Muscle Building Workouts Journal

Free Bodybuilding Advice

2011-01-18T17:19:00.004-05:00

If you are looking for free bodybuilding advice, be sure to check out this trailer and bookmark this page. Very soon I'll be adding a link to free video of over 24 hours of nutrition and training. This info is provided free from Skip of TeamSkip. Skip is known for getting members of the bodybuilding community absolutely shredded for bodybuilding competitions.

Skip was my nutritionist a while back, and we are starting up again soon.

On the free video, he will be providing information to help anyone looking to get in shape, including longevity. Check it out!

The 4 Hour Body

2010-12-14T14:31:00.001-05:00

"The 4 Hour Body" was just released today. This fitness and nutrition book is written by Timothy Ferris, who also authored one of my favorite books The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content..

I ordered 3 copies of the book last week from Ferris' blog and hope to receive my copies by Christmas time. I am gifting two of the books to friends who I know will find Tim's Four Hour Body a good informative read.

What I find most interesting about this book is that Tim Ferris has spent years tracking his own results. The man walks the talk, so to speak.

I'm looking forward to reading it.

I Forgot How Fun the Widow Maker Is...

2010-01-21T03:27:00.004-05:00

As I said the other day, I've been away from DC training for about 8 months. Tonight was my 2nd workout back, setting baselines, and I forgot how fun the widow maker is, *sigh*

I cranked out 21 straight reps squatting in the smith machine. I'm saving REAL barbell squats for the last workout of my 2 week rotation, to give my legs a chance to ramp up a little.

Now for the WM set weight... 165 lbs! Flabbergasting, isn't it?

A year a go I was cranking out 235 for the widow maker.

But you know what, I don't care. I'm starting light to avoid injury, and using full range reps. This time around, I'm concentrating on my form and slowing down the negatives.

I had so many injuries for over a year and a half because I busted ass on increasing the weight as much as I could, and left good form at the wayside.

Not this time.

I'm 42 now, and don't need any more stupid injuries.

The weight will come, but this time I'm going to be smart about it.

Anyhoo... here's tonight's workout:

Wednesday - DC Workout 1B

Setting Baselines.

LT= Last Time

TT = This Time

WM = Widow Maker

RP = Rest Pause

SS = Straight Set

Biceps - BB Curls (15-20 RP)

LT N/A

TT 95 X 10+6+4 = 20 RP

I'm at the high end of my rep range, so next time I'll bump the weight up.

Forearms - DB Hammer Curls (12-20 SS)

LT N/A

TT 45 X 14 SS

Going to keep the weight the same next time and try for 16+ reps.

Extreme bicep stretch in the smith ~ 60 seconds.

Calves - Leg Press Calf Raises (20-30 RP)

LT N/A

TT 350 X 14+9+7 = 30RP

Normally, DC calves are done as SS... with a 10-12 second negative. Excruciating pain to say the least, but it works. I'll delve into the DC SS on another calf exercise, this rotation. I do like Rest Pausing calves though. RP'ing calves is usually done on standing calf raises because you tend to slip doing negatives on those. I like RP'ing in the leg press though. Weight needs to go up next time!

Hamstrings - Lying Leg Curls (20-30 RP)

LT N/A

TT 65 X 14+9+9 = 32 RP

I haven't done that much direct hamstring work in a while, since I was doing the 5/3/1 program. I've pulled so many hammies in the past... I'm not taking any chances starting up again. But, the weight does need to go up as I got 32 RP (even that was hard!)

Extreme hamstring stretch ~ 60 secs.

Quads - Smith Squats (6-10 SS heavy set, then 20 SS WM set)

LT N/A

TT 255 X 6 SS, 165 X 21 WM SS

Extreme quad stretch in smith ~ 60 secs.

Diet Today
(Weight post workout = 192 lbs)

Meal 1
180g chicken breast
1 cup brown rice
2 TBPS salsa
sea salt

Meal 2
180g extra lean ground beef
1 cup green beans
1-1/2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Meal 3 - 90 mins Pre-Workout

180g chicken breast
1 cup brown rice
2 TBPS salsa
1 boiled egg on the side!
sea salt

Workout - During workout drink in a liter of water

4 scoops Grape Xtend (BCAA's)
5 g Creatine
2 servings Beta Alanine

Meal 4 - Post Workout
2 scoops whey
2 Special K cereal bars

Meal 5
180g chicken breast
130g red and white small potatoes
light butter spray
sea salt

Meal 6
1 scoop whey
1 scoop casein
30-40 g peanuts

Supplements throughout the day (with meals)
* green tea extract
* fish oil
* Hawthorn Berry (great for the circulatory system)
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin D
* Vitamin E
* ON Men's Multi
* Zinc
* glucosamine w/ MSM
* Coenzyme Q₁₀
_{* Cold FX (just in case... there is sickness in the house!)}

_{Going to start taking Cissus as the weights get heavier. The stuff is awesome for my joints!}

Well... Day 2, Week 1 is done. 2A (DC workout #3) will be C/S/T/BW/BT on Friday... till then!

Doggcrapp Training

2010-01-19T01:39:00.011-05:00

I decided to return to Doggcrapp Training (a.k.a. DC Training). I just plain miss it.

Rest pause training has to be my favorite form of weight training. The pumps are insane and I find I grow the best using Doggcrapp's methods.

Doggcrapp is just the screen name of a highly advanced trainer named Dante Trudel. He hangs his hat over at intensemuscle.com and is known as the Big Dogg. If you see his picture, you'll know why ; ) One big strong mofo. Dante is also very smart and has trained pro bodybuilders as well. He also owns trueprotein.com and sells some of the best protein and supplements on the market. If you get a chance, check out some of his posts over at IM.

I've been away from DC training now for a good 8 months or so, doing a 5/3/1 basic power lifting routine. This has given my joints a chance to mend themselves, but I'm in no hurry to pile on the weights; not right away anyway.

Before I hit the gym this evening, I planned out my new Blast. It is the 2 way DC training split. There is also a 3 way DC split which is for more advanced athletes and those preparing for bodybuilding contests.

Workouts are done 3X per week, and I try to throw in 1/2hr to 45 mins of low intensity cardio in on non-training days, at least twice a week, more like 3X's though. This keeps me hungry as hell to eat all the food I need to recover from those gruelling Doggcrapp training workouts.

Here is my new Doggcrapp Training Routine:

Notes:

RP = Rest Pause
SS = Straight Set
WM = Widow Make Set (20+ reps)

1A - Monday
Bodypart	Exercise	RP or SS
Chest	Smythe Decline Press	11-15 RP
Shoulders	Life Fitness Shoulder Press	11-15 RP
Triceps	Dips	15-20 RP
Back Width	CG Pulldowns	15-20 RP
Back Thickness	Smythe Rows	6-10 SS
		10-12 SS

1B - Wednesday
Bodypart	Exercise	RP or SS
Biceps	BB Curl	15-20 RP
Forearms	Hammer Curl	12-20 SS
Calves	Leg press calve raise	20-30 RP
Hamstrings	Lying Leg Curls	20-30 RP
Quads	Smythe Squats	6-10 SS
	- Widow Maker set	20 SS

2A - Friday
Bodypart	Exercise	RP or SS
Chest	Incline Bench Press	15-20 RP
Shoulders	Smythe Shoulder Press	11-15 RP
Triceps	Skull Deadlifts	20-30 RP
Back Width	HS Front Pulldown	15-20 RP
Back Thickness	T-Bars	4-6 SS
		10-12 SS

2B - Monday
Bodypart	Exercise	RP or SS
Biceps	Lat Bar Curls	15-20 RP
Forearms	Pinwheel Curl	12-20 SS
Calves	HS calve raise	20-30 RP
Hamstrings	SLDL	6 SS
		10-12 SS
Quads	Squat Machine	6-10 SS
	- Widow Maker set	20 SS

3A - Wednesday
Bodypart	Exercise	RP or SS
Chest	BB Decline	11-15 RP
Shoulders	Standing BB Press	11-15 RP
Triceps	Decline Skull Crushers	15-20 RP
Back Width	NG Pulldowns	15-20 RP
Back Thickness	DB Rows	4-6 SS
		10-12 SS

3B - Friday
Bodypart	Exercise	RP or SS
Biceps	Standing Alt. DB Curls	15-20 RP
Forearms	One Arm Reverse Cable Curls	12-20 SS
Calves	Seated calve raise	10-12 SS
Hamstrings	Seated Leg Curls	20-30 RP
Quads	Squats	4-6 SS
	- Widow Maker set	20 SS

Ok so there's my proposed blast all laid out.

I should explain a little about Doggcrapp Training and Rest Pausing for those that aren't familiar.

DC and Rest Pausing

In DC Training, a rest pause set (RP set) consists of 3 sets with short deep breathing breaks in between in each set.

For instance, let's take the Decline Smythe chest exercise as an example. This exercise is a rest pause exercise.

When I first start out a blast, I choose a weight that I am comfortable with and try to push that weight within the rep range I'm after; in this case it is 11-15 RP. Rep ranges are not set in stone, however I am most comfortable using the 11-15 RP rep range for most chest exercises.

DC has a good post over at IM about rep ranges for those 34+ years of age for anyone that's interested. I should probably be upping my rep ranges according to his notes, and I may just do that in the near future once the weights get heavier, but for now the rep ranges I am using for this blast are listed above. I am not too concerned with using the higher rep ranges right now, because the weights I am starting with are light compared to what the Big Dogg's over at IM use.

So let's say I start my blast off with 185 lbs on the smythe machine.

Again, the RP set is 3 sets with deep breathing in between each set...

1st Set: 185 lbs X 10 reps

10-12 deep breaths (approx. 15-20 seconds for me)

2nd Set: 185 lbs X 5 reps

10-12 deep breaths (approx. 15-20 seconds for me)

3rd Set: 185 lbs X 2 reps

Total: 185 lbs X 10+5+2 = 17 RP

Now, the above reps are not engraved in stone or ones that I had pre-chosen. The reps are taken to FAILURE each and every set. Whether you are rest pausing or doing straight sets, in Doggcrapp Training all sets are takes to absolute failure.

This is why 1 day off between workouts is necessary; you need to recover from the heavy workouts.

And Here's Tonight's Doggcrapp Training Workout...

Workout 1A - Monday

Setting baseline weights and reps in this workout. (For the next 2 weeks I will be setting baselines).

LT = Last Time
TT = This Time
BW = Body Weight

The reason "last time" and "this time" are indicated is because in DC training we try to beat our previous weights and or reps (preferably beat the weight) from the last time we worked a specific exercise. If I can't beat EITHER the weight or reps for 2 consecutive workouts, then I switch the exercise out to a different one.

So in 2 weeks time, I will try to beat tonight's numbers.

Note: There is no "last time" for the next 2 weeks as these will be my starting weights. In 2 weeks time, tonight's numbers will become "last time".

Bodypart	Exercise	RP or SS
Chest	Smythe Decline Press	11-15 RP 245 lbs X 9+6+4 = 19 RP
Shoulders	Life Fitness Shoulder Press	11-15 RP 110 lbs X 10+6+4 = 20 RP
Triceps	Dips	15-20 RP BW + 45 lbs X 10+6+4 = 20 RP
Back Width	CG Pulldowns	15-20 RP 160 lbs X 9+6+6 = 21 RP
Back Thickness	Smythe Rows	6-10 SS 235 lbs X 6 SS
		10-12 SS 185 lbs X 12 SS

So there you have tonight's Doggcrapp Training Workout. Wednesday will be Biceps, Forearms, Claves, Hamstrings and Quads (including the BRUTAL Widow Maker set 20+ reps SS)

One thing I forgot to mention was the extreme stretching that is performed between exercises. These are very important to recovery and growth and a main principle in DC Training. You can learn more about DC extreme stretches here.

Ok, that was one long post! I'll get into more about Doggcrapp Training as I post my workouts up and I also plan on listing some of (what I think are) Dante's best posts.

Free Muscle Building Program

2009-12-21T14:56:00.004-05:00

Do yourself a favor and get a free muscle building program.

Save yourself $29.95 on the latest-greatest bodybuilding program. You know, the one the promises to add 10 lbs of muscle to your frame in 4 days, complete with a six pack of abs of course, *sigh*.

Honestly, you don't need it.

There are literally tons of free workout plans located around the web. If you do your own research, you can put your own customized workout program together. Why pay someone for this weight lifting info when it's already out there?... and for free!

For many who are new to working out, I think it is the "unknown" that has them reaching for the wallets; or Paypal account ; )

But with Google being as smart as it is, narrowing down what you need is a quick search away.

Now I'm not saying to grab the first free muscle building program you see and run with it.

Do some research. It's not that hard.

I know, some of you don't have the time to learn this and that about working out; but we're also talking about your health here.

I for one, want to know what I'm getting into and what it can (or can't) do for my body.

A great place to learn about which workout programs work, is to visit some of the more popular weight lifting forums.

If you visit bodybuilding forums such as bodybuilding.com or intensemuscle.com you will have a vast source of workout knowledge at your finger tips.

Now don't go all crazy and start posting up a million questions about working out. Read and learn. Pay attention to what others say about a free muscle building program they may be using.

Checking out some of the personal workout journals on these forums, is also a great way to see how people are progressing with their chosen exercise routines.

Bodybuilding.com is huge and it may seem overwhelming at first. Use their search feature.

Intensemuscle.com is a very good site to learn about building your body. It's a no bullshit type of site. I would highly recommend this bodybuilding forum for those that truly want to learn about building muscle. Read as much information as you can before posting any questions. Otherwise, you may be directed by some of the veteran members to use the Search button first, as your question has been more than likely asked before.

If you are looking to get into contest ready shape, contact the intensemuscle's owner Skip. He's not cheap, but he's one of the best in the business there is. This is a man that will peel the skin right off you; bodybuilding wise that is. I know a plug for Skip in itself is not free muscle building info, but his entire site about building muscle is. So if you use his site to pack on some size, and end up wanting to get shredded for a bodybuilding show, contact him and return the favor. : )

Anyways, I hope you find the free bodybuilding resources I mentioned useful. Drop me a comment about other free muscle building program resources you find useful.

3 Days A Week Training

2009-09-11T09:34:00.007-04:00

I started a new 3 days a week training program a couple of days ago called 5/3/1.

I decided to try a new program after having done DC training for nearly 2 years, as I felt the need for a change and to get back to basics. I picked up the 5/3/1 e-book for around 30 bucks from elitefts.

Photo courtesy of jason.lengstorf

I also came across this useful 5/3/1 calculator to help setup your lifts by applying the recommended formulas.

The book is written by power lifter / strength and conditioning coach Jim Wendler.

So far, I'm really liking this program... which is one of many outlined in his e-book.

I chose to use the template "The Triumvirate" from the "Variation X - 5/3/1 Method".

It concentrates on the big four lifts...

Military press
Deadlift
Bench press
Squat

It also includes some accessory lifts which are done after each one of the big fours. Each big four exercise is done on it's own day, which I'm doing on a 3 days a week training schedule (Workout, Off, Workout, Off, Workout, Off, Off...).

Last Tuesday I did Squats with accessory work, yesterday (Thurs.) I did Military press with accessory exercises, tomorrow I'll do Deadlift + acc... then I'll bench press + acc. a couple of days later, then repeat.

His e-book outlines the different types of accessory lifts he recommends to do, but what I really like is the fact the you are not nailed down to a specific accessory lifts each workout. You can choose which accessory lifts you feel like doing that day.

There is so much variety that it keeps things fresh and interesting, and I'm a big believer in enjoying the exercises you do to make your workouts more effective.

The three-days-a-week-training program can be used by beginners to advanced lifters and is effectively setup to continuously increase your lifts over time, using small increments. I find this is a great way to get stronger (and bigger) as it introduces small changes to your body each time you train.

Your body can adapt easier with small increases in weight and you therefore having a greater chance of succeeding in your weight lifting workouts and bodybuilding or power lifting goals.

So here's my last couple of 5/3/1 workouts:

5/3/1 - "The Triumvirate"

Week 1 - Day 1 - Squat Day

Squats

185lbs x 5 reps
210lbs x 5 reps
240lbs x 7reps (+2 reps)

On this day the goal is to squat 3 sets of 5 reps, using a weight lifting formula that is based on your estimated 1 rep max (see above for link to calculator).

On the last set, the goal is to get your 5 reps... but if you can do more than 5, then you should. I did 2 extra reps.

Accessory Lifts:

Leg Extensions
130lbs x 14 reps
160lbs x 12 reps
175lbs x 7 reps

BB Curl
70lbs x 12 reps
80lbs x 10 reps
90lbs x 10 reps

Now here I added in barbell curls, but Jim's program didn't mention anything about bicep work for the Triumvirate template. I did see that biceps were included in the Bodybuilding template that comes with the 5/3/1 e-book however. So to fill my need for some specific bicep work, I decided to add BB curls once a week to the 5/3/1 template, which strays from the e-book.

Hanging Leg Raises
30 reps
20 reps
20 reps

This workout took me about 40 mins, with plenty of time for resting.

Next workout day...

Week 1 - Day 2 - Military Press Day

Standing Barbell Press

90lbs x 5 reps
105lbs x 5 reps
115lbs x 10reps (+5 reps)

Accessory Lifts:

Dips
Bodyweight (BW) x 20 reps
BW x 16 reps
BW x 12 reps
BW x 10 reps

Smith Machine Shrugs
135lbs x 25 reps
185lbs x 15 reps
225lbs x 10 reps

This workout took about 40 mins and I added in 20 mins cardio on the treadmill afterward.

As I said, I'm really enjoying the 5/3/1 3 days a week training program and would recommend it for those looking to increase their big lifts for strength and size.

Exercises for your Chest

2009-07-20T13:12:00.007-04:00

One of the best exercises for your chest is the incline barbell press.

For one, it is a compound movement, which is key to building muscle mass during a chest work out.

It also targets the upper chest muscles and the shoulders.

Photo Courtesy of Usodesita

This chest exercise is similar to the regular bench press (lying flat) except with incline presses the bench is at an angle, around 30 degrees or so.

If your trying to build more muscle size then try sticking with compound movements. Flat bench press, decline bench press, incline bench press are all good compound exercises for your chest.

Here are some good videos on exercises for building chest muscles.

Forget Isolation Exercises, For Now...

Don't worry about doing cable flys, or other chest isolation exercises, until you have built your body building foundation to the point that it deserves to be "chiseled".

I see far too many weightlifters at the gym who are 160 lbs and are trying to "cut" there muscle into oblivion.

You just won't add size to your chest without some heavy compound lifts and a good diet for muscle building.

Tracking Your Training

Another important aspect of your training should include recording your workouts in a workout journal or log book to stay on top of your progress.

You can download a free printable workout log here.

Many workouts X many small increases in weight
=
a BIGGER you!

Keep the above statement in mind next time you think of performing exercises for your chest using the exact same weight as last time.

Have you been bench pressing 155 pounds every time it's chest day?

If you have ever wondered why you are not getting any bigger, there's your answer. Your weight training progress and your diet are directly related to how big you are going to get. Of course I am assuming that you DO want to get bigger. Some people don't and that's fine too. But this is a journal about building muscle, so preach on I shall ;)

So instead of lifting the same weight each workout day, try adding 5lbs here and there. You know those little 2-1/2 lb plates you see lying around the gym?

That's what they are there for. 2 x 2-1/2 lbs = 5lbs. If you can slowly increase your bench press by adding 5lbs a workout, where do you think you might be in a year's time?

Small weight increases, let's do the math:

Say January 1st you are able to bench press 155lbs. Also, let's assume you are going to exercise your chest once a week. So on January 7th (your next workout) you try to bench press 160lbs (155+5) within the same rep range as you did last week; let's assume 8-10 reps.

Now, if you were to consistently add 5 lbs to your bench press every week, for say 3 months... you would add 60 lbs to your bench press!

All from using those little 2-1/2 lb plates lying around the gym.

If you started at 155lbs, 3 months later you would be bench pressing 215lbs. That is quite a feat!

What to Do When Your Progress Stalls

Now there will probably come a point where you are going to stall on your progress. Don't worry about it, it happens to everyone.

Here's what I like to do:

1. If I'm feeling exhausted, I like to take 7 to 10 days off and do nothing. Usually this happens to me about 8 to 12 weeks into a training program, so at that point I like to enjoy some R&R and reset my body.

2. If I stall after only a month and a half or so, I'll just simply switch to a new exercise. This is part of the structure of my workout program Doggcrapp Training, aka DC Training. This technique can be applied to any workout program IMO. Just simply do another chest exercise instead. You can always come back to the exercise you witched out at a later point.

3. Look at my diet. If the weights are not going up and I'm feeling less than enthusiastic about hitting the gym, my body may be telling me that I'm not eating enough to continue progressing. You need to eat big to grow big. Check out my take on the best muscle building foods.

So that's my take on the exercises for your chest that build mass and how to go about progressing.

Here's my latest workout:

DC Workout - Week 4 - 1B

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Chest Exercise
Incline Barbell Presses
LT 205lbs x 14 RP
TT 205lbs x 9+4+4 = 17RP
That's the beauty of keeping track of your workouts in a log book; you get to see your increases (or decreases) each workout. There's no guess work on what you should be trying to achieve.

UNLESS, you actually read your log book wrong, lol. This is what happened to me above. I thought my log book said 205x16 last time (LT). But it was 205x14. So I put it in my mind that I need to beat 205x16, and wound up incline bench pressing 205x17, which is an increase of 4 reps! I guess it pays sometimes to make small boo boos.

Shoulders
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
LT 175x17RP
TT 190x16RP

Triceps
Skull Deads
LT 90lbs x 25 RP
TT 100lbs x 9+6+6 = 21 RP
I'm plus 10 lbs here, but the reps are getting a bit low. The bottom of the range I like to hit is min. 20 reps. I'll probably keep the weight the same next time and go for more reps.

Back Width
MTS Hammer Strength - Front Pulldowns
LT 190lbs x 20 RP
TT 210lbs x 10+6+4 = 20 RP
Can't complain with a 20 lb increase!

Back Thickness
Seated Row
LT 160x12SS, 190x6SS
TT --
Uh oh, ran out of time. Will have to pick up where I left of last time next week. Hate to miss it like this, but Elga the gym cop was standing over me at closing time. Can't blame her though, it was 2 minutes to closing and here I was pounding out reps.

The next day I did some HIIT cardio training to try a different cardio approach. What I like about this style of fat burning cardio is it's over and done with in 20 minutes. Sure is better than long boring walking cardio, but can also kick the hell out of you. I try to limit HIIT sessions to twice a week during the offseason.

I hope I was able to provide some helpful info on exercises for your chest, see you next time!

The 20 Rep Squat Workout

2009-07-16T01:11:00.009-04:00

There's not much that can be said to describe what a 20 rep squat set is like. I mean, you really have to try them to know the pain. If I could put it into words, I would say... it feels like your quads are going to explode, your heart is going to pop out of your chest, and when you've finished, it feels like you've just ran 5 miles.

Check out this squat set of 20 reps, 405 x 20... crazy!

I like the concept of squatting 20 times; simply because, it pushes you beyond your comfort zone. A realm where few dare to go indeed.

Real growth comes from letting your body know it needs to change due to new stresses you are putting on it. It's not going to change much if you keep doing the same weight over and over; it will only adapt.

You have to think of it from your body's point of view. It doesn't want to change. It's happy right where's it's at. The only way it's going to change is if you FORCE it. 20 rep squats tend to do that ; )

In DC training, 20 rep squatting is called the Widow Maker set and it is the most dreaded end to a brutal leg day. It is actually the very last exercise of the day since after that set there's not much more you can do. You're pretty much beat. And if you did the set right, you should be walking a little funny and calling for Mommy.

There are days when I wake up knowing I'm going to be tired all day from not getting enough sleep. Usually this feeling will stay with me the entire day; you know, groggy and blah. But when it so happens that leg day falls on "groggy day", I know that by the time I've finished my 20 rep squat Widow Maker set, I'll be FULLY awake.

Tonight's workout was a gooder.

I went up on all my lifts and everything felt "easy"; well, sort of. I've been toying around with 3 day a week workouts vs. working out only twice a week. The more I experiment with this, the more I am finding that I recover better working out only 2 times a week. Tonight's workout was proof of that.

Last week, I worked out Mon., Wed. and Fri. When Friday came around, I was beat and felt over trained. Needless to say Friday's workout was crap.

What am I learning from this workout experiment?

That more is not better, for me anyway. Better is better. And better for me is 2 X's a week.

So there you have it.

Onto the 20 rep squat workout... DC style.

Week 4 - 1B

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Biceps
Barbell Curls
LT 110lbs x 18 RP
TT 115lbs x 9+4+4 = 17 RP

Forearms
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
LT 45lbs x 16 SS
TT 50lbs x 14 SS

* Extreme bicep stretch *

Calves
Smith Machine Standing Calf Raises
LT 275lbs x 23 RP
TT 295lbs x 9+7+6 = 22 RP

Hamstrings
Seated Leg Curl
LT 120lbs x 30 RP
TT 125lbs x 12+10+7 = 29 RP

* Extreme hamstring stretch *

Quads
Smith Machine Squats
LT 305 x 5 SS + 215lbs x 22 SS WM
315lbs x 5 SS + 225lbs x 23 SS WM

* Extreme quad stretch *

As you can see, my Widow Maker set turned into 23 reps! I'm always pleased when I can push beyond a 20 rep squat set and crank out a few more.

Muscle Building Workout Online

2009-07-07T01:25:00.004-04:00

Because I've fallen behind a week on the journal, I'm going to make this muscle building workout online post cover 3 workouts.

I'm still in the process of setting my baseline numbers and am fairly pleased so far. I've been working out 2 times per week during the past 2 weeks, but I may switch to 3 days this week.

I'm also trying to get at least a 1/2 hour of cardio in on mornings... 1 down today so far ;)

I need to double check my log book on 2A's workout numbers as I don't have it with me right now and I'm trying to go by memory. I'll come back and edit these muscle building workout online numbers if any are off.

Here's the workouts:

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

All sets shown are working sets only. Warm up sets are done for every exercise

Workout 2A

Chest
Incline Barbell Press
205lbs x 7+4+3 = 14 RP

Shoulders
Smith Machine Seated Shoulders
175lbs x 8+5+4 = 17 RP

Triceps
Skull Deadlifts
90lbs x 16+5+4 = 25 RP

Back Width
Hammer Strength Front Pulldowns
190lbs x 9+6+5 = 20 RP

Back Thickness
Seated Row
160lbs x 12 SS + 190lbs x 6 SS
The seated rows were supposed to be T-bars... except we don't have a t-bar in our gym. What I normally do is stick one end of a 45lb bar in a wall corner and use a low row handle for the grips at the other end. These are called "corner rows" and they work great as a t-bar substitute. However, there was a note in the corner where the bar usually is stating "If you stick a bar in this corner you will have your membership revoked... blah blah blah... a T-bar has been ordered, Management" The two words that came to mind immediately after reading that were "Yeah right". I'll be very surprised if we actually get a t-bar.

Workout 2B

Biceps
Lat Bar Machine Curls
57.5lbs (double pulley) x 10+5+5 = 20 RP

Forearms
Pinwheel DB Curls
45lbs x 16 SS

Calves
Hammer Strength Calve Raises
70 x 9+8+6 = 23 RP
I decided to rest pause these and krap my calves are still sore 4 days later. As a matter of fact, I can't remember my calves EVER being this sore. Walking down the stairs sideways has been a must.

Hamstrings
Stiff Legged Deadlifts
275lbs x 6 SS, 195lbs x 12 SS
That 275 set was a bit wobbly.

Quads
Freemotion Squat Machine
360lbs x 8 SS, 240 x 21 SS WM

Workout 3A

Chest
Barbell Decline Press
245lbs x 7+4+3 = 14 RP

Shoulders
Standing Barbell Presses
120lbs x 9+5+5 = 19 RP

Triceps
Decline Skull Crushers
100lbs x 14+7+5 = 26 RP

Back Width
Dumbbell Pullovers
80lbs x 9+6+5 = 20 RP
Was supposed to do Neutral Grip pulldowns but I couldn't find the handle so I swapped for these.

Back Thickness
Lifefitness Seated Row - Underhand Grip
190 x 12 SS
Pressed for time and missed the heavy set.

Only 1 muscle building workout online left to set baselines for.. then it's go time!

Heavy Slag Iron Arm Work Out

2009-06-29T15:04:00.005-04:00

What constitutes an arm work out aimed at building big arms?

Well, if you're looking to gain bicep mass I would stay away from fuzzy-pink dumb bell concentrate curls; they're just not going to cut it ;)

Seriously though, I think one of the best arm building workouts is one that is simple and intense.

This is one of the reasons why I enjoy DC training as much as I do; simplicity and intensity.

Biceps and forearms are worked with one major exercise, once or twice a week. Triceps are worked on a different day, also 1 or 2 times a week.

That's it.

I'm not talking about measly little arm routines that involve using welter weights x 20 sets. I'm talking about 1 good solid arm exercise using rest pause sets, core lifts, and enough weight to let your arms know that you mean business!

Friday I worked biceps, forearms, calves, hamstrings and quads, and it has been nearly 2 weeks since I did any direct bicep work due to my recent time off.

The amount of weight I ended using when my last blast came to a close was not much greater than what I started with the other day. After 2 weeks off, with no bicep workouts, my bicep lifts had barely changed.

What does that tell me?

That tells me that I did not lose any muscle during my break from lifting. So for those of you who are afraid of taking some much needed time off away from the gym... just do it. Your body will thank you for it.

What does a DC arm work out consist of?

For biceps... first, warm up sets. Only enough bicep warm up sets to get the job done though, no more.

Then, 3 all out heavy slag iron sets to failure, with 12-15 deep breaths in between each set. These are called rest pause sets, the back bone of many DC training exercises.

A typical heavy preacher curl set may look something like this:

100lbs x 12

+ 4

+ 2

= 18 RP

Afterward, DC extreme stretching is performed (not all exercises require extreme stretching... calves and forearms for example, do not).

Triceps exercises are also performed using rest pause sets, but forearms are done using straight sets for safety reasons.

Here's my recent work out, arm's included:

Week 1 - Workout 1B

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

All sets shown are working sets only. Warm up sets are done for every exercise

Barbell Curl

110lbs x 9+5+4 = 18 RP

Dumbbell Hammer Curl

45lbs x 16 SS

Smith Standing Calve Raises

275lbs x 10+7+6 = 23 RP

Seated Leg Curl

120lbs x 16+8+6 = 30RP

Smith Squat

305lbs x 5 SS + 215lbs x 22 SS WM

Start back number are still fairly decent. I know I titled this post about a heavy arm work out, but the way my legs are still feeling beat up I should have labeled it killer leg work out as well.

Gym Workout Programs - Which One is for YOU?

2009-06-24T16:00:00.003-04:00

Are you wondering which gym workout programs out there work and which ones to try out?

With too many workout routines to list here (although I will get to some) let me say that many exercise programs do work.

What??

I can hear you screaming at me as I write this.

Haven't we been told to stay away from all the hype about this new fan dangled fitness program now on sale for just $49... or that celebrity exercise routine as advertised on TV?

Well yeah, I'd stay away from those... but there are many free online workout programs available across the web that will work.

Depending on your goals, several of these work out programs will get the job done, however, only if you actually follow the program and keep at it.

The problem with most gym goers is their need to jump from program to program every week, determined to fill their OCD needs to find the best workout program EVER.

How on earth do you ever expect to track your progress, tweak necessary changes (weight used, reps, diet changes, etc.) if you are changing workout routines like you change your underwear?

Want to know the secret to successful bodybuilding? It is CONSISTENCY.

Showing up to your scheduled workouts, working out with intensity, keeping track of your progress in a journal, getting sufficient rest, eating like a bodybuilder every 2-1/2 to 3 hrs... doing all these things on a consistent basis will amount to progression.

So my advice to those of you who have e-mailed me with requests for which gym workout programs are right for you is this: Pick one and DO IT.

Try it out. Test it out. See if it's right for you. But give it some time. Rome was not built in a day and neither will your body.

Check out these weight lifting programs first and go from there.

A good one I always recommend for a beginner workout is the 5x5 program. Look for it in the weight lifting programs for beginners section. It's a good basic muscle building work out routine aimed at using core lifts.

Whatever you do, try to stay away from following muscle magazine workouts. These can lead to over training as they often mirror the workout routines that professional bodybuilders do. Unless you have their genetics (and supplementation) I would opt for a program from the above list.

Another way to narrow down good gym workout programs is to check out the exercise journals (like this one) of others and see what they are doing. Chances are they may just be onto something that works.

Remember, everyone is different. Every program out there may not be right for you. Some work out programs require a lot of volume, which is not for everyone.

I spent years spinning my wheels with high volume programs, working out 6 days a week. Results? Nope. Over training instead.

It took me a while to figure out the types of exercise routines that work best for ME. Low volume / high intensity programs work best for me. Like the program I'm on now... DC training. I workout a maximum of 3 days a week, that's it. This gives me lots of time for recovery and I have found that I need LOTS of rest. Working out more is not necessarily better. Remember you grow away from the gym, not in it. Rest between workouts is crucial.

I hope I have taken away some of the mystery of the many gym workout programs out there and which ones to follow, if not e-mail me at muscle.building.workouts.journal [at] gmail.com and I'll see if I can help.

Best Workout for Back

2009-06-24T01:34:00.003-04:00

After taking 11 days off of weight training I was glad to be back tonight pounding my best workout for back muscles.

I enjoyed the time off though. I took the family to Canada's Wonderland this past weekend and we spent a couple of nights at the Super 8 in Vaughn, which is only a quick drive from the Wonderland theme park.

We spoiled ourselves with some decent meals out, a few movies, some shopping and a full day at Canada's version of Disney land.

I prefer the water park mostly, but the lineups to scoot down a pipe in a rubber tube lasted upwards of an hour. It was worth the wait though ; )

My wife.. well she's a roller coaster gal. She drove us crazy until we finally broke down and did the Wild Beast, a 3000 foot wooden coaster.

She really wanted to try the Behemoth ride... but a 3000' wooden roller coaster seemed safer to me.

It was our daughter's first time on a coaster (she's 11) and she was not too thrilled about it... but she agreed. The ride was indeed "wild"! The funny thing is by the time we got off, our daughter wanted to go again.. but the wife wasn't having it. She had enough. I had to laugh because it scared her more than it did our daughter. And me? Well let's just say I prefer the water park and floating around on tubes.

Anyways... back to the workout journal.

After 10 weeks of DC blasting, taking the time off has really helped my forearm heal up to where I was able to do a complete back workout (as well chest, shoulders and triceps today).

I enjoy saving the big back workout until the end of the work out, as I can really give it my all and annihilate my lats, then my lower back.

There's not much more that can be done in a workout after a solid back workout exercise. IMO doing back width exercises and then the heavy back thickness movements leaves nothing left in the tank, nor should there be if given 110%.

So here's the workout and the start of a new blast. I will be setting my baseline lifting numbers for the next 2 weeks.

Week 1 - Workout 1A

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

All sets shown are working sets only. Warm up sets are done for every exercise.

Chest
Decline Smith Machine
275lbs x 8+4+3 = 15RP

Shoulders
Lifefitness Machine Shoulder Press
155lbs x 9+6+5 = 20RP

Triceps
Dips
Body weight + 55lbs x 10+6+4 = 20RP

Back Width
Close Grip Pulldowns
190lbs x 9+6+5 = 20RP

Back Thickness
Smith Machine Under Hand Rows
245lbs x 6 SS, 215lbs x 12 SS

My best workout for back in a long time! I'm pleased that I was able to do 190lbs for the close grip pull downs as well. There is still some pain in my forearm, but nothing compared to a month ago.

I was also happy with the baselines I set in general, because they are not too far off where I left last blast. I actually beat shoulders and back width from the last time I worked them over 2 weeks ago (time off does the body good).

Although each new blast I need to set new baselines, I am pleased when I'm not too far off from my previous training cycle.

In 2 weeks I'll be trying to beat tonight's above numbers; either with more weight, more reps or both. That's the goal after all the baseline weights are set, and the key to progression. If you want to get stronger, you have to keep consistently challenging your body to grow; lifting the same amount of weight over and over will keep your strength the same.

Well I'm off to rest up after the best workout for back muscles that I've had in a long while.

Rest Between Workouts could be Critical for Muscle Building

2009-06-18T00:10:00.005-04:00

If you are not taking a rest between workouts, every now and then, you may be missing out on some critical muscle building.

We have a term in DC training that refers to taking time off between workout blasts; it's called a Cruise.

Not a cruise as in "cruise ship"... I'm talking about full fledged resting.

When you consistently beat yourself up with grueling workouts over the course of a couple of months, your body may be crying out to you to give it a break. I know mine does.

Trust me, taking a break from weight training every 8 to 12 weeks will do your body good!

A week or so away from working out and regimented eating may be just what's needed to kick start some new growth.

If you've been following my journal, you know I just finished DC blasting for 10 weeks. Come week 11... I knew it was time for a break. One thing I made sure to do, was to take a rest from training BEFORE I became too beaten up; at that point it's too late.

Once I hit that point of near over training, getting rested up will take longer. Instead of getting fully rested up in 7 to 10 days it may end up taking 3 weeks to a month to get back on track.

That's why I listen to my body and take a break just when things start to get achy; which is about the same time I start to lose a little interest in training. At that point, I know I'm in need for a cruise.

I usually take between 10 to 14 days off of heavy training when I take a rest between workout blasts. I also drop 1 meal as per DC protocol and try to get some cardio in every morning to tighten things up a bit.

Sometimes I'll go into the gym and do a cruise workout. Basically I just do light pump sets around the 12 rep range mark and definitely nothing is done to failure.

Other times I'll stay out of the gym completely during a cruise. None of my cruises are exactly the same because my body changes with each new blast.

The whole point of taking a break from weight lifting is to allow my body to reset itself and heal up those little nagging injuries that may have occurred during heavy training. I find this is great both physically and mentally as heavy weight training can take it's toll on both.

I also stop taking creatine during this time to give my body a break.

Sometimes I get e-mails asking how long to rest between workouts. Unfortunately, I can't tell anyone that answer as you have to get to know your own body and decide when it is the right time to take a break from your workouts. Everyone is unique and has different rest requirements.

Some trainees are leery of staying out of the gym for a week or so because they are afraid they will lose muscle. The truth is, this is a psychological issue and not a physical one.

I have never lost any muscle mass by taking a week or two off of the gym. As a matter of fact I usually come back stronger and fuller looking.

It can be a daunting task at first to stay clear of the weights for a while, but just remember that there is more to life than weight lifting. Practice taking breaks and you may just find yourself enjoying it!

I like to use these gym breaks to spend more time with family and friends and maybe get to a project around the house that I've been neglecting.

Pointers I like to use when considering taking a break from working out:

Get to know your body and listen to it. Take a break from weight training before you start to get over trained.
If things start to get overly achy, your appetite stars to dwindle, you have trouble sleeping or you lose interest in working out... these may all be signs that you need a rest from the gym.
Experiment with various lengths of time off from working out and see what best works for you.
Try to get some cardio in to keep your sanity and to keep burning fat.

And remember to have some fun during your rest between workouts and enjoy yourself!

How to Build Bicep Muscles

2009-06-14T11:06:00.008-04:00

When I started working out over 20 years ago, I was guilty of following a how to build bicep muscles routine outlined in the muscle magazines.

You see, the problem I found with muscle mags is that a lot of the articles are written like glamor magazines; to make a lot of money and use pro bodybuilders as their examples.

Now I don't know about you but I do not have the genetics of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Ronnie Coleman... so why on Earth would I try to use bicep routines, or any workout routine for that matter, that these pros use?

When I tried doing the same arm exercises, amount of volume, weight (ha!) and training protocol these big dudes were using, I over trained.

It took me a while to figure out what worked for me... and working out 6 days a week, doing 2 hour weight lifting sessions, did not.

Fast forward 20 years. I'm now working out 3 days a week maximum, but am now finding 2 days a week may work even better for me and my recovery abilities.

I also use a low volume high intensity training routine (DC training) that takes about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes to get through. Anything longer than that and I start to over train.

But that's me; YOU might be different and it's your job as someone looking to achieve a better physique to find out what works for you and what does not.

Getting the most out of your weight lifting protocol is all about knowing your body and how it responds to training, and this happens over time.

So for those looking for information on how to build bicep muscles, I use compound lifts like barbell curls. Heavy slag iron coupled with the proper food for growth will add beef to your frame. 25 pound concentrate curls will not. If you want bigger arms you have to lift big and eat big.

Of course I didn't just start out lifting heavy; I needed to start out with a weight that I could handle. After that, each week I would try to lift a little bit more than last time; not much, maybe 5 lbs at a time until I couldn't lift any heavier using proper form or when my repetition range fell too low. At that point, I found it best to switch to another bicep exercise until I maxed that one out.

I follow this training protocol today using DC training.

I also squat to gain size, not only arm size, but overall.

Huh?

Yep, squat.

Barbell squats are also a great way to turn your body into a testosterone producing machine, naturally. Want bigger arms, squat. Want bigger <________>, squat.

Another thing I keep in mind when trying to build big biceps is a good bodybuilding diet. If you are a buck sixty (160lbs) don't expect 18" guns.

Add 40 lbs of muscle to your frame and you will see a difference in the size of your arms. Quality food is needed to build muscle and not just crap food. Protein is my friend. I follow the information here for my weight lifting diet.

Bottom line for building bicep muscles? I stay away from muscle magazines and focus on a quality proven weight lifting program that works. I strive for small gains in weights or reps every workout and I take much needed breaks away from weight lifting when needed.

As a matter of fact, I try to take 10 days off of heavy training every 8 to 12 weeks. Nothing is engraved in stone though. Sometimes I need to take a break after 5 weeks of training while other times I can go much longer. Right now I'm into my 10th week of DC training and still feel pretty good.

Here's my work out from Friday, that includes a compound lift to build bicep muscles.

Week 10 - Friday
Workout 2A

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Bicep Exercise
Barbell Curls
LT 115lbs x 16 RP
TT 115lbs x 8+4+5 = 17 RP
I fought really hard to get an extra rep on the BB curls. This is still progress. BB curls is my favorite bicep movement and I would hate to have to switch them to something else. That keeps me motivated to keep trying to beat my previous numbers, which is what DC training is all about.

Forearms
Pinwheel Dumbbell Curls
LT 45lbs x 14 SS
TT 45lbs x 16 SS
+2 reps!

Calf Exercise
Smith Standing Calf Raises
LT 275lbs x 24 RP
TT 295lbs x 10+5+7 = 22 RP
20 lb increase; I'll take that : ) Usually I do calves DC style (6 sec negative with a 15 second hold at the bottom = 1 rep) but I enjoy switching it up by rest pausing calf work as well.

Hamstrings
Hammer Strength Standing One Legged Curl
LT 55lbs x 30 RP
TT 65lbs x 12+8+6 = 26 RP
10lb increase here.

Quads
Smith Squats
LT 315lbs x 5 SS + 235lbs x 21 SS WM
TT 315lbs x 6 SS + 245lbs x 21 SS WM
I decided to keep the weight the same as last time on the heavy set and work on my form. The widow maker set was very tough and I needed to break for 10 seconds half way through.

In summary, I hope it's clear that when it comes to muscle building that there is more involved than just arm exercises; diet, workout frequency, intensity and rest are all important factors to consider when learning to build bicep muscles.

Working Out and The Art of Nonconformity

2009-06-12T11:03:00.008-04:00

I've recently been following Chris Guillebeau's site The Art of Nonconformity with much interest.

Chris is on a mission to visit all the countries of the world, by the time he is 35. He is 31, at the time of this writing, and has already visited 111 countries at current count.

Quite amazing to say the least; to do what you want on your own terms.

Chris pays for his adventures using money he earns selling his e-book info products from his website.

I admit that I broke down and bought one of his e-books called the Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself, even though I already work for myself. It is a good read and I can see how it can be helpful to those looking to get their feet wet working for themselves online.

I consider myself to be a non-conformist. I'm never too thrilled when I feel society telling me where my place is or what I should be doing with my life.

Life IS too short.

I spent my fair share of time behind a desk doing what everyone thinks I should be doing. No more.

I admire and take motivation from what Chris is doing. Somehow reading his stories makes me feel like I'm not so crazy for wanting to do my own thing. If you get the inclination to visit Chris's site, I highly recommend you do it.

I want to take my blog in a bit of a new direction while trying to stay on base with my workout journal.

Further to my Doggcrapp workouts (the name is about as nonconforming as you can get!) I'll be talking a bit more about life in general, things that motivate me, things that piss me off, etc.

BTW, if there's anything specific, in regards to fitness, that you would like to see me write more about, feel free to let me know in a comment or send me an e-mail to muscle.building.workouts.journal [at] gmail.com.

Have a good day, I'm off to pay my taxes \:-|

Doggcrapp Tricep Dips

2009-06-10T19:35:00.006-04:00

I'm in the middle of week 10 of my current blast and doggcrapp tricep dips was on the agenda today.

I'm not talking about bench dips... I'm talking about full fledged tricep dips at a station, like the one on the <- left.

Not even a year ago I couldn't do any dips do to a left shoulder injury that seemed to last forever.

Now that my shoulder has healed up, I'm making steady progress on chest, shoulders and triceps exercises. Today I hit two record lifts.

One was for decline smith benching and the other for dips. I used my weight belt to secure a 75 pound dumbbell to my waist and proceeded to perform tricep dips at a dipping station.

Here's the workout:

Week 10 - Wednesday - Workout 1B

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Chest Exercise
Decline Smith Bench Press
LT 275lbs x 14 RP
TT 290lbs x 5+3+4 = 12 RP
That's a PR for me!

Shoulder Exercise
Lifefitness Machine Shoulder Press
LT 145lbs x 21 RP
TT 155lbs x 8+4+6 = 18 RP

Triceps
Station Dips
LT Bodyweight + 65lbs x 17 RP
TT Bodyweight + 75lbs x 7+3+3 = 13 RP PR!
Yeah baby! Even though I'm a couple of reps shy of my rep range, I'm very happy with these. I'll try for more reps next time and leave the weight at 75lbs.

Back Width
NG Pulldowns
LT 180lbs x 21 RP
TT 190lbs x 12+7+5 = 24 RP
+10lbs and + 3 reps! Looks like the forearm is cooperating.

Back Thickness
Smith Under Hand Rows
LT 250lbs x 4 SS + 215lbs x12 SS
TT 250lbsx x 5 SS + 225lbs x 10 SS
I'm still trying to get to 6 reps on the heavy set. 1 more go. +10lb jump on the 225 set!

With 2 all time Personal Records, I'm very happy. Needless to say my triceps are SMOKED after declines, shoulder presses and doggcrapp tricep dips.

FreeMotion Squat Machine

2009-06-09T10:47:00.009-04:00

One piece of equipment that I enjoy using on leg training day is the FreeMotion Squat Machine.

Well, I guess I should say I "prefer" to use... as "enjoy" may be a bit strong for leg day ; )

In my workout rotation I use 3 leg exercises within a two week period.

Two leg workouts are performed in the first week (Monday and Friday) and 1 leg exercise is performed in the second week, usually on Wednesday.

Each leg routine is unique and brutal in it's own way.

My current blast consists of barbell squats, smith squats and freemotion squats. I much prefer freemotion squats over... say, the leg press. I see many at my gym loading up the leg press with as many plates as it can hold, only to do 1/4 presses.

When I squat (any type of squat) I KNOW I worked my legs hard come the next day. Squatting is such a great core exercise for your entire body when done with proper form.

Leg press, leg extensions, etc., are all fine and have their place... but they just are not for me as a quad movement.

I also like that fact that I can still perform a squatting movement, with the Free Motion squat machine, and be able to safely perform a leg exercise without a spotter.

Yesterday's leg training session has brought me close to maxing out the weight on this exercise machine. I squatted 360 for 5 reps; 400 pounds is the maximum weight.

Once I do hit the maximum weight, this does not necessarily mean I will need to drop this piece of freemotion fitness equipment from my current blast. I can always increase the reps once the weight is maxed out, as my intended rep range on leg machine equipment for quad heavy sets is 6 to 10 reps.

I was actually out of my rep range yesterday by 1 rep, but with DC training, you're allowed to give it another go next time before dropping the exercise and replacing it with something else.

Anyhoo... here's yesterday's leg training session with freemotion squats as the star!

Week 10 - Monday
Workout 1A

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Biceps
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls
LT 50lbs x 18RP
TT 50lbs x 10+5+5 = 20RP
When I started to warmup, I felt a little twinge in my forearm and didn't want to re-injure it. LT I was pretty high up on the reps (range is 15-20RP) and I should have tried to up the weight, rather than the reps... but I used some extra caution here just in case and stayed the weight. I got 2+ reps which is a good increase as well.

Forearms
Hammer Dumbbell Curls
LT 45lbs x 20 SS
TT 50lbs x 16 SS
My forearms were on "fire" after this straight set of DB hammers.

Calf Exercise
Seated Lifefitness Calf Presses
LT 260lbs x 10 SS
TT 270lbs x 10 SS
These were done DC style (6 secs down, 15 second hold at the bottom = 1 rep). Nasty!

Hamstrings
Seated Leg Curl
LT 125lbs x 24 RP
TT 130lbs x 12+7+7 = 26 RP
I am very pleased with these! My hamstrings are my worst body part as far as I'm concerned and I really have to fight for any type of increases. 5 lbs + 2 reps... yipeee!

Quadriceps
Freemotion Squat Machine
LT 360lbs x 6 SS + 260lbs x 23 SS WM
TT 380lbs x 5 SS + 280lbs x 21 SS WM
I felt like I got hit by a freight train after that Widow Maker set.

Absolutely brutal!

I finished things up with an extreme quad stretch and wobbled off to the car, where my wife was waiting for me.

Knocked my shake back on my way home and hit the shower once there. My littlest one bolted up the stairs to tell me that my shower was dripping into the family room below.

Oh man, boo.

I pulled the drop ceiling tiles down but couldn't see much so I need to have someone come and take a look. Hopefully there's no water damage and maybe it's just some caulking that needs to be replaced.

After that, I wolfed back some chicken breast, sweet potato and broccoli and cursed the freemotion squat machine every time I needed to use the stairs.

Building Shoulder Muscle

2009-06-05T13:14:00.008-04:00

I'm into my 9th week of DC training and yesterday's workout included my favorite building shoulder muscle exercise.

Seated smith machine front shoulder presses.

There is just something about this exercise that gets me pumped; literally!

First of all, I love that fact that I can go as heavy as possible, while still having the reassurance of the safety latches to catch the load if I fail. Having that feature is one of the reasons I can risk going heavy.

Secondly, no spot is needed when doing the smith machine shoulder press. When I'm in the "zone" I'm not usually in the mood to lolligag around the gym asking for spots. Normally it isn't a problem getting a spot, but sometimes it is difficult to have a spotter stay for an entire Rest Pause set (3 sets in a row with 15 deep breaths in between).

Here is an example of smith shoulder presses:

Other shoulder exercises such as standing military press, dumbbell shoulder press, hammer strength and other machine shoulder press exercises are all good... but the smith machine is my favorite when working out shoulders.

Here's yesterday's DC workout:

Week 9 - Thursday
Workout 3B

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Chest
Decline Barbell Bench Press
LT 245lbs x 13 RP
TT 250lbs x 5+3+3 = 11 RP
Things are slowing down with this exercise. I'm not at the bottom of the intended rep range (11-15RP). This is also by far my favorite chest exercise and I would hate to lose it. Hopefully the fear of having to drop decline BB will get my adrenalin blasting next workout.. and beat these number so I can keep it!

My favorite building shoulder muscle exercise
Smith Shoulder Press
LT 185lbs x 17 RP
TT 195lbs x 7+4+2 = 13RP
These felt heavy today but my rep range is still good. I always do shoulder exercises to the front. I don't do them to behind the neck, as I use to when I was younger. Just too much of a chance for a shoulder injury doing them behind the neck.

Triceps
Decline Eazy Bar Skull Crushers
LT 90lbs x 27 RP
TT 100lbs x 12+5+5 = 22RP
Lets just say that my triceps are absolutely smoked today, after these and the other presses.

Back Width
Close Grip Pulldowns
LT 145lbs x 23 RP
TT 180lbs x 10+6+5 = 21 RP
The last time I did these pull downs, I was easing in back width exercises due to my forearm injury. I took a chance today and went a lot heavier and the pain wasn't too bad. A little stiff today though.

Back Thickness
Dumbbell Rows
LT N/A
TT 110lbs x 6 SS, 80lbs x 12 SS
Finally, some real back thickness work added in. I haven't done DB rows in ages, but I thought it would be a good way to start adding more back thickness exercises in. I've been basically doing smith rows every time it came to lower back work (due to the limited exercises I could do because of the injury). Hope to add t-bar rows in next. The lighter set of DB rows felt good, but the heavy set was a struggle and I'll need to work on my form some.

After my workout, I went to reach for my usual post-workout shake... only to find I had forgotten it! By the time I got home I was a starvin Marvin.

Luckily, my wife decided to BBQ some lean pork, so I indulged in 200 grams of barbecued pork with a baked potato and some veggies.

That's it for yesterday's workout, I plan on writing some more info soon on other building shoulder muscle exercises.

Squat Workout

2009-06-02T18:13:00.007-04:00

Monday was barbell squat workout day, and today (Tuesday) my legs are toast.

I have a love / hate relationship with squats; love em cause they help you grow your legs and the rest of your body... and hate em cause they hurt like a bitch, more than any other exercise.

On leg day, in DC training (doggcrapp training), BB squatting time is time to fear.

Not only does this training call for a heavy set of squats (after many warmups), but it also requires you to complete a Widow Maker set, or a set of 20 reps.

Until you've done one of these sets, there is no way of truly describing the pain involved. But the growth you receive from doing Widow Maker sets makes it all worth while.

I decided to hit the gym at a different time than usual yesterday; to mix things up a bit. When I arrived, it was absolutely packed!

I'm not used to having to wait for equipment, so I decided to try my DC squat workout OUT OF ORDER.

Big mistake!

There is a reason why squats are done LAST on leg day. DC spent many years devising this program and the way it is laid out is the best way to do it.

Biceps, forearms, calves, hamstrings... and THEN squats. That is the proper order of performing a doggcrapp squat workout on the 2-way split.

Why squats last?

Because after you do a heavy squat set, and then a widow maker set, you should have NOTHING left in the tank. As a matter of fact I usually don't bother doing post workout cardio on days I exercise legs... as it can be difficult to walk after BB squats.

Yesterday, I learned that switching the exercises around is not a very good idea.

Week 9 - 3A - Monday

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Biceps
Lat Bar Machine Curls
LT N/A
TT 72.5lbs x 9+4+6 = 20 RP
I did these on a double pulley cable system so the weight should be 72.5x2.

These are a really great bicep exercise. I love the burn from them. I use a lat pull down bar and attach it to the bottom of a cable curl station.

Here's an example of how they are done.

Forearms
1-Arm Reverse Cable Machine Curls
LT N/A
TT 17.5lbs x 14 SS
Trying to get the forearm back into the swing of things.

Quads
Barbell Squats
LT 295lbs x 6 SS + 205lbs x 21 SS
TT 315lbs x 4 SS + 215lbs x 21 SS
Again, these should have been done last in the squat workout... but I didn't have the patience to wait for the other equipment.

I believe doing these before calves and hamstrings, exhausted me. I also was not happy with my squat depth on the heavy set. I think I would have performed better had I done the hamstring work and warmed up my hams properly.

Also, on days of free weight squatting, I really need to get over to the other gym here that has safety bars in the squat rack. I think this also affects my confidence when squatting heavy. If I know I can dump it safely, I think I will squat deeper.

Next time I do BB squats (2 weeks) I will try using the same weight and work on better form in a squat cage.

For those interested in seeing what a squat workout Widow Maker set entails, check out the following video:

Calves
Hammer Strength Seated Calf Raises
LT 90lbs x 12 SS
TT 95lbs x 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 10 RP LOL!
Oh boy, was that messed up! The squats totally wiped me out, so by the time I got to the calf work I was all shaky. I literally had to do a bunch of single sets to get to 10. These are supposed to be done with 1 straight set.

Hamstrings
Lying Leg Curls
LT 100lbs x 21 RP
TT 105lbs x 20 RP
Again, not close to being up to par on these due to squatting first.

Even though I messed up that leg workout, due to switching the order of exercises, I was still really happy with the Widow Maker set of 215x21. But come next squat workout, I'll wait for the equipment - lesson learned!

Muscle Building Recipes

2009-05-31T15:48:00.017-04:00

I'm going to be updating this muscle building recipes page on a regular basis.

Here's a great free muscle recipes e-book chalked full of bodybuilding dishes to please your palette.

<<-- Right-click on the recipe book and click "save as" to download it to your computer.

The free bodybuilding recipes in this e-book include a ground turkey omelet, Indonesian chicken, chocolate and banana protein bars, Asian tuna salad, protein fortified rice, curried chicken, spicy turkey chili, protein waffles, chicken kabobs, chicken and spinach, cheesy scrambled eggs, breakfast zucchini pie, beef chop suey, whole oat flax loaf, homemade MRP, beef and bean stew, chocolate brownies, spicy french fries, spicy beef chili. poached salmon and cucumber, turkey meat loaf, vegetarian chili, tuna and cheese melts, strawberry and banana oatmeal and homemade chocolate protein bars. Weight lifting food does not have to be boring.

How's that for a recipe menu!

Every time I think of a recipe I'm using, or come across one that I like, I'll be adding it to this page.

Hopefully there will be enough muscle and fitness recipes here that will keep you full.

Oh, and if you'd like to submit a muscle recipe that others may benefit from, please leave it in a comment below.

Here are some more weight lifting diet recipes:

Beef Muscle Building Recipes:

Hamburger Veggie Goulash

Meal Type: Protein/Fat/Veggies

I like making this bodybuilding recipe on days when I eat mostly protein and fat or in the evenings when I do not eat carbs past 6pm. It's economical to make and very high in protein.

The green beans also provide some much needed fiber (with very little carbs) to the meal and the olive oil adds healthy fats.

Ingredients
- 180 grams cooked ground beef (Here's how I prepare ground beef in bulk.)
- 120 grams frozen green beans
- a few mushrooms (I used canned) and some chopped onion
- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- Montreal Steak Spice

Directions
Mix everything together (except the olive oil) in a medium microwaveable bowl, cover. Nuke for approximately 5-6 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes. Add olive oil and eat.

Macros
The approximate macros for this meal (not including incidentals) would be:

50g protein
16g fat
10g carbs

Adjust the amounts of beef, veggies and fat to your needs.

Bodybuilding Recipes for Chicken:

Thai Chicken Muscle Builder

Meal Type: Protein/Fat/Veggies

Here's another favorite meal of mine to eat when trying to keep your carbs low. I eat this in the evenings mostly and sometimes after fasted morning cardio.

I also cook my chicken in bulk; usually 3 days worth. This is a huge time saver for me as preparing 6 or 7 muscle meals a day can be very time consuming.

I've listed cooked chicken in the ingredients, but using fresh chicken breast is fine too. Just adjust the weight/protein to accommodate for using raw chicken instead. A site I frequently use to find the calories, protein, carbohydrates and fats in food is Calorieking.com.

Ingredients:
- 170g cooked chicken breast
- 1 cup frozen Thai veggies (I get mine in a big bag from Costco)
- 1 TBSP coconut oil
- minced garlic or garlic powder, flavor to liking
- TBSP of soy sauce
- Stevia or Splenda to taste (optional)
- Montreal Chicken spice (optional)

Directions:
In a large skillet, on medium-high, heat up the coconut oil (careful, this stuff gets hot!). Add the frozen Thai veggies and stir fry and cook until desired texture is reached. Add cooked chicken breast and stir fry for another couple of minutes. Add garlic and a TBSP of soy sauce. I like to add some Stevia to sweeten things up a bit. I then top it all with some Montreal chicken spice.

Note: If you are going to use fresh chicken breast, instead of pre-cooked, cook the chicken in another skillet at the same time as you cook the veggies, then add the cooked chicken breast to the skillet with the veggies.

Macros (approx.)
50g protein
12g carbs
16g fat

Muscle Recipe Videos

More muscle building recipes to follow...

Back Muscle Workouts

2009-05-31T12:13:00.006-04:00

After my forearm injury, I'm slowly building my back muscle workouts back around compound lifts.

Just recently I added stiff legged deadlifts (SLDL's) back into my workout routine.

SLDL's are primarily a free weight hamstring exercise when done properly, but also work the lower back to a certain degree.

The heavy pulling movement of any type of compound exercise was putting too much stress on my F/A, so I pretty much left out these types of back exercises for the first 7 weeks of my current blast.

Now that I've tried SLDL's, I think I'm ready to add compound back exercises back into my workout routine.

The back lifts that I'm hoping to include will be exercises such as bent over barbell rows, T-bars, rack deads and possibly deadlifts. These are considered to be core exercises with DC training (doggcrapp training) for the lower back and "thicken" the back and add overall mass to your body.

Back thickness exercises should not be confused with back "width exercises"... such as wide grip pullups, lat bar pulldowns, rack chins, pullovers, etc.

Obviously I won't add all those back thickness exercises into 1 blast, but I can now start experimenting with the above thickness exercises that are most beneficial to mass building.

For an explanation of some of the best back building exercises I prefer to use, check out this page for a good video series on exercises to strengthen back muscles.

On my most recent workout from Friday, I worked chest, shoulders, triceps, back width and thickness.

I used machine exercises for my back work, as I was still testing my forearm out to see if it was improving since the SLDL's I did the other day.

All seemed well, so I think I'm ready to move forward with compound lifts on future back muscle workouts.

Here's what Friday's workout entailed:

Week 8 - 2A - Friday

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Chest
Incline Barbell Presses
LT 205lbs x 17 RP
TT 215lbs x 7+3+2 = 12RP
Wow! These felt really heavy today.. and I lost 5 reps. I'm chalking it up to an off day, even though I'm still ok in my intended rep range (11-15 RP). I'll use the same weight again next time and try to increase the reps by 1 or 2.

Shoulders
Standing Barbell Presses
LT 135lbs x 14 RP
TT 140lbs x 5+3+3 = 11 RP
I'm now at the lower end of my rep range on these (11-15 RP) so I'll try these one more time and see if they need to be switched out for another shoulder exercise. In the past I have found that standing BB presses don't last long in a blast.

Triceps
Skullcrusher Deadlifts
LT N/A
TT 100lbs x 10+4+6 = 20 RP
I originally had smith machine close grip bench presses scheduled for tripceps, but my shoulders and tris were just smoked from the previous pressing. I just knew I needed to switch out more presses to the skull deads and am glad I did. Skull deads are done similar to skull crushers... but the bar is brought down behind your head to a dead stop on the bench, rather than touching your forehead.

Back Thickness
Hammer Strength MTS High Row
LT 190lbs x 21 RP
TT 210lbs x 9+5+5 = 19 RP
I was pleased with the 20 lb jump in weight and only lost 2 reps. My F/A seemed fine afterward as well... which is a good sign things are improving.

Back Width
Lifefitness Machine Under Hand Rows
LT 205lbs x 6 SS + 175lbs x 12 SS
TT 215 x 6 SS + 190lbs x 12 SS
After this exercise, I pretty much knew that my back muscle workouts would be ready to add in some compound lifts. I think I will start by adding in T-bar rows first to test the waters. My gym doesn't actually have a T-bar devise, per se. What I do is place a barbell in the corner of a smith machine to anchor it, then use a close grip handle (from a low row machine) at the other end of the bar. This makes a great make shift t-bar device.

That's it for Friday's workout. Tomorrow (Monday) I have bi's, f/a and legs scheduled.

I am pretty stoked to be able to add compound lifts into my back muscle workouts again as well.

Leg Exercise Equipment

2009-05-28T11:07:00.003-04:00

Leg exercise equipment can be broken down into two groups; free weight and machines.

There are several types of leg workout machines that are used to exercise the various muscles of the legs.

For example, to work your hamstrings (back of your legs) many gyms are equipped with lying leg curl machines (shown right), seated leg curl equipment, standing leg curl machine and more.

To exercise the quadriceps muscles, machines such as the leg press (shown left), smith machine, vsquat machine, hack squat machine, etc., can be used.

For the calf muscle workouts, several machines can be used... seated calf raises, standing smith calves, seated calf machine, and more.

As you can see there is no shortage of leg workout equipment when it comes to using machines.

Some people prefer to use free weight equipment when exercising their legs and other body parts.

Barbell squats can be used to exercise the quad muscles, stiff legged deadlifts is a good free weight exercise for hamstrings and standing dumb bell calf raises could be used to build calf muscle.

To view a range of leg exercises, visit these building leg muscle videos that demonstrate proper form.

For my leg muscle building workouts, I prefer to use BOTH free weight and exercise machines.

Many free weight lifts are considered compound exercises which I believe are necessary for building muscle mass.

I also enjoy using machine exercises because that type of training I do (DC training) requires a high level of safety.

Using the smith machine to perform squats, for example, allows me to use heavy weight safely.

If I squat until failure, and cannot return the weight to it's top position, I can safely discard the weight and the adjustable safety latches will relieve me of the weight.

Remember, it is very easy to get an injury if you do not use proper form and safety when lifting weights.

The following is my leg workout from yesterday.

On the days that I exercise legs, I also exercise biceps and forearms, as laid out in the DC training 2 way split.

Week 8 of DC Training Blast - Wednesday

Workout 1B

Normally I workout Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. But this week I didn't workout on Monday because of my recent foot/ankle incident. Instead, I spent the last couple of days walking the neighborhood, in 45 minute sessions each day, to be sure my foot would be ok to use leg exercise equipment.

I found out I can walk no problem, and as I learned yesterday, I can also squat no problem. Although today (day following my workout) my ankle feels a bit sore.

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Biceps
Barbell Curls
LT 100lbs x 19 RP
TT 115lbs x 8+4+4 = 16 RP
Well, I'm pleased to finally be back to the weight that I first injured my forearm with. There is still some pain, but I'm at the point where I'm slowly working through it. Normally I wouldn't work through an injury (as I believe letting it heal on it's own is best), but I think I can slowly build up the tissue around it and at strengthen it overall, at this point.

Forearms
Pinwheel Dumb bell Curls
LT 35lbs x 20 SS
TT 45lbs x 14 SS
My arms were fairly spent after finishing the BB curls. I managed a 10 lb increase but lost 6 reps. I'll need to keep the weight the same during my next workout and try to get more repetitions.

Smith Machine Calf Raises
LT 255lbs x 28 RP
TT 275lbs x 9+8+7 = 24 RP
20 lb jump with a decent rep range.

Sidebar: This is what I love about DC training. When you work a muscle using a specific exercise, you are given a full 2 weeks to recover before repeating the same exercise. That, I believe, is the secret to building muscle and strength. Lots of recovery time.

Hamstrings
Stiff Legged Deadlifts (SLDL's)
LT N/A
TT 235lbs x 6 SS + 185lbs x 12 SS
This is the first time, during my current blast, that I am able to add back in any type of free weight pulling exercises ever since I injured my forearm. I have to say that today, my hamstrings are totally wrecked... very sore.

Quads
Smith Machine Squats
LT 305lbs x 6 SS + 225llbs x 21 SS WM (widow maker set)
TT 315lbs x 5 SS + 235lbs x 21 SS WM
The widow maker set was a record lift for me! Although, using stairs today is a little difficult.

As you can see from my leg workout above, I used a mix of free weight exercises and machines. With the various types of leg exercise equipment available, the combination of leg workout routines is always fun to setup.

Building Chest Muscles - Week 7, Friday

2009-05-24T18:11:00.009-04:00

I just realized that my journal titles should be labeled so that my journal is easier to follow, like Building Chest Muscles - Week 7, Friday makes a lot more sense than without the date in it; which is what I've been doing up until now.

I try to use keywords that are relevant to my workout as much as possible... as people Googling "chest workouts" aren't looking for "fuzzy blue unicorns"... so the only way the search engines can find me and match me with relevant visitors to my site, is if I use titles and keywords that are related to the workouts.

Anyways, I ended Week 7 on a strong note with a chest, shoulders, tricep and back workout.

I was very pleased with the jumps I made and feel like things have picked up for me; even though I've been fighting with working around a forearm injury.

I think when an injury happens, there is much to be learned from it. Rather than focus on what you can't do, I think it's a great time to concentrate on what you CAN do.

After all, the other body parts still need to be worked and it's a great time to bring up any weak body parts that were not involved in the injury. I tried to put extra focus on my squats with emphasis on my form and depth. This gave me something to take my mind off of the injury.

Oh, before I forget... yesterday I missed a step when I was walking outside and landed sideways on my right foot. I heard cracking sounds, like knuckles cracking. I tried walking it off but it got painful as the day went on, so I iced it and stayed off it. Today, it feels a lot better. But tomorrow I have squats scheduled, so I'll need to access things then. It may be at a point where I need a few days off it to ensure it's good to go. Better to be on the safe side and make sure it's ready to take heavy squatting.

Ok, here's Friday's (yesterday's) building chest muscles workout.

Week 7 - Friday - Workout 1A

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Chest Workout
Smith Machine Decline Bench
LT 255lbs x 18 RP
TT 275lbs x 6+4+4 = 14 RP
20 lb increase on chest presses, lost 4 reps... but still at the high end of the rep range (11-15RP). A lot of people knock the smith machine, but it is a great muscle building tool for DC training. Since DC is all about going as heavy as possible, for as many reps as you can, safety has to be a priority. And since it's not always possible to get a spot for 3 rest pause sets in a row... the smith machine is ideal since you don't need a spotter. Just set the safety latches and away you go. Once you hit failure, just dump it.

Shoulder Workout
Life fitness Shoulders
LT 135lbs x 20 RP
TT 145lbs x 11+6+4 = 21 RP
10 lb jump + 1 rep increase as well

Triceps Exercise
Dips
LT Bodyweight + 55lbs x 18 RP
TT Bodyweight + 65lbs x 17 RP
I'm actually kind of flabbergasted that dips seem to be going so well. Not a year ago, I could not do these with just my body weight due to shoulders problems. To be able to do dips with a 65 pound dumbbell at this point is a goal I'm pleased to have achieved. Look out 100lbs, here I come!

Back Width Exercise
Neutral Grip (Palms facing each other) Pull downs
LT N/A
TT 180lbs x 11+6+4 = 21 RP
First time adding them in since the forearm problem. I went as long as I could before the pain just didn't feel right, but I can definetly tell my forearm is getting stronger. Usually the day after it's really sore, but now the pain is becoming minimal. Time + cissus is a great thing!

Back Thickness Exercise
Smith Machine Under Hand Rowing
LT 240lbs x 6 SS + 205lbs x 12 SS
TT 255lbs x 4 SS + 215lbs x12 SS
Some fairly solid increases, however I probably would have been better off going with 250lbs for the heavy set and trying to get 6 reps. I'll keep the weight the same the time on the heavy set and try for 255 x 6. Also, I've been doing smith rows pretty much all the time this blast for back thickness. I'm still not comfortable adding in rack deads or t-bars yet because those are very heavy pulling movements and I feel if the forearm is not 100% for those, I could have a major set back on my hands. Once I'm comfortable with doing pulldowns 100 percent, I'll start adding in tbars and deads using fairly light weights to start.

Post workout meal was 2 scoops whey + 2 special k bars. I then had chicken breast, baked potato and steamed cauliflower with low fat butter spray, for my 2nd postworkout meal. Then chicken breast + 2 TBSPS peanut butter and a few fish oil caps an hour before bed.

So Monday hopefully I'll be able to do smith squats, but again, we'll see then. That's it for this building chest muscles workout for week 7, which I'm quite pleased with.

Building Leg Muscles

2009-05-20T00:30:00.006-04:00

I'm now into week 7 of my DC training blast and tonight was a kick-ass building leg muscles workout.

Yesterday was a civic holiday, so I missed my usual Monday night workout. I did end up doing cardio though.

So this week, I've decided to workout twice instead of the my usual 3 days a week workouts (M,W,F). This should actually help extend my current blast some, by giving me a little more recovery time.

Week 7 - Workout 3B - Tuesday

Notes:
LL=Last Time
TT=This Time
RP=Rest Pause
SS= Straight Set
WM=Widow Maker

Biceps
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls
LT 40lbs x 24 RP
TT 50lbs x 9+5+4 = 18 RP
My log book is messed up. I've got crap written all over the place. Notes scratched out here, notes pointing there... just a mess. I need to get another printable workout log and get re-organized. I thought I did 45lb DB curls the last time (LT) I worked this routine. I was off by 5lbs; I did 40's last time LOL. Just goes to show you that your mind will accomplish whatever it thinks it needs to. That's one of the reasons I love Doggcrapp training. Your previous numbers are right there staring you in the face from your last session and you NEED to beat them or lose the exercise.

Forearms
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
LT 45lbs x 20 SS
TT 45lbs x 20 SS
Read the log book wrong, again *sigh*. I thought I had did 40x20 LT. I've been at the higher end of the rep range on these as a safety precaution to the injured forearm. May be time to bump the weight up me thinks.

Building Calf Muscle
Seated Lifefitness Calves - DC Style
LT 235x10
TT 260x10
These I got right. 25lb jump!

Hamstring Exercise
1-Leg (at a time) Hamstring Curls
LT 55x30RP
TT N/A
Decided to skip the hams tonight. I don't know why, but my hammies were killing me. I'm not exactly sure why my hams were so damn sore, but they've felt that way since Sunday. I did work in the garden on Saturday, pulling weeds all day. Could have been the way I was bent and putting stress on my hamstrings the whole time. Anyways, they were too sore to work tonight so I said fook it. No point in pulling a hammy!

Quads
Free-motion Squat Machine
LT 300lbs x 10 SS + 220lbs x 22 SS WM set
TT 360lbs x 6 SS + 260lbs x 23 SS WM
Damn big jumps on quadriceps work tonight; even gained a rep on the widow maker set.

After the WM, I laid on the floor for about a minute, huffing and puffing. The gym was pretty empty, so I didn't really care. I did the extreme quad stretch, then wobbled to the change room where I had some creatine, taurine, BCAA's and beta alanine.

When I got home, I decided to forgo the shake/cereal bar... I was craving macaroni for some reason. None to be found in the house though. So I cooked up a box of KD (without butter or milk), added in 170g extra lean cooked ground beef with some pasta sauce... and killed it in 2 minutes flat. Damn good!

There's nothing like a good solid high carb/protein meal after building leg muscles.

Best Muscle Building Protein

2009-05-18T14:28:00.007-04:00

The best muscle building protein I like to use is beef.

I also use chicken breast (when dieting due to it's low fat content), chicken thighs (during the off season), turkey, egg whites, whole eggs, tuna and whey protein powder.

You'll notice I listed the whey last. This is because I always try to eat real food over supplements. Don't get me wrong, I use my fair share of whey protein isolate, but I have learned that it is BEEF that puts on the BEEF.

Now, I don't eat steak everyday. Instead I eat a lot of ground beef.

Too much fat?

Not the way I prepare it.

First I dump 5lbs of ground beef (even regular ground beef will do) into a large pot and fill it with water; just enough to cover all the beef.

I set the heat to high and boil the ground chuck until cooked and separated. Using a large wooden spoon to break up the pot of high protein beef helps.

Once cooked, I carefully pour everything into a large strainer over the sink and then rinse with hot water until the liquid coming out of the strainer is clear.

Using this method produces the best muscle building protein that is cost effective, easy to prepare, low in fat and high in protein.

I usually eat a 5 lb pot of cooked ground beef within 3 to 4 days and have found that the beef stays good in the fridge during that time. Sometimes I'll weigh out my portion sizes after the beef is cooked and freeze them in zip lock baggies.

When I need beef fast, I'll just dump the frozen beef into a microwave safe container and heat it up. Instant protein!

For more information on preparing ground beef in this fashion check out this best muscle building protein article.

As a muscle builder, there are so many dishes you can prepare for your weight lifting diet.

For a protein/fat meal, try ground beef with green beans. Add a TBSP of extra virgin olive oil after the beef and beans are cooked.

A tasty protein/carb pre-workout meal that I like to prepare is ground beef with some tomatoes, mushrooms and onions, on whole wheat pasta.

How about preparing a high protein muscle dinner like chili?

There are countless meals you can prepare with, what I consider to be, the best muscle building protein... ground beef!

~~~~

Friday's Workout next...

Friday - Workout 3A

Week #6

Note: LL=Last Time, TT=This Time, RP=Rest Pause, SS= Straight Set, WM=Widow Maker

Chest Exercises
Barbell Decline Bench Press
LT 235lbs x 14 RP
TT 245lbs x 6+4+3 = 13 RP
10lb jump!

Shoulder Exercise
Smith Machine Shoulder Presses to Front
LT 175lbs x 15 RP
TT 185lbs x 9+4+4 = 17 RP
10 lbs + 2 reps, I'll take it!

Triceps
Decline Ezbar Skull Crushers
LT 80lbs x 29 RP
TT 90lbs x 16+6+5 = 27 RP
On a roll!

Back Width Exercise
Close Grip Pull downs
LT N/A
TT 145lbs x 11+8+4 = 23 RP
I'm slowly trying to add back width work back in. As you can see from the weight I used, I'm starting off light. Back width exercises just seem to cause the most pain to my forearm right now.. but I am pleased to be able to start adding some BW work into the workout routine.

Back Thickness Exercise
Smith Machine Under Hand Rows
LT 235lbs x 6 SS + 185lbs x 12 SS
TT 245lbs x 6 SS + 205 lbs x 14 SS
I was very happy with the weight increases, as well as increased reps on the lighter set.

I finished out the gym session with some creatine and BCAA's (Grape Xtend) and headed home to eat.

I did the usual... 2 Special K cereal bars + 2 scoops protein powder. An hour or so later I had (you guessed it) the best muscle building protein meal of ground beef, pasta, spices and veggies.

Muscle Building Books

2009-05-14T01:36:00.006-04:00

A recent e-mail from Frank got me thinking about today's topic, muscle building books.

Frank was wondering if I could recommend some good reading material for a weight lifting beginner.

I'll answer you right here if that's ok Frank? That way, others that may have the same question can benefit.

The two beginner workout books I recommend are "Starting Strength" and "Practical Programming", both co-written by Mark Rippetoe.

You can read a short review of these weight training books on this weight lifting programs for beginners page, as well as access links to where you can buy the books if you're interested.

~~

Ok... had a pretty good workout this evening. I'm into week 6 of the blast and things seem to be coming along nicely.

I'm trying to decide whether to start getting my diet in order a little better by myself... or going with a good prep guy. I'm leaning towards the latter as I find it so much easier having someone just tell me what to do.

I have enough experience at this point to setup weight lifting diets myself, however when it comes to doing my own thing... I like having someone there in my corner, so to speak. Besides, when I'm paying for it I tend to stick with it ; )

I'd like to continue my off season diet and training for another 3 months or so, before beginning to really trim up with more of a cutting diet. For the record, I don't really care for the terms "bulking" and "cutting" much, as I think they tend to imply too much of an extreme. i.e. Some people think they can eat whatever they want when they are "bulking", but that mindset makes it all the more difficult to get rid of extra unwanted fat that was put on during a "bulk". I prefer the term "off season diet".

Anyways... my goal is not quite contest ready... but pretty damned close. If the wife and I decide to do another tropical Christmas vacation... I want to be nice and peeled for it!

I have just the guy in mind too, he thinks skin is over rated. But I'll save the particulars until I make my final decision.

Tonight's leg session spells a good one for MY muscle building books!

Wednesday - Workout 2B

Week #6

Note: LL=Last Time, TT=This Time, RP=Rest Pause, SS= Straight Set, WM=Widow Maker

Biceps
Barbell Curls
LT 85lbs X 23 RP
TT 100lbs x 10+5+4 = 19 RP
I am pleased that I was able to continue progressing with BB curls. I wrapped my forearm again, which really seems to help.

Forearm Work
Pinwheel Dumbbell Curls
LT 35lbsx12 SS
TT 35lbsx20 SS
Kept the weight the same to be on the safer side, and went for max reppage.

Extreme bicep stretch in smith machine for ~60 seconds.

Calves
Hammer Strength Seated Calf Raises
LT 80lbs x 10SS
TT 90lbs x 12SS
DC style, ouch!

Hamstrings
Lying Leg Curls
LT 90lbsx 23RP
TT 100lbs x 10+6+5 = 21RP
10 lbs up, -2 reps... but still progressing

Extreme hamstring stretch ~ 60 secs

Quads
Barbell Squats
LT 285lbs x 6 SS + 195 x 22 SS WM
TT 295lbs x 6 SS + 205 x 21 SS WM
A 10 lb jump on both the heavy quadricep work and the Widow Maker set!

Extreme quad stretch ~60 secs.

I had 20g BCAA's during my workout and another 20g afterward + creatine, beta alinine and some taurine.

About 35mins later I had 2 scoops chocolate whey isolate with 2 cereal bars.

2 hours later I had a can of Habitant Vegetable Soup (60 carbs) + 170g chicken breast cut up and mixed in. Damn good.

1 more meal this evening.. probably chicken and peanut butter. That will make 6 meals total for the day.

Well, that's all she wrote for today folks. If anyone has any good muscle building books to recommend, give a shout!

Muscle Building Tips

2009-05-12T14:21:00.012-04:00

I'd like to talk about a few muscle building tips I picked up, before I get into my last couple of workout sessions in the blog.

Workout Tip #1

Working out more is not necessarily better. Everyone is different. Some weight lifting trainees do better with a more volume approach, while others may be better off with a lower volume workout routine. Personally, low volume works much better for me. My current workout plan is doggcrapp training, with workouts schedules only 3 times per week (M,W,F). These workouts last anywhere from 1hr to 1hr and 15 mins.. but they are brutally hard. If you find that working out 5 or 6 days a week isn't getting you anywhere, try a low volume workout and compare the difference in gains after 8 weeks.

Muscle Building Tip #2

Diet is 80% of the equation. Unless you are a genetic freak that can grow off pizza pops and pushing a lawnmower... one of the best muscle building tips I have learned is that the weight lifting diet you follow, and how much/often you eat, has to be your top priority. If you're progress has stalled or you not as big as you want to be.. you are simply not eating enough. Now bear in mind, as a bodybuilder you need to know what the best muscle building foods for you are... as there are many foods that are better for you than others.

Exercise Tip #3

Get enough rest. Again, everyone is unique. Some weight trainees may require 8 hours of sleep, other maybe 7 hours... and don't be surprised if you require 10 hours of sleep for proper building muscle recovery! You may tear it up in the gym, but you do not grow in the gym. You grow after you have rested and recuperated properly.

Fitness Training Tip #4

Check your ego at the door. It's 6:00p.m. and the gym is crowded. You have chest planned for today and you notice some big boys are in the gym. Ego kicks in and you are determined to find your 1 rep max. You slap 3 plates on the bar and ask a big boy for a spot... and barely eek one out.

Yay.

Happy now? What have you accomplished? Did you look at your log book and see what numbers you had to beat today? Probably not, because ego took over. If you want to get bigger, progress and intensity is key, not showing off. Eventually you will be one of those big boys walking around the gym if you keep your ego in check and stay focused on your muscle building priorities.

Bodybuilding Tip #5

Choose a workout program you like and stick with it. Don't jump between different workout routines every two weeks and expect to make decent muscle gains; how will you ever be able to track your progress? Look for weight lifting programs that meet your goals and are also relative to your training status. i.e. If you are new to weight lifting then you should start with a beginners weight lifting routine.

So those are my top muscle building tips. I'll probably add a few more in future posts.

Onto updating the workout portion of my journal:

Friday - Workout 1B

Week #5

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, RP = Rest Pause, SS= Straight Set, WM= Widow Maker

Biceps
Lat Bar Curls
LT N/A
TT 57.5lbs (on double pulley cable) x 11+6+5 = 22 RP
I love this exercise. Basically you attach a wide grip lat bar to a standing cable curl machine, and grip at shoulder width... very good burnage!

Forearms
Palms-up Wrist Curls
LT N/A
TT 80lbs x 16 SS
Added these back in as the pain is fairly minimal on my forearm injury.

Calves
Seated Calf Presses (DC style)
LT 210lbs x 10SS
TT 235lbs x 10 SS
15 lb increase and my reps stayed the same. I'd consider this good progress. I do DC calves with a 5 second negative and a 15 second stretch at the bottom, per repetition... brutal stuff, thanks to one of Dante's (DC's) muscle building tricks for calves.

Hamstrings
Seated Leg Curls
LT 115lbs x 11+7+7= 25 RP
TT 125lbs x 11+8+5 = 24 RP
10lbs increase, -1 rep. I'll take it!

Quads
Freemotion Squat Machine
LT 280lbs x 10 SS + 200 x 26 SS Widowmaker (WM)
TT 340lbs x 8 SS + .... boo
Good jump on the heavy squat set but the WM was no where to be found. Seriously, I had Elga the gym cop standing next to me, arms folded, and tapping her foot. There was no way she was letting me get in another set. My own fault though as by the time I got to the gym, I had 50 minutes to workout... just not enough time this round. Another one of the good muscle building tips I learned... give yourself plenty of time to get to the gym! Oh well, I'll need to nail that widow maker set hard next time!

NEXT WORKOUT...

Monday - Workout 2A

Week #6

Chest
Incline Barbell Press
LT 190lbs x 10+5+4 = 19RP
TT 205lbsx 10+4+3 = 17 RP
I really surprised myself here with a 15lb jump right out of the gate!

Shoulders
Standing Barbell Military Press
LT 125lbs x 8+4+4 = 16 RP
TT 135lbs x 8+3+3 = 14 RP
I can't see these lasting too much longer in this blast, although I'm fairly pleased with the weight increase. This seems to be one exercise that stalls out pretty quickly for me. I wll have to consider a replacement for it when the times comes.

Triceps
Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press (CGBP)
LT 225lbs x 8+4+4 = 16 RP
TT 235lbs x 8+4+4 = 16 RP
Woohoo! 10 pound jump! These were tough after chest and shoulders.

Back Width
Hammer Strength MTS High Row
LT 170lbs x 12+8+6 = 26 RP
TT 190lbs x 11+5+5 = 21 RP
Finally able to add in a decent back width exercise. Since the forearm injury, I've been limited to which exercises I could do. Well today I learned a new muscle building tip. When I got to the gym, and as I was getting ready in the change room, I was rifling through my gym bag for my usual; log book, gloves, weight lifting belt, etc. I came across a tensor bandage that I had used for wrapping my knees a couple of years ago. So I tried wrapping my forearm to see if it would stabilize it... and it worked! I was able to do the HS rows with minimal pain. Afterward, however, once the wrap was off I could really feel it. But surprisingly, today (day after workout) it seems fine... go figure *shrug*.

Back Thickness
Life Fitness Machine - Underhand Row
LT N/A
TT 205 x 6 SS + 195 x 12 SS
As back thickness (BT) exercises go, this would be considered a "pussy" exercise. Why? Because generally as BT goes, you want to go big and heavy on exercises like rows, deadlifts, rack deads, etc. But with my forearm at this point, there's no way I can jump back into those. So I'll have to live with these for now.

So... all in all, some fairly decent workouts, considering. I'll be so damned glad when this fookin thing heals up *sigh*. But, injuries go with the weight lifting territory. Lesson learned, and added to muscle building tips, be careful when starting back after a break and do plenty of warmups.

Muscle Building Secret Online

2009-05-07T15:29:00.004-04:00

I can't help but laugh when I receive e-mails and questions asking about a muscle building secret online.

I don't mean to come across as arrogant, because if you are just starting out it could be a valid question as to where to begin with everything.

But when I get e-mails saying, "I've been working out for 5 years and want to know what the secret is..." That's where I think it becomes comical.

5 years and you haven't figured out the basics yet?

I think it would be safe to say that if there was some kind of top secret muscle builder, whether it came in the form of a muscle building pill, potion or special workout information, many would be willing to pay big bucks for it.

Well, I'll save you a few of your hard earned dollars.

There is NO secret.

There, I said it. Don't waste your money on some fad workout system or a diet that promises you abs in 4 days for 300 bucks.

There is only 1 way to build muscle... and that is:

By consistently following a good resistance training program (surprise, they are free!).
By eating enough protein on a consistent basis in your weightlifting diet.
By getting proper rest to grow.

When I say following a program consistently, I mean exactly that. Not jumping to a new routine once a week. You'll never be able to track your progress.

With these factors in mind, also realize that muscle is not built over night. It takes consistent hard work over time to reach bodybuilding goals.

So what should someone new to weight training do?

Learn the basics first.

Start with a good muscle core building program, like 5X5 or a simple beginners power lifting routine.

A quick search in Google will return many free workout programs. Do a bit of research and find out what other new trainees are using. Setup a plan, and stick with it. Keep a log book and track your progress. Forget about all those fly-by-night workout routines that promise you gains overnight. This is a lifestyle and not something you do in a week.

Ok, onto my building muscle routine from yesterday's workout...

Wednesday - Workout 1A

Week #5

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, RP = Rest Pause, SS= Straight Set, WM= Widow Maker

Chest Routine
Smith Machine Decline Presses
LT 235lbs x 24 RP
TT 255lbs x 10+4+4=18 RP
I was pretty stoked about the 20 lb jump on made on these last night. Today, my chest feels like it was ripped apart. I followed up the chest presses with 55lb dumbbell stretches; holding for approximately 60 seconds on a flat bench.

Shoulder Exercise
Life Fitness Machine Shoulder Presses
LT 130lbsx23 RP
TT 135lbsx10+4+6= 20 RP
Made a 5lb jump with shoulder pressing since last time but lost a few reps. I am at the very high end of the intended rep range of 11-15. If you've been following my muscle building journal, then it's no secret that I injured my forearm right at the beginning of my current blast. For this reason, I've been keeping the repetitions high but the weights should shoot up once I bring the rep range down some.

Tricep Workout
Dips
LT BW (bodyweight) + 45lbs x 20RP
TT BW + 55lbs x 8+4+6=18 RP
I weighed in around 193lbs, so add to that 55 lbs and I was dipping 248lbs, not bad.
I was pleased with this 10lb DB weight increase and only lost 2 reps since last time I did these. I need to get my self a good dip belt though. I've been using a regular weight lifting belt and slipping a dumbbell in the front and holding it using the last notch on the belt. I think I can only get as high as 60lb DB's when doing this, as the belt is almost maxed out.

Back Width Routine
Duumbbell Pullovers
LT 65lb DB x32RP
TT N/A Since I worked biceps and forearms on Monday, I wanted to give my forearm a little more time to recover so I skipped these today.

Back Thickness Exercise
Smith Machine Under Hand Rows
LT 205lbsx5SS + 165lbsx12SS
TT 240lbsx6SS + 205lbsx12SS
Increases of 35lbs+1rep on the heavy set and a 40lb jump on the lighter set, very pleased with this progress but last time I was taking it easy due to the forearm. I feel more confident moving forward with these now.

I've recently increased my branch chain amino acid (BCAA) intake (I use Scivation Xtend - apple flavor is the best IMO) to 20 grams pre/during workout and another 20g after my workout. I think this should help with recovery as well.

About 30 minutes later, at home, I then had 2 scoops of whey protein isolate with 2 low fat kids cereal bars.

A couple of hours later I had a huge chicken breast sandwich (180g chicken).

I'm hoping that some of you stumbling on this workout blog will see there is no muscle building secret online and that it's all about hard work and consistency.

Muscle Mass Building Workout

2009-05-05T01:01:00.011-04:00

Today was a muscle mass building workout to be proud of. I had some good weight increases that were a much needed boost of confidence.

I do believe my recent Vegas vacation may have kick started some adrenalin. It's amazing what an extra day off from training can do for you. Add to the fact that we were enjoying ourselves far far away... and you have the recipe for a good "reset".

I worked biceps tonight with success. There is still a bit of pain in my forearm, but I stayed with high reps, and by the end of the set, it felt like I was stabilizing the tissue around the injury. I'm hoping a few more high rep arm workouts and I should be good to go.

Tonight's mass builder:

3A - Monday - Week 5

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, RP = Rest Pause, SS= Straight Set, WM= Widow Maker

Bicep Work
Alternating Dumbbell Curls (Standing)
LT N/A
TT 40lbsx 11+7+6= 24RP
I was very pleased with the DB curls. I kept my biceps and forearms tight to my body and tried to use perfect form. Biceps were "stinging" by the end of this rest pause mass building exercise.

Forearm Exercises
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
LT N/A
TT 45lbsx 20SS
These felt easier than the alternating DB curls and I was glad to be able to add them back in.

Calves
Smith Machine Calf Raises
LT 225lbs x24 RP
TT 255lbs x 12+8+8=28 RP
A nice jump of 30lbs + 4 reps... very pleased with these increases!

Hamstring Exercise
1 Leg Hamstring Curl Machine
LT 50lbsx 29RP
TT 55lbs x14+8+8=30RP
5lbs + 1 rep here

Quadriceps Movement
Smith Machine Squats
LT 295lbsx 4SS + 205lbsx 21SS Widow Maker
TT 305lbsx 6SS + 225lbs x 21SS Widow Maker
10lb jump on both sets + 2 reps on the heavy set!

I did all the extreme muscle stretches... bicep stretching after biceps and forearms, hamstring stretching after hams.. and quad stretching after the squats. Extreme stretching is a key component in Doggcrapp Training.

For my muscle post-workout meals (immediately following my workout) I had:

2 scoops whey protein isolate
2 kid's cereal bars

Then 1-1/2 to 2 hrs later I had 180g chicken breast with mixed thai veggies, 1/2 cup rice, soy sauce and splenda.

One more meal before bedtime... probably chicken breast + peanut butter (don't knock it until you try it).

A few other muscle mass exercise resources:

Biceps Triceps Forearm Exercise - Muscle Mass Building Workout ... - Bigger arms are every guys dream. No other part of the body showcases the big muscles as obviously as a big pair of strong arms.
Muscle Mass Building Workout - the Key Exercises - exercise. Derek Manuel asked: interested in fast ways to build muscle and gain weight in record time, naturally you should ask yourself: “What are the best muscle mass building exercises to accomplish this?” The answer is simple, ...
build chest muscles » Blog Archive » Muscle Mass Building Workout ... - The answer is simple, but because the market is flooded with so much garbage all you hear or read about is either the latest supplement or advanced exercises.

So that was tonight's muscle mass building workout with more to come in my journal on Wednesday where I hit C/S/T/BW/BT.

Building Chest Muscles

2009-05-04T17:37:00.008-04:00

Building chest muscles was on my workout training agenda last Wednesday. I call it a chest workout but the routine also includes shoulders, triceps and back.

I'm late getting this workout up and posted as my wife and I hit Vegas over the weekend.

On Thurs. we drove to Toronto, Ontario (6hr drive *sigh*) then flew from TO to Vegas. We returned Sunday morning so this quick short trip was fun but absolutely exhausting!

We stayed at the Bellagio, as it was our first time in Vegas, and we loved it! The service there (and the price $$) was second to none. I would stay there again just for the service. We booked a regular room through Expedia and I slipped the front desk clerk a twenty which got us a corner room with hot tub... very nice : ) We also had a chance to take in the show "O" which was amazing and highly recommended!

Anyways... I skipped Friday's workout which will now become tonight's (Monday) workout.

Last Wednesdays chest workout went great and I made some good increases from last time; which was 2 weeks ago.

DC workouts are setup so you end up repeating similar workouts every 2 weeks. This is great for recovery and gives you ample time to get ready to beat your previous numbers.

Wednesday - Workout 3A - Week 4

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, RP = Rest Pause, SS= Straight Set, WM= Widow Maker

Exercise for Building Chest Muscles
Decline Barbell Bench Presses
LT 225lbs x 9+5+4= 18RP
TT 235lbsx 7+3+4= 14RP
I'm still at the higher end, of these chest presses (my favorite BTW) of my intended rep range of 11-15 rest paused so I'm happy with the 10lbs increase from 225 to 235.

Shoulders
Smith Machine Shoulder Presses
LT 165lbs x 10+7+5 = 22RP
TT 175lbs x 7+4+4= 15RP
10lb jump at the higher end as well.

Tricep Exercise
Decline Bench Ezbar Skull Crushers
LT 80lbs x12+5+4= 21 RP
TT 80lbs x 16+7+6= 29 RP
I was sitting at the lower end of the rep range last time (20-30RP) so I decided to keep the weight the same and as you can see I killed the reps.

Back Width Exercises
Dumbbell Pullovers
LT 65lbs DB x 12+10+10= 32 RP
TT 70lbs DB x 10+5+6= 21 RP
I don't know why I never added DB pullovers to my blasts sooner. These fry my lats big time and I also feel the next day like I work my abs as well. 15-20 RP is the range I'm interested in, so I'm good to go here.

Back Thickness
Smith Machine Under Hand Rows
LT 225lbs x 6 SS, 165lbs x 16 SS
TT 235lbs x 6 SS, 185lbs x 12SS
I feel good about these jumps as well and the forearm pain was fairly minimal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh and here are some chest resources I came across; not DC training related but some may find useful:

7 Exercises For Building Chest Muscles « ConditionNutrition Reviews - Proper methods should be used for building chest muscles to avoid injury. Chest building exercises will be effective for the body you are aimed to create if the proper safety and procedures are followed. Tags: building chest muscles, ...
BODYBUILDING SERIES: PART ONE: Building the Chest Muscles Through ... - Fit4everyoung.com is starting several new series on building up and toning the body. These series will appear frequently on our site. We will be starting with the first series, focusing on the Upper Body and throughout the next several ...
build-chest-muscles.com » Blog Archive » Muscle Building - 3 Tips ... - It is funny how people tend to think of bench presses when it comes to building chest muscles. That is because it's probably the most effective and efficient way to build chest muscles. It is no wonder why the bench press has become the common and familiar choice among body builders.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So tonight's workout (Mon.) will be biceps, forearms, calves, hams and quads. I'm hoping it will go as well as Weds. building chest muscles workout did, however my diet during Vegas was not that great so I'm not expecting miracles.

About Me

2009-04-28T18:30:00.011-04:00

Welcome to my muscle building workouts journal.

I'm 43 years old and I've been working for about 22 years.

I have tried many different workout routines but really enjoy DC training the most.

I've also had the privilege of working with 3 sports nutritionists and have found that diet is 80-90% of the bodybuilding equation.

I hope you find my workouts and training tips interesting and that you follow along as I strive to get into shape.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at muscle.building.workouts.journal [at] gmail.com or post up a comment.

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2009-04-28T18:10:00.004-04:00

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Arm Muscle Building

2009-04-28T16:01:00.005-04:00

I'm happy to report in my workout journal, that last night's training session was great, as I was finally able to add arm muscle building barbell curls back into my rotation.

I took things slow and fairly light as I wanted to ease back in. I tested the waters at first by using no weight on the bar. I still felt a bit of a pinch in my forearm so I tried holding the bar with a closer grip. Very little pain in my arm when I did them this way.

I warmed up with the Olympic bar (45lbs), then 65lbs x12, 75x6 and onto my workout set which I was able to rest pause and is listed below.

So here's the workout:

Monday - Workout 2B - Week 4

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, RP = Rest Pause, SS= Straight Set, WM= Widow Maker : )

Arm Muscle Building - Bicep Exercise
Barbell Curls - New (or added back in I should say)
LT N/A, Double Pulley Curls, 45lbs x41 RP
TT 85lbs X10+7+6= 23 RP
It was like a switch went off in me when I realized I could do curls again. I have been feeling quite down because of the limited training I could do... but now things are looking up. I just need to be careful, train smart, and add things back in slowly... watching the amount of weight I use.

Forearm Exercise
Pinwheel Dumbbell Curls - New (re added)
LT - N/A - Palms up Wrist Curls, 80lbs x 17SS
TT 35lbsx12 SS
I probably pushed it a little too much with these and at that amount weight. Would have been better off doing high reps at say 25-30 lbs until things feel right. Will keep that in mind for next time.

Calves
Hammer Strength Plate Loaded Raises
LT 70lbs x10SS
TT 80lbs x 10SS
DC style calf raises burn like hell!!

Hamstrings
Lying Leg Curls
LT 80lbs x 27RP
TT 90lbsx 10+7+6= 23RP

Quadriceps
Freemotion Squat Machine
LT 280lbsx 10SS + 200lbs x 26SS WM
TT 300lbsX10SS + 220lbsx 22SS WM
Saving the best for last... this is what puts hair on your chest boys and girls! I love the way I feel after accomplishing a Widow Maker set with good progression.

I find it interesting, and sometimes comical, when I observe myself and how I react to injuries. They seem to bring me down psychologically while in the healing process. I feel like an old injured dog, wondering if I'll need to be put down at some point. But when things start to come around, I start to feel like a kid in a candy store. The natural high I get from a good workout can't be beat. I don't think I'll ever give up lifting, no matter how old I get. So glad to be able to have added arm muscle building back into the DC routine.

Building Muscle Without Weights

2009-04-27T23:12:00.011-04:00

Is building muscle without weights possible?

To answer this question, I think it needs to be a little more specific, as it depends just how much muscle you want to build.

If you haven't worked out before, I would say yes... you can build muscle with no weights.

For example, a person who is usually inactive who has decided to make a change in his/her lifestyle and wants to start out training nice and easy... could gain muscle from simply doing push ups, body squats and pretty much any body weight type exercises.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SIDEBAR:

I came across this Workout Without Weights Program and it looks fairly involved.

There is a fee for it but comes with everything you need.

Thought some may find it useful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The muscle gained in this situation would be considered beginner gains, or "noob" gains. Everyone just starting out, gets them.

You usually see an improvement in muscle size during the first few months, if you work hard enough.

But I'll bet some of you, who were searching "building muscle without weights", were hoping you could achieve a muscular build by doing nothing, not even pushups. Trust me, if there was a muscle in a bottle formula or a muscle pill that required no working out, I would own shares in it.

With that said, and back from lala land, exercising without weights is a good start to getting fit.

If you are willing to put in the hard work required to better your physique, there are many resistant type exercises that you can do.

If you start to add in other body weight exercises such as pull-ups, chin ups and their variations... you can put on even more muscle.

In my opinion, the best way to put on muscle is a combination of different types of exercises that include both lifting weights and body weight exercises.

But if you absolutely want to avoid working out with weights, then try the following body weight workouts:

*** NOTE: Remember to talk with your doctor before trying any new exercise program.

3 Day Per Week Muscle Building Program Without Weights

Mondays - Legs

Body Weight Squats - Squatting is one of the best exercises for your body, in my opinion. This exercise is aimed at working your quadriceps and firming the buttocks. Have a look at the body squat video below for proper form and technique. Try to get 3 sets x 10 with a 1 minute break in between each set. Each week try to do a few more reps than the previous week, to be sure you are progressing. Eventually you may want to build up to using weights.

Body Weight Calf Raises - These you can do on the edge of a bottom stair. Stand with the your toes and the front ball of your feet on the stair and your heels off the stair. Slowly raise up... then down as far as you can... that would count as 1 rep. Try to do 10 reps X 3 sets with 1 min breaks.

(I am loving the carpet on that video!)

Wednesdays - Back, Biceps, Forearms and Abs

Pull-ups - You'll need a strong bar or surface that will hold your body's weight. I used to use a bar that was anchored to floor joists in my basement. You can also buy bars that fit in a doorway to do body weight pull-ups. Keep in mind that pullups and chin-ups are difficult to do if you haven't done them before. So try to do as many as you can and work your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps. You may need someone to help you at first by giving you a little help by pushing up your feet as you pull yourself up. This exercise will work your upper back (lats) and also your biceps and forearms.

(By the way, that's NOT me in the video... just a pullup video I came across)

EDIT: And here's a pretty good video I came across that gives some good tips to beginners doing chin-ups. Chin-ups are another good back/bicep exercise that you can use as well as the body pullups.

15 Minute Ab Workout
Below is a pretty good ab routine video that is setup to work the abs, obliques, hips and the lower back. For those looking to achieve a six-pack ab look, remember that you need to have your body fat in check before you will see your abdominal area defined. If you have a layer of fat covering up your abs, it doesn't matter how hard you work on them with exercises, as you won't see them. Work on bringing your body fat level down using a balanced diet that is calorie controlled. Also keep in mind that these exercises are also excellent for strengthening your body core.

Friday - Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

Pushups - I was going to hunt down a video of someone doing pushups, but I think we all know how to do them. 3 sets x 10 reps each with a 1 min. break between each set. You may find that after you get good and strong with these, you may want to wear a backpack with some added weight in it to make the resistance harder. Start with your own body weight first though, and when you can do 3 sets of 10 without a problem, then it's time to make things a little harder so you can continue to progress.

Shoulder Routine - Here's a good "no-weights involved" shoulder workout that contains Shoulder Presses, Lateral Raises and Front Shoulder Raises. This is a good beginner shoulder routine that can be done with 2 sets of each exercise, done 10 times each (2 sets of 10, 1 minute break between each set).

Tricep Exercises, No Weights Needed - Another video that shows you how to exercise your triceps using just water bottles and your own body weight. Use the same set/rep scheme as above.

Other Weightless Workout Resources:

Building Muscle Without Weights: How To Do It Right | Build Muscle ... - Weights aren't necessary to build muscle, but, resistance is. And, to continue building muscle without weights, some form of resistance must progressively.
Winston Salem Golds Gym:Building Muscle Without Weights - What to ... - Some people don’t want to do strenuous activities in order to have a good and toned body. Oh how they wish to get those muscles without lifting weight, aching body parts, and alike. But did you know that there is actually an answer to ...
Building Muscle Without Weights: 3 Killer Bodyweight Exercises - by zachary skinner. There's nothing I love more than going to the gym to socialize, work out and be seen. However, there are also those times when I just don't have time for the gym or happen to be on one of my off days. ...
building muscle without weights - by Rainer Stark. Do these on a consistent basis and you will get the abs you’ve been hoping for. If possible, hold some kind of weight on your stomach while you do the crunches. Putting your hands behind your head when you first begin ...

So there you have it. Exercises you can do in the comfort of your home for building muscle without weights.

Top 10 Muscle Building Supplements

2009-04-24T22:52:00.011-04:00

Today's workout was pretty good, but first I'd like to talk about the top 10 muscle building supplements I use.

Now remember, I am not recommending any of these.. I'm just stating what I have found works for me.

Food. Ok, food is not a supplement, but if I had to choose between buying protein powder or buying chicken or beef... I ALWAYS choose food first. Eating the right muscle building food is the most anabolic thing you can do for your body, naturally ;)
Multivitamin. I'm not talking about the cheap brands, I'm talking about a solid multi like "Animal Pak" or a liquid multivitamin, often found in health food stores.
Protein Powder. I use 100% Whey Isolate protein for my shakes. I try to get a brand with a minimum amount of carbs in it; that way when I eat low carbs on certain days, it's easy to add in. Optimum Nutrition makes a pretty good protein powder for the price, however I'll usually buy whatever is on sale as long as it meets my needs. Whey isolate is digested pretty fast in your system, so it's great to have immediately after a workout when your body needs it quickly. For days when I do not want the whey to be absorbed too quickly, I simply have some fat with it for a Protein/Fat meal (all natural peanut butter is good) or have some slow digesting carbs with it for a Protein/Carb meal (rolled oats topped with chocolate whey is like dessert!).
Green Tea. For optimal health and also burns fat. I use green tea extract (Now Green Tea brand is pretty good) and when I have time I'll make a pot of green tea, chill, and add some Stevia or splenda.
Creatine. To each their own. I use Creatine Monohydrate, nothing fancy. I'm not really into BSN's No Xplode or anything like that.
Branch Chain Amino Acids. I absolutely love this stuff during workouts, especially when dieting. I use Scivation Xtend, green apple flavor. You can get plain BCAA's but they taste absolutely horrible. I like to sip on mine during my workout so taste is important to me. You could always add Crystal Lite to plain BCAA's but I find Xtend is a pretty good deal. Xtend also contains Glutamine and Citrulline Malate in it.
Extra Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin D. C and E are really good anti-oxidants and I usually take in around 3 grams of vitamin C and 400IU of Vitamin E a day. Some may think this is kind of high, but it works for me. Only use what you are comfortable with though... best to check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're not sure. I also supplement with 2g of vitamin D along with some Calcium-Magnesium (Now Cal-Mag capsules is what I use). I don't drink milk so the cal-mag really is a crucial supplement for me.
Fish Oil. I like to use 100% Wild Salmon Oil to get my omega-3 fatty acids. I don't eat 3-4 lbs of fish per week, so this supplement is also a must for me (and a great fat burner).
Cissus. With the type of heavy training I do (as well as the unfortunate occasional injury) I find Cissus to be the best supplement for joint health. I use the Primaforce Cissus brand.
Coenzyme Q10. If I couldn't afford it I'd probably try to get it anyways, as it is great for overall health and a healthy heart. I use NOW CoQ10.

So there you have it. My top 10 muscle building supplements list.

Tonight's workout:

Week 3 - Friday - Workout 2A

Note: LL =Last Time, TT =This Time, RP=Rest Pause, SS= Straight Sets

Chest Exercise
Incline Barbell Bench Presses - New
LT Life-fitness Chest Press - 220lbs x 10 +5+4= 19RP
TT 190lbs X 10+ 5+ 4= 19RP
It's kind of funny, I heal up one injury only to start another. Last year it was my left shoulder and I couldn't incline bench press (free weight) for over a year. I decided to try them today, as I was tired of the life fitness flat press (been in my workout rotation for a long time). Low and behold... not a problem. I even surprised myself with getting 190x19RP!

Shoulder Exercise
Standing Military Barbell Presses
LT 115lbs X 9 +5 +4 = 18RP
TT 125lbs x 8+ 4 +4 = 16RP
Whew boy, these were another tough free weight exercise to do right after incline BB... but I was pleased with the weight increase.

Tricep Exercise
Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press
LT 185lbs X 8+6+5= 19RP
TT 225lbs x 7+4+4 = 15RP
40lb increase! Yeah baby!! Lost a few reps but the jump in weight is what's most important as long as I'm in my intended rep range.

Back Width Exercise
Shoulder Width Lat Pressdowns - New
LT Hammer Strength MTS High Row - 170lbsX12+8+6 = 26RP
TT 75lbs X 10+7+6 = 23RP
Again, decided to try to keep all pulling movements out of my workouts for a while. I can't keep doing Dumbbell pullovers (which I've done for back width for the past 2 workouts), so I thought I try these standing in the lat pull down machine. Nice lat stretch too.

Back Thickness Exercise
N/A
LT Hammer Strength MTS Low Row Machine - TT 220lbsX 6SS + 160x 12 SS
TT N/A
My back thickness workout (lower back exercise ) is just not going to happen for a while.

Was pleased for the most part with the increases, however my forearm injury seems to be lagging. I think I'm going to look into seeing a massage therapist. I'm also going to up my dosage of Cissus to see if that helps. Probably why I thought of doing my top 10 muscle building supplements list in the first place.

Leg Muscle Exercises

2009-04-23T23:36:00.007-04:00

Leg muscle exercises were on the agenda for yesterday's workout.

I did seated calf raises, seated leg curls (hamstring exercise) and Smith squats (works quad muscles).

I'm in my 3rd week of my DC training blast and the goal is to beat my previous weights and/or reps that I set as baselines in the first 2 weeks.

Now, I've run into a bit of a snag with a forearm injury so I have pretty much eliminated bicep and forearm work (which falls on leg training day as well) until healed.

Normally on leg day, body parts are scheduled in this order:

Biceps, forearms, calves, hamstrings and quadriceps.

Now many unfamiliar with DC trainging may be wondering... "Why the hell are you doing legs last?"

There is a very good reason for this. DC's creator, Dante (Doggcrapp), spent years devising this program and all the reasoning behind it.

Basically, you do legs last because after you do legs... you should not be able to do anything else! lol. Pretty basic but that's the reason.

When I first started training this way, I found it difficult to get used to as i was used to training Quads first on leg day. But now, my system is tuned in to get psyched up for heavy leg work LAST.

Here's how the work out it went...

Week 3 - Wednesday - Workout 1B

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, RP= Rest Pause, SS = Straight Sets, WM = Widow Maker set

Barbell Curls
LT 105lbs x 18RP
TT N/A
Thinking back, this is probably where the injury happened. Lesson learned... don't start too heavy after easing off training.

Dumbbell Hammer Curls
LT 45lbs x 14SS
TT N/A

Seated Lifefitness Calf-Machine
LT 190lbs X 10SS
TT 210lbs X 10SS + 2SS
+ 2 for good luck!

Seated Leg Curls
LT 100lbs x 33RP
TT 115lbs x 25RP

Extreme hamstring stretch followed this leg exercise. I keep forgetting to write down the extreme leg stretches (or any stretchs for that matter). I'll try to make it a point of putting down (and explaining) the stretching that I'm doing as it is a critical part of Doggcrapp training.

For this stretch, I put my heel up on a smith machine bar (one foot at a time) which was set a little above hip height. I reached forward and grabbed my toes and held for approximately 60 seconds.

This also helps to be sure I'm warmed up for the most difficult part of leg day...

Smith Squats
LT 295lbs x 4SS + 205lbs x 21 WM SS
TT 305lbs x 4SS + N/A

The WM (Widow Maker) set is one of the most important sets to do in this type of training. It really does separate the men from the boys when doing leg muscle exercises.

As you can see I did not do the WM set in the above session.

Let me be clear here... I did not pussy out on those ;)

I do not skip the widow maker set intentionally. What happened was, I went a little hypo. My blood sugar fell as I did not have proper workout nutrition leading up to this session.. and WHAMO! As soon as I finished the heavy set of 305lbs, I got dizzy and started to feel nauseous. I was supposed to do the quad stretch as well but I called it a day and went home to eat.

This doesn't usually happen but it is a constant reminder to me of how important a proper weightlifting diet is. Next time I do leg muscle exercises will be on Monday and I plan on nailing that WM set!

Muscle Building Workouts

2009-04-22T00:09:00.011-04:00

Those that are following my muscle building workouts blog know that I am currently using the Doggcrapp Training workout routine. I find it works great for me and my goals.

But I thought it would also be beneficial to talk about other good weight training programs that are available.

I've compiled the following list of links to other blogs that contain bodybuilding or weight training information for beginner trainees all the way to advanced lifters.

Ideas for Muscle Building Workouts | Body Building Programs - The best way to enhance your looks, to have a healthy body with a sculpted look, well defined curves and heavy muscles is by taking course on regular.
5 Minute Muscle Building Workouts | 1800blogger - Submitted by Turbulence Training Blog. Couple of 5-Minute Muscle Building Workouts for you to do over the long weekend…Here’s one from me…using same dumbbell weight for each exercise: 1A) DB Split Squat - Choose a weight that allows 8 ...
Lower Body Muscle Building Workouts | BodyBuildingToday.com - Men and women have different patterns for gaining weight; women have the tendency of increasing body weight from the waist downwards while men have the tendency.
Health and Fitness Hub » Blog Archive » Muscle Buidling Workouts ... - Find The Best Health and Fitness Articles And Information - Brought to you by ArticleHubsEurope. So you are going to get started with a muscle building workout? You check out the local fitness club, only to see that joining will cost a large amount when added up for the year. So you then have a quick look around on the internet, pick one of the muscle building workouts that looks good, and get started.
Health and Fitness Hub » Blog Archive » How to Gain Muscle Rapid? - Find The Best Health and Fitness Articles And Information - Brought to you by ArticleHubsEurope. The most important component in muscle building is a fine defined muscle building nutrition plan. Some of the issues to think when creating this plan are that you should consume 1 to 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day.
Muscle Buidling Workouts - Which One is Right For You ... - You want to get started with a muscle building workout right away? You check out the local fitness club, only to see that joining will cost a large amount when added up for the year. After a bit of searching, you find one of the muscle building workouts that seems decent, and get started. Before you get started with muscle building or strength workouts you really should have a think about what you want to achieve.
Strength Workouts - What you Need to Find Out before You Start ... - When first starting with a strength workout there will be important things to consider to achieve success. When considering strength workouts, there is more to it than people usually realise. So you need to find out a bit more before starting your workout.
Strength Training For Women - Improve Your Muscle Tone | Touch Of ... - Strength Training For Women - Improve Your Muscle Tone. Published March 28th, 2009 at 5:46 pm in Uncategorized with no comments. Tagged with. Julia Mahler asked: The biggest mistakes are often made when it comes to strength training ...
Bodybuildingexposed.com » Blog Archive » Lose 6 pounds in 7 days - Do you want to know what I ate exactly to lose 6 lbs in only 7 days. This is not normal to do and I don’t recommend it for everyone. Approach this plan with caution. As far as workouts for this time period I didn’t lift weights at all. ...

I hope you find some of the above information on muscle building workouts helpful; I'll post up more links as I come across them.

Muscle Breakfast

2009-04-21T14:00:00.001-04:00

Muscle breakfast!... was the first thing that came to mind as I awoke to cuck-a-doodle-doo, the sound that my new alarm clock makes (now a perma-fixture in my neighbors tree).

Since today is an off day from the gym, it's 30 mins. cardio on my treadmill for me... first thing in the morning (after coffee) and before my breakfast of champions.

As I talked about before, on non-weight training days I like eating a high protein breakfast that is low in carbohydrates and contains healthy fats for energy.

Here's what this morning's post-cardio first meal of the day entailed:

4 whole Omega 3 eggs
90g skinless chicken breast
1 TBSP 1 carb Ketchup
1 cup of broccoli (full of vitamins and fiber)
green tea
Coffee with Stevia

Don't knock it until you've tried it ; )

Sometimes I make an omelet with the eggs and add a slice of low fat cheese. Today I made my eggs sunny-side-up and dipped my broccoli in the yolks! Mmm, next best thing to toast in a low carb morning meal.

I have found that this muscle building breakfast allows me to stay in the fat burning zone after my cardio session, because it has limited carbs in it. As I was performing low intensity cardio on the treadmill, my body started utilizing body fat for energy. By eating some fat with protein after ward for breakfast, I find that I am able to burn body fat longer.

Hey, works for me. Try it and see if it works for you. Everyone is different. You may never know what muscle breakfast works best for you until you start experimenting!

Building Muscle Exercises

2009-04-20T22:53:00.004-04:00

Today is the first day challenging the numbers of the building muscle exercises I have been setting baselines for over the past 2 weeks.

It's unfortunate that I injured the muscle belly of my forearm while setting my starting weights, but shit happens and the show must go on. I'm finding ways to work around it. I have had to replace a couple of exercises in my routine with others that agitated the injury less.

Day 1 - Monday Apr. 20, 2009 - Week 3

Workout 1A

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, Baselines = starting weights, RP = Rest Pause, SS = Straight Set

Chest
Smith Machine Decline Presses
LT 225 lbs x 11+7+4 = 22 RP
TT 235 lbs x 12+6+6 = 24 RP
I've reached my goal for this chest exercise by two-fold. First I beat the weight I pressed by 10 pounds. I also beat the repetitions by 2 reps! In order to grow you need to progress, and this was pretty good progress for this lift.

Shoulders
Seated Life-Fitness Machine Shoulder Presses
LT 125 lbs x 9+6+5 = 20RP
TT 130 lbs x 10+7+6 = 23 RP
Another home run here as well.

Triceps
Tricep Dips
LT Body Weight + 40 lbs x 11+5+4 = 20 RP
TT Body Weight + 45 lbs x 10+5+5 = 20 RP
Not bad, I increased the weight by 5 lbs and kept the reps on the dips the same. My triceps were already good and worked by the time I hit these as well... so I'm pleased with the progress.

Back Width Exercise
Dumbbell Pullovers - New (Replacement)
LT N/A (Close Grip Pull downs - 180lbs X 12+6+4 = 22 RP)
TT 65 lbs x 12+10+10 = 32 RP
I had to replace the CG pull down because the pulling motion only makes the injury worse. I did DB pullovers last week and really I shouldn't be doing them again for 2 weeks... but this is the only exercise I've found that I can use with my injured forearm. Last week I used a 60 lb DB, so this is actually progress, just not in proper DC order.

Back Thickness
Vertical Lifefitness Machine Row (U/H) - New (Replacement)
LT N/A (Deadlifts from Rack - 315lbs X6 SS and 275lbs x 12SS)
TT 205 x 5 SS, 165 x 12 SS
Another replacement exercise as a "work-around". Frankly there was some pain from these, and I hate to leave a back thickness exercise out of the rotation, but if it's not going to help, it will make things worse. We'll see come this Friday during my warm-ups... if the problem is still there, I'll be dropping back thickness as well until it is mended.

All-in-all (considering) it was a decent workout in my books. I thought I was getting the kid's cold when I woke up this morning so I went back to bed and slept. I'm glad I did because I thought the training session may have to be canceled. Sleep is SO important to progressing with building muscle exercises. Cardio tomorrow...

Building Leg Muscle Online

2009-04-18T21:39:00.007-04:00

Here's the update to Friday's building leg muscle online workout. I'm a little late posting up yesterday's workout in my journal, as it's been a busy weekend with the family.

Our littlest one just started a cold. Normally it would have been a stay home in bed day for her, but we had already promised her a Saturday outing, earlier in the week, and she did her best to convince us she was fine.

So off we went shopping, bowling, then out to dinner, and as sniffy as she was, she seemed to have more energy than us! I think she'll be sleeping for the rest of the evening and tomorrow though.

Friday was the last day of setting baselines for this blast. I decided to leave bicep work out completely, to give my injury a bit more time to heal and it's starting to feel better.

Week 2 - Workout 3B

Second leg strength training session this week. I like to leave Barbell Squats until Friday's weight training sessions, as I know my legs will be quite sore the next day and it's nice to be able to have Saturday and Sunday off, for recovery. Mind you, bowling today sure was fun after yesterday's leg session ;)

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, Baselines = Starting Weights, RP= Rest Pause, SS = Straight Sets

Last day of setting baseline weights.

Bicep Exercise
N/A
The time off from working biceps is doing me some good. I think I'll go 1 more week without exercising biceps and see how I feel in Week 4.

Forearm Exercise
Reverse One-Arm Cable Curls
LT N/A
TT 22.5lbsx12SS
Not a problem with these.

Calf Exercise
Smith Machine Calf Raises
LT N/A
TT 225lbs x 10+8+7 = 25 RP
Thought it would be a nice change to try some standing calf muscle exercises. I use one of those aerobic steps for the raises. I find these raises workout the calves well when rest paused.

Hamstring Exercise
One Legged Standing Hamstring Curl
LT N/A
TT 50lbs x 14+8+7 = 29 RP
First time trying these during a blast and I have to say I find them to be one of the best hamstring exercise that give a really good stretch. The only draw back to them is they are done one leg at a time while rest paused, which seems to eat up a lot of time in one workout session.

Quadriceps Exercise
Barbell Squats
LT N/A
TT 285lbs x 6 SS + 195 x 22 SS WM
In my opinion BB Squats is the best quadriceps strengthening exercise, period and probably the best overall weight training exercises for your body. You want to get bigger all over, squat.

It took me about 5 mins to recover from the widow maker set; I was totally winded. If you've never tried a WM set before, it's definitely a leg strength training technique you don't want to jump into using a lot of weight for your first time.

I finished everything off with an extreme quad stretch in the smith machine.

That's it for Friday's building leg muscle online post. Come Monday.. it's GO TIME between me and the log book, as it's now my mission to destroy these baselines I just set over the past 2 weeks.

A Boring Muscle Building Disclaimer

2009-04-16T18:51:00.003-04:00

Please note that the information I present in my blog is based on my own experiences and opinions. It is not my intention to give out any advice.

I am not a certified trainer, nutritionist or fitness expert. I am just a fellow meat head (read - workout enthusiast) who enjoys training and talking about it.

Please ensure your own personal safety by responsibly speaking with your physician or health care practitioner before undertaking any diet, using any supplement, or before starting an exercise program.

Happy Lifting : )

G

Best Muscle Building Foods

2009-04-16T14:23:00.011-04:00

As I was doing my morning cardio today, I was thinking about what best muscle building foods I should eat today.

I don't always eat the same foods in my diet everyday; especially when I'm NOT trying to achieve more definition through "cutting".

Since I'm currently in off-season diet mode, I like to spice things up a little so that my meals don't get boring and blah.

On days I do cardio in the morning, I wait to have my first meal afterward. I perform low intensity treadmill walking (or brisk walking outside) first, then I have my meal. I do this because I am able to tap into my body fat stores easier than if I had eaten a meal prior to my cardiovascular session. When I keep my heart rate around 120-125 BPM, my body knows I'm not trying to run a marathon and looks to my body fat for energy. Now, if I had eaten carbohydrates prior to cardio... my body would have used those carbs for energy instead of my body fat.

By the time I'm finished walking, I'm usually pretty hungry. I have found that I can stay in fat burning mode longer if I eat muscle building protein foods with some FAT.

Fat?

Yep, that's right... FAT.

Eating healthy fats with protein after low intensity cardio (LI) allows me to keep my body burning, what it has already started to burn from cardio, body fat. Now some may disagree but I found this to work for me.

Here's what I had for breakfast:

4 Omega 3 eggs (very good source of healthy fats)
100g chicken breast on the side
low carb ketchup (1 carb / TBSP)
100g broccoli
fish oil (more good fats for your body)

The above meal has about 25 grams of fat in it that I will allocate towards my daily target intake. It also contains "trace" carbs, mostly from green vegetables, which are great to eat on a low carbohydrate diet. And this breakfast also has high body building protein intake, necessary to build muscle.

So that covers a sample muscle building meal for breakfast, but what about the other meals throughout the day?

Well, as I said I enjoy a variety. I like to "mix and match" foods, so to speak. As long as I am meeting my daily macro nutrient intake, I'll eat pretty much any of the following foods:

Carbohydrates for Body Builders

I find the best carbs to eat during the day are complex carbohydrates that are Low Glycemic carbohydrates, from the low glycemic index, (Low GI). These burn slower in your body after you eat them so they have a minimal insulin spike (i.e less of a chance of storing in your body as fat). I find the higher carb foods are great for breakfast and early day meals, and the lower carb veggies are great for evening meals (when I want to minimize my carbohydrate intake). These low GI carbs are great to eat before you work out with weights as well, since your body will slowly use them as fuel while you're exercising.

Higher Calorie Carbs - Slow Burning Foods (Low GI)

oatmeal (the real stuff, not instant with sugar)
whole wheat or whole grain pasta
long-grain and brown rice
sweet potatoes and yams
whole grain bread
apples
pears
peaches
grapes
oranges
green peas
tomatoes

One of my favorite meals prior to my weight lifting session is whole wheat pasta, extra lean ground beef and some tomatoes. High protein combined with slow burning carbs to get me through a grueling workout!

Lower Calorie Carbs - Slow Burning Foods (Low GI)

asparagus
broccoli
cauliflower
cucumbers
green beans
peppers, red, green, yellow
spinach

Oh boy... do I EVER like using the above for stir frys and salads!

** Sidebar: Please bear in mind that the foods I list are a fraction of the best muscle building foods available to you and are merely my preferences. **

Carbs After Workout

A subject of great debate amongst many bodybuilders... "What are the best post workout carbs to eat?"

In general, by the time you've finished your weight lifting session at the gym (or at home) you've pretty much exhausted your body's glycogen stores. Bear in mind, the amount you have burned is also relative to how intensely you exercised and how long you worked out. Now is the BEST time to utilize the insulin spike caused by carbohydrates to your advantage.

So... I like to eat High Glycemic carbs as soon as possible after lifting. I also have a high protein whey isolate shake with my carbs, to get the recovery process started ASAP.

High Carb FAST Burning Foods (High GI)

low fat kid's cereal bars
low fat sugary kid's cereal (i.e. Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms, etc)
Gatorade
dextrose

Usually I'll have a couple of cereal bars and a shake post-workout. I try to limit high GI carbs to after my workouts only, unless I have scheduled a high-carb day (usually during dieting).. but that's for another post.

Healthy Bodybuilding Fats

Did you know that your body doesn't really need carbs to function? But it DOES need fats.

Eating low carb for a long period of time can make you feel kind of crappy, but your body actually prefers to burn fat for energy! Carbs are necessary for "filling out" as a bodybuilder (especially right before a body building competition) but are not really crucial for energy IMO.

About a year and a half ago, I tried a diet called the Anabolic Diet. It is a low carb / high fat / medium protein diet plan. I ate this way for nearly a year. While at first your body tends to "fight" with you (because of the lack of carbs it is used to getting), after a while you do adjust. I actually felt pretty good after I became "fat adapted".

The beauty of this diet was that you would eat low carb (less than 30 grams per day including all trace carbs found in just about every type of food) and on the weekend you would "carb up" for a 12-36 hour window. Now, needless to say, you would have to know when to stop eating carbs or you could wind up spilling over and storing body fat. But with trial and error, I have found this to be a pretty good diet. I also found that the high fats I ate gave me a lot of energy and increased my testosterone level naturally.

Here are some good muscle building diet fats I like to eat:

Monosaturated Fats

avocados (one of the best foods IMO)
almonds and almond butter
cashews
extra virgin olive oil
peanuts and natural peanut butter
walnuts

** Buy UN-roasted nuts for best health!

Polyunsaturated Fats

enova oil
flaxseed oil
salad dressing with low carbs ("Newman's Own" is my favorite)

** I try not to cook with any mono or poly fats. I add them to my foods AFTER cooking so as not to denature them.

Saturated Fats

bacon
butter
cream
cream cheese
cheddar cheese
coconut oil
sour cream
animal fats

I try to strike a balance with all of the above fats, but usually eat slightly less saturated fats. I do think that saturated fat has gotten a bad rep from the health care industry though. Everything in moderation is key, I think.

Unlike monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats, I do cook muscle building foods in saturated fat.

I enjoy a good stir fry cooked up in a TBSP. of coconut oil!

When using fats, keep in mind that they contain 9 calories per gram of fat, compared to 4 calories per gram of protein or carbs.

Best Muscle Building Protein

IMO the best protein for building muscle comes from whole food, not supplements. Why?

Because supplements are not a substitute for real food. When given the choice, I'll usually choose meat and eggs over protein powder. Protein powder is great if you are pressed for time and have nothing cooked OR post-workout.

With that said, the best protein powder for me is 100% whey isolate. A lot of people are concerned that whey isolate burns too quickly in your system, but I always eat something along with it to control the insulin response. Whey isolate + peanut butter = slower digesting protein.

Here are some high protein foods that I enjoy eating in my body building diet:

skinless chicken breast
ground beef - boiled, drained, then rinsed = very lean ground beef
lean pork
turkey breast
tuna in water
flank steak
100% whey isolate protein powder

So there you have it... another long ass post! Hopefully you'll be able to construct your own bodybuilding diet based on the best muscle building foods of your choice! Back to the weights tomorrow, till then...

Best Muscle Building Exercises

2009-04-15T22:36:00.009-04:00

Today was another day of setting baselines in my Doggcrapp Training blast, so I decided to pick the best muscle building exercises that caused the least amount of pain to my forearm injury.

Since I had scheduled a Chest-Shoulders-Triceps-Back Width/Thickness workout today (CSTB routine) I had to try to pick exercises that avoided too much strain on the muscle-belly of my forearm.

I had no problems with any exercises involving "pushing" the weights, but I did have to be careful with tricep work and especially cautious with all back work, as it involves a "pulling" motion that can further my strain.

Normally for all back work, I would use compound exercises.. but until things heal up, I'll be using whatever exercises I can get away with.

Here's tonight's workout based on the best muscle building exercises I could find to get the job done:

Workout 3A

Notes - LL =Last Time, TT =This Time, Baselines =Starting Weights, RP= Rest Pause, SS = Straight Sets

Chest
Decline Barbell Bench Press
LT N.A
TT 225lbs x9+5+4=18RP
First time since starting back on this blast that I could feel the cob webs getting blown out of my system. Felt great!

Shoulders
Smith-Machine Shoulder Pressing
LT N.A
TT 165lbs x10+7+5=22RP
Another good working set. Could feel the pump coming on from the rest pause sets. Way above my intended rep range of 11-15, but probably safe to keep the reps higher during setting baseline weights/reps.

Triceps
Decline Skull-Crushers
LT N.A
TT 80lbs x12+5+4=21RP
It kind of surprised me that I could feel these in my forearm. It really forced me to use strict form with very little body english. I think if I kept the weight the same next time I could probably get more reps, which is fine with DC training. Again, the whole progression system is based on trying to either increase weight OR reps on an exercise, preferably the weight... but reps will do, considering.

Back Width
Dumb bell Pullovers (Lying on Bench)
LT N/A
60lbsx 10+6+5=21RP
It took a while to find the best back width exercise that had minimal strain on my forearm. A buddy of mine saw me trying out several exercises and came over to see what was up. I had tried neutral grip pull-downs, wide grip pull downs, over hand narrow grip pull-downs.. all to no avail. I knew, after trying each one, that if I did any of these back exercises I was only going to make things worse and my injury would take longer to heal. Anyways... my buddy suggests to me to try DB pull-overs, so I gave them a try and BINGO, no pain. Been a while since I did these and really enjoyed the stretch this exercise gave.

Back Thickness
Smith-Machine Under Hand Rows
LT N/A
TT 225lbsx4SS + 165x16SS
The smith U/H rows are one of my favorite back thickness exercises. I warmed up with 115x10, 185x4, 205x2 but started to feel it on that last warm up set. I tried 225 and got 4 reps but if it hadn't been for the forearm, I would have easily gotten 6. I finished off with a very high rep / low weight set. I don't think these did too much damage, will find out tomorrow.

That's the thing with sports injuries... you're damned if you do and your damned if you don't! I like to live by the age old rule that if it is injured and it just doesn't feel right when trying to find the right building muscle exercise to suit... it's best to move on to another. The smith rows were borderline I think but I wasn't left with too many options.

Diet Today was...

Meal 1
200g ground beef (I cook my GB, then drain and rinse under hot water)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
200g whole wheat pasta

Meal 2
1/2 cup oats
100g blue berries
2 scoops whey

Meal 3
200g ground beef
1/2 cup tomato sauce
200g whole wheat pasta

Meal 4 (post workout - low fat / high carb)
2 kids cereal bars
2 scoops whey

Meal 5 (I try to minimize fat intake here as well)
200g chicken breast
1/2 cup tomato sauce
200g whole wheat pasta

Meal 6 (yet to have)
200g ground beef
extra virgin olive oil
fish oil
broccoli

or...

2 scoops whey
peanut butter
fish oil

As soon as things heal up I'll have another batch of the best muscle building exercises to share. Cardio planned for tomorrow, bright and early, noonish :)

Cardio for Building Muscle

2009-04-14T12:47:00.011-04:00

Today is an off day from the gym, and as usual I got in my a.m. cardio for building muscle.

30 mins of brisk walking to be exact.

I can hear some of you thinking, "But how does cardiovascular exercise build muscle?"

Well, low intensity cardio walking on a treadmill doesn't (that's what I do)... but it DOES help speed up recovery, which in turn, will help build muscle.

LI cardio also helps keep me hungry throughout the day. The more I eat, the more muscle building ability I have.

In addition to these factors, cardiovascular exercise also helps keep your most important muscle strong, your heart.

Yesterday I worked out intensely with weights, especially my legs.

So today, the early morning cardio I performed will help push through important nutrients to my sore and recovering muscles. This is very important IMO.

The faster you can recover, the faster you can get back to building muscle. You don't grow in the gym. You grow as you recover and by eating the right food.

On another note...

Normally I watch TV, or if at the gym, listen to my iPod while doing my cardio.

Today I decided to start reading a book instead.

While visiting my sister and her family this weekend, my brother-in-law introduced me to the book "The Greatness Guide, Book 2" by Robin Sharma. I'm finding it to be an excellent read on leadership and positive thinking.

It contains 101 short inspirational reads and is great for starting your day, even while performing cardio for buidling muscle.

Muscle Building Pill

2009-04-13T23:16:00.004-04:00

If there was ever a good muscle building pill, I could have used one today.

First off, I hope everyone had a Happy Easter and you ate lots of chocolate so that you got fatter than me ;)

You would think that with a holiday like Easter, I would have eaten my ass off all day. Au contraire.

4 meals throughout the entire day... and man, did I feel the lack of calories during this evenings workout. Now that the holidays are over, it's 6 squares for me a day!

My forearm problem has not gone away. Again, I could have used a muscle building pill today.

I'm just starting my second week of my DC training blast... So what to do?

Well, I think the supplement Cissus is in order and I'll up my dose of daily Zinc to hopefully speed up the recovery. That and I shall remain true to the rule, "Though shall not be a dumb ass and train injured body parts"... like I should have adhered to in the first place. Even though I trained biceps light with high reps, I should have just let it be for a couple of weeks. Biceps are not my weak point anyways... so now is the time to bring extra focus to LEGZ!

So, I will keep plugging away and stay away from training that which we do not speak of... {biceps} :(

Week 2 - Day 1 - Mon. Apr. 13th, 2009

Work 2A

2nd week setting baselines and another day in the trenches:

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, Baselines = starting weights, RP = Rest Pause, SS = Straight Set

Bicep Exercise
Dual-pulley Machine Standing Curls
LT N/A
TT 45x21+10+10= 41 RP
Doh!

Forearm Exercise
Palms-Up Wrist Curls
LT N/A
TT 80 x 17SS
Oddly enough, this exercise did not cause any pain to my forearm. The injury is about 2" from my elbow on the underbelly of my forearm. No pain, no problem.. they can stay.

Calf Exercise
Hammer Strength Calf Raises
LT N/A
TT 70 x 10 (DC style)

Hamstring Exercise
Lying Leg Curls
LT N/A
TT 80 x 13+7+7= 27 RP
I had scheduled Stiff Legged Deadlifts here, but as I was warming up I noticed there was too much strain on my forearm.

Quad Exercise
Freemotion Squat Machine
280x10 SS + 200 x 26SS Widow Maker
I went a little lighter than I should have but tried to make up for it on reps.

So that's it for today, if anyone comes across a good muscle building pill, especially one that heals you up quick, be sure to let me know ;)

Building Muscle Tips

2009-04-10T16:56:00.009-04:00

Before I get into what I think are important building muscle tips, I'd like to get today's workout posted and out of the way.

Week 1 - Day 5 - Fri. Apr. 10, 2009
Workout 2A

It was my fault really. Today being Good Friday, I had forgotten that my gym would be closing earlier than normal. By the time I remembered to get my ass in gear, I only had an hour to get to the gym and workout.

I'm not a creature of early mornings. The nature of my work keeps me up working very late night shifts. By the time I got up today, I had only enough time for 1 meal before hitting the fitness center. I don't respond well to getting up... eating... and lifting weights. A valid tip I learned about myself along time ago during my quest to build muscle.

Once I started working out the haze started to lift, but the energy just wasn't at the same level as usual. I also only had a couple of cups of water prior to lifting, which did not help. Since my usual workout is scheduled after 3 meals and at least 3 liters of water, I felt dehydrated.

Dehydration - a very important muscle tip... Don't do it. It is catobolic to your muscle building quest. It goes against the grain. I try to make sure I get 1.5 liters of water through me, per day.

But when circumstances are out of your control, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do and get in there and get er done!

Anywhoo...

Setting baseline weights.

Chest Exercise
Life-fitness Chest Press
LT N/A
220lbs x 10 +5+4= 19RP
These felt pretty good. Normally I prefer to use free weights for most exercises, but with DC training it is a good idea to use machines as all exercises are done to failure.

A note on Rest Pausing for DC:
This is how the RP (rest pause) it went: I pressed 220 lbs 10 times. Then I rested for approximately 15-20 seconds, long enough to take 15 deep breaths. Then I pushed the same weight again (220) for 5 repetitions. Once more I took 15 deep breaths, then I cranked out 4 more reps... bring my RP set to an end. The idea is to push each mini-set to absolute failure, safely. So this is why many use machines for this type of workout. That's not to say that you can't use free weights. By all means, go ahead. Just make sure you have someone who will spot you for each set.

Shoulder Exercise
Standing Military Barbell Presses
LT N/A
TT 115lbsX 9 + 5 +4 = 18RP
Warmed up with the bar (45lbs) for 10 reps, then 95lbs for 6 reps... then cranked out the Rest Pause set above.

Tricep Exercise
Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press
LT N/A
TT 185 X8+6+ 5 = 19RP
This is where I started to feel from strength drop. As I said, I only had 1 meal prior to working out today... which I found was not enough. I actually tried to push 225, but made it to 4 reps on the first try, so I dropped the weight. In the past I have made it as high as 250lbs on this exercise.. so I know I definitely need a few more meals in me. One of the building muscle tips I have about doing close grip bench press in the smith machine, is to situate the bench so that your ass is hanging off it while pressing. Play with the location a bit. I have found I get much more out of the exercise doing it this way.

Back Width Exercise
Hammer Strength MTS High Row
LT N/A
TT 170X 12 +8+6 = 26RP
Before starting these I had 10 minutes before the gym closed. I had scheduled to do Neutral Grip Pullups (NG = palms facing each other), but while warming up my forearm belly felt really sore. I noticed it was sore last workout when doing barbell curls and DB hammer curls, but more so agitated. I may have to increase the reps and decrease the weight next time I work out arms, as I do not need a full blown injury at this point. Will evaluate how it feels on Monday, which is when arms comes around again.

Anyways, I decided to do the HS MTS row instead to minimize the stress on my forearm. With the clock ticking, I did 1 quick warm up set, then cranked the working set out (using proper form). Afterward I realized I went too light with the weight, as the goal for this exercise is to pull as much weight as possible for 15-20RP. That is fine though, and is all a part of setting baselines (baselines = your starting point of weight and reps). Next time I do this exercise I will adjust accordingly in order to keep progressing with the weight.

Back Thickness Exercise
Hammer Strength MTS Low Row Machine
LT N/A
TT 220lbsX 6SS + 160x 12 SS
I did the 2 required working straight sets (SS, not rest pause) in under 3 minutes LOL. Ok, probably not the best idea... but I had the gym front desk girl tapping her foot waiting for me to get out! I made sure to use my weight lifting belt for the heavier set to keep my back safe. If I had more time, I would have did T-Bar rows. These would have required more time to do proper warmups so I opted for the HS Low Row.

I ended up doing this half ass workout in 40 minutes. Not bad, considering a DC workout usually takes me at least 75 minutes to get through properly.

So... cardio is lined up for Saturday or Sunday. Monday coming up will be the 2nd week of setting baselines. The third week on involves DESTROYING the baseline numbers. Stick around :)

Ok... onto weightlifting tips you came here for.

I do hope you had a chance to read through my workout above, as I did sprinkle a few tips in here and there if you look closely.

Building Muscle Tips

The following info is not advice. These are tips based on my own muscle building experiences:

1. There is no damn muscle building secret! Stop buying into all the overnight muscle scams. You don't need to be spending thousands of dollars on e-books and worthless products to build muscle. Lift, eat, rest, repeat. Each time you lift, try to increase either the weight you are lifting or the amount of times you are lifting it. And remember.. Rome was NOT built in a day! Building muscle takes time.

2. If you are 160lbs and 6'... you do not need to be cutting to lose weight! Start eating and add some beef before worrying about having ripped abs. You'll look much better and the compliments will start coming.

3. Try to eat 5 to 6 times a day. Figure out how many calories you should be eating for your goals and make sure you get enough protein in. Not enough protein = no muscle gains! I aim for between 1.25 to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight. Some say 1.0g is enough... I have found it is not enough for me (especially on low carb days). Get yourself a scale and figure out how much protein you need. Divide the total by 5 or 6 meals... and that how much protein you should be eating (probably more than you thought).

4. Not enough sleep = not enough testosterone. You want to grow? Get enough sleep. Some need 7 hrs, some 8, some 9 or more... everyone is different. Bottom line is if you don't feel rested enough you are cheating yourself out of gains.

5. Find a muscle building program that works for you. But which one is that? It is the one you ENJOY doing. If you are new to lifting, there are plenty of programs all over the net all ready laid out for you to try. Once you find one you like STICK WITH IT. Don't jump from workout program to workout program every 2 weeks expecting to make gains. There is no way to track your progress properly when you hop all over the place. Stick to something for a good 4 months before switching, to make sure you've exhausted all your gains on that program. If it is still working for you (i.e. you are slowly growing).. then don't change what works!

6. Record your workouts. Get yourself a Free Printable Workout Log on the net, print it out and take it with you to the gym. Record every lift so you can access your progress. This works! Just do it!!

7. Stick to your diet plan and have a cheat meal or two once a week. This will help keep you sane and can kick start your thyroid if you are dieting. (I plan on talking more about this at a later point)

8. Train using core exercises to build your foundation. Don't worry about doing "fluffy pink dumbbell kickbacks", these won't get you there! BB squats, bench press, military press, barbell rows, etc.. these are all core strength training exercises that will help you put on da beef.

9. Keep your training session length to a minimal. Be at the gym only as long as you need to, then get out! 2 hours of hard core training is only going to over train you. Do what you have to do, have a shake and go home.

10. The number 1 supplement you need in your quest for building muscle is... FOOD! Everything else takes second place. If you are not eating enough real food you won't gaining muscle. If you have enough money to buy whey protein powder, fine... go ahead (remember though the a shake should only be used here and there, nothing replaces real food)... but you should always be spending your cash on food to build muscle.

So there you have it. Whew! That was one long post. Kudos to you if you made it through it.

I hope you enjoyed reading my Top 10 building muscle tips... see you around soon! G

Diet for Muscle Building

2009-04-09T17:37:00.015-04:00

Today is an off day from the gym, so I decided to write about my diet for muscle building.

When it comes to any kind of food plan, one of the things I think is important is to understand how your body type responds to carbohydrates. Too many carbs on an endo type frame can spell faaaaaaat.

As many of you may already know, there are 3 body types.

Ectomorph - Skinny, difficult to put on weight. Can eat pretty much whatever they want without getting fat. For females, the envy of many.

Mesomorph - Naturally athletic frame/build, puts on muscle fairly easy. Some can probably gain muscle by simply pushing a lawnmower due to their genes.

Endomorph - Puts on fat easily but can also put on muscle easier than an ecto.

Me - I fit into the 75% Endomorph / 25% Mesomorph body type.

Since I've had the opportunity to work with 3 bodybuilding/weightlifting nutritionist during the last 5 years... I've gotten to know my body fairly well and how it reacts to certain types of food. Having primarily an Endomorph bodytype, I have learned that I respond best to minimizing my carbohydrate intake in my muscle building diets. Instead I will use healthy fats in their place during certain meals.

With that said, I try to separate my fats and carbs in the same meal as much as possible (unless I am having a "cheat meal"... which "usually" happens once or twice a week in my offseason diet). I do this to minimize any insulin spike that is caused by combining the two macros and potentially leading to unwanted fat being stored.

So my meals are "usually" protein / fat OR protein / carb. I'll call them P/F or P/C.

Here is what my diet for muscle building currently looks like during the offseason (when I'm trying to "bulk up", for lack of better term... although I don't really like the bulking / cutting way of looking at things).

My Diet on Weight Lifting Days

Meal 1 (P/C)
- 2 servings oatmeal (not the instant stuff)
- 1 cup blueberries mixed in the oats
- dash of cinnamon (for antioxidants and to increase insulin sensitivity)
- 2 scoops Whey Protein Isolate (chocolate flavor) poured over the oats and blueberries
- coffee with Stevia for sweetner
- Supplements: green tea capsule, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10, 1/4 Aspirin (I'm over 40), Glucosamine MSM (for joints), Olive Leaf Extract capsule

Meal 2 (P/F)
- chicken breast or extra lean ground beef
- green vegetable (green beans or broccoli)
- 1 TBSP olive oil or 1-1/2 TBSP peanut butter
- Supplements: green tea capsule, 3 fish oil tabs

Meal 3 (Pre-workout) (P/C)
- chicken breast or extra lean ground beef
- 200g Whole Wheat pasta (with a little tomato sauce) or Sweet Potato
- Supplements: green tea capsule, Vitamin C, Glucosamine MSM (for joints)

Workout with weights around 1-1/2 hrs after Meal 3, to allow for proper digestion.

During my workout I sip on 10g of branch chain amino acids (BCAA's), with 2.5g of Creatine and 4g Beta Alanine in my 1 liter workout bottle. Plain BCAA's taste like ASS if you've ever had them. Some people like to mix some crystal lite in with BCAA's... I prefer to use a product called Xtend. There are a few different flavors available... Green Apple Xtend is my favorite by far.

Meal 4 (1st Post-workout meal) (P/C)
- 1 cup sugary kids cereal (Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms... something like that)
- 2 scoops Whey Protein Isolate
- Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Olive Leaf Extract... for antioxidants
Note: I like to use kid's cereal at this time when I am most responsive to high glycemetric carbs.. to drive the protein in, which is important for recovery.

Meal 5 (2nd Post Work-out meal) (P/C)
- chicken breast with whole wheat pasta or potato
- green leafy vegetable
- Calcium/Magnesium supplement with Extra Vitamin D (for proper absorption of the calcium)

Meal 6 (at least an hour before bedtime) (P/F)
- chicken breast
- 1-1/2 TBSP peanut butter
- Supplements: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Glucosamine MSM (for joints), 3 fish oil tabs

I aim for 1.25-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight in my diet for building muscle.

I try to keep my carbs to breakfast and around my weight lifting workouts, when my body uses them up the best.

When I'm not so active (I'm usually sitting on my butt at work) I try to keep my meals to P/F meals, as my body doesn't need a lot of carbohydrates during this time.

So, if I worked out first thing in the morning (rather than after 3 meals as above)... I would have a P/C meal for breakfast, lift weights, then 2 P/C meals following.. and then switch to P/F meals for the remainder of my meals.

My Diet on Non-Weightlifting Days

On days that I do not lift weights, I aim for burning fat with cardio first thing in the morning to get my metabolism roaring for the day and to try to keep fat gains at bay from all the food I'm eating to build muscle. Visit here for some additional weight loss tips.

So here is what I eat on those days:

Pre-cardio: coffee with Stevia, green tea, Vitamin C and E

Meal 1 (P/C)
- 2 servings oatmeal
- 1 cup blueberries mixed in the oats
- dash of cinnamon (for antioxidants and to increase insulin sensitivity)
- 2 scoops Whey Protein Isolate over the berries and oats
- coffee with Stevia for sweetener
- Supplements: green tea capsule, Coenzyme Q10, 1/4 Aspirin (I'm over 40), Glucosamine MSM (for joints), Olive Leaf Extract capsule

Meal 2 (P/F)
- chicken breast or extra lean ground beef
- a green vegetable (green beans or broccoli)
- 1 TBSP olive oil or 1-1/2 TBSP peanut butter
- Supplements: green tea capsule, 3 fish oil tabs

Meal 3 (P/F)
- 2 scoops protein powder
- 1-1/2 TBSP peanut butter or some flavored peanuts
- Supplements: green tea capsule, Vitamin C, Glucosamine MSM (for joints), 3 fish oil tabs

Meal 4 (P/F)
- chicken breast or extra lean ground beef
- a green vegetable (green beans or broccoli)
- 1 TBSP olive oil or 1-1/2 TBSP peanut butter
- Supplements: Vitamin C

Meal 5 (P/F)
- 2 scoops protein powder
- 1-1/2 TBSP peanut butter or some flavored peanuts
- Supplements: Calcium/Magnesium supplement with Extra Vitamin D (for proper absorbtion of the calcium)

Meal 6 (at least an hour before bedtime) (P/F)
- chicken breast
- 1-1/2 TBSP peanut butter
- Supplements: green tea capsule, Vitamin C, Glucosamine MSM (for joints), 3 fish oil tabs

I try to keep protein a little higher on off days due to the fact that there is less carbs on this day. Protein stays closer to 1.5g per lb of body weight on these days.

I'll be getting into how I figure out exactly how much food I need to eat on my diet for muscle building soon...

Workouts for Building Muscle

2009-04-08T23:01:00.006-04:00

With my DC training workouts for building muscle, I am doing what is called the 2 way split.

I workout with weights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and try to get my cardio in on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays OR Sundays. I try to take 1 full day off on weekends from both training and cardiovascular exercise.

During my offseason training [read eat more, lift heavy... aim for getting bigger] I think it is important for heart health to keep cardio in the training mix. Many may disagree, but I have found this to work best for me. And as with all of us, we are all different... so it is important IMO to find out what works for you.

With that said, today was Day 3 of Week 1 of setting my weight training baselines.

Day 3 - Wednesday Apr. 8, 2009

Workout 1B

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, Baselines = starting weights, RP = Rest Pause, SS = Straight Set

Bicep Exercise
Standing BarBell Curls
LT N/A (remember, I am setting baselines here)
TT 105 lbs X 9+5+4 =18 RP <<-- I need to make a post explaining RP (rest pause)

Forearm Exercise
DumbBell Hammer Curls (One arm at a time)
LT N/A
TT 45 lbs x14 SS

Calf Muscle Exercise
Seated Life-fitness Horizontal Calf Machine
LT N/A
TT 190 lbs x14 SS
These calf exerises are brutal when done DC style. 12 second hold at the bottom of EACH movement *OUCH*

Hamstring Exercise
Seated Hamstring Curl
LT N/A
TT 100 lbs x 16+12+5= 33RP
I have weak hams, so I need to be careful when first starting back heavy weight training. I've pulled a hamstrings a few times from going at it too hard.

** You really need to be aware of your body and how it reacts when training heavy workouts for building muscle. Many people can get injured from jumping in too fast or not warming up enough. I try to do 2-3 sets of warm ups (sometimes more if the working set is really heavy... working set = the sets I have listed). I don't list my warm up sets.

Quad Exercise
Smith Squat
LT N/A
TT 295 lbsX 4 reps SS + 205lbs x 21 SS (that last set is called a Widow Maker, or WM)
The Widow maker set absolutely finished me off. I was huffin and puffin like there was no tomorrow! The WM set is always done last, because you should not have anything left in you after that set. With Dogg Crapp training, if you have any energy left at the end of the workout... you didn't work hard enough ;)

More DC workouts for building muscle coming Friday w/cardio planned for tomorrow.

Burning Fat With Cardio

2009-04-08T22:41:00.005-04:00

As part of my training regimen, burning fat with cardio is also a priority.

I like to use low intensity cardio, to burn fat and/or keep fat at bay, mainly because I like to do it first thing in the morning (usually on non-weight training days) on an empty stomach to tap into those fat stores.

By keeping my heart rate at low intensity during cardio (for me between 120-130 beats per minute), I am able to tap into fat stores first thing in the morning AND this keeps me hungry for the six meals I'm about to eat for the day.

I have a treadmill at home (got it for a great price $500 bucks new) that helps keep at it during the winter months; although I much prefer to be outside walking.

During the offseason I prefer burning fat with cardio for about 30-45 mins in the mornings on my non-weight training days.

This way, by keeping my cardio away from my weight training workouts (which can be brutal on the recovery system) I'm able to recover better from my workouts.

This is what works for me. Visit building-muscle-now.com for more information on how to lose weight with cardio.

I have also done HIIT cardio training, but I'll leave that for another post.

Anyways...

Tues. Apr. 7th, 2009

30 mins a.m. cardio with HR around 125 BPM

Woke up slightly sore from my first day back. Not too bad though, mostly stiff. I did some stretching right before hopping on the treadmill... but AFTER my coffee with Stevia :)

I didn't take my weight this morning, as I find one can over due keeping track of body weight. Usually once a week is good enough for me, although I like to use the mirror to track my progress more so than the scale.

Doesn't matter what the scale says if the mirror says you look like crap ;)

More burning fat with cardio on Thursday is planned, as it is a non-weight training day.

Routine for Building Muscle

2009-04-08T19:43:00.005-04:00

Here is my current routine for building muscle.

I am using what is called Dogg Crapp training.

Yes, you read that right ;)

Also known as DC training.

I've been using DC training for the better part of a few years, because I have found it to be the best muscle building program for ME.

I've tried many workout programs.. but Dog Crap training just seems to work best for me.

I need to write up an about me section, here in my workout journal, but for now here's a little about me:

I'm 41, married with 2 kids. I weigh about 190, 5'-8". I'm self-employed in the architectural / engineering field. I enjoy long walks... blah blah blah.. you get the picture.

For the last couple of months I've eased off my workouts... mostly do to laziness and I felt I just need a break. Sometimes you just need a break, but now I feel ready to tear up some weights and try to get my ass back into shape.

So I'll try to explain the DC training principles as I go along, but for now.. here is my first workout from Monday (2 days ago)

Day 1 - Monday Apr. 6, 2009

Workout 1A

Note: LL = Last Time, TT = This Time, Baselines = starting weights, RP = Rest Pause, SS = Straight Set

Chest Exercise
Smith Machine Decline Presses
LT N/A
TT 225 lbs x 11+7+4 = 22 RP

Shoulder Exercise
Seated Life-Fitness Machine Shoulder Presses
LT N/A
TT 125 lbs x 9+6+5 = 20RP

Tricep Exercise
Tricep Dips
LT N/A
TT Body Weight + 40 lbs x 11+5+4 = 20 RP

Back Width Exercise
Close Grip Pulldowns
LT N/A
TT 180lbs X 12+6+4 = 22 RP

Back Thickness Exercise
Deadlifts from Rack
LT N/A
TT 315lbs X6 SS and 275lbs x 12SS

Now, the whole point of the LT and TT is to beat my previous weight AND/OR repetitions from LT (last time). So... next time I do workout 1A I will try to beat those numbers. If I do... I can continue on with that same exercise until I cannot beat my numbers. At that point I will drop the exercise and choose another. More on all this as we go...

Scale showed 190 this morning. Not bad; after all it is my offseason and I am trying to gain some muscle.

I was around 175 at Christmas time with a semblance of abs. I had dieted down for 4 months on a cutting routine for building muscle that I worked with a trainer on. I was not doing DC training at the time though... Dogg Crapping does not work too well on low calories; although some use it during contest prep from what I've heard.

Will try to explain DC training more as I go, as this routine for building muscle has a few rules... which I try to adhere to, mostly :)

Muscle Building Workouts| Welcome to My Journal

2009-04-08T19:35:00.004-04:00

Welcome to my Muscle Building Workouts Journal. This site provides tips and techniques for building muscle, weight lifting diets, and much more. If you have questions not covered in my Workout Journal please feel free to leave a comment at the end of my posts.