What did you do today?

Heavy squats, 6 sets x 6 -8 reps and military presses..

Set 2 PR's today, both were on decline barbell bench press. 1 rep max 300 pounds and 11 reps at 225.

deads and squats...you know the drill.. pre workout drink really helping, can feel it helping to push extra reps

 

 

Set 2 PR's today, both were on decline barbell bench press. 1 rep max 300 pounds and 11 reps at 225.

 

Impressive, what is your height and weight?

Impressive, what is your height and weight?

Agreed. That is big weight for dumbells especially.

I was very happy today as I actually ran the entire time without stopping (minus the 2 minute walk warmup) for 30 minutes straight at 5.5 mph. Did 340 calories in 30 minutes.

Impressive, what is your height and weight?

 

6'4 185, lean with an extremely small bone structure.

6'4 185, lean with an extremely small bone structure.

 

Then you must be ripped as a mofo and very strong, awesome!

Then you must be ripped as a mofo and very strong, awesome!

 

Thanks, but I got a really long way to go. I was ripped in the summer (5% bf), but I have been on a bulk since mid july, so im around 9% bf right now. My body type has a really tough time putting on muscle mass, but losing body fat is easy.

Did dead hang pull ups today for 5 sets, 10, 21, 16, 13, 11

Friend is convincing me to start doing shoulders again... my rotators are pretty bad from doing stupid stuff before.. but at one point i could do standing barbell OHP at 135x4 I am going to not focus so much on that now because I heard you don't need to put that much weight on the shoulders..going to try to maximize side/rear delts.. doing slightly bent over side cable raises, some db raises if anyone has something that really works please let me know.

 

 

Pullups + 30lbs holding by feet x 6 at some point today

Ran 4.5 miles, legs felt gross.

 

 

Had somewhat of a "catch up" day, had to make up for taking it easy the past few days due to sundays race

 

 

DB incline bench 110 lb dbs, 4 sets of 12 reps

Decline Pushups 10 sets of 12

Wide grip pull up 6 sets of 12

DB Hammer curls 45lbs, 4 sets of 10

Tricep weighted dips, 25lb weight, 4 sets of 10

Barbell military press, 185lbs, 5 sets of 8

Some other stuff I can't remember

 

Stretch for 15 minutes, and felt phenomenal after that.

6'4 185, lean with an extremely small bone structure.

 

 

Extremely impressive given your height!

Extremely impressive given your height!

 

Thanks, I have 6.25 inch wrists and 8 inch ankles

Ran 4.5 miles, legs felt gross.

 

 

Had somewhat of a "catch up" day, had to make up for taking it easy the past few days due to sundays race

 

 

DB incline bench 110 lb dbs, 4 sets of 12 reps

Decline Pushups 10 sets of 12

Wide grip pull up 6 sets of 12

DB Hammer curls 45lbs, 4 sets of 10

Tricep weighted dips, 25lb weight, 4 sets of 10

Barbell military press, 185lbs, 5 sets of 8

Some other stuff I can't remember

 

Stretch for 15 minutes, and felt phenomenal after that.

 

You are strong...good workout

You are strong...good workout

 

 

Can we start discussing supplements... of course I don't want to get into some sensitive topics but looking at that workout...

Can we start discussing supplements... of course I don't want to get into some sensitive topics but looking at that workout...

 

Preworkout meal is usually oatmeal and whey protein. I drink Superpump for my preworkout drink, and I drink BCAAs during my workout. Post workout I have simple carbs plus whey protein.

Preworkout meal is usually oatmeal and whey protein. I drink Superpump for my preworkout drink, and I drink BCAAs during my workout. Post workout I have simple carbs plus whey protein.

That is pretty impressive (in terms of the minimalistic supplementation) considering the monster numbers you are putting up for your size.

Haven't done weights in months, and I realized i am WEAK today.

 

3 sets of flat bench @155lbs x8 reps each. Did 1 Warmup set.

 

2 sets of widegrip bench at 135lbs until failure

 

2 sets of closegrip bench to failure

 

4 sets of tricep pushdowns at 110lbs

 

4 sets of single dumbell (both hands on 1 dumbell) standing overhead extensions @50lbs.

 

Quick 10 minute run.

day off(really, I worked too late to do anything but I went lots of days doing something, so I rested)

Thanks, I have 6.25 inch wrists and 8 inch ankles

Yeah, to be able to push that kind of weight is VERY impressive. Astounding job.

 

 

Can we start discussing supplements... of course I don't want to get into some sensitive topics but looking at that workout...

 

Haha no worries, you can't talk about anything athletic without talking about that supplements.

 

 

“Rome wasn’t built in a day”

 

No supplements now (last three years), just food, and a lot of it. That’s not so bad though, since I love to cook.

 

Based on my own experience, you don't need supplements if you are willing to realize you will develop slower than the guy taking supplements (the serious stuff, whey protein isn't anything special or dangerous). I'm where I am now because I have been running and lifting for years. Most people don't want to wait for years to develop, and turn to supplements. I don't care what people want to do, I just don't like the serious stuff.

 

The only supplements I have used have been creatine, muscle milk, ON gold standard whey, and the ON oatmeal protein shake drink they sell. I tried creatine for two months, about 7 years ago, and didn't feel it was worth it again. I used muscle milk for three months when I needed the calories and just didn't have time to cook extra meals. I tried ON because a friend ordered a pack from bodybuilding.com, they sent him two, and he ended up not using any of it

 

I liked the ON oat/protein drink, if I were to buy something again that's probably what I'd get because I thought it tasted good. I think it would make a great morning shake.

 

 

Like I said earlier though, I eat a lot through the day, and drink a lot of milk. I actually think most of the benefits I got using muscle milk and ON, came from mixing them with milk and not water. I personally view milk as the only supplement one needs.

 

 

 

Here is a rough break down of what I tend to consume during the week

 

Breakfast: Toast/bagels with peanut butter,3 hard boiled eggs, glass of milk, Clementine, greek yogurt, vitamin. On Fridays though I tend to have bacon, eggs, pancakes, toast, home fries

 

Snack

 

Lunch: A lean protein with a salad, usually chicken/tuna/steak,another glass of milk, veggie/fruit shake.

 

Snack

 

Dinner : This is just about anything I feel like, a lot of it usually with milk

 

Snack

 

Post workout drink: chocolate milk, either Organic Horizon, or whatever Whole Foods sells. No high fructose corn syrup, just the good tasting stuff. All of my food is natural, my eggs come from chickens in my back yard, for a majority of the year my produce and fruits come from my back yard.I think it’s hard to be seriously healthy and not serious about what you eat.

 

Of course I drink gallons of water a day, love some ice water.

 

I try not to eat past 6pm. Years ago my grandmother was ill with leukemia, and I had many discussions with the liver specialist at Mass General. It was his personal opinion that people shouldn’t eat after 530, so I try to follow that.

 

I eat between 4500-6000 calories a day (depending on what my workout load will be), and my only goal is to keep it as clean as possible. It also helps that I don’t drink.

 

One thing I have noticed is there are certain stages where you will rapidly improve your performance, and other points where no matter what you do, you just need to put the time in and at some point you will improve. At one point it took me about two months to go from DB benching 50 lbs for 10 reps to 70 lbs for 10 reps. However it took me two weeks to go from 75lbs to 90lbs. But once again, it took me four months to go from 95lbs to 110lbs.

 

 

I'm not a huge guy by any means, I'm 6 feet, 207lbs, BF is between 8.5-10 percent depending on my running. But I am active. Running, lifting, swimming, skiing, snowboarding, diving, hiking, hunting….sky diving….rock climbing….I enjoy pushing my body.

 

I have no problem with slow development. Why does anyone need to go from benching 45lbs to 225lbs in a month? How could anyone consider such fast development healthy and sustainable? Again, that's my opinion, and many people disagree.

 

 

That is pretty impressive (in terms of the minimalistic supplementation) considering the monster numbers you are putting up for your size.

 

Thanks!

 

I forgot to mention that I also do take a standard dose of Creatine once per day. Lately I have been eating around 3500-4000 calories average per day, I eat more on the weekend (less healthy) than I do during the week (very strict and healthy). I drink a lot of water, again more duing the week than on the weekends. I havent been doing any cardio (since I am trying to gain), and I work out with a trainer 4 times a week. Basically my routine has been, chest and tris on monday, back and shoulders on tuesday, abs/core and biceps on thursday, and legs on friday. We switch it up a lot to keep my muscles confused.

Yeah, to be able to push that kind of weight is VERY impressive. Astounding job.

 

 

 

 

Haha no worries, you can't talk about anything athletic without talking about that supplements.

 

 

“Rome wasn’t built in a day”

 

No supplements now (last three years), just food, and a lot of it. That’s not so bad though, since I love to cook.

 

Based on my own experience, you don't need supplements if you are willing to realize you will develop slower than the guy taking supplements (the serious stuff, whey protein isn't anything special or dangerous). I'm where I am now because I have been running and lifting for years. Most people don't want to wait for years to develop, and turn to supplements. I don't care what people want to do, I just don't like the serious stuff.

 

The only supplements I have used have been creatine, muscle milk, ON gold standard whey, and the ON oatmeal protein shake drink they sell. I tried creatine for two months, about 7 years ago, and didn't feel it was worth it again. I used muscle milk for three months when I needed the calories and just didn't have time to cook extra meals. I tried ON because a friend ordered a pack from bodybuilding.com, they sent him two, and he ended up not using any of it

 

I liked the ON oat/protein drink, if I were to buy something again that's probably what I'd get because I thought it tasted good. I think it would make a great morning shake.

 

 

Like I said earlier though, I eat a lot through the day, and drink a lot of milk. I actually think most of the benefits I got using muscle milk and ON, came from mixing them with milk and not water. I personally view milk as the only supplement one needs.

 

 

 

Here is a rough break down of what I tend to consume during the week

 

Breakfast: Toast/bagels with peanut butter,3 hard boiled eggs, glass of milk, Clementine, greek yogurt, vitamin. On Fridays though I tend to have bacon, eggs, pancakes, toast, home fries

 

Snack

 

Lunch: A lean protein with a salad, usually chicken/tuna/steak,another glass of milk, veggie/fruit shake.

 

Snack

 

Dinner : This is just about anything I feel like, a lot of it usually with milk

 

Snack

 

Post workout drink: chocolate milk, either Organic Horizon, or whatever Whole Foods sells. No high fructose corn syrup, just the good tasting stuff. All of my food is natural, my eggs come from chickens in my back yard, for a majority of the year my produce and fruits come from my back yard.I think it’s hard to be seriously healthy and not serious about what you eat.

 

Of course I drink gallons of water a day, love some ice water.

 

I try not to eat past 6pm. Years ago my grandmother was ill with leukemia, and I had many discussions with the liver specialist at Mass General. It was his personal opinion that people shouldn’t eat after 530, so I try to follow that.

 

I eat between 4500-6000 calories a day (depending on what my workout load will be), and my only goal is to keep it as clean as possible. It also helps that I don’t drink.

 

One thing I have noticed is there are certain stages where you will rapidly improve your performance, and other points where no matter what you do, you just need to put the time in and at some point you will improve. At one point it took me about two months to go from DB benching 50 lbs for 10 reps to 70 lbs for 10 reps. However it took me two weeks to go from 75lbs to 90lbs. But once again, it took me four months to go from 95lbs to 110lbs.

 

 

I'm not a huge guy by any means, I'm 6 feet, 207lbs, BF is between 8.5-10 percent depending on my running. But I am active. Running, lifting, swimming, skiing, snowboarding, diving, hiking, hunting….sky diving….rock climbing….I enjoy pushing my body.

 

I have no problem with slow development. Why does anyone need to go from benching 45lbs to 225lbs in a month? How could anyone consider such fast development healthy and sustainable? Again, that's my opinion, and many people disagree.

 

Sounds like you definitely know what you are doing, and what works for you. I have to eat as soon as I get up and eat right before I fall asleep and every 3 hours in between if I have any hope of putting on any mass. 6ft and 207 and pretty lean means you are pretty big guy, especially for being natural and a big time runner. I used to be a runner too until I had to stop due to lower back disc issues. It has been a challenge for me and working out since I have to avoid lots of downward pressure on my back (think squats/deadlifts/military press). My trainer and I have gotten really creative in working the muscles (we do a lots of things at different angles) and keeping my back out of it to avoid problems.

 

 

VBOX can you post your workout details please? I am looking to switch things up a bit. I am like you, have to eat a lot and train hard to gain, good part getting lean is pretty easy, beans had been the staple for that - give me couple of weeks and replace carbs with beans, and besides gallons of farts it's lean body time.

 

For before bed I used to do cottage cheese and it works fine but now have been putting away about 10-12 eggs daily, usually 4-5 before bed

Sounds like you definitely know what you are doing, and what works for you. I have to eat as soon as I get up and eat right before I fall asleep and every 3 hours in between if I have any hope of putting on any mass. 6ft and 207 and pretty lean means you are pretty big guy, especially for being natural and a big time runner. I used to be a runner too until I had to stop due to lower back disc issues. It has been a challenge for me and working out since I have to avoid lots of downward pressure on my back (think squats/deadlifts/military press). My trainer and I have gotten really creative in working the muscles (we do a lots of things at different angles) and keeping my back out of it to avoid problems.

 

I wouldn't go so far as saying I know what I'm doing More like continuous experimentation, some days I feel great and go all out, some days I feel horrible and will just run to clear my mind.

 

I'd say if nothing else, being an ecto/meso morph is great. We get to eat quite a bit, much better than being blimpish and trying to slim down! However if you want to trade two inches of height for 10lbs of muscle let me know

 

I'm pretty similar with my approach to squats/deadlifts/military press. Long story short, the guy I used to lift with hurt his knee (freak running accident), so after that I became extra cautious. If it means stopping while running, so be it. sometimes it means no squats for a week or two, etc. I actually started to row as a means to get some cardio in, and give my knees a break.

 

Do you take Ice baths? I've found those are always helpful with pain. What other creative exercises are you and your trainer doing?

 

Side note: One person every athletic person should have in their lives, is a good sports masseuse. They do incredible work.

 

TopCarbon, what kind of heart rate monitor are you using?