RichMcGuire
03-29-2011, 09:20 PM
I decided to disregard my original journal because its time for a fresh start. Over the years, my weights have climbed and dropped because I havent been able to devote 100% effort into getting to the gym.
My first bulk, I hit 185 lbs, up from 140 somethin. You can see the progress in my sig pics. After that, I dieted down to 147 lbs. I was much bigger and had a much lower bodyfat% than the last time I was ever at 147. At the time I bulked, I had gained 40 lbs. I wanted to believe all of it was muscle but it simply wasnt. I was still pretty damn lean - I just think people (like i did) underestimate their scale gains. Realistically, I probably gained about 6-10 lbs of actual muscle. But even that modest amount makes a SIGNIFICANT difference in appearance. Especially for someone 5'7 like me.
Anyways, I don't have a specific goal yet. Its summer time soon so I dont want to pile on body fat for a few lbs of muscle. But I dont want to cut down either because I want to eat. Most likely, I'll hover around a slight, slight caloric surplus. For me, this means about 2800-3000. I should see some strength gains and small, if any, bodyfat stored. I can always roll the Calories back if needed.
Okay, now for my recent training history.
For a long while, I did Lyle mcdonalds generic bulking routine and made great strength gains with it. Its basically an upper/lower split.
After this (like 2 months or more) I took a month or so off.
When I got back to the gym, I wanted a program for me and one that would work for my gf. I'm leaving to go to pa this coming week to pick her up so she can move here with me. So, over the course of a month or 2, I tried a bunch of programs each week.
For like a week or 2, I did starting strength. It was okay..but there was no way I could progress in weights every workout and I did not like squatting 3x a week. And sorry, but I'm not going to gain 20 lbs in 2 weeks like rip suggests.
After that, I was going to do TM but ended up only being able to get the friday workout in which was the 1x3 for my lifts.
I decided to go a different route and went with Madcows 5x5 for a couple weeks. It seemed good..the only thing I HATED about it was I had to like horde the entire gyms weights so I could do the proper ramp weights. It sucked. I almost got out of breath from having to change my weights so often. I couldnt imagine doing it with my girlfriend, so I eliminated this program.
The week after this, I went with a routine by McRoberts. It was:
Monday:
Squat 5x5
Dip 5x5
Wed:
Romanian deadlift 5x5
overhead press 5x5
Fri:
Benchpress 5x5
row 5x5
I did it for a week and thought it was great. Its something I could go back to when I needed but the only thing I didnt like was only hitting the major lifts once a week. Still though, it was a great program but I felt like I could have done more.
After this, I did HCT-12 for a couple weeks. This program is awesome and I love the RP aspects. There is something very alluring about not having to walk around with a note pad to record things. But that was also its down side for me. I need a record to beat. And I found when I had an idea of what weight I was going to beat, I did less and less ramp up feel sets to get there. So I eliminated this one.
Then, lastly, for a week, I did layne nortons power/hypertrophy program. The volume almost killed my shoulder but I still liked the program. I did:
Mon: Power upper
Bentover row 3x3-5
weighted pullups 2x6-10
flat dumbell press with 110's 3x3-5
weighted dips 2x6-10
barbell curls 3x6-10
tricep pressdown 3x6-10
Tue: lower body power
Squats @ 235 (this was a record for me. my squats suck) 3x3-5
leg press 2x6-10
leg extension 2x6-10
stiff-legged deadlifts 3x5-8
leg curl 2x6-10
stading calf raise 3x6-10
Thurs: Back and shoulders hypertrophy
Speed work for bent over row 6x3 @65% of 3-5 rep max
seated cable row 3x8-12
dumbell rows against an incline bench 2x12-15
close grip pulldowns 2x15-20
deated dumbell press 3x8-12
lateral raises 3x12-20
Fri: lower body hypertrophy
Squat speed work 6x3
leg press 2x12-15
leg extensions 3x15-20
romanian deadlifts 3x8-12
leg curls 2x15-20
calf raises 3x15-20
Sat: Chest and arms hypertrophy
speed work with dumbell bench 6x3
incline dumbell press 3x8-12
hammer strength chest press 3x12-15
incline cable flyes 2x15-20
machine preacher curls 3x8-12
spider curls 2x12-15
tricep extension 3x8-12
cable pressdowns with rope 3x8-12
Lotsa volume. More than I was used to - but still.. doable.
After this, I decided to give Chris's DT program a try and I'm on the first week. I will be finishing this week and then taking a week off to get my girlfriend who will be working out with me. She will be following the DT template but probably just the movements and split.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, monday went:
ME incline barbell press @ 185. (this was my first time ever really trying these tbh and the liftoff was hard without a spotter)
RP incline barbell press 115 x 15, 8, 5. So, 15 reps till failure, rested 20 seconds, got 8 reps, rested 20 seconds, then got 5 reps.
Flat dumbell press 45's x15, 12. This felt weird to me since I usually use 120 lbs dumbells to press but I was so fatigued and burned that I went down to 45's, lol.
ME T-bar row @ 160. This is a homade one..bar against a corner with a hand attatchement slid under the bar to hold onto.
RP T-bar row: I forgot to write the weights down but it was too light. I think it was 70, or 90 but I got 15,9, then 6.
Curl grip pulldown: 88x15, 99x15
Seated alternate dumbell curl: 15x15, 20x15
pressdown 66x20, 77x20
Standing calf raise 230x20
Tues (today) was:
ME Box squat @ 255 (I love these. My weight was actually slightly higher than my normal squats. I squatted down to a bench which for me, is almost exactly parallel. I also sat completely down, paused for a second, then stood up.
RP Box squat @ 185 x 8,5,5
Leg extension 40x21,11,15. I did these like the article. 21 to failure..rested like 10 seconds, got 11, then 15. These kill.
Leg curl 60x12, 80x12
Leg extension 40x30 reps. I didnt do the other 2 because I could barely walk.
So thats the start of my journal. Long and lengthy. I'll be including pics soon as well (non pumped). Chris's program looks awesome on all levels. You get a mix of strength and hypertrophy with the DC aspect. Its kind of like laynes program in that 2 days are westside + DC and the other 2 days are hypertrophy. I think its better in the fact that there is less overlap and you can switch out compounds when you need to to work on weak portions of your lifts. Also, the progression scheme is natural. When your ME movements increase, your RP training goes right along with it..especially since they are the same movement.
My first bulk, I hit 185 lbs, up from 140 somethin. You can see the progress in my sig pics. After that, I dieted down to 147 lbs. I was much bigger and had a much lower bodyfat% than the last time I was ever at 147. At the time I bulked, I had gained 40 lbs. I wanted to believe all of it was muscle but it simply wasnt. I was still pretty damn lean - I just think people (like i did) underestimate their scale gains. Realistically, I probably gained about 6-10 lbs of actual muscle. But even that modest amount makes a SIGNIFICANT difference in appearance. Especially for someone 5'7 like me.
Anyways, I don't have a specific goal yet. Its summer time soon so I dont want to pile on body fat for a few lbs of muscle. But I dont want to cut down either because I want to eat. Most likely, I'll hover around a slight, slight caloric surplus. For me, this means about 2800-3000. I should see some strength gains and small, if any, bodyfat stored. I can always roll the Calories back if needed.
Okay, now for my recent training history.
For a long while, I did Lyle mcdonalds generic bulking routine and made great strength gains with it. Its basically an upper/lower split.
After this (like 2 months or more) I took a month or so off.
When I got back to the gym, I wanted a program for me and one that would work for my gf. I'm leaving to go to pa this coming week to pick her up so she can move here with me. So, over the course of a month or 2, I tried a bunch of programs each week.
For like a week or 2, I did starting strength. It was okay..but there was no way I could progress in weights every workout and I did not like squatting 3x a week. And sorry, but I'm not going to gain 20 lbs in 2 weeks like rip suggests.
After that, I was going to do TM but ended up only being able to get the friday workout in which was the 1x3 for my lifts.
I decided to go a different route and went with Madcows 5x5 for a couple weeks. It seemed good..the only thing I HATED about it was I had to like horde the entire gyms weights so I could do the proper ramp weights. It sucked. I almost got out of breath from having to change my weights so often. I couldnt imagine doing it with my girlfriend, so I eliminated this program.
The week after this, I went with a routine by McRoberts. It was:
Monday:
Squat 5x5
Dip 5x5
Wed:
Romanian deadlift 5x5
overhead press 5x5
Fri:
Benchpress 5x5
row 5x5
I did it for a week and thought it was great. Its something I could go back to when I needed but the only thing I didnt like was only hitting the major lifts once a week. Still though, it was a great program but I felt like I could have done more.
After this, I did HCT-12 for a couple weeks. This program is awesome and I love the RP aspects. There is something very alluring about not having to walk around with a note pad to record things. But that was also its down side for me. I need a record to beat. And I found when I had an idea of what weight I was going to beat, I did less and less ramp up feel sets to get there. So I eliminated this one.
Then, lastly, for a week, I did layne nortons power/hypertrophy program. The volume almost killed my shoulder but I still liked the program. I did:
Mon: Power upper
Bentover row 3x3-5
weighted pullups 2x6-10
flat dumbell press with 110's 3x3-5
weighted dips 2x6-10
barbell curls 3x6-10
tricep pressdown 3x6-10
Tue: lower body power
Squats @ 235 (this was a record for me. my squats suck) 3x3-5
leg press 2x6-10
leg extension 2x6-10
stiff-legged deadlifts 3x5-8
leg curl 2x6-10
stading calf raise 3x6-10
Thurs: Back and shoulders hypertrophy
Speed work for bent over row 6x3 @65% of 3-5 rep max
seated cable row 3x8-12
dumbell rows against an incline bench 2x12-15
close grip pulldowns 2x15-20
deated dumbell press 3x8-12
lateral raises 3x12-20
Fri: lower body hypertrophy
Squat speed work 6x3
leg press 2x12-15
leg extensions 3x15-20
romanian deadlifts 3x8-12
leg curls 2x15-20
calf raises 3x15-20
Sat: Chest and arms hypertrophy
speed work with dumbell bench 6x3
incline dumbell press 3x8-12
hammer strength chest press 3x12-15
incline cable flyes 2x15-20
machine preacher curls 3x8-12
spider curls 2x12-15
tricep extension 3x8-12
cable pressdowns with rope 3x8-12
Lotsa volume. More than I was used to - but still.. doable.
After this, I decided to give Chris's DT program a try and I'm on the first week. I will be finishing this week and then taking a week off to get my girlfriend who will be working out with me. She will be following the DT template but probably just the movements and split.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, monday went:
ME incline barbell press @ 185. (this was my first time ever really trying these tbh and the liftoff was hard without a spotter)
RP incline barbell press 115 x 15, 8, 5. So, 15 reps till failure, rested 20 seconds, got 8 reps, rested 20 seconds, then got 5 reps.
Flat dumbell press 45's x15, 12. This felt weird to me since I usually use 120 lbs dumbells to press but I was so fatigued and burned that I went down to 45's, lol.
ME T-bar row @ 160. This is a homade one..bar against a corner with a hand attatchement slid under the bar to hold onto.
RP T-bar row: I forgot to write the weights down but it was too light. I think it was 70, or 90 but I got 15,9, then 6.
Curl grip pulldown: 88x15, 99x15
Seated alternate dumbell curl: 15x15, 20x15
pressdown 66x20, 77x20
Standing calf raise 230x20
Tues (today) was:
ME Box squat @ 255 (I love these. My weight was actually slightly higher than my normal squats. I squatted down to a bench which for me, is almost exactly parallel. I also sat completely down, paused for a second, then stood up.
RP Box squat @ 185 x 8,5,5
Leg extension 40x21,11,15. I did these like the article. 21 to failure..rested like 10 seconds, got 11, then 15. These kill.
Leg curl 60x12, 80x12
Leg extension 40x30 reps. I didnt do the other 2 because I could barely walk.
So thats the start of my journal. Long and lengthy. I'll be including pics soon as well (non pumped). Chris's program looks awesome on all levels. You get a mix of strength and hypertrophy with the DC aspect. Its kind of like laynes program in that 2 days are westside + DC and the other 2 days are hypertrophy. I think its better in the fact that there is less overlap and you can switch out compounds when you need to to work on weak portions of your lifts. Also, the progression scheme is natural. When your ME movements increase, your RP training goes right along with it..especially since they are the same movement.