JRSAC's 2012 Transformation Competition log

[JRSAC]

Age: 22
Sex: M
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 185lbs (will try to get BF tested soon)

My main goal for the next 3 months is to get stronger, so I'm going to be doing mostly compound movements and focusing on improving those lifts. I'm hoping that in the process of getting stronger, I'll be able to pack on new muscle and shed some of the BF I've accumulated in the last year (2011 was a very inactive year for me).

Right now I'm doing a 2-day split:
A: deadlifts, squats, calf raises, and some plyometrics
B: BB bench press, military press, bent-over row, chinups/pullups

I'm also doing some core/ab exercises every workout and HIIT once a week on the stationary bike.

As for diet, I'm eating a meal about every 2.5 hours, with snacks in between and lots of water all day. I try to keep most (60-75%) of my carbs complex (brown rice, oats, wheat bread/pasta), and most of my protein sources lean (turkey, chicken, fish, etc). I get a good amount of healthy fats in my diet via olive oil, fatty fish, PB, and other nuts. I drink more milk than anybody I know (3/4-1 gal a day) and though I'm not the biggest fan of eggs, I've been forcing myself to eat them for one meal a day. The only supplements I'm currently taking are a daily men's multi (NOW Adam brand) and Omega-3 fish oil for the EPA/DHA.

I'm hoping this log will keep me motivated to lift hard, eat right, and grow! I'll get pictures up asap... I took them with the spoon in my right hand like a dumb*** so I've gotta re-do em. Good luck to everyone!

 

[JRSAC]

Did my upper body workout today:

Military press (standing, BB): 45lbx15, 65x10, 75x10, 75x10, 85x8
Bent-over row: 45x15, 65x10, 75x10, 85x10, 95x10
BB bench press: 2 warmup sets, 135x10, 135x10, 145x7
Incline dumbell bench: 50lb dumbells x 6 (just one set to finish off my chest after benching)
chinups: BWx8, BWx5
Lat pulldowns: 130x10, 150x8

I've been doing sets of around ten reps, but am going to switch to a 5x5-type routine in the near future. This was only my 2nd time doing bent-over rows and military presses, and they felt much less awkward today (especially the rows). I'm getting my back very close to parallel to the floor on the rows, so I think the hip/glute stretching I've been doing is paying off. Til next time...

 

[dmk777]

Good luck and impressive workout!!

 

[sterolizer]

Good luck!

 

[johnnyrockit8665]

Looks good bro! yeah make sure its the left hand lol

Good Luck its gonna be a fun ride!

 

[JRSAC]

I did deadlifts and squats today, and the deep squats are starting to feel much more natural for me (I've only done them a handful of times so far).

Squats: 95lbx10, 115x10, 135x10, 155x10, 165x10
Deadlifts: 135x10, 225x8, 315x3, 325x2, 315x2 (the 325x2 was a PR for me so I didn't try for a 1RM)
Seated calf raises: 90x20, 90x20, 90x15
2 sets of 10 reps of BW squats w/vertical leap

It was a short workout but I can't imagine doing a ton of volume after squats/deads on the same day, and it felt great to add some more weight to the squats. I can't wait to start squatting heavy but I'm taking the advice of everyone on here and going slow since they're new to me.

On another note, how did you guys get your pictures posted here? I have them on my computer, but do I need to get them up on a image hosting site like photobucket or something similar, or is there a way to post them directly through EF? I don't have a platinum membership yet.

 

[JRSAC]

I'm also wondering how many of you use a foam roller regularly? I've been using one for a month now and I really think it helps with soreness/recovery... what are your experiences, if any? I roll on my quads (both at once), my iliotibial band (outside of thighs, one at a time), my calves (both at once), and my back (to help with thoracic spine extension and to "decompress" my spine). I also roll on each side of my pelvis (don't know what muscle it is but it runs only a few inches from the bottom to the top of the pelvis on the side), and lay on the roller (parallel to my spine) as a base for stretching my pecs/anterior delts. Are there any exercises I'm missing that would be beneficial for lifting?

 

[JRSAC]

let's hope this works, I'm barely makin it in time lol

 

[JRSAC]

last workout was on Wednesday, I havent had the time to post til now:

preworkout meal (1.5-2hrs before gym): 2 pieces of wheat/nut bread and 3 large eggs, 16oz 2% milk, 8oz fresh squeezed OJ, and 2 caps of the GEAR I recently bought (the ntbm supplement, not AAS).

5 min of fast walking and 5 min of light jogging on the treadmill to warm up a bit

military press (BB): 10x45, 10x65, 10x75, 8x85, 6x95
bent-over rows: 10x45, 10x75, 10x95, 8x105
BB bench press: 2 warmups @ 12x45lb, then 10x135, 8x145, 5x155, 3x165, followed by a set of 8 reps @95 lbs pushed as explosively as possible
chinups: BWx8, BWx6 followed by a static hold til failure
reverse-grip lat pulldowns: 130x10, 140x10, 150x8

foam rolling, ab/core exercises (planks and 2 others i wouldn't know what to call), stretching, sauna

PWO shake: 40g whey/milk isolate protein, 36g carbs (maltodextrin), 3g fat, plus 3 caps of GEAR

PWO meal (60-90 min after workout): .5lb turkey on 2 pieces of whole wheat bread with this amazing chili & garlic spicy mustard, handful of raw spinach drizzled in olive oil, 16oz 2% milk, 2 caps GEAR

My lower back hasn't recovered from lifting heavy furniture all day yesterday, so I'm waiting until tomorrow to do squats and deadlifts.

 

[zedhed]

Hey bro nice start to you log here.
Would you plz do me a favour and post up your entire workout? Just wanna see where your heading with it bro.
Good luck to you and best regards.

 

[JRSAC]

Hey bro nice start to you log here.
Would you plz do me a favour and post up your entire workout? Just wanna see where your heading with it bro.
Good luck to you and best regards.

hey, im not exactly sure what else you want me to post up, I probably need to get a more strict workout plan set in stone. I'm doing lower body one day (concentrating on squats/deads), and upper body another (BB bench, military press, bentover row, chinups/pullups). I'm doing higher reps (10ish) with most of the lifts since I'm new to them, but am working down to 5 rep sets by the 4th week (as was suggested to me in the log I started just before this). Would you recommend I change what I'm doing radically? Maybe you could help me put together a good 5x5 to stick with? All i know is that I want to incorporate squats, deadlifts, bb bench, OH/military press, rows, and chinups into my workouts, and I'm thinking I should probably figure out a way to split it up 3 days rather than 2.

 

[zedhed]

Ok bro basically you have it. But if you would like it already laid out for you then go here.

StrongLifts 5x5: Ultimate Strength & Muscle Building Program | StrongLifts.com

That is one awsome and results getting program! IMO you cant beat it.
But...you have to follow it to the letter. You could add in one excersize for bies and tries if you wanna.

Also you are a big guy so you MUST have a big but CLEAN diet.
If you want diet help then pm RADAR and he will get you set str8 in no time.
So check out that link and think about it and post up.
Looking forward to seeing you reach your goal bro with best of luck.

 

[brittneyleigh79]

Keep it up man!!

Brittneyleigh79

 

[JRSAC]

K so I'd like to keep doing bentover rows instead of switching to inverted rows, making the workouts like this:
Workout 1:
Squats 5x5
Bench 5x5
Bentover rows 5x5
Pushups 3xfailure
Reverse crunches 3x12

Workout 2:
Squat 5x5
OH press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pullups/chinups 3xfailure
Prone bridges 3x30sec

I have a few thoughts/questions, the first being that the ab exercises seem a little light. I'm currently doing 60sec prone bridges after every workout (along with other core exercises), so I would like to start at 3x60sec rather than 30sec. 3x12 also seems a little easy, so I'm thinking I should raise the reps to somewhere between 15-20.

Keeping in mind that I've been practicing these lifts for a month or more already, would you recommend starting with just the bar, or testing my 5RMs and then lowering them by 30% and using that as a starting point? I'm afraid that starting over with just the bar will not only hinder my gains for the first month or so, but also sap my motivation if I feel like I'm not getting a good enough workout.

Thanks for the support, and I'll send RADAR a PM tonight to get some advice on my diet.

 

[zedhed]

K so I'd like to keep doing bentover rows instead of switching to inverted rows, making the workouts like this:
Workout 1:
Squats 5x5
Bench 5x5
Bentover rows 5x5
Pushups 3xfailure Ok for now but you will soon be dropping these. You will see why...
Reverse crunches 3x12 Ok if you wanna do em. But keep in mind that Squats and DLs also build pretty dam nice abs. Most peeps dont know that btw.

Workout 2:
Squat 5x5
OH press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pullups/chinups 3xfailure Make it just chinups bro. This way you get excellent and additional bicep work in. The bent over rows also work the hell out of your biceps.
Prone bridges 3x30sec Up to you bro.

I have a few thoughts/questions, the first being that the ab exercises seem a little light. I'm currently doing 60sec prone bridges after every workout (along with other core exercises), so I would like to start at 3x60sec rather than 30sec. 3x12 also seems a little easy, so I'm thinking I should raise the reps to somewhere between 15-20.
As long as you have the energy to do em then fine. BUT the 5x5 becomes extremely intensive when you hit the mid point. At that time if you feel like its too much then dont be afraid to just drop them out completely.

Keeping in mind that I've been practicing these lifts for a month or more already, would you recommend starting with just the bar, or testing my 5RMs and then lowering them by 30% and using that as a starting point? I'm afraid that starting over with just the bar will not only hinder my gains for the first month or so, but also sap my motivation if I feel like I'm not getting a good enough workout.
Ok Im kinda saying this with misgivings. Lets try 30%< your 5 rpe max. Most likely you will need to reset your weights later on but I do see your point here. And even with a resset your results are gonna be awsome.

Thanks for the support, and I'll send RADAR a PM tonight to get some advice on my diet.

I think RADAR may be MIA for now, so maybe see if our bud Gym Junkie will help out if you dont get a resopnse from RADAR.
Good luck bro and Kill That Shit!

 

[JRSAC]

I only included the pushups and bridges/crunches because they were in the Stronglifts 5x5 routine in that link. I assume you mean that the pushups will just become impossible to do once I start benching heavier... I'll drop them and the ab exercises if I feel like they're too much when the weight gets heavier on the main lifts. It'll be good for me to start following a more long-term plan and I've heard nothing but great things from guys who have done 5x5 routines, so I'm pumped to see how this goes!

I didn't post my last workout yet... I don't remember the exact reps/weight I did for every single set but I lifted 315x4 (a PR) on my last set of deadlifts and squatted 185x6 after 4 sets of 155-165x10. Next time I'm in the gym I'll be testing my 5RM for all the exercises in my new 5x5 routine, so I can calculate where to set my starting weights.

How does 2x5 deadlifts sound instead of 1x5, at least until the squats start to get heavy? I reeeally like deadlifting and would hate to only do one set a week lol, but I know that I'll be squatting a LOT so more than one set could be overkill when things start to get rougher. I also need my squat and other lifts to catch up a little since I started deadlifting before squatting/rowing/OHpressing, and my hamstrings/glutes are stronger than my quads right now as a result. I think I have a problem... I might be addicted to deadlifting

 

[johnnyrockit8665]

looks like Zed has got you covered in here bro! I think you will really like that 5x5!

 

[zedhed]

I only included the pushups and bridges/crunches because they were in the Stronglifts 5x5 routine in that link. I assume you mean that the pushups will just become impossible to do once I start benching heavier... I'll drop them and the ab exercises if I feel like they're too much when the weight gets heavier on the main lifts. It'll be good for me to start following a more long-term plan and I've heard nothing but great things from guys who have done 5x5 routines, so I'm pumped to see how this goes!
Bro we all be pumped for you n this. Prepare to be amazed, just like everybody else has been!

I didn't post my last workout yet... I don't remember the exact reps/weight I did for every single set but I lifted 315x4 (a PR) on my last set of deadlifts and squatted 185x6 after 4 sets of 155-165x10. Next time I'm in the gym I'll be testing my 5RM for all the exercises in my new 5x5 routine, so I can calculate where to set my starting weights.
LOL dude! Take a tablet and pen to the gym with you and write everything down.

How does 2x5 deadlifts sound instead of 1x5, at least until the squats start to get heavy? I reeeally like deadlifting and would hate to only do one set a week lol, but I know that I'll be squatting a LOT so more than one set could be overkill when things start to get rougher. I also need my squat and other lifts to catch up a little since I started deadlifting before squatting/rowing/OHpressing, and my hamstrings/glutes are stronger than my quads right now as a result. I think I have a problem... I might be addicted to deadlifting

Ok then lets do this. Put in a DL session in place of one squat session. The weight that you are doing in the deadz will be massivly beneficial to you.
Enjoy bro!

 

[JRSAC]

I checked my 5RM for all these lifts on Friday, here are the numbers:
Squat 5x205
Bench 5x160
Bentover Row 5x125
OH Press 5x100
Deadlifts 5x285

Today was my first 5x5 workout (slightly less than 70% my 5RMs):

Squats 5x5x135
Bench 5x5x105
Bentover Rows 5x5x80
Reverse Crunches 3x15

I'm just going to leave out the pushups, I want to concentrate on benching and I know I'll have to drop them soon anyways like you said zed. Now am I supposed to be going every other day, or 3 times a week (giving myself a 2 day break once each weekend)?

So it begins...

 

[JRSAC]

Unfortunately i've been outta the gym since Sunday because I got an intense spasm in my middle back Monday from lifting 80-100lb bags of dirt all day, but I went in today and everything was OK during squats so I'm glad I let it heal before lifting again.

Here's what I did today (workout B):
Squat 5x5x140
OH Press 5x5x70
Deadlift 1x5x205
Chinups 11, 7, 5 (the most I've done so far is 8-9 reps so 11 is a decent improvement for me, but my endurance isn't very good for the 2nd and 3rd sets)
Prone Bridges 2x60sec

Diet has been pretty strict, I'm eating 3500 cals a day but as clean as possible, using the grocery list I got from gymjunkie:
protein
chicken breast
turkey breast
lean ground beef 93/7 (drained)
lean steak
eggs
egg whites
salmon.....also a good source of fats
any kind of white fish
2% milk

carbs
brown rice
potatos/sweet potatos
whole wheat pasta
oats
spinach
fruit....simple carb preworkout, no melon or grapes
any green leafy veggies really dont count these in your macros
quinoa

fats
extra virgin olive [URL="http://cheappinz.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2"]oil[/URL]
fish oils
flaxseed [URL="http://cheappinz.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2"]oil[/URL]
almonds/nuts.....no peanuts and unsalted
all natty pb

I'm using the above items, plus whey protein to get as close to 3500cals and 40/30/30 (P/C/F) ratio as I can (using a free online diet tool to get ratios). I've also started going on long, brisk walks with the dog first thing in the AM on an empty stomach every non-workout day.

 

[moya]

good game plan... youre killing those chinups, i hate doing those even though i know i should...

 

[zedhed]

Yeah man I hate chinups too. No matter how much I do them I can still onll get around 8 in a set.....

 

[JRSAC]

Yeah the chinups are my least favorite exercise by far, I DREAD putting my hands on that bar and hauling all 185 lbs up there lol... my forearms/biceps are killing me today and I know rows are gonna suck, but I'm trusting the routine and hoping my conditioning will improve so I'm not so sore after each workout. Off to the gym now, I'll edit this post with my workout when I get back:

Squats 5x5x145 (really tried to go ATG instead of just parallel or a little below parallel... my hip mobility is improving slowly)
Bench 5x5x110
Bent over row 5x5x85
Pushups 3xf (40, 25, 19)
Prone bridges 2x60sec (I'm doing these both workouts since they train the core to provide stability during other lifts rather than just flexion like the crunches)

I had taken out the pushups on my 1st workout because my chest was beat from testing my 5RMs a couple days before, but I decided today to keep them in until the benching gets heavier so I still get a good chest workout. Squats are really starting to grow on me as I do them more... thanks again zed and gymjunkie and everyone else who's been helping me get my training and diet dialed in, I really appreciate it!

 

[JRSAC]

Squat 5x5x150
OH Press 5x5x75 (I'm actually doing military press w/ my feet together while the weight is low enough for me to balance it easily, will switch to OHP stance when it gets harder)
Deadlift 1x5x215
Chinups 3xf (12, 8, 6)
prone bridges 2x60 sec

I'm stoked I got another rep on the chinups, I barely squeezed it out tho so I doubt I'll be able to get 13 next time. At what point should I start doing weighted chinups? After I can hit 15 on the first set, or 10 on the last set or something? Or should I just stick with 3xf BW no matter what

 

[JRSAC]

I've been trying to get better hip flexibility so I can go ATG on my squats w/o rounding my lower back, and today I discovered that it's much easier for me to maintain a strong back when I place my feet closer together. I've been using a wide stance up until now, and my lower back always wants to round at the very bottom (below parallel)... just like in the #1 Squat Rx video in the "squat help" thread in the weightlifting forum. I have to really concentrate and contract my spinal erectors hard to keep a healthy arch and not round. On my last set today I tried more of an olypmic-style squat with my feet closer together, and I had no trouble keeping my back straight even though I went lower than I could have with a wide stance. Anyone else find it easier to go low and maintain a straight back with a narrower stance? It felt more natural, but my knees did go out past my toes. I've heard from some people that you never want your knees to go over your toes, but I'm not sure if that's one of those BS rules like "never go below parallel." From the videos I've watched on narrow-stance, Olympic-style squats, it seems like it's normal for the knees to go out a little farther, assuming you angle your foot the same direction your knee is traveling in. anyways...

Squats 5x5x155
Bench 5x5x115
Bentover Rows 5x5x90
Pushups 3xf (47, 29, 28) <---took a longer rest b4 the last set
prone bridges 2x60sec


*just did some more reading, and it makes sense that when you force your chins to be perpendicular to the floor (as in a powerlifting squat), it requires your hips to be more flexible to make up the difference. Whereas with an olympic squat, ankle flexion is much greater, allowing me to keep a neutral spine without stretching my hips as hard as possible. If I'm wrong and knees over toes =bad form, PLEASE correct me so I don't mess up my knees... but for now I'm going to transition to olympic squats since they feel much more natural to me.

 

[gymjunkie09]

Yeah the chinups are my least favorite exercise by far, I DREAD putting my hands on that bar and hauling all 185 lbs up there lol... my forearms/biceps are killing me today and I know rows are gonna suck, but I'm trusting the routine and hoping my conditioning will improve so I'm not so sore after each workout. Off to the gym now, I'll edit this post with my workout when I get back:

Squats 5x5x145 (really tried to go ATG instead of just parallel or a little below parallel... my hip mobility is improving slowly)
Bench 5x5x110
Bent over row 5x5x85
Pushups 3xf (40, 25, 19)
Prone bridges 2x60sec (I'm doing these both workouts since they train the core to provide stability during other lifts rather than just flexion like the crunches)

I had taken out the pushups on my 1st workout because my chest was beat from testing my 5RMs a couple days before, but I decided today to keep them in until the benching gets heavier so I still get a good chest workout. Squats are really starting to grow on me as I do them more... thanks again zed and gymjunkie and everyone else who's been helping me get my training and diet dialed in, I really appreciate it!

Pullups are the shit, all you need is a bar bro....Google "the bartenders" those dudes are crazy

 

[dmk777]

All peeps are different when comes to squats anyway with different body shapes sizes etc. it's whatever suits you best !
Looking awesome in here

Keep up the hard work !!

 

[JRSAC]

Thanks for the support! I'm really glad I joined EF, it's been such a good motivator for me (not to mention a treasure trove of info on training, diet, supps, etc). Here's todays workout:

Squats 5x5x160
OH Press 5x5x80
Deadlift 1x5x225
Chinups 3xf (12, 9, 7) <--aaalmost got 13 on the 1st set, but didn't quite get up there. I'm pretty confident I can hit 13 next time tho
prone bridges 2x60sec
hanging leg raises 2x15 (threw these in mostly just to decompress my spine after squats/deads)

Time for some halibut, sweet potatoes, and green beans for my PWO meal! yummmm. I also just started taking Bridge (3 caps/day) and Forma (5 pumps am/5 pumps pm)... hoping the bridge will help me recover between workouts, especially as the weights start to get heavier.

 

[JRSAC]

Today's workout:
Squats 5x5x165
Bench 5x5x120
Rows 5x5x95
Pushups (49, 30, 26)
prone bridges 2x60sec

 

[JRSAC]

Squats 5x5x170
OH press 5x5x85
Deadlift 1x5x235
Chinups (13, 10, 8)
prone bridges 2x60sec

I can tell the OH Press will be the first lift I stall on... as soon as I do I'll pick up some fractional plates so I can add 2.5 instead of 5 lbs each time.

 

[JRSAC]

I've been pretty busy this week so I haven't been able to get online much, but here's my workout from Tuesday:

Squats 5x5x175
Bench 5x5x125
Rows 5x5x100
Pushups (50, 36, 31)
hanging leg raises 2x15
prone bridges 2x60sec

My hands are a mess right now... one of my calluses is starting to rip and I have a burn on my palm sooo here's to hoping I don't start bleeding all over the barbell at 24 hour fitness lol

 

[JRSAC]

Unfortunately I just had a 5 day hiatus from lifting, I was up at Lake Tahoe for a few days and just been busy lately... I got in some cardio sessions but had no access to barbells/weights so it felt good to lift again today. I had to work in with a guy using the squat rack so I just did sets of 185 (the weight he was using) instead of the 180 I had planned on.

Squats 5x5x185
OH press 5x5x90
Deadlift 1x5x245
Chinups (13.5, 10, 8) <--- I want to call it at 14 on that 1st set but I'd be kidding myself as I didn't quite get all the way up, so unfortunately no improvement this time on chins. =(

 

[zedhed]

You must go here and read this.

Is JohnnyRockit still doing this? URGENT ALL CONTESTANTS MUST READ!