Time to do it right(ish)

Greetings all

I thought I'd make a log thread to hopefully get some advice/tips on what I'm doing.

I'm currently following the HST routine (below) and diet wise I'm using If from the leangains website.

The aim at the minute is to lean up a bit, mainly to get rid of the fat around/below the belly button.

This is the HST routine, just finished the 4th workout of the 15 rep section.



Seems strange lifting the lighter weight on a build up to the 15 rep max but that's what the guide says!

Diet wise I've used this http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/ to calculate what I should be eating; currently 80kg and 182cm. Three meals, eating between 12.30-9.

The calculator says I should be eating:

Rest Days

2255 kcals
176g Protein
96.9g Carbs
129.3g Fats

Workout Days

3101 kcals
176g Protein
454.7g Carbs (Does this sound like too much?!)
67.4g Fats

Main Concerns at the moment

Exercises - I'm struggling to hit my hamstrings with a stiff leg deadlift, I seem to feel it in my lower back after 10 or so reps. Could anyone suggest an alternative?

Diet - Could someone check the macros for that, I've only just started it this week and I'm struggling to get the carbs for the workout days. Today I have 293g of carbs and 1239 kcals still to eat =S.

So that's me for now, I look forward to your input!

Just realised how small that pic is!

Here is a googledocs link

HST Routine

Not sure why the fats are half as much as the rest day.

I'm concerned you can't hit your hamstrings with SLDL, it suggests poor form and hip hinge. Post up a video in the form thread.

Well didn't manage to get to the gym after a very busy week last week! Started again this week from the 4th workout of the 15s.

First time working on on a morning with the IF diet and it I had a lot more energy than I thought I would!

Think I've sorted the problem with the SLDL, I was going down too slow which seemed to be putting more onto the back. Tried going down faster today and I could feel it in the hamstrings. Will post a vid to double check form once I've fixed the light in the garage!

Jon33 said:

Think I've sorted the problem with the SLDL, I was going down too slow which seemed to be putting more onto the back. Tried going down faster today and I could feel it in the hamstrings. Will post a vid to double check form once I've fixed the light in the garage!

Click to expand...

That doesn't sound right. Good that you're feeling it in the hamstrings, but I suspect you've changed something in your form that has affected this - speed is irrelevant.

Hi all, haven't updated this in ages!

So what's been happening... after a mad couple of weeks I've finally managed to get back into a routine. I found that I couldn't sustain the HST routine due to time constraints and I felt that by the time I got towards the end of the workout (shoulders) I didn't have much left in the tank to put full effort in.

I've decided to go to a basic 4 day split focusing on; benchpress, squat, OHP and deadlift with the aim of increasing strength.

I've been keeping a log and now I have the internet sorted here it is! Comments/advice/criticism always welcome

First workout on one "area" in awhile so I was aiming to find my max for 3 x 5 reps.

Chest

Dips
BW x 5 x 3

Bench press
Bar x lots x 2
40 x 2
50 x 2
60 x 4
60 x 2
50 x 5 (could’ve kept going)
55 x 4
55 x 2
55 x 1
40 x 14

CGBP
15 x 30
12 x 30
13 x 30

Tricep Rope Pulldown
10 x 10
10 x 10

Aim for next time: 3x5 at 55kg

Long term: I would like to be doing 3x5 at BW (80kg), realistic time frame?

Again first one in awhile.....

Shoulders

Barbell Cuban press
Light bar 3 x 10

OHP
Bar x 15 x 2
30 x 5
40 x 5 (strict form, 5th was tough)
40 x 4 (strict form, couldn’t manage a 5th!)
40 x 4 (first three with strict form, last one pushed through hips)

BB front raise
Bar x 10 x 3

Shrugs
20kg plate in each hand x 12 x 3

Side raise on pulleys
2.5kg x 8 x 3

Barbell curls
bar x 15
30 x 10 x 2 (quite uncomfortable on the ulna side of my forearm, grip in wrong place?)

Aim for next time: 3x5 at 40kg

Long term: Not too sure how I will progress here to be honest

And again...

Legs 22/05/13

Low bar squat
Bar x 10 x 2
40 x 2
50 x 2
60 x 2
70 x 4
70 x 2
60 x 4 (could’ve pushed for another)
60 x 3
60 x 2 (not much in the tank for a third)

Since I’ve started pushing my knees out I can feel it a lot more in my gluts and less in the quads, is that what I’m supposed to feel?

Single leg split squats
BW x 10 x 3

I was hoping to try some front squats in there as well but my legs didn’t have much left in them. Bit disappointed I was hoping for a bit more, maybe the two hours 5 a side yesterday has taken it out of my legs.

Aim for next time: 3x5 at 60kg

Long term: 100kg squat by Christmas

Back 23/05/13

Pull Ups
BW x 5 x 5

Deadlift
Bar x lots
40 x 5
60 x 2
80 x 5 (comfortable)
90 x 5
90 x 5
90 x 5

BOR
Bar x 20
40 x 8 x 3 (more weight next time)

Lat pull down superset with close grip pull down
30 x 8/8
30 x 10/10 x 2

Aim for next time: 3x5 at 92.5kg

Long term: Not too sure what I should set as a goal here!

Chest 26/05/13 (target 55 x 5 x 3)

Dips
BW x 5 x 3

Chest Press
Bar x 20 x 2
40 x 5
50 x 2
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5
40 x 15

CGBP
30 x 12
30 x 15
30 x 15

Incline dumbbell press
12.5 x 10 x 3

Tricep Rope Pulldown
10 x 10 x 3

Target met, going to aim for 57.5kg next time.

Legs 29/05/13 (target 60 x 5 x 3)

Low bar squat
Bar x 10 x 2
40 x 5
50 x 2
60 x 5
60 x 5
60 x 5

Single leg split squats
BW x 10 x 3

I really need to stop doing legs after 5aside, got round the front squats this time but felt a twinge in my knee so stopped.

Target met either way so bring on 62.5 next time!

Shoulders 30/05/13 (target: 40 x 5 x 3)

Barbell Cuban press
Light bar 3 x 10

OHP
Bar x 10 x 2
30 x 5
40 x 5 (strict form)
40 x 5 (strict form, small push needed for 5th)
40 x 5 (strict form, small push needed for 5th)
Bar x 10

Side raise on pulleys
2.5kg x 8 x 3

BB front raise
22.5 x 9
Bar x 10 x 2

Shrugs
20kg plate in each hand x 12 x 3

Tricep rope pulldown
12.5 x 10 x 3

Cable crunch
30 x 20 x 3

Aim for next time: 3x5 at 40kg without the push for the 5th

Back 31/05/13

Chin ups
BW x 5 x 5 (aiming for 6 x 5 next time)

Deadlift
Bar x lots
60 x 5
70 x 2
80 x 2
92.5 x 5
92.5 x 5
92.5 x 5

BOR
Bar x 20
40 x 10
40 x 10
42.5 x 8

Lat pull down superset with close grip pull down
30 x 8/8
30 x 10/10 x 2 (increase weight next time round)

Aim for next time: 3x5 at 95kg (I’ll try at 95kg but if form suffers the weight goes back down)

Long term: Not too sure what I should set as a goal here!

Been getting my diet back on track as I don't eat anywhere near enough, think I underestimated eggs!

Chest 02/06/13 (target 57.5 x 5 x 3)

Dips
BW x 6 x 3

Felt better with the dips today, hoping to go for 7 x 3 next time.

Chest Press
Bar x 20 x 2
40 x 5
50 x 2
57.5 x 5
57.5 x 5
57.5 x 3 (failed on 4th)
57.5 x 2
40 x 15

CGBP
30 x 15
30 x 15
30 x 15

Dumbell flys
10 x 10 x 3

Cable crunch
30 x 15 x 3

Tricep Rope Pulldown
12 x 10 x 3

Didn't quite make the 3 x 5 at 57.5kg so I'll give it another shot next time!

I am still not sure what you're shooting for here, either.

I personally think you could do fewer exercises with bigger weights and get better overall stimulus...

Could you give me an example?

Edit: sorry that was a bit vague, an example of what I could do to improve?

Ta

Strange one tonight, got in from work really late. Decided to gym before having any food which I thought would be horrible but it wasn't too bad!

Legs (06/06/2013)

Squats
bar x 10
40 x 5
50 x 2
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
Still had a fair bit of energy so thought i'd keep going and see where I ended up
70 x 2
75 x 1
80 x 1
85 x 1
90 x fail

Quite happy with that, its a 5kg jump up from the last lot of squats. I'll increase the weight to 67.5kg next time for the 3 x 5.

Split squats
Just BW x 10 x 3

Barbell Curls
bar x 15
25 x 12 x 2

Front Squats
bar x 10 x 3, working on form here as these are new to me, quite tricky to balance the bar!

If any knowledgeable people are out there and reading this I'd appreciate any feedback, I'd hate to be wasting my time training in efficiently due to a lack of understanding.

Main goal: Increase strength.

Hopeful side effect: A bit of growth

e: Got a couple of vids of the squats to upload aswell once I've created a youtube account

Mmmm... I read the OP properly - now I know why you have such a number of exercises.

I am not a bodybuilder, nor do I really focus on hypertrophy, so the idea of doling a million exercises for chest, shoulders, etc. is somewhat alien to me.

Front squats are a brilliant and underused (on this forum) exercise, basically because they are harder than back squats D) in terms of generating force, but also positioning and form.

Your quads will explode, however.

Shoulders 08/06/13 (target: strict: 40 x 5 x 3)

Barbell Cuban press
Light bar 3 x 10

OHP
Bar x 10
30 x 5
40 x 5 (strict form)
40 x 5 (strict form)
40 x 5 (strict form)
Target met! 45kg is my PB for OHP, decided to see if I could beat it.
45 x 2
47.5 x 1
47.5 x 3 (1st was strict, last 2 were pushed)
50 x 1
Bar x 15

BB front raise
Bar x 12 x 2
22.5 x 10

Shrugs
20kg plate in each hand x 15 x 2
20kg plate in each hand x 10 x 1

Tricep rope pulldown
20 x 8
20 x 5 (Realised I’d put the wrong weight on, I was on 15 before!)
10 x 10

Cable crunch
30 x 20 x 3

Aim for next time: Cant decide whether to go for a 2.5kg increment to 42.5 or try go for 45kg.