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digitalwolf

digitalwolf

digitalwolf

Soldato
Joined
27 Mar 2004
Posts
3,589
Location
England
I went on the BMI/Scales etc at the gym yesterday to see how I had improved.

10st 9 lbs I was when I joined the gym in December.

11st 2lbs in January.

11st 10lbs yesterday.

I have basically gained a stone since joining the gym and I have lost 4% off my fat index.

My main concern is that I still look weedy though lol. I said to my mate that i'd gained a stone since joining the gym and he said "well where is it, i can't see it".

He then went on to say it will take a lot to make it show without taking your top off.

My forearms are rather skinny, my shoulders are 20 inches wide and then I have these quite beefy thighs that I gained as a kid due to my mountain biking.

I'm thinking of srapping my current programmes and concentrating on shoulders, arms and chest (abs/pecs) and then just use cardio to work my thighs (running machine).

One of my aims is to look built but another is to be strong.

Should I be over the moon with how I have progressed or should I be at 12 stone now?

Target is around 13/13.5st.

Thanks.
 
digitalwolf said:
My main concern is that I still look weedy though lol. I said to my mate that i'd gained a stone since joining the gym and he said "well where is it, i can't see it".

He then went on to say it will take a lot to make it show without taking your top off.


I'm thinking of srapping my current programmes and concentrating on shoulders, arms and chest (abs/pecs) and then just use cardio to work my thighs (running machine).

One of my aims is to look built but another is to be strong.

Should I be over the moon with how I have progressed or should I be at 12 stone now?

Target is around 13/13.5st.

Thanks.
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congrats on your gains. your friend is correct, it will take a lot to make it show, as muscle weighs more than fat, so you get less muscle on your body for the same weight as fat.

what is your current routine? the one you are suggesting is pointless unless you just want to look good infront of a mirror.

be over the moon that you have progressed.

want to look good? get a decent back. chest and shoulders can look great, but without a good set of lats showing you will have no width and no classic V shape.

cardio for legs? :/
 
Morba said:
congrats on your gains. your friend is correct, it will take a lot to make it show, as muscle weighs more than fat, so you get less muscle on your body for the same weight as fat.

what is your current routine? the one you are suggesting is pointless unless you just want to look good infront of a mirror.

be over the moon that you have progressed.

want to look good? get a decent back. chest and shoulders can look great, but without a good set of lats showing you will have no width and no classic V shape.

cardio for legs? :/
Click to expand...

My shoulders, arms (including lower) need a good workout.

I went yesterday, and i'm not aching one bit. No muscle aches at all. I worked my triceps and shoulders yesterday and even went with my mate for a bit of competition.

I worked damn hard and moved a few weights up as I was doing my 6 sets 10 reps target easily.

Overall I am please, my pecs and abs have shaped up really well expecially pecs.

The pecs look silly though because directly above are these puny,boney shoulders.

My triceps I personally feel, could be bigger and better although they are pretty strong.

My biceps haven't seem to have gained strength at all and are not big at all. I'm still on 10kg for concentration curls. I have pushed preecher to bench up to 5kg and can do 5 x 15-20 with 1 mins rest.

Lat raises are v.poor tbh. I'm stuck on 7kg which I have been on for the last 3 months. I can't get my arms up on the last few reps @ 8kg.

Seated pulley I can do at 42.5kg but I feel that at 42.5kg i'm leaning back to pull the handle to my chest. I am aware it is a row but I thought that you had to keep your back straight?

Front raises and upright row do nowt. I've upped the weight and they don't do anything.

Only way I have worked traps is pullups.
 
sounds like you are trying to do your max (in reps) each week, which will get you nowhere.

5x15-20 for curls? why are you training them in such a high rep range? 8-10 for curls imo.
also, forget concentration curls, get doing barbell curls or EZbar curls.

Could you post up your whole routine and your current diet, this will allow people to make some recommedations for you :D
DOMS is not the only sign of a good workout. Dont train just to get DOMS!

worked traps during pullups?
 
Morba said:
sounds like you are trying to do your max (in reps) each week, which will get you nowhere.

5x15-20 for curls? why are you training them in such a high rep range? 8-10 for curls imo.
also, forget concentration curls, get doing barbell curls or EZbar curls.

Could you post up your whole routine and your current diet, this will allow people to make some recommedations for you :D
DOMS is not the only sign of a good workout. Dont train just to get DOMS!

worked traps during pullups?
Click to expand...

I'll need to steal the programmes from the gym as I can't remember all of them lol.

My diet is pretty good now. 40g whey shake breakfast with 3 blocks of weetabix.

Lunch: BLT Sandwich/ Baguette

Tea : Usually containing lots of veg with fish or red meat.

Bed time : 40g whey shake with milk.

On the smith machine the instructor said that I should try and get 15 reps to 3 sets.

On the preecher to bench atleast 15 per set at 5 sets.

Is this wrong then?
 
Wardie said:
If you're wanting to bulk up, you really aren't eating enough there.

Do you not have a pre-workout meal?
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Thats just a normal day.

I usually have tuna and rice before workout and steak with rice after.

Shake 1 hour before workout and one after right.
 
digitalwolf said:
I'll need to steal the programmes from the gym as I can't remember all of them lol.

My diet is pretty good now. 40g whey shake breakfast with 3 blocks of weetabix.

Lunch: BLT Sandwich/ Baguette

Tea : Usually containing lots of veg with fish or red meat.

Bed time : 40g whey shake with milk.

On the smith machine the instructor said that I should try and get 15 reps to 3 sets.

On the preecher to bench atleast 15 per set at 5 sets.

Is this wrong then?
Click to expand...

Ok, from that alone I think there will be plenty of recommendations for changes ;]

What are your goals? If it is building mass, then your trainer has got the rep range completely wrong.
the problem with most normal gyms, the staff do not know speciic stuff like bodybuilding.

smith machine :/
 
digitalwolf said:
Yes i'm trying bulk.
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Then you need to rethink your diet - 5/6 meals a day with quality carbs and proteins at the right times.
fuel your workouts better, pre workout shake and post work out shake and meal are essentials.

You will need to take a look at your routine, both the exercises and the rep range / amount of sets.
At a bare minimum, you should be doing these compounds:

Squats
Deadlifts
Bench press
Shoulder press
Lat pull down / chins
Bent over rows

Once you have these sorted, add in some isolation or other compounds:

Barbell curls
tricep dips / skull crushers
lat raises
SLDLs
Calf raises

There are loads of other exercises you can do, but i wouldnt worry too much about them for the moment

rep range 3x8 or 3x10 (dont forget some warm up sets).

If you are not eating well enough to help with the workout, you will not see the gains.

Sleep - make sure you have a good sleeping pattern
Alcohol - beer is bad for bulking :/

Have a good read of the gordyr thread, loads and loads of info in there.
 
What I do out of what you listed.

Squats (no)
Deadlifts (no)
Bench press (no)
Shoulder press (yes)
Lat pull down / chins (yes)
Bent over rows (no)

Once you have these sorted, add in some isolation or other compounds:

Barbell curls (no)
tricep dips / skull crushers (yes)
lat raises (yes)
SLDLs (what are these?)
Calf raises (yes)

I never warm up funnily enough. Instructor said I don't need to :confused:
 
digitalwolf said:
I never warm up funnily enough. Instructor said I don't need to :confused:
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Your instructor is an idiot, doesn't matter what you are doing, anything physical should be preceeded by a warm up.
 
no warm up
hardly any of the basic exercises
smith machine use

What chest exercises do you do? you mention that your pecs are growing but you are not doing the basic main exercise for pec growth!

i am quite worried about the person advising you based on your goals.
 
Morba said:
no warm up
hardly any of the basic exercises
smith machine use

What chest exercises do you do? you mention that your pecs are growing but you are not doing the basic main exercise for pec growth!

i am quite worried about the person advising you based on your goals.
Click to expand...

Cable crossover, dumbell chest press, peck fly's.

All after each other.
 
digitalwolf said:
What I do out of what you listed.

Squats (no)
Deadlifts (no)
Bench press (no)
Shoulder press (yes)
Lat pull down / chins (yes)
Bent over rows (no)
Click to expand...

You're missing the big mass 'gainers' out of your routine. You're not eating enough.

Why do you not do squats, deadlifts, benching and rows?
 
S7yl3s said:
You're missing the big mass 'gainers' out of your routine. You're not eating enough.

Why do you not do squats, deadlifts, benching and rows?
Click to expand...

It's a programme done by a proffessional........don't ask me :D

I'm starting to think that we should build a programme on here.....and then I put my JJB one in the bin :p
 
digitalwolf said:
It's a programme done by a proffessional........don't ask me :D

I'm starting to think that we should build a programme on here.....and then I put my JJB one in the bin :p
Click to expand...

Is it the same 'professional' who told you that you didn't need to warm up?
 
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