getting serious.

[Freeman]

Hey guys, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm going serious on this. Not so serious to look like Dorian Yates or anything, but just to look more like a friggin' man! 6'1 165lbs and I'm bland to look at. Although, I have to admit, since ive been training (since Feb-March) I have noticed some muscle growth. But nothing great. I haven't been getting stronger really esp. in bench and bis. And I think a big part of it is my diet and pushing myself hard enough. I was always afraid of getting fat (b/c I used to be in high school but then went vegetarian and started running and went from 210 to where I am now). So I guess my metabolism has been altered enough that I shouldn't worry baout that right? So, I'm going for it. I'm going to eat a lot more, good food. Like today, I made for breakfast 2 big pancakes with egg whites, plain pure oatmeal, fatfree yogurt and banana. really good actually. and making more shakes and eating more chicken/fish meals. All I want is like 10-20lbs more muslce so I look good, not monsterous! Although I do respect those who want to be. Any tips for motivation and training? Thanks, I really appreciate it guys.

 

[Scotty the Body]

Sounds like your on the right track, diet is the biggest part to putting on muscle, if you need some help, I suggest checking out the nutrition board and posting your daily diet.

As far as getting "monsterous", I wouldn't worry about it, it doesn't happen overnight, just keep at it and make it a way of life not something you "have to do".

 

[Freeman]

Thanks. I'm so grateful I found this board. It's easier to ask questions on here than to try and ask the "big" boys at the gym, for fear of intimidation. Although there are a couple of guys i can ask. It is quite embarrassing barely being able to bench my own body weight, but I'm working at it. Say my max right now is like 160 bench, what should my workout be like? minus warmups...what should I do?

 

[Scotty the Body]

What are you doing now? list your whole workout and we can help you out with it.

you can also take a look through the diary section, there are plenty of routines there to.

 

[Freeman]

OK, here's what I've been doing recently.

Monday - Chest/Tris
Tues - Back/Bis
Wed - off
Thursday - Legs
Friday - Shoulders
sat and sun - off typically

I throw in abs every other workout or so, but that's not coming along so well. just nothing there!

I typically do 3 sets each area. i'm weakest in my chest and bis. For real, it's pathetic, like I can bench 135 about 8 times. don't make fun, I'm starting out remember??? also, i usually do seated dumbell curls starting with 30 or 35lbs dumbells for like 12 reps, but by the time i get to the 40lbs dumbells, I can barely do any. I don't feel real sore that much, a little the day or 2 after but nothing real bad...my legs are sore today cuz I went pretty heavy for me on squats and leg press yesterday.

 

[Scotty the Body]

Monday
Chest - 3 exercises 8-9 total sets
Tri's - 2 exercises 6 total sets

Tuesday
Back - 3 exercises 9 total sets (learn to deadlift if your not already)
Bi's - 2 exercises 4 total sets

Thursday
Legs - 3 exercises, calf 1-2 exercises 9-11 total sets

Friday
Shoulders (you may be able to do them with chest or legs if you want)
3 exercises 6 total sets

Is this anything like what your doing now? you could also list the exercises you do if you need help.

 

[Freeman]

Chest/Tris on monday - Flat bench, incline barbell, cable crossovers....seated overhead 2hand extensions for tris, rope pulldowns, then some cable extensions. sometimes i throw in a few tricep press in this little seated machine thing they have.

back/bis on tues. - lat pulldown close and wide, lawnmower pulls, then I do some pulls on this seated machine. bis- standing curls with the curling bar, seated dumbells (try to do inclines). reverse curls, and then top it off with standing cable curls, the ones where you hold your arms at shoulder level while in between two pulleys. you know what I mean i just don't know what they're called.

legs on thrsday - squats, leg press, seated leg curl, seated leg ext...calf raises

shoulders friday - seated barbell presses on the smith machine, presses with dumbells incorporating a twist at the beginning of each rep. ...side raises with cables...shrugs with barbell...and sometimes i hit the machine which works delts one way and chest the other..don't know the name, but it's a seated position. ya know?

how's that?

 

[Scotty the Body]

Not to bad, if that's what you were doing and you weren't seeing any growth, then I'd have to say that diet is what your biggest problem might be.

Your probably doing to much for bi's though, if you still have that much energy after back then I'd say your not working back hard enough cause 4 sets for bi's should wipe you out.

For shoulders, I'd either do the smith press or the DB press but not both, do some bent over raises or front raises there to.

You could use low reps one week say 4-6 and high the next 6-8 to give some variation as well.

 

[TriZZle305]

when u do 135 8 times how does the last rep feel does it feel like you almost cant get it? maybe youre not working to failure and thats why your not gaining strength size.. other than that id have to say its diet

 

[Freeman]

Yeah, thanks for the advice. I will adjust to push myself harder AND I've just started to eat more and better.

As far as the bench goes, yeah when I do that last rep. it's usually a b*tch to get up.