progress/training log

[insaiyan93]

My routine above is designed to focus more on my arms. They get worked twice a week. About 2 months ago I did the opposite and was working legs twice a week.

Ok cool, I think I'm going to take some time and sit down with a pen and paper and kind of use a similar template but personalize it to fit into my schedule and goals a little more. And as far as the 30-40 minutes cardio is that like balls to the wall full on intensity? oor are you doing a more moderate intensity?

 

[Eman]

Ok cool, I think I'm going to take some time and sit down with a pen and paper and kind of use a similar template but personalize it to fit into my schedule and goals a little more. And as far as the 30-40 minutes cardio is that like balls to the wall full on intensity? oor are you doing a more moderate intensity?

I like how you're doing cardio at the end. IMO that is the best way to use cardio for fat burning. It does suck though at times lol.

I've done a similar routine with chest/back - bi's/tri's - legs/shoulders etc. But I usually only do it for a few weeks and it has a big focus on supersets. I like hitting opposing muscles like that. But I only do this when I want to do conditioning type work and drop a few pounds. It's not the best setup for building mass for me personally.

I follow a split similar to what odie is talking about. Big muscle group paired with smaller one except I hit most muscles twice per week. I have seen the best results with this.

Figure out a split that you think will work for you the best! I'll be curious to see what you come up with bro.

 

[OdieM]

Ok cool, I think I'm going to take some time and sit down with a pen and paper and kind of use a similar template but personalize it to fit into my schedule and goals a little more. And as far as the 30-40 minutes cardio is that like balls to the wall full on intensity? oor are you doing a more moderate intensity?

Lol I use to run/jog for a few hours but I believe all the tren I've ran in the last 1.5 years and really hurt my ability to run a mile.

Here's exactly what I've been doing on the treadmill lately.

Fast jog at 6.2 speed for 7-8 mins

Power walk at 3.9 speed for 5 mins

Imcline at 15 speed 3.5 for 15 mins ( this burns more calories then running I shit you not)

Power walk at 3.9 for 5 mins

Jog for 5-6 mins at 6.2 speed.

I get bored so I do stuff like this and it works for me. Honestly if I could just set the treadmill at a 15 Imcline and walk for 40 mins I would burn twice as many calories.

 

[insaiyan93]

Lol I use to run/jog for a few hours but I believe all the tren I've ran in the last 1.5 years and really hurt my ability to run a mile.

Here's exactly what I've been doing on the treadmill lately.

Fast jog at 6.2 speed for 7-8 mins

Power walk at 3.9 speed for 5 mins

Imcline at 15 speed 3.5 for 15 mins ( this burns more calories then running I shit you not)

Power walk at 3.9 for 5 mins

Jog for 5-6 mins at 6.2 speed.

I get bored so I do stuff like this and it works for me. Honestly if I could just set the treadmill at a 15 Imcline and walk for 40 mins I would burn twice as many calories.

Yeah I hear you, thats the hardest part of cardio for me is the boredom. Thats why I like the idea of the HIIT cardio at the end cuz I can keep it fairly concise, and honestly just 10 minutes of it kills me, at the end after my last little sprint I have to sit down and for a good 3-5 minutes and just catch my breath cuz it just fucks me lol. I think I will stick to that for the time being and keep working until I get to 20 minutes of it because just with my work schedule and the bus schedule It's hard to devote 40+ minutes to cardio and still get a satisfactory workout in, atleast untill I can get a car.

I like how you're doing cardio at the end. IMO that is the best way to use cardio for fat burning. It does suck though at times lol.

I've done a similar routine with chest/back - bi's/tri's - legs/shoulders etc. But I usually only do it for a few weeks and it has a big focus on supersets. I like hitting opposing muscles like that. But I only do this when I want to do conditioning type work and drop a few pounds. It's not the best setup for building mass for me personally.

I follow a split similar to what odie is talking about. Big muscle group paired with smaller one except I hit most muscles twice per week. I have seen the best results with this.

Figure out a split that you think will work for you the best! I'll be curious to see what you come up with bro.

Well the primary concern right now is trying to get rid of as much fat as possible while maintaining as much of the muscle/strength ive built up naturally. So I think I might kind of take what both of you said and try a new kind of split similar to OdieM's and do that for a few weeks, and then do my old way for a few weeks. I will keep you posted on what I come up with, its looking I'm going to have to go back to deadlifting once a week so I'm probably gonna take that out of my back workout and just make up for it by adding more volume and accessory work on my deadlift day, I'll still be able to squat twice a week and I'm gonna try and figure out a way to keep benching twice a week, but I will let ya know once I figure it out.

 

[insaiyan93]

And thanks again, both of you, for taking some time to help me figure this out and letting me pick your brain a little bit. Always good to have experienced minds on hand.

 

[OdieM]

Now remember I wasn't telling you to do as I do. I'm gearing up for a show this year and should actually be on a stage this March but I had to cancel due to some health issues I was having a while back. I was simply telling you to make the most of your workouts and try a big muscle with a little muscle and try a push and a pull day. Like I mentioned, I do cardio before to get the blood flowing and to help burn calories during my workout. I'm really the only one I know that does cardio before and not after a workout. I like to rush straight to the protein while I have a pump going is the main reason I don't do cardio after I lift. You'll find your groove.

 

[insaiyan93]

Now remember I wasn't telling you to do as I do. I'm gearing up for a show this year and should actually be on a stage this March but I had to cancel due to some health issues I was having a while back. I was simply telling you to make the most of your workouts and try a big muscle with a little muscle and try a push and a pull day. Like I mentioned, I do cardio before to get the blood flowing and to help burn calories during my workout. I'm really the only one I know that does cardio before and not after a workout. I like to rush straight to the protein while I have a pump going is the main reason I don't do cardio after I lift. You'll find your groove.

I hear ya, its definitely not going to be a copy and past of your routine, just going to give the large/small muscle split an idea, using a format similar to yours but tailored to fit my goals better. I'm still going to keep my cardio after my workouts because I'm in such shit cardiovascular condition that I think doing it beforehand would have a negative impact on the actual lifting portion of my workout.

If it doesn't work out I will try something else, I got nothing but time to figure out what works haha

 

[jJjburton]

Keep it up homie.
Still reading. They gave you some good advice. I feel like eman hit it spot on with the cardio afterwards compared to before.

Well OdieM actually also just said the reason that I don't do cardio post workout as well. LOL

 

[insaiyan93]

Keep it up homie.
Still reading. They gave you some good advice. I feel like eman hit it spot on with the cardio afterwards compared to before.

I think so too, I'm gonna finish this week out and then implement their advice starting Monday and see how it goes. Definitely going to keep the cardio after the workout though, the cardio fucks me to hard and would end up messing my workout up I think.

 

[jJjburton]

My split is Back and Chest sometimes. But I don't do the full back each time. Either lats/Latpulldowns, only or Innerback/Rows only. As for chest I do upper chest only, when I combine it with back. But this combo only comes up, 2x a month.

Odie had a good point though, with I might actually follow as well. Big muscle and Little muscle. I felt like my Back and Chest days were getting brutal.

 

[OdieM]

It just makes sense to do push and pull days because let's say on chest ( push day). When you work chest your working your tris to so go ahead and work them together. Same goes for back ( pull day). When your working back you best believe your working bis. Wait till you do a back and bi routine in the same day and you'll see. Your gonna hate me. Lol. Work big muscle first and then the smaller. Just give it a try for a week and if it isn't your thing then so be it but I have a feeling your gonna have such a pump you won't be able to wipe your ass.

 

[Eman]

Like I mentioned, I do cardio before to get the blood flowing and to help burn calories during my workout. I'm really the only one I know that does cardio before and not after a workout.

I normally do cardio beforehand actually. Now you know someone else who does I have to admit I haven't in a little while though because I just switched to a new gym and I'm not a huge fan of there cardio setup just yet. Jumping rope is a good way to get the blood flowing before starting. I am a proponent of warming up with some cardio before lifting. I've read that our bodies benefit from cardio before lifting because it sort of flips the switch from normal mode to work mode basically. HIIT after you've finished is all fat burning really though.

 

[insaiyan93]

It just makes sense to do push and pull days because let's say on chest ( push day). When you work chest your working your tris to so go ahead and work them together. Same goes for back ( pull day). When your working back you best believe your working bis. Wait till you do a back and bi routine in the same day and you'll see. Your gonna hate me. Lol. Work big muscle first and then the smaller. Just give it a try for a week and if it isn't your thing then so be it but I have a feeling your gonna have such a pump you won't be able to wipe your ass.

I usually superset workouts, 2ould you reccomend i switch to just doing all, to use your example, my back movements and then doing all my bicep movements?

 

[insaiyan93]

I normally do cardio beforehand actually. Now you know someone else who does I have to admit I haven't in a little while though because I just switched to a new gym and I'm not a huge fan of there cardio setup just yet. Jumping rope is a good way to get the blood flowing before starting. I am a proponent of warming up with some cardio before lifting. I've read that our bodies benefit from cardio before lifting because it sort of flips the switch from normal mode to work mode basically. HIIT after you've finished is all fat burning really though.

Well thats what I'm most interested in is the fat burning so I think sticking to that is going to be the best option for me, for the time being atleast.

 

[OdieM]

I usually superset workouts, 2ould you reccomend i switch to just doing all, to use your example, my back movements and then doing all my bicep movements?

Yes try having a back and bi day and a chest and tri day. When you have a workout such as the one you had today when you worked back and chest together you short changed yourself. Those are big muscles and some work them all by themselfs and you're working them to together. To do them justice hit them hard and then go down to a little muscle that helped you train that big one cause you've already got blood flowing in that smaller muscle. Hope this is making sense. Try a back and bi day and you'll understand completely. After I work my back and then move to the DBs to train bis my freaking bis are on fire by the first set usually.

You'll have to find your groove though man. I had to build from the ground up. I went from 165 to 249 in the years I've been doing this. Your trying to do the opposite by sculpting what you got. Not saying what I laid out won't work for you. Actually it works for EVERYONE. What I'm saying is I go heavy as hell a lot where you should be focusing on lighter weight with more reps. Damn it I wish you trained near me I would love to show you some things. Showing is always better then telling.

 

[Eman]

For what it's worth here is my split-

Monday - chest and triceps
Tuesday - back and biceps
Wednesday - legs
Thursday - chest and triceps
Friday - back and biceps
Saturday - shoulders and traps
Sunday off or cardio maybe... Prob off.

Abs or Core work everyday

I'm also not saying to follow this I'm just throwing another example out there for you. This is what odie is referring to with muscle group pairing. You could superset with these if you wanted, it would have more of an emphasis on fat burning. But you would likely not see great strength gains doing that.

If you wanted to work strength with a split like this I would do big muscle group first with heavy sets then hit second muscle group heavy as well. Then I would switch back and forth between the two with short rest periods and build a pump operating in the 12 rep failure range keeping up a good pace. Then go straight into cardio to finish. This is just what I would do, not saying this is the only way by any means.

 

[insaiyan93]

Yes try having a back and bi day and a chest and tri day. When you have a workout such as the one you had today when you worked back and chest together you short changed yourself. Those are big muscles and some work them all by themselfs and you're working them to together. To do them justice hit them hard and then go down to a little muscle that helped you train that big one cause you've already got blood flowing in that smaller muscle. Hope this is making sense. Try a back and bi day and you'll understand completely. After I work my back and then move to the DBs to train bis my freaking bis are on fire by the first set usually.

You'll have to find your groove though man. I had to build from the ground up. I went from 165 to 249 in the years I've been doing this. Your trying to do the opposite by sculpting what you got. Not saying what I laid out won't work for. Actually it works for EVERYONE. What I'm saying is I go heavy as hell a lot where you should be focusing on lighter weight with more reps. Damn it I wish you trained near me I would love to show you some things. Showing is always better then telling.

Yeha it's making sense, I'll be able to make it work. Shit, I have alot of trouble going light cuz the main thing is getting stronger. But I try my best to do some lighter high rep stuff too from time to time. But hey Thanks again bro, I'm gonna give this all a try next week and see how it goes

 

[insaiyan93]

For what it's worth here is my split-

Monday - chest and triceps
Tuesday - back and biceps
Wednesday - legs
Thursday - chest and triceps
Friday - back and biceps
Saturday - shoulders and traps
Sunday off or cardio maybe... Prob off.

Abs or Core work everyday

I'm also not saying to follow this I'm just throwing another example out there for you. This is what odie is referring to with muscle group pairing. You could superset with these if you wanted, it would have more of an emphasis on fat burning. But you would likely not see great strength gains doing that.

If you wanted to work strength with a split like this I would do big muscle group first with heavy sets then hit second muscle group heavy as well. Then I would switch back and forth between the two with short rest periods and build a pump operating in the 12 rep failure range keeping up a good pace. Then go straight into cardio to finish. This is just what I would do, not saying this is the only way by any means.

I will take this into consideration. The main goal for me is to get as strong as possible. I do want to drop some fat just to get rid of my gut and bitch tits, but at the time I don't have much of a desire to be like 8% body fat or anything like that, id be perfectly happy sitting somewhere around 15% from what I've seen. Idk why but I'm just more interested in being big and strong than being like super cut, ya know? Haha

 

[OdieM]

Just don't quit brother. Yes I want you to try what Eman and myself do but the most important thing is to keep it interesting and stay motivated. That's the reason I've taken an interest in helping you. I know if I can help you see results quicker you'll get excited and stay with it. You can choose to be normal like everyone else or you can wanna be more. I like watching heads turn when I walk by myself

 

[OdieM]

Lol your not gonna get in the single digits I promise. Just keep your reps in the 6-12 range. Do sets of 12,10,8 and 6 while going up in weight with every set.