# First Post on IM, Figured It Should Be a Start to a Journal



## fletcher6490 (Mar 23, 2005)

Hello everybody, I've been occasionally visiting these message boards for the last few months, hearing what you all have to say.  I figured I should probably get as many tips as I can to help me get the body I want.

So anyway, here's a little info about myself.

I've been doing the same routine since I was 15...I lift for around 3 months, quit for 9 then do it all over again.  Why you may ask?  I'm sure many of you members have the same problem, it's hard to keep the routine.  And once you stop for a month or so it basically sucks to get it going again, because you will be really sore and you will not be as strong as you were.

Ultimately the goal is to keep a solid workout plan and diet forever, but that usually is impossible.

Well, I'm 22, 5'8", 140-150 lbs.
I've been working out for the past 7 weeks.
I only go 2 days a week, I'll explain...
Monday - Chest/Bi's      Wednesday - Back/Shoulders

...I don't do legs because I work at FedEx as a Package Handler(that alone is a pretty good workout), I'm too scared to get my legs all sore and have to run around during work...I know, I'm a pussy

Here is my normal workout:

Chest
BP - 
       10 reps /  135 lbs
        8  reps /  170 lbs
        6  reps /  195 lbs
       10 reps /  135 lbs

Incline BP -
       10 reps /  135 lbs
        8  reps /  155 lbs
        6  reps /  165 lbs
       10 reps /  135 lbs

Nautilus Incline BP machine - I don't know what the weights are
        10 reps
         8  reps
         6  reps

Nautilus Fly machine - same
        10 reps
         8  reps
         6  reps

3 sets of dips - usually 10, 10, 20


Biceps:

Preacher bench - 
        10 reps / 75 lbs
         8  reps / 85 lbs
         6  reps / 95 lbs

Then I mix up 3 other exercises x 3 reps...I definitely get a good pump.


The only supplements I take is 5 mg creatine after a workout and the occasional protein shake.

My diet is not perfect, but it isn't so bad...I eat a lot of tuna fish, eggs, cottage cheese and meet.  I also try to stay away from fast food, but sometimes you give in.

I will get to my back and shoulder workout in another post...I would like to get some feedback from some members.

Here are some pics of where I'm at now

Thank You


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## klmclean (Mar 23, 2005)

Welcome


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## fletcher6490 (Mar 23, 2005)

thank you Klmclean.

going by my pics, routine or diet.  Are there any suggestions you may have that would aid me


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## Yunier (Mar 23, 2005)

Ah, hey there...welcome man!


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## GoalGetter (Mar 23, 2005)

Hey FLetch! Welcome to IM! Great first post, and good initiative starting a journal from the get-go!

As far as feedback on your workouts - I'm sure some folks will come by and give you a nice thorough critique on what you've posted, and you will also have some if not all folks telling ya to get a leg workout in there as well. WHere did you come up wiht your workout? Yourself? A friend? A trainer? A website? Just curious... And also, is there a reason you prefer working chest and bicep rather than chest and tricep together? Again, nothing wrong with it, just curious...

You might want to provide more info about your workouts - rest intervals between sets, tempo if you use different tempos for different exercises, etc.

As far as keeping a solid workout plan forever, what do you mean? Like the same exercises? Your workout shouldn't stay the same for an extended length of time, and as others will also tell ya, while it can be solid forever (you make it as solid as you want it!) you'll have to change things up every once in a while to keep your body from adapting and hitting a plateau. CHeck out the training forums to get more detail on training styles, theories, technques, etc...

As far as your diet, you said you've been lurking here a while, so chances are you've seen the threads in the nutrition section? (i hope!) You should post a sample day's worth of what you eat (amounts, time you eat, etc), in order to get some good feedback on it. 

Overall, congrats on taking these first steps, and way to go for making this a lifestyle/lifetime goal and not a get-ripped-quick plan. Kudos to you! Best of luck!


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## fletcher6490 (Mar 23, 2005)

So far today I had a box of pasta roni at 9 a.m. (keep in mind I work the graveyard shift, so my sense of time is messed up)  I had a protein shake around 1 p.m. and I had 2 tuna fish sandwiches (1 can) at 3 p.m..  I do not know what I will eat for dinner.

I change my routine almost every time I go to the gym, the only consistent sets I have on chest day are; bb bench press and incline bench press (on the smith machine), after that I improvise.  I noticed that my upper chest definitely is not as built up as my lower section, so I have been focusing on more of my upper pec.  



> is there a reason you prefer working chest and bicep rather than chest and triceps together?



When doing chest workouts, I found that I also used a lot of triceps.  With back exercises I noticed a definite burn in my biceps.  That is why I grouped them together. 

My biggest weaknesses are lats and lower back.  I lift heavy boxes for a living, so my back is basically shot.  I only do light exercises on back day such as; pull downs, pull ups, hyper-extensions and other varieties of pull downs or rows.  I don't know if my back is really weak or I'm not using the right form, but I feel these workouts burning my biceps more than my back.  I also have a bad right shoulder, so I try not to overwork my delts.  

I would like to find out all of my measurements, that way i could actually Gage my progress.

I don't know if a tape measure would be considered accurate but if it is my biceps are 15" and my chest was 46"


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## Velvet (Mar 23, 2005)

Great post Ivy   Welcome Fletcher


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## fletcher6490 (Mar 29, 2005)

Tues, March 29

Went to the gym today for my chest / bi day

Started with bb bench press
10 x 135
8   x 165
6   x 195
10 x 135

Incline bb bench press (on the smith machine)
10 x 135
8   x 155
6   x 155

Incline db bench press
10 x 90
8   x 110
6   x 130

Incline nautilus machine x 3 reps
some machine that is similar to fly's x 3 reps


Bicepts

Super set
preacher curls
10 x 75

Seated Incline Alternated Dumbbell Curl 

10 x 25lbs dumbbell


8   x 85

10 x 25lbs dummbell

6   x 95

10 x 25lbs dummbell

21's with 25 lbs dummbell x 3 reps



And that is it folks.


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## b_reed23 (Mar 30, 2005)

Interesting w/o, I do the same thing...chest/bis, but I do shoulders/tris, and back has it's own day...my arms develop fast, and my back develops slow...so this is my way of slowing down my arms, and speeding up my back so to speak....does that make sense? lol...it sounds like you may need to clean up your diet a little bit and set some goals...are you trying to cut or bulk??  

This place will help keep you motivated as long as you are ready!  Welcome aboard!!


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## fletcher6490 (Mar 30, 2005)

> it sounds like you may need to clean up your diet a little bit and set some goals...are you trying to cut or bulk??



I agree, my diet sucks.  I usually eat 2 big meals per day and will have maybe 2 or 3 snacks.  My problem is when I eat, I eat a lot.  I find it very hard to eat 5 or 6 small meals per day.  My diet is not very good, but I don't think it is horrible; I try and stay away from fast food (eat it roughly once every 2 weeks), I don't eat a lot of sweets (although lately i've been craving chocolate) and I steer clear of processed foods.  

I need to eat more vegetables, and less servings/meal.  But it is very hard to maintain a steady, healthy diet.



> are you trying to cut or bulk??


To be quite honest I'm not sure.  I think if I could build my pecs up a little bit more and get a 6 pack, I would look pretty buff.  I went to visit some friends that I have not seen in a few months this past weekend and they all thought I was taking roids, so I suppose something is working.  

One problem I have is my arms are significantly larger and more cut than my other muscles...for some reason I've always had buff arms, ever since I was a little kid.  I know that I need to elaborate on my shoulder and back workout but little things hold me back such as my bad right shoulder and my constantly aching back.  Another thing that is very weird is my left delt is significantly smaller then my right...when my arms are raised to my head it is very noticeable if your specifically looking at my shoulders.


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## fletcher6490 (Apr 7, 2005)

Well I found out that I am proportional and my body fat % is 7.6

I also did a shoulder and tricep workout today.



Tuesday I did my chest/bi's

I tried maxing out on bench for the first time and I put up 225 for 2 reps, I am satisfied although I would like to reach my goal of 250 soon (I guess it has only been 2 1/2 months)


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## Seanp156 (Apr 7, 2005)

For just starting, you seem pretty strong, at least in my opinion.

 As far as your diet goes though it seems like you might want to eat more. Also I'm not really sure if not doing legs is the best idea(seems like it could hinder your growth in the long run), how much walking do you do for your work? Leg soreness isn't really that bad of a pain, but it could get annoying if you're walking more than 2-3 miles a day.


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## fletcher6490 (Apr 9, 2005)

> Also I'm not really sure if not doing legs is the best idea(seems like it could hinder your growth in the long run), how much walking do you do for your work? Leg soreness isn't really that bad of a pain, but it could get annoying if you're walking more than 2-3 miles a day.



The thing is I have to walk back and forth between 3 trucks for 5 hours, then I ride with a driver 3 days a week which consist of jumping in and out of a truck and walking to 130 stops a day (for another 10 hours).  Trust me it is a lot of walking and running, I'd say around 5 - 7 miles a day.




> As far as your diet goes though it seems like you might want to eat more



The doctor I met with told me I needed at least 3000 - 3500 calories a day just to maintain my current state (because I do a lot of physical activity).  He also said if I wanted to gain weight I should be eating around 4000 - 4500 calories.  To me that seems like a lot.  Should I start eating shitty foods like McDonalds and BurgerKing or maybe have weight gainer shakes???  I would like to gain around 10 lbs, but I'm telling you guys it really hard for me.  What confuses me is how much my strength went up these last few months, without gaining a single pound.


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## fletcher6490 (Apr 14, 2005)

tues apr, 12

I tried something different today, I left out biceps and did triceps instead

chest
bb bench press
10 x 135
8   x 165
4   x 205
10 x 135

incline db press

50's x 10
60's x 8
70's x 6

incline bench press on nautilus machine
3 sets of 10

dips

20
20
20

triceps

cable pull downs
10 x 110
10 x 120
8   x 140

one arm cable pulldowns

10 x 30
10 x 30
8   x 50

and that's it


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## fletcher6490 (Apr 14, 2005)

Can anyone give me some new chest workouts I could try, I think I might be stuck cause I haven't moved up in the last 3 weeks.  I'm trying to build my upper and inner chest a little more.  I realize that it is one muscle, but you can target certain areas.

thanks


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## fletcher6490 (May 1, 2005)

I haven't posted for a while cause i've been working my ass off.  Does anyone think this is too much...I work monday - friday at fedex from 2:30 a.m. till 7:30 a.m., after that I ride with a drive who broke his leg mon, wed, thurs and friday.  I do this from 8:30 a.m. till 5:30 p.m. (so basically for 14 hours a day i'm doing nothing but lifting heavy ass boxes).  On top of that i'm lifting twice a week, so i'm wondering if I might be overtraining.

But anyways I started gopro's workout on sat apr 30.

chest
db presses -
80's x 6 reps
80's x 6 reps

incline bb bench press
185 x 6 reps
185 x 5 reps

dips (I can't figure out how to do weighted dips so i just did as many as I could do)
1st set 35 dips
2nd set 25 dips

Bi's

wall ez bar curls
105 x 6 reps
105 x 6 reps

preacher bench
105 x 5 reps
105 x 4 reps

hammer curls
50's x 4
45's x 4

that is it folks


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## fletcher6490 (Oct 12, 2005)

Ok, I'm back.  No more screwing around.  
I have still been lifting but only like once or twice a week and now I want to seriously get this going.  Would somebody please give me a 3 day split, I would greatly appreciate it.  I'm gonna start doing legs, something i've never done before because I keep reading how not doing any leg work will hinder your upper body growth.  I am starting to realize this might actually be true cause I haven't been getting any bigger since early summer.  I am also thinking that because I don't do any leg exercises, I'm not gaining any weight. (do those two have any correlation between them) I haven't gained a single pound since I started lifting and it's really pissing me off, I'm definitely stronger and pretty ripped if I say so myself, but seriously; how could I not gain a single pound.

Someone please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## fletcher6490 (Oct 13, 2005)

So I went to the gym today...I'm happy about that!!!
Well anyway, I did a weird split today and here it is.  I did shoulders and trapz along with triceps.  Tomorrow I'm gonna finally do a damn leg workout along with a back workout (I can't wait to not be able to walk for a week).  

Starting monday I'm gonna try this split: Chest + shoulders, Wed leg + tri's, and fri back + bi's.
Does this sound like a good split??? Anybody??? Somebody help!!!!  

Another quick question before I go...Should I do trapz with shoulder or back workout???


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## Stu (Nov 13, 2005)

do you count calories? you really should if you are a hard gainer


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## fletcher6490 (Nov 19, 2005)

I've actually been trying to recently, just so I have an estimate of what i'm taking in.  I don't know if it's been working or not but I realized I need to eat a shitload more.  I don't feel like I have the time to eat as much as your supposed to.


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