6 month workout review and couple of questions

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 15:40

I have been following my regime (largely based on Gordy's guide) for six months and I am generally pleased with progress - losing my slight IT belly and adding the better kind of mass, seeing definition*start to appear in places I never had, like my back.

6 months on and I wanted to post my regime up for review or suggestions.

I get to the gym 2-3 times a week.

One: Push
~ 2km on the treadmill
Flat bench press on one of those smith machines - started 3x8 20kg now 3x8 30kg
Incline dumbbell bench - started 3x8 8kg now 3x8 12.5kg per dumbbell
Seated dumbbell military press - started 3x8 8kg now 3x8 10kg per dumbbell
Over head tricep dumbbell extension things - started 3x8 5kg now 3x8 9kg per dumbbell
Lateral dumbbell raises - started 3x8 4kg now 3x8 6kg per dumbbell

Two: Pull
~ 2km on the treadmill
Deadlifts - started 3x8 20kg now 3x8 30kg
Bent over one arm dumbbell rows - started 3x8 10kg, now 3x8 20kg
Assisted chin ups - started with 54kg assist, still on 54kg assist (I weight 73kg)
Barbell bicep curl - started 3x8 15kg, now 3x8 17.5kg (about to move to 20kg)
One arm Dumbbell hammer Curls – started 3x8 8kg, now 3x8 10kg per dumbbell

Three: Legs and core
~ 1km on the treadmill
Barbell squats – started 3x8 20kg, now 3x8 30kg
Dumbbell lunges – 3x8 8kg, now 3x8 10kg (per dumbbell)
Calf raises - (bit confused on these, but now 20kg on angled)
Core workouts

Diet: About 100g of supplemented protein on workout days and about 75kg on non workout days. I take creatine regularly.

Questions:
- I'm not really making progress on my chin ups. It is literally as hard as it was when I started. I weigh 74kg and my assist is 54kg or on a really good day, 48kg. I don't know why, I am progressing everywhere else.

- What is a good calf workout? Everything else is growing except my calfs and I'm starting to look out of proportion. I used to use the seated leg press machine (where you push yourself up the slope) on 60kg or so. I also tried 2x10kg dumbbells and using a step, but again I wouldn't feel much. However, last time I tried the angled leg press in 20kg, and *really* felt it in my calfs. Was I doing it wrong to begin with and is the angled leg press the best way to do a calf raise?

- Am I missing anything in my routine?

- Is my 6 month progress reasonable?

Cheers

Buffman · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:18

You can bench double your squat?

The problem is you're focusing on the things in life that don't really matter. When I was a kid I had hopes and dreams. We all did. But over time, the daily grind gets in the way and you miss the things that really matter, even though they are right in front of you, staring you in the face. I think the next time you should ask yourself "Am I on the right track here?". I don't mean to be rude but people like you I really pity. So maybe you could use the few brain cells you have and take advantage of the knowledge I have given you now. Good luck.

Skillmister · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:20

Smith bench - nope
Tricep dumbell extension - nope
As many curls as chest or shoulders or legs - nope

After 6 months you're squatting 15kg? What has your progression looked like?
3x what?
You've gained so much your calves look out of proportion.. really?

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:25

The Craig said:
You can bench double your squat?

lol, oops. No - got the weight wrong. They're about the same.

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:27

Skillmister said:
As many curls as chest or shoulders or legs - nope

I just took 8x3, per Gordy's thread, and did that for all exercises - what would you recommend?

Skillmister said:
Smith bench - nope

I thought that was coming. Basically too scared to use the freeweight! Do the vertical guides really detract that much from the exercise?

Skillmister said:
Tricep dumbell extension - nope

What instead? I started doing these as I was too nervous about the skullcrusher, but stuck with them for habit.

After 6 months you're squatting 15kg? What has your progression looked like?
3x what?

Corrected, that was meant to be 30kg (15kg either side).

You've gained so much your calves look out of proportion.. really?

Well before I was scrawny with a bit of flab on the belly. Now I am not very scrawny, but my calfs haven't budged an inch and compared to my upper leg (quads in particular), they look proportionally even smaller.

Somnambulist · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:31

I wouldn't be worrying about your calves - in 6 months the weights you lifted should have skyrocketed. At 74kg every lift should be way higher.

I'm pretty small and went from starting with the bar (20kg) to deadlifting about 100kg in that same amount of time, for example, whilst mostly under-eating to lose my own belly. Adding 10kg at those weights should be something that happens over the course of a couple of weeks when you start lifting.

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:35

Somnambulist said:
I'm pretty small and went from starting with the bar (20kg) to deadlifting about 100kg in that same amount of time, for example, whilst mostly under-eating to lose my own belly. Adding 10kg at those weights should be something that happens over the course of a couple of weeks when you start lifting.

I did the undereating thing for a bit, but not lately. I was also excluding bar weights in my weights above.

Deadlifting 100kg in 6 months and you're pretty small? I am doing something very wrong.

Skillmister · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:36

Hatter The Mad said:
I thought that was coming. Basically too scared to use the freeweight! Do the vertical guides really detract that much from the exercise?

What instead? I started doing these as I was too nervous about the skullcrusher, but stuck with them for habit.

Man up!

Grab an empty bar, i'm quite sure you wont kill yourself.

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:39

Skillmister said:
Man up!

Grab an empty bar, i'm quite sure you wont kill yourself.

Well, I didn't realise the smith machine was so poor (and they seem fairly popular) - just seemed like the literally safer option.

Uncle Petey · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:39

The Craig said:
You can bench double your squat?

The problem is you're focusing on the things in life that don't really matter. When I was a kid I had hopes and dreams. We all did. But over time, the daily grind gets in the way and you miss the things that really matter, even though they are right in front of you, staring you in the face. I think the next time you should ask yourself "Am I on the right track here?". I don't mean to be rude but people like you I really pity. So maybe you could use the few brain cells you have and take advantage of the knowledge I have given you now. Good luck.

You posted this same, vague paragraph to someone else yesterday... I hope it makes you feel better about yourself.

Skillmister · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:43

The Craig said:
The problem is you're focusing on the things in life that don't really matter. When I was a kid I had hopes and dreams. We all did. But over time, the daily grind gets in the way and you miss the things that really matter, even though they are right in front of you, staring you in the face. I think the next time you should ask yourself "Am I on the right track here?". I don't mean to be rude but people like you I really pity. So maybe you could use the few brain cells you have and take advantage of the knowledge I have given you now. Good luck.

I think you might have something wrong with your brain. Why are you trying to be all cyberbully on him. Do you really think anyone cares about you. You talk to people like they are trash. Why would you want to come off like that. Does it make you feel tough? Are you trying to make up for having a small smelly ****? You need to see a shrink. Have fun going through life wondering why people don't like you. I'll give you a hint though, you try to make others feel like ****. But you have failed on me. I know what you are. See, the thing is, I'm a nice guy. You on the other hand can't control your stupidity. You really don't even realize that you are a jerk ,do you? When you're older maybe you can look back on times like this and see that you where unnecessarily rude to people you don't know. Right now you think you are being clever and it is just a fun time. Keep treating people like you do and see where you end up. You can not compete with my intellect so I warn you to give up before you embarrass yourself further..

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:49

Wow, borrowing memes from bodybuilding.com. I always thought the standard of SA was above GD.

Somnambulist · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:51

Hatter The Mad said:
I did the undereating thing for a bit, but not lately. I was also excluding bar weights in my weights above.

Deadlifting 100kg in 6 months and you're pretty small? I am doing something very wrong.

Yes. Linear progression to the big lifts should pretty much be a given for virtually everyone when they start out.

Always write down the total weight including the bar.

Yes, I'm 5ft7 and a bit and weigh about 61kg at the moment. I started off having never been to a gym, lifted any weights and was 70kg of mostly fat and virtually no lean mass - pretty much every week I was lifting more than the previous week. Not a special ********* either, same applies for pretty much everyone here - look at the training logs forum.

Suarez7 · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:55

Hatter The Mad said:
I take creatine regularly.

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:57

Suarez7 said:

No:

PS: Not sure if that's a parody or a real thing...

Skillmister · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:57

Hatter The Mad said:
Wow, borrowing memes from bodybuilding.com. I always thought the standard of SA was above GD.

You best not listen to any of the regular posters advice in here then, as we are all of such a low standard. Good luck in your bicep curl goals of 2017

arknor · 10 Aug 2013 at 16:58

it's the fruit punch flavour that makes all the difference

Uncle Petey · 10 Aug 2013 at 17:02

As long as your copy/paste festival makes you laugh mate...

Now go back to GD. There's a good little troll.

Hatter The Mad · 10 Aug 2013 at 17:03

Somnambulist said:
Yes, I'm 5ft7 and a bit and weigh about 61kg at the moment. I started off having never been to a gym, lifted any weights and was 70kg of mostly fat and virtually no lean mass - pretty much every week I was lifting more than the previous week. Not a special ********* either, same applies for pretty much everyone here - look at the training logs forum.

Crikey, I'm a failure! I need assistance, I think. I just took what I read from here (in Gordy's thread), watched YouTube videos (heck knows what my form is like). I might get a few sessions with one of the trainers to work with me and see how to go from there (and yes, drop the smith machines..!).

RoboCod · 10 Aug 2013 at 17:16

1. Phaggot

2. Not a fan of the PTIs, they tend to be just as clueless and will probably give you more problems.

I'd say read the form guide, drop the smith, drop the assisted chin ups (just try for ONE unassisted, then progress from there - you WILL make 10 reps after time).

Eat more, and more, and more, which will help you lift more! This is useless unless you know if your form is right though. So if you were to post some vids, the masters can pull your technique apart and help you from there.

3. Phaggot.

4. Any advice/tips from here are kind of useless anyway unless we know your actual goals? You need to be specific (get strong, get muscular/thick, lose weight, etc).

5. Oh and phaggot