New Place, New Start, New Gym, New Journal, New Diet, NEW LIFE

[Motivated]

Hello everyone,

MOTIVATED STATUS REPORT


MOTIVATED --- back again and motivated as ever.

If you follow my journal (vistors have been lax as of late ) You'd know that I just moved to from Miami to hickville UF. I live alone, and dont have the old home gym that I used to back at home.

I just finished moving in and I'm settling down. This morning I was looking for gyms (the university's gym is ALWAYS packed and parking is awful, so thats out of the question) and I found a busted down, old 1970s, Rocky-esque, wood + rubber matted gym full of big people. i LOVED IT. It had a friendly atmosphere and lots of equipment. Its $25 the first month and $17 the rest, so I'm really considering joining. I can leave anytime I want as well.

So now that I have a new place, and a new life essentially --- I want a new plan, routine and diet to go along with it.

Heres my personal stats.

BODY
I'm 6'1, this morning post-pee I weighed 188! I look a lot more leaner now then before. Bench is at 205, deadlift at 310 +/- 10, squat (ass to grass WITH reps): 225, but theighs just a little before parallel it is 275.

In summary:
Height: 6'1
Weight: 188
Bench: 205 Deadlift: 300ish Squat: 225 ass to grass with reps

Ok -- so got my lifts out of the way - now for diet!
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DIET
I'm now officially a starving student.

What I have in my pantry:

Carbs + Fiber
Low sodium cans of black beans + red beans
Quick cooking brown rice
Oatmeal
Kashi Cereal (the high protien one)
Multi-grain wheat bread
Kashi almond bars (good fiber, 8gms protien) - taste good, and great for on the run

Veges
10 or so packets of frozen, microwavable steammed veges... Brocolli, carrots, cauliflower, that kinda stuff.
Canned corn.
Canned tomato sauce low sodium.
Canned mixed vegetables.

Protien
Tons of tuna packets
Frozen Chicken Breasts
Protien powder (isopure, any cheaper brands that taste just as good?)
Some lean ground beef (cooking some now).

Fats
Olive oil.

Dairy
2% milk

I need EGGS and taters. Thats next on my list.

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MY REQUEST
Can you experienced folks put the little knowledge availbe about me via this post and my other ones, and solve the greatest puzzle known to mankind --- "What is best for Motivated to get leaner, stronger, and bigger?"

I've listed what I have avaiable lifting and diet wise.

Can you guys fill in the gap?

If my preferences help?

I love to eat . I love to lift. I like full body. Cardio is not too fun in this humidty swamp weather, but I do like to run. I deadlift and I squat and I love it.

Those are my preferences.

Alrighty, ANY post would be appreciated. Please HELP me, school starts the 23rd and I'd love to have a nice routine set up. I have a lot of knowledge thanks to all of you guys -- my fitness family so to say.

I need a schdule -- a routine, wake up, drink protien, eat oats, go to class, workout, go home, study, eat, eat, eat, eat... You know so any kind words, comments, or anything would be excellent.

I'll be back!

I don't train this way but how about this:

Day #1 = overhead press, upright rows and squats

Day #2 = bench press, bent-over rows and deadlifts

Third day is a rest day, then repeat.

First time out you do 3x8, next time out you do 5x5 and the third time out 8x3 for each day workout.

If you want a change of pace from this, you can always do supersets of pullups and dips, either bodyweight or added weight using the same set/rep combos. Or you can do what I do at least once a week and that is a workout of power cleans and push presses. One workout I recently did and was super-challenged by it was to pick a challenging weight and do a 30 rep workout trying to complete those reps in the least amount of time possible. Pick a weight that you have to work hard to get done in about 20 minutes.

You can get a cardio workout of the above by performing both day #1 and day #2 exercises in a circuit format, using lighter weight and higher reps. A circuit would be a single set of each exercise. Complete 3 circuits, trying to minimize rest time between exercises.

Have fun!

[JMike]

A couple of q's
How many times you aiming to ht the gym?
What social commitments do you have?
What are your goals?
Morning work outs or evening?
Are you good at sticking to routines, or do you like flexibility in them?
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I'd try and include, deadlifts, squats, overhead press, incline press and lots of pullups. Aim for no more than 4-5 exercises a session, and no more than an hour and a half in the gym.

Something I've been doing is taking a day as a learning day to learn new moves, and improve my technique on old ones. It's a really nice break.

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You're food stuffs look good. I'd suggest stocking up one fresh fruit and veggies twice a week. Also remember that protein supplements are just that; supplements. In addition to. I'd say two shakes a day is enough for most people. I only take one and I'm easily getting enough protein. Get it from meat, milk and other natural sources, before you grab the shake.

If you want to stay lean and put on size then two things are important.

By far the most important is diet. Make sure you're eating regularly. At LEAST four meals a day, but aim for six. Lots of veggies, some fruit, but watch the sugar there. Use this time to learn how to cook interesting stuff. Veggie websites are a good guide. And cut out all white bread (brown malted/seeded is a better option), have chocolate only on fridays and cut down on sugars in general.

Secondly, do not sacrifice cardio for weights. Lots of my gym buddies will opt out of running when their routine has it down because they're tired. But nothing would stop them from going to their weights sessions. If you find it hard, look at it this way. If I don't do the cardio, I'm not allowed to do the weights. One option would be to have a high intensity workout (like the crossfit stuff) either as the basis or supplementing your other work.

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Finally, student life is hectic. There are times when you've got lots of spare time, and times when you have none. Keep your gym time short, and you'll get the most benefit from it. Don't expand from 1 hour to two and a half. You won't be working efficiently and your gym time will start to eat up other time that you need for other things. Cue resenting the gym and everything else.
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Finally good luck and welcome back!

[Motivated]

A couple of q's
How many times you aiming to ht the gym?
I'd want to hit the gym 3 times a day. I love to lift, but I don't necessarily mind running. Progress is what fuels me.

What social commitments do you have?
Well, I'm with a new girl now but thats pretty much it. She doesn't mind me being focused on that -- she's premed she'll be busy.

What are your goals?
Strength, drop BF, be healthy, feel good, look good: the typical

Morning work outs or evening?
They'd have to be around 3-5PM.

Are you good at sticking to routines, or do you like flexibility in them?
I'm good at sticking to routines as long as I'm sure they work and as long as I see progression in weights (its a mental thing I guess).

I just need a good rep scheme, plan it out, knowing what I'm going to lift ahead of time and I'm set.





Thanks for the input. I just need a new set up -- I have gotten leaner and defintley more stronger; my numbers say so. But I just need a change of pace for my new place and a brand spanking new plan to get my motivated and started.

I hope you guys understand and I hope you can help!

Thanks!

[.V.]

Well, I don't think 3x a day is a very good idea. I'm partial to 3x a week myself.

So you want to get bigger and leaner? I kinda like HST for that. Compound lifts like the squat, dead, bench, and row. Overhead presses for the delts. Dips if you like for the chest/tris (I prefer the bench but that's just me). Toss in some curls and skull crushers (or tricep pushdowns) for the arms and you've got a nice full body workout to hit on M, W, F...grab some kind of cardio T, Th and you've got a nice workout plan that will take less than one hour each day and give you the weekend off to hang out with that pre-med chick. Remember, future physicians need love too.

About the diet, everything looks to be in place. Maybe add some whole wheat bread and peanut butter to that pantry. PB&J sandwiches are a great bulking food. They can make us a little fat, but not if the rest of the diet is in order and we've got a solid workout going for us.

Cereal and a protein shake makes a nice low budget breakfast. The oats would be better IMO, but hey starving students have to eat what they've got.

The rest of the day eat your whole wheat bread or some rice, tuna or chicken, and some green veggies with each meal...and yes, the frozen is just fine.

For your stats, start at about 3000 calories/day and keep a balance of protein and carbs with each meal, keeping the fat low. A bit of olive oil to cook with should take care of ya. You know that although I don't eat that way, I do like what 45% carbs, 35% protein, and 20% fat does to the appearance of the body.

Ok Motivated, I'm not sure if this will work for you or not, but it is working for me and I'm 48 years old, lol. Strength gains have always been difficult (as have size gains) but I'm finding this workout builds on the previous cycle while laying a foundation for the next. Successful periodization! It is kind of a cross between HST (Hypertrophy Specific Training) and HFT (High Frequency Training). Right now my reps are 5 per set, but I'm wondering if 7 or 8 per set might be better for mass gains. I do believe that TUT (Time Under Tension) is important for hypertrophy, which is why I'm wondering about the higher reps. But I also know that back in the 40's and 50's (pre drugs) lots of guys used 5 reps to get big. Anyway, here is my current workout.

Figure your 7 rep max for each exercise and start with that weight
Reps are kept at 5 per set throughout all cycles
Each 2 exercise block is to be done as a superset
Week 1: One set per exercise
Week 2: Two sets per exercise
Week 3: Three sets per exercise
Week 4: Add weight (2 1/2 to 10 pounds, depending on the exercise and your strength levels) and begin the cycle all over again with one set

Sumo Deadlift
Dumbbell Press

Chin ups
Bench press

Overhead Squat
High Pulls

Behind the back wrist curls
Reverse wrist curls

That's it. That's the whole workout. I drag a sled for cardio two or three days per week and that hits my calves well enough that I don't worry about them. I don't do arm exercises anymore (probably should do concentration curls to work on my peak, but whatever.....) and I do forearm exercises because they are not as big as I want them.

Week one seems like a wussy week and you will want to do more. Don't. Three cycles in, if you calculated correctly, you will have added enough weight to be setting PR's. Then that one set week is a great break and you will be looking forward to it. Week one I'm in and out of my workout in 20 minutes. Week three takes 45 minutes or so. But it is a killer 45 minutes, lol.

Change up your exercises to fit your goals but I strongly recommend using compound exercises. As for cardio, 2 or 3 days per week of HIT will set you free of excess fat if you watch your empty calories. That means BE CAREFUL OF EXCESS BEER ON THE WEEKENDS! lol I know you college guys - I see you every day at work!

[Motivated]

Iron Man:

I like the plan but I have a few questions:

What if I already have some fat on me -- meaning love handles and some on my chest?

And a super set is just an excercise immediley followed by another one right?

So for example - lets say you put for Week 2 (which you do 2 sets)

Squat
Bench

Would I squat 2x5 sets of my 7RM then bench 2x5 right after

or squat, bench, squat, bench? lol

I hope you understand what I mean.



Also, I know this sounds weird - but I'd like to do a little more excercises. Prob 2 or more?



Thanks so much. I do like the plan - its the perfect balance of what I like.

What if I already have some fat on me -- meaning love handles and some on my chest?
Clean eating and a bit of cardio should help to melt that away. LadyC, a_welch, cursor, and a few others can offer assistance with tweaking your diet to get rid of the last bit of fat. (I'm still trying to find what works best for me in that area.) One thing to try and remember is that some form of cardio is pretty much necessary to get rid of body fat. Could be HIT, could be LSD (long, slow, distance), could be Cindy (from Cross Fit). And if fat loss if one of your primary goals you might have to do 5 or 6 days of cardio to achieve it.

And a super set is just an excercise immediley followed by another one right?
Correct. You would Squat, then move on to bench with no rest. Take a minute (or two or three) to recover. Then repeat the squat/bench combo

Also, I know this sounds weird - but I'd like to do a little more excercises. Prob 2 or more?
Go for it! Whatever is going to make you feel comfortable. I'm a fairly arm dominant lifter so I don't bother with arm exercises. But if you need them, then add them. Or whatever exercises you feel best fits your goals. Maybe you are into cleans and leg presses. If that is the case then do it. Any exercise program is about what will work for you. Everything anyone ever writes is to used as a guideline for you to explore and use or discard as necessary. That's the great thing about being an individual, in my book!

Thanks so much. I do like the plan - its the perfect balance of what I like.
Glad to hear you like it. Its been a very good program for me the past several months. Better yet, I hope it works for you! :