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davidI
11-01-2009, 07:22 AM
Pretty stoked that my training this month has paid off!

I've noticed a huge difference since laying off the booze. I think all the partying I was doing before was killing my gains.

I finally cracked the 180 pound mark this week. Sweet thing is, I'm also still looking and feeling pretty lean. I was caliper tested at the start of the summer and weighed 166 at 10% bf at that time. I didn't really get back into the gym until the 3rd week of September so I'm pretty pumped about gaining 15 pounds of muscle in the last 6 weeks.

I also put up the 100# DBs on the incline bench for 5 reps. They're the heaviest DBs in my gym and it was always a goal of mine to lift them so I'm pumped!!

Now I just need to keep it up. I've got 5 weeks in Thailand and Malaysia ahead so hopefully I can do some muay thai training and lay off the cheap beers and mekong buckets!

:)

TurboD
11-01-2009, 09:51 AM
15 lbs of muscle in 6 weeks sounds a little outlandish to me.

That's 2.5lbs per week, and if you work out 3 times a week, that's more than .75lbs per workout session.

As far as I know, it's not possible to put a pound of muscle on each workout session.
Or maybe I'm doing something wrong in the gym.
I weigh the same as I did 4 years ago and I'm about 3" thicker around my entire body, also, my body fat has not changed drastically.

I'm pretty sure 15 to 25 pounds per year is typical or the upper limits for muscle gain.

davidI
11-01-2009, 09:37 PM
Yea, 15 pounds is crazy, which is why I am so stoked.

I used to weigh a solid 175 in University so the first 10 pounds came easily. I could never break that weight though so finally reaching 180 is big for me.

I tried a new routine from TNation that had way higher sets than I was used to and it definitely helped. I'm at a camp where we have a mess hall so it has been easy to eat heaps of clean food too. The no booze has been huge as well!

I'm almost near my idea weight now. I think <185 is as bulky as I want to be. Now I just want to keep up my strength and really try to tone up.

TurboD
11-01-2009, 09:47 PM
Do you have any pics of the before and after transformation?

Any tips from the workout regime that you can share?

davidI
11-01-2009, 11:27 PM
No before after pics unfortunately. Wish I'd taken measurements.

Here's the routine I've been using. I do change it up a bit but I had great results with it.

The Training Split

When you're training mostly for muscle growth, you hit each muscle group less frequently, but with a higher training volume and more oomph. Conversely, when you're training for neural improvements, it's best to increase the frequency of training each muscle group while lowering the daily volume.
Since this program focuses only on maximizing muscle growth, each main muscle group will be hit once a week, but with more volume (around 12-16 sets per muscle group).
To make the most of this program, we'll use an antagonist split with alternating sets. This consists of training opposing muscle groups in the same workout, alternating one set of each of those antagonists. For example, if on Day 1 you're training chest and back, the first exercise pairing might be incline dumbbell press (A1) and close-grip pull-downs (A2). In that case, you'd alternate one set of A1 (press) with one set of A2 (pull-downs), kind of like this:

First set of A1
Rest 60 seconds
First set of A2
Rest 60 seconds
Second set of A1
Rest 60 seconds
Second set of A2
Rest 60 seconds
Third set of A1
Rest 60 seconds
Third set of A2
...and so on.

The weekly split then becomes:
Day 1 (Monday): Torso (chest and back)
Day 2 (Tuesday): Lower body
Day 3 (Wednesday): OFF
Day 4 (Thursday): Arms (biceps and triceps)
Day 5 (Friday): Shoulders (front/lateral deltoids and rear delt/traps)
Day 6 (Saturday): OFF
Day 7 (Sunday): OFF

The advantages of this type of split are as follows:
• Ensures balanced development of opposing muscle groups. This reduces the risk of injury while maximizing aesthetic appeal.
• Allows for greater neural activation of the worked muscle group. Contracting a muscle after its antagonist has been contracted increases neural drive, thus maximizing muscle fiber recruitment. This leads to a greater force production potential, and more growth stimulation.
• Minimizes reciprocal inhibition. When you fatigue a muscle group, it won't "resist" as much when you're working its antagonist. For example, when doing a curl you're not only fighting against the resistance but also against the triceps' partial activation. If you fatigue the triceps, they will be more fatigued, and thus won't create as much opposition to the biceps.
• Increases training density (more total volume done in less time) without affecting the recovery time for each muscle group. This favors the onset of an anabolic state conducive to muscle growth.

The Methods Used
Each session will include 3 exercises for each of the targeted muscle groups. The first movement is the basic lift, which we'll do relatively heavy. After all, forceful contractions stimulate muscle growth, and we want to be strong, not just look strong. Not to mention that heavy lifting increases myogenic tone, which will make your muscles look much denser and harder, even at rest.
The first exercise pairing is fairly heavy, using a 7/5/3 wave loading pattern for 6 total sets (one set of 7, one set of 5, one set of 3, one set of 7, one set of 5, one set of 3).

Our second exercise pairing includes the main assistance movements, and it's still a major lift, not an isolation drill. For this one, we'll use a reverse pyramid for a total of 5 sets. Two sets of 10, two sets of 8, one set of 6.

The last pairing is the finishing touch, the isolation work aimed at making sure the targeted muscle groups are properly stimulated. For this pairing, we'll use a special training technique. Depending on the movement, it could be regular reps to failure plus added partial reps, double contraction reps, or iso-dynamic contrast reps. Three sets are performed for this pairing.

The Program
This is a program recommendation. You can make substitutions as long as they’re in line with the philosophy of the program (in other words, don't replace bench press with cable crossovers).

Day 1: Torso
A1) Low-incline dumbbell press
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
75 seconds of rest
A2) Lat pull-downs with a close parallel grip
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
75 seconds of rest
B1) Flat Bench press, wide grip (Smith Machine or Dumbbell)
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
75 seconds of rest
B2) 1-arm dumbbell rowing
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
75 seconds of rest
C1) Pec deck machine: regular reps + partials
3 x 10-12 full reps, then partials for the last half of the movement to failure, then partials for the first half of the movement to failure.
60 seconds of rest
C2) Straight-bar pull-down: low double contraction
3 x 10-12. Pull the handle down to the low position, bring it back up halfway, pull it down again. This is one repetition.
60 seconds of rest

Day 2: Lower body
A1) Front squat (Dumbbell or smith machine)
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
120 seconds of rest
A2) Romanian deadlift (Dumbbell or smith machine)
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
120 seconds of rest
B1) Close-stance snatch-grip deadlift (smith machine)
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
90 seconds of rest
B2) Dumbbell walking lunges, long steps
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
90 seconds of rest
C1) Leg press, full reps plus top partials
3 x 10-12 full reps, then partials for the last half of the movement to failure.
90 seconds of rest
C2) Seated leg curl, high double contraction
3 x 8-10. Lift all the way up, lower back down halfway, lift back up. This is one repetition.
90 seconds of rest

Day 3: OFF

Day 4: Arms
A1) Close-grip preacher curl
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
75 seconds of rest
A2) Close-grip bench press
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
75 seconds of rest
B1) Incline dumbbell hammer curl
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
75 seconds of rest
B2) Decline EZ bar triceps extension
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
75 seconds of rest
C1) Wide-grip/elbows in preacher curl: regular reps + partials
3 x 10-12 full reps, then partials for the last half of the movement to failure, then partials for the first half of the movement to failure.
60 seconds of rest
C2) Rope cable pressdown: low double contraction
3 x 10-12. Pull the rope down to the low position, bring it back up halfway, pull it down again. This is one repetition.
60 seconds of rest

Day 5: Shoulders
A1) Dumbbell push press
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
75 seconds of rest
A2) Smith-machine or dumbbell power shrugs
1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3
75 seconds of rest
B1) Seated dumbbell press with a hammer grip
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
75 seconds of rest
B2) Dumbbell upright rowing
2 x 10, 2 x 8, 1 x 6
75 seconds of rest
C1) Cable lateral raise: regular reps + partials
3 x 10-12 full reps, then partials for the last half of the movement to failure, then partials for the first half of the movement to failure.
60 seconds of rest
C2) Rear deltoid machine (Pec Deck Machine, Facing the Back): peak double contraction
3 x 10-12. Lift the weight to the peak contraction, bring it back up halfway, lift it again. This is one repetition.
60 seconds of rest

Day 6: OFF
Day 7: OFF

TurboD
11-02-2009, 11:56 AM
I should start following a routine like this, my 3 days a week at the gym I go by feel, if I've got a muscle group that's sore from the previous workout session I leave that out and try to work around it.
Otherwise I just work on the parts that I'm most concerned about gaining size.

My strategy is to build the parts that I want the most initially and fill in the rest once I've built a good base.

Kinda like (to use a car analogy) buying nice wheels and tires, and suspension and then later worry about paint and details.

liquidboi69
11-02-2009, 12:15 PM
Isn't your core sore for squats after doing a day of core? Also isn't your lockout burnt out after doing arms the day before shoulders?

You have it like:
Torso
Legs

off

Arms
Shoulders

I would suggest you make sure you don't use the same bodypart two days in a row like that. For example

Arms
Legs
off
Shoulders
Torso

OR

Legs
Arms
rest
Shoulders
Torso...etc.