Meat_Head
03-19-2009, 10:24 PM
Well I'm back again, for those of you who remember me. After many months of drinking and eating junk food, with sporadic and shabby workouts in between, I've decided its time to really pick up the yoke of iron again and get into some kind of shape.
I'm 5'11, 190lbs as of a week ago, and likely somewhere between 16-18% bf. I'm living in an apartment with my girlfriend and no longer have my gym membership, and this truly sucks as all the apartment workout room has to offer is a treadmill, a bench press machine, a low pulley cable, a leg extension-curl machine and a broken pulldown machine. What I would give for a kettlebell or a powerrack about now...
Nonetheless, I've got to do something. I've put together a little workout plan until I can gain access to better equipment. I'm doing pullovers on the floor with the low pulley cable. Its awkward but it works, and I'm a big fan of pullovers for mass and functionality. Its probably my best bet as a compound exercise at the moment, so I'll have to make due.
The days are all based on recovery. If I don't feel healed up enough to work out on any given day, I won't. If I feel fully recovered and healthy on an off day, I may go ahead and lift on that day. Its all up in the air right now.
Day 1:
Low cable pullovers - 1x20
I'll be performing these like 20 rep breathing squats, or death squats if you prefer. I'll pick a weight I can only do for 10-15 reps and pump out 20. This will be my main mass-maker until I find something better.
Low cable skullcrushers
1x6-10
1x15-20
I likely won't need these after pullovers, as pullovers tend to destroy my triceps, but I'll throw them in anyway as I'd really like to put some mass on my tri's(or at least prevent them from wasting away while I burn some fat).
Low cable rows
2x6-10
1x15-20
Machine shrugs
3x6-10
1x15-20
I do these on the bench press machine, which is luckily constructed perfectly to use for shrugs. Traps are also one of the areas I'd like to target especially hard.
Day 2:
GPP/Aerobic/Recovery/Whatever
I need ideas for this, so if anyone has any please share! As of right now I plan to do some work on the treadmill or bike, swim(once its warm enough), and whatever else I can think of. My girlfriend has some good heavy viking swords, and even if it looks nerdy as hell I can get an interesting workout swinging them around. Its worked the hell out of my forearms and shoulder girdle in the past, and it will be a nice way to keep the rotator cuff strong while getting some aerobic exercise.
I'll also do some light lifting with the machines on this day for recovery purposes. A few high rep sets to rush some blood into the muscles will do the trick.
Day 3:
Bench press machine
3x6-10
1x15-20
Low cable upright rows
3-6-10
1x15-20
Low cable curls
1x6-10
1x15-20
Again, the isolation work is up in the air. If I feel I need it, I'll do it.
Day 4:
GPP/Aerobic/Recovery/Whatever
Same as day 2, maybe different exercises.
Then it all starts over with day 1. As you can see, I have no leg work planned, nor any means to train them. I think the leg extensions and curls would do more harm then good, as I despise lower body isolation exercises for anything but rehab. I'm sure I'll end up pushing the car or doing sissy squats or sprints or SOMETHING, but for now no squats :(
I'm hoping to burn some fat off and, who knows, maybe put on a little muscle while I'm at it. I DO believe that this is possible, if my diet is in line, especially considering the fact that I haven't done any heavy lifting in almost a year. Again, any advice or ideas would be appreciated.
I'm posting some crappy beginning pics. They aren't flattering, but they'll allow me to track my progress visually. 1st leg pic is at rest, second is flexed.
I'm 5'11, 190lbs as of a week ago, and likely somewhere between 16-18% bf. I'm living in an apartment with my girlfriend and no longer have my gym membership, and this truly sucks as all the apartment workout room has to offer is a treadmill, a bench press machine, a low pulley cable, a leg extension-curl machine and a broken pulldown machine. What I would give for a kettlebell or a powerrack about now...
Nonetheless, I've got to do something. I've put together a little workout plan until I can gain access to better equipment. I'm doing pullovers on the floor with the low pulley cable. Its awkward but it works, and I'm a big fan of pullovers for mass and functionality. Its probably my best bet as a compound exercise at the moment, so I'll have to make due.
The days are all based on recovery. If I don't feel healed up enough to work out on any given day, I won't. If I feel fully recovered and healthy on an off day, I may go ahead and lift on that day. Its all up in the air right now.
Day 1:
Low cable pullovers - 1x20
I'll be performing these like 20 rep breathing squats, or death squats if you prefer. I'll pick a weight I can only do for 10-15 reps and pump out 20. This will be my main mass-maker until I find something better.
Low cable skullcrushers
1x6-10
1x15-20
I likely won't need these after pullovers, as pullovers tend to destroy my triceps, but I'll throw them in anyway as I'd really like to put some mass on my tri's(or at least prevent them from wasting away while I burn some fat).
Low cable rows
2x6-10
1x15-20
Machine shrugs
3x6-10
1x15-20
I do these on the bench press machine, which is luckily constructed perfectly to use for shrugs. Traps are also one of the areas I'd like to target especially hard.
Day 2:
GPP/Aerobic/Recovery/Whatever
I need ideas for this, so if anyone has any please share! As of right now I plan to do some work on the treadmill or bike, swim(once its warm enough), and whatever else I can think of. My girlfriend has some good heavy viking swords, and even if it looks nerdy as hell I can get an interesting workout swinging them around. Its worked the hell out of my forearms and shoulder girdle in the past, and it will be a nice way to keep the rotator cuff strong while getting some aerobic exercise.
I'll also do some light lifting with the machines on this day for recovery purposes. A few high rep sets to rush some blood into the muscles will do the trick.
Day 3:
Bench press machine
3x6-10
1x15-20
Low cable upright rows
3-6-10
1x15-20
Low cable curls
1x6-10
1x15-20
Again, the isolation work is up in the air. If I feel I need it, I'll do it.
Day 4:
GPP/Aerobic/Recovery/Whatever
Same as day 2, maybe different exercises.
Then it all starts over with day 1. As you can see, I have no leg work planned, nor any means to train them. I think the leg extensions and curls would do more harm then good, as I despise lower body isolation exercises for anything but rehab. I'm sure I'll end up pushing the car or doing sissy squats or sprints or SOMETHING, but for now no squats :(
I'm hoping to burn some fat off and, who knows, maybe put on a little muscle while I'm at it. I DO believe that this is possible, if my diet is in line, especially considering the fact that I haven't done any heavy lifting in almost a year. Again, any advice or ideas would be appreciated.
I'm posting some crappy beginning pics. They aren't flattering, but they'll allow me to track my progress visually. 1st leg pic is at rest, second is flexed.