Lift Big. Eat Bigger. My Bulking Journey.

[bassmonkey16]

Well I have been humming and hawing about posting my own journey here. And here it is.

First off, a little 'bout my bodybuilding history. I've been hitting up the gym since the eleventh grade, and been going hard - real hard - about a year and a half ago, when I started thinking about competing in bodybuilding competitions. So I did a diet last year, kind of a trial run, and this year I competed in my first show on April 4th (a couple pics are on my bodyspace profile). 16 week diet, last 12 were done keto, man was it a rush when everything came together on stage! And now I'm hooked, and heading straight into the provincial competition in 2010.

As for results, I placed fourth in both the 21&Under division as well as the Middleweight (up to 180 pounds - I competed at 175). Not exactly the placings I wanted, but rather than make excuses for my placing, I'm going to Lift Big. Eat Bigger. so that next time I step on stage, there will be no question that I am bigger, harder, leaner and fuller than my previous show (and all my fellow competitors).

So what does this mean? I've got one helluva off-season to pack on some quality poundage, in the gym and on my frame.

Enjoy the ride, I look forward to the support and training insite from this amazing community. Here we go.

[bassmonkey16]

So today was my shoulder day. Last off-season, I didn't view my shoulders as a strength, but not as a weakness either. After stepping on stage, peeled right down, I could see that I definately need a little more cap on my side delts, as well as in my rears. So I'm hitting these shoulders in a fury.
Trained in the afternoon today, which was great because I had a solid four meals before stepping foot in the gym. That there means a recipe for intensity. started out on the elliptical, I like to warm up the delts with the handles. 10 minutes there, some windmills with 5 pound plates, then hit the DB racks for some presses. I often go 4-6 weeks of shoulder pressing the DBs before I switch to a barbell or smith.
DB Shoulder Press
warmup of 25's x 20, 40's x 20
workin sets. 60's x 15, 70's x 12, 70's x 10 (got a baaaaadass burn now0
final set of 80's for 8. second last rep was a grind, last rep i wasn't sure i'd make it. but that shit went up. kiler pump comin on.
DB Rear Delt Raise
I'm really focusing on hitting that rear head with these, rather than using my traps or lats to get the weight up. 40's for 12, 3 rounds
Reverse Pec Deck
again, lets bring out that rear head a little. 40 for 15, then two sets of 60 for ten... biiiiiiig squeeze!
DB Side Lateral Raise
bring on those capped medial heads.
20's x 15, 25's x 12, 25's x 12, 30's x 10. all very nice and slow, slight pause at top, my pump is feeling orgasmic by now.
Wide Grip Upright Row
Again, a very slow and controlled movement, really focusing on that medial head. Damn I wanna get wide. Hitting 95 lbs for three sets of twelve, really squeezing at the top of the movement. these suckers burn real bad.
Barbell Shrugs
I want my traps lookin like cantaloupes under my ears. Warmup of 275 for twenty, then working sets of 315 x 15, 365 x 12 and another 365 x 12. Full range of motion, I think I'm cooked for today.
Finished up the day with abs, wiped down my face with my soaked t-shirt, tossed a clean one on, back home for some grub!

[bassmonkey16]

Today I blasted my arms. plan of attack this year - width to my bis, and bring up every aspect of my tris. got a good peak to my bis, that's about it.
Barbell Curl
This movement is why i have a good peak to my bis, and i'm keeping it a staple in my routine. Howeever, I've been bringing my grip in a little, and by making it narrow, i find i hit my brachiallis a little more. this is what i need.
warmup with bar, then
85x12, 105x8,105x8,105x6. keepin form tight.
Close Grip Bench
lookin for overall size here. gonna focus more on form, less on weight, i really wanna hit my tris, and only my tris
warmup with bar, then 135x16 (too light), 185x15, 225x7, 245x7
Superset Incline DB curls w/ French Curls
I prefer French curls to skullcrushers these days. i find i get a deeper stretch, and at the top of the movement, all the tension is on my tris rather than on my elbow joints. here we go.
incline db curl 30'sx12/french curl 75x16
35'sx10/95x15
35'sx10/95x12
40'sx8/115x12. really rockin a sick pump now. off to superset 2.
Superset Alt. Hammer Curls w/Cable Pressdowns
I like savin hammer curls for the end of my arm workout. this way my bi's are well fatigues, and i can focus more on that coveted brachiallis. as for the cable pressdowns, i hit those with a straight bar today, wheras i usually use a rope or cambered bar. this small change worked well in finishing of the horseshoes.
Hammer 40'sx12/pressdown 60x15
45'sx12/80x12
50'sx10/100x10
Done for the day. i don't usually train forearms, as I find they get a killer pump from the days workout. plus, i got back tomorrow, and they'll get hit pretty hard then, holdin those heavy-ass weights. until next time.

[bassmonkey16]

One big change that I am already reaping the rewards in is my change in diet from the last off-season. last year, I was still livin at home with the 'rents, so they bought everything. and sometimes it can be pretty hard to convince parents to by three dozen eggs at a time, or always suffer questions such as "where has all the ____ gone?" (insert steak, chicken, potatoes, etc..)
Thankfully, I've moved out since I started college, and my favourite part is controlling what goes in the fridge (other than what my girlfriend puts in there). The only downside of course is my food bill. But all success comes at a price, be it money spent on food, supps, or time spent in the gym, sleeping, and in the kitchen too.
as far as my offseason diet looks, i haven't broken things down gram for gram, and i don't think i'll bother weighing things out. basically, this is how it goes. Breakfast, postworkout and bedtime are the only times I am 100% consistent on what I eat.
Breakfast - 6 whole eggs, 2 cups (measure dry) oatmeal, 1 or 2 pieces of fruit, cup or two of milk, maybe coffee if i am feeling like making a pot.
Postworkout - 8-12oz (approx) chicken or steak, 2-4 baked potatoes (depending on size, how tanked i am after the workout, etc
Bedtime - 2 cups cottage cheese, or slow release protein shake
I'll eat every 2-3 hours, with all my meals including a heft chunk of protein (chicken, steak, or salmon), equal portion size or greater carb sourse (i always keep a batch of rice in the fridge, and a potato only takes 8 minuts or so to microwave), and i snack a lot, but it's mostly clean snacking - nuts, PB on whole grain breads, smoothies, fruit, salads.
My focus this year is clean eating. keepin the calories as high as i can, but clean. of course i'll cheat, hey, it's the offseason. but the way i look at it, if there's room in my stomach for junk food, then that means there's room in there for quality food too. and I'm not going to sacrifice any of my clean meals for junk meals - junk can be filler, but it won't replace nutritous meals.
My dedication to food this year will definately bring results. see, last year, I ate like shit. ate lots, but a lot was shit. and man, did I ever grow. So, if I can match the caloric intake of yesteryear with clean, quality foods, I will grow beyond my expectations. Pun intented. Till next time, keep eating, keep growing.

[bassmonkey16]

my favourite day off the week has arrived! here we're doin back, and finishing off with calves. Easily the best workout i've had, volum-wise and pump-wise, since I began my pre-contest diet. But i'm bulking now, and absolutely loving playing with some bigger weights again.
Deadlifts
I like doing this first thing, while I'm fresh and my grip is strong. if i try to leave them for the end of my workout, i find I'm too exhausted to pile on some heavy weight.
warmup of 135x16 and 225x12. toss on the straps, start my working sets.
315x12. rockin a sick pump in my lower back.
405x9. last one was a grind. btw this is my previous best from last offseason. good to see my strength returning. just about puked.
425x3. just about had 4, but i felt my back round, so i dropped it.
thats all. three sets. three give-it-all-I-got sets.
Barbell Rows
time to toss on the belt. I don't belt up for deadlifts, but now my lower back is too fatigued to keep form on this movement
135x16, 225x12,225x12,275x8. now my back feels wider than a barn door.
Pull-ups
I hate these. during my diet, I could get my chin above the bar up to 15 times. I want to be able to do this in the off-season as well some day. three sets, bodyweight x8. 6, 8
Pull-downs
I try to stay as erect as possible, with a strict mind-muscle connection. that way i feel it along every fiber in my lats, all the way down to my tie-ins.
120x15, 150x12, 160x12 180x8
Cable Rows
I like to finish back day with these. light weight, slow and controlled. I visualize my back squeeze before a lat spread, and with this move I hope to etch a sick christmas tree in my back. 4 sets of 120x12
Seated Calf Raise
I have never trained calves until my diet started. They've always been big. This year, i'm going to take advantage of this genetic gift, and bloq hem up as big as possible. after all, how man guys have lost a show because their calves were too big (at an amateur level, no less).
3 plates for 15, 4x15, 4x15, 4x12 drop set 3x12
done for the day. half hour later, here I am posting this and downing a 12oz steak and 2 bigass baked potatoes. yum

[ghost]

subbed brother. congrats on your last competition... we are all here to help and guide you along your path.

[RICER88]

looking strong man, keep pounding the iron bro.

RICER88

[bassmonkey16]

I hit chest yesterday, the last day in the gym for me until monday. i like leaving chest for last, because if I'm fatigued from the rest of the week's work, my chest will still grow. one of my genetic gifts from my old man.
Incline Bench
Here's a change. I usually open up with the flat bench, but it's always good to spice things up a little. warmup with bar, then
135x16, 185x12, 225x8, 245x6
Flat Bench
not a lot of weight on this bar yet, but since i started bulking the weight has been coming up quick, so i really look forward to next week.
185x10, 225x10, 245x5 (shoulda had a spot, could've squeezed another couple out), then 275x4 (plus one assisted rep. but i don't count those towards my total)
incline DB Press
60'sx12, 70'sx10, 70'sx8, 80'sx6
Flat DB Flye
40'sx12, 45'sx12, 50'sx10

Finished off with some ab work, and now done for the day. This is my typical chest workout, where i'll do an incline movement, then flat, then incline, then flat. next week, it'll be the opposite, and hopefully I'll get closer to three plates on the bench again.

Time to eat again.

[bassmonkey16]

I have had a crazy schedule the past couple of days, couldn't hit up the FORVM. So here is last monday's workout, was feelin this one the next day, and the day after. Strength still isn't 100% back to normal on squats yet, but it'll come.

Squats
135x15
225x12
315x10 (belted)
315x8 - this was a good set. by the third rep, my belt started to crush my iPod, and every rep thereafter. No more iPod, but one helluva good burn! It was worth it
365x5.
Hack Squat
every rep goes till the sled touches at the bottom of the movement
1 plate per side x 16
2ppsx12
2ppsx16 - just kept pushing through
2pps+quartersx8
Stiff Legged Deads
I have never put effort into incorporating these into my workouts. However, after my show, I realized my wheels are definately a strength, and I had the best ham striations on the stage in my classes. So why not take them to the next level and make them really come out strong?
135x10, 4 rounds. really focussing on pulling with my hams, not my lower back. A fairly new excercise for me, but she felt good.
Ham Isolation Curl (Machine)
I always focus on full range of movement, with a big hard squeeze at the top
2 plates x 12, 3x10, 3x10, 3x10.
Leg Extensions
Today I turned my toes slightly in, and man did I ever get a good stretch and feel on the outer portion of my quads.
3 platesx12, 4x12, 4x12, 4x12

Was running late for work so I skipped calves for the day, got my stretch in and off to the car for a "quick" steak and potatoes before work.

[bassmonkey16]

Same plan of attack as last week.
Shoulder DB Press
warmups with 20's teh 40's then
60'sx15
70'sx11
70'sx10
80'sx7 plus 2 extra with a spot
Rear Delt DB Lateral Raise
Tried these with my head supported and wow.. definately was able to target that rear head more effectively
40'sx12, 40'sx12, 40'sx15
Reverse Pec Deck
60lbs x 12, 70 x 12, 80 x 10
DB Side Lateral Raise
20'sx15
25'sx12
30'sx12
35'sx10
WideGrip Upright Rows
Did these on the smith today, as every other bar in the gym was being used.. gotta love peak hours. however, I may use the smith for theis again, it felt pretty gooD I like a change every once in a while too
95x15
115x12
135x10
Smith Machine Shrugs
225x20
315x12
315x12
365x12
Seated Calf Raise
I had to skip calves yesterday so I nailed them today
2 plates for 20, 3x20, 4x20, 4x20.

All done, time for some grub

[bassmonkey16]

Well tonight i was in a big rush.. long story short, my woman is leaving me, not getting much sleep, and my schedule is fucked between moving her shit out and me refurnishing the apartment. so tonight i had to squeeze in a back workout after i got off work, and by the time i got there the place was a half hour till closing time.

So this was fast, and I can not describe the intensity.. I'm so fucking wired up from all the shit and stress in my life. I also do not have all the reps and sets on paper, as i kind of skipped that. I didn't want to lose any training time possible.

However, because I have all this shit going on, this was a session where I let it all out, and left all my anger, frustration, hate etc etc etc on the deadlift platform. with the Deadlifts tonight i warmed up with the bar, then hit some sets of 135x12] then 225x12. Pump in my lower back is decent, so i went to grab my bag to slap on my lifting straps, and what will you know? no fucking straps. great. another thing to get pissed off about. so i load another pie on each side of the bar. rub as much chalk on every square inch of my hands, rub and clap and storm through the dust to deal with this fucking weight. not just the shit on the groung, but the weight on my shoulders as well.

315 goes up for 12 with an over/under grip. it's been a long time since i went strapless, as for a while my back was out-growing my grip. i guess i've been making enough goddamn fists to put through drywall recently, my hands got a little stronger. i say fuck my life, grap another couple of 45's. now the doubt is swallowing me up. i haven't pulled this weight without straps before. but shit, i don't have time for the little worries in life right now, like 405 pounds on the dirtyass floor. the clocks ticking. and i have bigger worries for when i get home. at least what's left of it.

I grab the bar, start reppin out 1, 2, 3, 4.. come to eight, the grip starts to give, but i keep going, hit nine, my previous best, and manage to grind out rep number 10, 405x10, thats a new personal record. well shit. at least i'm moving forward in one aspect of my life. meanwhile, i left a couple callousses on the bar.. what the hell. toss a couple quarters on. i've got so much in the tank now, if you were to put me in a car right now the speedometer would probly commit suicide.

here we go

so 455 is on the bar, my previous one rep max, all those months ago before i dieted for my show. no straps, but shit this room is filling with dust. right hand over, left goes under, set my feet up.

Pull

rep one goes up with a satisfying grunt, grip is still intact. this is good. rep number two, knees are getting shaky. rep three is a grind, but i lock it out. i wonder what's left in the tank, and all of a sudden all these feelings that i've been trying to deal with the past few weeks takes over, and I bang out rep number four, and slam that weight back down as hard as i can. so there we have it, 455 for 4, RAW, another personal record set. my back is on fire, and i just realize i've only been in the gym for ten minutes.

So i polish off my lats with BB rows, Widegrip cable pulldowns and Seated Cable Rows. like I said before, I didn't write anything down, but it went well, considering I usually do my entire back workout with straps. But I had no time to fuck around looking for some to borrow. all in all, killer workout, and thank god i came back to an empty apartment for some me time

and of course, a good ol' 10oz steak with two baked potatoes. gotta lift big. and eat bigger. no matter what life throws me.

[bassmonkey16]

Back to the good ol' bench. Had a morning workout, and man was I ever feeling last nights workout. Nevertheless, damn good pump.

Flat Bench Press
warmup with the bar, then
135x18
225x12
245x10
275x5.. was really hopin for a couple more. I'll get them this week.

Incline Bench Press
135x12
185x10
225x5
245x4

Flat DB Press
Man I was digging these today. was able to play with some of the heavier DB's today, and really intensified my pump
60'sx12
70'sx12
80'sx10
90'sx7

Incline DB Flye
God I love doing these once I'm rockin a sick pump. I just try to get as deep a stretch as possible across my whole chest, then squeeze as hard as I can..
30'sx12
40'sx12
40'sx12
50'sx10

Cable Crossovers (High Pulley)
I still had a fair bit of gas left in the tank so I went pretty hard on these, finished off my chest real well
50lbsx15
70x9
80x6
dropset of 80x6, drop to 40x10

So I'll be adding M-stak in tomorrow, will check my weight in the morning. Time to eat!

[J Wong]

Awesome workouts. I am in for the ride.