[ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle]

Assail, on 20 February 2013 - 05:47 AM, said:

ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle, on 19 February 2013 - 04:16 PM, said:

Assail, on 19 February 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

Text and sexy pics

Thanks for the long and helpful reply. And that's pretty damn impressive, I doubt I'll make progress anything remotely like that.

Just to make things clear, the measurements are for fun, and to be incorporated into the time-lapse video I'm going to make. However, I've decided on doing only weight and time spent at gym as measurements, making it very not-so time consuming at all. Also, I will be taking daily pictures as a time-lapse video with monthly pictures over two or so years would be kind of short .

And I found the prefect diet for me: eat until you can't take another bite. Then eat som more. I have a bit of trouble putting on weight, so I have to eat like a sunovabitch. I aim at 3000 kcal a day, and on workout days (which would be 4-5 days a week), I try to get at the very LEAST 3000, more if I can manage (I don't really like food). Fat gain does not really bother me, I just wanna get big. I also doubt I'll get a six-pack however I try, as even when I was more or less bone thin (56kg at 1,80m), I had only moderately defined abs. It's as much about genes as how you work out and eat, according to what I've read. I might go on a diet specifically to get ripped sometime ahead, but it's not a goal I've got in mind right now. I'm shooting for increasing my weight with at least 10-15kg by the end of this year.

As for exercises utilizing knees, I do not dislike them, it's just that I have bad knees, and squats and such put a LOT of preassure on the knees, no matter how one does them. I'm doing squats in a machine right now, and it's feeling fairly good, so I might go on to doing free-standing ones in a week or two. Deadlifts I will have to start with too, just never done 'em before so I gotta be a bit careful.

Fair enough then, since it's project based and all. Do what you do little homie haha.

That might work well with you, depending on how your metabolism works and whatnot. It's not always so much how much you eat (Although when bulking that does play a big role), but what you eat. Getting big, and then getting cut is quite the scientific process and it takes some serious self control. As far as workout days go, Start with 4 days a week, with a day in between. Let your body adjust to strain and then go up to 5, maybe 6 days. What type of supplements are you taking?

I wouldn't say genes when it comes to your abs. They only play a role when it comes to the shape of your abs. Mine aren't as angular as some guys, they tend to be more rounded and pop out more, it all just depends. Nutrition is where you'll get definition from. Nutrition and HIIT (High intensive interval training).

10-15kg is a solid amount of muscle, but easily doable by the end of the year. Don't stress it, just do your thing and it'll come. If you don't make the goal, it isn't the end of the world, but keep it constant.

My only advice is regards to your knees is this. Squat with braces, or some kind of external support, and work on your form. Form over weight. On top of correct form, weight adjustment and external support, you'll notice they'll probably hurt less. Whenever you get back to me on your supplements, I'll give you my input on them and what will help maximize what you're trying to do.

Form form form. Any multi-movement exercise needs correct form. Watch videos, watch yourself in the mirror. Get it down perfectly before you start doing any serious weight. Super important with cleans, squats, deadlifts or any other Olympic lifts.

What I do now, is I do two days, then one day of rest, then two days, then one day of rest, so each muscle group get two full days of rest. However, since I'm still fighting the aftermath of my 5-month cold, I take two days off when I feel so-so.

And the six-pack is affected by genetics, as how large a percentage of your body fat that sits down on your belly is genetic. However, I don't really care about a six-pack anymore, so it's of no concern.

With supplements, do you mean nutrition supplements? If so, I mix a gainer shake with about 40-50 grams of protein, 60-70 grams of maltodextrin and 3-4 dl of milk. It all totals to about 600 kcal, and I drink 1/3-1/2 before working out, the rest after.

Braces are a good idea, I'll look into it.

Macros, on 20 February 2013 - 01:00 PM, said:

Assail, on 19 February 2013 - 10:29 PM, said:

Macros, on 19 February 2013 - 07:31 PM, said:

The only time you should be describing your six pack as delicious is when it looks like mine

Spoiler

I pale in comparison to this marvel of human dedication and work. Any tips for a lowly sunavabich like me?

hmmm, well I try to ensure most pictures of me are clothed and holding a beer. This is the key starting point, you should be holding a beer as often as possible.

So you are a 14-year-old girl who just discovered Facebook?

[Macros]

14 year old girls drink beer?

[Assail]

Macros, on 20 February 2013 - 01:00 PM, said:

Assail, on 19 February 2013 - 10:29 PM, said:

Macros, on 19 February 2013 - 07:31 PM, said:

The only time you should be describing your six pack as delicious is when it looks like mine

Spoiler

I pale in comparison to this marvel of human dedication and work. Any tips for a lowly sunavabich like me?

hmmm, well I try to ensure most pictures of me are clothed and holding a beer. This is the key starting point, you should be holding a beer as often as possible.

Thank you for your wisdom, O Wise One.

ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle, on 20 February 2013 - 07:34 PM, said:

Assail, on 20 February 2013 - 05:47 AM, said:

ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle, on 19 February 2013 - 04:16 PM, said:

Assail, on 19 February 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

Text and sexy pics

Thanks for the long and helpful reply. And that's pretty damn impressive, I doubt I'll make progress anything remotely like that.

Just to make things clear, the measurements are for fun, and to be incorporated into the time-lapse video I'm going to make. However, I've decided on doing only weight and time spent at gym as measurements, making it very not-so time consuming at all. Also, I will be taking daily pictures as a time-lapse video with monthly pictures over two or so years would be kind of short .

And I found the prefect diet for me: eat until you can't take another bite. Then eat som more. I have a bit of trouble putting on weight, so I have to eat like a sunovabitch. I aim at 3000 kcal a day, and on workout days (which would be 4-5 days a week), I try to get at the very LEAST 3000, more if I can manage (I don't really like food). Fat gain does not really bother me, I just wanna get big. I also doubt I'll get a six-pack however I try, as even when I was more or less bone thin (56kg at 1,80m), I had only moderately defined abs. It's as much about genes as how you work out and eat, according to what I've read. I might go on a diet specifically to get ripped sometime ahead, but it's not a goal I've got in mind right now. I'm shooting for increasing my weight with at least 10-15kg by the end of this year.

As for exercises utilizing knees, I do not dislike them, it's just that I have bad knees, and squats and such put a LOT of preassure on the knees, no matter how one does them. I'm doing squats in a machine right now, and it's feeling fairly good, so I might go on to doing free-standing ones in a week or two. Deadlifts I will have to start with too, just never done 'em before so I gotta be a bit careful.

Fair enough then, since it's project based and all. Do what you do little homie haha.

That might work well with you, depending on how your metabolism works and whatnot. It's not always so much how much you eat (Although when bulking that does play a big role), but what you eat. Getting big, and then getting cut is quite the scientific process and it takes some serious self control. As far as workout days go, Start with 4 days a week, with a day in between. Let your body adjust to strain and then go up to 5, maybe 6 days. What type of supplements are you taking?

I wouldn't say genes when it comes to your abs. They only play a role when it comes to the shape of your abs. Mine aren't as angular as some guys, they tend to be more rounded and pop out more, it all just depends. Nutrition is where you'll get definition from. Nutrition and HIIT (High intensive interval training).

10-15kg is a solid amount of muscle, but easily doable by the end of the year. Don't stress it, just do your thing and it'll come. If you don't make the goal, it isn't the end of the world, but keep it constant.

My only advice is regards to your knees is this. Squat with braces, or some kind of external support, and work on your form. Form over weight. On top of correct form, weight adjustment and external support, you'll notice they'll probably hurt less. Whenever you get back to me on your supplements, I'll give you my input on them and what will help maximize what you're trying to do.

Form form form. Any multi-movement exercise needs correct form. Watch videos, watch yourself in the mirror. Get it down perfectly before you start doing any serious weight. Super important with cleans, squats, deadlifts or any other Olympic lifts.

What I do now, is I do two days, then one day of rest, then two days, then one day of rest, so each muscle group get two full days of rest. However, since I'm still fighting the aftermath of my 5-month cold, I take two days off when I feel so-so.

And the six-pack is affected by genetics, as how large a percentage of your body fat that sits down on your belly is genetic. However, I don't really care about a six-pack anymore, so it's of no concern.

With supplements, do you mean nutrition supplements? If so, I mix a gainer shake with about 40-50 grams of protein, 60-70 grams of maltodextrin and 3-4 dl of milk. It all totals to about 600 kcal, and I drink 1/3-1/2 before working out, the rest after.

Braces are a good idea, I'll look into it.

Macros, on 20 February 2013 - 01:00 PM, said:

Assail, on 19 February 2013 - 10:29 PM, said:

Macros, on 19 February 2013 - 07:31 PM, said:

The only time you should be describing your six pack as delicious is when it looks like mine

Spoiler

I pale in comparison to this marvel of human dedication and work. Any tips for a lowly sunavabich like me?

hmmm, well I try to ensure most pictures of me are clothed and holding a beer. This is the key starting point, you should be holding a beer as often as possible.

So you are a 14-year-old girl who just discovered Facebook?

Hahaha OUCH. I understand what you're saying in regards to abs, but your stomach is naturally a repository for fat, on a general scale. Genetics really don't have anything to do with it more than the shape of your abs. If you're higher than 12% BF, you're probably not gonna have abs, if you're less, they'll start popping out regardless of how much weight an individual tends to store in their abdominal area.

As far as supplements go I would recommend the following.

Pre Workout - Only if you enjoy having that boost to your workout. I haven't used it for years now as I found that it's really all mental, but I don't see a problem with using it either. There's some good ones out there, but it gets expensive as your tolerance builds to a lot of the shit they use in their blends.
Fish Oils - This is a must for joint strength (Will do wonders in regard to your knees) and tissue repair. Take atleast 4 daily (2 Morning, 2 Night)
Multi Vitamin - There are plenty of basic multi vitamins out there, there no real "THE BEST MULTIVITAMIN EVAR" kind of deal. I personally prefer Multi Pro 32x. It's a multivitamin specifically geared towards lifting and muscle gain.
Whey Protein - No brainer here, 0.4 grams per pound of weight just to maintain protein requirements, and while I was bulking, I was at about 1.5-2grams of protein per pound
Green supplement - I personally love this stuff as I don't always get the chance to get my full servings of vegetables in my body every day. It's a 1 scoop powdered supplement that gives you your daily servings of vegetables. Doesn't taste great, so I mix it in with my protein.
L-Glutamine - This is some good stuff. It's a powdered amino acid and once in your system for about 1-2 weeks, you'll notice your recovery time is cut dramatically. Muscle soreness goes away more quickly and is not so much of a detriment. I enjoy using it just because a lot of my leg workouts used to leave me hobbling around for half a week.

These are all supplements that have a lot of research behind them in regards to their benefits, minus the pre workout, and I would highly recommend looking into them yourself and introducing them into your diet. They help. I would stay away from anything Creatine related, and as far as things go and keeping it natural, I would only look into some kind of testosterone booster to help increase your levels a little. If you're trying to go and juice, that's another story, but I don't think that's the case.

I say stay away from Creatine because it's going to give you temporary strength. It's going to make you retain a stupid amount of water and you're gonna look fat and bloated if you start taking it. Not only that but as soon as you start getting off of it, all of that water weight is going to be shed and you're gonna lose most of the strength you felt you gained. Waste of money and time if you ask me. You'll find echoing opinions all over the internet.

Macros, on 20 February 2013 - 08:01 PM, said:

14 year old girls drink beer?

Dude, kids are losing their virginity at 8 and 9 years old, I wouldn't put it past them to be drinking lol

[Macros]

Oh its not the drinking, I started at a very respectable age, but generally (where I come from) girls don't tend to drink beer at all, its all those sugary WKD options and the like.
and not to go off topic, but seriously, 8 and 9 years old? wtf is wrong with the world??

[Assail]

Macros, on 20 February 2013 - 09:10 PM, said:

Oh its not the drinking, I started at a very respectable age, but generally (where I come from) girls don't tend to drink beer at all, its all those sugary WKD options and the like.
and not to go off topic, but seriously, 8 and 9 years old? wtf is wrong with the world??

Oh I see your point. Depends where you're from I guess. Yeah man you can see some horror stories about pre-teen pregnancies and all types of crazy shit. It's disgusting.

[ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle]

Assail, on 20 February 2013 - 08:52 PM, said:

So much text, so many quotes.

Well, whey protein is in the gainer, and a few slurps of it is enough for me to get an energy kick at the start of my workout. I had a killer session today (well, killer in the sense that I'm exhausted after a hard days work plus 80 min at the gym), and the gainer covers it just fine. I have vitamins, but well... I'm kind of sloppy with them. Will have to see to that. Vegetables flow aplenty at my house, I eat too many carrots anyway. Fish-oil I hadn't even though of though, I'll get some of that. The glutamine I'll look into, sounds like the kind of stuff that's expensive. And I feel you with the leg-workout, there were months when I had a permanent ache in my legs.

Oh, and I do have one question for you. When I work out on weekends, I usually do it midday, and then just drink my 600kcal gainer after and don't eat until dinner (say, 2-3 hours later). That should be fine, right? I think there are enough calories in my gainer to sustain me that long.

Macros, on 20 February 2013 - 09:10 PM, said:

Oh its not the drinking, I started at a very respectable age, but generally (where I come from) girls don't tend to drink beer at all, its all those sugary WKD options and the like.
and not to go off topic, but seriously, 8 and 9 years old? wtf is wrong with the world??

I never said anything about drinking it. Holding it in the profile picture (which is updated daily) is more than enough. Any alcoholic beverage is fine, though, doesn't have to be beer, and one has to be clothed on most of the pictures. I think you'd fit in just fine.


About what's wrong with the world: THERE ARE HUMANS EVERYWHERE, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!!!

This post has been edited by ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle: 21 February 2013 - 05:08 PM

[Macros]

Ah, I see your confusion, I was suggesting one should be clothed for photos, and holding a beer, and be holding a beer at all times (well not all times obviously, not when driving, or operating heavy machinery, probably not when sleeping, spillage would be a concern)

[ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle]

Macros, on 21 February 2013 - 04:59 PM, said:

Ah, I see your confusion, I was suggesting one should be clothed for photos, and holding a beer, and be holding a beer at all times (well not all times obviously, not when driving, or operating heavy machinery, probably not when sleeping, spillage would be a concern)

Why in the world would you want to be clothed for photos? That's just absurd, no one will like you.

This post has been edited by ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle: 21 February 2013 - 05:10 PM

[Macros]

a fine point, everyone wants to see me naked.

[Mrs Savagely Wishy Washy]

Assail, on 19 February 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

For them not interested in seeing me half naked lol
Excuse the stupid faces

These pics ain't worth their bits and pixles without any facial hair. Do it again when you've grown a decent beard.

[Assail]

ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle, on 21 February 2013 - 04:54 PM, said:

Assail, on 20 February 2013 - 08:52 PM, said:

So much text, so many quotes.

Well, whey protein is in the gainer, and a few slurps of it is enough for me to get an energy kick at the start of my workout. I had a killer session today (well, killer in the sense that I'm exhausted after a hard days work plus 80 min at the gym), and the gainer covers it just fine. I have vitamins, but well... I'm kind of sloppy with them. Will have to see to that. Vegetables flow aplenty at my house, I eat too many carrots anyway. Fish-oil I hadn't even though of though, I'll get some of that. The glutamine I'll look into, sounds like the kind of stuff that's expensive. And I feel you with the leg-workout, there were months when I had a permanent ache in my legs.

Oh, and I do have one question for you. When I work out on weekends, I usually do it midday, and then just drink my 600kcal gainer after and don't eat until dinner (say, 2-3 hours later). That should be fine, right? I think there are enough calories in my gainer to sustain me that long.

Macros, on 20 February 2013 - 09:10 PM, said:

Oh its not the drinking, I started at a very respectable age, but generally (where I come from) girls don't tend to drink beer at all, its all those sugary WKD options and the like.
and not to go off topic, but seriously, 8 and 9 years old? wtf is wrong with the world??

I never said anything about drinking it. Holding it in the profile picture (which is updated daily) is more than enough. Any alcoholic beverage is fine, though, doesn't have to be beer, and one has to be clothed on most of the pictures. I think you'd fit in just fine.


About what's wrong with the world: THERE ARE HUMANS EVERYWHERE, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!!!

In regards to your eating: I've already talked about how nutrition is vital, and your metabolism ties into it, assuredly. Regardless of whether you've a slow or fast metabolism, your gains are going to be influenced by how and when you metabolize the things you put into your body. Regardless of when you workout, I would start eating as soon as you wake up. It'll kick start your metabolism and put you in a better mindset to boot. After that initial meal, I would be ingesting some kind of food or substantial material every 1.5-2 hours.

As far as eating before/after workouts, I would throw some carbs in maybe 45 mins before a workout. Oats work great in this regard as they're complex carbohydrates. Meaning you'll get the most benefit from eating them at the beginning of the day as they're broken down into glucose (energy basically) at a more slow and even pace. Doesn't hurt to have them ingested before a workout either as they'll provide a boost to your energy.

To be a little more succinct, eat as soon as you wake up or shortly afterwards, eat constantly throughout the day (Small meals to keep your metabolism going), eat before and after your workouts, and I would recommend not eating at least 3 hours before bed. If you want to reduce the amount of unnecessary weight gain while trying to bulk, not eating a couple hours before bed and then doing some light cardio for 20-30 mins will work wonders as far as fat burn.

Just to let you know, all the advice I'm offering is from my own experience and years of lifting and nutrition and whatnot, so take it for what you will. There's a million different methods and opinions out there. I'm always down to field any questions though, concerning anything, especially since fitness has become a huge passion for me.

Miss Savage, on 21 February 2013 - 06:16 PM, said:

Assail, on 19 February 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

For them not interested in seeing me half naked lol
Excuse the stupid faces

These pics ain't worth their bits and pixles without any facial hair. Do it again when you've grown a decent beard.

OUCH. I can't believe I was just told by a woman that me being half naked doesn't count for shit because I don't have a beard. I'll have you know I'm still in the military, and can't currently set free the beard that is screaming for release

[Mrs Savagely Wishy Washy]

Assail, on 21 February 2013 - 06:34 PM, said:

OUCH. I can't believe I was just told by a woman that me being half naked doesn't count for shit because I don't have a beard. I'll have you know I'm still in the military, and can't currently set free the beard that is screaming for release

Hahaha - we've got something to look forward to then, don't we.

[Assail]

Miss Savage, on 21 February 2013 - 09:47 PM, said:

Assail, on 21 February 2013 - 06:34 PM, said:

OUCH. I can't believe I was just told by a woman that me being half naked doesn't count for shit because I don't have a beard. I'll have you know I'm still in the military, and can't currently set free the beard that is screaming for release

Hahaha - we've got something to look forward to then, don't we.

You haven't even the SLIGHTEST idea hahah

[HiddenOne]

you guys get a room, I'm trying to learn about tasty whey products and stuff

[Mrs Savagely Wishy Washy]

Assail, on 22 February 2013 - 02:07 AM, said:

Miss Savage, on 21 February 2013 - 09:47 PM, said:

Assail, on 21 February 2013 - 06:34 PM, said:

OUCH. I can't believe I was just told by a woman that me being half naked doesn't count for shit because I don't have a beard. I'll have you know I'm still in the military, and can't currently set free the beard that is screaming for release

Hahaha - we've got something to look forward to then, don't we.

You haven't even the SLIGHTEST idea hahah

It'd better be good.

HiddenOne, on 22 February 2013 - 03:16 PM, said:

you guys get a room, I'm trying to learn about tasty whey products and stuff

so what are you doing here then? that's called procrastinating, not learning.

[HiddenOne]

practicing my sarcasm delivery

[ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle]

Assail, on 21 February 2013 - 06:34 PM, said:

Text

Holy hell that fish-oil was expensive. I asked my mom to pick up vitamins and oil when she was shopping, and when I got home I saw the receipt. 60 bucks for 180 capsules, I heard my wallet shriek in terror. But since the cartilage in my knees isn't doing that great, I guess it's a necessary evil, especially since I don't eat a lot of fish. I think I'll pass on the glutamine for now. But yeah, whey protein, fish-oil, vitamins and vegetables, check. I've gotta be honest, I would never have thought about the vitamins and fish-oil myself, the multivitamin pills I already had I ate because I needed the Vitamin D (I live in Sweden, it's like living in that movie 30 Days of Night, except after 30 days it starts all over again). What I'm trying to say is, those were some great tips.

During a working day, I eat breakfast around 7, then lunch around 11, then some snack around 2, then some of my gainer before the workout at 5, then the rest of the gainer after the workout around 7, then dinner around 8, then maybe another snack around 9. It's hard to get a lot of food into the early hours of the day as I'm busy, but what I did before was that I always had a bag of nuts with me, I'm going to start doing that again. I'm also thinking that when i'm working and going to the gym on the same day (my job is pretty physically demanding), I may have to bump up my intake to 3500-4000 kcal, as I did 3000 kcal last year when I did nothing but sit at home for the rest of the day. As you may have noticed, I'm a lot more concerned with getting a tad bit too little fuel than a shitload too much.



Doing a little cardio just before bed is a splendid idea, I can start doing that as soon as my cough gives in completely (getting better by the day). And I kind of figured your advice stemmed from presonal experience, that's where most sound advice comes from.

On a side note, I just finished my sixth session and I'm feeling a lot better than before. Cough is still somewhat present, but my energy levels have sky-rocketed. I can do an 80-90 min workout session with 4 sets per exercise without too much difficulty, something that was completely impossible a week ago. This is looking good, I haven't gone this long without getting terribly sick since I first fell ill in September. I've also kept up with the photos and measurements of weight and time spent in the gym. 1,5 weeks in, and everything's going as planned, just 102,5 weeks to go to first deadline

[Assail]

HiddenOne, on 22 February 2013 - 03:16 PM, said:

you guys get a room, I'm trying to learn about tasty whey products and stuff

Hahaha, very few whey products that are tasty

Miss Savage, on 22 February 2013 - 03:53 PM, said:

Assail, on 22 February 2013 - 02:07 AM, said:

Miss Savage, on 21 February 2013 - 09:47 PM, said:

Assail, on 21 February 2013 - 06:34 PM, said:

OUCH. I can't believe I was just told by a woman that me being half naked doesn't count for shit because I don't have a beard. I'll have you know I'm still in the military, and can't currently set free the beard that is screaming for release

Hahaha - we've got something to look forward to then, don't we.

You haven't even the SLIGHTEST idea hahah

It'd better be good.

HiddenOne, on 22 February 2013 - 03:16 PM, said:

you guys get a room, I'm trying to learn about tasty whey products and stuff

so what are you doing here then? that's called procrastinating, not learning.

It's not the quality of my beard that I'm giddy with excitement for, it just the fact that I'm going to grow a beard for the first time in over 4 years haha. God, can't wait.

ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle, on 22 February 2013 - 06:06 PM, said:

Assail, on 21 February 2013 - 06:34 PM, said:

Text

Holy hell that fish-oil was expensive. I asked my mom to pick up vitamins and oil when she was shopping, and when I got home I saw the receipt. 60 bucks for 180 capsules, I heard my wallet shriek in terror. But since the cartilage in my knees isn't doing that great, I guess it's a necessary evil, especially since I don't eat a lot of fish. I think I'll pass on the glutamine for now. But yeah, whey protein, fish-oil, vitamins and vegetables, check. I've gotta be honest, I would never have thought about the vitamins and fish-oil myself, the multivitamin pills I already had I ate because I needed the Vitamin D (I live in Sweden, it's like living in that movie 30 Days of Night, except after 30 days it starts all over again). What I'm trying to say is, those were some great tips.

During a working day, I eat breakfast around 7, then lunch around 11, then some snack around 2, then some of my gainer before the workout at 5, then the rest of the gainer after the workout around 7, then dinner around 8, then maybe another snack around 9. It's hard to get a lot of food into the early hours of the day as I'm busy, but what I did before was that I always had a bag of nuts with me, I'm going to start doing that again. I'm also thinking that when i'm working and going to the gym on the same day (my job is pretty physically demanding), I may have to bump up my intake to 3500-4000 kcal, as I did 3000 kcal last year when I did nothing but sit at home for the rest of the day. As you may have noticed, I'm a lot more concerned with getting a tad bit too little fuel than a shitload too much.



Doing a little cardio just before bed is a splendid idea, I can start doing that as soon as my cough gives in completely (getting better by the day). And I kind of figured your advice stemmed from presonal experience, that's where most sound advice comes from.

On a side note, I just finished my sixth session and I'm feeling a lot better than before. Cough is still somewhat present, but my energy levels have sky-rocketed. I can do an 80-90 min workout session with 4 sets per exercise without too much difficulty, something that was completely impossible a week ago. This is looking good, I haven't gone this long without getting terribly sick since I first fell ill in September. I've also kept up with the photos and measurements of weight and time spent in the gym. 1,5 weeks in, and everything's going as planned, just 102,5 weeks to go to first deadline

Firstly, I'll show you this. I don't know if they ship to Sweden, but I would look into it, because most vitamin stores are ridiculously expensive.

http://www.bodybuild...e/opt/fish.html

The way your eating is sound, but when I say eat when you wake up, it doesn't have to be a full meal. It could be a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, anything. As long as something is put in your body it's going to trigger your body to start working, and that's all you want really.

Yep I highly recommend it, helps tire you, sweats out the nasty stuff etc etc. Just keep it light, nothing crazy 180BPM on the heart rate kind of shit.

That's awesome mate. Don't get too comfortable though. After your first week switch up your exercises. Same muscle groups, just different movements and all that good stuff. Also I remember you saying you were doing 2 days on 1 day off, switch that up whenever you feel capable enough to do something different/more. You don't want to find yourself plateuing, keep your muscles confused as to what to expect, as that will promote growth.

[ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle]

Assail, on 22 February 2013 - 08:08 PM, said:

text

About switching up the exercises: Like, one leg session I do squats, and the next I do lunges? Triceps, breast and shoulders is also easy to vary, there are like a gazillion different ways to work them. Where I feel at a loss is biceps. Normally I do one exercise just lifting dumbbells, then one where I stabilize myself on a tilted pad to isolate the bicep only, and then a weighted rowing machine, and that's pretty much as imaginative as I am... I could do it with a rope on one of those... machine thingys, don't know what they're called, but it would be the exact same motion. Would it work to alternate between two varioations of most exercises every week? I really like to schedule things...

And regarding my schedule, don't I need that one day of rest to recuperate? As it is right now, I have these sessions: Legs, biceps, lower back in one, triceps, shoulders, abs, upper back (a lot of these go into each other) and chest in another, and then one day of rest. Do you mean for me to just skip that day of rest and go straight to session one again? And just do it sometimes? As I said, I really like to schedule things...


EDIT: Oh, and as for that site, it's possible to order to Sweden, but I don't know what the final price would be. Firstly, there's the shipping cost, and then there's the crazy tax rates we've got here (25% on most stuff). Could be that fish-oil is considered as food-stuffs, then it would only be 12,5%, but I'm not sure about it. And then, of course, the customs toll. I gotta figure out what the final price'd end up being, but something tells me it won't be that cheap anyway xD.

EDIT on the EDIT: I just put together two new workout routines, both being variations on the ones I've got going already. Still lacking in imagination on the biceps exercises, though... I'm really excited to go to the gym and try out one of the new routines. But damn, I've gotta rest tomorrow, been to the gym 4 times this week and I've worked a lot, I'm completely egg-sauced.

This post has been edited by ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle: 22 February 2013 - 10:04 PM

[Assail]

ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle, on 22 February 2013 - 09:02 PM, said:

Assail, on 22 February 2013 - 08:08 PM, said:

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About switching up the exercises: Like, one leg session I do squats, and the next I do lunges? Triceps, breast and shoulders is also easy to vary, there are like a gazillion different ways to work them. Where I feel at a loss is biceps. Normally I do one exercise just lifting dumbbells, then one where I stabilize myself on a tilted pad to isolate the bicep only, and then a weighted rowing machine, and that's pretty much as imaginative as I am... I could do it with a rope on one of those... machine thingys, don't know what they're called, but it would be the exact same motion. Would it work to alternate between two varioations of most exercises every week? I really like to schedule things...

And regarding my schedule, don't I need that one day of rest to recuperate? As it is right now, I have these sessions: Legs, biceps, lower back in one, triceps, shoulders, abs, upper back (a lot of these go into each other) and chest in another, and then one day of rest. Do you mean for me to just skip that day of rest and go straight to session one again? And just do it sometimes? As I said, I really like to schedule things...


EDIT: Oh, and as for that site, it's possible to order to Sweden, but I don't know what the final price would be. Firstly, there's the shipping cost, and then there's the crazy tax rates we've got here (25% on most stuff). Could be that fish-oil is considered as food-stuffs, then it would only be 12,5%, but I'm not sure about it. And then, of course, the customs toll. I gotta figure out what the final price'd end up being, but something tells me it won't be that cheap anyway xD.

EDIT on the EDIT: I just put together two new workout routines, both being variations on the ones I've got going already. Still lacking in imagination on the biceps exercises, though... I'm really excited to go to the gym and try out one of the new routines. But damn, I've gotta rest tomorrow, been to the gym 4 times this week and I've worked a lot, I'm completely egg-sauced.

Okay firstly I'll give some background. When I say muscle confusion, I mean exactly that. When training, your muscles are adapting to a change in work load, and compensate by growing and getting bigger by continuous repair to the muscle fiber that you're ripping, essentially. If you continue doing the same types of exercises on a regular basis, for months at a time, your body is going to adjust and adapt to those specific exercises, and make the job easier. You don't want this to happen, so by switching up your exercises on a bi-monthly to monthly basis, you can avoid letting your body slip into an easy habit.

With that being said, I'll go through some examples for you. I'll give you a break down that I usually use. If theres any workouts in here you're unfamiliar with, just google em and you'll find examples on form and how to do them etc. Any decent gym is going to have the machines needed for some of them.

Month 1
Day 1 - Chest - Flat bench 3 x 10-12 (3 sets of 10-12 at whatever weight is good for you), Incline bench 3x10-12, Decline bench 3x10-12, Decline Flys (Best done on a cable machine), Incline Flys, 100 Decline Pushups (Feet on a raised platform basically, broken up into however many you feel comfortable with, i.e 2x50, 4x25 etc), Pec Dec (4x10)
Day 2 - Back - 50 Strict form pullups (Weighted if you can handle extra weight, break them up accordingly, I usually do 2x25), Bent over row w/ olympic bar 4x10, Cable seated row 4x10 (Use a close grip handle), Close grip T-bar row 3x12, Bent over single arm row w/ dumbbell 3x12, Back flys 4x10 (Pec dec machine can be reversed for this)
Day 3 - Arms - Triceps - 50 Straight bar dips (Same as pull ups, if you can handle extra weight, do so, once again, break these up accordingly, you're gonna still be sore from chest, so I usually do 5x10 w/ weight), Lying Close grip EZ Bar extension 4x10, Tricep Push Downs 3x12, Overhead Cable extensions 3x12
Biceps - Band Bicep curls 3xFailure (Great warm up, you get bands comfortable for you, step on them and do standing curls, 3 sets until failure on every set, nice and slow), Cross body dumbbell curl 3x12, Seated hammer curl 3x12, Standing dumbbell curl 3x12 (Heavy weight on this), Preacher curl w/ straight bar 3x12
Day 4 - Legs - Back squat 4x10, Box jumps 4x10 (As high as you can handle), Deadlift 4x10, Quad extension 4x10, Hamstring curl 4x10, Calf raise/donkey calf raise 4x10, Leg press 4x10 (Keep this light and at the end of your workout if you choose)
Day 5 - Shoulders - Seated Overhead Press 3x12, Sumo High Pull w/ straight bar 3x10, Arnold Press 3x10, Clean shrug w/ straight bar 4x15, Alternating deltoid raise 3x10, Medicine ball throw 3x15 (Go against a wall with it and throw it as high as you can each time)

That's a sample workout for a month. Now month two, I'll switch things up, not completely, but some stuff with change in order to keep your body guessing, so to speak.

Month 2
Day 1 - Chest - Same chest workouts, just instead of using a straight bar, use dumbbells. Flat, Decline and Incline. Flyes and pec dec will continue as is, and instead of your decline push ups, do exploding pushups (Go down, push up and clap rinse repeat)
Day 2 - Back - Pull ups remain the same, it's an important and integral back workout, also a great warm up. Stay within the sets I have already stated, 3x10, 4x10 or 3x12, just use different machines. Do lat pull downs, wide grip t-bar, dumbbell back flyes, wide grip cable seated row, overheard 1 handed cable pull-downs, standing lat pull downs etc. It's just a matter of working the same muscle groups at different angles to keep your body confused.
Day 3 - Arms - Like I said with back, it's a matter of just hitting it from different angles. Keep the dips and the band curls, but integrate straight bars, cable curls, cable extensions etc. If all else fails, google is your friend and watch the jacked guys at the gym. Great way to learn.
Day 4 - Legs - Same as everything else. Instead of back squat, do overhead squats, do front squats... just stay away from the Smith machine. Anything that helps to stabilize your body is something that isn't going to help you. Using a machine that is on rails and has the ability to guide you is something you don't want in regards to movements like deadlift or squat. This is simply because it takes the use of your core largely out of the picture. You don't want that.
Day 5 - Shoulders - Same here. Switch it up, watch other guys, google different workouts. (I'd put my own up as I did in month one but it's a little extensive and hard to explain them). Same muscle groups, just different exercises.

I didn't incorporate super setting any workouts yet, as you don't need to worry about it until you start getting more comfortable in your skin, but it's another way for you to switch your work outs up. As for how much weight to use, find a weight that challenges you to the extent of putting you on the verge of breaking form, and keep it. If you break form, you want to go down some. But not so much that it makes the workout easy for you.

I usually do 5 day splits, and take 1-2 days off depending on how I feel at the time.

I also do atleast 15-20 minutes of abs at the end of every workout I do. I like to make it fast paced and in a circuit setting. A sample ab workout of mine goes something like this:

Hanging leg raises (Hang from a bar and raise your legs up to your hands, keeping them completely straight at the time, do it as slowly as possible) 1x10, Weighted crunch (Use a cable machine with a tricep pulldown rope attached, put it on about 90lbs, get on your knees and crunch) 1x15, 2 min Front plank, 2 min Side plank (2 mins each side), Decline sit up 1x12, Mason twist 1x30 - Repeat this circuit 3 times.

Now I mentioned earlier to try cardio before bed, but if that's not to your liking I suggest trying this. Studies have shown that men's testosterone levels peak in the early afternoon (Cant be fucked finding the actual study, but will if you want), so a lot of guys like to lift in the early afternoon. With that being said, you can still either do cardio before bed, or try it in the early mornings to help kick start your metabolism after you grab a quick bite to eat. Eat, then go do cardio about 20 mins after you eat. Great way to start the day.

Hopefully this was informative for you. Granted, this is the stuff I personally do, so it might not be to your liking, but I've cannibalized a lot of guys workout schedules over the years and it's always helped.

In regards to bodybuilding.com, I was just using it as an example. I'm sure there is a Swedish version if you just want to go digging for it. I would still put my money on bodybuilding being cheaper though.

EDIT: Should probably also say something about rest between sets. For my larger muscle groups I usually take about a minute or two between sets. It also depends on the weight. Some of my workouts I'll do 30 seconds rest between sets, but if I'm squatting 400lbs+ it goes up to 2 mins+. On that note, I would recommend you take as much as you need, but not so much that your heart rate starts to drop.

This post has been edited by Assail: 23 February 2013 - 01:28 AM