Stoking the Fires -- Building a Bigger Firedrake

[Firedrake]

Well, here we are. I've competed in my first competition since I was 18. I didn't do as well as I liked, but it was respectable. I didn't look like an idiot up there, and I got it done.

Now, it's time to build for the future. I need mass. Serious mass. At 6'1", 206 is just NOT big enough. It's going to be a week or so before things get cranked up -- I have to take care of some medical business on Monday -- but major plans are afoot.

Time to Do Work.

[Thrawn]

On board for this ride!
You KNOW i am in your corner, Jim!

Lets get cracking!

[mcbeast]

Get your weight up brotha..

Subbed.

[prowrestler]

sounds like a plan, indeed

[Beach91]

Just read your Posts on what youve gained and learned throughout, and wanted to say thanks for the ride, it was a good one, Hopped onto your new journey for another ride!!

good stuff, its good to see u can put perspective on the whole experience and learn from it, that way you have truly gained and become a better stronger Firedrake throughout your Journey, thats what its about, you will always think more could have been done, or what ifs, but in the end use what youve learned here and apply it to your next journey and life in general- you are a competetive bodybuilder and a very good one, you have some tough competition though - yourself - will Firedrake 2010-2011 beat Firedrake 09-2010?

I am stickin around to find out!

[BryanSmash!]

I'm in Jim, great to see that Gladiator avatar up there! Well deserved!

[Nix0r]

You know I'm subbed for this.

[Wingman]

Lol, and here we go again.

[strivin for more]

subbed, lovin the new icon man.

[stormin]

Jim - thanks for allowing us to be part of this. I've truly enjoyed the last ride, looking forward to the next and appreciate the advice received from this.
Keep it real brother.
All the best - Norman

[Firedrake]

After talking to/working with a friend of mine, I've wanted to try a bit of an experiment for the next three months, and this split has been proposed:

----------------------------------------------------
• This workout is designed for all out mass gains. Lift as heavy as you can but do so with maintaining good form.
• Make every last 2 reps be an all out struggle, get a spot if needed.
• Rest time between sets will be 50-65 seconds
• You should always warm up with 2-4 sets before beginning heavy lifting, work your way up to your beginning set..You may also want to use an additional warm up set for every other move you will perform.


Monday: Quads/ Calves/ Abs

1. Barbell Squats: 5 sets: 6, 6, 8, 8, 6 reps
2. Leg Press: 4 sets: 6,8,8,10 reps
3. Hack Squats: 3 sets: 6,6,8 reps
4. Extentions: 2 sets: 10 reps

• Calves
1. Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets: 12,12,15
2. Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets: 12,12,15

Tuesday: Delts/ Traps

1. Dumbbell Press: 5 sets: 6,6,8,8,6 reps
2. Wide Grip Upright Rows: 4 sets: 6,8,8, 10 reps
3. Barbell Shrugs: 5 sets: 8,8,10,10,12 reps
4. Side Lateral Raises: 3 sets: 10,10,10 reps
5. Incline Rear Lateral Raises: 3 sets: 10,10,10 reps
6. Front Raises: 2 sets: 10 reps

Wednesday: Bis/ Tris/ Abs

1. Close Grip Bench: 5 sets: 6,6,8,8,6 reps
2. Lying Tri Extentions: 4 sets: 6,8,8,10 reps
3. Skullcrushers: 3 sets: 8,8,10 reps

1. Standing Barbell Curls: 5 sets: 6,6,8,8,10 reps
2. Ez Bar Preacher Curls: 4 sets: 6,8,8,10 reps
3. Incline Dumbell Curls: 3 sets: 10 reps

Thursday: Off

Friday: Back/ Hams/ Calves

1. T-Bar Rows: 5 sets: 6,6,8,8,10
2. Deadlifts: 4 sets: 6,6,8,4
3. Wide Grip Pulldowns: 3 sets: 10 reps
4. Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets: 10 reps
5. Pull-ups: 2 sets to failure

1. Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets:8,8,10 reps
2. Lying Leg Curls: 3 sets: 8,8,10 reps
3. Seated Leg Curls: 2 sets: Failure

1. Leg Press Calf Raises: 3 sets: 12,12,15 reps
2. Machine Calf Raises: 3 sets: 12,12,15 reps

Saturday: Chest/ Abs

1. Incline Barbell Press: 5 sets: 6,6,8,8,6
2. Flat Dumbbell Press: 4 sets: 6,8,8,6
3. Incline Machine Press: 3 sets: 10 reps
4. Dip: 3 sets: 8,8,10

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Take a look, gang, and tell me what you think. I know Tempus wanted to know about my 1RM on some of the exercises, and I've never done much work with that -- these are lower reps than I've done before, so warmups are necessary for my joints, but I'm eager to see if they will build more mass. I didn't gain any mass after the Iron Contest, and I think part of that was because I moved to higher reps schemes at Rage's direction.

I'd like to try this for awhile and see what happens.

Comments? Suggestions?

[Maccabee]

You picked all the right exercises. I like the set up of the routines. My only concern would be friday. I think hitting back and hamstrings on the same day is too much. Unless of course you have done it in the past and you are used to it. Try it out and see how it goes.

[BryanSmash!]

I think the rest period between sets is too short and will really limit the amount of weight you use in the lower rep ranges, I'd suggest 2-3min.
On day 1, good call hitting the quads right away when youre fresh, and besides, all your equipment should be free because everyone else is doing chest lol.
On day 2, I think you may want to knock off a couple of sets for delts to facilitate recovery.
On day 3, you may want to switch bi's with tri's, as your tri's may be spent from doing delts the day before.
Also, to echo Pokoritel, I think youre doing way too much work on Back/hams day (day 5), 10 exercises is probably too much for you, but you know your body better than anyone else. In addition, doing all that work without a rest day afterward is probably going to make for a real shitty chest day unless youre really motivated the next day.
Day 6 looks good for chest, maybe throw the calf work on this day instead of the day before.

Theres my thoughts Jim, curious to see what your food plan is going to look like.

[weedlewott]

In in in in in!!!

[Firedrake]

I may not get on the Forum tomorrow. At 8:30, I'm going in to have them insert a stint in my left kidney to allow it to drain better. It's been bugging me since April, but I didn't want to risk the procedure before the competition.

I'm supposed to be home by the afternoon, but I don't know how I'll feel after the anesthesia (yes, they're going to make me unconscious to run a plastic tube up my . . . well never mind).

I should be back in the gym by Thursday.

[J A Y]

good luck with the kidney FD and split looks good, lots of compounds in there, basic yet brutally effective exercises, IMO should be the forefront of any mass building routine

[machineman]

you know I am in Jim! Good luck with the stint. I think I would want to be knocked out for that too. Can't wait to see how this ride unfolds!!!

[Jon_Blaze]

6'1 at 206lbs? Man you're a light-heavy! I wanna see you make look Brock Lesnar look tiny! How much mass you putting on? End goal in mind yet?

[strivin for more]

oh man... i dont envy having a tube rammed up my... eh... i hope it all goes well bro!

[BryanSmash!]

No posting while on that anesthesia Jim, never know what youll come up with lol.