Rumpsteak's Thread

[Rumpsteak]

I'm going to put up some info on my exercise and diet progression here, hoping for critique/tips/comments/improvement.

I will probably not include every workout but I'll throw in one when I feel like it.

Basic Data
-------------
Age: 20
Sex: M
Height: 1.85m (6"2)
Weight: 86kg (189 lbs)
bf%: Not checked yet, probably between 18% and 26%

Goals: Long term, add muscle, decrease fat (Cool goal, huh?).
Short term : Weight 85kg @ 15% bf by christmas 2005.

This should mean (counting roughly in the head, assuming 20% bf) adding 4kgs (8.8lbs) of muscle and losing 5kgs (11lbs) of fat in about 4 months.

I have a pretty easy time putting on weight, both fat and muscle. I've always been stronger than Average Joe, but also slightly fatter. Therefore, I suspect cutting will be much harder for me than bulking.

My plan is to get to a bf% which I'm comfortable with, and then trying to stay around there by doing clean bulking. I feel this is the right thing because I don't want to have to loose lots of fat quickly. An occasional cutting cycle to lose 2-4lbs would probably be ok, if it makes bulking easier.

During the summer, I'm away from home, working in another part of Sweden and living with my relatives. Therefore, my diet isn't great yet since I share some of their meals. I'm trying to eat as good as possible, but I'm not getting enough protein yet.

At the end of august however, I'm going back to the university and living on my own. I will start serious dieting with supplements by then.

I'm at work right now. Will post more information later.

 

[Rumpsteak]

My current split:
(Sets/Reps specs is what I'm aiming at)


Monday - Legs/Shoulders+Abs
--------------------------------
Squats (3x8)
SLDL (3x8)
Calf Raises (3-4x10)
DB Shoulder Press (3x8)
Weighted Crunches (3x10)

Alternative or additional:

Leg Press (3x8)
Hamstring curl (3x8)


Wednesday - Chest/Triceps+Abs
-----------------------------------
Chest Dips (3x8)
Incline DB Bench (3x8)

Triceps Dips (3x8)
Skull Crushers (3x8)

Weighted Crunches (3x10)


Friday - Back/Biceps+Calves
-----------------------------------
Pull-ups (3x8)
DL (3x8)
DB Rows (3x8)

DB Biceps Curl (3x8)

Calf Raises (3-4x10)


Maybe I've forgotten some exercise....

 

[Warboss Alex]

Not bad all told, but a few observations (all IMO).

1. No need to train calves or abs twice, especially not calves.

2. Don't do squats and SLDLs on leg day, your perfomance will suffer on whichever you do second - do leg press/SLDL or squats/leg curls.

3. Don't chest dips and regular dips on chest day, they're basically the same exercise anyway (your triceps will get fried either way) - do close grip or reverse grip bench instead of tricep dips.

4. There's no need to do db rows having done deadlifts in my opinion - you do a 150kg deadlift 3x8, and then ask yourself what a 25kg db row's gonna do for you?

5. You might want to add a forearm exercise on back/biceps day - hammer curls, pinwheel curls, or something similar.

6. Keep squats and deadlifts/SLDLs last in a workout.

7. If your diet is less than optimal then make sure to get proper breakfast, pwo and ppwo meals at least, they're the most important.

8. Some cardio? Monitor for a couple of weeks (take measurements e.g. waist, don't go by the scale), if your fat levels aren't going down then add cardio on offdays, steady state 30 mins a time on an empty stomach.. increase to 45-60mins and add extra sessions when/if fat loss slows.

 

[Rumpsteak]

Alright thanks for the tips Alex. I was going to post more but I went out of town for two days.

Cardio:
During the summer I'm riding the bike to work (2x15mins = 30 mins) every weekday before breakfast. I just drink some cups of tea before leaving home, and eat the breakfast at work. This is mainly because I'm usually not very hungry upon waking up (the only time of the day when I can't eat lots of food. An hour later though, I can throw down major amounts).

By the autumn, I will continue my ju-jutsu training (at least 2x1.5 hrs/week). Possibly also 1hr of floorball/week. When I'm going in for serious cutting I will probably add more cardio (probably HIIT, I love running fast, but my stamina isn't that excellent ). I ran 3 miles without stopping some weeks ago, but I'm not sure I could do much more.

I haven't started cutting yet since I figured it would be hard when I don't have full control of the diet. Since I started exercising a month ago, I've mostly been trying to get proper form on the freeweight exercises, while attempting a fairly clean bulk and increasing weights in the gym.

Exercises:

I've only done real SLDL:s for the last week; before that only Hamstring Curls, since I didn't want to hurt my back by improper form SLDL:s. Therefore, they aren't very heavy yet (I haven't tried my max capacity yet, just trying to get good form), and thus they are not very draining energy-wise. When they get heavier I might not put them on the same day as squats.

DB rows: I've only tried real DL:s for the last week as well, tried them on the smith first but it sucked. They don't seem to hit my upper back yet, only the lower. Maybe when I up the weight and improve form, I'll remove rows.

Triceps dips: Good advice. I've mostly been trying them out so far.

Forearms: Maybe I'll include some, but I feel they get fried by other exercises as well.

Abs/Calves: They seem to recover quickly, but perhaps it's enough with once/week. After my last 3x10x125kg standing calf raise (slow raises, standing on a small wooden rack on the floor - maximum ROM) , calves were sore after 24hrs but not after 48hrs. Immediately afterwards I almost can't walk, but in 2 days they feel pretty good.

 

[Rumpsteak]

Workout log for later reference


Monday - Legs/Shoulders
--------------------------------

DB Shoulder Press
8x17.5kg (38.5lbs)
3x17.5kg
3x17.5kg

It was a mystery how I could get 8 reps on the first one. Maybe I'll try 15kg next time, or just try for an 8, 5, 4 or something.

-------------

Standing calf raises (smith)

8x10x130kg (246lbs)

--------------

SLDL

3x8x60kg

(Actually, grip was limiting me more than hams. My hands hurt like crap. Considering gloves.)

---------------

Squats (smith)

8x80kg (176lbs)
6x80kg
6x80kg

--------------

Weighted crunches

2x10x15kg
2x10x20kg

 

[Lifeforce]

Tjenare på dig.

Det ser bra ut dina lyft. Vill bara påpeka en del grejer. Dina vadresningar ser lite tunga ut, är du säker på att du kör hela rörelseomfånget på dem? Själv tycker jag att man bygger bättre om man kör lite lättare och går ner djupt och sedan upp på tå.

Om du kan så försök att byta ut knäböjen i smithen och kör vanliga frivikter. Det gör att fler muskler får chansen att rekryteras som stabilisatorer. I början kanske du får lyfta lite mindre vikt, men det är definitivt värt det.

Händerna gör jäkligt ont ibland, men köp inga handskar, det blir bättre efter ett par träningar. Jag menar, om arnold kunde köra utan handskar så kan du det med

Var är du ifrån förresten?

 

[simon]

Originally posted by Rumpsteak
DB Shoulder Press
8x17.5kg (38.5lbs)
3x17.5kg
3x17.5kg

It was a mystery how I could get 8 reps on the first one. Maybe I'll try 15kg next time, or just try for an 8, 5, 4 or something.

Do 17.5kg for the first set then drop it to 15kg for the last two. Or the other way around.

 

[Rumpsteak]

Ok jag svarar väl på svenska då... fast det kanske inte är nån bra idé i framtiden om man inte vill hålla konversationen hemlig för de andra

Jag kör hela rörelsen på vaderna, står på en liten trägrej som är gjord för vadresningar så att man för hela vägen från full stretch till full kontraktion. De sista 2 repsen på sista setet var inte hela rörelsen måste jag erkänna

Mina ben är hyfsat starka över huvud taget i jämförelse med överkroppen eftersom jag har tränat fotboll och badminton förut.

Jag skulle gärna köra fri squat men det finns inget rack på gymmet jag är på nu. Bara en smith... skitkasst. Men om 2 veckor byter jag gym när jag sticker tillbaka till universitetet. Hoppas att det finns där.

Ok jag testar utan handskar ett tag till då

Jag är född i Gävle, uppväxt i Bollnäs, pluggar i Linköping och jobbar för tillfället i Västerås.

 

[semag]

originally posted by Lifeforce

Tjenare on yourself. It looks good dina lift. Shall only ring up attention to a bit thing. Dina vadresningar am seeing few tongue out , is yous sure on that yous kör heal rörelseomfånget on them? Herself fancy self that husband am building better if husband kör few easier and am going down deeply and sedan up on toes. If you tin so try that exchange out am kneeling in dodge and kör usual frivikter. The do that multi muscle sheep chance that recruit as stabilisatorer. Initially maybe you are getting hot lift few less weight , but the is definitely been the. Happens do damn mischief sometimes , but bargain inga glove , the am becoming better behind one couple drill. Self am meaning , if arnold be able wheel devoid glove so tin you the with Each is yous away incidentally?

reply

originally posted by Rumpsteak

Yoke self am answering welfare on Swede then. solid the maybe nots is nån good notion in the future if husband nots shall hold conversation dark for they second Self kör heal emotion on vaderna , am standing on a petty trägrej as is made for vadresningar so that husband for heal path from full struggle to full contract. They ultimate repsen on ultimate seat did not be heal emotion must self acknowledge Remember leg is hyfsat stout over head serrate in comparison with överkroppen as I have exercised American football and badminton formerly. Self should deed wheel free squash but the find nothing rascal on gymmet self is on now. Only a dodge. skitkasst. But if 2 weekly am exchanging self gym when self stick back to college. Hope that the find there. Yoke self test devoid glove one pull till then Self is born in Gävle , adolescence in Ball , plug in Linköping and am working for the occasion in West.

Damn... that thing doesn't work well does it

 

[Lifeforce]

Originally posted by semag
reply



Damn... that thing doesn't work well does it

hahahaha nice translation dude. =) I nearly crapped my pants reading that.


rumpsteak, okey, then it's all good. =) I'll be following your journal.

 

[Rumpsteak]

LOL!

Alright I'll translate for you curious guys:

Tjenare på dig.

Det ser bra ut dina lyft. Vill bara påpeka en del grejer. Dina vadresningar ser lite tunga ut, är du säker på att du kör hela rörelseomfånget på dem? Själv tycker jag att man bygger bättre om man kör lite lättare och går ner djupt och sedan upp på tå.

Om du kan så försök att byta ut knäböjen i smithen och kör vanliga frivikter. Det gör att fler muskler får chansen att rekryteras som stabilisatorer. I början kanske du får lyfta lite mindre vikt, men det är definitivt värt det.

Händerna gör jäkligt ont ibland, men köp inga handskar, det blir bättre efter ett par träningar. Jag menar, om arnold kunde köra utan handskar så kan du det med

Var är du ifrån förresten

Translation:

Hi!

Your lifts look good. I just want to point a few things out. Your calf raises look a bit heavy, are you sure you are getting the entire range of movement? I personally think you build better if you drop the weight and go down deep and then up on toe.

If you can, try to exchange the squats in the smith for ordinary freeweights. It means more muscles will be recruited as stabilizers. Initially you may have to lower the weight, but it's definately worth it.

The hands hurt like hell at times, but don't buy any gloves, it'll get better after a few sesssions. I mean, if arnold could go without gloves, you can too.

Btw where are you from?

---

Ok jag svarar väl på svenska då... fast det kanske inte är nån bra idé i framtiden om man inte vill hålla konversationen hemlig för de andra.

Jag kör hela rörelsen på vaderna, står på en liten trägrej som är gjord för vadresningar så att man för hela vägen från full stretch till full kontraktion. De sista 2 repsen på sista setet var inte hela rörelsen måste jag erkänna.

Mina ben är hyfsat starka över huvud taget i jämförelse med överkroppen eftersom jag har tränat fotboll och badminton förut.

Jag skulle gärna köra fri squat men det finns inget rack på gymmet jag är på nu. Bara en smith... skitkasst. Men om 2 veckor byter jag gym när jag sticker tillbaka till universitetet. Hoppas att det finns där.

Ok jag testar utan handskar ett tag till då

Jag är född i Gävle, uppväxt i Bollnäs, pluggar i Linköping och jobbar för tillfället i Västerås.

Translation:

Ok, I guess I'll answer in swedish then. But perhaps that is'nt a good idea for the future unless we want to keep the conversation secret.

I do the whole movement on calves, standing on a small wooden rack made for calf raises, so that you get the entire way from full stretch to full contraction. I must admit the last reps of the last set wasn't getting the full movement.

My legs ar fairly strong overall compared to the upper body since I've been training soccer and badminton before.

I'd like to do free squat, but there's no squat rack in my current gym. Just a smith... crappy. But in two weeks I'll change gym when I'm going back to the university. Hoping for the rack to be there.

Alright I'll try without gloves for a while.

(Some swedish cities)

-------------

Now guys, learn some swedish so I don't have to do this again!

 

[Rumpsteak]

Alright here's another workout log for later reference.

Wednesday - Chest/Tris+Abs
------------------------------

Incline DB Bench
3x8x15kg (Upping to 17.5kg next time)
I improved form this time, for the first time my pecs were actually aching for a while.


Chest Dips
8xbw@~86kg
7xbw
8xbw
Will probably add a belt with 5kg next time, though it was pretty heavy to do these immediately after Incline DB Bench.


Skullcrushers (standing)
7x20kg
8x17.5kg
6x17.5kg

Weighted crunches
4x10x20kg (increased elevation for each set)
The last 3 reps had crappy form.

Considering to include some BB bench exercise next time. Flat, Decline or even close-grip.

 

[Rumpsteak]

Workout log 14/8

Back/Biceps

Pullups
4xbw (@86kg)
4xbw
4xbw

Did 5,4,3 last time. Not sure what I did wrong this time, but after the first set the lower part of my bis (close to the elbow) hurt like crap. What kind of grip should I have hit the back more? My grip right now is that the knuckles of the right hands are pointing to the right and the left to the left. Feels like biceps are taking the most spanking right now. Also, damn I'm heavy! In the morning I'm at 86kg but when I'm loaded with food and water I have to pull up 90kg. Feels like it's time to cut soon...

DB Biceps curl
8x15kg
6x15kg
6x15kg

Tired bis after pullups, but I wouldn't want to do pullups after curls either.

DB Rows
8x25kg
8x25kg
8x25kg

(Upping to 27.5 next time. Left side seems a little weaker though, but I managed to get 3x8 there as well)

DL
7x80kg
4x80kg
5x80kg

Being limited by grip on DL/SLDL. Hoping hands will be stronger and especially more resistant to pain in some weeks.

 

[Rumpsteak]

Alright, it's time to revive this thread.

I've had two weeks of turbulence now, due to moving around in sweden. My first gym closed one week for maintenance, and after that I was visiting my parents for some days.

Now I'm back at the university again and I expect to have a continuous 4-month period of training until christmas, possibly with a break of one week in the middle for recovery.

My training during the summer has served it's purpose, I think. I've trained for 5 weeks to get the forms right (aimed for 6 but the closed for maintenance as I said). I have upped the weights significantly from the initial state.

So, I got a gym card (1 year) at the new gym here at the university, very good gym. I ordered 4.5kgs of strawberry whey some days ago, but for some reason it hasn't arrived yet. Good thing is I have complete control of my diet now. Just trying to get away fairly cheaply by bying the right brands, and so on. Also I got the freezer packed full of red meat. Bought some chicken breast and salmon for the freezer some days ago.


Started out with the first exercise on

Saturday (Back/Bis):
--------------------------

Pullups (straight bar, fairly wide grip)
5xbw (@86kg)
4xbw
3xbw

(Pretty much the same)


DB Biceps curl
7x15.5kg
6x15.5kg
5x15.5kg

(New gym has DBs where the bar itself weighs .5kg) Found I had lost some strength here though (although very little.


DB Rows
8x22.5kg
8x22.5kg
8x22.5kg

(Slightly weaker than last time)


DL
7x80kg
4x80kg
5x80kg

I'm limited only by grip strength here, really starting to consider leather straps, because I feel I could press my back much harder.

 

[Rumpsteak]

Monday - Legs/Shoulders
--------------------------------

DB Shoulder press
8x15.5kg
8x15.5kg
8x15.5kg

New record, felt really good. Upping the weight next time.


Calf raises (smith)
7x120kg
8x120kg
8x120kg

Didn't feel very good. There was another construction of the smith machine in this gym, but I guess I'll get used to it.


SLDL
8x60kg
8x60kg
8x60kg

Could probably take at least 80kgs with better grip strength.

New ab machine (pretty much like slightly incline weighted crunches)
10x40kg
9x40kg
7x40kg


Squats
8x80kg (parallell)
8x80kg (parallell)
8x85kg (parallell)

Tried free squats for the first time. I f-ing love it! Your movement is so free when you're not in the smith. Upping to 85kg or 90kg inital weight next time.


What I'm pondering now is whether I will start out by bulking (clean) or cutting. Should I cut now or will it be easier in a month when I've increased some mass and metabolism?

 

[Rumpsteak]

Monday - Chest/Tris
-------------------------

Incline DB Bench
8x16kg
8x16kg
8x18.5kg

Felt good, but made me tired on the later exercises. Tried an improved form and it worked really good. I've never felt as tired in my pecs as this time.

Chest Dips
7xbw@85kg
4xbw
5xbw

Very tired chest/tris. Considering to start with the dips next time.

Skullcrushers
7x18.5kg
4x18.5kg
5x18.5kg

Tris were pretty tired at this point.

Tried a new forearm exercise (Kind of "behind the back wrist BB curls") to improve grip strength.

Used whey PWO for the first time.

Contents/100g:
Protein 80g
Carbs 8g
Fat 3g

Scoop size is 25g (20g prot.). I drank it and ate a banana (very brown).

I'm looking for some comments on this. How many grams of protein do I need pwo? Is a brown banana enough as a carb source to spike insulin?

 

[Warboss Alex]

20g protein pwo is nothing, I take in up to 100g sometimes. You're a big lad, you work out hard, can you really say that 20g pwo is all you need?

Double it to 40g for your next time, eat the banana by all means but you need more carbs in there as well, add dextrose, gatorade, lucozade, fruit juice, whatever, at least a 1:1 ratio to your protein content and feel free to throw more in, I use 1:1 dextroserotein and drink the stuff in 4-500ml of fruit juice, works extremely well.

 

[Rumpsteak]

can you really say that 20g pwo is all you need?

Nope. It felt pretty small so that's why I'm asking.

I'll try 2 scoops next time. Will pure dextrose increase the effect considerably or is sucrose and the like digested fast enough? How about fructose? Is it good to mix the simple and the slightly more complex ones or aim only for the simplest pwo and wait till ppwo for complex carbs?

I also had a shake like 1.5hrs before the workout to try out the whey. Will this put aminos into the system in time for the training or is it pretty much wasted?

 

[Warboss Alex]

Any simple carbs are good, pure dextrose is optimal (being by chemical structure the simplest form of sugar in existence) but not essential. Like I said, I use dextrose+fruit juice and it hasn't stunted my growth at all.

PWO (why doesn't anyone ever read the stuff I post) you need simple carbs for the most part, BUT if your ppwo meal is going to be a long time after pwo (say over an hour) then you might want to add a small amount of complex carbs too, the amount varying on how long you'll go before eating something solid.

In this case maltodextrin does NOT suffice because while it's classified as a complex carb it's high GI. I used to munch on a couple of oatcakes pwo but more for taste than anything, if I was serious about some pwo complex carbs then I'd have a wholemeal roll or sandwich with jam (more sugar, good thing here) to keep me going, or oats, or whatever else is convenient for you.

If you're gonna have whey pre-workout then keep it 20-30 minutes before, any longer than that and yes, as you say, it's wasted - whey is designed to be digested in such a short time, it's probably through your system in three quarters of an hour or so.

Scientific research actually shows that the uptake of aminos is greater when you take whey pre- AND post-workout but to be honest I can't be arsed mixing up two shakes and so don't take the pre-workout whey, it's not that which makes the difference, it's the solid food you pound down day in, day out. But if you want some pre-workout whey then keep it 20-30 mins before.

 

[Lifeforce]

Seems you and me are very alike on the training part. Strong in the powerbase and a little weaker in the upper body lifts. You're gonna be a guy who can squat and deadlift humongous amounts of weights and get awesome back and legs =) Don't strap it on the deads though.