PH Transformation Winter Thread 2012 - Chat
Discussion
LostBMW said:
If you are continuing to get stronger and/or grow bigger (if that was an aim) doing this then it's working!
But, if you are finding it hard to recover, or to give full effort to so many heavy exercises on the Tuesday, and/or stalling I'd suggest alternating the exercise choice (assuming these are the ones you want to stick with) on the Tuesday session as:
week 1: deads, bench, pullups
week 2: squats, bent over row, OH press
then doing the missing exercise (ie. type/near substitute) at home or the non-hardcore gym(?) that week with higher reps to accomodate your available equipment/weights or doing higher rep body weight types.
So, for example on the week you hit the deadlifts, bench press and pullups heavy then on a different day you could do single leg squats or sandbag or body weight free squats etc.
If nothing else that might reduce the doms you'd possibly get from hitting an exercise hard only once a fortnight.
I did very similar a few years back and got bigger and stronger following such a pattern.
DOMS isn't an issue - it's usually clear after a couple of days. It's just that I only have access to my own kit on weekends due to my heavy gym being on school grounds.But, if you are finding it hard to recover, or to give full effort to so many heavy exercises on the Tuesday, and/or stalling I'd suggest alternating the exercise choice (assuming these are the ones you want to stick with) on the Tuesday session as:
week 1: deads, bench, pullups
week 2: squats, bent over row, OH press
then doing the missing exercise (ie. type/near substitute) at home or the non-hardcore gym(?) that week with higher reps to accomodate your available equipment/weights or doing higher rep body weight types.
So, for example on the week you hit the deadlifts, bench press and pullups heavy then on a different day you could do single leg squats or sandbag or body weight free squats etc.
If nothing else that might reduce the doms you'd possibly get from hitting an exercise hard only once a fortnight.
I did very similar a few years back and got bigger and stronger following such a pattern.
I'm finding it ok to do all the exercises in one session. I structure it so the toughest ones are first, though. I don't think I could lift heavier if I did just three exercises a day, mind, so at this stage I don't think I'd benefit by only doing 3 a day. I did consider it but the later exercises are still progressing nicely in terms of mass.
Oh, my primary goal is to get bigger as much as I find it impressive to see Didly etc lifting crazy masses. I mean, if curling pink dumbbells 100 times a day would give me a MH cover model figure, I'd choose the pink dumbbells.
BenM77 said:
You have done very well with your diet and training to get lean.
I am sure if you put the same effort/micro management into your bulking diet then you should do fine.
Thanks!I am sure if you put the same effort/micro management into your bulking diet then you should do fine.
My main "concern" (I'm not concerned but it may make things move more slowly in the right direction) is whether doing one day of compound, one day of gym/cali and one day of 10x10 is going to reap the results I want. Normally, they advise doing a split of compounds or 10x10 but never half this and half that.
So for academic purposes, my gym buddy (who is stronger and mesomorph - he has a great physique although slightly higher BF% than me) is also doing a similar weekly routine (bar the gym/cali). He was bulking and then cutting at roughly the same time I was doing things although not really counting calories as strictly as myself but just cutting down on the nights out. So it will be interesting to see what he looks like in 3 months. </nohomo>.
Given my recent mild increase in calorific intake, I'm probably eating as much as he was when he was cutting.
Hoofy, if it's a muscular appearance you're after access to a gym / heavy weights isn't necessarily a deal breaker.
This is my little brother - achieved through a home training comeback after years of neglect/injury and a very restricted calorie diet (rarely more than 2000c a day and usually down around 1600 with c. 85 to 100g protein, he weighs, counts and logs everything!) and mainly through
pullups (weighted over the last few months)
single arm row
push ups
dumbbell presses
flyes (some light barbell press occasionally but not much due to a 20 year old shoulder injury)
ab work
and the thing that really transformed him quickly, esp. rear delts, upper back using a Lifeline Train Station cable resistance kit. His saviour!
This is my little brother - achieved through a home training comeback after years of neglect/injury and a very restricted calorie diet (rarely more than 2000c a day and usually down around 1600 with c. 85 to 100g protein, he weighs, counts and logs everything!) and mainly through
pullups (weighted over the last few months)
single arm row
push ups
dumbbell presses
flyes (some light barbell press occasionally but not much due to a 20 year old shoulder injury)
ab work
and the thing that really transformed him quickly, esp. rear delts, upper back using a Lifeline Train Station cable resistance kit. His saviour!
deadmau5 said:
Awesome back definition. He must be 6% bf at the most! The thing that's hard to do at home though is legs unless you have a barbell and squat stands/rack. Does he train legs?
Yes he has a squat rack and does squats around once a week with lunges and often does more weighted lunges on a separate day. Not heavy these days and was more into the running, boxing type conditioning and badminton than going for bodybuilder style legs/workouts so has v. lean and defined but not massive legs.Hoofy said:
Not bad!
What sort of set and rep count?
Why was the Train Station so critical?
Varies I think - when he trains with me it's mostly high rep or 30 to 60 second sets/rounds with cables, weights, med balls and bags etc. What sort of set and rep count?
Why was the Train Station so critical?
At home I think he now goes more for 8 to 12 ish on some things, higher on others, esp. cable work side delts, and rear delts. He does weighted chins a lot now though and can do 1 1/2 times bw for a decent number of chins.
The cable stuff came about from him trying it at my last place where it was mounted to the wall. He was very sceptical but loved it and quickly saw obvious growth in some areas that had been smaller/stubborn before like rear delts/side delts - which doesn't really show in the pics but they blow up a lot during a session - really pretty damn quickly so he bought a set for himself that he wraps round his ab board! Or door frame. Now a pretty regular staple of his training.
I really miss the set up I had before where it was mounted vertically and could be positioned anywhere from floor level to above head height with a quick twist of the clamp. Really is a great tool imho.
Lee - I no you don't give a great deal away about your training but how does your split look if your training 6 days ? Do you rotate and end up doing the same body part more than once a week ?
Personally I think it's all down to how fast you can recover. These days I only do weights 1 part per week but as for running I was doing a fair bit before Xmas I just listened to my legs. Some days they just have nothing in them some how other weeks I'd feel fine running every day. If it works for you go for it mate.
Personally I think it's all down to how fast you can recover. These days I only do weights 1 part per week but as for running I was doing a fair bit before Xmas I just listened to my legs. Some days they just have nothing in them some how other weeks I'd feel fine running every day. If it works for you go for it mate.
Ordinary_Chap said:
Top back definition! 
He's actually quite unusual in the shape of his back, whilst hes muscular and well defined it almost looks like certain areas of the muscle are more defined.
I want to get a fair chunk bigger and then get really defined like your little bro.
Could be the lighting and that it was pre-pump. Looks more normal, and wider, in the flesh. Just very, very defined - permanently! He's actually quite unusual in the shape of his back, whilst hes muscular and well defined it almost looks like certain areas of the muscle are more defined.I want to get a fair chunk bigger and then get really defined like your little bro.
Have to admit to being really jealous when we train as you can see every little detail and muscle working, switching over and blowing up. He's one of those people who really blow up when pumped.
Cheers, well on his behalf - won't be telling him though as he'd be pi55ed off if he found out I'd discussed him or worse still shown his pic!
Not bad for a 49 year old and he's kept that level of leanness for 30 odd years - at the expense of ultimate growth/size by always restricting calories and refusing to bulk, except for one go of 12 weeks 20 odd years back.
My weight's dropping off now but I know I'll never get that level of leanness or definition.
Main point for posting though was to encourage Hoofy to know that he could get like he wants without constant access to a heavyweight gym.
Not bad for a 49 year old and he's kept that level of leanness for 30 odd years - at the expense of ultimate growth/size by always restricting calories and refusing to bulk, except for one go of 12 weeks 20 odd years back.
My weight's dropping off now but I know I'll never get that level of leanness or definition.
Main point for posting though was to encourage Hoofy to know that he could get like he wants without constant access to a heavyweight gym.
Ordinary_Chap said:
I will give anything away anyone wants to know! I just don't think everyone wants to know everything about what I'm up too!
Monday; Chest
Tuesday; Legs
Wednesday; Shoulders
Thursday; Back
Friday; Arms
Saturday; auxiliary (calves/abs/some minor exercises)
I find having a higher protein intake, using BCAA's, creatine and in particular Vitamin C keeps me in good health. If I don't take enough vitamin C I sometimes destroy my immune system over a month or so and then I get run down, tired, ill and sometimes my gums hurt.
For me the key to recovery is enough sleep and food with the above combo and then I'm ok. By Sunday, I am tired in truth but that day gives me enough rest to start again on Monday.
In the first year I'd of not being able to cope with this but in year 4/5 now and my body can take it. In my first year when I achieve a very dramatic change (there's an old thread on it) I trained 7 days a week and did weights every other day as I found that was fine for my body.
I also achieved a lot of growth by alternating every 3 months between low reps, high weight and high reps, low weight. It seems to active the muscle in different ways that works greatly for me.
If you want to know anything, just ask!
Lee
Thanks for the post. Its nice to hear what you bigger lads do or dont do. I always want to no something. I think that's half the reason why I've enjoyed training. So much to learn and so much to do wrong I find it interesting. I just don't think everyone wants to know everything about what I'm up too!Monday; Chest
Tuesday; Legs
Wednesday; Shoulders
Thursday; Back
Friday; Arms
Saturday; auxiliary (calves/abs/some minor exercises)
I find having a higher protein intake, using BCAA's, creatine and in particular Vitamin C keeps me in good health. If I don't take enough vitamin C I sometimes destroy my immune system over a month or so and then I get run down, tired, ill and sometimes my gums hurt.
For me the key to recovery is enough sleep and food with the above combo and then I'm ok. By Sunday, I am tired in truth but that day gives me enough rest to start again on Monday.
In the first year I'd of not being able to cope with this but in year 4/5 now and my body can take it. In my first year when I achieve a very dramatic change (there's an old thread on it) I trained 7 days a week and did weights every other day as I found that was fine for my body.
I also achieved a lot of growth by alternating every 3 months between low reps, high weight and high reps, low weight. It seems to active the muscle in different ways that works greatly for me.
If you want to know anything, just ask!
Lee
It's funny you mention pain in your gums. I've had that sometimes but genrally after training but only if I have my Shake or a meal.
theshrew said:
LostBMW said:
He is compared to me I'm afraid!
Feck me are you Arnie ? Mind you I did have arms pretty close to Arnold's back when I was mad and over emphasised them (plus they were the lucky muscle group that grew by looking at a weight).
I'm double my brother's weight but not quite 6% BF... yet.
k me I was 15.3 2 weeks in so I'm actually at my second heaviest ever behind when I was on a 1 year bulk! JeeezGassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff