I've already been lifting for almost 5 months since I moved to Vietnam, and I made a ton of progress that I never thought I could be capable of.
It's probably too late to start a "progress" thread, so I figured it'd be a more encompassing general thread about my weightlifting routine. It's gotten me results and I thought I'd share what I've been doing.
First off, thanks to forum member Buakaw for getting me started on a consistent routine and for helping me push my own limits. We were gym partners for the first three months, which was plenty of time to get my gym routine deeply entrenched into my life.
Background
I started off with a slender and skinny-fat body. My legs were already strong from my bike racing days, but my upper body was pretty weak and had lots of skinny fat. As you all know, skinny fat is the worst kind of fat that can lead to serious health problems down the road. Imagine a cyclist with strong legs but a thin torso with love handles -- that was me. A heart attack waiting to happen on a triathlon course.
Basic Stats - Current
- Height: 5'11''
- Weight: 180
- Bodyfat: Not sure, probably around 17-18% inferred from comparing myself to the pic below. My physique is right in between 15% and 20%.
![[Image: body-fat-levels-men1.jpg]](http://www.superskinnyme.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/body-fat-levels-men1.jpg)
3 years ago, I was at least 25%! Just by eating healthier, removing toxic people from my life, reducing stress and drinking less, I got myself down to 20-22%, where I was when I started my weightlifting routine.
My weight was also 180 when I started and that remains largely unchanged, which means I've been losing fat and gaining muscle.
Goals
Short-Term: Improve form in compound lifts, improve posture, improve sleep, and eat a better diet.
Long-Term: Extend my quality years into my 50s and 60s with a decent muscle mass. Not a bodybuilder beast or anything like that. Just someone who looks good and is in good shape all the way into my 60s. And if I ever have kids, I ought to be able to keep up with them until they're at least 18.
Diet Rules
- Intermittent fasting, only have a coffee mixed with creatine before my morning gym session
- Eat at least 4-6 eggs per day
- Other than eggs, eat at least one other form of protein (beef, pork, or chicken)
- Eat at least 2-3 servings of vegetables a day, plus 1 serving of yogurt with live active cultures
- Eat clean during the week, eat whatever I want on the weekend
- Don't drink more than 3 nights a week, maximum... and no more than 3 drinks in one night
- No food after 8 pm on weekdays, except a handful of nuts if I feel really hungry.
I don't count calories, btw. I go by feelings of hunger. If I'm hungry, I eat until I feel full -- then I stop.
EXERCISE ROUTINE
I go to the gym 5 days a week, M-F, each day focusing on one body part. Saturday and Sunday are rest days.
I start each session with the biggest compound lifts and do 5 sets of 5 reps each. Then I move towards the smaller isolation exercises in the end.
Monday: Chest
- Chest press, 190 lbs*
- Incline press, 140 lbs
- Deep pushups, divebombers, crossover flys
* In the beginning, I could only bench 155.
Tuesday: Back
- Deadlifts, 250 lbs*
- Weighted pullups and chinups
- Barbell two arm rows, 150 lbs
* In the beginning, I could only deadlift 180.
Wednesday: Shoulder
Note: This is the toughest for me. I've had shoulder problems from my competitive swimming days, so I do lots of stretching and PT as well. I try not to push it too hard with the weights because another shoulder injury (or re-injury) could put me out of commission for weeks if not months.
- Military press, 95 lbs*
- Dumbbell shoulder press, 45 lbs each
- Lateral raises, front raises, shoulder shrugs, lots of stretching, plus PT
* In the beginning, I could only do 75 lbs on military press.
Thursday: Leg
Note: I don't like doing squats and deadlifts on the same day like some people do. For me, it's too hard on my lower back, so I space them out a couple days apart giving my back time to rest and recover.
- Squats, 215 lbs*
- Leg press, 530 lbs
- Calf raises, pistol squats, stretching
* In the beginning, I could only squat 170.
Friday: Biceps and Triceps
- Bicep curls, 39 lb each dumbbell (17.5 kg)
- Hammer curls, 33 lb each dumbbell (15 kg)
- Decline tricep extensions, 40 lb each dumbbell
- Weighted dips
Supplementation
I don't really supplement except Vitamin C. I did consume whey protein after every gym session, but I need to buy a new tub and I haven't gotten around to it. I can say that it does work.
I also mix creatine in my morning coffee, along with cinnamon, honey, and coconut milk. That concoction is delicious!
I should also note that I'm on TRT. But I have been on TRT for more than two years, and it does not automatically help with muscle definition. I was still skinny fat on TRT, only hornier. Only weightlifting helps with muscle definition.
Plus my cholesterol numbers vastly improved before and after starting this routine. When I was most out of my shape a few months before my divorce, it was 235 with low HDL and high LDL, triglycerides through the roof. The look on my doctor's face when reading those lab results told me I was a dead man walking.
Now? Total cholesterol at a perfect 160. LDL only half of what it was before, and HDL was double. Triglycerides only in the double digits.
Possible Room For Improvement
There are somethings that can be improved from here on out.
1. Better form. Sometimes I think it's a good idea to, every once in a while, scale back from heavy weights and "go back to the basics" with my form.
I've been toying with a routine that goes like this: 3 week lift heavy + 1 week light lifting with more emphasis on form, then cycle back to heavy lifting. We'll see how my body responds to this.
2. Diet. I don't track my calories. I drink craft beer. I'm pretty liberal with food on the weekends. There's still a thin layer of fat masking my six pack, and if I really wanted to expose my six pack, I would have to track calories and eliminate beer for the most part.
3. Avoiding injuries. At almost age 38, I'm no spring chicken. I have to resist the temptation to push harder and harder, because at heavy weights, particularly with benches, deadlifts or squats, one little mistake in form can seriously injure myself.
So I have one rule. Never do a 1 rep max attempt. The last time I tried this was when I attempted 200 lbs on the bench when I could only do 180 x 3 (I know, stupid...), I hurt my shoulder and had to take a two week break from lifting entirely, and spent another 2-3 weeks easing myself back in.
Instead, I conservatively add 5 pounds a week, or every two weeks, and only on the last set. If after adding, I could only do 2 or 3 reps, I'll be happy to leave it at that and try an extra rep the following week.
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
It's probably too late to start a "progress" thread, so I figured it'd be a more encompassing general thread about my weightlifting routine. It's gotten me results and I thought I'd share what I've been doing.
First off, thanks to forum member Buakaw for getting me started on a consistent routine and for helping me push my own limits. We were gym partners for the first three months, which was plenty of time to get my gym routine deeply entrenched into my life.
Background
I started off with a slender and skinny-fat body. My legs were already strong from my bike racing days, but my upper body was pretty weak and had lots of skinny fat. As you all know, skinny fat is the worst kind of fat that can lead to serious health problems down the road. Imagine a cyclist with strong legs but a thin torso with love handles -- that was me. A heart attack waiting to happen on a triathlon course.
Basic Stats - Current
- Height: 5'11''
- Weight: 180
- Bodyfat: Not sure, probably around 17-18% inferred from comparing myself to the pic below. My physique is right in between 15% and 20%.
3 years ago, I was at least 25%! Just by eating healthier, removing toxic people from my life, reducing stress and drinking less, I got myself down to 20-22%, where I was when I started my weightlifting routine.
My weight was also 180 when I started and that remains largely unchanged, which means I've been losing fat and gaining muscle.
Goals
Short-Term: Improve form in compound lifts, improve posture, improve sleep, and eat a better diet.
Long-Term: Extend my quality years into my 50s and 60s with a decent muscle mass. Not a bodybuilder beast or anything like that. Just someone who looks good and is in good shape all the way into my 60s. And if I ever have kids, I ought to be able to keep up with them until they're at least 18.
Diet Rules
- Intermittent fasting, only have a coffee mixed with creatine before my morning gym session
- Eat at least 4-6 eggs per day
- Other than eggs, eat at least one other form of protein (beef, pork, or chicken)
- Eat at least 2-3 servings of vegetables a day, plus 1 serving of yogurt with live active cultures
- Eat clean during the week, eat whatever I want on the weekend
- Don't drink more than 3 nights a week, maximum... and no more than 3 drinks in one night
- No food after 8 pm on weekdays, except a handful of nuts if I feel really hungry.
I don't count calories, btw. I go by feelings of hunger. If I'm hungry, I eat until I feel full -- then I stop.
EXERCISE ROUTINE
I go to the gym 5 days a week, M-F, each day focusing on one body part. Saturday and Sunday are rest days.
I start each session with the biggest compound lifts and do 5 sets of 5 reps each. Then I move towards the smaller isolation exercises in the end.
Monday: Chest
- Chest press, 190 lbs*
- Incline press, 140 lbs
- Deep pushups, divebombers, crossover flys
* In the beginning, I could only bench 155.
Tuesday: Back
- Deadlifts, 250 lbs*
- Weighted pullups and chinups
- Barbell two arm rows, 150 lbs
* In the beginning, I could only deadlift 180.
Wednesday: Shoulder
Note: This is the toughest for me. I've had shoulder problems from my competitive swimming days, so I do lots of stretching and PT as well. I try not to push it too hard with the weights because another shoulder injury (or re-injury) could put me out of commission for weeks if not months.
- Military press, 95 lbs*
- Dumbbell shoulder press, 45 lbs each
- Lateral raises, front raises, shoulder shrugs, lots of stretching, plus PT
* In the beginning, I could only do 75 lbs on military press.
Thursday: Leg
Note: I don't like doing squats and deadlifts on the same day like some people do. For me, it's too hard on my lower back, so I space them out a couple days apart giving my back time to rest and recover.
- Squats, 215 lbs*
- Leg press, 530 lbs
- Calf raises, pistol squats, stretching
* In the beginning, I could only squat 170.
Friday: Biceps and Triceps
- Bicep curls, 39 lb each dumbbell (17.5 kg)
- Hammer curls, 33 lb each dumbbell (15 kg)
- Decline tricep extensions, 40 lb each dumbbell
- Weighted dips
Supplementation
I don't really supplement except Vitamin C. I did consume whey protein after every gym session, but I need to buy a new tub and I haven't gotten around to it. I can say that it does work.
I also mix creatine in my morning coffee, along with cinnamon, honey, and coconut milk. That concoction is delicious!
I should also note that I'm on TRT. But I have been on TRT for more than two years, and it does not automatically help with muscle definition. I was still skinny fat on TRT, only hornier. Only weightlifting helps with muscle definition.
Plus my cholesterol numbers vastly improved before and after starting this routine. When I was most out of my shape a few months before my divorce, it was 235 with low HDL and high LDL, triglycerides through the roof. The look on my doctor's face when reading those lab results told me I was a dead man walking.
Now? Total cholesterol at a perfect 160. LDL only half of what it was before, and HDL was double. Triglycerides only in the double digits.
Possible Room For Improvement
There are somethings that can be improved from here on out.
1. Better form. Sometimes I think it's a good idea to, every once in a while, scale back from heavy weights and "go back to the basics" with my form.
I've been toying with a routine that goes like this: 3 week lift heavy + 1 week light lifting with more emphasis on form, then cycle back to heavy lifting. We'll see how my body responds to this.
2. Diet. I don't track my calories. I drink craft beer. I'm pretty liberal with food on the weekends. There's still a thin layer of fat masking my six pack, and if I really wanted to expose my six pack, I would have to track calories and eliminate beer for the most part.
3. Avoiding injuries. At almost age 38, I'm no spring chicken. I have to resist the temptation to push harder and harder, because at heavy weights, particularly with benches, deadlifts or squats, one little mistake in form can seriously injure myself.
So I have one rule. Never do a 1 rep max attempt. The last time I tried this was when I attempted 200 lbs on the bench when I could only do 180 x 3 (I know, stupid...), I hurt my shoulder and had to take a two week break from lifting entirely, and spent another 2-3 weeks easing myself back in.
Instead, I conservatively add 5 pounds a week, or every two weeks, and only on the last set. If after adding, I could only do 2 or 3 reps, I'll be happy to leave it at that and try an extra rep the following week.
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
![[Image: thumb.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/new/thumb.gif)
