farmboy's attempt to gain mass

[farmboy]

I started this new routine a few weeks ago. Actually, the first 2 weeks were part of a "corrective phase", so I won't bother posting it. There are supposed to be 4 phases to it, the last three are each 4 weeks, I think. I'm trying to gain muscle mass, as well as strength, which I suppose the two go hand-in-hand.

I'm going post my regimine as of yet, and continue with adding to it as I go. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

12/05/05 Monday
Barbell Front Squat 95lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Incline Bench Press 125lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Bulgarian Split Squat 25lb dbs 2 sets 6 reps (each side)
One Arm Row 25lb db 2 sets 8 reps (each side)
Ab Crunch Pulldown 100lbs 3 sets 8 reps

12/07/05 Wednesday
Weighted Chin-up 10lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Hang Clean and Press 95lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Dumbbell Pull-throughs 30lb db 2 sets 8 reps
Weighted Situps 25lb plate 2 sets 10 reps

12/08/05 Thursday
Jump Rope 30 seconds, rest 90 8 sets

12/09/05 Friday
Deadlift 185lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Weighted dips 25lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Wide Cable Pull-downs 90lbs 2 sets 8 reps
Reverse Hypers 2 sets 8 reps

12/10/05 Saturday
Jump Rope 30 seconds, rest 90 8 sets

I had the stomach flu Monday and Tuesday, so I was back to weights by Wednesday.

12/14/05 Wednesday
Barbell Front Squat 115lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Incline Bench Press 135lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Bulgarian Split Squat 25lb dbs 2 sets 7 reps
One Arm Row 25lb db 2 sets 9 reps
Ab Crunch Pulldown 105lbs 3 sets 8 reps

12/16/05 Friday
Weighted Chin-up 10lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Hang Clean and Press 100lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Dumbbell Pull-throughs 30lb db 2 sets 8 reps
Weighted Situps 25lb plate 2 sets 10 reps

 

[farmboy]

12/17/05 Saturday
JumpRope 30 sec, Rest 90 8 sets

12/18/05 Sunday
Deadlift 195lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Weighted Dips 25lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Cable Pulldowns 95lb 2 sets 8 reps
reverse hypers 2 sets 8 reps

12/19/05 Monday
Jump rope 30 sec, rest 90

 

[Chad Hamilton]

As ghey as this sounds I'll ask anyways:

What's you stats...farmboy? *Smooch*

 

[farmboy]

Are you talking size, or amount I can put up?

Anyway:
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 172

As far as my max lifts, I don't really know. I lift at home due to time/money constraints and don't really have anyone to spot for me, so I tend to stay away from lifting way over what I know I can get up. I guess that's a little counter-productive, huh?

Hugs & Kisses, Farmboy.

 

[farmboy]

12/05/05 Monday
Barbell Front Squat 125lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Incline Bench Press 140lbs 5 sets 5 reps
Bulgarian Split Squat 25lb dbs 2 sets 7 reps (each side)
One Arm Row 25lb db 2 sets 10 reps (each side)
Ab Crunch Pulldown 110lbs 3 sets 8 reps

 

[Chad Hamilton]

Thats what I wanted to know.

I don't max myself.

 

[saaavage]

DUDE htat is a shame......you dont have a bro or someone to come spot you and what not?

 

[farmboy]

Nah, man. I work out at the house at about 5 am. My wife goes to work early and I can't leave our son at home alone.

 

[farmboy]

Wednesday 12/21/05
Cardio day:
Eliptical machine, 30 sec high speed, 90 sec slower pace

I weighed myself today, and can't believe it! I am not gaining weight for s***! Still at 173 with clothes (no shoes) on. I'm eating a ton, using whey, glucosamine, creatine, BCAA, fish oil tablets, vitamins. And, I'm lifting heavier than I ever used to! Ah well, damn. Just bitching. I guess I need to go heavier. Any advice on the routine would be sincerely appreciated.

 

[farmboy]

12/22/05 Thursday
In Albany, went to a Gold's Gym. They had a pretty decent setup and there weren't a lot of people there when I went, so I wasn't competing for any bars or weights.
Weighted Chin Up 10lb/1 setX5 reps 12.5lb/4 setsX5 reps
Hang Clean and Press 105lb/5 setsX5 reps
Cable Pull-through 5 plates?/2 setsX8 reps
Weighted Decline Sit Ups 25lb/2 setsX8 reps
I was worried I wouldn't make it to a gym, and the one at the hotel is crap. They usually are. So, I feel pretty good. Now, the drive home won't be so bad, with me berating myself for being lazy.

 

[saaavage]

well, heres the thing....it is going to be hard to gain mass without doing high weight low reps...if i were you i would focus on things like pushups and chinups with weights so that you can get the most effort go to failure and then also be safge when you get to failure....

 

[saaavage]

going low without ever maxing, though seemingly neccessary at this point will ultimately not get you a good amount of mass...

 

[farmboy]

I'm trying to add weight each week, not knowing where my maexes are. I'm a wimp, so a lot of these weights feels extremely heavy for me, especially since I never used to squat or do deadlifts.

 

[KOU In3]

well, heres the thing....it is going to be hard to gain mass without doing high weight low reps.

This just isn't true. Gaining weight is solely a matter of consuming more calories than you burn. Yes, cutting down on the volume might help him burn less and some exercises are better than others at stimulating muscle growth. But as far as his bodyweight not changing, this is a function of diet.

It doesn't matter how heavy you lift or what you take. If you aren't consuming more calories than you burn you will NOT gain weight.

 

[KOU In3]

going low without ever maxing, though seemingly neccessary at this point will ultimately not get you a good amount of mass...

I disagree with this pretty stongly as well. Maxing is good for gauging your progress but you can make plenty of progress in other rep ranges as well. Especially when you're talking about dipping down into heavy triples. I think you're putting way too much emphasis on 1RM here.

 

[farmboy]

I don't really know how I could eat much more than I do. I never miss a meal, I supplement with protein shakes, I eat every couple hours, chicken, beef, almonds, fruit, veggies, etc... I don't know what the problem is! I mean, I know I'm getting stronger, and I guess that's the mein thing, but what the heck? If the muscle is making gains, where is the extra weight?

 

[farmboy]

Cardio day
Jump Rope: 90 reps/90 sec rest

I've been thinking about the cardio I do combined with the MA classes, and have been wondering if I really need to (or should be) doing the extra cardio. I wouldn't think that that little extra jump rope would be causing the difficulties in gaining weight, but I don't know what else it could be.

 

[KOU In3]

I don't really know how I could eat much more than I do. I never miss a meal, I supplement with protein shakes, I eat every couple hours, chicken, beef, almonds, fruit, veggies, etc... I don't know what the problem is! I mean, I know I'm getting stronger, and I guess that's the mein thing, but what the heck? If the muscle is making gains, where is the extra weight?

You can always eat more than you do. Most people that think they are hardgainers really aren't eating as many calories as they think they are. Take some time to actually calculate how many calories you eat in an average day.

Without quantities it's hard to really guess but if you're listing things like almonds, fruit, and veggies, I'm guessing the quantity isn't there. A handful of almonds isn't the same as say 6 oz. of almost. Fruit has very few calories and most veggies lack the calories you'd need as well.

Your diet should be laden with oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, etc. on the carb side. Shoot for at least a pound of meat a day (pre-cooked). Or the simple solution. Keep everything exactly the same and add in a PB&J. The 500 cals from that would be enough to push you into gaining weight if you are exactly at homeostasis currently.

 

[farmboy]

I think I'll take up that advice on the PB&J. I didn't mean that fruits and veggies were all I eat. Trust me, I get a ton of protein: whey, milk, nuts, lean beef, chicken, fish. Ah well, I must not be getting enough.

 

[saaavage]

I disagree with this pretty stongly as well. Maxing is good for gauging your progress but you can make plenty of progress in other rep ranges as well. Especially when you're talking about dipping down into heavy triples. I think you're putting way too much emphasis on 1RM here.

no you are wrong....assuming he doesnt want to add fat to his body....how the hell is he going to add good weight while doing damn near anaerobic exercises? it just doesnt work that way....he'll gain a pound or two here and there with his lean diet and his high reps but i mean he wont add anything near his stated gpal of "adding mass"...and at no point did i say 1rm...low reps high weights yes thats one thing...but 1rm he doesnt even care about that at this point....he just wants to add meat man