Round Two

[smu2]

Last summer I started a serious Max-OT workout routine and clean/bulk diet in an attempt to put on some serious muscle. After 8+ weeks (using creatine), I gained about 17 pounds (a lot of water weight, but a hella lot of muscle too). I was feeling great and didn't even think about working out as something I didn't want to do, and hated having to take days off.

Unfortunately, I got tendonitis in my right shoulder, and haven’t been able to lift since...

Age: 19
Weight: 160
Height: 6'1
Body Fat: Most likely around 8-10%.

Goal: 180+ by the end of the summer.

My new routine is nothing like max-OT, which is a shame because I loved it so much. However, my shoulder is so weak and though mostly recovered, I don't want to put too much stress on it too fast. So my workouts consist mostly of 12/10/8/8/8 sets per exercise, not going to failure and lightweights. Though not the optimal way of lifting, I will be easing up the weight gradually.

What I'm really into right now, however, is my new bulk diet. I'm at college and one of the greatest things about that is almost unlimited access to food. This is something I didn't have last summer when I was at home (I'm very lazy when it comes to food). The ease of which I can obtain a ton of food is so great that all I have to do is make sure I force it down. I'm pure ecto - never eat once I'm full and can never eat that much. However, I do have the will power to overcome this.

I've already been on my new routine/diet for 1 week, and I'm very pleased with myself. Diet and Workout Routine to Follow in a second to avoid this post going on forever and easier to analyze.

[smu2]

THE DIET

Haven’t figured out all the calories and whatnot yet, but basically its 5-6 meals a day of whatever I can stuff down my throat. I only drink water outside of a Powerade after lifting, and don’t have any junk really except for maybe some sort of dessert after dinner.

9am:
Ham/Cheese/Tomato Omelet or 2 fried eggs/ham/cheese on a bagel
3 glasses of milk
bowl of cereal with milk.

12pm:
Either a turkey/cheese/lettuce/tomato/Mayo sandwich or if there are good hot food options available (like a double cheese burger w/ cheese off the grill)
3 glasses milk
bowl of cereal w/ milk.

3pm: Turkey/cheese/lettuce/tomato/Mayo sandwich.

6pm: I'm in a frat so I have whatever there, always meats and carbs, very good dinners.

9pm: leftovers from dinner.

12am: either a can of soup or something, I have to work with whatever in my room - I really need to hit the supermarket.

I have followed this diet strictly since Monday of last week, and this is a huge success considering before I would usually eat only lunch and dinner and that’d be it (and not a lot of food at both).

I'm not incorporating protein shakes or creatine into my diet yet for post lifting, but I will when I feel I hit a plateau as far as gains go.

After doing this diet for a week, I’ve gone from ~156 to ~160 (though I weighed myself after I had finished dinner, but – I think its going well.

[smu2]

THE WORKOUT

Now, I’m not sure if this workout is the best I could be doing right now, but I’m playing it safe as to let my shoulder gradually get stronger, as it is very weak after recovering from tendonitis. Maybe I should be doing more reps and sets per body part since I’m not lifting heavy anymore OR going to failure, but –eh, I think its going well right now and I don’t want to take any chances. I will ease the weight up and lower the reps as I go on.

Monday:
Back/Traps (Everything is 12/10/8/8/8)
Seated Cable Rows
Lat Pull Down
Bent-over Rows
Dumbbell Shrugs

--- Yes, no deadlifts this time around – yet…

Tuesday:
Shoulders/Triceps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Side Laterals
French Press
Cable Push Down

Wednesday:
Legs/Calves
Squats
Ham Curls
Leg Extensions
Seated Calf Raises
45 Degree Calf Raises

Thursday:
Biceps/Abs
Dumbbell Curls
Hammer Curls
Decline Sit-ups (3 sets of 25)
Weighted Sit-ups
Leg Raises (3 sets of 25)

Friday:
Chest
Dumbbell Flat Bench
Dumbbell Incline Bench
Dumbbell Decline Bench

Now, this workout takes me about an hour, which is pretty short since its not as intense, so I’m not sure if I should be increasing the exercises or number of sets done. Anyone’s thoughts?

[smu2]

The first logged workout - this is officially the beginning. I thought it went well, even though I leave the gym with something to be desired from the lower intensity.

Monday:

BACK/TRAPS
Seated Cable Rows:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 40/55/70/70/70 respec.

Lat Pull Down:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 55/70/85/85/85 respec.

Bent-Over Rows:

12/10/8/8/8 @ 45/55/60/70/80 (INCREASE)
Dumbbell Shrugs:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 15/20/25/25/25

I might add another trap exercise like barbell shrugs next weak, depending on the shoulder.

Diet went as according to plan. However, its 12 and I dont have much food in my room, and I'm actually pretty hungry. I think I've finally adapted to the new diet.

[smu2]

Tuesday:

Shoulder/Tris
Dumbbell Shoulder Press:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 10/10/15/15/15 respec.

Side Laterals:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 7.5/7.5/7.5/7.5/7.5 respec.

French Press:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 15/25/25/25/25 (INCREASE)

Cable Press Down:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 40/50/50/40/40

A very good workout, the french press killed my tris. I learned that controlling the weight both up and down is a lot better for my joints.

[smu2]

Wednesday:

Legs/Calves
Squats:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 10/20/30/40/50 (+bar)respec. INCREASE

Leg Extentions:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 50/60/70/70/70 INCREASE respec.

Ham Curls:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 55/55/65/65/65 INCREASE

Seated Calf Raises:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 90/100/110/110/110 (Increase 10)

Pretty good workout, Im not into legs as much as other body parts, but I feel that I have to do them.

[smu2]

Thursday:

Biceps/Abs
Dumbbell Curls:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 12.5/15/17.5/17.5/17.5 respec.

Hammer Curls:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 10/12.5/15/15/15 respec.

Decline Situps:
25/25/25

Leg Raises:
25/25/25

(I have to leave before I could do my weight sit ups sets, so I'm going to do them tomorrow. My biceps feel great though.

[Klinger]

Originally Posted by smu2

Now, this workout takes me about an hour, which is pretty short since its not as intense, so I’m not sure if I should be increasing the exercises or number of sets done. Anyone’s thoughts?

An hour is good. You're not going to reap a lot of benefits beyond those 60 minutes. I'd stick with it if it is working.

French press used to wreck my shoulder. Try lying DB extensions if the same happens to you.

Good luck on the comeback trail. :

[smu2]

Thanks Klinger - I think what wrecked my shoulder last time was just going waaaaay too heavy that I was sacrificing form on most of my exercises and ended up putting my shoulder into awkward situations. I think what put the nail in the coffin was going WAY to heavy on rear laterals - I still remember getting a sharp pain in my shoulder on the last reps of some sets, but pushing through since I was almost done... I guess I've learned my lesson.

[jgriffith]

Why arent you doing your deadlifts! Do them! You'll need a pretty good excuse to get me off your back haha.

[smu2]

Friday:

Chest
Dumbbell Flat Bench:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 15/17.5/20/20/20 respec.

Dumbbell Incline Bench:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 15/17.5/20/20/20 respec.

Dumbbell Decline Bench:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 15/17.5/20/20/20

So I was trying to do perfect form, but I still felt that my shoulder was being slightly aggrevated. Nothing at all to worry about - but I just felt something. I then realized that, even though I wasnt trying to, I was going too wide with the weights causing a slight awkward motion with my shoulder. I fixed it, and felt really good. Im going to up the weights next week a bit.

About the deadlifts - the gym at my school is so right now (all the new years resolutioners or something, I dont know) that there is no way Id have any room to do deadlifts. Now after that excuse, I also hate deadlifts,and want to get my routine underway before I start doing them :P

~Smu

[smu2]

Well, today I tried to up the weights a bit even though my shoulder felt a little funny after doing bench on friday. This probably wasn't the best idea. I didnt hurt it or anything, but theirs just a small level of discomfort that, even though it doesnt really bother me, I can just tell its there. Will my shoulder ever heal? Its so frustrating...

Monday:

BACK/TRAPS
Seated Cable Rows:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 40/55/70/70/70 respec.

Lat Pull Down:
12/10/8/8/8 @ 55/70/85/85/85 respec. (Changed form to hit lats more, but its seems to put more stress on my shoulder) I'm going to decrease the weight and keep the form because I feel it really hitting my lats).

Bent-Over Rows:

12/10/8/8/8 @ 60/65/75/75/75 seems fine

Ive been getting down to the gym lately which is bad, and today I missed doing traps because it was closing. I'll do them later this week and am going to try to go down anywhere between 12 and 3 from now on. I also missed 2 meals today which I'm not thrilled about. Oh well...

[smu2]

well, my shoulder was really bothering me this morning, so I did some research online and learned how to counter tendonitis in your shoulder. So, when I had tendonitis back in sept and went to PT, I thought the medication alone would leave my shoulder good as new. They gave me some exercises to do, but I poo pooed them.

Well, I learned that when you have tendonitis in your shoulder, your shoulder becomes weak, and the only way to ever get your str back is rotator cuff exercises. So, I'm postponing my lifting routine *though Im staying on my bulk diet to maintain my muscle and* and am going to do rotator cuff exercises once a day five days a week, ice three times a day and take 3 doses of advil 3 times a day. I'm going to do this for a month to six weeks and see what happens - it should be in great shape by then. I'm going to keep doing rotator cuff exercises too, because the strong my cuffs are, the heavier I can lift (Max-OT again, yes!). I'm realizing though it sucks to stop lifting again, I really need to get my shoulder back to normal or better.

I'm going to keep doing abs 3 times a week hardcore, and will update often about my shoulder.

~Smu2