MM107's Bulking/Progress Thread w/ Pics

[SgtSlaughter]

Lats are hawt ...
Sorry I just had to make that clear

You know where to find them

 

[mm107]

lmao, i actually meant LATs more than TRAPS.

But thanks SRG!

Im going to incorporate Close Grib Benching into my Tricep workout.

Tricep workout

SkullCrushers
CloseGrib Bench
Overhead Extensions
V Bar push downs
DIPS

Thats in my arsenal for now.

Thanks Sarge Long time no come in here glad to have ya post up.
Bunnz, yea really like LATS? GOOD, alot of people i know down, glad to have a normal person around lol

 

[SgtSlaughter]

lmao, i actually meant LATs more than TRAPS.
But thanks SRG!
Im going to incorporate Close Grib Benching into my Tricep workout.
Tricep workout
SkullCrushers
CloseGrib Bench
Overhead Extensions
V Bar push downs
DIPS
Thats in my arsenal for now.
Thanks Sarge Long time no come in here glad to have ya post up.
Bunnz, yea really like LATS? GOOD, alot of people i know down, glad to have a normal person around lol

I LOVE shrugs... hard and heavy up to 405 somedays...haven't gone heavier yet.

Yeah Skullies are great did a drop set of them last night as u can see in my log... I like the cambered bar for them, just a more "natural" feel for me. Go with what works!

Hey... give reverse grip - close grip bench a try too for more variety

Subscribed... I'll be visiting more, you're doing well bro kept at it!!!

 

[mm107]

PIC UPDATES! APRIL 23, 2006.
Weight 193 on home scale.
Friday April 21, 2006 Workout


ALL Numbers are Numbers of Last Set(preety much the last set, sometimes i will do 225x3, then do 205x5 because i just jump in w/ my partner for more reps)


Chest + Triceps

Chest
Flat Bench: 225x3
Flat Bench w/ Green Bands: 145x5
Inclince Dumbells: 80x5

Triceps
Close Grip Bench: 135x5
Reverse Grip Bench:125x5
Skull Crushers: 100x5
Tricep Kickbacks: 25x10

We did some other workouts for the triceps since we were really trying to kill them.(just cant remember because it was on Friday)

SATURDAY WORKOUT

Back Day
Deadlift: Did 4 Sets of 309, w/ 5 Reps.
Dumbell Row: 45lbs x 10
Seated Cable Rows:150x7
Bent Over Barbell Row:85x7

Really Killed Back Day I was drained as hell from the DEADLIFTS. Correct form, ass down, pull through heals. Im going to bring in my camera so you guys can check my form.


SUNDAY WORKOUT

BICEPS+ABS(i would have done only abs, but i missed biceps on back day)

Bicep
Standing Barbell curls: 70x10 80x7 90x7 90x5
Seated Concentration Dumbell Curls: 25x10 30x10 35x7 40x5
21's w/ 50lbs: 4 Sets

Abs
Hyperextension Chair w/ Bands: Green Band x 50 (3 times) Blue Band x 50
Leg Lifts in the Royal Chair w/ 3lbs on Feet: 25 reps X 4
Swiss ball work: 25 to right oblique, 25 to left oblique, 25 crunches X 4
Leg Lifts holding Partners Ancles while he throw my feet back down: x 2
Torso Chair: 100lbs x 15 Four Times

Really Killed Abs!

Hey guys/gals! Finally got some more pics up again. Last pics were about 2 weeks ago. Here are some Pics!

MISC PICS W/ Shirt

Chest Shots:

Right Bicep

Left Bicep

Back

Legs

Stupid Pose(pointing at my iguana, but hes higher then the pic)

Thanks for any input on the thread! Really appreciate ALL the comments/criticism/etc.

 

[BiggT]

You look good, man. Lean and solid with good size, especially the quads.

Nice work on the deadlift, I think your body will respond well to the volume, plus you're young enough that recovery will be no issue.

With the tris, I missed your bench post a page or two ago....with my workouts, I like one solid eercise with plenty of volume, for example, 5 or 6 sets of either close-grips, or reverse grips or dips, just one movement, but make it count, and then you can do 1 extra thing if you want (it is totally unnecessary) but mentally if you want to leave the gym with your tris feeling blown up, some higher rep skull crushers or pushdowns are okay as long as they don't tap into recovery for the stuff that really counts (your pressing).

Also, if you want a big bench, a thick, strong upper back is a must. The deads are great, so are shrugs, and row your ass off, but I would scrap the cable rows, they really just like trying to cram 10lbs of shit in a 5lb bag, totally unecessary. I'd do one type of row (barbell is best) but stick to one type of row and get good at it, your back has no choice but to grow. A good thing to shoot for is to get your barbell row up to 80% of your flat bench or better.

Great work though.....did you decide on whether or not you're cutting. If you want my opinion, you're lean, definitely lean enough. If you want ab veins and the like, then you do what you need to do.....but I think you're plenty lean, and you can maintain this bodyfat and consistently make strength gains and continue to grow muscle.

 

[mm107]

You look good, man. Lean and solid with good size, especially the quads.

Nice work on the deadlift, I think your body will respond well to the volume, plus you're young enough that recovery will be no issue.

With the tris, I missed your bench post a page or two ago....with my workouts, I like one solid eercise with plenty of volume, for example, 5 or 6 sets of either close-grips, or reverse grips or dips, just one movement, but make it count, and then you can do 1 extra thing if you want (it is totally unnecessary) but mentally if you want to leave the gym with your tris feeling blown up, some higher rep skull crushers or pushdowns are okay as long as they don't tap into recovery for the stuff that really counts (your pressing). I Like to feel my tricpes explode, except i really dont get them to that point, i try, but after 5 mins, they seem to feel normal again, nothing like failure like the biceps or shoulders,etc. Just started really doing close grip bench, as well. Def will mix them up(reverse grip & close grip), but i want to hit the DIPS EVERY workout, DIPS do burn me out, i can still only do Bodyweight Dips for 10. Im prob gonna throw on a 25lb weight today see how i do. Ill need another 2-3 weeks. To really get my triceps caught up.
Also, if you want a big bench, a thick, strong upper back is a must. The deads are great, so are shrugs, and row your ass off, but I would scrap the cable rows, they really just like trying to cram 10lbs of shit in a 5lb bag, totally unecessary. I'd do one type of row (barbell is best) but stick to one type of row and get good at it, your back has no choice but to grow. A good thing to shoot for is to get your barbell row up to 80% of your flat bench or better. I Read on the PowerLifting Forum that Bench pressing affects your Triceps,LATS, PECs in that order, i never knew that the LATS were important as they are. Just started throwing serious LAT work into my regimine, hopefully my bench jumps too. Only really started hitting LATS Last workout, so gimme 2-3 weeks to really get them caught up.
Great work though.....did you decide on whether or not you're cutting. If you want my opinion, you're lean, definitely lean enough. If you want ab veins and the like, then you do what you need to do.....but I think you're plenty lean, and you can maintain this bodyfat and consistently make strength gains and continue to grow muscle. Still not 100% sure, i know im kinda lean already Thanks for the compliment, but i just love having abs for summer time, so im gonna cut back on the Cals, up my cardio on OFF days. Im not gonna go from 3500 Cals, to 2000, im thinking 2800 MAX. But around 2600-2650. My cutting will have no CHEATS, untill i really crave one, but will be all preplanned serious cutter. Not too long, maybe 2-3 week cutter(wich should be all i need really to get to see my abs.) The only thing stopping me from cutting is the strenght gains im having, still havnt platued toooo much yet, so still pondering. Might be nice to switch things up, go w/ some hypertrophy traing while cutting. or do you think my PL style is still best?

=]

Thanks BiggT Really appreciate it!

 

[BiggT]

Honestly, in my opinion, powerlifting/strength routines (provided they are not in a heavily neural rep range) have always been better for hypertrophy than a true 'hypertrophy routine'. Obviously singles, doubles and triples with max weight aren't the best for hypertrophy, adding considerable weight to your 5 or 8 rep max on a compound lift will grow muscle better than any crazy, overcomplicated routine.

Getting good at a squat, a pull, and a press in a non-neural (anything above 3 reps is non-neural) rep range is as good as it gets for growth if you ask me. You can pick 5's or 7's or 8's or whatever, but pushing those core lifts is what will get you big. If you deadlift 309x5 now, and in 6 months you deadlift 400x5, you will be more muscular, there is no way around it.

However, you need caloric surplus to grow, you don't have to be fat by any means, but you can't be in a caloric deficit and make progress in terms of gaining strength or growing muscle.

With the triceps, I suggested that extra exercise for the mental aspect of feeling 'pumped' when you leave the gym. Really, feeling pumped and blown out are not signs at all of growth, strength increase, or training progress.....it is just a nice mental thing to look and feel swollen. What will get you strong and grow your triceps is progressing in your close-grips. By all means, add weight to the dips, even if it knocks your reps down to 5's, build them to 10's again, then add more weight, and repeat.

 

[mm107]

BIGTT thanks for the help bro very good info.

Calories in vs calories out for cutting. Thats why i want to be on the bear minimum of a suprluss for cutting so i can still grow alittle. It all depends. My pics show change from last 2 weeks. Maybe stay at high calorie, and throw in ECA stack? Just fishing for ideas now.

 

[Tweakle]

2nd what Mr T has to say, thats a great post and that's the core of my training.. And strength based training is so much more satisfying than any other type

 

[BiggT]

BIGTT
Calories in vs calories out for cutting. Thats why i want to be on the bear minimum of a suprluss for cutting so i can still grow alittle. It all depends. My pics show change from last 2 weeks. Maybe stay at high calorie, and throw in ECA stack? Just fishing for ideas now.

I am not the most scientific guy out there with diet, I kind of know myself and have a good guage to guesstimate what I'm doing. Here is how I'd cut....

I'd cut out ALL sugar, no more simple carbs. I'd eat as much green veggies, beef, chicken, and fish as I want. My carb sources would be oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat pasta. The only thing I'd drink would be water.

I don't get fancy with training overhaul and all sorts of goofy cardio that will kill all weightroom progress. What I do is add in a morning session of LIGHT olympic lifting/situps/back hypers with absolute minimal rest between all sets, then I do my workout in the evening. I sprint once or twice a week after my squat workout, or I will throw around the shot if I have access to it through my friend who coaches HS track.

Before the AM session I have a whey shake with water and a serving of oatmeal......then I eat eggs and more oatmeal post-workout.

This lets me eat a lot of food, and the lack of long, slow, muscle eating cardio lets me still train at a hard level. I wake up at 5 to do the AM workout, then I train again after work, so I pass out by 9 or 10 PM and this keeps my social life and opportunities to fuck up my diet to a bare minimum, lol.