New Routine, New Diet...feels like I'm a beginner again

[Jonny_PileDrive]

So I recently changed my workout style to endurance rather than purely strength and power. I did this in response to aching joints, as to give them a bit of a break. I haven't worked out like this since I was in the military, and I forgot how much more painful it is!!! Goddamit, by the end of every set I feel like I'm being tortured. But its the best pain in the world.

This post is to get a little direction on good exercises/routines for this type

I just started this a couple weeks ago, so this is what I'm doing just to get my muscles in the zone

Day 1 - Back. 6 sets of 10/12 - Pull ups
6 sets of 15 - bent over bar bell row
6 sets of 15 - cable pull downs
5 sets of 15 - lower back extension

Day 2 - Chest - 6 sets of 30 - flat pushups
6 sets of 15 - cable cross over
5 sets of 15 - incline fly
5 sets of 20 - incline pushups

Day 3 - Rest

Day 4 - Arms So far, I've been doing 3 exercises for each - bicep and tricep. Each exercise is about 5 sets of 15.

Day 5 - Rest

Day 6 - Shoulders - 6 sets of 15 - dumbell press
6 sets of 20 - bent over fly
6 sets of 20 - dumbell shrugs
**I have to limit shoulder workouts. I've hurt both rotator cuffs at work. Sometimes I confuse the pain of working out with pain of my rotator cuff, so I have to limit my workouts to ensure I dont aggravate that area. Sometimes I sneak in an extra shoulder day with lighter exercises - front, side raises, rotator cuff extensions

Also, Instead of doing legs, I was doing lots of running and sprints. But I had to cut back on that due to knee and leg pain. Not sure what I shoudl do for legs?

I basically just adjusted my old routine to drop the weight and up the reps and sets. I hoep this type of workout wont put too much strain on the tendons from over use.

Anyone have any suggestsions to tweak this? Or is this type of routine sufficient. Maybe I should focus on the negative more with some exercises? And some balancing stuff, like a half squat, or holding amoderate weight in a certain position until failure.

As well, what kind of diet/calorie intake should I have? When I was focusing on power/building mass. I was taking 3 mass building shakes 3 x per day between my regular meals. So I was probably getting 3-4 thousand calories a day. Lots of BBQ chicken and steak, vegetables. Plus some pro hormones.

Since I'm still destroying my muscles and requiring repair, should I still keep my calorie and protein intake high?

Sorry for the long post, hope you guys can give some good insight! I dont want to end up hurting myself, but I want to maintain a proper routine.

THANKS!

 

[zedhed]

So I recently changed my workout style to endurance rather than purely strength and power. I did this in response to aching joints, as to give them a bit of a break. I haven't worked out like this since I was in the military, and I forgot how much more painful it is!!! Goddamit, by the end of every set I feel like I'm being tortured. But its the best pain in the world.
Hey bro, switching anything that drasticaly is always super tuff. Not only breaking what you have formed into a good habit but totally retraining your body and nervous system. Its tuff but if you put your mind to it you will succeed!


This post is to get a little direction on good exercises/routines for this type

I just started this a couple weeks ago, so this is what I'm doing just to get my muscles in the zone

Day 1 - Back. 6 sets of 10/12 - Pull ups
6 sets of 15 - bent over bar bell row
6 sets of 15 - cable pull downs
5 sets of 15 - lower back extension

Day 2 - Chest - 6 sets of 30 - flat pushups
6 sets of 15 - cable cross over
5 sets of 15 - incline fly
5 sets of 20 - incline pushups

Day 3 - Rest Good for you bro. You actually put a rest day in. Your bod and your mind need this.

Day 4 - Arms So far, I've been doing 3 exercises for each - bicep and tricep. Each exercise is about 5 sets of 15.
This is the only place that I would go against your established norm here. The biceps as you know is a small muscle group. Maybe consider 5x10-12?

Day 5 - Rest Again good!

Day 6 - Shoulders - 6 sets of 15 - dumbell press
6 sets of 20 - bent over fly
6 sets of 20 - dumbell shrugs
**I have to limit shoulder workouts. I've hurt both rotator cuffs at work. Sometimes I confuse the pain of working out with pain of my rotator cuff, so I have to limit my workouts to ensure I dont aggravate that area. Sometimes I sneak in an extra shoulder day with lighter exercises - front, side raises, rotator cuff extensions

Also, Instead of doing legs, I was doing lots of running and sprints. But I had to cut back on that due to knee and leg pain. Not sure what I shoudl do for legs? Maybe lunges and lighter weight high rep squats?

I basically just adjusted my old routine to drop the weight and up the reps and sets. I hoep this type of workout wont put too much strain on the tendons from over use. Have you considered low dose (theraputic doses) of deca bro. Meaning like <130 mg/week? If you decide to do this you must have dostinex on hand but most likely will not need it. Also there have been studies on deca proving it has very strong effects on conective tissues. If you want reading mtl on this let me know.

Anyone have any suggestsions to tweak this? Or is this type of routine sufficient. Maybe I should focus on the negative more with some exercises? And some balancing stuff, like a half squat, or holding amoderate weight in a certain position until failure. This and pylos..(sp) You might wanna toak to Moya about this. I know that he incorporates yoga into his power lifting life. Also you may wanna talk to Rick O Shea at NTBM about pylos and all of that kind of thing. Both gr8 bros and would be happy to help you out.

As well, what kind of diet/calorie intake should I have? When I was focusing on power/building mass. I was taking 3 mass building shakes 3 x per day between my regular meals. So I was probably getting 3-4 thousand calories a day. Lots of BBQ chicken and steak, vegetables. Plus some pro hormones.I think with the volume that you are now wokring with you will probably need nearly the same amount of cals. However you could probably get away with adding some fruit too if you like it.

Since I'm still destroying my muscles and requiring repair, should I still keep my calorie and protein intake high? Yes, but also need lots of water, fish oils and I would also recxommend Forged Joint.

Sorry for the long post, hope you guys can give some good insight! I dont want to end up hurting myself, but I want to maintain a proper routine.
All good questions bro hope the best for you and good luck!

THANKS!

Thats what we are all here for bro.

 

[ExtraMile]

So I recently changed my workout style to endurance rather than purely strength and power. I did this in response to aching joints, as to give them a bit of a break. I haven't worked out like this since I was in the military, and I forgot how much more painful it is!!! Goddamit, by the end of every set I feel like I'm being tortured. But its the best pain in the world.

This post is to get a little direction on good exercises/routines for this type

I just started this a couple weeks ago, so this is what I'm doing just to get my muscles in the zone

Day 1 - Back. 6 sets of 10/12 - Pull ups
6 sets of 15 - bent over bar bell row
6 sets of 15 - cable pull downs
5 sets of 15 - lower back extension

Day 2 - Chest - 6 sets of 30 - flat pushups
6 sets of 15 - cable cross over
5 sets of 15 - incline fly
5 sets of 20 - incline pushups

Day 3 - Rest

Day 4 - Arms So far, I've been doing 3 exercises for each - bicep and tricep. Each exercise is about 5 sets of 15.

Day 5 - Rest

Day 6 - Shoulders - 6 sets of 15 - dumbell press
6 sets of 20 - bent over fly
6 sets of 20 - dumbell shrugs
**I have to limit shoulder workouts. I've hurt both rotator cuffs at work. Sometimes I confuse the pain of working out with pain of my rotator cuff, so I have to limit my workouts to ensure I dont aggravate that area. Sometimes I sneak in an extra shoulder day with lighter exercises - front, side raises, rotator cuff extensions

Also, Instead of doing legs, I was doing lots of running and sprints. But I had to cut back on that due to knee and leg pain. Not sure what I shoudl do for legs?

I basically just adjusted my old routine to drop the weight and up the reps and sets. I hoep this type of workout wont put too much strain on the tendons from over use.

Anyone have any suggestsions to tweak this? Or is this type of routine sufficient. Maybe I should focus on the negative more with some exercises? And some balancing stuff, like a half squat, or holding amoderate weight in a certain position until failure.

As well, what kind of diet/calorie intake should I have? When I was focusing on power/building mass. I was taking 3 mass building shakes 3 x per day between my regular meals. So I was probably getting 3-4 thousand calories a day. Lots of BBQ chicken and steak, vegetables. Plus some pro hormones.

Since I'm still destroying my muscles and requiring repair, should I still keep my calorie and protein intake high?

Sorry for the long post, hope you guys can give some good insight! I dont want to end up hurting myself, but I want to maintain a proper routine.

THANKS!

Quite a lot wrong wrong here.

First of all, you want to build endurance, doing a bodybuilding split with 15 reps per set is not the way. I'm no endurance expert but I'm sure that is not how endurance athletes train.

You were taking 3 weight gain shakes per day and only clearing 3000-4000kcal per day - Sounds like your food intake isn't great.

You're asking for diet advice and you're running instead of training legs - sounds like you're still a beginner - which if fine, but you shouldn't be taking prohormones yet.

 

[Jonny_PileDrive]

Thanks for taking the time for a thorough review of my post Zed. I'd be curious in learning about about the Deca and Dostinex you mentioned. I'm going to adjust my arm workout like you suggested.

And as for Extra Mile, I appreciate your feedback, but I get the impression that you just skimmed my post and decided to take a couple jabs at me. As for my intake, yeah I errored there. My 3 shakes alone are almost 3000 Cal, so plus my meals I'm taking well over that. I could still do better on my meals though.

I do not consider myself an Endurance Athlete. I used the word endurance because I felt it best described the difference in my workout change. I am currently not lifting heavy weights and exploding through sets anymore. I dropped the weight, do more sets and more reps and move the weight slower. I'm not a Professional bodybuilder, but I'm far above the level of a beginner as you suggested. I'm asking for this advice because I've never focused this much on my current style of working out. I had my old system down to a T, I knew what worked, what built mass for me, and what helped lean me out. This routine is new to me, so what I put in and take out is going to be new as well.

As for the comment about running/legs. Well, I haven't been donig legs because I recently moved. There is no local gym, so all I have is what is in my house. I'm gradually building my home gym, but my options are limited when it comes to legs. And when I run, it isn't a 20 minute jog at a pace so slow that I can jerk off at the same time. I do hard sprints mixed with distance running. Uphill, uneven terrain, sometimes with wearing weighted vests, to the point where I'm near vomit. I slow down, then do it again. My legs feel like marmalade at the end. This type of running has resulted in my legs being rock solid. Yeah, its not nearly the same as a proper leg workout, but until I get some more equipment, I can't do much else for legs.

Besides, I dont do cardio for the sole purpose of cardio. My job requires that I can run fast, and far, because if I can't, I fail. Maybe I'm reading your response wrong, and if I am, I dont mean to come off as a dick in return, but it looks like you just took a few jabs at me without throwing anything productive in there on how to change what you thought I was doing wrong.

 

[lweaver]

If you're taking a break from the heavy lifts to giv your body a break, maybe this is a good time to add some extra work to your shoulder stabilizers as well, given you have a history of injury? I'd recommend serratus pushups in place of standard pushups (feet on a block and emphasising full scapular protraction), adding some face-pulls on back or shoulder day, and if you can tolerate some overhead shrugs in place of some of your usual shrugs. Your joints will thank you.

I also agree that you'd benefit from some high rep squatting in place of sprinting.

Great job, not too many think to take the time to swith things up from heavy training and give their bodies some new stimulus/rest.

 

[ExtraMile]

I could still do better on my meals though.

Being on cycle isnt a time to slack with your nutrition, to get the most out of your cycle you need to sort this out asap

There is no local gym, so all I have is what is in my house. I'm gradually building my home gym, but my options are limited

all the more reason not to be on cycle right now. Whats the point when your training (and diet) are compromised?

it looks like you just took a few jabs at me without throwing anything productive in there on how to change what you thought I was doing wrong.

Sorry, I thought my points explained what I thought you should do differently. Heres what I meant:

Changing your training for a while to focus on a new goal is fine. But I would hold off the prohormones until you can get the maximum benefits from them. After all whats the point in risking your health and spending more money while your just training a little differently for a change of pace?

My other point was that to get the best results out of any type of training - on or off cycle - diet should be a priority, rather than just throwing in a load of weight gainer powders and some drugs to make up for a laziness with food. Maybe that isnt the case thats just the point I was trying to make. Maybe it doesnt apply to you.

 

[Jonny_PileDrive]

Weaver, thanks for the tips on the exercise variations. A couple of those I just recently started, never thought of overhead shrugs. I'll give those a go!

And extra mile, thanks for the clarification bro, all good points. Taking weight gainers and pro hormones is EXACTLY what I was doing for making up the lack of food. I was living up north in an isolated location the past few years, so I had to adapt to a shitty diet. Now that I live in reality again I'm doing it the right way.

And good point on not doing a cycle until I can access a proper leg workout. I never thought of it that way. Not worth wasting gear if my body isn't getting the full benefit of it

I'm gonna run with these suggestions. Once my body adapts to my current routine, then I'll look at a cycle. I should have access to a squat rack within a few weeks. That plus a near by grocery store ( finally) and I should be back in the game.

When I was up north I had a full gym but no grocery store! Now, I have a mega grocery store just no gym!! FML! lol

 

[lweaver]

You could always get started with some Zercher squats with a weight that you can clear from the floor via the Zercher deadlift.