The Benjamin Button Cycle

[getfitdoc]

Originally Posted by leanbody

... thank god for ego - otherwise I'd be sitting on the sofa eating bonbons!

one of the greatest quotes i've read on here for a while...

i love the westside for skinny bastards routine, it's a great template to grow from

[leanbody]

SUNDAY WORKOUT

did the circuit training today at the gym - more sets and reps than usual but a good leg workout to follow on 3 days of skiing.

Super Set of:
Lunge press w/ barbell
12 x 45 (each leg)
12 x 65
10x65
8 x 65
8x65
8x65

Machine squat
20 x 100
20 x 120
15 x 140
15 x 160
12 x 180
12 x 200


Super Set of:
Hack squat
6 sets 10 x 50

leg press
20 x 3 plates (ea side)
18 x 3 plates
16 x 4 plates
15 x 5 plates
12 x 5 plates

hamstring curl
6 sets 16 x 140


Felt pretty good - my lower back got knotted up doing the machine squats - i went too low with too high weight, so afterwards went to get a massage to get the knots out for the week. Knees were a little sore, but not serious.
Still have a damn cold - sucks! Took superpump 250 plus my green tea fat burners - think I overloaded on the caffine - my heart rate was 140-170 throughout the workout! LOL

Later dudes!

[leanbody]

Originally Posted by getfitdoc

i love the westside for skinny bastards routine, it's a great template to grow from

Hey doc - thanks for stopping by - hope you are right about the westside training - so far my strength is thru the roof - great improvements, but no spectacular growth 6 weeks in to cycle, 5 weeks into westside. I do feel a bit leaner, oddly and I have gained about 10 lbs so far - so we'll see where it takes me. i think I mite go out to 15 weeks instead of 12 - I feel great and am def progressing so why not?

[leanbody]

MONDAY WORKOUT

Went for a Back & bi workout today - variation of the Westside Upperbody Repetition workout


Wide grip pull ups - no cheating all the w a y d o w n!
7,7,6,5

Bent Over Rows
4 sets 8 x 135 - great form - prolly could have gone heavier but not so clean and def not 4 sets of 8

T Bar Rows
10 x 80
10 x 80
4 x 105
8 x 80

Upright Rows I love these!
4 sets 10 x 90


BB Shrugs
10 x 175
8x245
10 x 175
2 x 10 x 125


BB Curls
10 x 60
2 x 10 x 80

Concentration Curls
2 x 10 x 20

Machine spider curls
3sets x 10 reps x 75

ABS
leg raises
3 sets 10
hanging leg raises10 x BW
10 x BW +20
10 x BW +20



Felt good to get a back workout in - feel like I'm getting stronger. Was a bit disappointed that I couldn't get a great pump in my bis - but did do some heavy weights.

SUPPS:
superpump 250
green tea fat burners
Animal Pack
ALA
Glucosamine chondroitin
Fish oil
L glutamine
BCAA's

Spilled my protein shake (chocolate) in my car trying to swallow all those pills! -LOL - sometimes multitasking is NOT good.

Still have a beast of a cold - only 6 hrs sleep last nite
want to do some HIIT but can't breathe with this damn thing so i guess i'll wait a few.

Planning Tuesday as an off day...

Feel like I'm not getting any "bigger" just stronger - dunno if that's true - hope not. later dudes!

Later dudes!

[Shaun47]

Gotta tell ya, your log is kick ass. Great progress too Bro.

[leanbody]

Originally Posted by Shaun47

Gotta tell ya, your log is kick ass. Great progress too Bro.

Thanks man - means a lot - the log keeps me honest and hopefully there is some info that others can learn from. i sure get a lot of good feedback!

later!

[leanbody]

Yo bros
Rest day today - killed my biceps on monday so had to ice them today - whoops guess i took it a bit too far! LOL
Had a really nice 40 min swim tonite w/ my son & his buddy. It's hot here suddenly - 90 degrees! felt good to get in the water but gotta say - i feel way out of breathe when I'm on the juice. I'm a pretty good swimmer and tonite I had to catch my breathe every other lap. No biggie but wierd nonetheless.

JUICE
275 Deca (switched to some Axio labs stuff from the stealth deca I had. Don't know if I'll feel a difference - although the concentration is higher - hence the 275 instead of 200
300 Test C ( the good stuff from the pharmacy) upped this from 250 - want to be sure it's above the deca so problems with raising the flagpole!
200 iu HCG

Later dudes!

[leanbody]

Wednesday Workout

Yo bros - slept late but had a short sweet workout (forgot to drink my superpump too - left it on the kitchen counter - dammm!

Upper Body Max Effort

Incline bench press
15 x 135
10 x 135
8 x 185
6 x 205
1 x 225
6x 225!!!!!(with spotter)
Decline DB press
15 x 45
12 x 55
12 x 65(switched to flat 'cause my shorts kept falling done on thedecline - LOL)
One arm rows
10 x 45
10 x 55
8 x 65
7 x 75
Reverse pec dec
3 sets 10 x 65 (machine weight stack)
Delt front Flyes/Delt side flyes
3 sets 10 x 20/3 sets 10 x 10 ( felt i was kinda burned out when I got here)

Overall great workout - def put me in a good place mentally - work is tough these days - I'm in a bit of a funk with the suckky economy.

Later guys!

[mikea]

Whats up old timer JK!

Looking good, how have you progressed in your major lifts during this cycle?

[leanbody]

Originally Posted by mikea

Whats up old timer JK!

Looking good, how have you progressed in your major lifts during this cycle?

Hahahaha - man I'm getting strong as an OX! i I could prolly bench press U! - LOL No change in size noticeable although i look a bit "thicker" - or must be 'cause i am buying XL shirts now and can't get my thighs into the pants i bought last summer - Hahahahaha Thanks for stopping by.

[leanbody]

THURSDAY - week 7

Having a tough time getting enuf cals got to go to the supermarket again today. My wife is on a diet (again) so the portions at home are shrinking! Yipes!
Feeling great - VERY strong on all the major lifts... weight DOWN to 211.3 (-3lbs since Monday) ( So yes Proj - this bulk is actually a cut! LOL) Only other wed note - 250 HCG into the belly fat! Dunno If i have the dosing right - the boys are definately shrinking - maybe 75% of "normal". Lots of test in the bod tho - feeling 8 on the horny scale.

7 hrs sleep - had my SuperPump250 & green tea fat burner - i was flyin high at the gym. My cold is almost gone.

HYPERTROPHY LOWER BODY

warm up
2 sets squat 15 reps at 95lbs

Box Squats
10 x 135
10 x 185
6 x 225
3 x 275
5 x 275 Another PB Dudes - didn't think I'd make the last set after only 3 but got my mojo fired up and hit it!

Leg press
15 x 4plates (ea side)
10 x 7 plates
9 x 8 plates
10 x 8 plates


ham curls
10 x 140
10 x 160
10x180
6 x200 + 4 x 140 (wanted to hit 10...)

Romanian Deads
10 x 135
10x225
7x275
5x275


Grip & forearm: - Cable straight bar wrist twists/ curls Dunno if that's the rite name..

2 sets 10 x 50 palms up + palms down (4 sets total)

Fukkin GREAT workout had plenty of gas in the tank afterwards but had to go to work. If i feel I'm over the cold tomorrow, - i may go for a boxing lesson - awsome cardio!

Later Boyz!

[mikea]

No size gain huh? Are you eating how much? What about protein?

[leanbody]

TGIF!

Friday - mini workout - only had 30 mins

10 mins stretching - getting sore in all the right places after yesterday's leg workout.

3 x 60-75 second DC extreme stretch (hanging from the pullup bar)

Upright rows
4 x 10 x 85

HS high rows I love this machine
10 x 70lbs per side
10 x 115
10 x 115
10 x 115

Weight is UP today to 212.4! got to concentrate on eating today!!! This afternoon I am going for a boxing lesson - looking forward to it but also a bit nervous - coach is a 65+ pro boxer! LOL - he should be amused by me & my skills (or lack thereof!)

Tonite Deca & test! Hcg for dessert... Just got my injectable winny yesterday - i'll start that in a few weeks although the original idea was that it would slim me down after I had put on 20 lbs - so far only gained 11 lbs...

Asta la vista!

[leanbody]

Originally Posted by mikea

No size gain huh? Are you eating how much? What about protein?

Can't quite figure that out! Last 2 days I ate less - prolly 3K cals, but I've been averaging 4-5Kcals and lots of protein. maybe 300gms. I am taking the green tea fat burners but that is just caffine, etc. plus green tea - can't believe it would raise my metabolism that much...
I posted todays diet below - without dinner - i imagine I'll still have another 1000 cals of carbs, protein & fat.

About size... my chest does seem bigger since most of my button up shirts are tight now - but the arms, quads, calves etc. seem the same (within 1/4-3/8")

[Dlove]

more warm-ups leanbody you will see than hit your me sets. your on the right track. for instance though dump doing two presses. say like incline for 5 warm-ups 2 cores followed by assistance work like warmups of flyes then 3x10. mikea has got the right track dog. i have just met several powerlifters some of the top on the east coast they preach the same shit as mike. ive done several workouts like the way they go and it works whether your cutting bulking whatever. The best IFBB pros in the world powerlift period!

[leanbody]

Originally Posted by Dlove

more warm-ups leanbody you will see than hit your me sets. your on the right track. for instance though dump doing two presses. say like incline for 5 warm-ups 2 cores followed by assistance work like warmups of flyes then 3x10. mikea has got the right track dog. i have just met several powerlifters some of the top on the east coast they preach the same shit as mike. ive done several workouts like the way they go and it works whether your cutting bulking whatever. The best IFBB pros in the world powerlift period!

Awsome dude - thankls for the feedback. Want to make sure i understand waht you are suggesting though. For upper body you're saying do 5 warm up sets of 70% ME (15 reps?) then go to the ME lifts and try to get the numbers up on sets of 3-5? What do you mean by "cores" And then the assistance work like flyes I don't try to max out but go 3 sets of 10 with 1 or 2 reps left in the tank?


Seems too easy - like not enough lifts or exercises - I could finish that in 30 mins? that's the idea? And this will lead to hypertrophy as well as strength gains?


Sorry for the long response but I'm trying to break out of old lifting routines and learn something new.

Thanks bro! (BTW - so today's workout is done - prolly bass ackwards - below)

[leanbody]

Yo Bros! Saturday am and I'm over my cold - got 8 hours sleep and ate a huge breakfast - so all ducks in a row for a great workout! BTW went for a boxing lesson last night threw about 700 jabs, 100 rights (working on the left first!) At the end my delts were screaming and I thot I wouldn't be able to lift my arm - but thanks to the miracle Vitamin T I seem to have recovered nicely - Hahahaha here's a picture of the gym, owner & Andre ward - it's very cool.

Last eve

300 testC 250 deca 250iu HCG

Supps this am

ALA
Animal Pak vitamins
BCAA's
Glucosamine
L glutamine
3 scoops super pump 250 (thought this might send me over the edge caffine wise but it was okay)

Upper Body Max Effort

Flat bench press
10 x 135
10 x 135
10 x 135 (extra warm up due to boxing last nite)
10 x 185
6 x 225 (no spotter - not the best range of motion - I was afraid I'd get stuck at the bottom)
6x 245 (with spotter) started with min rom but moved to full rom by 3rd rep
Flat DB press
10 x 70
8 x 80
8 x 90 (this was tough but I was in control the whole time - with a spotter could have done a few more.)
Bent Over rows
10 x 95
10 x 115
10 x 135
10 x 155
8 x 175PB felt really good doing these
Incline Delt flyes
10 x 10
3 sets 10 x 15
Reverse pec dec
2 sets 10 x 65 (machine weight stack)
2 sets 10 x 95
Delt front Flyes/Delt side flyes
3 sets 10 x 15/3 sets 10 x 15

Abs
3 sets
10 x incline crunches
10 x leg lifts
10 x machine crunches
10 x 140 Rope crunches
1 x 10 x hanging leg lifts BW
3 x 10 x hanging leg lifts BW + 20 lbs


Great workout could have stayed longer but did not want to overtrain - about 80 mins + 40 mins BS'ing with the peeps.



I'm planning to do calves only tomorrow sunday, Monday is shoulders & bi's.

Whaddya think - am I doing too much? need more time off? - i feel strong as an ox.... Weight is up to 213.3 today - recovered from 2 "diet days last week - Wife lost 11 lbs - Hahahahaha

Thanks bros!

[mikea]

So your not doing the wsb for skinny basterds no more huh? or whats ``I'm planning to do calves only tomorrow sunday, Monday is shoulders & bi's.´´

You look a lot older in that pic, and more black too

Dont worry too much about your warm up sets, just like deFranco says, that do at least 5warmups, and the stronger you get the more warmups your gonna do.

Imho one who does pressing excersises should never train front delts seperately, it will lead to overtraining the muscle and injury. They just get hammered at every pressing exc. already. But hey my shoulders are pretty bad so i always try and warn peeps about that.

[leanbody]

Yo Mikea! - spent about 2 hours this am reading all kinds of articals about training, westside specifically, and I'm moving on to the more advanced westside training for skinny bastards III - supposed to be more of a powerlifting routine but builds up your core strengths. Since i did chest yesterday i shoulda waited a day, but i had all this energy and a little anxiety about work etc. so decided to go clear my brain and work on the brawn!

So today:

Deadlifts max effort
12 x 135
10 x 185
8 x 205
3 x 225
3 x 255
3 x 275!!!!
Walking lunges
24 x BW + 60
24 x bw +80
24 x bw + 100

45 degree hyper extensions
3 sets 10 x BW + 25

Romanians
10 x 135 - gnarly back pumps - end of workout!


No place to do Ham/glute raises at my gym - they look excellent - I'm bummed they don't have the right bench for it!
Later!

[mikea]

Yo bro just drop the weigths and run around the gym! You have adhd? JK!!!

Try and stick with one program hehe. Was the romanians on the program or what? Just seems a weard exercise to finnish with.

So whats this new split look like brother?

[leanbody]

Originally Posted by mikea

Yo bro just drop the weigths and run around the gym! You have adhd? JK!!!

Try and stick with one program hehe. Was the romanians on the program or what? Just seems a weard exercise to finnish with.

So whats this new split look like brother?

Hahahaha - u funny bastard! okay so WTFSB III seems like a logical "progression" from WTFSB! It has the same format just 4 days a week instead of 3... and yup i am mixing up the exercises but picking from the "menu" on the WTFSB III list. It even says i should mix it up every 4 weeks if i am still making progress. And yes I prolly do have AHDD - but I like to call it "multi-tasking" LOL So I ams ticking with this for the rest of the cycle - 8 more weeks. Don't know if it's a bulk or cut tho.....can't gain more than .1 or .2 lbs a week! i'm eating 5-6000 cals a day now and must be a fukkin metabolic oven! i feel like I'm going to puke when i finish eating these huge ass meals - hahahahahaha - go figure - it's all a great big experiment. I'll keep you posted strongman - maybe we lift tires together some day! (as i was doing the walking lunges yesterday I thot - Hey this is like doing WL's with my 10 yr old on my shoulders! hahahaha - barbell doesn't wiggle tho!)

[leanbody]

mellow day today - no weights; 60 mins of boxing/cardio. Damn that jumprope is hard to do! - how is it my 12 yr old daughter can do it for yhours w/ her eyes closed and sing???

Not fair!

Fell great all soreness gone from my bod so i think I'll go to the gym tomorrow and do the next Westside workout - think it's upper body rep. mikea- any thots on that?

[mikea]

Nope not really bro Just go for it, great way to look at it is what weigths your moving and how they feel, that to me is a good indicator of whether you should relaxing or just banging ahead!

For me the hardest thing about jumprope is that its soooo boring!

[leanbody]

Doodes!

Had an awsome boxing workout last night - worked on my right (last week was jab) and so of course my right delt is killin me today! hahahaha - love it! Also pounded the shit out of a bag and hurt my right wrist throwing hooks. Iced it at home felt good this am.

Westside III - Repetition Upper Body

Repetition exeercise
Incline DB press
15 x 35
12 x 45
12 x 55
25 x 50
Vertical Pulling/ Rear Delt Superset
Straigth Arm Cable pulldown/incline rear delt flyes
10 x 80/12 x 15
10 x 120/12 x 10
10 x 140/12 x 10/15
10 x 140/12 x 10/15
Medial Delts
DB lat raises
4 sets 10 x 20
Traps/Arms Superset
Barbell shrugs/Hammer curls
12 x 135/10 x 20
12 x 225/12 x 20
12 x 225/12 x 20
10 x 225/15 x 20
Grip/Fourarms
heavy DB holds
3 x 15-25 secs x 80lbs
cable wrist curls
3 x 10 x 25

Nice workout - felt really strong although i was more conservative than usual with the weights 'cause of the sore delt from boxing. Didn't want to strain anything.

Weight - still 213.3lbs - all that after a 5lb dump! lol.
Acne is getrting more active - think I have to sign up for tanning this weekend and also may get some accutane. got a few on my chest also - WTF- that & moring wood makes me feel 19 again! hahahahaa

later bros...

[mikea]

Hey bro could you do me a report on some lifts what you have progressed this cycle, just something simple like: bench 220--->300 or like that? Would be real intresting to see.

You know everyday i read your journal i get this funny feeling that its that hit boxing cardio thats reducing your gains I know iwe said it many times(and that you dont want to hear it) but for some people all the cals in the world wont help offset high intensity cardio, DC (numero uno for muscle growth imho) talks a lot about this.

Im certainly not saying to stop, because the health benefits are def there and i love boxing myself, but think about it!