200 pounds is always 200 pounds.

[CarlP]

I've been around here for a couple years, learned a lot of things, and even got bigger and stronger from 2005 to halfway through 2006. Then came the house, wife, and baby. I no longer made time to get to the gym or eat good. My daughter is nearly seven months old, and we're all in a decent routine now. It's time to get serious again.

I'm 27 years old, 6'2" and 177 lbs. I don't really like that. I don't want to be a pro bodybuilder or powerlifter, but I want to get a lot bigger and stronger than I am now. I don't know if it's possible for me, but I would like to be a lean 220-230 lbs without the use of AAS. I'm starting a journal so I can get a little encouragement and a kick in the ass if I start getting lazy. My first few workouts will be trying to find out where I stand and what numbers I put up.

I usually get up early before work to lift, I've been doing chest/shoulders/tris, back/bis, and legs. I start to feel weak after 20-30 minutes, so I try to keep the workouts short and relatively intense. I'm open to criticism and suggestions for routine, diet, etc.

Yesterdays back workout:

Chinups - 3,4
Deadlift - 2x5x135
DB rows - 2x8x45

I feel like I need to add a little more in there. Three exercises seems too short. With only seven chinups, I don't know if my lats got enough attention.

[CarlP]

Legs this morning:

Squats - 45x10, 95x10, 115x5,5
Seated calf raise - 80x8,8
Leg curls - 70x8,8

Leg curls suck, I think I'll try SLDL's next time. My strength has really dropped off. The squats took some effort. Maybe next time I'll add a few reps. I want to keep the weight low and work on form. I also need to watch Sensei's videos, because my hips are not flexible at all. I think that is where my main problem is.

[CarlP]

Workout this morning:

Bench Press - 95x10, 115x8,8
DB shoulder press - 30x8,6 felt weak here, I wasn't happy about the last set
triceps pressdown - 90x10,10
decline crunches - 2x10

Not a horrible workout, I'm still getting back into the routine I guess.

[CarlP]

Back again today:

DB rows - 45x8,8
Chinups - 3,2
Deadlift - 135x6, 145x5,5

I hate chinups. I suck at them and I hate them worse than bench press. I do love deadlifts though. Today's felt great. There were too many people curling for me to find any place to do some bicep work. Oh well, maybe next time.

[Guido]

Nice start to a journal. May I be the first to offer you some ?

I'd say 220-230 lbs pretty lean is not an unrealistic goal at all. It will take some time, work, and careful attention to diet, but it can be done. Shoot, I started off at 145lb a couple years ago and not a whole lot stronger than you are right now.

BTW, I like the journal title, being a Rollins fan, myself.

[CarlP]

Nice start to a journal. May I be the first to offer you some ?

I'd say 220-230 lbs pretty lean is not an unrealistic goal at all. It will take some time, work, and careful attention to diet, but it can be done. Shoot, I started off at 145lb a couple years ago and not a whole lot stronger than you are right now.

BTW, I like the journal title, being a Rollins fan, myself.

Thanks. I was beginning to think I was going to talk to myself throughout this whole journal. I'm hoping my strength will get back up to where it was in a couple months. I don't know much about Rollins' music besides Liar, but I love the article.

[GroundControl]

nice journal title, hey I'm 6'2 too, how about I give you about 20lbs My goal is to get down to 220 too. Don't worry about your strength right now, it will come back, muscle memory is sick, just stay dedicated, in 16years you'll scare the **** out of any potential boyfriends lol

[CarlP]

nice journal title, hey I'm 6'2 too, how about I give you about 20lbs My goal is to get down to 220 too. Don't worry about your strength right now, it will come back, muscle memory is sick, just stay dedicated, in 16years you'll scare the **** out of any potential boyfriends lol

Haha. I don't even want to think about raising a teenage girl right now.

[CarlP]

I'm back after getting a stomach bug twice, from my daughter I think.

Yesterdays workout:

DB Bench: 45x8,8
DB shoulder press: 30x5,5
Triceps pressdown: 90x8,8

[CarlP]

Longest gap ever in a journal? Since life has settled down into a decent routine, it's time to get back to lifting. I've also been running off and on the last few months. I'd like to run a 5k this year. It's gonna take a few workouts to figure out where I stand. Here was todays:

Deadlift: 2x5x95, 1x5x105 this is a humbling place to start
Barbell row: 2x5x65
Barbell curl: 1x5x65, 1x3x65

Gotta start back somewhere I guess. Anyone have any recommendations for chest exercises I can do without a bench? All I have is a barbell and a pile of weights, plus one pair of dumbbells. I need to find a power rack and bench for cheap.

[CarlP]

Standing shoulder press: 45x10, 55x10, 65x10

I didn't know where to begin with these, so the bar seemed like a good place to start. I need some more chest and triceps exercises that I can do without a bench or rack. Where is the old WBB 1 routine stored these days?

[CarlP]

Ran 1.5 miles in 15:53. Running sucks , but i'm improving at it.

[CarlP]

Today is leg day. This would be much easier with a rack, but for now I have to clean and press the weight to get it on my shoulders. Luckily, I'm starting off with super light weight to make sure I get my form good.

Squat: 45x10, 55x10, 65x10
Good morning: 45x10, 45x10
Weighted crunches: 25x15, 25x15

I need to find a suitable block or step to do some calf raises, but for now, this will have to do.

[CarlP]

I ran week 4 day 3 of Couch to 5k this morning: 2.2 miles, 26:14. Running still sucks.

Back and biceps this afternoon. I added some weight and volume to my last back workout.

Deadlift: 95x10, 115x10, 135x6 it feels good to put real plates on the bar again
Bent over row: 65x10, 75x5
Barbell curl: 65x6, 65x5

I had plenty left in the tank for the deadlift and the rows, but the curls were all my sorry ass arms could handle. Long skinny arms may be good for pulling, but they suck for curling.

[chevelle2291]

You would benefit immensely from either stronglifts 5x5 or madcow 5x5.

http://www.vicjg.com/aspx/madcowint.aspx

[CarlP]

You would benefit immensely from either stronglifts 5x5 or madcow 5x5.

http://www.vicjg.com/aspx/madcowint.aspx

I will definitely look into those. I'm still gonna spend the next week or two figuring out where I am strengthwise, then I will settle into a routine. Thanks for the info and thanks for keeping me from talking to myself throughout the entire journal.

[CarlP]

Legs again today.

Squats: 45x10, 65x10, 75x10
Good morning: 45x10, 55x10
Weighted crunches: 25x10, 25x10

Squats feel good. I'll be adding a little more weight next time, until I get to where I can't clean it anymore. I can feel a stretch in my hamstrings during the good mornings, but I also feel like they aggravate my back a little. They will stay light until I can get a good feel for the correct form. I had never done them until last week.

[chevelle2291]

You are cleaning the bar onto your back? Are you working out at home?

GMings are definitely a high-risk exercise. You could probably hold off on them. Deadlifts and SLDLs will target the same muscles, albeit differently.

[CarlP]

You are cleaning the bar onto your back? Are you working out at home?

GMings are definitely a high-risk exercise. You could probably hold off on them. Deadlifts and SLDLs will target the same muscles, albeit differently.

Yes, I'm working out at home. Power rack is on my shopping list, probably when we get our tax return. I may switch GM's for SLDL's. I've had some recurring back issues, and I don't want to go through that again.

[CarlP]

Week 5 day 1 of C25K: total of 2.21 miles in 26:06. This includes the warmup.

[GazzyG]

Hey Carl - I'm following your journal too now, bud. Keep it up!

[CarlP]

Deadlift: warmup with 2 sets of whatever was still on the bar, 55 or 60 pounds
95x10
135x5
145x3
155x3
175x1
the set with 155 felt better than 145, so I threw 20 lbs on there and did 175 with only the time it took to add the weight as a break between sets.

Bent over row:
70x8
75x8
It was hard to stay bent over for these with my back tired from the deads. The rows are beginning to feel better, I'm trying to concentrate on squeezing my shoulder blades together at the top.

Dumbbell hammer curls:
25x8
25x7
Arms were spent. My arms suck

I spent the whole workout tasting the McDonald's I had for lunch. Time to wash it down with a protein shake. I think I reintroduced whey protein to my gut too fast recently. I picked up a tub at GNC on sale Wednesday night. I had two scoops that night and three more on the way to work Thursday. I spent the whole day Thursday feeling like bloated ass. I don't remember it making me feel this bad when I used to take it. Luckily the gas was mostly gone by bedtime, because if I left a protein fart in the bed my wife would have kicked me out to the couch.

[CarlP]

W5D2 of C25K this morning. 2.46 miles in 25:54. It was 32*, windy, with a couple snow flurries. Running sucks.

[CarlP]

W5D3 of C25K today. 1.58 miles in 16:52. I was supposed to run 20 minutes straight, but fell short. I'll repeat this again this week.

[GazzyG]

Running sucks, Carl. I feel your pain, haha.