Natural Al's DC training Journal

[Lugar]

So this is pretty decent or should I move to smith instead of oh press?

      Warmup      warump      set1      set2      set 3            
STANDING OH PRESS       0X15     6.00     80x10        105x4,80x5        105x4,80x5        90x8x2                   
                                                
Rear Delts       30x12        30x12        35x12        35x12                      
                                          
Rope UPRIGHT ROWS                   70x12        80x12        90x10                   
                                          
side lats       15x12        20x12        25x10        25x10                   
                                          
barbell front lats       bar x 12        2.5x12        x+5x12        +7.5x12                          
                                              
Arnolds      30x12      35x10      40x8      40x8+5                  

[natural al]

So this is pretty decent or should I move to smith instead of oh press?

      Warmup      warump      set1      set2      set 3            
STANDING OH PRESS       0X15     6.00     80x10        105x4,80x5        105x4,80x5        90x8x2                   
                                                
Rear Delts       30x12        30x12        35x12        35x12                      
                                          
Rope UPRIGHT ROWS                   70x12        80x12        90x10                   
                                          
side lats       15x12        20x12        25x10        25x10                   
                                          
barbell front lats       bar x 12        2.5x12        x+5x12        +7.5x12                          
                                              
Arnolds      30x12      35x10      40x8      40x8+5                  

depends what you're trying to do, if you're shoulders suck and you want a totally honest review of that routine I can give you what I think but I'm not an expert.

first, and this is my opinion only....why would you waste your time doing this with the arnolds?

Arnolds      30x12      35x10      40x8      40x8+5

you're shoulders are already warmed up from all the previous work you did so basically, in my opinion you're totally wasting your time with everything but the last 2 sets, you're not overloading anything and chances are at this point your just going through the motions with the first few sets.  If I was gonna do a conventional workout first thing I would do would be pick one pressing movement and pound the shit out of it, a couple of warm ups and that's it, right into my heavy work...no more than 2 or 3 sets heavy as possible, then I'd do some laterals again heavy as you can go with good form and then any supplemental work you want to do like the rope upright rows should be kept to a minimum, you can do it but seriously keep the sets low.  If you wanted to keep the workout you had above I'd do it like this:

standing overhead press(I'd rather see you seated when doing these to save your back, but hey..that's up to you)
                                    2 warm ups and then 2-3 heavy as hell sets, if you can get more than 8 reps it's too light and if you can't get 5 it's too heavy-always try to go heavier while maintaining form.

rear delt work-2sets, heavy with form.

....and so on.

once you start going heavier volume will have to go down or you'll burn out.   

this isn't a DC routine and if you want one, I'll give it to you but you gotta ask nice

go over to the ast site and read thier max-ot program, that's a great place to start understanding the importance of overload in training.

[Lugar]

dont wanna bombard your board.....come check me out.......


http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=135530.0

[Lugar]

I'm thiking of using the smith today bro for chest since I train chest 2x a week.......think that's a solid plan?Smith INCLINEdbell   
145x10   
150x10   
155x8   
170x5   
180x4   
175x5   
155x8   
   
FLAT DBELL (startHERE)   
30x6   40x6
40x6   50x6
50x6   60x6
80x5   85x5
75x6   75x6
70x6   70x6
65x8    65x8
   
   
   
PECK DECKS   
135x12   
135+x10   
135+x10   
150x9   DROP
135x6   
125x6   
   
flt fly   
45x12   
45x12   
50x10   
50x10   
   
DECLINE BURNOUT   
160x8   
170x6   
175x6   
185x5   
160x6   

[natural al]

Today went:

Parrellel Grip Pulldowns-250*16RP with 10 partials and a 60 second stretch

Rack deads-315*4
                 225*14

I did a new bi movement, I'll have to describe it when I get a chance, it's a "speicalty movement" that DC described awhile ago over on IM, I'll call them 2 handed hammer curl:
30*40RP and 20 partials-I started really light so I could get a feel for them.

wrist curl-75*30RP

I'm thiking of using the smith today bro for chest since I train chest 2x a week.......think that's a solid plan?Smith INCLINEdbell   
145x10x2   
175x?   
180x?
   
FLAT DBELL (startHERE)   
80x5   85x5

   
   
PECK DECKS   
150xfailure
   
   
flt fly   
50x10   
50x10   
   

I'd do it something like that, again in my opinion there's no need to waste time warming up after you're first warm up's for your first movement, you're just wasting energy.  Take away the fluff and start hammering stuff to failure or as close as you can get.  I also don't really believe in "burn outs" but that's just my opinion.  What would be the point?  You're lean as hell right now from what I see, if I was cutting I might add them but right now I think you're wasting your time doing them IMO.

[Lugar]

man, you arent in the gym very long eh bro?

[natural al]

man, you arent in the gym very long eh bro?

1 hour m'man, 1 hour but I bust my ass the entire time if that's worth anything.  You can train long or you can train hard, you can't do both...or something like that

[Lugar]

nope...I agree....75 mins max and that's with abs......you must have just posted your working sets.....I'm not going to jack up your log anymore writing.....good luck bro......seriously, come over to mine and feel free to comment whenever (BTW - the "fluff" sets, is because I'm starting with debell than going to smith.....

[natural al]

nope...I agree....75 mins max and that's with abs......you must have just posted your working sets.....I'm not going to jack up your log anymore writing.....good luck bro......seriously, come over to mine and feel free to comment whenever (BTW - the "fluff" sets, is because I'm starting with debell than going to smith.....

I sent you a PM yesturday, hope you got it.

anyway, once you warm up with the smith and do your working sets think about doing maybe I "assimilation" set with the db's then go right into the heavy stuff.  I understand the whole pyrimid concept but it just doesn't make that much sense to me at this point in time.  What sets do you think are actually going to produce growth out of these:
FLAT DBELL (startHERE)   
30x6   40x6
40x6   50x6
50x6   60x6
80x5   85x5
75x6   75x6
70x6   70x6
65x8    65x8

if someone pressed me for an answwer I'd say the bolded ones and that's it.  Again it's just my opinion, I'm not a monster or anything but I have done a TON of research on training and that's my honest opinion.

[Lugar]

I sent you a PM yesturday, hope you got it.

anyway, once you warm up with the smith and do your working sets think about doing maybe I "assimilation" set with the db's then go right into the heavy stuff.  I understand the whole pyrimid concept but it just doesn't make that much sense to me at this point in time.  What sets do you think are actually going to produce growth out of these:
FLAT DBELL (startHERE)   
30x6   40x6
40x6   50x6
50x6   60x6
80x5   85x5
75x6   75x6
70x6   70x6
65x8    65x8

if someone pressed me for an answwer I'd say the bolded ones and that's it.  Again it's just my opinion, I'm not a monster or anything but I have done a TON of research on training and that's my honest opinion.

[natural al]

maybe I'm too caught up in HIT style training ala arthur jones and stuff like that.  I know DAnte doesn't like his stuff classified as hit and even though I train using his methods I still love reading the stuff Jones and guys like Darden and Metzer wrote.

efficiancy is the key, and to me to do it as you have it bolded is a waste of time, if you can do 80x5 that's where the overload is, doing 65x8 or 10 will essentially do nothing for you, it's like a sprinter doing a couple of all out drills and then deciding it will help his 40 time by jogging around the track at 30% a couple of times....what would be the point?

[Lugar]

I've always heard that to stimulate th muscle and stimulate growth for pure mass, it's bes to fatique the muscle using different rep ranges.....it's jus a burnout set to completely fry the chest.....

On a side note, thanks to stopping the cardio and doubling my cals, I hit 85's last night for a solid five on my own and 1 exra witha spot.....2 months ago, 60x6 was what I was finishing with.......this is also with no off days in 2 weeks, and chest the day after delts..thank you glutamine, bcaas, and HRT!@!!!!

[natural al]

abs-Hammer V-Raise:  BW+5lbsx22
                               BW+7.5lbsx20
Precor Crunch-80*17
                    90*15

Hammer Incline-285*14RP+60 second stretch
     WM-35*31

Hammer Shoulder Press-140 a side-14RP(left arm)     16RP(right arm)
             I also did 20ish partial lateral raise reps with the 45lbs DB and a 60 second stretch

Reverse Grip Bench-185*21SS and a 60 second stretch

I'm working on some things to finally bring up my chest to where I feel it should be, hopefully I'll have things squared away in a month or so.  I'm also leaning out a little more, I've dropped about 8 or 9lbs in the last 2-3 weeks and havent noticed any drop in strength or size, I look a little flat in the morning but by the evening I'm filled out nice and look alot bigger than I have in the past.

[Lugar]

why so mny reps???

[natural al]

why so mny reps???

on what?

chest and shoulders were done in 3 rest paused sets, my reps are always 12-15ish.  The widowmaker for my chest is supposed to be as many reps as possible, I'm trying to keep them as high as I can for 1 straight set.

first time for the reverse grip benchs so I just put some weight on and went until I totally failed, I figured I'd get about 20, next time I'll up the weight to 205 and RP the sets and probably get about 15-18.

[Lugar]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I am suppose to do(or was) cardio 2x a week MAX per my trainer......he said none, but I need a few for mentality....I skipped today and havent done it in 4 weeks.....what a slug.......cardio doesnt burn fat, it's does help the muscles recoop though....should I wait till 180 to do any type? I'm also training6x week, so it's more or less 2 cardio sessions....prob. worse, huh?

Last night  , starving at 2am.......hugggge bottle of strawberry quick from the convience store and a entire box of fig newton...damn good....goota show it up today. You are doing no cardio either? How the f doe YOU stay so lean?

I got Bob evens in front of me, so while you sleep, I'm chowing on bzquits, eggs gravy and toast...arms tonight, then feast fest!! This is gonna succk! I need some EQ.....
Online!
     

[natural al]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I am suppose to do(or was) cardio 2x a week MAX per my trainer......he said none, but I need a few for mentality....I skipped today and havent done it in 4 weeks.....what a slug.......cardio doesnt burn fat, it's does help the muscles recoop though....should I wait till 180 to do any type? I'm also training6x week, so it's more or less 2 cardio sessions....prob. worse, huh?

Last night  , starving at 2am.......hugggge bottle of strawberry quick from the convience store and a entire box of fig newton...damn good....goota show it up today. You are doing no cardio either? How the f doe YOU stay so lean?

I got Bob evens in front of me, so while you sleep, I'm chowing on bzquits, eggs gravy and toast...arms tonight, then feast fest!! This is gonna succk! I need some EQ.....
Online!
     

honestly if you're bulking you don't need cardio, you're BF is really low judging by the pics you posted.  I wouldn't even worry about it.  I'm doing cardio for the first time in years and I'm actully liking it for some reason. 

I'd drop the cardio alltogether if I was you, you're at what 8%BF and not close to a show...no reason to do it.

[Lugar]

right on...just feel fat when I dont do it...but I'm also short a meal on the weekends, and my carbs are lowered, so it's all good?   Even with the test?

How does this arm routine look?


Did you  stay ripped without cardio for years???
   


   WARMUP      WARMUP      SET 1      SET 2                  
CLOSE GRIPDECLINE       0X15        0X15        145X12        155X10        160X8     165X6     165x6    170X5   145X8
                                          
SKULLS      75X12      75X11       75X11                                  
                                                      
DBELL OH       65x10        65x10        65x10     14                            
                                          
TRIANGLE       130x12        130X12        140X10        95x15        75x15             
                                                         
                                          
Concentrations       20X10        20X10        20X10                         
                                          
Preacher       55X12        55X12        55X12         45X12                       
                                          
Drag Curls       45X12        50X12        50x12        50x12                   
                                          
SEATED Incline DBELL       20x13        20x13        25x8        25x8                   
                                             
Concentrations      25X10      25X10      25X10                        
                                          

[natural al]

right on...just feel fat when I dont do it...but I'm also short a meal on the weekends, and my carbs are lowered, so it's all good?   Even with the test?

How does this arm routine look?


Did you  stay ripped without cardio for years???
   


   WARMUP      WARMUP      SET 1      SET 2                  
CLOSE GRIPDECLINE       0X15        0X15        145X12        155X10        160X8     165X6     165x6    170X5   145X8
                                          
SKULLS      75X12      75X11       75X11                                  
                                                      
DBELL OH       65x10        65x10        65x10     14                            
                                          
TRIANGLE       130x12        130X12        140X10        95x15        75x15             
                                                         
                                          
Concentrations       20X10        20X10        20X10                         
                                          
Preacher       55X12        55X12        55X12         45X12                       
                                          
Drag Curls       45X12        50X12        50x12        50x12                   
                                          
SEATED Incline DBELL       20x13        20x13        25x8        25x8                   
                                             
Concentrations      25X10      25X10      25X10                        
                                          

did'nt know you were on test, kinda changes everything.  I've never done it so I don't know how to adjust things.

bottom line is if you're in singal digits for BF I don't think you need to worry about cardio, it's a mental thing "you feel fat" doesn't mean you are fat, force yourself to skip it for awhile and then have your BF checked, if it's going through the roof then adjust.

I'm not what you would call ripped.  I took extended breaks from serious training.  From 97-04 I hardly trained, just maintinance work...once or twice a week to keep some size.  I started again in 04 once i finished school and got a good job, hit it hard for about 8 months or so then things started to happen with my son and training got put on the back burner.  After he passed away I trained again then something else and just as bad to me came up and again training got pushed aside.  Now I'm in a position to push things pretty far.

I'd say right now I'm probably at 12-15% BF maybe higher.  I'm giving myself time t slowly come down.

I'm gonna start max-ot cardio this week for a couple of weeks and see how that goes.

[Lugar]

what would it change its a mere 300mg boosted hrt dose.....keep me lean wo cardio?

[natural al]

what would it change its a mere 300mg boosted hrt dose.....keep me lean wo cardio?

I'm not an expert on that kinda stuff but it's gotta change something or you wouldn't be taking it.  I only know stuff from a natty perspective, I don't even take creatine right now and have never touched anything else.  REcovery would improve, you could probably handle more volume etc.

[Lugar]

I'm up friggn 20 lbs    173  heaviest ivr been in yrs....bloated  no abd  but I gottsla keep slammin huh?    I got some strawberry quick n a box of fig newtons n a box if softbstch for tonights cheat......was gonna put em all down late night afterb I hit a bowl.....now I'm wussinh out

[natural al]

I'm up friggn 20 lbs    173  heaviest ivr been in yrs....bloated  no abd  but I gottsla keep slammin huh?    I got some strawberry quick n a box of fig newtons n a box if softbstch for tonights cheat......was gonna put em all down late night afterb I hit a bowl.....now I'm wussinh out

could be alot of water retention?  Get your BF checked and go from there.

on a side note, I'm getting really fired up for this week.  I'm gonna PILE some weight on some movements and really go nuts.  I'm getting ready to start really pushing the envelope and finding out what I can do.  I know on the hammer rows I'm gonna add another 20lbs and still shoot for 20 reps RP, I'm thinking my widowmakers this week for legs are gonna go up to 50 reps with probably 250lbs, 10-15 more pounds for calfs and hamstrings, I'll be pushing 500 on the V-Squat.....I'm already visualizing my workouts.  I can't wait to get in there and tear it up.

[davie]

Good for u al. im getting like that to. i just wanna tear it up. My leg press machine in gym only goes up to 150kg's. im thinking after iv done front squats i might just plonk myself in the leg press, and rep out until i cant ove the weight anymore. (go until im screaming lol).

Its great wen ur striving to continuingly trying to be more intense than u were last time!!

davie

[Lugar]

me too....legs today;......you guys dont free squat?  What is your routine?  Havent done high rep for eons.....good for mass?