3 Months Bulking - Feedback Requested

[dabuffguy]

Okay, then tell me your portions. I can't imagine anyone eating 10 cups of oatmeal a day. Multivitamins are to ensure you are getting enough, it doesn't replace nutritious food. It's supplementation, which means "in addition to" not "a replacement for".[/B]



Red meat... I actually tried to get some red meat trust me but my parents pay for all my food and they won't buy it for me so yeah... I'm looking into lean red meats though it is in my todo list. I don't see the difference between eating a red meat though. The nutrients inside are the main difference but I guess I've always neglected nutrients.

You are almost 21, time to pay for your own food if you need to. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle, and you are letting it be hindered because mommy and daddy won't buy it for you? Go buy it yourself then. Red meat per/lb costs less than a pound of canned tuna. You don't have to buy the $15/lb tenderloin cut to get good food in. Lean ground beef, and the $2.99/lb sirloins do the trick.

Yeah I forgot to mention, 15 pounds was probably more close to 11 pounds, since the first week shot up by 4 pounds I think that was probably just water weight because I started creatine. Plus... if I gain 15/11 pounds of fat, so what? My goal is muscle. Fat gain I'm going to have to burn off later anyway so there's nothing good about it as far as I am concerned.

Still, 11 pounds is pretty good. Look at how much weight gain that is in a years time at the same pace. 45 lbs. Bodybuilding is a marathon. It takes years to build a big strong body, not a few months.

If you are in calorie surplus to gain muscle, some fat gain automaticaly comes with it. It is just part of the deal and it's normal. You don't have to get a huge gut and gained a ton of fat, but if you gain a little fat it means you are getting in enough calories and you are bulding muscle. Unless you are on steroids, you aren't going to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. And I really hope you don't use them because you don't need them.



At first I lifted just until 7 reps and didn't push it but the last few weeks I've been definately pushing it... I aim for failure or one rep before failure if I'm afraid of breaking my back under the deadlifts or something... gotta prevent injury thats all. But yeah I'm pushing it now.


Yes, you have to push it HARD. You need to be hitting failure. Do a higher rep rage for a while. Like 10-12 on your upper body lifts. Deadlifts can stay at a lower rep range.

That you mention about changing the routine... that's a myth I've read. Your muscles can't think for themselves... if anything, the routine thing is a mental thing or a placebo affect I reckon. Here's a link, read myth #3.


I'm not talking about doing a different excercise, I'm talking about changing your rep ranges, like I said in the post.
Also, you don't need to do the same excercises first and last. some days do inclines first. You'll be able to do more weight and reps in that lift and helps development.
Also, all you use are dumbbells on chest day. I usually use dumbbells too, but using the barbell will allow you to use a heavier weight. Also, you are not doing enough volume. Do more sets. You can do more sets than 8 on yur chest. It should atleast be 12. Do 4 sets of flat, and 4 sets of incline, and atleast 3 sets of dips. Do more work, you aren't doing enough.


On back day, there are no pull-ups or pull-downs for lat work? You need to do some of those.

You only do 2 sets of deadlifts? That's not enough. Save them for last and exhaust all your energy on those. 4-5 sets.

In fact, looking at all of your back excercises again, you are NOT doing enough work. You are only do 2 sets per lift on back? You should at very least be doing 3, and 4 is even better. You aren't lifting enough altogether. Like I said, you need to lift hard and you need to push the boundaries. 2 sets per lift is not going to get you to where you want to be.

You are doing 5 reps per set on an isolation excercise like curls? That's pointles bro. Do high reps on isolation excercises like curls and triceps extensions.

Continuing from my reply, you are not doing enough sets and reps bro.

2 sets of 5-7 reps = 10-14 toal reps on an excercise. That is NOTHING. You will never get anywhere doing this.

If you are doing 5-7 reps, you need to be doing atleast 5 sets per movement. If you do a higher rep range like you need to do for the next while, you should be doing 4 sets per excercise.


I'll copy and paste your routine and show you what it should look like for the next 8 weeks.

Day 1: LEGS/ABS
Barbell Full Squats - 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Dumbbell Lunges - 6 sets (3 sets each side), 5-7 reps
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts - 3 sets, 5-7 reps
Standing One-Legged Dumbbell Calf Raises 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Seated Barbell Calf Raises - 2 sets, 10 reps
Weighted Crunches - 3 sets, to failure
Weighted Leg Raises - 3 sets, to failure


Day 2: CHEST/SHOULDERS/TRICEPS
Flat Dumbbell Press - 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press - 4 sets, 10-12 reps (alternating incline and flat press as the first excercise each day you lift chest. Get in barbell work on flat bench too.)
Dips - 3 sets, 8-10reps
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press - 4 sets, 10 reps
Standing Dumbbell Side Laterals - 4 sets, to failure each set.
Dumbbell Skull Crushers - 3 sets, 10 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Extensions - 2 sets, 8-10 reps


Day 3: BACK/BICEPS/FOREARMS
Deadlifts - 5 sets, 5 reps (5X5) (do these last)
Bent Over Barbell Rows - 4 sets, 8-10 reps
Pull-Ups - 4 sets to failure
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows - 3 sets, 12-15 reps
Barbell Shrugs - 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell Curls - 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls - 1 sets, 5-7 reps
Barbell Wrist Curls - 1 sets, 10-12 reps




So that is more what you routine needs to look lke. More volume is what you need to grow.


Okay, now let's get your diet better and do this routine and I guarantee you will see so much more improvement in the coming weeks than what you have been doing.

 

[dabuffguy]

@ dabuffguy

What vegetable/fruit combination would be best and how much do I need? I'm going to commit to eating them, even if it means eating a sever amount... it's fine. I'd rather build muscle than always regret it just because I hate vegetables.

So far I've found this resource defining the top 10 most nutritious vegetables.

Get the reccomended 3-4 servings of each everyday. Apples, berries(blueberries, strawberries raspberries), leafy vegetables, broccoli and aspragus.

 

[JoeMyBro]

1). The thing is I read that if you go to failure you actually only need one set per muscle group, and any additional sets is just wasting your bodies precious energy reserves to complete the workout at 100% intensity? I've read this from two seperate sources, one being Sean Nalewanyj's program and Vince Delmonte's program. I'm also not on steroids or anything like that... Here are two other resources I found just then on the topic of how many sets:

How Many Exercises and Sets Do I Perform for my Strength Training?

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-3-2006-98157.asphttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/strength-training/AN00893

Well... it's not that I don't trust you, but there's so much info out there I need to think for myself too and ask questions.

2). Also, I take about 1 hour by the time I finish already for each of those workouts. If I add additional sets it will take longer and I'm not supposed to go longer than 1 hour?

3). Do you know if frozen mixed vegetables are decent or do I really need to buy everything fresh and combine it?

 

[dabuffguy]

1). The thing is I read that if you go to failure you actually only need one set per muscle group,


That's crap, straight up. Take it from a fairly experienced lifter, this is complete horsecrap bro. You can't take what you've read and assume everything is right. Especially from mayo-clinic dot com or buzzle. WTF do they know, for real?
You have to get the experience and decide what works for you. Obviously, what you are doing now is not working for you, and frankly after imagining the actual amount of work you do per session, it wouldn't work for anyone. There is not enough lifting going on altogether.

You watch any video where a bodybuilder OR a power lifter is lifting, they ALL do multiple sets of the same excercise and push the limits to failure on most occasions.


and any additional sets is just wasting your bodies precious energy reserves to complete the workout at 100% intensity?

No, what additional sets do is waste your body's precious energy to give that same muscle more growth stimulation.

I've read this from two seperate sources, one being Sean Nalewanyj's program and Vince Delmonte's program. I'm also not on steroids or anything like that... Here are two other resources I found just then on the topic of how many sets:

How Many Exercises and Sets Do I Perform for my Strength Training?

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-3-2006-98157.asphttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/strength-training/AN00893

Well... it's not that I don't trust you, but there's so much info out there I need to think for myself too and ask questions.


Asking questions is great. Learn and understand all you can. However, take people's suggestions who you know actually get in a gym and trash the iron, try their suggestions and over time you will come to know what works for you. Some things I suggest may not work the best for you, and some things may be highly beneficial to you. I can PROMISE you right now that doing more reps and sets, as well as greater intesnity, will benefit you right now.

2). Also, I take about 1 hour by the time I finish already for each of those workouts. If I add additional sets it will take longer and I'm not supposed to go longer than 1 hour?

You just need to take less time between sets.
I can pump out 7 sets of flat bench, 4 sets of incline, 4 sets of flies, 3 sets of dips, 4 sets of triceps, and every single one of those sets is to failure at 10+ reps, in 1 hour. I wouldn't go past 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cortisol levels rise too much.

Also, dumb bell curls, tricep extensions and other piddly excercises take a back seat to your important lifts like the bench, rows, deads and squats. Ensure that you do all of those. If you have time at the end for curls, then go for it.
If not, wrap it up they won't do much for you right now anyways, they are NOT a priority lift. Doing the big heavy lifts stimulate the muscle growth. Once you add on some good size, then focus on the details.



3). Do you know if frozen mixed vegetables are decent or do I really need to buy everything fresh and combine it?

They are mediocre. Fresh is always desired above frozen.

The very article you linked says this: "during bodybuilding, for example, or to enhance your performance in certain sports — adding additional sets may be beneficial"


Wow, what a concept! And I would change the "may be beneficial" to "absolutely beneficial."


And you know what gets me the most about the article? This: "For most people, there's little evidence to support the superiority of multiset strength training"


That is a down right lie and is a garbage statement. There are 1000's of examples of evidence walking around on 2 tree trunk legs and have 18+ inch arms and can bench 400+ lbs that would beg to differ with this crappy statement. What a load of garbage.



Bro, 1 set to failure doesn't even make you break a sweat. That's pussy lifting. You think any bodybuilder goes in there, does 1 set to failure, and moves to the next excercise? NO!!!
You would finish your lifting in 15 minutes. Nobody does that. Well, nobody that has some results to show for their work anyways.


Look at the guys that are big. They ALL do multiple sets, and many of those sets are to failure.


The other article is just as gay bro. Go ask any serious powerlifter or bodybuilder and they will tell you that doing "1 set to failure is all you need" is complete and utter garbage.

They use statements like "Evidence suggests that..." Yet they don't post the clinical studies held.




Yeah? Well, guess what? The evidence of my training theories suggests this:






Now you can't tell me that any 1 of those guys does 1 set to failure per excercise. NOT 1 BRO!! NOT 1!!!!!



Trust me on this. If you do what I have told you religiously in training and in diet, and you get little results, I will buy you a tub of protein of your choice fro SupplementKingdom. Promise.

Push the limits, lift hard and eat more diverse foods. Go buy your own meat if you have to. Don't let anything limit you. Get things done that have to be done if you want results.






Next, let's break down your diet better.

At 160 lbs, you need 3000-3500 calories a day and 250-300 grams of protein daily. You ARE going to gain a little BF, but it's easy to get rid of. It's not a concern right now. You said you wanted to look muscular, so let's build those muscles. The only way to build lots of muscle is to eat in a calorie surplus. Gaining body fat is a byproduct or "side effect" of excess calories. It's necessary. But if you gain a very significant amount of fat(like 15 lbs or more), you can back off the carbs a little bit.

Remember this: Diet is where the majoirty of your results come from. "You are what you eat" is very real in this sense.

 

[JoeMyBro]

Ok... starting tomorrow I will do your revised workouts you wrote out for me.

However you say I need about 3000-3500 calories per day and...

I've been eating 2700 calories a day, and 2800 on workout days. But just now i've been reading the No-Nonsense Muscle Building e-book and he recommends to consume a VERY large amount of calories. For example, I would require 4300 calories per day...

Here is the calculator I am linked to: Calorie Calculator

I select Advanced Weight Gain, because he recommends going all out, and then cutting down in order to truly gain any size. Saying that, if you do it progressively (conservatively) you will be lucky to gain 5-10 lbs muscle per year instead of the 20 lbs if you bulk up properly and cut down afterward to remove the fat gain.

In the calculator I enter 163.14 lbs as my weight, male, advanced Weight Gain, 8.6% body fat, light activity level and yeah I'm supposed to eat 4300 calories... does this sound accurate to you? I think it's a bit intense that's another 1500 calories from what I already eat daily... yikes... lol

Still, I am willing to do so just wanting to hear you guys opinions. I am determined to gain muscle but I need to be sure I gain most of that weight in muscle so that I don't wind up losing all my muscle on the way down again (cutting phase).

 

[dabuffguy]

Ok... starting tomorrow I will do your revised workouts you wrote out for me.

However you say I need about 3000-3500 calories per day and...

I've been eating 2700 calories a day, and 2800 on workout days. But just now i've been reading the No-Nonsense Muscle Building e-book and he recommends to consume a VERY large amount of calories. For example, I would require 4300 calories per day...

Here is the calculator I am linked to: Calorie Calculator

I select Advanced Weight Gain, because he recommends going all out, and then cutting down in order to truly gain any size. Saying that, if you do it progressively (conservatively) you will be lucky to gain 5-10 lbs muscle per year instead of the 20 lbs if you bulk up properly and cut down afterward to remove the fat gain.

In the calculator I enter 163.14 lbs as my weight, male, advanced Weight Gain, 8.6% body fat, light activity level and yeah I'm supposed to eat 4300 calories... does this sound accurate to you? I think it's a bit intense that's another 1500 calories from what I already eat daily... yikes... lol

Still, I am willing to do so just wanting to hear you guys opinions. I am determined to gain muscle but I need to be sure I gain most of that weight in muscle so that I don't wind up losing all my muscle on the way down again (cutting phase).

4300 calories is overkill bro for your weight. 3500 is plenty for you right now. Once you gain more weight, then up the calories. Get in 3500 calories a day, 1200 of it coming from protein (300grams).

That calculator says I need 5921 calories to gain good weight. That's BS, it's way too high for me. Online calculators suck for the most part.

And if you cut right, you aren't going to lose a bunch of muscle on the way down no matter how much extra BF you have.

 

[JoeMyBro]

I'm going to aim for 3500 per day now.

This week I went from 73.4kg to 73.7kg (I measure myself when I wake up so its most consistent).

I suppose I need to be aiming for more like 1kg gain per week at least in order for any to be muscle and actually have strength gains?

I forgot to mention but my routine has a Warmup period in which I do 5x5 of the first exercise only. It's like this:

First set: 10 reps at 50% of the weight I lift for the first exercise (so on day 1 workout, its squats).
Second: 6 reps at 60%
3rd: 4 reps at 70%
4th: 3 reps at 80%
5th: 1 rep at 90%

..and then I proceed with my workout.

Based on the new routine should I still do this warmup phase since I'm doing additional sets+reps now? I have a workout to do today so hopefully you can answer me before I get into it but if not I'll just do the warmup anyway.

Also, since I'm doing more sets+reps now, should I do less weight since before I lifted 80kg at 5-7 reps and pretty much failure on the 7th rep. I suppose for today I'll aim for 85kg (my planned increase of about 5% total weight) and if I am unable to do extra sets/reps I'll lower it??

I really appreciate all the help your giving me I can't wait to see my muscles explode hehe

 

[dabuffguy]

I'm going to aim for 3500 per day now.

This week I went from 73.4kg to 73.7kg (I measure myself when I wake up so its most consistent).

I suppose I need to be aiming for more like 1kg gain per week at least in order for any to be muscle and actually have strength gains?


No, just eat the 3500 calories daily. I wouldn't expect a certain amount of weight gain each week. You'll gain the weight if you eat the calories.


I forgot to mention but my routine has a Warmup period in which I do 5x5 of the first exercise only. It's like this:

First set: 10 reps at 50% of the weight I lift for the first exercise (so on day 1 workout, its squats).
Second: 6 reps at 60%
3rd: 4 reps at 70%
4th: 3 reps at 80%
5th: 1 rep at 90%

..and then I proceed with my workout.

Based on the new routine should I still do this warmup phase since I'm doing additional sets+reps now? I have a workout to do today so hopefully you can answer me before I get into it but if not I'll just do the warmup anyway.

Your warm up shouldn't tire you. Whatever you feel is adequate. I just do two sets myself. 3 if I lift heavy for low reps.

Also, since I'm doing more sets+reps now, should I do less weight since before I lifted 80kg at 5-7 reps and pretty much failure on the 7th rep. I suppose for today I'll aim for 85kg (my planned increase of about 5% total weight) and if I am unable to do extra sets/reps I'll lower it??

Well, yes. If you hit failure at 7 reps, you need to lighten the weight to achieve 10-12 reps, right? If your first set you achieve 10-12 reps, keep the same weight on the bar, and if you don't get 8-10, it's okay. The following set you will decrease weight to maintain a higher rep range.

I really appreciate all the help your giving me I can't wait to see my muscles explode hehe

Anytime bro.

Also, one thing I failed to mention which is critical.

Form.


Every excercise needs to be performed with proper form.

Mentally, your mind is focused on the muscles you are targeting to perform the movements.

On a bench press, the form is that the chest contracts to bring the bar up. The arms do not push the bar. The focus lies in the chest.

On a row, the focus is the back muscles contracting to bring the weight to your body. Your arms do NOT pull the weight up, the back pulls the weight. Or you can focus on the elbows being pulled back, but never the hands pulling the weight in.


Same goes for all muscle groups. The muscle that is the primary target is the only focus of your mind. This principle in and of itself will bring better muscle development. It's called Muscle-Mind connection. It is important to have this established.

 

[JoeMyBro]

I understand what you're saying about focusing on the targeted muscle group for the actual movements... its a little difficult to feel my chest pushing the dumbells up on bench for example, but I'll try my best yeah...

Considering form is important, if I cannot move the weight all the way to the top for example when doing bent over barbell rows I guess I should go lower weight until I can move it all the way with proper form yeah? It just feels too light that's all...

by the way I noticed you added pull-ups... I would love to do them I don't have anywhere to pull up on though I have limited equipment and we rent so I cant buy one of those door-frame pull up bars either. I think I had already put a replacement exercise in there can't remember which.. if you know another good replacement one that'd be awesome I'll throw that in.

Do you think its stupid doing bent over barbell rows, and then bent over dumbbell rows? I thought to myself this routine looks a bit silly doing virtually the same movement lol

 

[dabuffguy]

I understand what you're saying about focusing on the targeted muscle group for the actual movements... its a little difficult to feel my chest pushing the dumbells up on bench for example, but I'll try my best yeah...

Considering form is important, if I cannot move the weight all the way to the top for example when doing bent over barbell rows I guess I should go lower weight until I can move it all the way with proper form yeah? It just feels too light that's all...

by the way I noticed you added pull-ups... I would love to do them I don't have anywhere to pull up on though I have limited equipment and we rent so I cant buy one of those door-frame pull up bars either. I think I had already put a replacement exercise in there can't remember which.. if you know another good replacement one that'd be awesome I'll throw that in.

Do you think its stupid doing bent over barbell rows, and then bent over dumbbell rows? I thought to myself this routine looks a bit silly doing virtually the same movement lol

Not really bro, I think barbell rows and DB rows are different enough because DB allow you to get a better contraction on both sides and more direct contractions. I do DB rows on a slightly inclined bench to change the angle so it is between a flat row, and a shrug, but is really a row. For me, this has shown to give a better overall appearance, and balance to the back aesthetically.


for the chest, the muscle doesn't push. It conracts toward your sternum. The result is that the arms move forward.

Figure out however you have to think about it to make it work for you.