[BASIC_STATS]
-Name: Jason
-Age: 20
-Height: 5'6''
-Weight: 158lbs.
-BF%: 10~11%
-Waist: 32.25''~33.25'' *stomach expands as the day goes on from abdominal fatigue)
-Chest: 39''
-Upper Arms: 13.5'' (flexed)
-Lower Arms: 12.0''
-Thighs: 23''
-Calves: 16.5''
-Neck: 15''
-Wrist: 6.5'' *illustrates tiny arm-bones, they were smaller before I did grip exercises

[RANDOM_LIFTS]*no spotters so no 1rep-maxes
-bench-press: 190lbs x6/5/3 *2min rest inbetween sets
-dead-lift: 185lbs x5*back was tense on 5th rep
-standing dumbbell curl: 50lbs x3*probably cheated like a whore

[HISTORY]----------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was born I had a hole in my intestine so I had major surgery within one week
of being born. The doctors had to cut out that segment and sew the intestine back
together. Later on I got a worm infestation that caused me to be anorexic till I was
about 9 or so. So a *verY* large portion of my early life was my body trying to heal
instead of grow.

[CONDITION DETAILS]-----------------------------------------------------------------
For the past two years I have been studying my condition, and I have discovered by
my body cannot digest any type of the following:
-fruits
-vegetables (I can withstand about 1-2oz spread out through the day)
-whole-grain breads
-breading (on chicken and fish-meals)
-lacotose/dairy products (milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc)
-any type of 'oil/fat' rich meat (sausage, bacon, beef, pork, etc)
-soy based products (I can withstand half a glass of soy milk once every two days)
-sodas (except for lime-based non-caffiene sodas)
-alcohol (probably, don't intend to test this one anytime soon)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
consuming "undigestable" foods result in:
-acne (which eventually advance to swelling and then to lesions)
-nausea
-upset stomach (among other things)
-weakness/fatigue
-mood swings
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[CONSUMABLES]
-chicken (broiled/baked, non-breaded)
-rice
-"white" bread
-turkey
-ham (in very small quantities, too many oils)
-salami (never figured out why this doesn't bother me)
-venison
-*dried* fully-cooked bacon (used only to soften the venison)
-gingerale
-sprite
-sierra mist
-creatine mix

[WORKOUT]
-I am currently doing a 3-day split after I hit a plateu a month ago
-one warmup set is preformed for each exercise @50% of weight used
-though sometimes just at 45lbs (bar weight)
-rest between sets 1min
-rest between exercise 2min
[DAY_1]
-bb bench press: 155lbs x10(@75)/10/10/7*
-close grip bb press: 90lbs x10(@45)/10/10/6
-tricept-extensions: 60lbs x10(@45)/10/10/6
-dbkickback: 17.5lbs x10(@10)/10/8/6
[DAY_2]
-walk/jog: 60min
-crunch: x25
-crunch-left: x25
-crunch-right: x25
-reverse-crunch: x25/25/25
-leg lifts: x50/50/50
[DAY_3]
-barbell curls 80lbs x12(@45)/8/8/5
-barbell reverse curl 55lbs x12(@45)/8/8/8
-hammer curls 27.5lbs x12(@20)/8/6/6
-wrist curls 70lbs x12(@45)/12/12/3*
[DAY_4]
-walk/jog: 60min
-crunch: x25
-crunch-left: x25
-crunch-right: x25
-reverse-crunch: x25/25/25
-leg lifts: x50/50/50
[DAY_5]
-deadlifts 160lbs x12(@80)/8/8/8
-military press 95lbs x12(@45)/8/8/5
-upright row 95lbs x12(@45)/8/7/5
-dumbbell rows 40lbs x5(@50)/8/8/12(@45)
-shrugs 165lbs x12(@80)/8/8/5
[DAY_6]
-walk/jog: 60min
-crunch: x25
-crunch-left: x25
-crunch-right: x25
-reverse-crunch: x25/25/25
-leg lifts: x50/50/50
[DAY_7]
-Rest/Volleyball

*note sometimes my muscles 'fail' prematurely, an odd occurence
[NUTRITION]--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1800-2100cal/day average
150-180g of protein
160-200g of carbs (used to ease digestion of protein)
20-60g of fats (60g is from heavy chicken days when turkey bores me)
6-10 500mg Vitamin C tablets a day *high dosage required to offset allergies
500-1500mg Calcium
500-1500mg Glucosamine
650-1950mg Alfalfa
25000-50000IU Beta-Carotene
400-1200IU Vitamine E
50-100mg Zinc
One a Day Multiple-Vitamin
*vitamin variance due to digestive sensitivity on any given day
[QUESTIONS]--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)My arms (both bi's and tri's) are unusually weak compared to the rest of my body.
Is this just genetics or am I training them wrong perhaps? My upper arms are 12''
relaxed, while my calves are a wopping 16.5'' (you can't pinch them, pretty much
all muscle) I am quite thankful that I have such good legs, but unfortunatley most
people *do* look at the arms first, then waist, then chest/shoulders, and probably
legs.

2)In regards to cardio, running specifically, my calves tend to tighten up long
before I run out of breath. Usually around the 15-20min mark of constant running. I
do about 12-15min of stretching per day, consisting of groin, quads, calf, and
hamstring stretches. Is the tightening/pain as a result of poor conditioning? (I
have been running every other day for about two months now, I took one week off when
I noticed the soreness starting at the 15min mark)

3)What is a good, safe way to build stamina? Constant running, or walk jog combos?
When I first started running I had to do 1min "hop/jog" followed by two min walks,
and after four weeks I could run one mile, the next week I could run two, after that
I had the calf problems. I asked a few runners I knew, and they just say 'um we ran
and just kept running.' Though they *do* take pain killers so I'm not sure if I
really want to trust their advice.

4)I've read so much info on sets/reps/rest that I am greatly confused.
Please confirm/correct the following:
6-8reps: used for building power
8-12reps: used for building mass/muscular endurance
12-16reps: used for preventing muscle deterioration during 'cutting'

*rests per set*
1min rests (or less): used to build muscular endurance
1min 30sec rests: used to build strength/size
2min (maybe as much as 3min?): used to build overall power with little hypertrophy

5)Routine Splits, is it best to just do the same 2 upper and 2 lower body workouts
each week: 1,off,2,off,1,off,2? I just did a 3 day upper body split because my
muscles were getting tired. I have a hard time handling high 'sets' and 'reps'
(Befored I started taking creatine, I needed 2min between sets to accomplish the
above routine, now I need 1min or less)

6)Are there any links to real-lifters that have a photo (or progression) + set/reps
exercise routines they themselves did to achive their physique? John Stone only
listed which body parts he worked. Looking at bodybuilding.com I see alot of young
men with incredible builds (in the age range of 15-19), but I have doubts as to how
they achived this. (My father, who's 60 now, and had an incredible build for his day,
6pack, chest, legs like mine, etc but he never once saw anybody like the photos on
BB.com. While advances in training and nutrition have come along way since my
father's day, steroids weren't quite as common back in the 50-60's...) I do not
mean to start anything, but its hard to sift through all the info at BB.com since
alot of it seems to be for the gifted and juiced...

7)Anybody have a good link to setting up lighting for digital photography? All photos
I try taking of myself come out quite flat (no shadows). My chest looks completely
flat and there's no definition anywhere. When I look in the mirror, I can see part of
my ribs, a few dents in my stomach from the abdominal muscles, and striations in my
chest. Heck, my scars (from the surgery) aren't even visible when I take a photo
(outside that is, inside there is no proper rooms for lighting anywhere,
windows + low lights everywhere)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things I've noticed (again please correct these concepts as needed)
Juiced/Gifted pro's use 1min rests between sets-high reps/sets per body part (10-12 reps) (4sets)
-routines consist of isolation exercises (preacher curls, kickbacks, lateral raises, etc)
-20-30sets, 3 day split (after counting # of sets)
-rarely ever mention what routines they used to build that 250+lbs of mass initially

Powerlifters use 2min+ between sets
-low reps/sets (4-8 reps) (2-4sets)
-routines consist mostly of power movements (bench, squat, deadlift, etc)
-8-10sets, 2 day split
-these guys usually seem to just be naturally powerful men
(usually farmers, lumberjacks, 'hard-workers' all their lives)

Average man seems to like 1min30sec rests
-8-10reps, 3-4sets (usually one of which is a warmup)
-8-12sets, full-body workouts 3 days a week, or 2 day splits

After several months of lifting your body will adapt to any routine.
This can be remedied by:
-switching around exercise order
-switching out exercsies
-adding weight
-shortening rest times
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd greatly apprecaite any advice or comments about my routine, nutrition,
'assumptions' etc. Also grammatical corrections are welcome =P.

I find myself making a lot of the same assumptions, so i'm interested in what people have to say about this.

As for you post, what are your goals? Are you trying to make your biceps and upperbody bigger? My first reaction is for you to eat a lot more, probably at least 1000 calories more a day to start out with. Also, I don't see a whole lot of lower body. Deadlifts are good, but where are the squats/lunges/presses? I personally was never able to gain much in chest/back until I started working out my legs(arms were fairly easy for me).

What are your goals for running? Is the endurance for sports, or something you'd like to have? Are you just wanting endurance just to have a passible cardio workout? If its the last thing, I would suggest switching to some sort of other form of cardio after 10-20 minutes of running. I personally am working myself up to a 13/20/13(minutes) routine on the bike/eliptical/stairstepper, and I never even thought I could get the motivation to do cardio til I got on these forums. It's the switching that keeps any particular part of my body from getting too tired, and therefore causing me to quit.

My main goal right now is to simply build up the bi's and tris. I don't do any type of lower body/leg exercises for the simple reason my legs are *huge* compared to my upper body (particularly my arms) 16.5'' calves verse 12'' (unflexed) arms. Thats a 4.5'' gap. Till I close that gap I won't be doing any 'direct' leg exercises. I suppose I'm trying to balance out my physique right now.

My goal in regards to running is that I wish to run at a steady pace for 60min (10min/mi or better). And that I can do this daily (6days a week). I don't really wish to do more than this due to my schedule. Its a toss up between health and weight loss, I need to have the ability to do *alot* of intense cardio to keep my weight under control. (I need to loose roughly 8-10 more lbs before I should look fully-lean) As it stands now, nobody says I'm out of shape, fat, etc. But I do so envy people who have abs, I envy people who just have simple dips in their abdomen from being over all lean. (I have two giant scars on my abdomen, so I'm very self concious of that area)

As far as eating more, due to my incredibly slow metabolism (compounded by the surgery) I gain fat sickeningly easy. I won't be increasing my diet much till I can safely do 60min of 'running' at 10min/mi. Currently I have to do 1-2hrs of walking a day, in addition to 3 days of running plus 4hrs of volley ball on the weekend, just to prevent fat buildup. (I've lost 12lbs in the last 7 weeks) I'm signing up for a martial arts class tuesday after college classes so I have something more fun and aerobic to do (especially when it rains...can't run)

As it stands now I might incorporate biking back into my routine. I can bike for roughly 2hrs at about 10mph. Perhaps it would be a good idea to bike on my workout days, run on the inbetween days. I was severely worried that biking would greatly hinder my running. (when I initially started running I had to start with 1min jog/hop followed by 2min walk, and slowly advance from there)

Just to reiterate I have an incredibly slow slow sloooooooooooow metabolism. It creates alot of problems when eating. (It takes me about 45min-1hr just to eat 300-400cal worth of food)

Speaking of these forums, I found some newer transformations in one of the other sections, some of those are *quite* inspiring. Though I rarely see any 'short' (5'6'' or less) guys go from fat to cut and buff...seems almost non-existant.

-Name: Jason
-Age: 20
-Height: 5'6''
-Weight: 158lbs.
-BF%: 10~11%
-Waist: 32.25''~33.25'' *stomach expands as the day goes on from abdominal fatigue)
-Chest: 39''
-Upper Arms: 13.5'' (flexed)
-Lower Arms: 12.0''
-Thighs: 23''
-Calves: 16.5''
-Neck: 15''
-Wrist: 6.5'' *illustrates tiny arm-bones, they were smaller before I did grip exercises

[RANDOM_LIFTS]*no spotters so no 1rep-maxes
-bench-press: 190lbs x6/5/3 *2min rest inbetween sets
-dead-lift: 185lbs x5*back was tense on 5th rep [b]You should be able to dead ALOT more then bench, i would work on the dead.
-standing dumbbell curl: 50lbs x3*probably cheated like a whore

[HISTORY]----------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was born I had a hole in my intestine so I had major surgery within one week
of being born. The doctors had to cut out that segment and sew the intestine back
together. Later on I got a worm infestation that caused me to be anorexic till I was
about 9 or so. So a *verY* large portion of my early life was my body trying to heal
instead of grow.

I guess your not lookikng for sympathy but that's too bad dude, nice to see your trying to improve yourself with a healthy lifestyle. :)

[CONDITION DETAILS]-----------------------------------------------------------------
For the past two years I have been studying my condition, and I have discovered by
my body cannot digest any type of the following:
-fruits
-vegetables (I can withstand about 1-2oz spread out through the day)
-whole-grain breads
-breading (on chicken and fish-meals)
-lacotose/dairy products (milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc)
-any type of 'oil/fat' rich meat (sausage, bacon, beef, pork, etc)
-soy based products (I can withstand half a glass of soy milk once every two days)
-sodas (except for lime-based non-caffiene sodas)
-alcohol (probably, don't intend to test this one anytime soon)

Is this based on research or your own trail and error? Have you talked to a nutritional expert?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
consuming "undigestable" foods result in:
-acne (which eventually advance to swelling and then to lesions)
-nausea
-upset stomach (among other things)
-weakness/fatigue
-mood swings
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[CONSUMABLES]
-chicken (broiled/baked, non-breaded)
-rice
-"white" bread
-turkey
-ham (in very small quantities, too many oils)
-salami (never figured out why this doesn't bother me)
-venison
-*dried* fully-cooked bacon (used only to soften the venison)
-gingerale
-sprite
-sierra mist
-creatine mix
Still a decent food selection but i would look into greens+, its basically powdered veggies like protein powders.

[WORKOUT]
-I am currently doing a 3-day split after I hit a plateu a month ago
-one warmup set is preformed for each exercise @50% of weight used
-though sometimes just at 45lbs (bar weight)
-rest between sets 1min
-rest between exercise 2min
[DAY_1]
-bb bench press: 155lbs x10(@75)/10/10/7*
-close grip bb press: 90lbs x10(@45)/10/10/6
-tricept-extensions: 60lbs x10(@45)/10/10/6
-dbkickback: 17.5lbs x10(@10)/10/8/6
[DAY_2]
-walk/jog: 60min
-crunch: x25
-crunch-left: x25
-crunch-right: x25
-reverse-crunch: x25/25/25
-leg lifts: x50/50/50
[DAY_3]
-barbell curls 80lbs x12(@45)/8/8/5
-barbell reverse curl 55lbs x12(@45)/8/8/8
-hammer curls 27.5lbs x12(@20)/8/6/6
-wrist curls 70lbs x12(@45)/12/12/3*
[DAY_4]
-walk/jog: 60min
-crunch: x25
-crunch-left: x25
-crunch-right: x25
-reverse-crunch: x25/25/25
-leg lifts: x50/50/50
[DAY_5]
-deadlifts 160lbs x12(@80)/8/8/8
-military press 95lbs x12(@45)/8/8/5
-upright row 95lbs x12(@45)/8/7/5
-dumbbell rows 40lbs x5(@50)/8/8/12(@45)
-shrugs 165lbs x12(@80)/8/8/5
[DAY_6]
-walk/jog: 60min
-crunch: x25
-crunch-left: x25
-crunch-right: x25
-reverse-crunch: x25/25/25
-leg lifts: x50/50/50
[DAY_7]
-Rest/Volleyball

*note sometimes my muscles 'fail' prematurely, an odd occurence

Focus each session on the biggest muscle group a bicep day is not necessary. Chest, back, legs. Sqauts, deads, bentover rows, pullups, bencg presses.
[NUTRITION]--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1800-2100cal/day average
150-180g of protein
160-200g of carbs (used to ease digestion of protein)
20-60g of fats (60g is from heavy chicken days when turkey bores me)
6-10 500mg Vitamin C tablets a day *high dosage required to offset allergies
500-1500mg Calcium
500-1500mg Glucosamine
650-1950mg Alfalfa
25000-50000IU Beta-Carotene
400-1200IU Vitamine E
50-100mg Zinc
One a Day Multiple-Vitamin
*vitamin variance due to digestive sensitivity on any given day
I would get some fish oil caps in there. l
[QUESTIONS]--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)My arms (both bi's and tri's) are unusually weak compared to the rest of my body.
Is this just genetics or am I training them wrong perhaps? My upper arms are 12''
relaxed, while my calves are a wopping 16.5'' (you can't pinch them, pretty much
all muscle) I am quite thankful that I have such good legs, but unfortunatley most
people *do* look at the arms first, then waist, then chest/shoulders, and probably
legs.

2)In regards to cardio, running specifically, my calves tend to tighten up long
before I run out of breath. Usually around the 15-20min mark of constant running. I
do about 12-15min of stretching per day, consisting of groin, quads, calf, and
hamstring stretches. Is the tightening/pain as a result of poor conditioning? (I
have been running every other day for about two months now, I took one week off when
I noticed the soreness starting at the 15min mark)

3)What is a good, safe way to build stamina? Constant running, or walk jog combos?
When I first started running I had to do 1min "hop/jog" followed by two min walks,
and after four weeks I could run one mile, the next week I could run two, after that
I had the calf problems. I asked a few runners I knew, and they just say 'um we ran
and just kept running.' Though they *do* take pain killers so I'm not sure if I
really want to trust their advice.

4)I've read so much info on sets/reps/rest that I am greatly confused.
Please confirm/correct the following:
6-8reps: used for building power
8-12reps: used for building mass/muscular endurance
12-16reps: used for preventing muscle deterioration during 'cutting'

These are general consenus parameters but don't limit yourself to such thinking. However, i wouldn't classified 12-16reps has that.

*rests per set*
1min rests (or less): used to build muscular endurance
1min 30sec rests: used to build strength/size
2min (maybe as much as 3min?): used to build overall power with little hypertrophy

Rest intervals vary greatly, depending on the goal and training method, if hypertrophy (muscle grow) is your main goal i would keep RI 2min or below.
5)Routine Splits, is it best to just do the same 2 upper and 2 lower body workouts
each week: 1,off,2,off,1,off,2? I just did a 3 day upper body split because my
muscles were getting tired. I have a hard time handling high 'sets' and 'reps'
(Befored I started taking creatine, I needed 2min between sets to accomplish the
above routine, now I need 1min or less)

Many different setups but i prefer the upper/lower split myself and fullbody routines. Creatine will help your performance.

6)Are there any links to real-lifters that have a photo (or progression) + set/reps
exercise routines they themselves did to achive their physique? John Stone only
listed which body parts he worked. Looking at bodybuilding.com I see alot of young
men with incredible builds (in the age range of 15-19), but I have doubts as to how
they achived this. (My father, who's 60 now, and had an incredible build for his day,
6pack, chest, legs like mine, etc but he never once saw anybody like the photos on
BB.com. While advances in training and nutrition have come along way since my
father's day, steroids weren't quite as common back in the 50-60's...) I do not
mean to start anything, but its hard to sift through all the info at BB.com since
alot of it seems to be for the gifted and juiced...

They say all IFBB pros are all roids.

7)Anybody have a good link to setting up lighting for digital photography? All photos
I try taking of myself come out quite flat (no shadows). My chest looks completely
flat and there's no definition anywhere. When I look in the mirror, I can see part of
my ribs, a few dents in my stomach from the abdominal muscles, and striations in my
chest. Heck, my scars (from the surgery) aren't even visible when I take a photo
(outside that is, inside there is no proper rooms for lighting anywhere,
windows + low lights everywhere)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things I've noticed (again please correct these concepts as needed)
Juiced/Gifted pro's use 1min rests between sets-high reps/sets per body part (10-12 reps) (4sets)
-routines consist of isolation exercises (preacher curls, kickbacks, lateral raises, etc)
-20-30sets, 3 day split (after counting # of sets)
-rarely ever mention what routines they used to build that 250+lbs of mass initially

Training is a rather big field dude with many different and effective approachs. In my humble opinion the majority of "published" routines by pro bodybuilders aren't going to work for your average gym rat.
Powerlifters use 2min+ between sets
-low reps/sets (4-8 reps) (2-4sets)
-routines consist mostly of power movements (bench, squat, deadlift, etc)
-8-10sets, 2 day split
-these guys usually seem to just be naturally powerful men
(usually farmers, lumberjacks, 'hard-workers' all their lives)

Average man seems to like 1min30sec rests
-8-10reps, 3-4sets (usually one of which is a warmup)
-8-12sets, full-body workouts 3 days a week, or 2 day splits

After several months of lifting your body will adapt to any routine.
This can be remedied by:
-switching around exercise order
-switching out exercsies
-adding weight
-shortening rest times

Keep a log, you should always strive to improve your performance. Be it, increased weight, less rest, extra set etc. And yes you should change a number of excercises after 4-6weeks.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd greatly apprecaite any advice or comments about my routine, nutrition,
'assumptions' etc. Also grammatical corrections are welcome =P.


In bold dude, i never commented on everything but i gave some of my thoughts. :)

Canada, thanks for answering many of my questions.

As far as food goes, those lists were generated by trial and error. I minimized my diet to only safe foods + one of the 'undigestables'. I Would try it in moderation for 3-7days and see if I could digest it (usually the negative effects would begin to appear quite early, sometimes within one day.) That entire list is of foods I couldn't eat safely, comfortably, and without digestive complications.

I haven't consulted a nutrition expert, just talked to some 'doctors/interns' because I don't have alot of spare cash or any insurance whatsoever. (with my past surgery no insurance agency will cover me, too much of a risk etc.) The doctors told me that I probably have SBS and IBS because of my surgery. I googled it and tried applying what sites said about it. Helped me alot (for the last 2yrs I was unable to do much of anything because my intestines had gotten so weak from eating the wrong foods, but thats over now, thanks to knowing about the disorder)

My deads are weak because I only started doing them about 3 weeks ago. I was unsure of how to do them properly. Eventually I found a few sites with gifs and videos on how to do them. Squats still scare me though, many of those that have done them for 10+yrs have had knee surgery. I just don't trust them I suppose. (though the same could be said for deads and the lower back)

Powdered protein... is there any kind besides whey and soy? I've tried soy protein + soy milk, and I could not get it down, it was too thick and chalky. I tired using a very large glass and mixed it till my arms were tired. Soy itself just gives me a rather upset stomach, no bleeding at least. So if anybody has some advice on a good soy-protein product I might consider it. As it stands now its not worth the pain and hassle =(
*to clarify on whey has lactose = bleeding reaction

Also I do have logs of my eating and lifting for the past few months. I learned its very important to keep track. Useful for motivation too, seeing subtle changes over the months.

Is this perhaps a better workout routine? Legs are left out so my arms have a chance to match my legs in size.

[CHEST_DAY_A]-------------
-bb bench press: 3x8
-db bench press: 3x8
-close grip bb press: 3x8
-tricept extensions: 3x8
-kickbacks: 3x8

[BACK_DAY_B]---------------
-deadlift: 3x8
-military press: 3x8
-upright rows: 3x8
-db seated rows: 3x8
-bb curl: 3x8
-hammer curl: 3x8
-reverse curl: 3x8
-wrist curl: 3x12

*each exercise has one addition warmupset at 50% desired weight

[QUESTIONS]
1)Would I be doing too many bicept sets
-1A)Should I just do hammer OR reverse curls not both?
2)Are kickbacks poor mass building exercises?
3)Are tricept extensions good for mass building?
4)Do upright rows and seated rows interfere with each other while in the same routine
4A)Should I just do one or the other, and switch them out once I hit a plateu?
5)Do upright/steated/bent-over rows build the lats
5A)Is bent-over rows better for mass than seated or upright rows?

6)Split... not sure which pattern is proper
Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Week 1
A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B
Week 2
OFF/A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF
Week 3
B/OFF/A/OFF/B/OFF/A
Week 4
OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B/OFF
Week 5 (repeats week 1...and so on)
A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B

or
A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B (and B/A are side by side on the last day?)

Canada, thanks for answering many of my questions.

As far as food goes, those lists were generated by trial and error. I minimized my diet to only safe foods + one of the 'undigestables'. I Would try it in moderation for 3-7days and see if I could digest it (usually the negative effects would begin to appear quite early, sometimes within one day.) That entire list is of foods I couldn't eat safely, comfortably, and without digestive complications.

I haven't consulted a nutrition expert, just talked to some 'doctors/interns' because I don't have alot of spare cash or any insurance whatsoever. (with my past surgery no insurance agency will cover me, too much of a risk etc.) The doctors told me that I probably have SBS and IBS because of my surgery. I googled it and tried applying what sites said about it. Helped me alot (for the last 2yrs I was unable to do much of anything because my intestines had gotten so weak from eating the wrong foods, but thats over now, thanks to knowing about the disorder)

My deads are weak because I only started doing them about 3 weeks ago. I was unsure of how to do them properly. Eventually I found a few sites with gifs and videos on how to do them. Squats still scare me though, many of those that have done them for 10+yrs have had knee surgery. I just don't trust them I suppose. (though the same could be said for deads and the lower back)

Powdered protein... is there any kind besides whey and soy? I've tried soy protein + soy milk, and I could not get it down, it was too thick and chalky. I tired using a very large glass and mixed it till my arms were tired. Soy itself just gives me a rather upset stomach, no bleeding at least. So if anybody has some advice on a good soy-protein product I might consider it. As it stands now its not worth the pain and hassle =(
*to clarify on whey has lactose = bleeding reaction

You can get rice derived proteins

Also I do have logs of my eating and lifting for the past few months. I learned its very important to keep track. Useful for motivation too, seeing subtle changes over the months.

Is this perhaps a better workout routine? Legs are left out so my arms have a chance to match my legs in size.

[CHEST_DAY_A]-------------
-bb bench press: 3x8
-db bench press: 3x8
-close grip bb press: 3x8
-tricept extensions: 3x8
-kickbacks: 3x8

I would use a different angle for one of the bench presses, incline or decline.

---------------
-deadlift: 3x8
-military press: 3x8
-upright rows: 3x8
-db seated rows: 3x8
-bb curl: 3x8
-hammer curl: 3x8
-reverse curl: 3x8
-wrist curl: 3x12

[b]I would put military presses with chest day.

*each exercise has one addition warmupset at 50% desired weight

[QUESTIONS]
1)Would I be doing too many bicept sets All rows hit the biceps nicely i would reduce the amount of direct bicep work too 1 excercise per session. Also add pulldowns or pullups.
-1A)Should I just do hammer OR reverse curls not both? Similar excercises i would alternate between barbell curls and reverse/hammer curls.
2)Are kickbacks poor mass building exercises?Yes, decline narrow bench presses and extensions are a few of the best tricep excercises.
3)Are tricept extensions good for mass building?
4)Do upright rows and seated rows interfere with each other while in the same routine. Depends on the total volume.
4A)Should I just do one or the other, and switch them out once I hit a plateu? Could be a good idea, experiment. :)
5)Do upright/steated/bent-over rows build the lats The latter 2 does.
5A)Is bent-over rows better for mass than seated or upright rows?

All good excercises but be cautious of the upright rows, they can cause shoulder problems.

6)Split... not sure which pattern is proper
Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun

Week 1
A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B
Week 2
OFF/A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF
Week 3
B/OFF/A/OFF/B/OFF/A
Week 4
OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B/OFF
Week 5 (repeats week 1...and so on)
A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B

Aim for a total set/rep volume of 80-120reps per muscle group over the course of the week. I don't believe many average trainees should train more then 2 days in a row. Exceptions of course.

or
A/OFF/B/OFF/A/OFF/B (and B/A are side by side on the last day?)


In bold dude.