Need advice on my upcoming bulk!

[awayoflife]

As stated in the title, I need advice on my new split but also on my nutrition and supplement stack. So before I start this quest for mass I NEED the advice of The Animal Nation! My goal is to gain as much clean mass as possible but I’m not afraid of putting on some fat. So for my upcoming bulk I wanted to use a 4 day split that I conceived using elements from the splits from animalpak.com and also a lot from the HRT videos on bodybuilding.com. So to cut the bullshit here is the split that I want to try, my diet and my sup stack:

Day 1: Back – Traps – Rear delts
Pull-ups x 4 (I am aiming for a total of about 40 reps)
Wide grip BB rows x 4
Corner T-Bar rows (w/ close grip cable row attachment) x3
Deadlifts x 4 (2 warm up sets w/ bar only)
BB shrugs x 3
DB rear delt flyes x 3

Day 2: Chest – Triceps
Incline BB press x 4
Flat DB press x 4
Incline DB flyes x 4
Skullcrushers x 4
Overhead DB extensions (w/ 2 hands and a big f’ing DB) X 4

OFF (cardio)

Day 3: Legs
10 minutes warm up on stationary bike and some lite stretching
Squats x 4 (2 warm up sets w/ bar only)
Leg press x 3 (not going all out on this one, will be using around 60% of my 1RM)
Leg extensions x 3
Lying leg curls x 3
Standing one leg curls x 3
Seated calf raises x 3
Calf extensions on leg press x 3

Day 4: Shoulders – Biceps – Forearms
Seated BB press x 4
Seated DB laterals x 4
Front BB raises x 3
BB curls x 4
DB curls x 4
BB wrist curls x3
BB reverse wrist curls x 3

OFF (cardio)

OFF (cardio)

So here you have it. As a side note all sets are counted and I haven’t included abb work. Cardio will be low intensity for 20-30 minutes. I will use this split for 12 weeks and then use another split for about 4-6 weeks and if the above split produces good results I will return to that one.

Now for my nutrition:
I plan on hitting 1.5g protein/lb of bodyweight and I will start with the same amount for carbs but I will slowly increase it by 0.5g/lb bodyweight as gains stagnate, my first 0.5g bump will be after 1-2 weeks and I will see how my body reacts. I don’t intend to go higher than 2.5g carbs/lb of bodyweight. The fats will come from my protein and carb sources but I will also add about 1 tbsp of pb daily with my last meal and if I feel I need a boost I will add more to my shakes.
My calories will come from clean foods and my foods of choice will be: chicken breast, lean beef, eggs, oats, brown rice, vegetables, fruits, peanut butter and on occasion, for the sake of diversity, I will use tuna, white potatoes and wholewheat bread (mostly for sandwiches).
I will eat 7 meals a day, 5 whole food meals and 2 shakes to wich I will add various sources of carbs if needed. Oats will be with my first and last meals, the rest will be with brown rice, vegetables with every solid meal, meals 2 and 6 will be shakes (on off/cardio days my second shake will be my post cardio shake+meals and meal 5 will become meal 6) and my shakes will be a 50-50 combination of whey and casein at about 25g of protein each. I am at about 8% bf or less and I don’t want to exceed 15-17%.

Supplement Stack:
Training days:
Animal Pak (with meal 1)
Universal EAA Stack (1 serving 30 min. pre)
Animal Pump (minus the red pill, 30 min. pre)
Universal NOX3 (30 min. pre)
Animal Rage (10 min. pre, this stuff hits me hard and fast)
Universal EAA Stack (immediately post w/o with 30-35g of carbs from apple juice and 5g Glutamine)
OFF/Cardio days:
Animal Pak (with meal 1)
Universal Storm (30 min pre cardio)
5g Glutamine post cardio (added to a protein shake)

That’s about it, please feel free to critique anything and any advice is more than welcome.

I also have some questions that I hope The Animal Nation can answer:

When should I do abs? I intend to do only one session and I was thinking about Saturday after my shoulder-biceps day. Is this a good idea or should I do abs at the end of one of my training sessions?

Are there to many/ few sets in total or on one of the training days? (my main concern is with rows for back and presses for chest, also thinking about the last set for triceps because they might be overworked from all the presses for chest)

Will the abundance of sups that I take pre w/o blunt the effects of Animal Rage? (I picked up this stack from one of Ben Seath’s videos and wonder if it will work for me, I just love Rage and the sheer power that it gives me, it would be such a waste to blunt it’s effects).

Thank you in advance brothers and sorry for the long ass post!

[ajoaks]

On the nutrition side of things, make sure you get enough of the good fats. Nuts and avacados are great, this is just because I'm a nutrition major and you gotta keep the heart healthy. I'm on a "bulk" as well now, which is basically me not doing cardio as often, and I grab a handful of almonds frequently throughout the day.

[P Diesel]

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?38597-Bulking&highlight=

P

[awayoflife]

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?38597-Bulking&highlight=

P

I really like your bulk thread, I check it out whenever something new is posted on there. Got a lot of solid info from that thread. You and Ben Seath don't fuck around when it comes to eating haha! But I was wondering if you would have any suggestions about my split, that’s my main concern, if it’s ok or if it needs tweaking.


On the nutrition side of things, make sure you get enough of the good fats. Nuts and avacados are great, this is just because I'm a nutrition major and you gotta keep the heart healthy. I'm on a "bulk" as well now, which is basically me not doing cardio as often, and I grab a handful of almonds frequently throughout the day.

I have this like jumbo sized bag of almonds will munch on them while I drink my shakes. Also getting fats from whole eggs and pb.

[awayoflife]

Anyone else? I would really appreciate the help.

[Big Wides]

I have a question when you list exercises, when you have something like 'Squatsx4 (2 warmup sets with bar)' is the 4 after Squats include your warmup sets or is the 4 your working sets?

[awayoflife]

I have a question when you list exercises, when you have something like 'Squatsx4 (2 warmup sets with bar)' is the 4 after Squats include your warmup sets or is the 4 your working sets?

The 4 are pyramid sets going up in weight,so I guess I can call the working sets. I use the 2 warmup sets to warm up my knees and quads then start the 4 actual sets. The first of the 4 sets will around 12-15 reps with a liter weight and my final set will be with the maximum weight that I can use to get in 6-8 reps The same goes for deadlifts.

[ajoaks]

to answer your question about abs. I would say if your already in the gym for a while on your lifting days, I would just do them on a cardio day. I like to treat abs like any other muscle group and not just give them a few sets of crunches and leg lifts and call it a day. I like to beat my abs to death when I train them. if you train them hard, once or twice a week is all that's needed. thats just my 2 cents, you will get an array of different answers concerning abs.

[awayoflife]

to answer your question about abs. I would say if your already in the gym for a while on your lifting days, I would just do them on a cardio day. I like to treat abs like any other muscle group and not just give them a few sets of crunches and leg lifts and call it a day. I like to beat my abs to death when I train them. if you train them hard, once or twice a week is all that's needed. thats just my 2 cents, you will get an array of different answers concerning abs.

I feel the same way about abs. In my current 5 day split, on one of my off days, I hit my abs really hard and I hit them a second time at the end of my chest day. I will still hit my abs hard this offseason but it will be more for core strength because they will not stand out at a higher bf%. If I would have to choose a off day to do abs it would probably be Saturday so that I have a full off day in the middle of my split and still have a full off day before my back day.

[Aggression]

I will use this split for 12 weeks and then use another split for about 4-6 weeks and if the above split produces good results I will return to that one.

I also have some questions that I hope The Animal Nation can answer:

When should I do abs? I intend to do only one session and I was thinking about Saturday after my shoulder-biceps day. Is this a good idea or should I do abs at the end of one of my training sessions?

Are there to many/ few sets in total or on one of the training days? (my main concern is with rows for back and presses for chest, also thinking about the last set for triceps because they might be overworked from all the presses for chest)

Will the abundance of sups that I take pre w/o blunt the effects of Animal Rage? (I picked up this stack from one of Ben Seath’s videos and wonder if it will work for me, I just love Rage and the sheer power that it gives me, it would be such a waste to blunt it’s effects).

- Why do you already have it planned that you're bailing on this routine in 12 weeks? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Shit, when bodybuilding for the 3 years, I never changed my 'routine' once. Ronnie Coleman won the Mr O 8x using the same routine through his entire reign. Point? Keep using what works until it stop working. Don't prematurely jump ship.

- Fuck the numbers in your diet, man. Don't over-complicate shit. Eat several clean, well proportioned meals each day. If you stall out, add an extra 1/2c rice to a meal or two. If you're gaining too much fat, drop 1/2c rice from 1-2 meals, for example. Don't break it down into too many numbers and digits. You'll pull the enjoyment right out of the entire process.

- Do abs whenever you can; 1, 2, 3x per week. I do them twice per week at the end of my lower body workouts. You can follow suit or just do them whenever you have the time.

- How many sets is too much? You'll have to figure that one out on your own, homie. It comes down to one's individual ability to recover, their nutrition, and genetics. While one guy may flourish doing 20 sets for chest, another may be too beat the fuck up after 12 sets. See what happens after a few weeks and adjust accordingly, if necessary.

Start small with supplements. No reason to jump right into a massive stack. Keep Rage in there if you like it. Others won't blunt the effects too much. Again, don't complicate things.

I've been where you are bro; over analyzing everything, counting macros, always finding new routines, foods, supplements, etc. If you take one thing away from my post here, its this; KEEP SHIT SIMPLE. Eat clean, quality foods and train hard. If you feel like going nuts one day and want to bang out 20 sets on chest and then blast biceps, do it! If you're feeling weak and worn out, hit the basics and leave. There's no reason you HAVE to do a certain routine on any day. Adjust accordingly and enjoy the process.

[awayoflife]

- Why do you already have it planned that you're bailing on this routine in 12 weeks? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Shit, when bodybuilding for the 3 years, I never changed my 'routine' once. Ronnie Coleman won the Mr O 8x using the same routine through his entire reign. Point? Keep using what works until it stop working. Don't prematurely jump ship.

- Fuck the numbers in your diet, man. Don't over-complicate shit. Eat several clean, well proportioned meals each day. If you stall out, add an extra 1/2c rice to a meal or two. If you're gaining too much fat, drop 1/2c rice from 1-2 meals, for example. Don't break it down into too many numbers and digits. You'll pull the enjoyment right out of the entire process.

- Do abs whenever you can; 1, 2, 3x per week. I do them twice per week at the end of my lower body workouts. You can follow suit or just do them whenever you have the time.

- How many sets is too much? You'll have to figure that one out on your own, homie. It comes down to one's individual ability to recover, their nutrition, and genetics. While one guy may flourish doing 20 sets for chest, another may be too beat the fuck up after 12 sets. See what happens after a few weeks and adjust accordingly, if necessary.

Start small with supplements. No reason to jump right into a massive stack. Keep Rage in there if you like it. Others won't blunt the effects too much. Again, don't complicate things.

I've been where you are bro; over analyzing everything, counting macros, always finding new routines, foods, supplements, etc. If you take one thing away from my post here, its this; KEEP SHIT SIMPLE. Eat clean, quality foods and train hard. If you feel like going nuts one day and want to bang out 20 sets on chest and then blast biceps, do it! If you're feeling weak and worn out, hit the basics and leave. There's no reason you HAVE to do a certain routine on any day. Adjust accordingly and enjoy the process.

Shit, that’s a ton of wisdom! Damn, I see your point bro. I am overthinking it a bit, got caught up in the attempt to get it all nice and perfect but I guess I can’t know shit for sure until I try it out for a few weeks!

It is stuff like this that really makes a difference and makes me see the flaws in my “plan of attack”, it is stuff like this that makes me come to the FORVM for advice and it is stuff like this that makes ANIMAL more than just a brand, it makes it a movement!

Thank you for opening my eyes brother!

[PORTERHOUSE]

- Why do you already have it planned that you're bailing on this routine in 12 weeks? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Shit, when bodybuilding for the 3 years, I never changed my 'routine' once. Ronnie Coleman won the Mr O 8x using the same routine through his entire reign. Point? Keep using what works until it stop working. Don't prematurely jump ship.

- Fuck the numbers in your diet, man. Don't over-complicate shit. Eat several clean, well proportioned meals each day. If you stall out, add an extra 1/2c rice to a meal or two. If you're gaining too much fat, drop 1/2c rice from 1-2 meals, for example. Don't break it down into too many numbers and digits. You'll pull the enjoyment right out of the entire process.

- Do abs whenever you can; 1, 2, 3x per week. I do them twice per week at the end of my lower body workouts. You can follow suit or just do them whenever you have the time.

- How many sets is too much? You'll have to figure that one out on your own, homie. It comes down to one's individual ability to recover, their nutrition, and genetics. While one guy may flourish doing 20 sets for chest, another may be too beat the fuck up after 12 sets. See what happens after a few weeks and adjust accordingly, if necessary.

Start small with supplements. No reason to jump right into a massive stack. Keep Rage in there if you like it. Others won't blunt the effects too much. Again, don't complicate things.

I've been where you are bro; over analyzing everything, counting macros, always finding new routines, foods, supplements, etc. If you take one thing away from my post here, its this; KEEP SHIT SIMPLE. Eat clean, quality foods and train hard. If you feel like going nuts one day and want to bang out 20 sets on chest and then blast biceps, do it! If you're feeling weak and worn out, hit the basics and leave. There's no reason you HAVE to do a certain routine on any day. Adjust accordingly and enjoy the process.

This is basically the shit I was going to say, good post man. It's good to be proactive, but don't get over-analytical.

And I don't know what your long term goals are, but if your a natural, you really shouldn't expect to get up to 15-17% as a necessity, there's no reason to get fat, despite what people may tell you. That's pretty old school. Making the scale go up is the easiest thing to do in this sport, making it go up for the right reasons, the hardest. It's all about finding the right balance.

[awayoflife]

This is basically the shit I was going to say, good post man. It's good to be proactive, but don't get over-analytical.

And I don't know what your long term goals are, but if your a natural, you really shouldn't expect to get up to 15-17% as a necessity, there's no reason to get fat, despite what people may tell you. That's pretty old school. Making the scale go up is the easiest thing to do in this sport, making it go up for the right reasons, the hardest. It's all about finding the right balance.

Well you guessed it my man, I am natural and I’m not saying this to receive some sort of special treatment or a pat on the back, I am saying this because I know that natural and non-natural weight training/bodybuilding are very different things. Long term goals? To be the best version of “ME” that I can be! I bulk in the winter cut in late spring till early summer and maintain until October and then repeat. I add a few pounds of lean mass to my frame yearly so this seems to work for me. I don’t intend on getting too fat, that is why I didn’t set a weight goal, for example “I’ll start cutting when I get to x pounds”, the whole bf% thing is more of a warning sign. If I put 10-20-30 pounds until I hit 15% that will be when I say “ok it’s time to cut”, instead of saying that “it’s cut time” after I gain 30 pounds and most of it can be fat. Also this is a way of not time restricting things, so I’m not bulking for an exact number of months. But then again if I look or feel too fat at 13-14% I might start my cut then. As you and Aggression said, I will try to not overcomplicate things and enjoy life.