A Beginners Journey to a Model Physique.

[Catalunya]

Tomorrow (Monday) is my first day of training and I am very excited.

My ultimate goal is to wind up with a physique resembling something like these -


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OMLYyLC8HTo/SZ...umb%5B1%5D.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OMLYyLC8HTo/SZ...umb%5B1%5D.jpg


And while I know most people here probably prefer to build to the more "Powerlifter" type of body, I feel that it simply is not me.


I will be starting the Starting Strength routine, because although I know that will probably not carry me through to end up looking how I want, I know it will give me a good basis of strength and mass to then sculpt my body into my desired shape.

I will be posting pics of my current size soon.

Here are my starting measurements

Biceps - 12.5 inches (Flexed)
Thighs - 20 inches (Flexed)
Chest - 32 inches

Any comments will be appreciated! I'm very excited to get this started! I will update with my lifts and diet for the day.

Thank you all.

[Catalunya]

I just finished my first workout and I feel great.

Admittedly I used VERY small weight values, but today was more about practicing form than anything else. Here is what I did

I also ran for 10 minutes before working out as a warm up.


Squats 3x5

1st set with 20 lbs
2nd set with 30 lbs
3rd set with 35 lbs


Bench Press 3x5

All sets with 35lbs


Deadlift 1x5

whole set with 35lbs


I think my squat form is very nice but I think my legs end up too close together.

Also, I think I did well on my bench press form however my biceps felt like they got more of a workout from it than my chest. Maybe its just because of the low weight.

My deadlift was fine going up, but I feel very awkward going down.

All in all it was a good first day, and im hoping to improve my form wednesday and also add a little more weight.


Everything I ate today was

eaten 2 eggs and 3 pieces of bacon.
1 protein bar thing
3 slices of cheddar cheese
1 beef/peta bread sandwhich
1 chicken breast, 1 baked potato, mixed vegetables
1 whey protein shake
Some popcorn
1 bowl of banana nut crunch cereal
2/3 cup of peanuts


I'm very excited to continue on.


Thank you!

[Catalunya]

Even though today isn't a lift day, I think i'm going to practice my form with a very small weight on the bar.

Form seems to be even more important than how much weight you put on the bar and I don't want to mess it up.


My diet for the day so far -

10 grape tomatoes
2 pieces of cheddar cheese
1 whey protein shake
1 Peta bread/beef sandwhich
Tortollini stuffed with cheese, sausage slices, 1 glass of milk
Some Popcorn (Damn movies)
about 1 cup of peanuts







Also, I have a question - When I did all my lifts yesterday, I really only had about 30 minutes of workout. This seems fairly low. Should I tack on another exercise to make it longer? or is 30 minutes ok for now?

[Catalunya]

Today was my second day of training and I feel great. Here is what I did

Squats 3x5

first set - 40 lbs
second set - 50 lbs
Third set - 60 lbs

Although there is a 20 lbs difference between my first and last set I felt very worked by all three


Overhead Press - 3x5

First set - 40 lbs
Second set - 45 lbs
Third set - 45lbs

This one was very hard for me. I almost could get up the last rep on set 3. This was a tough one and worked me very hard.


Powercleans - 5x3

Instead of doing powercleans I did hang cleans to practice the upwards form. Next time though i will probably be doing full powercleans.

First set - 35 lbs
Second set - 40 lbs
Third set - 45 lbs
Fourth set - 45 lbs
Fifth set - 55 lbs

This exercise worked me aswell, I did have a hard time keeping my grip on the bar though, but I held on.


All in all today was very nice. My whole body feels very worked. My arms especially. The crease on my arm between the bicep and forearm feels very tired it doesnt hurt, just feels very weak. I hope that isnt bad.

I think my form was good on all the exercises, although i'm not sure if I got full extension on all of my hang cleans.

I'm looking forward to friday


Diet today so far -

3 pieces of bacon
2 eggs (scrambled)
1 whey protein shake (mixed with 8oz milk)
2 chicken sandwhiches
around 8 oz of salmon
some mixed beans with onions
some mashed potatoes

[Catalunya]

Today I did the Squat/Deadlift/Bench Press combo

Squat 3x5

1st set - 35 lbs

2nd set - 40 lbs

3rd set - 45 lbs


Deadlift 1x5

1st set - 45 lbs


Bench Press 3x5

1st set - 35 lbs

2nd set - 40 lbs

3rd set - 45 lbs


Good day all in all. Enjoying some chicken sandwiches with my whey protein shake now lol.

Excited for monday. I hate having to wait 2 days to work out again.

I Know its a weak goal but I hope to get up to 90 lbs on all of these lifts by the end of July. Maybe even sooner.

[SeanW]

Everyone has to start somewhere man. As far as exercises go. Are you doing Starting Strength? It seems like the basic outline just a few things different. Just add weight to the bar for as long as you can. Good luck with your training.

[Catalunya]

Squat 3x5

1st set - 50lbs

2nd set - 60 lbs

3rd set - 60 lbs



OH press 3x5

1st set - 35lbs

2nd set - 40lbs

third set - 40lbs


Hang Cleans 1x5

First set - 50lbs



All in all a good day. I think my power clean form as a little off. But practice makes perfect. The OH presses are by far the hardest for me to do. One the last rep of the third set I almost gave out lol.

Also - whenever i make my whey protein shake quite a bit of powder stays at the bottom of the glass and doesnt get mixed. I'm putting in the correct amount and I dont know why this is happening.

[Catalunya]

I missed my training day wednesday because I had college orientation/scheduling early in the morning until the afternoon and then I had to go to a cookout and I did not reach home until late.

Todays workout was


squat 3 x 5

1 - 50 lbs

2 - 60 lbs

3 - 60 lbs


OH press 3 x 5

1- 40 lbs

2- 40lbs

3- 40lbs


powercleans 1 x 5

1- 50 lbs


OH press are so difficult for me to do.

[Catalunya]

Today was

Squats 3x5

1st - 50lbs

2nd - 60lbs

3rd - 50lbs


Bench Press 3x5

1st - 40lbs

2nd - 40lbs

3rd - 40lbs


Deadlift 1x5

1st - 50lbs


Today was very difficult for my squats for some reason and i'm not sure why. I was struggling even with the 50lbs reps.

I felt my form was terrible today. Time to watch some more videos lol.

I'm also having trouble getting enough to eat in a day. If anyone has any suggestions for foods that I can eat/snack on it would be greatly appreciated.

[Catalunya]

Today was nice, I think if igured out why my squats were so hard

Squats 3x5

1st - 50

2nd - 60

3rd - 60


OH press 3x5

1st- 40

2nd - 40

3rd - 40


Hang cleans 1x5

1st - 60lbs


I think my feet were too close together and it made my squats really hard. I moved them a little farther a part in my last set and it was much easier.

OH presses are still so incredibly difficult. I feel like im not making any gains on that exercise. Any ideas?

Still hoping to get 90lbs on my squats and hopefully deadlift by the end of the month.

[Catalunya]

Been very busy last few days so I didnt have a chance to post what I did

Squats 3x5

1st - 50

2nd - 60

3rd - 60


Bench Press

1st - 40

2nd - 45

3rd - 50


Deadlift 1x5

1st - 60

[EatMyWay2TheTop]

Are you really from catalunya mate ?

[Catalunya]

Yeah, I was born in Barcelona.

Im not gonna post what I did monday. I've been busy so not much time.

Here's what I did to day


Squats 3x5

1st - 70lbs

2nd - 70lbs

3rd - 50 lbs


Bench Press 3x5

1st- 40lbs

2nd - 45lbs

3rd- 45lbs


Deadlift 1x5

1st - 70lbs


Good day today.

[Catalunya]

Today was terrible

Squats 3x5

1st - 70lbs

2nd - 70lbs

3rd - 50lbs


OH press 2x5

1st - 40 lbs

2nd - 50lbs


Hang cleans 1x5

1st - 60lbs


I'm having a really hard time progressing on my OH press.

I'm progressing on my squats, but not as much or as often as i'd like. I thought that the 70lbs I did was going to kill me.

I don't know why it's so difficult.

[Catalunya]

Today was great.


Squats 3x5

1st - 70

2nd - 75

3rd - 75


Bench Press 3x5

1st - 40

2nd - 50

3rd - 50


Deadlift 1x5

1st - 90


Great day today. It was so difficult doing the 75lbs squats but I finished them and I feel very nice.

It looks like i'm not going to reach my goal of getting 90lbs on all my lifts, however, i've gotten 90 on the deadlift, and my powercleans and squats are close to 90. So maybe I can get it by Friday.

[mattburns]

Keep going mate, looks like you're progressing well thus far.

Got any stats? Weight/Height? Also how many calories are you getting in? You can use www.fitday.com to give you an idea.

Tip for the protein powder issue, buy a shaker and always put the powder in after the water/milk.

[Catalunya]

Today was a good day.

Squats 3x5

1st - 70lbs

2nd - 75lbs

3rd - 75lbs


OH press 3x5

1st - 45lbs

2nd - 50lbs

3rd - 55lbs


Hang cleans 1x5

1st - 75lbs


Some of you may be wondering why I only do a 1x5 for hang cleans rather than a 5x3 as the SS routine tells me to. I only do a 1x5 because I do not use any equipment. So any time I do OH press or Squat not only do I have to deadlift the bar, I then have to hang clean it up into the right position.

Also, to the guy above thanks for the interest lol.

Right now i am almost 5' 9'', 159.5 pounds (which is 4 more than I weighed when I started) and i'm 17 years old.

As far as calorie intake goes, I must admit I don't think i've been getting enough. Everyday I have breakfast which is usually some time of protein rich cereal, or eggs/bacon/ham. Then right after my workout I drink a protein shake with strawberries. Then normally I have two ham and cheese sandwhiches. Then for dinner its anywhere from 1/2-1 pound of meat(Chicken/Fish/Pork/Beef), mixed vegetables, and a potato. Then I usually have some sort of snack at night which could be anything. Normally it's nuts or vegetables.


Ultimately, i'd like to be closer to the 190-200lb range, however, i'm waiting to see how much more I grow. I'd like to be taller before weighing that much, because I dont want to look like a short guy who works out to compensate for my shortness :O


On another note. I squated 120 pounds last night. Sort of.

I was hanging out with friends, and I picked my girlfriend up. I was in the down position of the squat and she straddled my shoulders and I was able to lift her up and down, just like a squat lol.


My lower back always feels very worked whenever I do squats.

[Catalunya]

Today was good, but my lower back is killing me when I do squats.


Squats 3x5

1st - 75 lbs

2nd - 75lbs

3rd - 80lbs


Bench Press 3x5

1st - 50 lbs

2nd - 55 lbs

3rd - 60lbs



Deadlift 1x5

1st - 100lbs (My first hundred!!!)


Does anyone know how to keep my lower back from hurting durings Squats? It doesn't hurt after I workout, but while im doing the squats, and for about 5 minutes after it feels very strained.

[Catalunya]

Squats 3x5

1st - 70lbs

2nd - 80lbs

3rd - 80lbs


OH press 3x5

1st - 50

2nd - 55

3rd - 60


Hang cleans 1x5

1st - 80lbs

[Catalunya]

Squats 3x5

1st - 80

2nd - 80

3rd - 85


Bench Press 3x5

1st - 55

2nd - 60

3rd - 60


Deadlift 1x5

1st - 110

[EatMyWay2TheTop]

Keep going mate Im from Toulouse, France. So we're almost neighbors lol.

[Catalunya]

Are you still living in France?


Squats 3x5

1st - 80

2nd - 85

3rd - 85


OH press 3x5

1st - 55

2nd - 60

3rd - 60


Hang Cleans 1x5

1st - 85

[EatMyWay2TheTop]

Yes, still in Toulouse

[Catalunya]

Yes, still in Toulouse

Lol that's great. I've never really made it over to the french side of catalunya. Do you speak Catalan?


Also, I'm back from Russia now and it was amazing. I'm excited to get back into lifting.

My schedule for school is MWF so i'm going to be doing my 3 day work out split like this.

Monday - off
Tuesday - Workout 1
Wednesday - off
Thursday - Workout 2
Friday - off
Saturday - Workout 1
Sunday - off

I'm excited to begin again tomorrow

[Catalunya]

Getting back into the groove today.

Squats 3x5

1st - 55

2nd - 60

3rd - 65


Bench Press 3x5

1st - 50

2nd - 55

3rd - 55


Deadlift 1x5

1st - 80