Timmeh

Welcome to my progress diary. I'm always open to critique / suggestions!

First, some info about me:

I'm a 23 yr old student from Australia. I am 5'10, and 74kgs. My goals are:

• Build upper body muscle mass
• Lower bodyfat
• Increase fitness for my tennis
• Increase Flexibility, especially hamstrings

I am an intermediate bodybuilder, but still very inexperienced. I have been training certain muscles for over a year (biceps, chest, the usual story) but recently decided to step it up a little. I've learned a lot reading these forums, including the importance of protein (i wasn't getting near enough) and alot of new exercises for muscles i didn't know existed. I'm slowly expanding my workouts to cover more muscles.

My Workout Routine

Full body workout routine, see page 9.

Tuesday 17 November 2009 – shoulder day

*This is the 1st time I’ve ever trained shoulders specifically*

Alternating Shoulder presses while sitting on chair, 60 sec rest between sets:
•   used 7.5kg did a good number of reps in all 3 sets.

Side Raises with L shaped elbows, 60 sec rest between sets:
•   I did either 5kg or 2.5kg, pretty sure 5kg, good number of reps for all 3 sets.

Reverse Flies on a bench:
•   Used 0kg (db only), really struggled with flexibility,

Cardio:

• ran for 15m, then had to walk for the next 10.

Bring water next time you go running u damn idiot.
Try doing standing up shoulder press to strengthen abs but be careful not to cheat.
Anyone got some good stretches so I can do reverse flies more easily?

Thx for the reply cookie monster.

I already saw your advice about stretching, I am doing stretches everyday.

Believe it or not I have read that other article by the_wolf. I know I am lacking exercises for leg, calves, lower back. (maybe traps?).  I will try to incorporate most of those in the future.

I'm a bit worried about working my lower back though. The_wolf recommends deadlifts, which are dangerous if not done with proper form.  I have very tight hamstrings so that might make my form bad.  I also have a bit of a stiff mid to lower back in the mornings so i'm worried it might be susceptible to injury.

Chest and Triceps Day – Friday 20 November 2009

Bench Press with barbell
•   91 lbs x 9, 9, then took off 1.25kg’s each side x 5.5.

Incline Bench Press with barbell
•   15 lbs + 1.25kg each side x 10,10,~10.

Incline Fly’s (45 degrees)
•   4.5kg orange dumbbells, 10,10,~10.

Overhead triceps extension
•   10kg x 10, 5, 5kg x 10.

Dumbell kick backs (each arm)
•   4.5kg orange dumbbells x 5, dumbbell without weights x 11, ~12

Damn its hard to measure the weights on a bar when half the weights are in lbs and the other half kgs
Need to lower my weight for bench press and overhead triceps extension a bit to get 10 reps in the 3rd set.
Next week do normal fly's instead of incline flys

Yeah unfortunately all my big weights are in lbs, and the smaller ones in kgs. So i need to use a mix most of the time. I might get a labeller and put all the lb values onto the KG weights so I can measure it more easily.

Chest and Triceps Day – Saturday 28 November 2009

Bench Press
•   91 lbs : 9 reps , 9 reps , 7 reps

Incline Bench Press
•   15 lbs + 2.5kg each side:  10 reps ,10 reps , 10 reps

Dumbell Fly’s
•   10kg:  10 reps, 7 reps.
•   7.5kg: 7 reps.

Overhead triceps extension
•   7.5kg:  9 reps , 7 reps,
•   5kg:  ~6 reps

Dumbell kick backs (each arm)
•   4.5kg: 2.5 reps

I’ve decided that doing 3 sets of overhead triceps extensions, and 3 sets of dumbbell kick backs is too much. They are both isolation exercises for triceps, so I just did the 3 sets of extensions, and then did 1 set of kick backs straight after to finish the triceps off. What do you guys think about this strategy?

I also skipped my shoulder day this week because I just couldn’t fit it in. I play Tennis twice a week and I was really fatigued on my shoulder day. I will try fit it in next week. Hopefully my body will get used to it.

By the way does anyone know if I should do my shoulders tommorrow (the day after by back + bicep workout), or give it a day's rest?  I don't really know how much my back + bicep workout uses my shoulders, but i assume the back work would be quite hard on the shoulders.

You need to get some leg exercises in your routine, if not you'll just look top heavy.
Also, working your legs will help put mass on elsewhere, in laymans terms, working your legs releases lots of testorertone (legs are the biggest muscle groups) and this will  help with growth of your other muscles (including biceps :p)

And about deadlifts, yes you will injure yourself with poor form, but its like that with pretty much every exercise, you just have to make sure you start the lift off by pushing with your legs, not pulling with your back.  See if you can get someone to teach it to you if you are unsure, it will be worth it :)