Eating Plan + Workout Routine

I understand that most people say you should stick to routines that work, but I want any opinions of my overall lifestyle wrt bodybuilding. Atm I am recomping as best as I can to look good for the beach (Mozambique these holidays)

I am very open to suggestions as I have only thrown this together from what I have learnt and I am sure that there are many guys here that know far more than me.

A typical day would be as follows

8:00
Wake up
3x SPS Ultra cuts + glass of water

8:30
Breakfast - A good few strips of bacon, 3 large eggs in an omlette with some milk with a glass of water

9:00 to 11:00
Sip on 1 scoop ON whey and 1 scoop ON casein together with some water. Preparing for gym

12:00
SSN Crea Pump
3 Weider Amino Acid tabs (Need more now though, any opinions as to what's decent for this?)

12:15
Hit the gym while sipping on SSN CytoMaize.

13:00 / 13:15
Home from gym, 1 scoop ON whey, 3 more Amino tabs.

13:30 / 13:45
Lunch.. My biggest issue. I really struggle to get this in during the day. Usually ends up being some fruit and a vienna or two. Plan to start cooking chicken in advance for this and just eating 2 chicken breasts with my fruit.

19:00
Supper time. Usually about 3 chicken breasts or 3 mutton chops or 2 large pork chops and 2 veggies (usually like a mielie (corn cob) and creamed spinach or cauliflower and pumpkin or just a stir fry with the meat).

00:00 / 01:00
Another scoop of ON casein and 2 salmon oil tabs.


My workout is usually as follows (All weights are in KG)

First off every single weight day I start off with squats. Ramp them as such
5x50, 5x60, 5x70, 5x80. If my back is feeling ok I push 90 for the last set - injured it when I was younger so I'm always careful.

Monday - Chest + Triceps
Incline bench (Very low incline, 20-30 degree at most)
Pyramid these - weight is usually as follows
10x45, 8x50, 6x55, 4x60

Flat bench
Pyramid
10x55, 8x60, 6x65, 4x70

Skull Crushers
Pyramid
10x10, 8x15, 6x20, 4x25


Tuesday
Usually rest day. Sometimes some swimming or cardio.

Wednesday
Shoulders + Abs (I will get back to this at the end of this post.)
I feel my shoulders are highly undeveloped btw.
Start off with standing barbell rows
10x20, 8x25, 6x30, 4x35

Shoulder presses
Same as rows. Still acclimating to all these so do not have my limits found yet.

Reverse flies
10x10, 8x12, 6x14, 4x16

Abs I rotate exercises each week.

Thursday
Again some cardio or swimming.

Friday
Back + Biceps

Going to start off with some chinups from now on. Probably 3 sets till fail till I get acclimated again.

Deadlifts
5x40, 5x50, 5x60 (My lower back is lacking so these are quite hectic on me as I try my utmost to maintain perfect form.)

Hyperextensions
3 sets of 10

Bent over rows
10x12, 8x14, 6x16, 4x18

Weekend is complete resting usually. Sometimes might head in if I missed a workout during the week.


Now how does this all seem? I've been working out for about 18 months, but only semi seriously for 6 (Between exams and hectic weeks of work at varsity I miss sessions which really gets me out of my stride)

I am 1.82m tall, weigh 88kg and have a BF% of around 16% (Last time it was checked I was @ 18% but I have lost some fat since then)

Starting next year I will be trying to bulk up - hopefully by just eating more, working out hard - getting off the fat burner in the morning.

Also I am considering working abs every other day - doing the Ab Ripper X workout (Tried it today, lotsa reps of diff ab exs) - As I did injure my back, my abs although strong, mainly show just a line down the center. Even under my fat I do not feel individual abs, I just feel a valley between my abs.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope I can learn something today
If any other details are needed, don't hesitate to shout/scream at me
Mike

Where's the food? Your eating nothing then having it all at dinner... That will make you fat and you will never tone. You need to eat to lose weight. You also need to EAT a whole whole whole lot super lot extra more next year if you plan to bulk.

And your squating every day? Legs of steal? :blink:

I see.. So a reasonable supper would be more like?

I squat every second day.. Is that too much? I definately enjoy it - possibly more than any other exercise.

your diet is wonky!!! so much protein before a lifting session but then u have no carbs and only carbs post work out,this is very very wonky and going about things the wrong way,remember carbs and fat are fuels,u wouldnt try and drive your car 800km on R50 worth of gas would u?have carbs before u train...too much squatting in my opinion,if your routine is solid enough u shouldnt feel like u are able to do the same exercise with in the next 6-7 days...

Areas that need attention:

- Stop playing with your food,find a proper diet and eat well.You are caught up in the supplement frenzy.No supplement can replace wholesome nutritious food.

- No point in taking amino acids at 12 in the afternoon,the best time to take them is at bedtime or as soon as you wake up.

- You have whey and casein at 00:00 - 01:00, You should be fast asleep at this time.

- You squat everyday or 2 days in a row.This could only mean that your recovery is better than supermans.Or that you are not squatting properly.A compound exercise like that should fuck your quads up very nicely,thereby putting them in a fair amount of pain for at least 3days while they recover..If not,then you need to find out what you are doing wrong.I cant train legs 2 days in a row even when im on cycle.

- If your goal is to lose fat,then your training routine is wrong,you need to do more cardio than weights to burn the blubber.

Lastly - At your current bodyfat percentage,i doubt you will make it in time to be ripped for the beach in december

Yeah Bud, If you can squat eod you are not training hard enough.... I can barely walk for two days afterwards. You need to go heavier and make sure you getting full range of motion, go deep into the squat.

Thanks for the reply guys

I will update my routine as you guys suggest -

Squatting every 2nd lifting day (Every 4 days) (I'll probably swap around Wed + Friday so that I can do squats on Monday and Friday and then push deadlifts on Wednesdays?)

Eating more - popping 4 chicken breasts in between breakfast and supper, and doubling my meat for supper.

Aminos in the morning and before bed.

No protein before woking out - I take the carbs as I workout so not too sure how I should be changing that.

Thanks again. Like I'd mentioned, I have back problems, so after a good set of squats my lower back is pretty worked but my quads feel like they could do more. UltimateThug, I'm very strict with my squatting form. Drop all the way down, make sure my abs are tight, keep my knees behind my feet, etc.. The only thing that I believe I don't have right is keeping my wrists straight. I do occassionally squat when my quads are still stiff. I am guessing that is a bad thing? :blush:
And lastly Tiny, that's just not an option for me with my studies. There's just never enough time in the day - I tried to avoid all nighters this semester but to no avail.

Yeah, give your muscles time to recover.... Legs once a week is good enough if you go heavy enough.

Make sure your back isn't hurting because you not keeping it straight. Maybe get a kidney belt as well. Get someone knowledgeable to watch your form.

I watched a training video of a pro, cant remember think it was Jay, he was saying that even at this stage of he's training he still sometimes doubts he's form with squats. That's always stuck with me and I always ask my training partner to check me.

MikeM wrote:

Thanks for the reply guys

I will update my routine as you guys suggest -

Squatting every 2nd lifting day (Every 4 days) (I'll probably swap around Wed + Friday so that I can do squats on Monday and Friday and then push deadlifts on Wednesdays?)

Eating more - popping 4 chicken breasts in between breakfast and supper, and doubling my meat for supper.

Aminos in the morning and before bed.

No protein before woking out - I take the carbs as I workout so not too sure how I should be changing that.

Thanks again. Like I'd mentioned, I have back problems, so after a good set of squats my lower back is pretty worked but my quads feel like they could do more. UltimateThug, I'm very strict with my squatting form. Drop all the way down, make sure my abs are tight, keep my knees behind my feet, etc.. The only thing that I believe I don't have right is keeping my wrists straight. I do occassionally squat when my quads are still stiff. I am guessing that is a bad thing? :blush:
And lastly Tiny, that's just not an option for me with my studies. There's just never enough time in the day - I tried to avoid all nighters this semester but to no avail.

If your back pains more than your quads then its taking the most of the strain...BAD FORM.Check youtube for videos on how to perfect your squat.

Your muscles dont grow in the gym,thats where they actually break down,they grow with good food and lost of sleep.You body releases the bulk of your natural growth hormone when you are fast asleep ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz.Try to cram in 8 hours of sleep,be it day or night,just get at least 8 hours.

UThug, thanks, I do have my training partner watch my squats, and I watch his. Made friends with one of the trainers and he checks our form every now and again with no complaints. Maybe I should try find someone more competent and strict. I keep my back in a more or less neutral arch and keep my abs tense - should I be keeping it straight?

Like I said in the original post and the previous reply, I crushed 2 of the cartilages between my spine, between the 3rd, 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae, so my back has been weak since however one of my main reasons to start working out was so that I could strengthen it so I didn't have issues day to day. Hence me not deadlifting that much as well.

Oh and then how bad is brown bread for me?

mikem look at the max ot training program,if u follow that to the word and letter i promise u right now u will not be able to do squats more than once a week dude...diet in your case is your down fall and need serious attention....what are your goals? to grow?

MikeM wrote:

Oh and then how bad is brown bread for me?

two slices a week wont kill u,there are much better carb sources around that are made or manufactured i mean u dont see a loaf of brown bread growing on a tree... u need better carb sources such as brown rice,sweet potato,oats all high fiber low gi sources

Do some lunges/hack squats and leg press instead of squats, if any of these exercises hurt your legs more you know you doing something wrong.... Like Tiny said..... Check Youtube for perfect form....

I forgot about leg presses. Last time I did them I went up to 160kg..

Thanks Dj, will be following the Max Ot from now on!

ummmm only 160kgs? ok now we know why u are able to do squats every other day, u need to load that bar dude,u need to only be able to push a heavy weight for maximum 10reps preferably 6 reps...train till failure then move on to leg press load the plates..if u are not failing u are not training dude... i did legs today,ogre made me do 3 sets of 140kg squats for 8 reps then moved on to 350kg leg press for 3 sets of 6 then 200kg verticle leg press...and i am doing keto dieting and i am just maintianing strength,if u live in durban i will take u for a training session,u will not use stairs for a month i can tell u that...

Wows. Hectic man ok. Time to start doing some serious weight then

I am in Pta - Hatfield. Pity Would love to chat to someone that actually knows their shit.

Well finally grew a pair and upped weight.

Did sets deadlifts in sets of 5, first 45kg, 55, 65, 75, 85. I now know next time to start on 80 and end on 90+. I am pretty chuffed considering I usually did 40-50.

Otherwise did some pullups (4, 2, 2), bent over rows (25, 35, 40kg barbell), dumbell curls (12x4, 14x4, 15x2 - failed there) and then barbell curls (25x4, 35x4 but screwed up form on my last one).

Now to eat a whole bunch!!!

Hey guys, not meaning to hijack the thread or anything, but Dj, since you're offering I wouldn't mind hitting a leg session with you sometime?

can do jayman drop me a mail dude...

MikeM wrote:

Well finally grew a pair and upped weight.

Did sets deadlifts in sets of 5, first 45kg, 55, 65, 75, 85. I now know next time to start on 80 and end on 90+. I am pretty chuffed considering I usually did 40-50.

Otherwise did some pullups (4, 2, 2), bent over rows (25, 35, 40kg barbell), dumbell curls (12x4, 14x4, 15x2 - failed there) and then barbell curls (25x4, 35x4 but screwed up form on my last one).

Now to eat a whole bunch!!!

:clapclap

Tx

At this rate my freezer will be empty in about 2 or so days. Today I ate

Bacon + 3 egg omlette for breakies (It's my staple - love it)

throughout the day I ate 8 chicken breasts and now now I finished it up with 3 chicken burger thingies - was still nippish crazily.

Supp wise, I just took crea-pump 15min before working out, and then cytomaize from beginning to end of workout. Whey as soon as I got home. And then 1 scoop whey, 1 scoop casein between lunch and supper. Also ate 2 carrots and had 2 or 3 apples..

Hopefully I'll start to grow a bit now.

Cheers for now!
Mike

mikem if u want a proper eating place dude then u can email me but the eggs and bacon staple is gonna end up being just an egg staple...bacon = too much saturated fats and just crappy protein source in my opinion can do so much better than that...