Russ Training log

B

bumble864

New Member
Hi,
My name is Russ. I'm new to the HST forums but not new to working out. I have been working out for a few years now and while I'm in much better shape than I used to be I've never been able to have the shape I've wanted. I like where I'm at but not where I want to be so hopefully HST will be a change of pace to push me past this plateau I've been at. I was living in Iceland for a year and pseudo worked out, it was more of a year long vacation with some exercise mixed in. Now back in the states for about 2 months I've been doing the 5x5 to get back into the grove and am hoping HST can give me some of the size I've been looking for.

I work out in the afternoons just before lunch. I'm lucky that the company I work for both provides me with breakfast and lunch so always know in advance what I'm having and they always make scrambled and hardboiled eggs for breakfast. My typical day is
9am - Breakfast - Eggs.. lots of eggs (scrambled or hard boiled, not sure which is better), 2 strips of bacon, and a cup of coffee
10:30 - pregym snack, I'm still working on what this is
11:30 - head off to the gym
12:45 - Lunch - varies but try to get a large amount of whatever protein is available for the day.
3pm - snack - Box of tuna
630-7 - dinner - it's a tough call what it is, I don't always do good for this.
9pm - snack - still working this one out.

I'm just starting the HST so for now while I establish everything I'm just going to go with the basic routine on the HST notes page 3- 2 sets of 10 reps, M,W,F workouts, and an increased weight for each workout.
Squats (1RM just over weight ~190-200) alternate Leg Press
Leg Curl
Calf Raise
Bench (1RM~160-170) alternate Dips
Chinup alternate Seated Row
Rear delts
Shrugs
Biceps
Triceps
Core

So that's about it, I'm still reading and getting my knowledge up and hopefully I can build up a habit of posting both data and maybe some photos otherwise any help/articles/or pointers I can get the better. My goal is to get bigger, ideally of course with gaining as little BF as possible like everyone else :D. I have muscle but not big muscle. I still have what I would consider a small beer gut, and I'm not very defined but I can hold my own against most anyone at my office that does work out but they all look bigger/thicker. Thats what I'm looking for, added size, I will worry about cutting sometime in December when I would want to get my BF down for the following summer. I don't want to be huge and massively thick just thicker than what I am if that makes sense.

Well, Since it's Tuesday that's light cardio day though and my outlook just notified me it's gym time, 5K here I come.

Thanks
Russ
 
11-4-11

Breakfast
~5 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, cup of coffee

pregym snack
missed

Gym
5k on a treadmill in 35:53 (not my best time)

lunch
~5oz of beef, salad bowl with lettuce, tomato, cauliflower, broc, mushroom, olive oil dressing, walnuts
Water flavored with crystal light

3pm snack
Can of tuna, cup of tea, strip of string cheese

1 gallon of water finished before dinner.

Dinner
2x chicken breasts, another small salad same as lunches, roughly 1.5cans of Dr.Pepper (we have a soda fountain at work, it's hard to resist some days)

Pre-bed snack
I scrounged around the house, 1/4 of a green pepper, 1/4 red pepper, Celery w/ peanut butter, mini slim-jim, a small amount of leftover broc and cauliflower. 8oz of natural apple juice we got from the orchard last weekend.

I was reading about the clustering method of lifting and am intrigued by it. I think I am going to give it a try tomorrow on lifting day 2. I really need to get my diet in order, get some recipies for better pre-gym food and some protein sups because I'm pretty sure I'm no where near where I need to be to make any kind of good gains.
 
11-5-11

9am Breakfast
Egg, sausage, and cheese burrito. Extra cup of egg and sausage mix. Cup of coffee

10:30 pre-gym snack
1/2 bagel with cream cheese, 1 serving of kashi go lean cereal.

Gym
Leg press - 210x20
Leg Curl - 60x10,4,1,5
Bench - 125x15,5
Chinup - 5,1,4,3,2
Highpull - 50x20
Overhead Cable Curl - 35x15,4,1
Situp - 20
Deadlift - 165x9,6,5

Lunch
Wheat bread sandwich with lettuce, tomato, x2 slices of fresh cut ham, chicken, turkey, roast beef)
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing
Soda water flavored with crystal light

3pm snack
Can o tuna
Cup of tea

6pm dinner
grilled chicken breast
asparagus
corn

9pm snack
Protein shake - 1 scoop (27g protein), 8oz milk, tablespoon of peanut butter, ice

I like the idea behind the iwealth's log about doing 20 regardless of sets but I don't know if thats for me. I think I can go higher weight if I stick to the HST 15,10,5 theory so that's what I'm going with.

One big question though.. chinups. Palms facing away from the body and wide grip, right? They are the bane of my existence, even with a chair for some support I can barely do them. Other than continuing to do Chinups what would be a great supplemental exercise to help improve them? Wide or close grip lat pulldowns is the only thing I can think of but what else?
 
Chinups - palms toward you, narrow grip (shoulder width) - this will work your lats better.
 
bumble864 said:
I like the idea behind the iwealth's log about doing 20 regardless of sets but I don't know if thats for me. I think I can go higher weight if I stick to the HST 15,10,5 theory so that's what I'm going with.
Click to expand...

You may be able to do higher weights if you do one set during each rep range, I agree. But when I read that the vanilla HST setup had you do 1x15 or 2x15, 2x10, and 3x5, it seems that overall volume was meant to stay relatively steady.

What I do is very very close to vanilla HST with no zig-zagging. I just don't stick to rigid rep ranges in the sets. But I do progressively increase the weights every workout.

Is there a difference between 2x10 and 10+6+4 or 12+8 or 7+6+4+3 as long as you are progressively increasing the weights every workout? Not sure..
 
11-6-11

Breakfast 9am
~5 scrambled eggs w/ some hot sauce, 2 strips of bacon,cup o coffee

pre-gym snack
plate of broc and cauliflower, string cheese

Gym
5k in 36 minutes flat

post gym
~7-8 oz of cooked pork in curry sauce
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing
Soda water flavored with crystal light

3pm snack
Can of tuna
Cup of Tea

6pm dinner
Bison Hamburger- bun, lettuce, cheese, tomato, ketchup, onion
Bratwurst - bun, lettuce
~1.5 can of soda
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing

7pm
2 mile bike ride... yeah we're making use of our new bikes

9pm snack
protein shake - 1 scoop whey (27g protein, 1/2 c Milk, tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 cup apple cider (added by accident).

My 5k time didn't get any better but I also need to find a nice 5k source outside, jogging on a treadmill is just not as easy/fun as road running. We also just got our bikes form a co-op and my wife and I are planning on doing bi-daily to tri-daily rides that are hopefully longer and longer.

@Totentanz, I always thought chinups were wide grip, palms facing out and thought close grip and palms in were pullups. But I'll will alternate the two. Thanks.

@iwealth, I get what your saying and I think that is a valid point, I don't see much of a difference between doing two sets of 10 and as many sets until you hit 20.. Maybe I'll give it the full collage try for my first two weeks to see what I really think. I'm so ingrained with the set/rep method I just might not be able to wrap my head around something new like this. Like the HST suggests the 15/10/5 do you drop the amount of reps every other week or do you just keep doing 20 every week? I'm going to go back and read through your journal again also.
 
Yeah, you've got your definitions backwards. Palms out, wide grip are pullups. etc. Alternating them is fine and probably optimal over choosing one vs the other.
 
I keep it steady at 20 reps. My most recent workout I dropped deadlift to 15 reps but it was a bad workout overall. I'm trying to be rigid about the 20 reps, but if you don't feel like it's good for your body that day, then what can you do? Safer to just cut it short and move on to the next.

Only problem I've with my recent cycle is that my starting weights were too high. So I'm at the end of week 4 today and I'm already at my 5 rep maxes in many exercises. I could have alleviated this though by 1) starting with lighter weights and 2) using smaller increments. Time for me to buy those little magnetic 1.25lb plates which would allow me to add 2.5 lbs to a barbell. They even sell magnetic .625 plates which would allow you to increase in tiny intervals of 1.25 lbs. I used to have them but didn't take them with me when I moved. Dumb dumb dumb.
 
10-7-11

9am breakfast
5 hardboiled eggs
cup of coffee

10:45 pre-gym snack
1 scoop protein
1/2 cup oatmeal shredded into the shake
1 c whole milk

Gym
Today killed me, I wasn't used to the biking the night before I think. I was dogging it but muscled my way through.
Squat - 170@10,10
Back Extensions 1x20 (I'm going to start adding weight next week)
Bench - 130@20
Chinups 6,4,5,3,2 (close grip, palms facing in)
Highpull 60@10,10
DB Curl 20@10,10
Tri pushdown 97.5@12,8
Situps 20

Postgym
3 fantastic porkchops
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing
Soda water flavored with crystal light

3pm
Can o Tuna
1 Scoop protein shake

Standard one gallon of water finished before work is over.

Dinner
1 softshell taco - beef, guacamole, cheese, tomato, salsa
1 plate of beef, guacamole, cheese, tomato, salsa cause I wanted a taco without the taco

two beers and some snacks later that night at a drive in.

Overall I think the day went great. The gym was a killer and I am really enjoying the weekend away from lifting weights. I am looking forward to a bike ride on Sunday though.
 
10-10-11

Strange, my weekend posts didn't go up. Oh well. This weekend... did a 10k on my bike and drank to much beer, that's about it.

Breakfast 9am
~5 scrambled eggs w/ some hot sauce, 2 strips of bacon,cup o coffee

pre-gym snack
Protein Shake - 1scoop (27g protein), 1/2 a cup of oats (uncooked, shredded in a magic bullet), and 8oz whole milk

Gym
Leg Press 260 @ 10,10
Deadlift 170 @ 10,10
Dip 10,10
Chinup(assisted with chair) 10,10
Shrug 40@10,10
Cable Curl 37.5@10,10
Skull Crusher 45@10,10
Ball Crunch 20,20
High/Low Plank 20,20

post gym
~7-8 oz of pulled pork
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing
Soda water flavored with crystal light

3pm snack
Can of tuna
Protein Shake - 1scoop (27g protein) and 8oz whole milk

6pm dinner
chicken breast
1C mashed potatoes
1/4 cup corn
water flavored with crystal light

9pm snack
protein shake - 1 scoop whey (27g protein, 1/2 c Milk, tablespoon of peanut butter

This is about my standard day, is this to much protein mix? I don't know if I can get protein other/cheaper ways than that. The weights are going up slowly, just like with the 5x5 I try to add at a minimum 5lbs each day.
 
10-11-11
Breakfast 9am
~5 scrambled eggs w/ some hot sauce, 2 strips of bacon,cup o coffee

pre-gym snack
plate of broc and cauliflower, string cheese

Gym
20 minutes of light cardio

post gym
~5-6 oz of steak stir fry with a peapods
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing
Soda water flavored with crystal light

3pm snack
Can of tuna
Cup of Tea

6pm dinner
3 pork chops
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing
~1.5 can of soda

9pm snack
protein shake - 1 scoop whey (27g protein, 1/2 c Milk, tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 cup apple cider (added by accident).

Sorry for not posting. I've been updating this log every day but this is the first post to actually get on here. The forum kept saying my posts had to be reviewed.
 
bumble864 said:
Strange, my weekend posts didn't go up. Oh well. This weekend... did a 10k on my bike and drank to much beer, that's about it.

Breakfast 9am
~5 scrambled eggs w/ some hot sauce, 2 strips of bacon,cup o coffee

pre-gym snack
Protein Shake - 1scoop (27g protein), 1/2 a cup of oats (uncooked, shredded in a magic bullet), and 8oz whole milk

Gym
Leg Press 260 @ 10,10
Deadlift 170 @ 10,10
Dip 10,10
Chinup(assisted with chair) 10,10
Shrug 40@10,10
Cable Curl 37.5@10,10
Skull Crusher 45@10,10
Ball Crunch 20,20
High/Low Plank 20,20

post gym
~7-8 oz of pulled pork
Small salad with lettuce, spinach, mushroom, tomato, broc, cauliflower, Olive Oil dressing
Soda water flavored with crystal light

3pm snack
Can of tuna
Protein Shake - 1scoop (27g protein) and 8oz whole milk

6pm dinner
chicken breast
1C mashed potatoes
1/4 cup corn
water flavored with crystal light

9pm snack
protein shake - 1 scoop whey (27g protein, 1/2 c Milk, tablespoon of peanut butter

This is about my standard day, is this to much protein mix? I don't know if I can get protein other/cheaper ways than that. The weights are going up slowly, just like with the 5x5 I try to add at a minimum 5lbs each day.
Click to expand...

It is fine to get most of your protein from shakes. Is it optimal? Probably not... but just because it isn't optimal doesn't mean all that protein will be a waste. It would probably be difficult for you to get enough protein in otherwise if you were trying to get it all from whole foods. To be honest, while bulking I personally get between 300-400 grams of protein per day and often I will get half of that through shakes.

One thing you might want to try if you find you need to get more protein and calories, is a homemade weight gainer shake. 2 cups of milk, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 4-6 scoops of whey - it's a massive shake but it usually has around 1000 calories and up to 150 grams of protein depending on how exactly you make it.
 
10-12-11 & 10-13-11

10-12-11
Squat 175@10,10
Extensions - 10@10,10
Bench - 135@10,10
WidePulldown - 82.5@10,10
Highpull - 70@10,10
DB Curl - 25@10,10
Tri Pushdown - 100@10,10
Situps - 5@10,10

10-13-11
I did not go do light cardio at the gym today. Instead I choose to go to the driving range, so a bucket of balls there. I did get a light workout in a motion capture suit for two hours though, so I consider that my light cardio for the day. two hours running around in a spandex suit with sensors all around it climing, running, jumping, getting pushed around to simulate explosions.. that'll take it outta ya.

@Totentanz - That is a huge shake. I might just have to work up to and try something like that. I will also look at eating more in general. The lunches I get at work are pretty healthy I will just grab a bit more and start hording the really good stuff like chicken or steak for days they don't have it and I can just nuke some to warm it up.
But I will go for even more protein from now on.
 
10-14-11 through 10-16-11

Fri
Friday was a good day. I was nicely rested from the little cardio the day before and I was able to power through my workout nicely.
Legpress - 270@10,10
Deadlift - 175@10,10
Dip 10,10 (starting next week I'll add a backpack with weights)
Widegrip Pulldown - 87.5@10,10
BB Overhead Press - 95@10,10
Cable Curl - I started at 37.5 but I couldn't complete the set so I dropped to 35. 35@10,10
SkullCrusher - I started at 30 but I couldn't complete the set so I dropped to 25. 25@10,10
Ball Crunch - 20,20

Sat
Today my work organized a paintball event so 3 hours of running around crawling through dirt and shooting people.

Sun
2mile Bike ride to the bar to watch some football (and have a beer and boneless wings) 2 mile bikeride back

Overall my diet on the weekends is pretty sparatic. It's hard to keep myself on track without the stability of being at the office. I try to eat all my protein but it just doesn't happen. Although tired from the bike riding and the paintball over the weekend I am quite excited to get into the gym this week.
 
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