New Workout Program, new motivation, new supplements....

[Pako]

Just wanted to share and get some feedback from those of you that into working out. I've been working out on my home gym (a smith machine, bench, squat, cable crossovers, etc) but with some recent motivation of my wife, we both got memberships at a local gym. It has plenty of cardio for her and more than enough free weight equipment for me. Here's my target workout plan summary and what supplements I plan to use during the process.

Mon - Chest

Flat Bench 4x8
Incline 3x12
Decline 3x12
Flat Barbell Flys 4x8
Incline Barbell Flys 3x12
Machine Peck Press 4x12
Decline Crunchers - 3x50
Machine weighted Crunchers - 4x20
​

Tuesday - Arms

Straight Bar Curls - 3x12, 1x8
Pump Ups (dumbbell curls)- Ex. 35lb x8, 30lb x8, 25lb x8 for three full sets.
Preacher Curl bar - 3x15
Preacher One Arm Dumbbell Negatives - 3x10
Machine Curls - 3x10
Seated Upright Tricep extensions - 3x12
Rope Cable Tricep extensions - 3x12, 2x8
Laying skull crunchers - 3x12, 2x8
Machine tricep extensions - 3x12
Decline Crunchers - 3x50
Machine weighted Crunchers - 4x20
added: 21's. Standing Curl half way up for 7reps, curl up and half way down for 7 reps then 7 full reps for one set. Do three sets.
​

*Note: On all standing curls, I try to lean forward just a bit to allow the arms to work even at the top of the curl. Don't give those biceps any rest...., that's what the rest in between sets are for.

Wed - Legs

Leg Press - I do a modified leg press/lunge. I do a 2 legged press for 10 reps, then a one legged lunge for 10 reps, switch and do the other leg, then back to two legs for the finishing 10 reps. This concludes set 1. Do three sets. I know on the machine I can rep 400lbs. x10 so I half that weight and use 200lbs. for these sets. It's a killer.
Seated Calf Raises - 5x25 (I do super sets, for 10 reps I hold for 3 seconds at the peak, then I rep out the remaining 15 reps and a consistent, controlled speed)
Leg Extensions - 3x12, 2x8
Leg Curls - 3x10, 2x8
Decline Crunchers - 3x50
Machine weighted Crunchers - 4x20
Hack press or Squats - 3x12 holding at the bottom for 3 sec. 2x12 double the weight, standard reps.
​

Thur - Shoulders/Abs

Military Press - 4x10
Seated Vertical Dumbbell Press - 4x8
Upright Rows - 4x12
Dumbbell or Straight bar Shoulder Shrugs - 3x25, 2x8
Seated, Bent over Dumbbell shoulder extensions - 3x12
​

Friday - Back/Lat

Bent Over Rows 4x8
T-Bar Rows 2x12, 2x8
Lat Pull downs 3x8, 2x12
Close Grip Cable/Machine Rows 3x8, 2x12
Machine Mid-Back pull Downs 3x8, 2x12
Machine Upper-Back pull downs 3x8, 2x12
Stiff Arm cable lat extensions (same motion as cable tricep extensions but with stiff arms to hit the upper lat) 4x12
Stiff legged dead lifts 3x10
​

** Note on the low rep sets followed by the high rep sets. Because I am working without a spotter, I have to find the best burn for working out solo. The low reps are heavier weights but try to work them out nice and even, while the higher rep sets are done really slow stopping at the peak for the first 6-8 reps then burning out on the remainder reps.

I have been hitting it pretty heavy as this is going on my third week. Workouts take from an hour to 2 hours depending. I am also getting in a half hour of cardio (bike or elliptical) afterwords at least twice a week, but need to up the frequency.

For supplements, I'm currently looking/using the following:

SciFit BCAA Powder 5000
Optimum 100% Egg Protein
Optimum 100% Whey Protein
TKE Joint Boost With MSM
Higher Power Micronized Creatine
Higher Power Vitamin C 1000
Health From The Sea PFO Pure Fish Oil
Higher Power One-A-Day
NOW Dextrose
​

Of course for diet, I'm trying to eat plenty of natural proteins from fish, chicken (a lot of chicken), beef as well as veggies.

In the short amount of time I've been hitting the free weights as apposed to my smith machine at home, I have noticeable gains in both size and definition. I'm really excited about it and find that I sleep more and generally feeling healthier which is the purpose of the whole thing.....oh and to try and look good for my wife.

Suggestions/comments welcome!

 

[ExigeEvan]

Wow.

That's a damn impressive workout plan. I wanna be like you one day

 

[Pako]

Wow.

That's a damn impressive workout plan. I wanna be like you one day

Don't wait until your twice your age to start it. In the next year or so you will be in your prime to be on your way to getting HUGE! I would have done things differently if I could go back.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Don't wait until your twice your age to start it. In the next year or so you will be in your prime to be on your way to getting HUGE! I would have done things differently if I could go back.

I do weights already, I'm not huge but It is noticeable.

My problems are that I currently do my weights in my back room with very little room. Certainly not enough for even the most basic home gym. I have looked at protein supplements but I don't feel I'd benefit fully unless I had regular use of a gym. Which is difficult as I already get enough lifts off my parents as it is and I tend to train late (after 9pm). Though hopefully the gym in college will be open more often next year.

 

[Pako]

It's true that you need to justify the use of protein supplements. Something to ask yourself is, "are my muscles fatigued after a work out?". if you answered yes, then you could benefit from a post workout whey protein supplement. What I do miss about my home gym is I could game and do sets in between levels, golf holes, lives, laps, etc while I played my favorite games..., although working out at the gym, I am getting a much better workout and pump while staying completely focused on the work.

 

[Blake]

Wow, that is an impressive programme. Good luck. 👍

I’m currently doing 3 days a week of weights and a day of cardio, taking a protein supplement after every workout. I feel kinda slack only going 4 days a week, but I can’t go on Wednesdays and for some reason I haven’t been motivated enough to go on Saturday mornings lately (gym is closed in the afternoon on Saturday, and all day Sunday).

I’m mainly working on my chest, and at the moment I’m pretty happy with the weights I can bench. I really need to work on my arms, though. I barely ever do any curls or anything – and you can tell. My arms definitely aren’t big.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Well what is your workout? Surely you aren't just completely neglecting your arms?

And are you using a wide grip when benching to focus on the chest or more standard one?

 

[Pako]

If there's any advise I can give is to no neglect your legs. Don't want to be top heavy.

 

[Blake]

And are you using a wide grip when benching to focus on the chest or more standard one?

I’m using dumbbells for my bench presses.

 

[Pako]

I’m using dumbbells for my bench presses.

So are you doing dumbbell presses or dumbbell flys? The difference would be that in a press, when you bring the dumbbell to your body, the dumbbells are close to your pecks and you press pretty much straight up to a locked position. Flys, on the other hand, when you bring the dumbbells down, they are extended away from your body, off to the side with your elbows slightly bent.

Flys will isolate more of the pectoral, whereas presses will allow the arms to be more of a secondary muscle group with the pecs.

 

[Gabkicks]

i'm taking ON 100% performance as well. it would be better to have full protein isolate, but i guess ON is fine. i've heard www.allthewhey.com is better.👍
hmm.. their website seems to be down, but they sell 100% protein isolate powder.

 

[Blake]

I do 2 sets of 12 incline presses. 2 sets of 12 declines presses. 2 sets of level presses. 2 sets of 12 flat flys.

(EDIT: That's just my dumbbell stuff.)

 

[Pako]

i'm taking ON 100% performance as well. it would be better to have full protein isolate, but i guess ON is fine. i've heard www.allthewhey.com is better.👍
hmm.. their website seems to be down, but they sell 100% protein isolate powder.
are you doing any cardio, or are you only focused on getting bigger?

ON seems pretty good, although if I don't eat some yogurt on a daily basis, my farts evacuate the house.....seriously, they can be so violant. From what I understand, the Whey only stays active in the body for 45 minutes, where as the Egg protiens stay effective in the body for a few hours. I plan on using the egg pro for some intermediate post workout meals, but will mainly rely on the 100% Whey for most of my protein supplement needs.

As far as cardio, I'd like to get more than I am...., currently I'm averaging about a half hour of cardio twice a week. If anything I'd like to shed some fat to be able to see some of the foundation that I can feel but just can't see, plus it will also make pull ups easier. At only 5'11" I weigh naked at 223 lbs. For my build, I could easily be around 185 and looking pretty lean and mean. We'll see....I seem to have a easier time bulking up than burning fat.

I do 2 sets of 12 incline presses. 2 sets of 12 declines presses. 2 sets of level presses. 2 sets of 12 flat flys.

That's a good start man! Keep it up. 👍

 

[TB]

ON seems pretty good, although if I don't eat some yogurt on a daily basis, my farts evacuate the house.....seriously, they can be so violant.

Now who's providing too much information?

As far as cardio, I'd like to get more than I am...., currently I'm averaging about a half hour of cardio twice a week. If anything I'd like to shed some fat to be able to see some of the foundation that I can feel but just can't see, plus it will also make pull ups easier. At only 5'11" I weigh naked at 223 lbs. For my build, I could easily be around 185 and looking pretty lean and mean. We'll see....I seem to have a easier time bulking up than burning fat.

And therein lies the problem with weightlifting. Muscle burns more calories than fat, but also weighs more... Lift to be trimmer, leaner, etc. but weigh more. Never ending balancing act for me. Personally, I'm 5'-9" and currently clock in at 200 but I'm also looking to get back down to around 185. Granted, that all depends on how I look/feel at 190.

 

[Klostrophobic]

My workout routine is broken up into two days. Upper body, then lower body. About 45-60 minutes each day, 5-6 days a week.

3 or 4 sets of 10-12 leg presses
3 sets of 10 squats
3 sets of 10 leg extensions
3 sets of 10 leg curls
3 sets of sitting calf raises, 3 sets of standing calf raises
2 sets of hip abductions

3 sets of 10 bench press
3 sets of 12 concentration curls
3 sets of 10 tricep thingies (standing pulley and you pull down using your triceps, no idea what it's called)
2-3 sets of as many pullups as possible (about 15-20 each set right now)
3 sets of 10 seated rows
3 sets of 10 lat pulldowns
Bunch of back extensions

I don't do enough cardio in the winter; I really hate stationary bikes and treadmills and it sucks running in 10 degree weather. As far as protein I have a 5 pound vat of Cytosport Complete Whey Protein. It's the cheapest, so that's good enough for me. 22 bucks for 5 pounds online; beat that.

 

[Blake]

3 sets of 10 seated rows
3 sets of 10 lat pulldowns

Errrggh, out of all my weight training exercises, these are what I hate the most. I have to do 3 sets of 12 for both exercises, and I really don’t enjoy them.

 

[ExigeEvan]

I'd love to be able to do lat pulldowns

Sucks you can't do them with free weights :/

 

[Klostrophobic]

What's wrong with lat pulldowns and rows? I like them as much as you can like boring exercise.

 

[Pako]

Nice setup there Klos. Do you find that every other day is enough time for your muscles to re-build? Nice price on the Whey! Does it give you atomic gas? Just curious....

 

[Pako]

What's wrong with lat pulldowns and rows? I like them as much as you can like boring exercise.

I don't think he's saying that he doesn't like them....only that he doesn't have a cable machine to do them on, he only has free weights from the sound of it. There are some nice dumbbell exercises that he can do for his lats though.

 

[Klostrophobic]

I don't think he's saying that he doesn't like them....only that he doesn't have a cable machine to do them on, he only has free weights from the sound of it. There are some nice dumbbell exercises that he can do for his lats though.

Errrggh, out of all my weight training exercises, these are what I hate the most. I have to do 3 sets of 12 for both exercises, and I really don’t enjoy them.

What's wrong with lat pulldowns and rows? I like them as much as you can like boring exercise.

I don't know if that's enough time for my muscles to rebuild, I don't notice any extreme soreness or anything. I've only been doing this for a few weeks, so I really don't know what I'm doing.

 

[Pako]

My bad.....it's been a very long day. I've always been told that your muscles build in a rested state, but not in a stressed state. I used to go every other day, full body workouts...but the older I get, the longer I need to recover. The regeneration rate of my muscles are slowing down.

I was talking with a kid in the gym today that had a similar workout and it seems to be working good for what he's going for, although he incorporates cardio at the end of his workouts...

 

[Blake]

What's wrong with lat pulldowns and rows? I like them as much as you can like boring exercise.

I think they’re the only ones I do where I have to pull the resistance towards myself, rather than push it away. It doesn’t feel quite as natural for me… Not difficult, just kind of odd.

 

[Pako]

I think they’re the only ones I do where I have to pull the resistance towards myself, rather than push it away. It doesn’t feel quite as natural for me… Not difficult, just kind of odd.

Any of your seated rows and shrugs are also movements that pull towards you. Seems like a lot of back exercises involve the weight moving towards your body. I guess I never really thought of that before, interesting.

 

[ExigeEvan]

I don't think he's saying that he doesn't like them....only that he doesn't have a cable machine to do them on, he only has free weights from the sound of it. There are some nice dumbbell exercises that he can do for his lats though.

I can't find any dumbell exercises for lats that involve dumbells or barbells. Only "home grown" alternative is chin-ups, but my parents aren't so keen on me screwed up a door frame.

I do need to get a better weights bench, maybe bicep curl and tricep bar and I'm still thinking of protein shakes.

 

[TB]

Try Dumbbell Pullovers, seated flies or rows.

Beware the half naked dude.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Try Dumbbell Pullovers, seated flies or rows.

Beware the half naked dude.

Thanks for that 👍

I'll try the reverse fly for size.

 

[Blake]

Any of your seated rows and shrugs are also movements that pull towards you. Seems like a lot of back exercises involve the weight moving towards your body. I guess I never really thought of that before, interesting.

Yeah, I mentioned seated rows. I’ve never done shrugs before, though.

And yeah you’re probably right, to stimulate the muscles in your back I think it’s essential to pull things from in-front of you towards your back (so the weight is pulled the way your back faces), like stimulating your chest muscles involves pushing something away from your chest (so it is pushed the way your chest faces).

 

[Bram Turismo]

I train everyday, not too much though, never longer then 40 minutes a day. I don't go to a gym, I just do it home:

I use dumbells fitted with 6 kilos on each, they can't carry more so I have to do it with that and I do regular curls: I sit down, let my arm rest with the weight parallel with my leg and curl it to my shoulder, this for about 15 times before switching arm.

After that, I grab a lighter weight, about 2 kilos per dumbell, let my arms rest on my back and raise my arms straight up while I use my other hand to keep the training arm into a straight line as possible. I then repeat this procedure for about 5 times 👍 Basically, how times I do it depends if I can feel in my arms I have been training. If npt, I do some more.

 

[TB]

If you can do 5 sets of 15, it might be time to look into buying some heavier weights. At 5x15, you are building up more endurance than strength, but that's not a bad thing either! 👍