Pre-First cycle

[gt40racer]

Sorry bro I missed your comment,
"rest between sets"
In this type of workout really not that important. What I do is rest till I feel ready to hit that next set. For some things that may be a minute and a half. But like on squats I am guessing 3 minutes or so.
Also I work out alone too bro at home.
You will get used to working without a spotter, it just takes a little bit of time.
Do you work out at home? If so I have some ideas for you on spots.
Let me know.

No, I work out at a 24 hr. Gym. Usually pretty late.

Its a big chain gym so its mostly middle aged moms on treadmills. With the exception for a few regular lifters.

I've pretty much always been a loner when it comes to the gym, and I used to use the smith machine for my compound exercises but when I switch to doing regular bench, squat, etc. I'm barely any stronger and it felt like the smith machine made everything feel about 25 lbs. lighter.

For the most part how I got around with having no spot was just by using dumbbells for everything, but after you get to a certain point its such a pain in the ass trying to lift 'em over your head for shoulder presses or position yourself for decline press.

However I've noticed since switching from DB's to BBL my BBL movements are a lot more controlled and it seems much easier.

 

[zedhed]

No, I work out at a 24 hr. Gym. Usually pretty late.

Its a big chain gym so its mostly middle aged moms on treadmills. With the exception for a few regular lifters.

I've pretty much always been a loner when it comes to the gym, and I used to use the smith machine for my compound exercises but when I switch to doing regular bench, squat, etc. I'm barely any stronger and it felt like the smith machine made everything feel about 25 lbs. lighter. Not to mention what it does to you joints when you get to heavy weights.

For the most part how I got around with having no spot was just by using dumbbells for everything, but after you get to a certain point its such a pain in the ass trying to lift 'em over your head for shoulder presses or position yourself for decline press.

However I've noticed since switching from DB's to BBL my BBL movements are a lot more controlled and it seems much easier.

Bro trust me once you get used to doing the BBLS by yourself you will be a happy camper. Like everything else it just takes time an practice. As I said before if you dont feel that you are sure you can do the lift then dont do it. Something to remember is that on 5x5 programs it is not to failure. That is not the idea behind the program, it is progressvie addition of resistance. So say you are benching at 250. You know you wanna shoot for 5x5. But at set 5 rep 3 you dont feel sure that you can get rep 4. STOP! You are done with bench for today and dont feel bad. Shoot for rep 4 next time and then STOP! Dont feel bad, and shoot for rep 5 next time. This is how is it supposed to work and thats just fine bro.
The thing about having a person spot you is that everybody gets used having that person there to spot them and then that becomes a handicap IMO. You can do it and you will do it, it just takes a little time.
Best regards bro!

 

[gt40racer]

Yeah thx for all the help with this. I've gotten the hang of everything and feel consistently stronger every week.

I think tomorrow I'm going to switch it up to a more traditional routine. Maybe something like 8x8's or 10x10's and work only a few muscle groups a day.

In addition to that I plan on adding a ton of cardio. Sprints alternating days with long slow runs.

I've been off the keto-diet for a while now, upping my protein and trying to eat the right balance of carbs protein and fats. What was the percentage again? 60% carbs, 20% protein and 20% fats?

 

[gt40racer]

Started a new routine, took me about 3 hrs.

Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Chest
Barbell bench press: 4 sets of 10, 8, 6, and 4 reps
Barbell incline bench press: 4 sets of 10, 8, 6, and 4 reps
Dumbbell flys: 3 sets of 10, 8, and 6 reps
Pullovers: 3 sets of 15 reps each

Back
Chin-ups: 4 sets of 10 reps minimum each side
Close-grip chins: 4 sets of 10 reps
T-bar rows: 4 sets of 15, 12, 8, and 6 reps
Bent-over barbell rows: 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Thighs
(Couldn't do legs today, I bumped my shin while doing BB rows, flared up my shin splits again, and for some reason my right hamstring or a tendon or something pops when i workout hamstrings)
Squat: 5 sets of 10, 8, 6, and 4 reps with a 20 rep warm-up set
Front squats: 4 sets of 10, 8, 8, and 6 reps
Hack squats: 3 sets of 10 reps each
Leg curls: 4 sets of 20, 10, 8, and 6 reps
Standing leg curls: 4 sets of 10 reps each
Straight-leg dead lifts: 3 sets of 10 reps each

Calves
Standing calf raises: 4 sets of 15, 10, 8, and 8 reps

Abdominals
Crunches: 3 sets of 25 reps
Bent-over twists: 100 reps each side
Machine crunches: 3 sets of 25 reps
Crunches: 50 reps

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Shoulders
Behind-the-neck-barbell press: 5 sets of 10, 8, 8, and 6 reps with a 15-set warm-up
Lateral raises: 4 sets of 8 reps each
Bent-over dumbbell laterals: 4 sets of 8 reps each
Dumbbell shrugs: 3 sets of 10 reps each

Upper arms
Standing barbell curls: 5 sets of 15, 10, 8, 6, and 4 reps
Incline dumbbell curls: 4 sets of 8 reps each
Concentration curls: 3 sets of 8 reps each
One-arm triceps extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps each

Forearms
Barbell wrist curls: 4 sets of 10 reps each
Reverse wrist curls: 3 sets of 10 reps each

Calves
Seated calf raises: 4 sets of 10 reps each

Abdominals
Reverse crunches: 4 sets of 25 reps
Seated twists: 100 reps each side
Vertical bench crunches: 4 sets of 25 reps

Found it on ask.com, apparently its supposed to be one of Arnold's routines.

 

[zedhed]

Dam bro I couldnt do that. I already know it too! Thats a shit load of work bro!

 

[gt40racer]

Dam bro I couldnt do that. I already know it too! Thats a shit load of work bro!

Yeah, well its not as bad as when I first started doing the HST stuff.

But it's not really work to me, I just love working out. Its really all I think about. Seeing how much I've improved since I started just gets me really pumped to see where I will be in another 2-3 months time.

 

[zedhed]

Thats aswsome bro. It gr8 that you can do that workload and it works for you. I have found that I do best with heavier weight @ low volume. And this kinda surprized me as I was a pretty darn good middle distance runner in High School and in the Army.
Go figure huh...

When I go with the volume that a lot of you guyz use I just get nuthing out of it except injuries.

 

[gt40racer]

yeah, well that's where I differ. I'm not a runner at all. The most I've ever ran at one time is about 3.5 miles. I've tried to train so that I could run farther but I always end up getting hurt. So I just stick to lifting weights lol.

 

[zedhed]

Funny how that works like that man...

 

[gt40racer]

Oh yeah and here's the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday workout

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Shoulders
Behind-the-neck-barbell press: 5 sets of 10, 8, 8, and 6 reps with a 15-set warm-up
Lateral raises: 4 sets of 8 reps each
Bent-over dumbbell laterals: 4 sets of 8 reps each
Dumbbell shrugs: 3 sets of 10 reps each

Upper arms
Standing barbell curls: 5 sets of 15, 10, 8, 6, and 4 reps
Incline dumbbell curls: 4 sets of 8 reps each
Concentration curls: 3 sets of 8 reps each
One-arm triceps extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps each

Forearms
Barbell wrist curls: 4 sets of 10 reps each
Reverse wrist curls: 3 sets of 10 reps each

Calves
Seated calf raises: 4 sets of 10 reps each

Abdominals
Reverse crunches: 4 sets of 25 reps
Seated twists: 100 reps each side
Vertical bench crunches: 4 sets of 25 reps