max_boost gets STRONG!

[max_boost]

Three weeks ago my buddy 'lint' hooked me up on a deal on a used power cage with all the goodies. This is what it looks like.



I'm 28. I've wanted to work out all my life but you know, I just couldn't stay committed, ever. So yeah, my goal is to increase strength so now I work out 3X a week. No excuses. The workouts are simple:

Workout A: squats, chin-ups, shoulder press
Workout B: squats, bench, deads

Week 1: ABA
Week 2: BAB
etc.

Do a few warm up sets but for the actual work out it's 3X5.
Right now I can't even do a chin up yet so I'm working on that by doing some negatives.

Cardio on an off day or I play Badminton with the crew.

Diet: I just kind of eat whatever. I know what I should and shouldn't do but I can't restrict myself that much. I try to eat more protein, less fat, complex carbs and 4-6 meals a day. For supplements I'm taking the Usana vitamins, fish and flax oil and lots of chocolate milk.

I hope to increase the weights every 1-2 workouts. The first few sessions were painful. I was very sore and the idea of increasing weights was insane. Now I think I've found my groove. Trust my body is getting stronger and can handle the workload.

Thanks for reading. Comments, suggestions, motivational words, let's hear them. May there be more newbie gains to be gained. As Darkane says: "STAY STRONG"



Stats:

Ecto/Endo mix. Skinny up top and chunky on the bottom.
5"5
143lbs

Phase 1: Rippetoe's Starting Strength

Started April 9. Finished roughly 3 months later.

Final Phase 1 update: (5reps)

Weight 143----->159

Lifts
Bench 80----->120
Press 45------>85
Squat 105----->210
Deads 115----->210

I peaked about 6 weeks into the lifts so I did a de-load, mixed some things around and still couldn't break through so I decided it was time to move on.

Phase 2: 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler

Calculate 1RM (using #'s from above)

weight X reps X.03333

Bench = 140
Press = 99
Squat = 245
Deads = 245

Training max, take max weight and subtract 10%.

Bench = 126
Press = 89
Squat = 220
Deads = 220

The idea is to train optimally, you don't have to train at your max to maintain your max.

1 cycle takes approximately 4-5 weeks to complete. After 1 cycle you add 5lbs to the bench and press and 10lbs to the squat and deads. Wendler says you can go up to 6-7 cycles before plateau. This is an intermediate program.

Originally posted by Darkane
Stay Strong!

P.S, if anyone wants a copy of Starting Strength or 5/3/1, PM me.

[VaN_HaMMeRSTeiN]

You've got the compound excercises, but you're gonna need to switch more then that, and you need to work more muscle groups.
Get a set of dumb bells for bi/tris/flys all that kinda good stuff... you'll get a lot of strength from doing the compounds, but it's always good to do the little muscle groups in my experience.

[Redlined_8000]

Nice set up man!! If you stay consistent, eating and training, your gonna see some huge improvements.



Something you should look into is maybe some Bands. They are the most versatile things you can ever get!!

http://www.prowriststraps.com/bands_...t_lifting_band


You can do literally anything, assisted chins, pull throughs, curls, shoulder press... you get the idea

[Vagabond142]

Damn o_O I need that kinda hookup for my prep for the Forces XD Looks like a killer setup

[ZorroAMG]

Are you really doing Bench 3 times a week? Yikes...when will you have time to actually repair (grow)?

Good for you staying with it Max...imus!

[Redlined_8000]

^^ I agree about that. Squating and benching 3 times a week. May not be optimal.

If you were to look at a alternative:

Workout A:

Shoulder press 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Bent over row 3x8
Abs 3x12 - hold a 5 or 10 behind your head and do some situps.

Workout B:

Squats 3x5
Deads 3x5
Chin ups or pullups, maybe band pull downs 2 x AMAP - as many as possibly

good luck!!

[BigMass]

For strength you can workout a bodypart more than once/week. Yes, a bodybuilder will workout one bodypart/week for optimal growth. Strength athletes train a little different. If you are working to improve your strength on the bench, you can definitely bench 3 times/week depending on how your routines look. Reps, sets, close grip, wide grip, chains, max lifts, negatives etc.

[beyond_ban]

Nice setup, i have the exact same one! The only thing is i have a bench so i can do bench press/leg curls/leg extensions. Good luck man!

[buh_buh]

you can incorporate some bi curls and skull crushers into that with the olympic bar too and some hanging leg raises for abs. I agree with Zorro. Bench/squat 3x a week is too much. The most I'd do it is 2x a week, but even then I'd only do it every other week. But nice gains for 2 weeks. I love noob gains.

[lint]

I think he made a typo, bench should be alternating with press.

I'll try to address some of the questions in here, since I'm the one who pointed max in this direction.

Originally posted by VaN_HaMMeRSTeiN
You've got the compound excercises, but you're gonna need to switch more then that, and you need to work more muscle groups.
Get a set of dumb bells for bi/tris/flys all that kinda good stuff... you'll get a lot of strength from doing the compounds, but it's always good to do the little muscle groups in my experience.

As a novice lifter, maximal growth and gains will be seen through the use of compound exercises. The exercises that max listed cover everything that he needs at this point in order to build a base. Once he's maxed out on his novice gains, switching things up would make sense. But expending energy on isolating bi/tri/flys at this point would just take away from the progress that he'll make by sticking with the program.

Originally posted by ZorroAMG
Are you really doing Bench 3 times a week? Yikes...when will you have time to actually repair (grow)?

Good for you staying with it Max...imus!

I believe that's a mistake, bench should be alternating with press. As a novice and by following this program, max will be able to gain strength every workout. Even squatting every workout, there is enough rest supercompensation to occur.

Originally posted by Redlined_8000
^^ I agree about that. Squating and benching 3 times a week. May not be optimal.

If you were to look at a alternative:

Workout A:

Shoulder press 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Bent over row 3x8
Abs 3x12 - hold a 5 or 10 behind your head and do some situps.

Workout B:

Squats 3x5
Deads 3x5
Chin ups or pullups, maybe band pull downs 2 x AMAP - as many as possibly

good luck!!

You'd be surprised how optimal squatting 3x a week can be.

[Neil4Speed]

Good luck on your trek!

Here is some inspiration for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AemCeiuI_k

[pf0sh0]

nice workout! running the same plan, probably not as consistent though

[5hift]

Good plan. It seems to be taken from Rippletoes?

As mentioned, hopefully you made a mistake and are only benching twice a week max. It should be with workout B, so one week you do it twice, and the next week only once. This gives you a good medium as benching once a week is not nearly enough. But as Mark Rippletoe who had trained many champions has proven, you can squat 3 times a week, in fact he suggests all newbies do this. You will see huge gains doing this, dont stop it.

And as lint mentioned, ignore the guys who suggested doing bicep or tricep work. Your bi's and tri's get hit in almost every upper body exercise and in deadlifts. Once you start being able to do pullups, they will really be getting hit hard. If at the end of a workout you have enough energy to do mirror exercises like curls, you havent been lifting hard enough.

You seem to have taken out dips from workout B. I would do them if you can, or work your way into them, they hit your chest hard. Also when doing shoulder press, make sure to do standing press, as it requires balancing as well and will hit you much harder.

If you are in fact doing Rippletoes, and are interested, I have Mark Rippletoes book Starting Strength on pdf I can pm/email you, which features this plan and has a wealth of knowledge on proper form, technique, diet etc.

Other than that you seem to have done your research as you have the perfect workout plan for a newbie. Good luck and most importantly be consistant.

[SoSlowDx]

Keep it up Boss!

[ZorroAMG]

Squatting 3x/wk is ok, the legs can take it...as long as walking isn't necessary haha...chest though, wayyy smaller muscles to do that much per week.

[lint]

Originally posted by ZorroAMG
Squatting 3x/wk is ok, the legs can take it...as long as walking isn't necessary haha...chest though, wayyy smaller muscles to do that much per week.

It's all in the programming. Bill Starr's Big 3 program has you squatting, benching and power cleaning 3x a week using a light/medium/heavy variation. The Texas Method can also be applied with a high volume, light recover and high intensity.

[max_boost]

Thanks for all the comments.

Finally I'm on a program where I feel like I'm going somewhere. It's nice seeing gains almost every time out.

I remember the day when I went to go pick up the setup, my job was to carry the weights out from the basement. I wanted to grab the two 45's (one in each hand) but I couldn't, I could only take one. FFWD 3 weeks, I can now handle both

Part reason in posting this up is so I can track my progress. The other part is, for those who know me, hell if I can do it, then ANYONE can do it.

I'll check back in with the weight updates later this week.

[Skyline_Addict]

Damn nice setup!

I have a modest machine in my basement as well...I really need to get some audio/video hooked up there to encourage more regular visits to the basement!

[Quickstrike]

Looks like you have made some great progress so far!

I wish I had more room in the basement for a setup like that. Might be time to renew my gym pass after going through a long dormant stage.

[Jlude]

Good luck! Stick with it this time!