for a change.  In my case, I admit that I am an Incline DB addict!!! Every once and awhile I may switch up to Flat DBs, but probably havent done a BB incline for a year at least! 

Next push workout, Im switching to the BB incline bench.  Very grand idea.  

I had an average Pull workout today.  I pretty much stayed the same with all of my numbers  .  Pullups actually felt pretty great, but Im having difficulty keeping control of the added weight as I go up and down.  I cant seem to hold the heavier medicine balls between my knees past 5 reps, and I suppose I havent learned how to keep plates dangling from a weight belt from swinging wildly as I go up and down.  This is affecting how many continuous reps I can get in! Ill keep working at it though.

Weighted Pull Ups

BWx10; +10lbx x8; +15lbs x 8; +15lbsx 5 (lost ball after this rep)/ finished with BWx5 during same set.

Sumo Deads

[135x8] 225x6; 275x4; 295x2; 225x8

DB Rows

80x10; 85lbs x8; 85lbs x8

Preacher Iso DB Curls

25lbsx10; 30lbsx10; 30lbsx8

planks - 1.5min


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## JerseyDevil (Feb 7, 2011)

Looking good!  Since the deadlift is your big compound movement of the day, I would do those first.

Wish I could add weight on pull ups!


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## 33sun33 (Feb 10, 2011)

*Wednesday's Half WO*

Well, yesterdays workout pretty much sucked.  I have the luxury of working out in the late mornings or early afternoons on most days, but yesterday couldnt make it to the gym until 415pm.  I thought the end-of-work rush wouldnt start until 5pm, but boy was I wrong!  The place was freakin packed!   I was able to grab an incline bench, as well as get access to dumbbells, but the only two squat racks each had like 4-5 college kids spending an hour on them showing off to the ladies!   Very frustrating!  I eventually gave up trying to access the squat racks, and as a result only got half a workout in....

Incline BB Press

135x10; 155x8; 165x7; 135x10

Very humbling on this exercise.  I havent done BB bench pressing for a long time, and it showed.  The incline BB was surprisingly difficult, given that Ive gotten accustomed to pressing 70-75lb DBs for 8-10 reps on the incline.

BB Military Press

95x10; 105x8; 105x8; 95x10

Tricep Pushdowns


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## ihateschoolmt (Feb 10, 2011)

I like the low volume.What weight are you trying to get to?


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## 33sun33 (Feb 12, 2011)

*Saturdays Pull Workout*

@ Ihateschool- I dont have a specific weight goal in mind; but since IM about 210lbs right now, I want to keep bulking until Im around 215/220lbs before maintaining (or a cut prior to summer).  My body tends to tire out and become more prone to injuries if I keep a high volume, althouhg I will throw in a high rep/high volume here and there to keep things interesting.

Todays workout was pretty solid all around.  Very good energy throughout!  Stil lhavent mastered using the weight belt thing during pullups though.

Pullups

bwx8; +10lb x8; +10lbs x8; +15x8

Sumo Deads

135x5; 225x5; 275x3; 305x2; 305x2; 275x5

DB Rows

80x10; 85x8; 90x8; 95x5

Romanian Deads

225x8; 225x8

Bicep Curls

35x10; 40x10

Planks

2.5 mins

Very solid all around, which may be owing to an improved diet (ie, more food!) the last few days.  IM one of those folks that have a hard time eating more than maintenance.  This really sucks during bulking, but of course tends to be awesome-ish on a cut or simple maintenance.


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## JerseyDevil (Feb 12, 2011)

33sun33 said:


> Incline BB Press
> 
> 135x10; 155x8; 165x7; 135x10


Nothing wrong with these numbers, especially since you just started doing BB inclines again. Takes getting used to again.


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## ihateschoolmt (Feb 12, 2011)

Romanian deads are great I need to do those sometime.


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## davegmb (Feb 13, 2011)

I tried the sum deads and they appeared to really suit my body type Although i did do RDL's after them like you did and my lower back hated me for the rest of the week, not sure ill do that again, maybe Good mornings instead of RDL's next time, they seem to be easier on the lower back for me, you ever do these i think they are great for the hammies?


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## 33sun33 (Feb 13, 2011)

Dave,  good to hear about the Sumos!  I really love that movement, it just feels much more natural and fluid for my long and lanky body than regular deads.  

I dont think Romanian deads are necessary post sumo or regular deads, but I find that they help target my hamstring muscles.  I usually dont feel it as much in my lower back.  I typically only do a couple of sets, at a light-ish weight.


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## 33sun33 (Feb 14, 2011)

*Mondays Push Workout*

Had a low energy workout today for whatever reason.  My diet has been pretty solid, so perhaps today was just a fluke.  My lifts werent horrible (except for flat BB bench), but I just didnt have that extra gear today.  I dont "think" that Im close to overtraining yet, but I do plan to a week break fairly soon (March).  And after going cold turkey off of my favorite incline DB press exercise, Ive decided to go back to the traditional flat BB bench for awhile.  I stopped doing the BB bench a long time ago (to me), when it aggravated a shoulder issue I have (AC joint).  But I figure Ill try it again and keep my fingers crossed.  ONce i move to lower rep/heavier weights during my next lifting program (perhaps in March or so), Ill switch to DB flat bench (since I dont have anyone to spot me at the gym).

Flat BB Bench: 4x8-10

135x10; 165x8; 165x8; 135x10.  As with the incline BB press, these were a lot more difficult than I imagined!  GRanted, I havent done a barbell bench press for 2 years, but I hoped that my DB press strength would more immediately translate.  I was hoping to crank out 8-10 reps at 185, but oh well.  

Back Squats: 4x8-10

[135x6 warmup] 185x8; 185x8; 185x8; 185x8.  Had been planning on increasing the weight to 205 for 8 reps, but didnt feel quite ready.  I might move up the weight next push session.  Since Im in a higher rep range period (for me), I dont want to pick a weight that I cant easily get 8-10 reps.

Standing Military Barbell Shoulder Press: 4x8-10

95x10; 105x8; 105x7; 95x8.  Eh... pretty decent.  Again, hoping to move up to 105 for a consistent 8 reps for more than one set.  Didnt happen today.


Tricep Cable Kick backs: 2x10

20x10; 25x10.  Little steamed.  Once again, the only dip station in the gym was taken by three dudes.  I had hoped to integrate dips into my regime here.  I used to love weighted dips, but then I had a shoulder injury (see above), and stopped both dips and barbell pressing.  Im going to try to integrate both moves back into my rep and hope for the best.  

Machine Flyes: 3x10

225x10; 250x8; 225x10.  See above.  I had planned on dips taking the place of both isolation tricep moves, and machine flyes. My fault for going to the gym when it was busy.  

Weighted Machine Ab Crunches

170x15; 190x8; 170x12.  This was a throw in at the last second.  I a big believer in the diet makes abs mantra; plus my core gets a ton of work from squats, deads and standing presses.  That said, I thought Id throw this in for kicks and giggles.


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## 33sun33 (Feb 16, 2011)

*Wednesdays Pull WO*

Hey y'all,

Had a solid workout today.

Pull Ups

BWx10; +15lbs x7; +15lbx7; BWx10

Sumo Deads

225x5; 275x4; 275x4; 275x4

DB Rows

85x10; 90x8; 90x8

DB Curls

45x7; 45x7; 35x10


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## ihateschoolmt (Feb 16, 2011)

Nice deads


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## 33sun33 (Feb 19, 2011)

*Saturdays Push Workout*

Had a good workout today!  Very happy with my squats, although my military press remained stagnant.  Also progressing slowly on my new BB bench press movement, byt perhaps I need to lower my expectations.

BB Bench Press

135x10; 165x8; 165x8; 165x6

Back Squats

[135x6 warmup] 185x10; 205x8; 205x8; 205x5.  Pretty happy to bump it up to 205 for 8-10 reps!  Next time around I will use 205 as my starting point for the working sets.  Hopefully I will be able to bang out 8-10 reps for 3 straight sets.

BB Standing Military Press

95x10; 105x8; 105x7

Dips

BWx10; BWx10.  First time doing dips in like 2 years (stopped after a minor shoulder injury).  Felt pretty good, but I kept it light and easy since my stabilizing muscles probably need to catch up/get used to the movement again. I


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## 33sun33 (Feb 19, 2011)

*addendum to Sat. Push Workout*

Ooops, I forgot to add that I also threw in two sets of Front Squats, essentially supersetting with the military press.  I really focused on keeping my movement pure, and getting good depth on these:

Front Squats

95x10; 105x8


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## ihateschoolmt (Feb 19, 2011)

If you super set them with military press you should have tried some overhead squats, those are a treat.


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## JerseyDevil (Feb 19, 2011)

Nice push day.

I like dips too, but be careful with them.  I think they are what messed up my shoulder after doing weighted dips for a few weeks.  I found out later several here also have incurred shoulder injuries doing dips.  Might be better to do close grip benches or pushups with your hands spaced close together


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## 33sun33 (Feb 20, 2011)

Yeah, you are probably right Jersey.  I actually injured my shoulder about two years ago doing dips and barbell bench presses, and so I know the risk exists.  I just love the movement so much I hoped to bring it back to my routine!  But I am probably playing with fire here, so perhaps I should drop it for good and revert to the CG press, french press, etc... (which have never given me any issues).


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## 33sun33 (Feb 21, 2011)

*Monday's Pull Workout*

Solid workout - not great energy, but average; no major improvements, but stayed steady.

Pull Ups

BWx10; +10lbs x8; +10lbs x8; +15lbs x6.  Fairly decent.  Just had no energy for these for some reason.

Sumo Deads

225x7; 275x5; 305x3; 305x2.  Again, decent.  I am considering adding a 5th working set, since I dont like to do high reps on deads (too much chance of losing focus and getting injured, at least for me). 

DB Rows

85x10; 90x8; 90x8; 70x12.  Struggle to get through this, although the 70lbs rep range set at the end felt like a feather.

Romanian Deads

225x8; 225x8.  I try to do a couple sets at the end of my workout, since I feel they work my hamstring muscles more than the Sumos.  But I always keep the weight light, and go for higher reps here.

DB Curls

40x10; 40x10

Sometime soon I need to switch up my rep ranges for a week or two, just to mix things up.  Ive been going for 8-10 reps for about 2 months now.


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## ihateschoolmt (Feb 21, 2011)

No harm in adding another working set on sumos since your in the low rep range.


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## the other half (Feb 23, 2011)

33, how the heck are ya? 

workouts are looking great. 

we just started doing wide grip pullups agian after doing a couple of different programs that didnt have them. wow, i suck at them now. adding about 10 pounds over the last couple of months  didnt help either.

and as far as the bb incline and press go. im with ya on that one.
we did flat bench the other day, and i sucked at 225. and i havent done incline bar since i dropped the bar on my chest about 3 years ago. 

good luck with all and hopefully i will be around here more.


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## 33sun33 (Feb 24, 2011)

Hey OTH, 

How are things?  Yup, Im giving this journal deal another shot. So far so good, though Ive decided to take a week break to deload.  My body needs the break, but Im still itching to get back to the gym (and its only been 3 days!).


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## ihateschoolmt (Feb 24, 2011)

I hate deloading too I feel like it makes me weaker. How often do you deload? every 8 weeks?


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## 33sun33 (Feb 25, 2011)

Yup, I generally deload or take a break every 8 weeks.  I had a break planned for next week, but my body felt like I needed to take a break a week early.  Looking forward to next week tho!

I love a full body, but Ive been doing a variation of push pull for some time.  So I am considering changing things up for the next weeks -perhaps going back to a Bill Starr type routine?  the 5/3/1 looks a bit too advanced/overkill for my needs right now.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 2, 2011)

*Wednesday's 5x5 (Bench)*

Alrighty then!  Im back in the gym from my deload/break, for another 8 week bulk period before I start my spring cut!  I had planned on sticking to the push/pull regimen, perhaps integrating a PRRS scheme to keep things interesting.  But since I like to do a push/pull during cuts, I decided to completely switch things up and go the Bill Starr 5x5 route for the next 8 weeks.

My new 8 week program looks like this:

Wednesdays: Bench 5x5

BB Flat Bench Press: 5x5
BB Squats: 1x5
DB Rows: 1x5
Biceps: 3x8-10

Fridays: Deadlift Day

Sumo Deads: 4x5
Weighted Pull Ups: 3x6-8
Military Press: 3x6-8
Front Squat: 2x8 (light)

Sundays: Squat 5x5

Squats: 5x5
Bench: 1x5
Rows: 5x5
Triceps: 3x8-10

Todays first workout went pretty well.  Good energy, strong lifts (though I didnt go crazy), and I was in and out of the gym in 40-45 minutes.

Bench

[95x10; 135x6]165x5x5.  Felt very easy throughout.  Im tempted to bump up to 185 next time, but will likely play it safe and stick to 175 for my next 1x5 and 5x5.

Squats:

135x8] 185x5.  FElt good.  Bump up to 195 or 205 next time.

Rows

[65x10] 85x5.  Felt light.  Bump up to 90 next time.


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 2, 2011)

Solid routine to follow good luck.


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 2, 2011)

Agreed. That is a great strength program.


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## the other half (Mar 4, 2011)

good luck with the new program, i always like the first week or so, getting to go lite till you find the breaking point. lol


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## 33sun33 (Mar 4, 2011)

*Friday's B Workout*

@Toh- yeah, the beginning is great, but then it really starts to grind on you after a couple of weeks.  I often can only get through 7 weeks before taking a break (aside from the working deload week at Week 5)

 Had a solid routine today- surprisingly good energy (got to gym feeling tired), and decent lifts all around

Weighted Pull Ups

BWx10; +10lbs x8; +15lbs x6; +20lbs x5.  These felt great.  I really enjoyed the switch to lower reps on these, after sticking to 8-12 the last couple of months.

Sumo Deads

225x6; 275x5; 305x4; 315x2.  Felt pretty good. I never understand how many total reps to get in on deads though. Since I like to keep my reps below 6 each set, Im not sure if I should add another working set here?  Either way, I was dead tired after the last set today.

Standing BB MIlitary Press

95x10; 115x6; 115x5

Front Squats- light

95x8; 95x8

planks


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 4, 2011)

I would only add another set to deads if you felt you could go up in weight or do 315x2 again. If you were gonna have to lower weight then you worked hard enough. Just my opinion.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 5, 2011)

Thanks, ihtschool.  I was "dead" at the end of those sets, so I dont think Ill add another after all.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 6, 2011)

*Sunday's Workout C*

Another solid workout.  Form was dead-on for squats, but I have some minor lb muscle pain- hopefully it will go away!

Bench Press

[95x10; 135x6]  175x5. Felt pretty good.  I was tempted to bump up to 185, but I think I made the right decision sticking to 175 (since I will have my chest 5x5 coming on Wednesday)

Db Rows

[65x8] 90x5.  Very easy.  Had to do rows here instead of squats as the squat racks were all taken.

Squats

[135x8] 185 x 5reps x5 sets.  Pretty easy overall.  Definitely bumping up to 205 for my next 1x5 and 5x5.

Triceps - French Press

70x10; 80x8; 80x8

some weighted crunches at end


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 6, 2011)

You use 90 pound DBs for DB rows?? That's crazy Im not very far off of 175x5 for bench but 90 pound db rows I am no where near.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 7, 2011)

@ihateschool - For some reason I can murder some DB rows, and Im (relative to the restof my body) strong on rowing/pull movements as a whole.  When I first started lifting, I made the rookie mistake of obsessing over chest and arm movements, and barely did any pulling movements at all.  

Once I started learning from this site, I adopted a more balanced routine.  I found, lo and behold, that my body for some strange reason is "stronger" in row and pull movements than it is in push movements.  As such, my DB rows are pretty strong (I should be able to get up to 100 dbs for low reps now), and yet my bench press is relatively weak.  I guess we all have our strong and weak points!  

That said, I am hopeful that I can get my bench up to 225 (for low reps) by the end of the program.  I was repping the 80lb dbs for 8 reps before, so hopefully that strength will soon translate into the traditional BB bench press.


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## the other half (Mar 7, 2011)

33, i hear ya, i have never been good with bar bench, i can do 110 db for flat bench, but bearly get 225 for 2 set of 6, but when it come to back i can kill it with most of the lifts.

keep up the hard work.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 9, 2011)

*Wed Workout A*

Good workout today, despite having to rush through it! 

squats 

[135x8] 185x5; 205x5.  felt strong on these, should be able too complete the 5x5 on sunday 

bench 

[135x8] 175 x 5 reps x 5 sets.  decent, but harder than i thought it would be to get through all 5 et  sets 

db row 

[65x6] 90x 5 reps x 5 sets.  solid throughout, def bump up in weight next time 

db bicep curl 

45x8; 45x6


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## 33sun33 (Mar 11, 2011)

*Fridays Workout B*

Very solid workout today, one PR in the military press (which I almost didnt do today!), and matched a PR in sumo deads.  Kinda wierd since Im only doing those movements once a week - but perhaps the decrease in volume is also the reason for the PRs!

I also have been eating much more frequently the past few days/week, which I attribute to the start of my paternity leave!  While taking care of my 4 month old daughter during the days this week (while Mom works) is much harder than any other job Ive ever had (and more rewarding), it has also given me more freedom to eat a lot more food!  I think Ive already seen the increase in food translate to an increase in my lifts!

Weighted Pull Ups

bwx6; +20lbsx5; +20lbsx5; +20lbsx5; +20lbsx5.  Guess this also qualifies as a PR!  Very happy with these.  Felt like I could have gone for 6 or 7 reps even, but my hands were mad slippery.

Sumo Deads

225x6; 275x6; 315x3; 315x3.  PR for doing 6 total reps at 315.  Im not going to bump up the weight yet, just try for 4 or 5 reps next time.

BB Standing Military Press

95x10; 115x6; 125x3.  PR for the 125 lift.  Kept the total reps low as Im trying to save my shoulders for bench press day.

Turkish Getups

+35lbs x4 total get ups' +35lbs x 6 total get ups.  Damn these were tiring.  But it felt good to reintegrate these into my program


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## the other half (Mar 11, 2011)

33, great job on the PR's, and also on the new addition to the family.

i really like the sumo deadlifts, i have dropped the weights down a bit, and am really trying to keep the form strict. i cant believe that you are doing sets with 20# on the pull ups.
how much are you weighing?

but great workout all the way around


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## 33sun33 (Mar 12, 2011)

Hey TOH,

Thanks for the compliment on my pull ups - its something Ive worked on quite a bit since I couldnt do a single non-assisted pull up just a couple years ago!  I started with singles at bw, then doubles, etc... until I could easily do 10 reps at bodyweight.  Now Ive started to add weight (holding a dumbbell between my knees).  I keep strict form, and go all the way down (arms fully extended), and then all the way up (head above hands); with my hands abit wider than my shoulders.  For whatever reason Ive always have been much better at pulling movements than with pushing movements.

Also thanks for reminding me to weigh myself.  I weighed myself for the first time in like a month, and damn I am heavier than I thought!!! (which I dont know if that is a good thing or a bad thing on this bulk).  Im at *218lbs r*ight now!!!  I only wanted to bulk until I hit 220 before cutting, but looks like I may go over 220 since I still have 5-6 weeks left in this bulk.  Ah well.  I wonder what my bodyfat is - Ill try to take a measurement by next week (hopefully Im not above 16%).  Some of it is definitely fat, but I dont think I "look" much fatter than before.  Ill probably try the UD2 diet for the cut come May since I want to retain as much as my gains as possible.  The Rapid Fat Loss variant has really worked for me in the past, but Im worried Ill lose too much muscle on that.


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 12, 2011)

Wow three PRs in one work out that's awesome. And at your weight those pull ups are impressive.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 13, 2011)

*Sundays Workout C*

Pretty good workout today.  While Im still a little nervous about all the weight Im gaining (which if muscle, is a good thing/if fat, is a bad thing), I am definitely stoked about my strength gains.  Plus I just feel stronger/more energetic/more confident with many of my lifts (esp. squats).  So Ill keep on this bulk deal until May as planned.

Squats: 5x5

[135x5; 175x5 - ramp up/warm up] 205 x 5 reps x 5 sets.  Felt very strong throughout.  While the last couple of sets werent a walk in the park, there was never a single question as to whether Id be able to get all my reps in.  

Now Im wondering whether to bump up to 225 for my 1x5 on Monday (meaning 225 for my 5x5 the following sunday); or to play it safe and only bump up to 215.  Im leaning towards doing 225 and seeing how if feels - if it feels relatively easy, then Ill stick with it for my 5x5.

Flat BB Bench: 1x5

[95x8; 135x5; 165x3- warmup] 185 x5 reps.  Felt pretty good.  Still not killing this movement, and the 5 reps were challenging.  That said, I was confident about making all my reps.  My 5x5 at this weight is coming up on Wednesday.

DB Rows: 1x5

[65x7 warmup] 95 x 5 reps.  Very easy, though I can tell grip may become a limiting factor once I bump up into the 100lb range.  

Tricep French Press: 3x8

80lbs x8 reps x 3 sets.  Solid

and I threw in two random sets of weighted crunches at the end, since I finished early.


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 14, 2011)

Nice progress 33. You sound like a good Dad


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## 33sun33 (Mar 16, 2011)

*Bummer!*

So today was a major bummer!!!  So far, my bulk has been going pretty well, imo.  Ive gotten stronger, added weight (hopefully most of it muscle), and (from a subjective and non-scientific perspective) feel that my physique has improved a bit.  So I am majorly bummed to have hit a roadblock today, that may end my bulk.

While benching, I started to feel increasing pain at the top of my armpit.  It feels more like nerve pain, than muscle pain.  I was doing my strenous 5x5 workout on the barbell bench press today (at 185lbs), but had to stop the workout a full set short because of the pain.  Now, I could have sucked it up and finished the set, but I didnt want to do any lasting damage.

Im not really sure what this pain is, or what caused it, or how to remedy it.  I have had this same pain (on my dominant arm) before, but in the past it was closer to my deload/break, and i just gave it rest and I was fine.

But I still have 5 more weeks of this bulk left! Im not even midway through the Bill Starr program!

Any ideas to what this pain is, and how to resolve it, would be greatly appreciated.  AS I see it, I have the following options:

(1) rest it this week, take anti-inflammatories, and hope it goes away by my next chest workout (a 1x5 set (with ramp up sets) on Sunday).

(2) rest my chest for a full week or two, while continuing to work other muscle groups using the same program (IM still progressing on squat and rows);

(3) or just take ANOTHER complete break (had a week break only 3 weeks ago) for a week or two, and perhaps use it as an excuse to start my cut early.

So what do you all think?  IM leaning towards #1, but if there is still pain on Sunday I dont know if I should just call it quits and start a cut or continue on Bill Starr without the bench.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 16, 2011)

*Wednesday's Workout A*

(see prior post re bench press pain)

BB Bench Press: 5x5

[135x5; 135x4 warmup] 185x; 185x5; 185x5; 185x5; 185x1 (stopped short due to nerve pain at top of armpit).  These sets were strenous, but I felt confident about being able to finish all sets from a musclular/chest standpoint.  But the damn pain in my armpit just kept getting progressively worse, so I cut the last set short to avoid further aggravation/damage.

Squats: 1x5

[135x5; 185x5 warmup] 225x5.  Felt pretty good; the only highlight from an otherwise sucky gym day (see above).  I think I could go for a 5x5 at 225, though it would be challenging.  

DB Rows: 5x5

[65x7 warmup] 95 x5 reps x 5 sets.  Pretty good, though my energy (at the end of my WO) was definitely waning.  Im not sure if my grip strength is up to the task of moving the 100lbs DBs though.  

DB Bicep Curls

40x10; 45x8.  Solid.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 17, 2011)

*Decisions, Decisions*

Well,

Im still worked up about the strange benching injury that I sustained the other day.  Hurt through the night, but today doesnt feel that bad.  But some tendon or ligament or some such is obviously tweaked, and I dont want to aggravate it by blindly pushing forward. 

As such, Ive decided to stop my beloved Bill Starr program short, depsite the cool gains I was making.  And since Im going to have to take a week (maybe 2?) off from horizontal pressing movements anyways, I thought that this is as good a time as any to get my summer cut on.  

My plan is to follow Lyle McDonald's Rapid Fat Loss (RFL) diet as a Category 2 dieter for the next two weeks. Hopefully this will give my armpit tendon some time to heal, and will allow me to cut some bodyfat while preserving my lean body mass.  I still need to retrieve my body fat calipers from my office to get an accurate measurement, but Im pretty sure Im around 16-17% bodyfat. 

 If that is generally correct, then I need to drop about 12-13lbs to get down to a goal of 10% bodyfat (at @203lbs).  Supposedly this is possible on the RFL, but Id be happy with keeping my muscle and dropping "only" 5-10lbs over the next weeks.  

My diet and training plan are based on the book, and entails a basic PSMF type diet with two moderate cheat meals a week, and 1 5 hour refeed per week.  I also will be going to the gym only twice a week, for a low rep/heavy weight push/pull fullbody workout.

Pull

Deadlifts
Pullups
DB Rows or Yates Rows
Core work

Push

Squats
Standing BB Military Press (unless this tweaks my armpit)
Light Flyes, leading to DB Bench Press (as my armpit gets better).  
Turkish Get ups (core)

So thats it!  I feel bad about stopping Starr since it seemed to be working, but injuries are a bitch!  Hopefully I can get down to 200-205lbs while maintaining most of my muscle mass.  If I achieve this goal, then I may do a short slow bulk (4-6 weeks), followed by maintenance for the summer or the UD2 diet (if I still want to drop a bit more bodyfat).  I am going to be HUNGRY for the next couple weeks!


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 17, 2011)

I like the simple work outs. good luck cutting. Have fun being hungry!


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## 33sun33 (Mar 18, 2011)

ihateschoolmt said:


> I like the simple work outs. good luck cutting. Have fun being hungry!



Thanks ihate!  Today is my first day on RFL.  so far, not so bad.  Kinda hungry with low energy, but that is to be expected.  Only 11-13 more days of this, thank god. And hopefully my tendon thing will be healed by then.


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 18, 2011)

Ya that doesn't sound too bad. I've never had to cut and I think I'm gonna keep that up as long as possible haha.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 18, 2011)

Bulking (or just maintaining) is definitely more fun than cutting.  I hate cutting  

Alright, so here is my diet, which tracks the guidelines in RFL.  My overall calories seem a bit higher than the average "400-800" per day, but I cant see any other way to consume enough protein without jacking the calories up to 1000 (which is still pretty damn low for someone my size).

Meal 1 (Wake-Up): 1 scoop whey protein: 120 cals; 24 g. protein; 3 carbs; 0 fat

Meal 2 (Breakfast): 1 scoop whey protein; egg whites with mushrooms or onions; 6 fish oil caps; multivitamin; ECA stack: 240 cals; 50 g. protein; 5g carbs (mostly from veggies); 6 g fat

Meal 3 (Lunch): Grilled chicken breast, salad, 1 tbsp salad dressing; ECA stack: 240 cals; 45 g. protein; 5g carbs (veggies); 5g fats (salad dressing)

Meal 4 (Dinner): Same as above (although at times may switch to a lean grilled fish filet or tuna); raw veggies instead of salad

Meal 5 (Pre-Bed): Cottage cheese with cinnamon dusting: 230 cals; 40g protein; 0 carb; 4g fats

TOTALS: 1070 cals; 204 g. protein; negligible carbs (@15 g mostly from veggies); 20 g fats


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 18, 2011)

Whoa man at 218 pounds you NEED to eat more than 1000 calories a day. You are going to loose muscle doing that for sure, and a lot of it. That doesn't seem healthy to me, I'm not trying to hate on your idea but I am concerned for your overall health. That's less than 5 calories per pound of weight.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 18, 2011)

ihateschoolmt said:


> Whoa man at 218 pounds you NEED to eat more than 1000 calories a day. You are going to loose muscle doing that for sure, and a lot of it. That doesn't seem healthy to me, I'm not trying to hate on your idea but I am concerned for your overall health. That's less than 5 calories per pound of weight.



Yeah, the diet is fairly extreme imo, but a lot of members here have had great results (myself included about a year ago).  It is only supposed to be followed for about 2 weeks max, before taking a diet break (eg, going back to eating at maintenance, etc...).  And as a Category 2 dieter on RFL, I am supposed to have one cheat meal and one 5 hour refeed per week.  The cheat meal, I imagine, would add around 300 cals to that day, while the refeed would add a pretty high number of cals (maybe @ 2k at least?).

But the notion behind RFL is that it will preserve as much muscle mass as possible, but not sparing protein (e.g, PSMF- protein spared modified fast), by its short duration, and by having refeeds/cheat meals (for a cat 2 dieter at least).

In any event, Im only doing it for 13 days (up until a weekend trip to Miami), and will try to follow its guidelines strictly.  Also, Im adding another small meal to my original plan, since I think I should be getting at least 230g protein (1.25 grams x lean body mass).   So my new totals are around 1200 cals, 230 grams protein, negligible carbs, and up to 20g fats (NOT counting cheat meals and refeeds).

After this short program is over, I will eat at maintenance for awhile, and then probably try out Lyle McDonald's UD2 diet to further lean out (ultimate goal is 10% BF, but I dont mind hitting the single digits!).  UD2 is much less extreme, although is also a more complicated/regimented diet.


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 18, 2011)

Oh ok, I've never cut or had any interest in learning about it so I just thought it sounded funny but if you know what your doing then that's more than I know haha. Good luck loosing weight.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 18, 2011)

ihateschoolmt said:


> Oh ok, I've never cut or had any interest in learning about it so I just thought it sounded funny but if you know what your doing then that's more than I know haha. Good luck loosing weight.



You are absolutely right that a traditional cut would just involve gradually lower cals, with perhaps a 40/40/20 split of your calories coming from protein/carbs/fats.  The male low carb cutting plan thats a sticky in the diet forum is pretty solid.

But I frickin hate cutting in all forms!  And I would probably have to stick to the low carb plan for about 2-3 months to see decent results, which would really suck.  The RFL is kinda extreme, but there are many positive threads on it in the diet section of the forum.  Theoretically you can keep (most of) your gains while dropping fat.  But Id only do it for 2 weeks tops, and then transition to a more traditional cut (with much higher calories) or the UD2 diet.  

Anyways, Ill keep you all posted on my progress!  So far so good, but I am damn hungry. Celery and cucumbers are going to be my best friends


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## 33sun33 (Mar 19, 2011)

Ahhh, its so damn boring not going to the gym!  I still want to use this injury as (another) week break, and so probably wont hit the gym again until next Thurs/Friday.  

Hopefully the damn tendon in my armpit (between chest and bicep kinda) will have healed by then.  It is feeling better, but is still noticeably sore.  Im taking anti-inflammatories, some light stretcing, etc...

Im in Day 2 of the cut as well (RFL), and its going pretty well.  Appetite and energy have been decent, and Im keeping my meals evenly spaced.

For some reason I weighed in at 215.5 right before starting the cut (on Friday morning), instead of the 218 I logged a week prior.  Perhaps water weight fluctuations, etc...Anyways, this morning I came in at 213.4.  Not sure if thats due to the diet so soon, probably just water weight again.  Anways, since Im not hitting the gym yet, I wont update re gym/diet stuff till late next week.


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 19, 2011)

Ya man I would expect you would loose at least 5 pounds of water weight pretty fast on that diet.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 22, 2011)

*First Pull Workout on the Cut*

I had my first workout on this cut, and all and all it went pretty well.  This is officially the middle of my 5th day on RFL - a PSMF type diet.  I was motivated to cut since my BF and weight was getting up there, plus I have some tendinitis in my pectoralis tendon from doing the damn barbell bench press.  I highly doubt there is a tear, just some minor pain that I dont want to make worse.  There is still some pain, but from what I can gather Rest and anti-inflammatories are the best treatment.  So no upper pushing movements for awhile (at least another week  ).  

The first three days of the RFL cut were pretty easy.  Some hunger, but the EC stack did the trick.  The fourth day was hell - no energy, lightheaded, irritable, etc... So I did a 5 hour refeed, as contemplated in RFL.  Made a world of difference!  So far Ive lost about 7 lbs, hopefully some of it fat (not all water).  

Anyways, here was my pull workout today (which I kept heavy in weight and low in reps, per everyones advice):

Sumo Deadlifts: 3x4-8

225x7; 285x5; 315x4.  These felt great!  I might have even done a PR with 4 reps at 315 (maybe not), which is likely due to the lower volume, and taking the EC stack right before the gym.

Pull Ups

BWx4 stopped.  Pullups didnt hurt my tendon injury, but I did feel the pectoralis tendon "activated" if that makes any sense.  Probably wouldnt aggravate the injury, but to play it safe I just stopped doing any pullups after testing it out for a couple reps. Strength wise I felt great, tho.

DB Rows

70x7; 95x5; 95x5.  These felt great, no problem at all.  They didnt seem to activate or aggravate the pectoralis tendon, so hopefully these are still OK for me to do.

DB Bicep Curls

50x6; 50x5.  

And thats it - short and sweet!  Ill do a push workout probably Friday or Saturday, which since I cant do any chest movements, will probably just be squats and overhead shoulder DB presses (and tricep accessory work).  

Still sticking to the diet until next tuesday, but Im taking one of my weekly "cheat" meals tomorrow night for sushi!


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 22, 2011)

Glad your diet seems to be going well. I might try it when I do a short cut in the summer. Hitting PR's on a cut must feel great.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 25, 2011)

*The Doctor Visit*

While I was 95% confident that I suffered only a mild strain of the pectoral tendon on my right side, I decided to follow up with an orthopedic doctor just to be sure.  Turns out I was right - I do have a pec strain at the tendon - and the treatment was also what one would expect - rest, ice, anti-inflammatories (he did give me a script for naproxen, which is a bump from the aleve I was taking).  

So now I need to wait two-three more weeks to ensure that it heals properly, before doing any movements that aggravate it.  This is a pretty sucky set back, but Id rather take some time from the game rather than have a complete tear down the line.  That said, I dont think I have to be completely absent from the gym during this downtime.

Training

So Im wondering what would be the best training during the next couple weeks?  I cant do any chest exercises, probably also cant do pull ups (they seemed to bother the tendon when I tried), and possible also cant do shoulder presses (havent tried yet with working weight, though light shoulder DB presses seemed fine). 

Which leaves the legs (deads, squats, etc...), probably can still do rows, and probably can do isolation accessory movements (tris, maybe bis).

So I guess Im thinking of going with a short and quick push/pull type deal: squats, tris, mayyyybee shoulder presses if its feeling better on Push day; deads, bis, maybe rows on pull day.  

Diet

Other big news was me ending the RFL diet yesterday.  I did it for a week, and had decent results considering I only was on the diet for such a short time.  Lost about 5-7lbs after the water weight came back, so Im coming in at @ 210lbs.  PRetty good for a week I think!  

But I decided to stop RFL short, out of (perhaps misplaced) fear that such a caloric deficit would have a negative effect on my recovery from the injury. So Ive transitioned to essentially a slow cut/low carbs/maintenance diet. Nothing crazy, just a healthy diet perhaps a bit below maintenance, and if I lose a couple more pounds over the next couple weeks, cool!

Ill probably go in for my squats (all I have left!) today or tomorrow.


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 25, 2011)

Glad that diet seemed to work so well. I think I'll try it myself one day. Injuries suck, but at least you can still do squats and deads.


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## 33sun33 (Mar 26, 2011)

*Saturday's Workout*

@Ihate- no need to try something that extreme until/unless you start getting too chubby (above 15%bf) like I did!  You are making great progress, so I doubt youll have to do any sort of cut for awhile.

Anyways, Im still pretty bummed about not being able to do chest or other pressing movements.  While I am a believer in having a balanced workout, I admit that the vein part of (like many others) wants my chest to grow moreso than other areas.  So to potentially suffer some muscle loss in my favorite (obviously not strongest) area is a blow!  Im hoping I wont lose a lot of muscle with this 3 week injury break.  

But I am trying to use this as a positive, to integrate better warmup exercises into my routine, and to really focus on other areas like squats, deads, core and even accessory exercises.

Here was todays workout, sans pressing movements:

Squats

[135x8] 185x6; 185x8; 185x8.  Really tried to super focus on form, going down as low as possible (ATF/ATG) in a slow, controlled manner.  Even had a few pause squats here and there to verify that I was going down as low as my body would allow.  Felt good.  Kept the reps lowish since Im still in a slight caloric deficit.

Front Squats

95x8; 95x10.  Again, really really focused on form, going down slow to the bottom, pausing for a second, and then blasting up. Felt great.

Tricep Rope Push Downs

40x10; 60x10; 85x5; 70x8.  Didnt want to risk doing french presses, and certainly cant do CG bench presses for triceps, given teh injury.  Guess Ill stick to this and kickbacks

Core

Planks - 2 min; 1 min

HIIT

bike - 15 mins


Probably going to start playing more basketball during this injury break - I dont "think" it will aggravate the chest, as long as I dont play super competively.

Diet was crap yesterday- the missus and I were dead tired from work and baby wrangling, and split a deep dish pizza and bourbon.  Good thing is it made me feel like crap, so Im back to my healthy ways today!


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## ihateschoolmt (Mar 26, 2011)

I just wanted to do that diet for like a week and loose 2% body fat. I guess I will figure all that out whenever I am actually ready to cut. Good job focusing on form. I hate 1/2 squatters.


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## 33sun33 (May 2, 2011)

*Its Been a Long Time*

Its been a long time...
I shouldnt have left you...
without a dope beat to step to...

Im back!!!  Damn, its been a long time since Ive posted.  Cliff notes: I went on a business trip at the end of March/beginning of April, and came back with a cold (damn airplanes).  The cold lingered on for a couple of weeks, and combined with my still torn pectoral muscle and new dad duties, I simply stopped going to the gym for the last few weeks.

I kept hoping that my pec muscle would fully heal, allowing me to go back with a fury.  But alas, my pec is still strained, although greatly improved.  It feels mostly fine, but I can still feel a bit of soreness where the injury occurred.  I dont want to do any pressing movements (even light) until I am completely pain free.  Im really hoping it will only be a couple more weeks!

Anyways, I got sick of using my injury as an excuse to be lazy, so today I went back to the gym.  It was really great doing squats, etc... again, and really bumped my energy levels up!  

In terms of program, I guess Im just biding my time until Im fully healed.  Doing a sort of FB workout, minus the horizontal pressing movements.  Im also going to start playing basketball, and just strive to get back into decent cardio shape while keeping whatever muscle I have left!  I know I lost some muscle by not being in the gym the last 3 or so weeks.  .

Anyways, here was todays first workout back:

Squats: 135x10; 185x10; 185x8
Standing Alternative DB Shoulder Press: 25x12; 35x10; 35x8
Tricep Pushdowns: 60x12; 70x10; 60x10
Planks
Some prehab/stretching work
HIIT Bike- 10 mins

Current weight- 206lbs.  It would be cool if I dropped a bit more BF (and fat pounds) over the next couple of months.  For now, Im just doing a basic high protein, lower carb, eating a bit under maintenance diet.


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## ihateschoolmt (May 2, 2011)

Welcome back!


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## davegmb (May 3, 2011)

Glad your feeling a bit better even if your chest isnt, and going off your squat numbers you havnt lost any strength from before the break.


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## 33sun33 (May 5, 2011)

Thanks Dave.  Im pretty sore, but I was happy at my rep numbers for my first day back.  Chest is continuing to feel better, but still should keep resting if for another week or two to be safe.

Here was my pull day!

Pull Ups

Bodyweight x 10; bwx10; bwx8.  

Sumo Deads

225x7 reps x 3 sets.  I might have lost a bit here.  225 used to feel like a feather, but today I was sweating to crank out these reps!  Hopefully it will come back to me soon.

DB Rows

70x10; 80x8; 80x8

DB Bicep Curls

40x10; 35x10; 30x12


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