Tom's Journal - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Scrumpy · 01-08-2008, 04:36 PM

Hi, thought i'd write a little journal about my training so far and this seems to be where everyone puts theirs!

My name is Tom and here were my original stats:
Age: 18
Height 5 ft 11"
Weight: 133 lb
Bf %: 10%
Body type: Ectomorph

I started the gym In April 2006 with my best mate, though we didn't really know anything about it. He quit the next day and got his "sorry to see you go" letter through the door before getting his "welcome" letter! I started just playing around with the machines, I grew a bit but if only i knew then what i know now :(

About a year on I started training with a different mate who went to the same gym as me and he got me in to free weights. From then on, I am rarely on the machines and my body became more "full" and in another years time i was up to about 175 lb, but with 14% bf. My routine was 5 days a week training different bodyparts - Chest, Back, Legs, Arms, Shoulders

Stats at this point:

Age: 20
Height: 5 ft 11"
Weight: 175lb
Bf %: 14%

Best lifts:

Bench press: 4 x 80 kg
Deadlift: 1 x 130kg
Squats: 4 x 110kg
BB military press: 1 x 50kg

Come May 2008, I decided to set myself a fresh challenge and lose the fat. So i started on circuit training. My "base" training regime:

45 seconds of step-up's with KB's in each hand (right foot - left foot)
45 seconds of step-up's with KB's in each hand (right foot - left foot)
45 seconds of push-ups on bosu ball
45 seconds of free weight squats/leg press - fast as possible
MAX wide grip chinups
45 seconds of 2-handed KB swings
15 rep KB snatches each arm

Rest 2 minutes

Repeat 2 or 3 times.

When I first did this, I died. I had to make the times 30 seconds, but progressed to 45 seconds. I didn't stick to this routine alone though, I would change some of the exercises, included such exercises as medicine ball throw, KB clean'n'press, KB bastard burpees etc, but keeping the same pattern. The idea was to follow upper body movements with lower body movements and vice versa to really keep the blood pumpin and the heart working. I also used to often perform KB turkish getups at the end of my routine. I also cycle 3 miles home from the gym.

Diet was clean as hell, though keeping the low GI carbs fairly high.

Within 2 months (last month) I was down to 161 lbs at 8% bf. My belly was almost non-existant. Although I was smaller, I was in my best shape yet.

Since cutting, I have learnt more about my diet, I never really used to eat many vegetables and I used to just eat everything and anything. Now i am starting the weights again and although i seem to have lost a bit of strength, I hope to put on some size and hopefully i should do OK.
My aim now is to gain some size, but keep up a good strength to weight ratio and cut/defined build.
For my routine now I do 2 different body parts each day, mixing them about. Here is an example week:

Monday: Legs and chest (Muscular endurance)
Tuesday: Back and shoulders (Muscular endurance)
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Legs and chest (Muscle building)
Friday: Back and shoulders (Muscle building)
Weekend: Rest

This has been my training this week:

Monday - Chest/shoulders (supersets)

Stretch and warmup
Flat bench press ( 8 - 15 reps ) - 3 sets
BB shoulder press ( 8 - 15 reps ) / pressups with feet on bench - 3 sets
Decline bench press ( 8 - 15 reps ) / single arm DB chest press with upper torso suspended ( 8 - 12 reps ) - 3 sets
1 arm KB clean'n'press - 10 reps each arm - 3 sets
Some compound abdominal work
3 mile cycle home

Tuesday - Legs/back (supersets)

Stretch and warmup
Squats ( 8-15 reps ) / wide grip chin-up MAX - 4 sets
Straight leg deadlift x 15 / jumping on a bench x 15 - 2 sets
Deadlift x 15 / jumping on a bench x 15 - 2 sets
Bent over rows ( 8-12 reps) / KB swings - 3 sets
Some isolation abdominal work
3 mile cycle home

Thursday - Chest/shoulders

Stretch and warmup
Incline benchpress ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
BB shoulder press ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
Flat benchpress ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
Seated cable shoulder press ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
Decline benchpress ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
KB clean'n'press / pushups on bosu ball burnout supersets - 3 sets (only just able 2 pressups at the end

)
3 mile cycle home

Friday - Legs/back

Stretch and warmup
Wide grip lat pulldown ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
Squats (start 12 - 15 reps, 8 - 10 reps, 4 -6 reps) - 3 sets
Bent over row ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
SLDL ( 8 - 10 reps) - 3 sets
Seated row ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets
KB swings / max chinups burnout supersets - 3 sets
3 mile cycle home

My diet:

Meal 1:
2 x MAX CLA
Bran flakes 50g, with semi skimmed milk
Banana
40g Power Whey (30g protein)

Meal 2:
2 slices of wholemeal bread
Bacon 60g, fat removed
Beans, 50g
Special K 30g, with semi skimmed milk

Meal 3:
200g meat/fish (prawns, chicken or turkey)
Wholemeal pasta 100g
Brocolli 130g
Mushrooms 80g
Pesto 1 tbsp

Meal 4 (pre workout):
2 x MAX CLA
Homemade meal bar containing:
15g protein
10g fat (2g of which saturates)
30g carbohydrates (16g of which complex)
3.5g fibre

Meal 5 (Post workout):
50g Power Whey (38g protein)
50g Maltodextrin

Meal 6:
350g meat/fish (turkey, chicken, beef, salmon, tuna)
50g pasta/couscous/rice
130g Brocolli
80g mushrooms
1 tbsp good oil

Meal 7:
2 x MAX CLA
6 whole eggs
2 slices wholegrain bread

I am away next week, but the week after I will post up the exact weight and reps I have been using.

Tom

Greekgoddess · 01-08-2008, 05:38 PM

Welcome to the world of journal keepers. Wish everyone would put theirs in one place so I could find them again! I tried to post a blog three times but although it said saved it never appeared on the site so I must have done it wrong. Have photos on the transformations thread and a blog about my contest run up on 52 fit and proud of it on this thread.

dmcc · 01-08-2008, 08:50 PM

Tom, well done on the journal - I find mine really useful and it's motivating when others share experiences and comment on your progress. You got some nice lifts there - will be watching with interest.

fozyspilgrims · 01-08-2008, 10:26 PM

Well done on the journal mate, you seem like you know what your doing. Any particular goals?

Scrumpy · 02-08-2008, 11:50 AM

Thanks guys

My goal is to get bigger, but keeping the fat down, I don't particularly want to have to cut again any time soon. I don't want to just be pure size though, i want good strength and endruance, like an athlete

I would say there is a size i am after but as you get bigger, you want to get even bigger everytime. I am sure there will be a point one day when I think thats cool! :p

01-08-2008, 04:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Scrumpy Gym Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Essex, England Posts: 35 Blog Entries: 1	Tom's Journal Hi, thought i'd write a little journal about my training so far and this seems to be where everyone puts theirs! My name is Tom and here were my original stats: Age: 18 Height 5 ft 11" Weight: 133 lb Bf %: 10% Body type: Ectomorph I started the gym In April 2006 with my best mate, though we didn't really know anything about it. He quit the next day and got his "sorry to see you go" letter through the door before getting his "welcome" letter! I started just playing around with the machines, I grew a bit but if only i knew then what i know now :( About a year on I started training with a different mate who went to the same gym as me and he got me in to free weights. From then on, I am rarely on the machines and my body became more "full" and in another years time i was up to about 175 lb, but with 14% bf. My routine was 5 days a week training different bodyparts - Chest, Back, Legs, Arms, Shoulders Stats at this point: Age: 20 Height: 5 ft 11" Weight: 175lb Bf %: 14% Best lifts: Bench press: 4 x 80 kg Deadlift: 1 x 130kg Squats: 4 x 110kg BB military press: 1 x 50kg Come May 2008, I decided to set myself a fresh challenge and lose the fat. So i started on circuit training. My "base" training regime: 45 seconds of step-up's with KB's in each hand (right foot - left foot) 45 seconds of step-up's with KB's in each hand (right foot - left foot) 45 seconds of push-ups on bosu ball 45 seconds of free weight squats/leg press - fast as possible MAX wide grip chinups 45 seconds of 2-handed KB swings 15 rep KB snatches each arm Rest 2 minutes Repeat 2 or 3 times. When I first did this, I died. I had to make the times 30 seconds, but progressed to 45 seconds. I didn't stick to this routine alone though, I would change some of the exercises, included such exercises as medicine ball throw, KB clean'n'press, KB bastard burpees etc, but keeping the same pattern. The idea was to follow upper body movements with lower body movements and vice versa to really keep the blood pumpin and the heart working. I also used to often perform KB turkish getups at the end of my routine. I also cycle 3 miles home from the gym. Diet was clean as hell, though keeping the low GI carbs fairly high. Within 2 months (last month) I was down to 161 lbs at 8% bf. My belly was almost non-existant. Although I was smaller, I was in my best shape yet. Since cutting, I have learnt more about my diet, I never really used to eat many vegetables and I used to just eat everything and anything. Now i am starting the weights again and although i seem to have lost a bit of strength, I hope to put on some size and hopefully i should do OK. My aim now is to gain some size, but keep up a good strength to weight ratio and cut/defined build. For my routine now I do 2 different body parts each day, mixing them about. Here is an example week: Monday: Legs and chest (Muscular endurance) Tuesday: Back and shoulders (Muscular endurance) Wednesday: Rest Thursday: Legs and chest (Muscle building) Friday: Back and shoulders (Muscle building) Weekend: Rest This has been my training this week: Monday - Chest/shoulders (supersets) Stretch and warmup Flat bench press ( 8 - 15 reps ) - 3 sets BB shoulder press ( 8 - 15 reps ) / pressups with feet on bench - 3 sets Decline bench press ( 8 - 15 reps ) / single arm DB chest press with upper torso suspended ( 8 - 12 reps ) - 3 sets 1 arm KB clean'n'press - 10 reps each arm - 3 sets Some compound abdominal work 3 mile cycle home Tuesday - Legs/back (supersets) Stretch and warmup Squats ( 8-15 reps ) / wide grip chin-up MAX - 4 sets Straight leg deadlift x 15 / jumping on a bench x 15 - 2 sets Deadlift x 15 / jumping on a bench x 15 - 2 sets Bent over rows ( 8-12 reps) / KB swings - 3 sets Some isolation abdominal work 3 mile cycle home Thursday - Chest/shoulders Stretch and warmup Incline benchpress ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets BB shoulder press ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets Flat benchpress ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets Seated cable shoulder press ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets Decline benchpress ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets KB clean'n'press / pushups on bosu ball burnout supersets - 3 sets (only just able 2 pressups at the end ) 3 mile cycle home Friday - Legs/back Stretch and warmup Wide grip lat pulldown ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets Squats (start 12 - 15 reps, 8 - 10 reps, 4 -6 reps) - 3 sets Bent over row ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets SLDL ( 8 - 10 reps) - 3 sets Seated row ( 4 - 8 reps) - 3 sets KB swings / max chinups burnout supersets - 3 sets 3 mile cycle home My diet: Meal 1: 2 x MAX CLA Bran flakes 50g, with semi skimmed milk Banana 40g Power Whey (30g protein) Meal 2: 2 slices of wholemeal bread Bacon 60g, fat removed Beans, 50g Special K 30g, with semi skimmed milk Meal 3: 200g meat/fish (prawns, chicken or turkey) Wholemeal pasta 100g Brocolli 130g Mushrooms 80g Pesto 1 tbsp Meal 4 (pre workout): 2 x MAX CLA Homemade meal bar containing: 15g protein 10g fat (2g of which saturates) 30g carbohydrates (16g of which complex) 3.5g fibre Meal 5 (Post workout): 50g Power Whey (38g protein) 50g Maltodextrin Meal 6: 350g meat/fish (turkey, chicken, beef, salmon, tuna) 50g pasta/couscous/rice 130g Brocolli 80g mushrooms 1 tbsp good oil Meal 7: 2 x MAX CLA 6 whole eggs 2 slices wholegrain bread I am away next week, but the week after I will post up the exact weight and reps I have been using. Tom

01-08-2008, 05:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Greekgoddess Mature Bodybuilder Join Date: May 2008 Location: Greece Posts: 1,331 Blog Entries: 6	Re: Tom's Journal Welcome to the world of journal keepers. Wish everyone would put theirs in one place so I could find them again! I tried to post a blog three times but although it said saved it never appeared on the site so I must have done it wrong. Have photos on the transformations thread and a blog about my contest run up on 52 fit and proud of it on this thread.

01-08-2008, 08:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
dmcc 3rd-strongest gay on UKM, apparently... Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: SW London Posts: 2,972	Re: Tom's Journal Tom, well done on the journal - I find mine really useful and it's motivating when others share experiences and comment on your progress. You got some nice lifts there - will be watching with interest. __________________ My Journal Buy yourself something lovely at www.myprotein.co.uk and use discount code MP88145 while you're at it.

01-08-2008, 10:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
fozyspilgrims Getting HUGE! Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,700	Re: Tom's Journal Well done on the journal mate, you seem like you know what your doing. Any particular goals? __________________ To get 5% off your order at MyProtein use MP50808

02-08-2008, 11:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
Scrumpy Gym Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Essex, England Posts: 35 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Tom's Journal Thanks guys My goal is to get bigger, but keeping the fat down, I don't particularly want to have to cut again any time soon. I don't want to just be pure size though, i want good strength and endruance, like an athlete I would say there is a size i am after but as you get bigger, you want to get even bigger everytime. I am sure there will be a point one day when I think thats cool! :p

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