Bulk pics

[KoolDrew]

I don't expect to impress anybody by posting these pics, but if I post them here at least I'll have pics to compare myself to in the future. You guys could also give me anything I need to work on. I used to weigh 260 and I got down to 190 (at least I think, my scale sucks). However, when I lost all the weight I lost a lot of muscle mass along with it, as I didn't cut properly. Hell, for most of the time I didn't even lift. I lifted for football in high school, but never really took it seriously. Just started seriously in February using the Rippetoe Starting Strength program. I've been doing good except for recently because of being sick.

Anyway, here's the pics. Sorry if my poses suck, I'm new at this. I made sure to get legs and back though, so don't worry. Also, if anybody could take a stab at guessing my bodyfat percentage it would be appreciated. My goal is to bulk up and then cut below 10%.







Let me know what you guys think. My stats are in my sig.

[BFGUITAR]

Very nice. Still looking muscular and pretty lean. Congrads on the weight loss (although I dont know if you were 260 of muscle or fat)

[Mr. D]

Looking nice and lean. With a nice slow clean bulk, youll stay BIG and LEAN.

Quads are looking very good.

I would guess your BF% is ~10-12%.

[KoolDrew]

although I dont know if you were 260 of muscle or fat

It was a lot of fat. I had a huge gut back then. I did lose strength though. My max bench when I was that weight for bench was 235. Don't know what it is now, but not that much. At one point I did 385 for squat for two reps. However, this was NOT even parallel, so I really have no idea how much strength, if any, I lost there since I squat correctly now. The coaches always told me I went low enough, but always had a problem with my right knee and after finding this site I learned I wasn't squatting low enough, and my knee problem kind of disapeared once I started squatting below parallel.

The weight loss was over a very long period of time though. Like I said, for most of the time I didn't even lift and I didn't even really pay attention to what I was eating. Just tried to cut down on junk. Unfortunately I don't really have any old pics though. All I have is these which were taken today and I started lifting seriously at the beginning of February, with the goal to bulk.

[Gabrielle]

I would say bf 12%. You have killer legs and you are very proportionate. Keep doing what you are doing, props for getting down from 260.

[KoolDrew]

I figured around 12% too. I have a igital caliper test thing that I bought (which came with myo tape too), but I seem to get different reading everytime I use it. I'm guessing it's user error, but still. It's one of those ones that test chest, thigh, and abs. The reading always range between 9% and 14%.

Anyway, thanks for the comments guys! I really appreciate them. I'm just glad I finally have pics of myself up here, that way I at least have something to compare to. People tell me I look bigger since I started and I do notice it, but it's good to have pictures so you can actually see how much. Also, I wish I took measurements of my body before I started so I knew how much my thighs grew and stuff.

[Keith]

Congrats on the progress bro! You're mid/lower back is incredibly thick for your size! But there's not too many people out there that talk about an over-developed back. If anything were lacking, I would say your chest. By your stats it somewhat explains that as well. BF% I would also say about 12%.

[getfit]

Looking real good.

[Sidior]

Looking good man, as already mentioned your legs look great.

[KoolDrew]

If anything were lacking, I would say your chest. By your stats it somewhat explains that as well.

Yeah. Unfortunately I kind of hit a plateua there. My bench just won't go up while my squat and deadlift go up every session almost. I've recently added weighted dips to my routine, which may help. I've also added weighed pull-ups for the lats.

So, here's what my routine looks like now. Three times a week, atlernating between both workouts:

Workout A:
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Dips 2x8
Abs 2x8

Workout A:
Squat 3x5
Military Press 3x5
Pendlay Rows 3x5
Pull-ups 2x8
Abs 2x8

I ussually don't do abs three times a week. Ussually only when I feel like it. However, is there anything really wrong with three times a week since its only two sets of 8? I see the Bill Starr routine has it twice a week, but it's also more sets.

Any suggestions on the routine woul be appreciated as well. Perhaps it may be time to even move to a new routine? I've been on this one since I started in February and just recently added the dips and pull-ups. I've been interested in BGB or Bill Starrs 5x5. Or perhaps just modifing the routine I currently have a little would be sufficient?

[Keith]

Check this link out. It worked wonders for me when I felt I hit a plateau. Keeping these little tips embedded into your head will help you without question.

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle....e=body_115b600

As far as your routine is concerned, I'd say it's time to switch it up. I like to switch up my program every three months. BGB BLEW up my back and Bill Starr's was okay for my strength gains. Everyone is different though, play around with both of them for the next 6 months, both have been great for a lot of people.

[KoolDrew]

Thanks for the link! I'll definitely give it a read.

I think I'm definitely going to start BGB soon. It will be much different than what I'm doing now, and I can see how it works for me for a few months. The Rippetoe routine was great for starting out, but now I'm getting to the point where squatting three times a week as heavy as I can is feeling like too much. Switching from a full body routine to a 4-day split would definitely be a change.

[KoolDrew]

If my chest is the weak point you think I should add cable flys in the routine? I'm putting together the BGB routine right now and I notice it says if you do a third for chest, you can add cable flyes. Would this be benefitial in my case or should I just go with the base template?

[Keith]

No, do not add in cable flies to your routine if your goal is to increase the size/strength to your chest. Use all the energy and intensity you have for the main lifts listed for chest.

[Bomberman]

Nice job so far

[Sean W.]

Dang man, looking pretty ripped....

[KoolDrew]

Dang man, looking pretty ripped....

Thanks bro.

I'm gonna start BGB soon though and plan on packing on quite a bit more mass. I plan on it being a long and slow bulk though so I don't put on too much fat. It will also make going down below 10% BF after my bulk a whole lot easier.

[Al3X]

Good job on the cut kooldrew. When are you starting the new routine?

[DSmith22]

keep up the hard work man!

[KoolDrew]

When are you starting the new routine?

I started it early last month. You can see the journal I started in my signature. Also, here's an updated shot.



You guys see any progress? I definitely think my arms grew and I've gains about 8 pounds. I would of got more pics similar to the ones I posted last month so it would be easier to compare, but the camera I was using died.

[j_man_honda]

Hard to compare that pose with your original but i would definately say your shoulders and arms have grown. Good work

P.S. pull up your pants

[KoolDrew]

Yeah, I thought my arms and shoulders got slightly larger as well. Glad to see its not all in my head I think I'm going to be taking pics monthly to gauge progress. Next time differences should be more apparent because it will be 2 months after the original pics and I will try to get similar poses.

[KoolDrew]

Here's some pics at 223 (weighed this morning):

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/6693/up1lo7.jpg
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5753/up2es3.jpg
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9913/up3zg8.jpg
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/394/up5to6.jpg

Sorry, no leg shots, but I do feel like I've gained slight mass in my legs, arms, and shoulders (arms are 16" now). I think the biggest difference I feel is my back though. I don't know if my back is just sore from rows and stuff, but I "feel" my lats have grown.

I'm at sort of a dilemma though. Bulking is great, but I realized it takes a hell of a long time to get "big." Obviously I knew it wasn't going to happen overnight, but you don't realize how long it really takes until you actually do it. My original plan was to bulk up for a while and then cut down to ~8% body fat. My goal is to get a six pack and be "ripped," but I didn't want to feel "too small" at the same time. So I decided to bulk. Now I still want to be much bigger, but I think I'd look good now cut. What do you guys think? Right now I'm thinking I should cut since it would only be a few months max (compared to how long it takes to build muscle mass), and then go on a very long and slow bulk, still trying to stay under 10% bodyfat though and keep the six pack. I want to cut using UD2.0. I won't be seeing as nice strength gains as I'm seeing now, but using UD2.0 I might see some. In addition to seeing abs, I think my quads and back would look great when I cut down. Right now I have quite a bit of body fat in the lower back area making my waist larger, not allowing my upper back to look as large, and my low/mid back is pretty thick. My quads have always been rather large as well.

Any comments on progress so far and what you guys think would be appreciated. Also, I know I need to get a tan.

[Con]

Wow. VERY impressed. The difference in the shoulders is quite pronounced.

What routine did you do from the last pics to the most recent?

[KoolDrew]

What routine did you do from the last pics to the most recent?

I did BGB for a while, then switched to Bill Starrs 5x5. Been on the 5x5 routine for the past 7 weeks.