New Push/Pull routine.

[Shane_Bos]

Hey ladies . Here's the deal...

Been doing a full body routine for the past 4 months, 3 times a week (Started 15/01/09). Gained a bit of size and strength but looking to step things up.

Aim is to just gain general muscle mass and strength. My nutritions pretty good.

Here are my stats as of 05/01/06 when i first started lifting (My next post in the thread explains whats happened gym wise since this time):

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 150lbs
Left bicep flaccid: 11"
Right bicep flaccid: 11 1/2"
Waist: 32 1/4"
Chest: 36 3/4"
Bodyfat %: Roughly 18%

Bench press: 50kgs


Routine as of 06/07/09

Monday and Thursday:

Bench press 12reps, 10reps, 8reps SUPERSET with Cable cross-overs 3xfailure (around 8-12 reps)
Squats 3x12
Miliatary press 3x12
Dips 3x8
Side lateral raises 3x12
Skulcrushers 3x12

Tuesday and Friday:

Bodyweight Pull-ups 4x6
Deadlift 3x12
One-armed rows 3x12
Hammer curls 3x12
Shrugs 3x30
Bodyweight chins 3x6

Wednesday and the weekend will be rest days and ill also do 15-20 mins cardio at the end of each workout.


Updates

Stats as of 15/01/09
Did not record any stats when i started back at the gym at this time (Wish i did)

Stats as of 16/06/09
Height: 5' 11" or 179cm
Weight: 170lbs or 77kgs
Chest: 38 1/2" or 98cm
Waist: 33" or 84cm
Bicep (R): 12 3/4" or 32cm
Bicep (L): 12 1/4" or 31cm
Bodyfat %: 16.81%

Bench press: 70kgs 3x12 (next workout will up to 80kgs and aim for 3x8)
Squat: 80kgs 3x12 (next workout will up to 90kgs and aim for 3x8)

[Shane_Bos]

Just though id update you guys on how ive been doing gym wise prior to this date...

For those of you that remember, i first starting going to the gym about 4 years ago but was very uneducated and thought supplements were going to work miracles etc.

Anyway, i looked like

http://img36.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oldq.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/2qjvxv5.jpg

So i went through a bit of a phase of on/off training (here's my previous fairly shit training diary) but it wasnt until just before christmas '07 that i was educated enough and i eventually got a good routine and good nutrition down. I worked out for about 3 months and got good results until again, i stopped training and put on a bit of a beer belly. (Sorry no pictures from this period)

Then to the present day... Around mid-January '09 i started on a full body routine 3 times a week. Ive been working hard and eating well to today and now i look like this...

http://img41.imageshack.us/my.php?image=24copy.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/my.php?image=26copy.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0806096copy.jpg
http://img25.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0806097copy.jpg

Im quite happy with the progress im making. Been this size for a little while now, hense the change in routine. Think i need to put in a bit more cardio to really get the definition in my abs. Work in progress though...

I'll post some more pics in a couple of months or something.

Peace!

[Shane_Bos]

Might as well turn this into a bit of a diary!

Works outs have been going pretty well...

As of 16/06/09:
Benching 70kgs for 3 sets of 12 reps now so gonna up it to 80kgs (maybe 75kgs if thats too much of a jump, will aim for 3x8reps)

Squating 80kgs for 3 sets of 12 reps now so gonna up it to 90kgs (again aiming for 3x8reps)

Height: 5' 11" or 179cm
Weight: Cant find scales at home - will weigh myself in the gym.
Chest: 38 1/2" or 98cm
Waist: 33" or 84cm
Bicep (R): 12 3/4" or 32cm
Bicep (L): 12 1/4" or 31cm

[Shane_Bos]

Can a mod change this thread title please? I didnt intend it to be a diary but thought id make it into one so maybe change it to

'Bos is bulking for real this time!'

[Shane_Bos]

Squated 90kgs. 3 sets, 10 reps. Felt good, really pushing to get the last few reps out. Give me a week or two and ill try 100kgs.

Gonna try benching 80kgs Monday. Will let you know what happens.

[Rum_Runner]

Push it and love it Shane... Keep it up

[Shane_Bos]

Well, the deal is, i went to the gym for my push session Monday and for my pull session today and my body feels weak. Like im too tired to lift my usual weights. My diet and sleep pattern have not changed so im putting it down to the fact ive been going to the gym and working hard so much and think i might need a break. Ive not really had a proper break (like a full week off) since i started in January.

I'll see out this week (see how i feel on my Thursday push) and take next week off altogether i think.

I did worry i might have been pushing myself too hard. Might have to cut down each workout with this new push/pull routine, for example, do just flat bench and dips one push day and then incline bench and cable cross-overs the following, as opposed to all of them in one workout. Now i think of it, that is a hell of alot to do just for chest twice a week

[Shane_Bos]

Went to the gym today and yesterday. Still feeling a bit drained but slightly better. Will take next week off to let my body recover.

Worked out my bodyfat % according to this calculator and it came to 16.81%. Want to get down to about 10-12% by my holiday so more cardio and cutting the carbs when i start back at the gym.

[Rum_Runner]

You could also drop your weights for a week. So lets say you usually 3 sets of squats at 225 lb for 10 reps. Drop the weight to 185 lbs and do 2 sets of 15. That way you are still hitting your routines. A week off a lot of times turn into two or three. So be smart

[Shane_Bos]

Am thinking i might go and just do cardio two or three times this week. Wont like being out of the gym for a whole week and i need to get my bodyfat % down. Might do some light weights but I think a week off of lifting should probably be a week off.

It wont turn into 2 or 3 weeks. Trust me

[Rum_Runner]

Better not. I will be watching

[Shane_Bos]

Started back last week and loved it! Felt pretty good too. Had to use a different gym with no equipment to bench other then dumbells going up to 26kg's so was benching with them and supersetting with cable flyes which actually felt really good so might carry on with the lighter benching with the superset.

Also did 3 sets of 5 reps, wide grip body weight pull-ups which i was chuffed with cos ive never really been able to do them.

Less then 3 weeks until holiday so gonna step up the cardio and change my routine a bit to make sure im working hard to burn a few extra calories.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

It's obvious you've made gains due to your persistence, but might I offer a suggestion?

OK!

I would just stick to three core exercises and only work out a maximum of three times a week.

Squats, squats and more squats Then switch to Deadlifts after a cycle
Back Exercises
Standard Benchpress

Get the big muscles big first, and then work on the little stuff.

Of course you need some supporting exercises to go along with the above, but I think you've just got too many little exercises that won't do you much good at this stage of your development.

Monday: green is good, red is no go
Warm up with some leg presses or leg extensions
Squats: 3 sets of twenty reps.. do the research..don't take my word for it.
Calf raises


Incline BB press

Military press
Dips
Side lateral raises
Cable cross overs
Skullcrushers

Wednesday

Tuesday and Friday:
Pull ups
Good mornings
One armed row
Bent over row
Concentrated DB curls
Shrugs
BB curls

Damn it's getting late.. if you want a complete rundown of my suggestion, I'll come back and finish it. If not, let me know..I'll delete the post.. off to bed.

[Shane_Bos]

Cheers for the advice mate, i do appreciate it.

The reason for including isolation exercises (particularly on the arms) is because i was working out for 5 months doing 3x a week full body workout including the exercises you mentioned, and, my arms were getting neglected and were weak in comparison to the rest of me (i would try to do bent over rows and my arms would give up before my lats felt any workout) so wanted to change things up slightly.

In about a months time, im thinking of doing a 5 day split where i work each body part out once a week and really blast it.

I have changed my routine slightly since what i originally posted. I was doing too much and felt fatigued. Routine now looks like this:

Monday and Thursday:

Bench press 12reps, 10reps, 8reps SUPERSET with Cable cross-overs 3xfailure (around 8-12 reps)
Squats 3x12
Miliatary press 3x12 (dont know why you would leave these out - great compound exercise)
Dips 3x8 (Again - great compound exercise)
Side lateral raises (Mainly to give triceps a rest before next exercise - suggestions for something better appreciated)
Skulcrushers

Tuesday and Friday:

Bodyweight Pull-ups 4x6
Deadlift 3x12
One-armed rows 3x12
Hammer curls 3x12
Shrugs 3x30
Bodyweight chins 3x6

I would like to hear more criticism as i constantly want to improve my routine although as you can see i am benching twice a week, squating twice a week and deadlifting twice a week at the moment, not to mention miliatary press, dips, one-armed rows and chins are all compound exercises promoting growth.

[Shane_Bos]

Hi guys - dont know if any ones interested but ive not been around for a while and thought id update y'all After a bit of a break ive been hitting the weights again - got a bench and 90kgs of plates at home. Since the beggining of December until now ive been lifting.

Stats mid February:

Height: 5' 11" or 179cm
Weight: 165lbs or 75kgs
BF: 13.7%

Havent got a tape measure which is annoying because id like to see how much size ive put on. I know ive put on some size because my skin-tight under armour as actually skin-tight now

Im eating a stupid amount and been supplementing with this to add an extra 600cals (split into two 300cal servings) and think ive got a pretty good routine (allways aiming for 4 sets, 6reps unless stated):

Monday:
Bench (90kgs)
Arnolds (16kgs)
Pull-ups (wth extra 10kg)
Hang Cleans (57kgs)
Barbell Curls (33kgs)
Tricep Extensions (12kgs)

Wednesday:
Bench (90kgs)
Shoulder press (20kgs)
Bent rows (57kgs)
Jump Squats (57kgs) - 4 sets of 12
Hammer Curls (16kgs)
Abs

Friday:
Decline Bench (90kgs)
Deadlifts (90kgs)
Rear Military Press (43kgs)
Tricep extensions (12kgs)
Abs

Bench, bent rows and jump squats i need to up the weight...

When i get a tape measure ill let u know my size measurements and ill probably post a picture at some point too

[Apollo]

Nice, way to be super organized. What are your weightlifting goals? Are you trying to gain weight? Going for strength? Sports?

[Shane_Bos]

Ultimately i want to gain weight and strength for American football so training for all 3

One thing im not too bothered about right now is getting a six pack. Im just eating and training for size and strength.

Ive found my body fat percentage is inversely proportional to my muscle mass anyway. I kinda just see it as the more muscle mass i put on, the lower my body fat will be in turn. Dont know if there's any science behind that or if its just my body fat has gone down and muscle mass up as a direct result of training.