# 15-Inch-Biceps: A Hardgainer's Daily Journal



## 15-Inch-Biceps (Dec 28, 2003)

12/28/03

My current stats:  SWM, 5'8", 142 lbs., 40" chest, 15" biceps, 29" waist, 23" quads.

My goals:  To add 12 lbs. (of muscle) by the end of 2004 -- one lb. per month.

My measurement goals by the end of 2004:

41" chest
16" biceps
28" waist
24" quads
16" neck
16" calves
13" forearms

(Basically, about an inch everywhere on my current measurements -- with slightly over an inch for neck, calves and forearms.  One inch less in the waist.)

To some people, this may not sound like a big deal, but I'm the Poster Boy for Hardgainers.  Believe me.  

Anyway, here's my WORKOUT SCHEDULE:

SUNDAY -- Chest (15 sets), Biceps (15 sets), Calves (15 sets), Lower Abs (5 sets / 120 crunches / set)  50 sets in 90 minutes

MONDAY -- Back (15 sets), Triceps (15 sets), Hamstrings (10 sets), Upper Abs (5 sets /35 standing leg raises)  45 sets, 90 minutes

TUESDAY -- Shoulders (15 sets), Forearms (15 sets), Quads/Butt (10 sets), Lower Abs (5 sets / 120 crunches / set)  45 sets, 90 minutes.

WEDNESDAY -- Repeat Sunday's workout (same body parts, different exercises)

THURSDAY -- Repeat Monday

FRIDAY -- Repeat Tuesday

SATURDAY -- OFF

Also: Run 3 miles / day Sunday - Friday.  Saturday off.

This may sound like overkill, but I look best / am strongest with more frequent workouts combined with cardio.  If at some point it seems like I'm overtraining, I'll make changes.

Along with the weight training and running/jogging, I like to hike and will start rock wall climbing this year.  

Still working on my specific diet plan for the New Year (in terms of the number of calories I'll consume).  But this is basically what I'm eating now:

Whey Protein in morning mixed with non-fat milk and orange juice or fruit (usually bananas or strawberries).  Soy protein powder occasionally in place of the whey.

Centrum Multi-Vitamin.  No other supplements.

Between 6-10 servings of fruit & vegetables / day -- a wide variety.  Also orange juice, grape juice.

Protein:  generally fish or chicken.  Egg whites or Eggbeaters.  Tuna fish a couple times a week.  Non-fat milk only.  100% whole wheat bread only.  Laura Scudder's Peanut Butter (the kind with no trans-fatty acids).  

About 6 cups of tea a day (either black tea, or green).  One or two shots of wheat grass per week at Jamba Juice.

100% whole wheat pasta once or twice a week; one serving of nuts / day; oatmeal, flaxseed and wheat germ a few times a week. 

No cookies, chips, white flour or fried foods.   No junk food.  No fast food.  Avoid cereals and other stuff with High Fructose Corn Syrup.  No heavy carbs, like potatoes.  No popcorn at movies.  No white bread.  No coke, soft drinks or brewski.  (This may sound kinda severe, but really, I've been avoiding this stuff for a while and I don't miss any of it.)  

Dessert only when I'm over at someone's house and they serve it.  A glass of wine if I'm at a party or social gathering, at most.  (Usually, not even that.)  

I don't drink enough water -- so I'll begin trying to get 5-6 cups a day. 

I'm starting my new workout program on Jan. 1.  Somehow, I believe that keeping my journal on-line will be a motivating factor.  

By the end of 2004, I want to be able to change my nick from "15-Inch-Biceps" to "16-Inch-Biceps"!  

Any comments, suggestions or encouragement you might have along the way is truly welcome. I especially would like to hear from hardgainers like myself.

Thanks for reading !


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## PreMier (Dec 29, 2003)

Sounds like you have a set plan.  I found if I carry a gallon jug filled with water around with me I can drink it in a day.  Just pace yourself and im sure you will do ok.

Even though we had a little disagreement gl


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## 15-Inch-Biceps (Dec 29, 2003)

*Thanks !*

Hey, thanks PreMier.  I really appreciate it.  And your water idea is a good one, I'll try that.

Yea, I'm sorry about the disagreement on that other thread.  (I probably went a little overboard!)  Thanks for overlooking that and offering the encouragement here.  Look forward to seeing your posts in 2004.  Have a great New Year !!


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## Triple Threat (Dec 30, 2003)

That's a rather ambitious lifting schedule you've got there. More power to you if you can sustain that, but IMO it's too much.


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## 15-Inch-Biceps (Dec 31, 2003)

You may be right, Cap, it might be.  But I've always trained intensely.  Still, if it does turn out to be too much, I'll cut back.


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## bkw1966 (Jan 5, 2004)

You say you're the poster child for hard gainers, may be because you are over training, might try to give your body one additional day of rest during the week, stick with that for 3 months and see if the gains come a little easier.  I'm no expert by no means, but I do know you can overtrain hindering your growth.  How long is each workout by the way.


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## Triple Threat (Jan 5, 2004)

In his first post, he states the training time is 90 minutes for each of the three workouts.


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## bkw1966 (Jan 5, 2004)

sorry, i missed that


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## PreMier (Jan 5, 2004)

Yea, may just be overtraining, but if you knew my workout you would just laugh.  I however show good gains from mine


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## 15-Inch-Biceps (Jan 5, 2004)

Thanks very much for the replies.  Appreciate it.  Yes, I wonder sometimes if I'm overtraining too.  I thought I'd give this program about 8-12 weeks -- and if it seems too much, or if my gains aren't good, I'll probably cut back.

Anyway, this is what I did for Day One of my new workout.  Usually, I do something more varied, but here it is:

TOTAL SETS: 45                  TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 90 MIN.

BACK -- 15 SETS, 204 TOTAL REPS
Upper Back Pulldown  150 lbs / 5 sets X 12 reps
Rowing                       100 lbs / 5 sets X 12 reps
Overhand Pull-ups      5 sets  / 20, 18, 16, 15, 15 reps

TRICEPS -- 15 SETS, 260 TOTAL REPS
Extension  90 lbs / 5 sets X 12 reps
Dips  10 sets / 20 reps each set

HAMSTRINGS -- 10 SETS, 125 TOTAL REPS
Hamtractions  150 lbs / 5 sets X 15 reps
Leg Curl          70 lbs  /  5 sets X 10 reps

ABS -- 5 SETS, 150 TOTAL REPS
Hanging Leg Raises   5 sets X 30 reps per set

CALORIES: 1,800 -- 100 GRAMS OF PROTEIN  (I'd like to eat more, but I don't want to lose my abs -- took so long to get them.)

Any comments or advice, always appreciated.  Thanks !!


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## PreMier (Jan 5, 2004)

EAT MORE!  Just keep your protein grams high and your carbs and fats low.  Also your not going to gain much mass if you are only eating 1800 calories a day.

Also what are "hamtractions"?


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## 15-Inch-Biceps (Jan 7, 2004)

Yes, PreMier, you're right, I've gotta eat more to get more mass.  Problem is, I keep changing my mind about "more calories" or "less calories."  If I eat more, I'll gain more mass but look less cut.  If I eat less, I'll look more cut but won't gain weight.  Kind of a catch-22.  I haven't quite yet figured out what to do.  I'd like to have both (LOL) but I don't know if it's possible.

Hamtractions, by the way, are just a fancy name for reverse leg curls.

Workout for Tuesday the 6th: kind of a crazy day, had to squeeze in a workout.  Only had an hour, did 30 sets instead of the intended 45.

SHOULDERS    (15 SETS, 160 TOTAL REPS)
SHOULDER PRESS   90 LBS  10 REPS X 5 SETS
LAT RAISE (MACHINE)  80 LBS  10 REPS X 5 SETS
DUMBBELL SHRUG        75 LBS  12 REPS X 5 SETS            

QUADS  (10 SETS, 160 REPS)
LEG PRESS  150 LBS, 12 REPS X 5 SETS
HIP ADDUCTOR  100 LBS, 20 REPS X 5 SETS

ABS
CRUNCHES  600 REPS 5 SETS OF 120

CALORIES: 2,000, WITH 100 GRAMS OF PROTEIN


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## PreMier (Jan 7, 2004)

You should also increase your protein intake.  Even if you dont want a ton more calories I would try and take in 2 grams of protein for each pound of bodyweight.  I currently eat 2.5-3.


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## 15-Inch-Biceps (Jan 7, 2004)

Yes, starting tomorrow, I'm going to take in more protein (and watch the carbs a little more).

Still not up to the standards I set at the beginning of the year. . . work lately has been difficult. . . but haven't skipped any workouts either. . . overall they've been pretty good.

WORKOUT for WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8

40 sets in 60 min.

CHEST (15 SETS -- 166 TOTAL REPS)
INCLINE PRESS -- 112 LBS / 5 SETS, 12 REPS PER SET
SITTING CHEST PRESS -- 105 / 5 SETS, 12, 12, 10, 10, 12 REPS
ARM CROSS -- 125 / 5 SETS, 10 REPS PER SET

BICEPS (8 SETS, 76 REPS )
LIFECIRCUIT CURL 40 LBS/12 REPS, 40/12, 45/12, 45/12, 50/8, 50/7, 55/7, 55/6

CALVES (12 SETS, 144 REPS)
CALF RAISE 270 LBS / 12 SETS, 12 REPS PER SET

ABS (5 SETS, 15O REPS)
HANGING LEG RAISE  5 SETS OF 30


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## 15-Inch-Biceps (Jan 8, 2004)

Workout for Thursday, Jan. 8

35 sets in 60 min.

BACK (10 SETS, 110 REPS)
Pulldown 150 lbs, 12 reps X 2 sets  165 lbs. 12 x 3
Rowing  110 lbs, 12 reps x 5 sets

HAMSTRINGS (10 SETS, 110 REPS)
Leg Curls 70 lbs, 10 reps x 5 sets
Reverse Leg Curls  12 reps x 5 reps

TRICEPS  (10 SETS, 134 REPS)
Extension  90 lbs, 12 x 5
Overhead Extension 11 lbs., 12 x 5
Pushdown  215, 12 x 2

ABS 5 SETS, 120 REPS -- 600 TOTAL CRUNCHES


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## tyees2002 (Jan 8, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by PreMier *_
> You should also increase your protein intake.  Even if you dont want a ton more calories I would try and take in 2 grams of protein for each pound of bodyweight.  I currently eat 2.5-3.



If you don't mind, could you give an example of what foods/supplements you take in in a day to get 2.5-3g/lb?? Also what do you weigh?? 

I am trying to eat as much protein as possible with the help of protein powder, and am havign trouble getting over 1-1.5 per day. Let me know your secrets dude.


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## PreMier (Jan 9, 2004)

Right now I weigh a little over 190 and prob around 8-10% bf.  What I eat during the day? LOL

I eat tonz of chicken and red meat.  Today I will consume over 2lbs of steak, a can of solid albacore tuna, and I will toss some low fat cottage cheese in there.  I also drink 3 protein shakes a day, 3 scoops each of Optimum(that there is about 190 grams.).  Also for breakfeast I will eat 5-8 eggs.  I also eat 6-9 meals a day.


Here is a place you can have your calories and protein found out from meals: http://www.fitday.com/
And for protein try www.bulknutrition.com under the fitness promo.  You can get 10lbs of whey for 40$.  I see your in canada, but e-mail mike(owns site) and they are using fed-ex now.  So they will ship to canada.


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## tyees2002 (Jan 9, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by PreMier *_
> Right now I weigh a little over 190 and prob around 8-10% bf.  What I eat during the day? LOL
> 
> I eat tonz of chicken and red meat.  Today I will consume over 2lbs of steak, a can of solid albacore tuna, and I will toss some low fat cottage cheese in there.  I also drink 3 protein shakes a day, 3 scoops each of Optimum(that there is about 190 grams.).  Also for breakfeast I will eat 5-8 eggs.  I also eat 6-9 meals a day.
> ...



thanks for the info man. it costs $23 amd to ship that 10lbs of protein to me though  So I am better off going with sndcanada who even though they are pricier they have $6 shipping.  peace


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