Thursday 28/8/2008 Shoulders

Time taken: 35 mins

Dumbell shoulder press
Warm up
45lbs x 12
50lbs x 10
Work sets
60lbs x 12
70lbs x 10
70lbs x 7
60lbs x 10

Military press (light pump set) 30 secs rest
115lbs x 9
95lbs x 10
95lbs x 10
75lbs x 15

Dumbell side laterals (20 secs rest)
20lbs x 12
20lbs x 12
20lbs x 12
15lbs x 15

Rear db laterals
15lbs x 12
15lbs x 12
15lbs x 12
10lbs x 15

Comments:-
This is so weird. I'm using so much lighter weight with minimal rest but growth rate is insane. Might try compound sets next session.

This post has been edited by darklight79: Aug 28 2008, 10:52 PM

My diet. I don't like cardio. But then nowadays I rest like 30-45 secs between my sets. The moment my partner finishes his sets, it's my turn.

Ok la. It's been so long since I've updated. =D Might as well do so again. Sorry for the long absence from this section. Grew a lil' bored. Let the new questions begin.
I'm still sticking to the split on page 1.

Let me give you a few updates. As you all know, I am a firm advocate of HVT (High Volume Training) and it has proven to be extremely effective. I now have 2 training partners. One which i have been training for 2 months. Under me, he has put on 10kgs of solid muscle mass. From dumbell pressing just the 20 pounders, he's now hitting the 70's and almost squatting a 100kgs.

The new guy which is my latest training partner is this tall skinny guy. He couldn't even press the 20's for reps and now it's been 3 weeks and he's handling the 50's. That's a 2 fold increase in strength I'd say.

I may not be an elite world class expert but I can humbly say I know my shit when it comes to training people here and the progress of my 2 partners are evidence of my statement. And I'm pretty glad to see some members have benefitted from my info on the boards as well as from my journal. To those of you giving great advice, respect. (you know who you are)

To some of you who have overblown egos and are still giving crappy advice and without progress pics to prove how much you've improved and how much you claim you're lifting but are spewing out advice like bad diarrhea, strutting around H & F acting like a know-it-all and are causing new members to get injured due to your training instructions, go fuk yourselves (you know who you are), because i have been getting several PM's from new members about the amount of confusion you're giving them.

Lastly, it does my heart good to see our beloved resident mod Malaysianpotato still active in H & F. You do this section a great honour. Cheers.

My training has evolved a lot since my very first workout with HVT. The weight you are lifting means shit if your form is not correct, period. Volume works, just because you are not lifting as heavy as a powerlifter does not mean that you aren't strong at all. I stand by my lifting videos. Form first, then increase poundage later.

You do not necessarily have to do a full ATG squat to build impressive quads. Smith machine squats do not suck, they are an awesome exercise. The less rest you have in between sets, the more intense your workout, intensity = more work done in less time. Even with 2 other partners, we finish our chest workout which comprises of 4 exercises, 4 sets each making it a total of 16 sets in less than an hour. You can imagine how fast we move in between sets.

Chest Monday 24 November
Workout time with 2 partners : 55 mins

Flat barbell bench press (bear in mind I RARELY do this exercise, I prefer the Smith machine or dumbells)
Warm up
135 lbs x 20
135 lbs x 20

Work sets
225lbs x 10
245lbs x 8
200lbs x 8
185lbs x 20

Smith machine incline bench press
185lbs x 8
185lbs x 8
155lbs x 15 (partials)
135lbs x 20 (partials)

High incline dumbell bench press
50's x 11
50's x 10
45's x 12
40's x 18

Cable crossovers
70lb x 10
50lb x 12
40lb x 15
40lb x 20

Yes and no. There's no clear cut answer. You need to experiment on what works for you but I believe that an exercise program consisting of sets of all rep ranges are most beneficial for any trainee, especially if they're unsure of their composition of muscle fiber type. Which is why me and my training partners utilize rep ranges of 3 - 15, sometimes even 20. That way all muscle fibers are targeted.

I used to believe that only programs like Rippetoe were the best for beginners who were starting out but the results of my experiments with High Volume Training on my training partners who just started out are staggering! In just 3-4 weeks, they've gained double the strength on some of their lifts and we're talking about high repping those poundages.

Back 25th November 2008
Workout time with 1 partner : 52 mins

Lat pulldowns
Warm up
70lbs x 12
80lbs x 12

Work sets
180lbs x 8
180lbs x 5 drop set to 160lbs x 2 drop set to 140lbs x 3
140lbs x 10
120lbs x 10

Cable rows
140lbs x 12
140lbs x 10
130lbs x 15
130lbs x 12

Light barbell rows (squeezed at top)
115lbs x 12
115lbs x 12
115lbs x 12
95lbs x 15

Machine medium width grip rows
110lbs x 10
100lbs x 9
90lbs x 15
90lbs x 12

Dumbell shrugs per hand
100lbs x 15
100lbs x 15
100lbs x 15
100lbs x 10

Done. And I'm going to take progress pics of my training partners to prove the effectiveness of HVT. Here are the stats:-

Training partner 1 after 2 months of HVT. He did not have training prior to this:-
Barbell bench press :90kg x 5 compared to 50kgs x 5
Squats : 90kg x 8 for 4 sets
Dumbell bench presses : He's now pressing the 70pounders for 12 reps compared to the 30's when he first started
Dumbell shrugs: 100 pounders for 12 reps (now that is impressive)
Gained 10kgs
You get the idea.

Training partner 2 after 4 weeks of training. Did very casual training prior to this, basically just a chest and bicep guy and didn't eat properly.
Dumbell bench press : Now pressing the 50 pounders compared to just the 20's when he first started
Squats : 70kgs compared to just 45kgs initially
Shrugging the 70 pounders per hand for 12 reps x 4 sets.
Lat pulldowns of 90 pounds x 12 compared to just 50lbs initially
Gained 4 kgs

It's hard to get all the stats from the poundages since they have their own workout logs but these are examples which i can remember of what they're doing at the gym with me recently. =)

This post has been edited by darklight79: Nov 25 2008, 09:30 PM

They're not LYN members. They record their logs on paper or in their memory. But i can definitely show videos of them lifting. =)

Exactly the same way. They also follow me for dinner after every training session, the 3 of us have gotten quite close. We discuss what to eat, how to modify dishes you normally order from a food place so that it's more bb'ing oriented, etc.
Training partner 1 does not use whey nor any other bb'ing supplements whatsoever.
Training partner 2 does, because putting muscle on him is a challenge because of his tall height and skinny structure. But he's doing pretty fine too.

You know, I thought exactly that. But Terry Gallyot told me that before the invention of programs like Ripptoe's, Madcow, GVT, HST, old school bodybuilders used to train beginners this way. And obviously it was very effective. If it ain't broken why fix it.

Imo, all programs have their place. Even powerlifting but it depends on one's goals. What's yours? If you look at my routine, for chest we have 3 comound exercises, just 1 isolation. My new shoulder routine consists now of Smith machine shoulder press, dumbell shoulder press, lateral raises and rear delt raises. That's 2 compounds, 2 isolations. Beginners can scrap the rear delt raises and focus on 2 compounds and 1 iso. In what way am i not emphasizing on compounds right?

This post has been edited by darklight79: Nov 26 2008, 01:03 AM

Hey... I'm doing good. Big enough. =) Girlfriend's complaining a bit about my size though but i don't think she minds that much.

Thank you for the kind words. =)

Try to remember that if you don't workout for a while, most of the strength loss is neural, provided you still maintain your diet. This would differ from individual to individual, some would lose neural efficiency in a week, some in 3 weeks but for muscle atrophy, it occurs roughly within 3 weeks. So if you didn't workout for 1-2 months, chances are you would have lost a little of both but you shouldn't despair too much. You have muscle memory on your side, you would gain back your strength in half the time or less.

I would suggest keeping your reps above 10, go for 12-15 on ALL sets whether compound or isolation for about 2-3 weeks, moderate to moderately heavy (not heavy to the point where you cannot complete 12) to get back into the groove of the movement. Leave your ego at the gym door for a bit, this is to prime your CNS. Then start incorporating 1-2 heavy work sets of 5-8 reps in the next 2-3 weeks while keeping the rest of the sets within the 12-15 rep range. Don't fret abotu how light you're lifting, if you're doing it properly with a good diet, PR's will come naturally! Within the next week you would be able to gain back your lost strength and maybe the new high rep ranges would stimulate new growth.

Remember poundage doesn't matter, feel the muscle working with a comfortable weight, develop mind muscle connection and you will still grow.

It has nothing to do with medicine. It's about sports physiology. And you can get very strong on 12-15 reps. Your 1 RM maxes increase too.

Shoulders 26th November 2008
Workout time 50 mins with 2 partners

Smith machine shoulder press
Warm up
115lbs x 10
115lbs x 10

Work sets
205lbs x 9
205lbs x 8
155lbs x 12
135lbs x 15

Dumbell shoulder press
50lbs x 11
50lbs x 11
45lbs x 10
40lbs x 12

Double cable lateral raises
20lbs x 15
20lbs x 15
20lbs x 15
20lbs x 12

Seated rear delt raises
25lbs x 12
25lbs x 12
20lbs x 12
20lbs x 10

I love PRs. Aiming for shoulder pressing 100kg soon.

Seat yourself on the edge of a bench, tuck legs close together, rest your chest completely on your thighs and execute the movement.

Basically i call it "trying to suck my own d***" position.

I've seen that before. A very very good instructional video.

Legs 27/11/2008
Time taken: 1 hour 15 mins with 2 partners

Squats
Warm up
135lbs x 10
135lbs x 10

Work sets
295lbs x 9
305lbs x 5, drop set to 295lbs x 3
225lbs x 12
205lbs x 10

Leg curls
6 plates x 11
6 plates x 10
6 plates x 8 drop set to 5 plates x 4
5 plates x 11

Leg extensions
295lbs x 12
Full stack x 5 drop set to 315lbs x2 drop set to 285lbs x 2 drop set to 270 lbs x 2
225lbs x 12
205lbs x 10

Calf press machine
295 x 20
295 x 20
265 x 20
225 x 30

Thank you. =) I love leg days.

If you want to aim for a PR, do it on the first exercise selection, the other exercises should be at a maintenance poundage. Aiming for a PR on the subsequent exercises will just cause you to burn out. For example, my chest day would consist of the Smith machine incline bench, machine chest press, incline dumbell bench presses and i'll finish off with some cable crossovers. Let's say i start off with the Smith inclines first, i would attempt PR's on those but i wouldn't try any PR's on the subsequent exercises, as in keeping the poundages moderately heavy on the second compound exercise and the last compound exercise i keep it light and go for pump sets of lighter weight and higher reps within the 12-15 range.
Isolation exercises should always be lighter weight and very high reps, above 12 sometimes hitting 20 reps.

The point is, I'm a firm advocate of instinctual training thanks to Terry Gallyot (my mentor and Mr Asia). Focus on good nutrition, good nutrient timing and sufficient rest and the PR's will come naturally. Don't feel pressured to make PR's. Try for them only if you are able to. If you get all the aforementioned factors in good order, PR's will come naturally. A PR doesn't necessarily mean heavier poundage, it can also be achieved with more reps even if you're using a lighter weight compared to the last workout.

You need to understand that volume is the key word here. For example, a trainee does a set of Smith shoulder presses for:-
185lbs x 8 for 4 sets. In total volume that wold be equal to 185 x 8 x 4 = 5920lbs

The following week he does 165lbs x 10 for 4 sets, even though it was a lighter weight, he still achieved a better set because the total volume would be 165 x 10 x 4 = 6600lbs

Do you now get my point about volume being the key word here? Of course the poundage range should be around 70-85% of your 1RM max. Anything less and you'd just be getting a pump but no growth. The weight has to be sufficiently heavy to challenge you at least.

Of course. The point of my journal here is to help members here.

Don't worry about the shape of your chest. Technically you can't shape a muscle. The insertion points of muscles for an individual is genetically predetermined. But if you notice, most bodybuilders always have an overpowered lower chest and an underdeveloped upper chest. I'm sure you don't want your chest to look like a pair of b!tch tits after working so hard on it. Focus more on incline work and your lower chest will still grow.

Well jsut take the weekend off and start on a Monday. =)

Sorry to hear that. Seriously, attempting PR's poundagewise every week just to conform to a set of figures on a piece of paper seems flawed imo when one's goals are bodybuilding oriented. And although military presses are a great exercise from a powerlifting's perspective, there are MUCH better alternatives to that if you're a bodybuilder such as seated dumbell shoulder presses, seated barbell presses or Smith machine shoulder presses. They allow a trainee to use more weight = bigger muscles . Generally, all that stabilization shit is more for powerlifting.

When exerting, positive phase of an exercise, breathe out. When on the negative phase, breathe in. Drop the Pendlay rows and pull ups. Replace Pendlays with barbell rows/cable rows. Replace pull ups with cable pulldowns. You get better mind muscle connection with them.

You don't necessarily have to do deadlifts, they're not really a bodybuilding exercise. I do them only like once a month or less.

It's fine don't worry. I always have a soft spot for beginners. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I don't really have an elitist mentality despite the tag. Good luck.

Don't get me wrong, 5 x 5 is an effective program. It may not have been suited for you so nothing wrong with trying HVT for a change. =)

Anytime =) But blacking out so often isn't a very good sign. I suggest you go to a checkup with your doctor. Talking about skinny chests, I used to be skinnier than you. I was 55 kg before I started. Time and perseverance will make you grow.

Yes.

Why not? My training partners are doing the same exercises as i do.

It's fine. =)

This post has been edited by darklight79: Nov 30 2008, 04:07 AM

Now I'm hovering between 85-86lg, 5 feet 8 inches.

=) Get a checkup.

CHEST Monday 1st December 2008
Workout time with 2 partners : 50mins

Barbell bench press
Warm up
115lbs x 12
135lbs x 12

Work sets
275lbs x 8
275lbs x 5
275lbs x 3 drop set to 225lbs x 3 drop set to 200lbs x 3 drop set to 185lbs x 2
200lbs x 8

Smith machine incline bench press
200lbs x 9
185lbs x 10
185lbs x 10
Partials 135lbs x 15

Machine chest press
185lbs x 10
185lbs x 9
170lbs x 10
155lbs x 10

Cable crossovers
70lbs x 12
60lbs x 15
50lbs x 15