3 Months Bulking - Feedback Requested

[dabuffguy]

c24k, while I appreciate that, it seems a bit random?? I've never heard of that before... is there good reason to attach that to my current workouts?

...man the only thing I can see looks slightly better, in comparison with my before/after shots (just above), is that my back looks more defined... sigh.. and thats probably just less-fat making it look that way.

ANYWAY... I finished my workout today... not THAT successful, but I did push myself.

Flat BB Press: 45kg x 15, 12, 8, 11
Incline DB Press: 20kg (per dumbbell) x 12, 9, 8, 11
Dips: 78kg x 8, 5, 5
Overhead DB Press: 10kg x 15, 16, 14, 13
DB Side Laterals: 10kg x 12, 10, 8
DB Skull Crushers: 10kg x 17, 12, 12
Overhead DB Extensions: 7.5kg x 10, 10

Should I up it to 50kg next time for bench, because the rep range is suppost to be 10-12, and its more like 8-15 with what I can actually do (less consistant)? I'm doing BB for flat, followed by DB for Incline for a while, this way I can track my progress better. If I keep switching them around it will get confusing. I hope its not significantly going to impact my progress though becuase of this.

Finished in 1 hour 3 mins... took 3 mins longer cuz I didn't skip any exercises this time. I have to admit, I look forward to my chest workout... back workout I don't really care for, but my legs workout is the one I always DREAD lol... those damned squats... I'm thinking if I had some better core strength squats wouldn't take so much out of me (cardiovascularly).

On another topic...

DIET - I'm trying to plan myself a strict 3500 calorie, 100g carb diet. The problem is, even with my protein shakes, I add milk which has 13g carbs. About 1 rough serving of veggies is maybe 24g carbs. If I had 3 protein shakes per day, 1 casien protein before bed, and 2 meat sources for the other meals I can probably manage to actually stomache it... but I tried to eat these chicken kebabs today they were damn disgusting!! Probably just the woolworths chicken that tastes so terrible.

Can you help me determine a rough meal plan? I'll start:

(non-workout days - 100g low carb)

Meal 1:
- 5 Large, Whole Eggs, Scrambled (cooked): 420 cals, 30g fat, 4g carbs, 31g protein
- 1x Protein Shake in non-fat Soy Milk: 210 cals, 1g fat, 16g carbs, 24g protein

630 cals - 31g fat - 20g carbs - 55g protein

Meal 2:
- 1 x Cup Mixed Frozen Veggies (cooked/microwave): 107 cals, 0g fat, 24g carbs, 5g protein

Meal 3:
- 1 x Cup Mixed Frozen Veggies (cooked/microwave): 107 cals, 0g fat, 24g carbs, 5g protein

Meal 4:
- 1 x Cup Mixed Frozen Veggies (cooked/microwave): 107 cals, 0g fat, 24g carbs, 5g protein

Meal 5:
- 1 x Cup Mixed Frozen Veggies (cooked/microwave): 107 cals, 0g fat, 24g carbs, 5g protein

Meal 6:
- 1x Casein Protein Shake in non-fat Soy Milk: 210 cals, 1g fat, 16g carbs, 24g protein (I assume its the same as regular protein shake, approx.)


...thats all I can plan for now... this will be a work in progress, but I'll add some food options I know I can get below:

Meat Sources
- 0.5 x 425g Can of Tuna in Olive Oil: 312 cals, 18g fat, 1g carbs, 36g protein (limit: max 2x per day, sounds reasonable??)
- 5x Meatballs (rough figures only): 391 cals, 25g fat, 0g carbs, 39g protein (probably contains carbs too because I cook the mince meat with tomatoe sauce stuff)
- 1 x Chicken Kebabs (I think they are LEAN meat): 98cals, 4g fat, 0g carbs, 15g protein
- 200g chicken (skin taken off): equiv. to approximately 4x chicken kebabs

I think I need to look around for other meats... because, I hate eating the above ones... tuna is sometimes ok.

ANYWAY I understand this meal planning would be time consuming, so if you don't have the time.. its ok... I'll eventually figure it out. Just not sure what kinds of foods are very LOW carb but high in protein/fat. If I buy some flaxseed oil, I suppose that would up my calories at the end of the day, and I can have it before bed each night... don't I have to mix it with extra virgin olive oil? heh I need to do some research.

You aren't going to gain muscle on low carb bro. If you want to keep some of the fat off stop eating chocloate bars.

And 3500 calories for a low carb diet means you will nead to eat like 550 grams of protein to reach the calorie level.

300+ protein
300 carbs
80-100 fats

That's what you need to reach 3500 calories.





Next chest workout go to 50kg. I am surprised you were able to do 15 reps at 45 after bumping the weight 5kg.

 

[c24k]

Random or not its used by MS State Football players. Fact is it works. Use it or not doesn't really matter, all i can say is it works and i love it

 

[JoeMyBro]

@c24k

Well thanks for detailing it for me. I just don't want to start something new, when I haven't completely got my current routine working for me just yet. It's best not to touch my routine at all, until I am certain I know it works. After all, once I complete my first bulking phase, mentally I'm all set for future attempts!

@dabuffguy

ok it's just you mentioned I should go low carb, in order to reduce fat gains. too be honest it would be very challenging for me, to get that kind of protein in each day.

If you do the math:
this time: 46 total reps at 45kg = 2070
last time: 50 total reps at 40kg = 2000

Making my improvement by 70... which is not that great, but it's still an improvement. And I apparently gained only 0.1kg of weight, so maybe 70 equates to 0.1kg of muscle for me lol... yaaahh right hehe... if only it was that simple.

Next time, I need to aim for at least 42 total reps at 50kg, to have made an improvement, which is at least 10.5 reps per set.

... I wish I had some software to calculate all this for me ...

DIET - do you guys think there's any time where food like chocolate bars, are actually beneficial, "not harmful" to gains, or won't likely be stored as body fat? I would have though post-workout, but they contain lots of FAT which you don't want post-workout. Perhaps in the morning when you wake up and have to break the fast (breakfast).

 

[dabuffguy]

@c24k

Well thanks for detailing it for me. I just don't want to start something new, when I haven't completely got my current routine working for me just yet. It's best not to touch my routine at all, until I am certain I know it works. After all, once I complete my first bulking phase, mentally I'm all set for future attempts!

@dabuffguy

ok it's just you mentioned I should go low carb, in order to reduce fat gains. too be honest it would be very challenging for me, to get that kind of protein in each day.


I didn't say "low carb" I said "less carbs". Which in this case means stop eat chocolate and candy. You see big fat people? It's because they eat potato chips and candy/chocolate. Stop doing it.


If you do the math:
this time: 46 total reps at 45kg = 2070
last time: 50 total reps at 40kg = 2000

Making my improvement by 70... which is not that great, but it's still an improvement. And I apparently gained only 0.1kg of weight, so maybe 70 equates to 0.1kg of muscle for me lol... yaaahh right hehe... if only it was that simple.

I promise you, no bodybuilder calculates their total weight moved. It is totally unnecessary. If you are a powerlifter going for a certain combined score, you would pay attention to this, but not for starting out.


Next time, I need to aim for at least 42 total reps at 50kg, to have made an improvement, which is at least 10.5 reps per set.

... I wish I had some software to calculate all this for me ...

DIET - do you guys think there's any time where food like chocolate bars, are actually beneficial, "not harmful" to gains, or won't likely be stored as body fat?

Do not eat candy and chocolate as a source of nutrition. It's junk food and is labeled junk food for a reason. Beacuse it's junk. Tastes good though, hehehe.


I would have though post-workout, but they contain lots of FAT which you don't want post-workout. Perhaps in the morning when you wake up and have to break the fast (breakfast).


Did you really just consider eating candy for breakfast?

I'm putting it to you straight, if you don't eat to get big, you won't get big. Candy is turd.


I am really wondering how you upped the weight by 5kg on bench and still managed to do 15 reps your first set.

 

[c24k]

if your doing 46 total reps of 45 kg u need much much heavier weight your just building your endurance as many reps as your pulling off go really heavy

 

[dabuffguy]

if your doing 46 total reps of 45 kg u need much much heavier weight your just building your endurance as many reps as your pulling off go really heavy

Not true. A higher rep range is sufficient to build mass. I have him doing higher reps right now for a reason.

 

[JoeMyBro]

I think the total weight moved is a good indicator of progress... if I increase the weight but do many less reps, how am I to know I have made any progress. By increasing that total number, I know overall I am improving - in terms of intensity. The intensity would also increase if I have shorter rest peroids and an overall shorter workout, though I don't monitor the rest periods on paper that's too much to write out.

Well I'm taking your experience as the reason for why I should listen to you and do these high reps... if I keep increasing the weight I'm thinking the reps will be lowered a bit anyway because I won't be able to keep doing 15 reps lol

 

[dabuffguy]

I think the total weight moved is a good indicator of progress... if I increase the weight but do many less reps, how am I to know I have made any progress. By increasing that total number, I know overall I am improving - in terms of intensity. The intensity would also increase if I have shorter rest peroids and an overall shorter workout, though I don't monitor the rest periods on paper that's too much to write out.

Well I'm taking your experience as the reason for why I should listen to you and do these high reps... if I keep increasing the weight I'm thinking the reps will be lowered a bit anyway because I won't be able to keep doing 15 reps lol

Exactly right.

Let's see how you do with the 75kg squats and the 50kg bench. I'm expecting less reps across the board.


And check out strongbow's pictures in this section. Look at his legs; they are awesome. And look at how high of a rep range he used to achieve that.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/bodybuilding-gallery-members-pictures/wheels-648346.html

The Workout My Version:
Squats:
1x 40reps 135lbs
2x40 reps 225 lbs
2x30 reps 315 lbs
Squats are all ass to grass, no parallel Bullshit.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/a...s-pictures/39248d1240598075-wheels-wheels.jpg




High reps work just fine as you can clearly see.

 

[JoeMyBro]

is he natty? I get the impression if you have extra testostorone and stuff due to chemical assistance, you're needing to do additional reps and more frequent workouts even.

squats to the ground... thats intense... I better work on not doing any more cheat reps with my squats, even if they do exhaust me... lol I don't think I'll be hitting 15 reps again

 

[dabuffguy]

is he natty? I get the impression if you have extra testostorone and stuff due to chemical assistance, you're needing to do additional reps and more frequent workouts even.

The only reason you would do more reps or more weight is because of the performance enhancement of the drugs. They push your abilities beyond normal limits, so you might as well take advantage of it right? If you can lift heavier and/or do more reps, all the better.



squats to the ground... thats intense... I better work on not doing any more cheat reps with my squats, even if they do exhaust me... lol I don't think I'll be hitting 15 reps again

It doesn't matter whether someone uses drugs or not, the training concept still applies.


All the way down bro. Basically touch your heels to your butt cheeks. Your weight is light enough you should be able to achieve that. 75kg is not that much really so you shouldnt hurt yourself.

This is an option though as of right now. Hit atleast parallel like you should already have been doing.



Cheat reps? No cheating either. Do it right every time. Remember when I talked about proper form? That is very important.