MrGum

Right. Thought I'd have a go at this. I feel well-outclassed but I want to make progress and think this will be very motivating

My Routine: 3 day split (with this week's weight)
A:
bent over row 5x5 (41kg)
good morning 4x10 (41kg)
SLDL 5x5 (68.5kg)
squat 2 times 20 rest-pause (52kg)

B:
Arnolds 5x5 (17.5kg)
Upright Row 5x5 (35kg)
Standing Military Press 5x5 (31kg)
Floor Bench Press 5x5 (51kg)

C:
Standing Military Press 5x5 (31kg)
Floor Bench Press 5x5 (51kg)
SLDL 5x5 (68.5kg)
squat 2 times 20 rest-pause (52kg)

Diet (I am a vegan)
On rising: 100 grams oats (with seeds, made into porridge with water).

Mid morning - 60g of porridge or 2 banana and some almonds and dried fruit.

Lunch - Lentil soup plus 4 slices wholemeal bread (or something similar)

Mid-afternoon - fruit, scoop of protein, etc.

4pm ish tin of beans and 4 slices of wholemeal (or maybe just a peanut butter sandwich or some shedded wheat and protein)

Dinner: Vegan meal. Eg stir-fry with tofu, pasta meal with soya protein etc.

Late - scoop protein.

I usually take 2 scoops after doing weights.

Cardio.
I am a runner. Typical week.
Mon: off
Tues run: 40 mins - 1 hour
Wed: fell running 1-2 hours
Thurs: run of about 1 hour
Fri: run 40 mins - 1 hour.
Sat: off
Sun: long run (1.5 - 3 hours)

I also walk my dog at least once a day, often twice (over 1 hour in total most days).
A couple of years ago I broke my leg, did lots of weights (high reps, low weight) ate sod all and ended up like this (about 9st 12lbs).



I was pretty much anorexic I'd say.
I then started bulking up and lifting heavier and put some weight on. Last summer I was looking like this:


I am now 37. I have put some fat on and weigh 11st 8lbs. I am 5'10''
I am "bulking" I suppose, because I want to gain muscle and get stronger. In the past I have always tried to have it both ways: eat very little and still build muscles. However, I would like to lose some fat. Here are some recent pictures.
Legs:


Back (better than my front due to my love of good mornings!)




And here's my front - not looking good



So: there is is. I am only gaining about a pound a week and I am getting stronger, so I am too worried about the weight, but I do want to get leaner. What's your advice??

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MrGum

Sorry about the pants!
By the way, my dog interferes when I am working out!

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Jimmy_Cricket

Whats your goals mate?

MrGum

Mainly I'd like to get stronger - eg bench my body-weight, squat and deadlift at least my bodyweight.

I was deadlifting more last summer, but I took a longish break.

Once the strength has built up more, cut again. I'd probably like to be about this weight or a bit more (maybe 12st), but lean!

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Jimmy_Cricket

Why do you want to cut when you get stronger? You certainly don;t look like you need to cut at all....

MrGum

Thanks for your replies, Jimmy_Cricket. I suppose I mean I want to get bigger and stronger and that will inevitably mean some excess fat as well - but I will hopefully get rid of that later on ...
Until now, fear of putting on fat has really stopped me making much progress!

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MrGum

Today has been a bit of a strange one, training-wise.
I ran a marathon on Saturday so I have been laying off the legs a bit.
So this morning I did Arnolds, Upright Rows, Good Mornings and Bent Over Rows. Happy with those as I managed 5 on the last set each time, so I can up the weight for next week.

I was supposed to be doing a fell-run tonight but I didn't go (long story). Anyway, it got to about half-nine and I thought sod it, I want to do legs. So I did my SLDL and Squats.

I know that 52kg is not much to squat, but believe me I have to work hard to do 20 of them. Second set I do with a slightly more "sumo" stance.

Anyway, happy with my lifts today!

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Mrdaveyk

compound moves will sort out any fat that you may have i think mate, i cant see any, but deadlifts will do your core some good and it will tighten up

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MrGum

Thanks, Dave. I am trying to do only compound - no curls etc as most of what I've read on here says they are a waste of time.

At the mo I just do Straight Led Deadlifts, should I do the other kind too?
Mark

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Mrdaveyk

yeh definitely, bent legged will work the lower back and i also found it helped hide my hip bones as my obliques exploded by them

curls arent a waste of time, but arent essential if you are just starting out

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Jimmy_Cricket

Right, i think if you want to gain mass/strength/both, either way you are going to have to up your food intake and maybe lay back on the running a bit.

If you insist doing running loads then fk it, focus on that but lets face it you aren't going to gain much.

Still unsure if you want to gain mass or just strength, i'm assuming both because you stated you want more strength and your avatar says "getting bigger"..

MrGum

Thanks. I know what you are saying. I know I won't make as big gains with that much running, but running is important for me.
I am eating lots more than I was a couple of months ago, and therefore gaining weight. I am a bit unsure how much more I could eat. I mean I am putting on about a pound a week, should I be aiming to put on more than that?
I'll settle for strength gains and lots of running - mass not that important.
Thanks for taking the time to reply!

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MrGum

Okay, time for a workout post.

Bent Over Row 42kg 5x5
Good Morning 50kg 4x10
SLDL 70kg 5x5
Squat 53.5 20 (rest-pause)
Sumo Squat 53.5 20 (rest-pause)

Felt good to be increasing weight, although the Good Mornings were bit challenging!
Post-workout shake 50g glucose and scoop soya protein. Yum!

Trying to rationalise training a bit as I have a busy few weeks coming up:

Mon: B
Tues: Run - quality session (ie some kind of speed-training)
Wed: Fell Run
Thurs: C (poss. easy run)
Fri: Run - quality
Sat: A
Sun: Long Run

By the way, I "compete" in fell-races.
Running is my main thing.
I am weight-training for strength.
But I want to look good too if possible!

I am eating like a monster.

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chrisj22

I think you already know you need to be eating LOTS to get results mate, especially with you being a long distance runner. If I was you I'd start on at least 4,000 calories a day & up if required.

Your training looks fine. If you start to stall possibly drop a bit of volume for recovery. Running will be beating the sh1t out of anyway.

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MrGum

Thanks for that, Chris.
I am eating LOADS. Will try to count up calories soon.
Ran 13 miles this evening - felt very good even though I really hit the legs this morning.
I'll weigh myself tomorrow to see if I've gained weight this week. I think I will have!
I baked a load of flapjacks yesterday and I am making good use of them.

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