That's right, this guy needs to put on 20 pounds. This is the start of my bulk and I'm at 178# now and I'd like to get to 200# by Jan. 1. Anyone else who would like to bulk and could use an extra 20 pounds, please join in. I guess you could call it a challenge but we all win if we can gain some decent, clean muscle mass. Anybody else out there up for some big eating in the coming months? We can report our progress as we go along and hopefully see the numbers on the scale going up.

It's not necessary, but here are my starting pics. As always, I'm interested in bulking up my chest, arms and legs. The six pack can blurr and that's OK. I'll get it back later.

I forgot to add that we can start this on Sept. 1 to make it easier to keep track. And I'm open on the length. Maybe 4 months is too short. I'm going to get a %bf estimate to post for my starting stats.:eat::bb:

yup, if this starts on september, then I'm in :D

I'm bulking already, but count me in. I may need more time to get 20# clean onto my frame :) My current weight is 167lbs, as of 08/13/2007.

EDIT: I'll update this weekly.

Good deal, giuliano and adrian. I think we'll pick up some more bulkers by Sept. 1. Together, we should be able to take ourselves to new heights (and weights).

Hey good luck guys. I got some pounds for ya, but I don't think they're the kind you're interested in.

Hey good luck guys. I got some pounds for ya, but I don't think they're the kind you're interested in.


Hey, GH. We could have a pretty good business together. You slim 'em down, and I fatten 'em back up.:lol:

Ok, I'm in!

I actually resumed my long bulk a few weeks ago and I'm about 200 lb now, 9 lb up on my early July weight.

Hey, GH. We could have a pretty good business together. You slim 'em down, and I fatten 'em back up.:lol:

now if we can just come up with a clever name like shake'n bake. :confused: Or thick'n thin.

sign me up... i just posted in the other forums that i want to gain 10-15... 20 would be cool but i doubt i'll make it that far. also, i'm bulking until april, and i'm starting next week :)

Cool beans, philph and Rise. By Sept. 1 we all need to list our starting weights and goals and then I anticipate this will just become a brotherhood of bulk where we can cheer each other on to eat more and more, even when we're tired of chewing so much. Amount of weight desired to gain and time frame is optional. I may take mine to February or March as well.:eat::bb::eat:

Since i started my bulking program yesterday, i'm going to start my entry here today. i'll edit it as much as i can remember but i don't think i'll be as strict on myself with it as i would for a 100 challenge (hope thats OK with you guys).

Starting stats:
Weight: 143 lbs
Waist: 34"
Biceps: 12.25" (don't laugh)
Height: 5'9

Nutrition:
3000 cals/day
50-25-25 split, for now
6 meals/day

Goals: I'll set my weight gain goal to 160 lbs. This may or may not be possible for me, but there's only one way to find out. i am trying to accomplish this by april-ish so i will have enough time to cut for the summer. as everyone else probably is, i'm trying to gain mostly lean body mass so i will be eating as clean as i possibly can.

Updates:
8/21/07 - today was day 2, i'm recovering from a tough first day workout and eating as much as i can. i need to find my food groove and i hope to work out the kinks in this first week. i'm always up for food suggestions :)
8/27/07 - as of today, i'm in the groove of the bulk. i've been eating a lot, *mostly* clean, and i feel great, really i do. i'm lifting at my old maxes already, and by next week i'll be past them. this is awesome!
8/31/07 - its been tough keeping my bulk "clean" but I think I'm doing pretty well. i'm eating a lot more than i ever have before and i kind of like it, but i often feel like stopping myself from eating more. of course there was that night when i was up until 2am thanks to stomach pains (i think i over did it a bit...). i've gained about 1.5lbs since i've started, and I feel like i'm getting stronger.
9/3/07 - OK, i've strayed from the clean bulk this weekend. i went back home to NY to celebrate my birthday this weekend (its actually next weekend) and i splurged a bit... i've had a couple of bagels, some pizza, sushi, some of mom's cookin, and some other stuff that i might not have normally eaten. also, i had a crappy work out substitute that didn't involve breathing squats because i don't have any way of doing them here. i have stuck to eating a lot though, and i actually don't seem to have gained any "bad" weight, i can actually see a six pack now that i couldn't see a few days ago. odd, but hey, i'll take it! i'm going to have a kick ass workout on tuesday for sure.

Current Stats: (8/31)
Weight: 144.5 lbs
Waist: 34"
Biceps: 12.25" (don't laugh)

I'm gonna join in with this. This'll be my first bulk (well, I kinda tried starting one a few weeks ago, it'll be a continuation of that) so I don't really know what to expect. If I could get to 14 stone (196 lbs) that would be cool. The timing works well for me as I am taking next week off so I'll be able to start this properly on the the 3rd. I'm gonna give myself up until the end of the year.

Is 14 lbs a good target for in 4 months? Too little, too much?

Het Woodan, glad you're joining us. I think 14 pounds is very doable. Your starting weight and goal weight are very similar to mine. I hope we can all grow together. And this won't be as structured as the 100 Challenges. Just a place to report progress and encourage each other.:eat::bb::eat:

Get Pumped Up Guys!!!

Time For Dinner!!! :eat:

:eat: <-guaranteed to be the most used smiley in this thread.

Alright, so I'm starting three days earlier than September 1st, but hey, why wait, I'm impatient sometimes! :)

Plus, I just had my birthday two days ago and ate far too much ice cream cake, so I figured it'd give me a jump on my bulk, albeit definitely not very clean! But dammit, it was my birthday, and the only ice cream I've had for over 4 months, and oooooh boy was it good :)

Got everything for my SUP2 program, also using Cellmass as OK'd by SC (my first time using creatine). I'm actually going to be eating *less* now on SUP2 than I was when I was trying to bulk on my own (without much success), hopefully the timing of the meals and increase in protein through protein powder, as well as the creatine, will make all the difference. I used to snack on a lot of fruit and some peanuts during the day when I was hungry, but I'm going to strictly follow the program to see how it works.

Just how much food are you guys eating, what kinds of calories/protein/fat numbers, and what supplements?

I don't really have a goal of 20 pounds, I'm at 174 as of yesterday (after eating out for birthday, so I'm sure a lot of that is from the salt/water), but I'm almost at the heaviest I've ever been and boy do I look a *lot* different! Let's see what a good 10-15 pounds does for now :)

My goal is, and probably always will be, just to get rid of that final bi of fat around my mid-section and get my abs showing. I started a thread previously about whether I should try to cut some more or bulk, and *everyone* said to bulk and then cut to really get the results I'm looking for. Carguy was nice enough to send me his progress pics, and it worked for him, so I am optimistic, but still a bit leery of the whole bulking idea!

I've attached my original starting pics from December, 2006, as well as pics I just took this morning.

12/26/06:

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/1952/20061226135332photo7rb4.jpg


08/30/07:

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/6311/20070830114148photo46my5.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/5190/20070830114202photo47pv9.jpg

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2273/20070830114400photo51kj3.jpg

GL CG, I'm up to 195 atm, yeah I'm fat.:whistle:

I'm in. I've been bulking for about a month so far.

This is definitely what I need! Back from holiday, dropped a few pounds and looking to get seriously beefcaked :eat: :jumping:

I'm at 5'9" and 150.5lbs at the moment. If I can get to 170lbs with the help of you guys, I'd be over the moon. I'm looking in particular to bulk up the chest and arms (weakest area). Here are a few pics taken today.

EDIT: Please ignore the wedgie.

Welcome, fellow bulkers! So far we have:

buster
canoscan
carguy
denzalo
dutch jerry
emanphx
guiliano
philph
rise
user786
virtualadrian
woodan

There's still time to join.

For those of you who might be considering joining, please know that we don't all expect to gain 20 pounds of pure muscle. We're just a group of guys who recognize the need to bulk up some and we are here to encourage each other to reach our goals, whatever they may be.

I'd like to gain 20 pounds but I'd be happy with a beefier chest and arms. I'm a little intimidated to be starting at 178# since that is at the high end of the most I've ever weighed. But if I can beef up to close to 200# and then cut back to 185#, I think I will have the look I'm after. And having done this before, it's easier and more fun to do it with others in a similar situation.

Here are my starting pics and measurements.

Weight 178#
Shoulder 49.0"
Chest 40.5"
Waist 30.25"
Abdomen 32.0"
Arm 13.0"
Flexed Bicep 14.25"
Thigh 23.5"
Hips 37.75"

%Body Fat 11.38%

These are the measurments I am most interested in keeping track of.
My neck is up 2.25" since I started two years ago so I don't think it's going to grow much more. My calves are pathetic but I'll let you know if they get any bigger than their present 15.5". I don't have a good way to measure body fat but I did six of the measurement-based methods online and used the second to the highest one because it used the most data. Some had me in single digits which I don't think is right. And my Tanita has me at 19% which I also don't think is right.

Good luck everyone. Start eating!:eat:

GL CG, I'm up to 195 atm, yeah I'm fat.:whistle:

Hey, fat boy. If you want to get even fatter, you can join us too.:lol:

(I know where you started, and you are no where near fat.)

I took a break for a few months, now ready to get back into it again. So far have done 3 workouts this week. This time around going to focus more on leg work, and build around that.

I'm using the Practical Programming Novice routine to build both strength and muscle. I've been continously adding weight to every lift (though I did start kind of light).

I don't have a good way to measure body fat but I did six of the measurement-based methods online and used the second to the highest one because it used the most data. Some had me in single digits which I don't think is right.

:confused: I know those pics you just posted are under a bright light but I wouldn't be surprised if you were at, say, 9%bf - maybe even 8%.

I'm so ready for this now. I just had a week's rest and I'm raring to go. This morning my Powertec rack and bench arrived so no longer do I have the 1.5 hour round trip to the gym. I spent this morning putting that all together and had a quick go. Nothing too strenuous mind as I'm meant to be starting Waterbury's ABBH today. I'll post stats and pics tomorrow morning.

I'll be interested to find out what you guys are eating during this as my diet is so bland.

There is one problem for me however. I've got a holiday planned in Ibiza at the end of September. It's gonna get in the way a bit as it's not going to be the healthiest of holidays. Oh well, I'll just have to working harder before and after.

Good luck everyone.

As at the start of September I'm weighing in at about 92 kg (~ 202 lb). Body fat has been hovering around 10%.

Although my primary goal over the coming weeks and months is to add some more muscle, I have a secondary goal of remedying my postural problems. If the remedial work is successful, I think this will contribute as much to the end result as any amount of lean mass gain would. I'm therefore not aiming for a huge weight gain. Just a few more lean(ish) kilos accompanied by a tangible improvement in muscle balance will be a success.

My training recently has been two 45 minute workouts per day, 4 days a week. Midday is low reps and late afternoon is higher reps of the same muscle groups. Currently the split is back+chest, legs+abs, shoulders+arms. Having relatively short workouts helps my focus and (ultimately) helps keep the volume up without burning out - as does the use of supersets of antagonistic muscle groups.

Can I still join? On Sept 1, I started my very first bulking phase. My body fat isn't all that low, but my limps are just too damn scrawny. My scale weight is very low considering my height. So I want to see if I can build some muscle. I started taking creatine again (loading phase now) and I'm planning on increasing my calories from 2000 steadily up to 3000 in a 40/40/20 ratio.

I'm going on a 5 week journey in December, so my plan is to bulk untill then. During the journey I hope to maintain my diet as good as I can (which will be difficult) and try to work out a bit, just improvising. When I get home halfway January, I think I'll pick things up and bulk some more (unless I'll carry too much fat by that time).

So first off it's bulking from Sept 1 until December 7th, with one week off in October (vacation). I'd be delighted if I could gain close to 10 lbs in this period of time. My 'handicap' is that I'm a vegetarian, but to me that only adds to the challenge :cool:

STARTING STATS
HEIGHT: 5'94
WEIGHT: 149 pounds
BODY FAT: 13.8%

Updates
SEP 3: I've been eating like a maniac so far. :eat:I need to plan my meals more though because I'm not sure how many calories I'm taking. I'm working on a spreadsheet, hoping to find some time to plan my week plan tomorrow. I've been cutting back on cardio a bit.

Can I still join?
SEP 3: I've been eating like a maniac so far. :eat:I need to plan my meals more though because I'm not sure how many calories I'm taking. I'm working on a spreadsheet, hoping to find some time to plan my week plan tomorrow. I've been cutting back on cardio a bit.

Sure, DJ. You can join. Any man that eats like a maniac belongs right here.

Can I still join? On Sept 1, I started my very first bulking phase. My body fat isn't all that low, but my limps are just too damn scrawny. My scale weight is very low considering my height. So I want to see if I can build some muscle. I started taking creatine again (loading phase now) and I'm planning on increasing my calories from 2000 steadily up to 3000 in a 40/40/20 ratio.

I'm going on a 5 week journey in December, so my plan is to bulk untill then. During the journey I hope to maintain my diet as good as I can (which will be difficult) and try to work out a bit, just improvising. When I get home halfway January, I think I'll pick things up and bulk some more (unless I'll carry too much fat by that time).

So first off it's bulking from Sept 1 until December 7th, with one week off in October (vacation). I'd be delighted if I could gain close to 10 lbs in this period of time. My 'handicap' is that I'm a vegetarian, but to me that only adds to the challenge :cool:

STARTING STATS
HEIGHT: 5'94
WEIGHT: 149 pounds
BODY FAT: 13.8%

Updates
SEP 3: I've been eating like a maniac so far. :eat:I need to plan my meals more though because I'm not sure how many calories I'm taking. I'm working on a spreadsheet, hoping to find some time to plan my week plan tomorrow. I've been cutting back on cardio a bit.

Hey Dutch, our stats are almost the same...Be good to see how your bulking goes :tucool:

Was up to 153.5lbs today...3lbs in a week. It's a bit much, but I'd drank a lot of water before the gym, so it's probably more like 2lbs. Hey, progress is progress :jumping:

Hey Dutch, our stats are almost the same...Be good to see how your bulking goes :tucool:

Was up to 153.5lbs today...3lbs in a week. It's a bit much, but I'd drank a lot of water before the gym, so it's probably more like 2lbs. Hey, progress is progress :jumping:
Hi Buster! Just checked out your journal. I'd say I am now where you were in March, more or less. By now, looking at your atavar, you are definitely quite a bit more muscular with lower BF. :bow:

It's certainly inspiring to see your progress! :)

Greetings fellow bulky boys.
buster
canoscan
carguy
denzalo
dutch jerry
emanphx
guiliano
philph
rise
user786
virtualadrian
woodan

Hope you had a good week-end and your jaws are sore from all the chewing you did. Unfortunately, I was out of town and didn't keep up a very good eating plan and consequently am down a pound. Also, I'm going to have to change my starting weight. On Sept. 1, I only weighed 178# so that will be my starting weight. As soon as I get time, I will post a chart with all of us on it with starting weights. If any of you haven't posted that yet, please do. Also a starting photo.

Off to the gym (5 am). I just had a scoop of whey in some skim milk with my regular breakfast for the first time. Maybe it will help with my lifts and help to add some weight.

I saw my brother and his wife this week-end (I don't see them very often). I told them what I was trying to do and that if it goes as planned, I could weigh 200# by Christmas and be looking pretty fat. They couldn't really picture that (since they're used to me weighing 165#) and thought I looked just right right now. I told them that if I could bulk up to 200# and then cut back to 185#, it would be a good thing. Pretty hard to explain to someone not doing it.

Ok, no pics today as my camera has no power and needs a charge. I have just taken some body measurements though. These always feel grossly inaccurate as I do them on my own and the tape could be in different places etc. Anyway, today I measure in at:

Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 185lbs
BF%: 11.5%
Shoulders: 1150mm (-25)
Chest: 980mm (+23)
Waist: 837mm (+2)
Hips: 912mm (+2)
Thigh: 586mm (+5)
Calf: 379mm (+4)
Bicep: 317mm (-6)

These were all taken first thing in the morning cold and unflexed. Now I'm going to compare them to the last stats in my journal.

EDIT:: I've just compared these figures to my last set that I took and it's clear that I cannot measure my chest and shoulders. There have been fluctuations like that consistently in my measurements. I don't think it'll be worthwhile trying to compare those stats, the others seem alright though. I think it'll be best just to compare photos on my chest and shoulders.

hey CG is it too late to jump on board?
im currently 154 (19.2% bf) want to get to approx 170 (APPROX 20% BF )
By end jan 2008.

I guess for my starting weight it was 167 about a month and a half ago, and now I'm at 170.

I told them that if I could bulk up to 200# and then cut back to 185#, it would be a good thing. Pretty hard to explain to someone not doing it.


i know exactly what you mean. oh well, actions speak louder than words and the results will speak for themselves anyway. :flex:

hey CG is it too late to jump on board?
im currently 154 (19.2% bf) want to get to approx 170 (APPROX 20% BF )
By end jan 2008.

No, it's not too late. Come on board and grab a fork.:eat:

How often should we be reporting in?

How often should we be reporting in?

Come in and comment any time you want. But please report your weight and any stats you want to share every Saturday or Sunday. Like I said, I'll try to make up some kind of chart to easily show everyones progress without reading the whole thread every time.

Speaking of eating like a madman, that's exactly what I did today. I'm stuffed. I forgot how hard it was to eat so much on a regular basis. I'm off to bed now and am pretty sure my weight will be over 180. If so, and I can keep it there, I'm on my way. I was clothes shopping today and I almost bought some bigger pants in anticipation, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. That's the only part of getting bigger that I am not looking forward to.

Just posting my starting measurements, taken a few days ago...

Waist: 32.5"
Chest: 39.75"
Arms: 12.75"
Thigh: 21.5"
Calves: 14"

Just posting my starting measurements, taken a few days ago...

Waist: 32.5"
Chest: 39.75"
Arms: 12.75"
Thigh: 21.5"
Calves: 14"

Thanks Buster. Thanks also for the low %BF opinion you gave me.

I thought we ought to get on the same page about measurements since it is easy to get different readings depending on how and where you do them.

Waist. This is generally the smaller measurement just under the ribs at the smallest part of you mid-section. The abdomen measurement is often referred to as the waist but it is actually the fattest area and goes around the belly button.

Chest. Inflated or deflated?

Arms. With arms down around the un-flexed bicep. Or flexed, cold bicep?

Thigh. Taken just under butt cheek?

Calves. Self-explanatory.

my current readings
Waist: 32inch
Chest: 38.5 inch(deflated)
Arms: 13.inch(cold )
neck =14 inch
Thigh: 21inch
Calves: 14 inch

hey, we're up to an even dozen.

buster
canoscan
carguy
denzalo
dutch jerry
emanphx
guiliano
philph
rise
user786
virtualadrian
woodan

Dozen. Like doughnuts. MMMmmmm, doughnuts :drool: Good thing this is a competition to gain weight. But seriously, hope none of us are going the doughnut route to make it happen.:nono:

Waist. This is generally the smaller measurement just under the ribs at the smallest part of you mid-section. The abdomen measurement is often referred to as the waist but it is actually the fattest area and goes around the belly button.

Ok, so my waist measurement was really my abdomen measurement. You'll have to wait until tomorrow for that.

In generally my measurement were all taken cold and unflexed. In regards to chest I think in future I'm gonna go with deflated as that's easier to guarentee similar measurements.

It doesn't really matter if we do it differently, surely. As long as we are all consist and can see the increases it's all good. Unless of course we are judging this by size increases as well. In which case I imagine flexed measurements would have an advantage.

MMMmmmm, doughnuts :drool:


no donuts for me:(..i got too much fat as it is!!...a nice slow clean bulk.
try and get than LBM up.

what level of calories everyone lookin at ?--im startin at 2800/day and
see how it goes from them.

just got back from the gym and i have a new personal best bench press @150lbs with dumbbells! (2x75) this was a big one for me since i work out solo i take my time going up the weight ladder.

now i'm celebrating with a big protein shake & a protein/fiber bar :eat:

user, i'm looking at around 3000/day myself, my BMI places my maintenance at about 2575.

just got back from the gym and i have a new personal best bench press @150lbs with dumbbells! (2x75) this was a big one for me since i work out solo i take my time going up the weight ladder.

now i'm celebrating with a big protein shake & a protein/fiber bar :eat:

user, i'm looking at around 3000/day myself, my BMI places my maintenance at about 2575.

Rise, that's a great lift. Bench is my weakness and I'd love to get to where you are. I think the most I've done with dumbbells is 55s. And 3,000 calories a day should net you some nice resutls.:tu:

no donuts for me:(..i got too much fat as it is!!...a nice slow clean bulk.
try and get than LBM up.

what level of calories everyone lookin at ?--im startin at 2800/day and
see how it goes from them.

I wish I knew. Unfortunately, I don't keep track. I'm just trying to eat more each day than I usually do. Evidently, I did a pretty good job of that yesterday as I gained 4 pounds!!!! Must have been some other factors at work though. If not, I'll end up weighing 300 pounds!.

Damn, 3000 cals is my maintainence. That'll teach me for being so tall. I'm getting anything between 3500-4000 down me. It's a good job I love eating. :)

Edit: Whoops, today I managed over 4000+. I think I need it considering I worked out so hard I almost puked.

Here a photo. Looking a little chubby actually. Oh well. My Fat Track Pro says I'm 13%. That;s the largest reading I can get. I can also get it to say 9%. I'm gonna go with the worst case. That way if it's wrong I can be pleasantly surprised at some point :)

http://fitness.danielwood.co.uk/images/progress-20070907.jpg

4000+ calories is ludicrous. i'm just thinking about how much food that is, i don't know if i could eat that much throughout 1 day. but your starting pics look great. i hope you make the 20 lbs during this bulk, it would be a noticeable difference i think.

do you guys go to bed feeling full? i eat so much during the day that i'm literally never not full it seems. i don't mind it for the most part but i think it makes me lethargic.

I get about 1000cals a day from milk. I have a shake in the morning which includes 1 pint of milk, 60g protein powder and 100g oats and before bed I have another shake which includes 1 pint of milk, 60g protein powder and 30g of natural PB. I don't really know if it's a good thing to do but it sure gets the calories in. Then through out the day I can just have a couple of regular size meals and a couple of healthy snacks.

Here a photo. Looking a little chubby actually. Oh well. My Fat Track Pro says I'm 13%. That;s the largest reading I can get. I can also get it to say 9%. I'm gonna go with the worst case. That way if it's wrong I can be pleasantly surprised at some point :)

http://fitness.danielwood.co.uk/images/progress-20070907.jpg

Hey, your pics here look a fair bit bulkier than the ones you posted before from what I remember. What do the scales say? :tucool:

Hey, your pics here look a fair bit bulkier than the ones you posted before from what I remember. What do the scales say? :tucool:


Yeah, the scales would agree with you. When I was complaining that I couldn't gain weight (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=38371) I was about 178lbs. This morning I measured in at 186lbs. So quite a difference.

4000+ calories is ludicrous. i'm just thinking about how much food that is, i don't know if i could eat that much throughout 1 day. but your starting pics look great. i hope you make the 20 lbs during this bulk, it would be a noticeable difference i think.

do you guys go to bed feeling full? i eat so much during the day that i'm literally never not full it seems. i don't mind it for the most part but i think it makes me lethargic.

Hey, rise. I just noticed it was your birthday today. Happy Birthday, man. Hope it's a great day. Be sure you eat a lot. Maybe even 4,000 calories.

The shakes help a lot. I use them too to up my calorie intake. That way the other meals can be more normal. When I go to bed, I feel stuffed and find it easy to fall asleep. But my body is so against me doing this to it (gaining weight) that by morning I usually don't weigh much if any different. But four months of stuffing myself will make the scale go up, it's just such a pain while I'm doing it. Going to the gym is more fun, though. Seeing yourself bulkier in the mirror and getting bigger pumps is fun.

Yeah, the scales would agree with you. When I was complaining that I couldn't gain weight (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=38371) I was about 178lbs. This morning I measured in at 186lbs. So quite a difference.

Way to go, woodan. Your weight gain shows up and it looks like you're making good progress. Your weight set-up is really nice. Let me guess, you're not married or living with someone. My wife won't let me smell up the house so I could never have my gym in the house.

Well only 1lbs gain this week puts me at 155.
did get some funny looks at work on friday..as iwalked in with my bag full of tuna tins ..chicken breast ..bran..cottage cheese
..boiled eggs..apples..veggies..almonds and other bits!!:D

i work as a pharmacist and move around the country so meet different people all the time..normally i find people think your mad if you tell them your trying to put weight on...everyone is so obsessed with dieting nowadays!!

I have adjusted all of my starting weight entrys to 178# since that is what I actually was as of Sept. 1. Today I'm sitting at 181# so I have gained 3 pounds the first week. I don't expect every week to be like that, or if they are, I will be bailing on this a lot sooner than the end of the year. Can't really picture myself at 226# although John made it all the way up to 231# but even he felt a little fat then. And he has a lot more muscle and dedication than me.

If you haven't already done it, please list your starting weight and the measurements that Rise did. If you have at least your weight for this week-end showing one week of bulking, list that as well. Still need to hear from some of you. I promise I will start keeping a better chart with this information. Good luck guys.

(Eman, have you started your SUP2 protocall yet?)

Yesterday, I weighted in at 186lbs. So up a pound. However, I think when I started I was actually 184lbs so maybe 2. I'll stick to the starting weight I gave though as not not complicate matters.

Yesterday's diet was awful though. I was at UFC 75 and it mainly consisted of beer, LOTS of beer. I didn't actually consume any food after about 5pm. Terrible, I know. I'm feeling it today as well. I'm not sure how this is going to effect my progress but it's probably not going to be good.

(Eman, have you started your SUP2 protocall yet?)


Hey carguy,

I sure have -- almost finished up with my second full week. I remember reading about Swolecat's legs days being brutal, and it was no joke. After my first leg day on SUP2 last week, I started going up the stairs in my house and made it up the first three before I just collapsed. Got back up, 4 steps later, same thing. Repeat one more time. Finally made it all the way up. Wow!

Just finished my second legs day today, and after the first 3 steps, bam, same thing. Thought for sure that was just a one-time thing as I got used to the new exercises/reps. Fortunately I made it up the rest of the way.. leaning on the bannister the whole way! Tomorrow's arms day, though, so alas I think I'll be sleeping on the couch downstairs.. ! :)

SUP2 is quite different from my old routine. Finding it hard to get the good kinds of carbs/protein I need to in the mornings, I'd never had oatmeal before in my life, and still can't really stand the stuff. But eating two servings of that and then getting a ton of protein.. eeek, hard to stuff that all down! Any good recommendations for morning protein besides omelets with ham/chicken/turkey? I'm consuming so much damn protein powder during the rest of the day that I definitely want to keep the main meals as close to "real" food as I can!

My starting weight's a bit skewed as it was the day after my birthday, during which a lot of ice cream cake was consumed.. ! So using a starting weight from a few days later, I've put on approximately 1.5-2 pounds. This is also my very first time using creatine. I was expecting bigger gains to be honest, based on other people saying they gained 3-4 pounds their first week using creatine, but I'm not gonna complain. So far I've gone up 5 pounds on every exercise this week compared to last, and that's the most important sign of progress really. Biggest personal improvement is going up to the 60 dumbbells for flat chest presses, pretty sure I can nail the 65's next week.. never imagined myself one day maxing out the rack (goes to 100's in the gym I'm using most of the time), but definitely feel like that'll be a possiblity in a few months.

One of the funniest things for me is looking back at my logs when I first started working out in December '06, I was basically doing nothing for weights on all my exercises, yet I remember thinking that they were all *so* hard. Guess it's just one of those things in life, you don't notice small changes while you're living/doing them, but when you look back, it's just shocking how far we've all come!

My first week of bulking was far from perfect, but I did gain about one or two pounds. I use an analog scale which doesn't really read very precisely, I'll buy a digital one this week. Note to myself: I also need to plan my meals AND to make sure I got all the supplies (food) in the house!

I've been measuring my sizes with a soft tape that I found in my wife's sewing kit, but I can't get constant results. Myotape's device doesn't seem to be available in Holland, I hope I can buy one in Manhattan when I'll be there in October.

I did get a pair of bodyfat calipers. Taking good measurements will take some training ... of my wife :lol: Because, having only two hands, I can't do them myself.

To wrap up my 'to do' list: I need to obtain my own home gym equipment ASAP. It will be so much easier to squeeze exercise into my schedule if I could do at least some of it at home. :)

Great work woodan, user, eman and DJ. Glad to see we all put on some weight the first week. What about the rest of your guys?

Eman, I'm envious of you on the SUP2. You're going to do great. I hope you measured your quads before you started because they are going to explode. The legs days are the hardest but do bring with them great results. Congrats on the increases in your lifts. I think my best on the flat press has been 55s so I'll try 60s today to see if I can do it.

I don't like oatmeal at all so I ground it up and put it in my shakes. For breakfast, I usually had egg whites and turkey bacon. I know what you mean about it being hard to get in all the protein.

Hey, rise. I just noticed it was your birthday today. Happy Birthday, man. Hope it's a great day. Be sure you eat a lot. Maybe even 4,000 calories.


thanks, Carguy! i appreciate it. i must admit, i probably got 4000 calories in today :nod: but... they weren't exactly "clean" :doh:

i swear, i'm back to the program today though. i even brought cereal & milk to work which is something i have NEVER done before :madpimp:

but before i ate all of that crap i found out i'm up 4 lbs. since i've started my bulk. with 34" waist & 12.5" biceps (+.25"!!!!)

I've been measuring my sizes with a soft tape that I found in my wife's sewing kit, but I can't get constant results. Myotape's device doesn't seem to be available in Holland, I hope I can buy one in Manhattan when I'll be there in October.

I bought my circumference measuring tape of ebay. It's not "myotape" but it looks exactly the same except it's metric and called "seca". I could only buy a box of 10 but it was cheap so I didn't really care. I can send you one if you would like seeing as I have 9 spare at the moment?

Been Eating Eating and more Eating Today!! knocked in over 4000kcals of clean wholesome food and some almonds and peanuts for snacks.

Try to stick around 3000day for the rest of the week.

Here is my first attempt at a chart. I'll try to do beter.
If I don't have a weight posted correctly, please let me
know. I'll add the other weights when you guys stop
stuffing your faces long enough to post your results.

Heh, sorry! *chomp* I was 154lbs at the end of last week.

I bought my circumference measuring tape of ebay. It's not "myotape" but it looks exactly the same except it's metric and called "seca". I could only buy a box of 10 but it was cheap so I didn't really care. I can send you one if you would like seeing as I have 9 spare at the moment?
Thanks for the kind offer! :)

Transferring money to the UK could be a pain though. I'll check ebay first to see if I can find the Seca and if I do I'll order them directly. Metric would be even better for me. :cool:

Thanks again, Woodan!

Yesterday's workout went great. It seemed like I had more strength than one week ago for I had a blast on most exercises. Could well be the extra calories and/or the creatine. Nice!

Hey carguy, I need to adjust my starting weight as I'm using a new scale now, and doing it consistently first thing in the mornings when I do my LISS cardio so it will be most consistent. Also have to factor in the birthday meal and cake.. so I'm using 3 days into my SUP2 program as my starting weight, 169.5. Current weight this morning is 172.4. Don't remember ever gaining weight this quickly, wonder how long it'll keep up for! :) Figure I'll send up pics every 2 weeks as I send them to SwoleCat, so here they are (with newly shaved chest, much easier to see pec development, and sure looks better!)

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/9122/20070911074301photo72ii8.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/6971/20070911074400photo73jq8.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9926/20070911074248photo71gj6.jpg

Looking good, Eman. You're right, you look better with your lawn mowed. I think SUP2 will work wonders for you.

User, taking in over 4,000 calories per day, I'm surprised your fingers aren't too chubby to type in your updates.:lol:

Rise, congrats on your growth so far. The last two times I bulked I found that I was able to hold on to most of the growth I achieved in my arms and just keep going from there. Before I started working out, my arms were a measly 11.75" and now I'm knocking on 15" and am confident I will go over that on this bulk.

Woodan, you'll be happy with the MyoTape. I'm already on my second one and it makes measuring so much easier and more accurate. Mine came with some cheap plastic calipers which I have never learned how to use.

DJ, more stength will help you do better in all aspects of this bulk. Keep up the good work.

Buster, you and Rise get to share the porker of the week award for gaining 4 pounds each.:eat: Keep up the good work but know when to put on the brakes.

Here's the chart with some updates. I still need numbers from some of you (you know who you are).

Also a pic of my back which also shows my love handles starting to make an appearance. I may have started off this bulk with a little too much gusto. A trainer I know warned me to take it slow. It's just that once you get into the bulk mindset you just want to eat and eat and eat and grow bigger. "Who cares about that pudge showing up around my waist, look at my arms!":bb: Oh well, he's right. I know I should not be gaining more than 2 pounds a week. But it will probably even itself out.

What sort of workouts are you guys doing? I started ABBH but the antagonistic exercises aren't practical with just a barbell.

I'd like to either do a 3 day full body program or a 4 day upper/lower split. The main areas I'd like to work on are my legs, back and chest. I love compound exercises so I'm up for plenty of squats, DLs, rows, presses.

I just want to get something finalised so that I can start charting my progress properly. I'm a bit all over the place at the moment.

Buster, you and Rise get to share the porker of the week award for gaining 4 pounds each.:eat: Keep up the good work but know when to put on the brakes.

NEVER! :spaz: Haha, just kidding.

As for your little lovehandles, I developed those a bit too in my first week...I think it must be the sudden upping of calories from the norm that causes some excess fat gain in the first week or two. I don't mind it. Neither should you, that's a really good shot of your back - ripped and pretty big too. The outrageous weight gain is starting to level out now though, and I certainly won't be gaining 4lbs this week :D

What sort of workouts are you guys doing? I started ABBH but the antagonistic exercises aren't practical with just a barbell.

I'd like to either do a 3 day full body program or a 4 day upper/lower split. The main areas I'd like to work on are my legs, back and chest. I love compound exercises so I'm up for plenty of squats, DLs, rows, presses.

I just want to get something finalised so that I can start charting my progress properly. I'm a bit all over the place at the moment.

I'm doing a 3x/week, low rep strength programme at the moment. The idea is to jack up the strength so when it comes to changing to a muscle-building 8-10 reps in 2-3 weeks time, I'll be pulling heavier weights. I'll be working out 4x/week then too.

How about the rest of you guys?

What sort of workouts are you guys doing?

I'd love to share, but SwoleCat is one big mother******.. no way I'm gonna cross him! :) I think it's okay to say that I am doing 4 days of lifting and 3 days of cardio, and I freaking love the PWO shake, it took a while for my dextrose to come in so I was using a mixture of Nerds, Gobstoppers, SweetTarts and Smarties - yummm. I felt like a kid again snacking on those, and knowing that it's what I was *supposed* to be doing! :)

The exercise routine seemed easy at first, but by the end of the week it all adds up and I was barely moving.. getting a bit more used to it now and still making good gains on most of my lifts, just hope it keeps going at this rate!

Carguy, how did your 60's DB chest presses go?

Carguy, how did your 60's DB chest presses go?

Well, not too bad. I was able to do my first set with the 60s, then did the next two with 55s and finished with 50s. But as I was doing it, it struck me as kind of funny that when I first started out, I bought a set of adjustable 40# dumbbells and I had to have the kid from the store load them in my trunk because I couldn't lift them into my trunk.:lol:

User, taking in over 4,000 calories per day, I'm surprised your fingers aren't too chubby to type in your updates.:lol:

.


Its all about the milk...im knocking down 3 litres a day now...my wife said im gonna turn into a cow soon if i carry on like this :lol:

What sort of workouts are you guys doing? I
im new to this game (about 4th week in) so am not following any particular program at the moment just doing 3x week learning
the compound movements ie squats deads miltary press bench ...just allowing my body to adapt ..have been increasing my weights weekly...



Im gonna have a tough 30 days soon as i will be doing fasting each day for around 13 hours...so im gonna be sleeping more in day and eating throughout the night.its gonna be interesting to see how this will
affect my process.


Better go my Steaks are ready:drool:

i'm only lifting 3x/week, but it seems to be working! For anyone who's interested, you can find my workout as suggested by Mastover, here: http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=38521

As for the 4lb. gain, i actually did that over the course of 2 weeks since i started my bulk a bit earlier than you guys so really buster is the champ, but thanks for the acknowledgment anyway :D

I think 2lbs/week is fantastic, and as of last night i measured my arms at a whopping 12.75" while my waist stayed at 34" :madpimp: i can actually notice the difference in my arms visually which i never though would be the case... more amazing to me is the fact that my mid section looks better than it ever has! i don't know if that will continue to be the case over the next couple of months as we continue to bulk, but for now i'm quite happy.

the biggest problem i'm having is finding time to keep eating... and remembering to eat even when i'm not hungry. i'm slowly getting used to it but it is tough! i also notice that if i eat crap, i feel like complete sh!t so my bulk is getting cleaner as we go.

Bring on the eats! :eat:

I'm glad everyone else is doing well. I've actually dropped back to my starting weight. :confused:

I'm glad everyone else is doing well. I've actually dropped back to my starting weight. :confused:

Don't worry about it. It's only mid-week and you could have it back and then some by the week-end.

VirtualAdrian and others, we need your 1 week progress weight.

I best go an eat some more then.

I'm glad everyone else is doing well. I've actually dropped back to my starting weight. :confused:

seems a bit strange (ur scales not playin up)since uve been eatin good (except for the beer night!!) how often u measuring as i normally weigh once a week at the same time..due to fluctuations.

I should do that but I can't help myself and will step on them each morning. The funniest thing about this morning was I woke up, went to the bathroon and did my business, then weighed myself. I was 187. Went back to bed for an hour or 2, tried again and I was 185. If I could somehow work out how I did that and market it I could be the richest man on the planet!

Well, not too bad. I was able to do my first set with the 60s, then did the next two with 55s and finished with 50s. But as I was doing it, it struck me as kind of funny that when I first started out, I bought a set of adjustable 40# dumbbells and I had to have the kid from the store load them in my trunk because I couldn't lift them into my trunk.:lol:

Hehe yeah, I know what you mean. I remember back in March or April when I maxed out the 40lb dumbbells my parents had at their house where I was working out at the beginning of the year, I went out and got 45s and 50s, figuring I'd never get past those. My Dad went down to the "gym" and saw them and thought I was crazy for thinking I could use those at some point. Needless to say, I'm definitely glad I don't have to buy any more dumbbells now that I'm working out at a real gym that goes up to 100s!

Glad you got to hit the 60s, I'm sure you'll be doing your full sets with them in no time.

Hmm, I've dropped back to 153 (I started at 150.5 and was at 153.5 at the end of last week). It's funny because I was at 155 just the day before yesterday.

I guess it just shows how much water weight, empty/full stomach and other factors contribute. So what I'm going to look for instead of a day-to-day increase is just a trend.

And of course, I'll eat some more :eat:

I guess it just shows how much water weight, empty/full stomach and other factors contribute. So what I'm going to look for instead of a day-to-day increase is just a trend.


Here's a little trick I've devised to help me see how much weight I'm really gaining/losing. As I'm on a rather regimented diet plan with SUP2, I'm eating almost the exact same thing and exercising the same way on a particular day of every week, so what I calculate is a weight difference from, say, Monday of one week to the Monday of the following week, and compare that to the results for two Tuesdays, two Wednesdays, etc. This gets rid of the day-to-day inconsistencies and gives you a good idea of how much weight you've really gained. If it fits in with the way you're eating/working out, give it a shot rather than going mad looking at the scale each day! :)

its time for bed for me, and i'm stuffed. i've been stuffed all day. man bulking is gluttonous.

its time for bed for me, and i'm stuffed. i've been stuffed all day. man bulking is gluttonous.

Just think how you'll feel four months from now having done it every day.

I agree about bedtime now. Gotta get up at 5 to work out. Leg day. Yuck.:cry:

Work has been getting in the way, so I'm at a measely 154lbs still. I haven't been hitting the weights so I don't want to eat until I do, otherwise its just fat.

The rest of this month is looking good as far as work volume goes. I hope I get back into the groove soon!

Leg day for me also today. 5x10 squats! Almost made me sick when I did this last week plus there is a 5% weight increase. I wonder if I'll manage all of them. Better get a big breakfast down to give me plenty of energy.

omg, that's a tough work out. I don't know if it's the intense workout or my PWO shake or both but I felt like I was going to puke after this one again! I literally had to go and chill out in my bathroom for 5 minutes afterwards wondering with the shake was going to come back up. Fortunately, it didn't. Now I feel fine and am tucking into a big bowl of wholewheat pasta and tuna.

I just performed 5x10x72.5kg squats. That's meant to be 65% of my 1RM. Next week I am meant to go up to 70% which will be 79kg. I can either round that to 77.5kg or 80kg. Now a scary though is that only a month and a half ago I starting squatting properly and 3x5x80kg is what I started at and that was hard! Now I'll be looking 5x10x80kg. I'm actually quite scared! :eek:

John's latest 'news' entry is pretty interesting! :)

Here's the link in case you missed it:

http://www.johnstonefitness.com/news/sep_2007_news_archive.php#09122007

omg, that's a tough work out. I don't know if it's the intense workout or my PWO shake or both but I felt like I was going to puke after this one again! I literally had to go and chill out in my bathroom for 5 minutes afterwards wondering with the shake was going to come back up. Fortunately, it didn't. Now I feel fine and am tucking into a big bowl of wholewheat pasta and tuna.

I just performed 5x10x72.5kg squats. That's meant to be 65% of my 1RM. Next week I am meant to go up to 70% which will be 79kg. I can either round that to 77.5kg or 80kg. Now a scary though is that only a month and a half ago I starting squatting properly and 3x5x80kg is what I started at and that was hard! Now I'll be looking 5x10x80kg. I'm actually quite scared! :eek:
Hats off and a deep bow! :tucool:

I do Smith machine squats 3x10@ 60kg and that's pretty much all I can handle right now. Right after that I do 3x10 lunges each side at 40 kg. Then I finish it off with 3x10 inclined leg press @80 kg. Did that last Tuesday and I'm sore as hell now :lol:

Growing up the only 2 things I did for exercise were skateboarding and BMXing. Both of which pretty much only train your legs. Skateboarding especially as all you do all day is jump up and down. Maybe that has something to do with my legs being fairly strong now while the rest of my body is pathetic.

Here is a pic of me 12 years ago:

http://fitness.danielwood.co.uk/images/bigollie.jpg

have you guys tried doing the breathing squat yet? its in the workout mastover gave me... its pretty hard! basically you do 20 reps with 5 deep breaths between each rep so you end up standing there with the weight on your shoulders for what ends up being a few (five?) minutes. your whole body burns and you feel dizzy and you want to put it down but you can't because you need to get 20 reps in 1 shot. it works though, i'm already past what used to be my max 10 rep weight in less than a month by 20 lbs! i go up 5lbs/workout which adds up quick since i have to do them 2x/week.

have you guys tried doing the breathing squat yet? its in the workout mastover gave me... its pretty hard! basically you do 20 reps with 5 deep breaths between each rep so you end up standing there with the weight on your shoulders for what ends up being a few (five?) minutes. your whole body burns and you feel dizzy and you want to put it down but you can't because you need to get 20 reps in 1 shot. it works though, i'm already past what used to be my max 10 rep weight in less than a month by 20 lbs! i go up 5lbs/workout which adds up quick since i have to do them 2x/week.


Crikey, those sound intense. Towards the end of my 5x10 I end up having to take a few deep breaths just before I think I'd faint if I didn't. Something I'll have to try in the future.

What percentage of your 1RM did you start at?

have you guys tried doing the breathing squat yet?.

yep . Tennisball suggested i try them to help improve my cardio...
they are HARD my heart rate goes through the roof!! and thats only using light weights!!

yep . Tennisball suggested i try them to help improve my cardio...
they are HARD my heart rate goes through the roof!! and thats only using light weights!!
That's one of the reasons I'll be building my home gym in the next few months. My commercial gym is pretty crowded and I don't feel comfortable going flat out with the risk that I'll collapse with so many spectators:o

I tried something different on my squats today. I've been doing
205# x 6 reps x 4 sets
Today I did
155# x 15 reps x 4 sets

Do any of you know if there is more of a benefit of one style over the other? Is there and legitimacy in adding up the total weight moved? In the first case, it as 4,920 lbs. and in the second it is 9,300 lbs. Would one be better at incresing strength and maybe one better at increasing muscle size? This is done on a squat rack (not Smith) and they are conventional back squats.

Crikey, those sound intense. Towards the end of my 5x10 I end up having to take a few deep breaths just before I think I'd faint if I didn't. Something I'll have to try in the future.

What percentage of your 1RM did you start at?

on my first try i used something like 95lbs just to get the feel for them, but going that light didn't do them justice. i started doing them for real at 120lbs and my max at the time was 145 (weak, i know). so i guess that's about 80%? i don't really know how the whole RM thing works really so i'm semi-guessing. i'm up to 165lbs now and they are brutal at that.

on my first try i used something like 95lbs just to get the feel for them, but going that light didn't do them justice. i started doing them for real at 120lbs and my max at the time was 145 (weak, i know). so i guess that's about 80%? i don't really know how the whole RM thing works really so i'm semi-guessing. i'm up to 165lbs now and they are brutal at that.

Damn! That works out just heavier than what I did today. How many sets was that?

I tried something different on my squats today. I've been doing
205# x 6 reps x 4 sets
Today I did
155# x 15 reps x 4 sets

Do any of you know if there is more of a benefit of one style over the other? Is there and legitimacy in adding up the total weight moved? In the first case, it as 4,920 lbs. and in the second it is 9,300 lbs. Would one be better at incresing strength and maybe one better at increasing muscle size? This is done on a squat rack (not Smith) and they are conventional back squats.

as far as i know, the higher weight-lower volume are better for bulking purposes. the 15 rep ones are more for cutting since the low reps tend to tone rather than pack on the muscle. i would ask that someone with more experience chime in if these "rules" are different when it comes to squatting because i wouldn't know that.

all of my bulking weights are very very heavy but i only do about 2 sets at 8-10 reps (in most cases, i don't make it that far). so when i did 75s DB bench for the first time i did 1x8 followed by 1x3 since that's all i could manage and my program tells me to stop after that and repeat the same weight for the next week where my rep capacity has so far, always increased. this seems to be working for me.

maybe if mastover is reading this thread he could supply you with some more info :whistle:

Damn! That works out just heavier than what I did today. How many sets was that?

you do only 1 set. trust me, you don't want to do more than 1 set (you'll understand why after you do them :evil:)

Here is the chart updated with everything I have so far. The weight drops were pretty contagious this week and I was not exempted. I was down two pounds today and dipped below 180 once again. I tried to eat a lot today to make up and we'll see if it made any difference. The only good part about it was I didn't feel so bloated today and my pants fit better.:lol:

If you guys would be so kind, if it's not already listed in your signature, would you list your height? It makes the numbers make more sense. I'll incorporate it into the chart.

Arms day tomorrow. Can't wait (my favorite). I love seeing and feeling my biceps grow a solid inch in just 45 minutes.:bb:

The weight drops were pretty contagious this week and I was not exempted.

If you guys would be so kind, if it's not already listed in your signature, would you list your height? It makes the numbers make more sense. I'll incorporate it into the chart.


Shoot, now you have me all nervous about losing weight, too! Will find out Sat morning for certain and report back. Time to go stuff down some dinner to help make sure I keep up!

Just added my height to my profile -- I'm 6'1". Thanks for tracking everyone's results Carguy, appreciate it!

Well yesterday, after a day of eating a lot, the difference between my morning weight and night weight was 5# !!!! So, I guess I got it back.:lol:

Here is the chart updated with everything I have so far. The weight drops were pretty contagious this week and I was not exempted. I was down two pounds today and dipped below 180 once again. I tried to eat a lot today to make up and we'll see if it made any difference. The only good part about it was I didn't feel so bloated today and my pants fit better.:lol:

If you guys would be so kind, if it's not already listed in your signature, would you list your height? It makes the numbers make more sense. I'll incorporate it into the chart.

Arms day tomorrow. Can't wait (my favorite). I love seeing and feeling my biceps grow a solid inch in just 45 minutes.:bb:

I put my weight loss down to dehydration after the weekend of drinking beer. I made sure that I drank plenty of water yesterday, around 5-6 litres. Today I just weighed in at 187lbs. So I'm back on track.

Eman, don't worry about it. I'm sure Chris has you right on track.

Woodan, glad you're back on track.

Like I said, I love arms day. And this pic shows why. By the time I leave the gym, I feel like Superman. Of course, by the time I get to work, I'm back to being Clark Kent. This pic was taken into a mirror and I was surprised to see I caught my forearm in the shot. Shows all my veins though. Lovin' the pump.

lookin good carguy!

is there any worth in measuring your forearms? as of now i only measure my bicep and waist. any other areas i should be checking up on?

lookin good carguy!

is there any worth in measuring your forearms? as of now i only measure my bicep and waist. any other areas i should be checking up on?

I'd say chest and thigh were essential. I like to measure calves too.

Thanks, Rise. I do measure and keep track of my forearms, but to be honest, they rarely change. They've been stuck at 11.75" for over a year. Plus, I have tiny wrists (7") but I am having luck increasing the size of my upper arms, biceps and shoulders.

I know some guys who are otherwise thin and have huge forearms, so it may be genetic too.

The measurements I consider key are:

Chest
Waist (Abdomen)
Flexed Arm
Shoulder
Thigh

I keep track of my neck too but only because I used to be such a pencil-neck (13.75") but am now a respectable 16.25".

ah you do flexed bicep? i do bent but little to no flex but i guess i should start keeping track while flexed - that makes more sense, i think.

where do you guys measure chest? under armpits? and do you measure that flexed or unflexed?

i wouldn't bother measuring my calves since they are pitifully small, and will probably always remain that way. also, i think my wrists are only 6-7" as well but my forearms have progressed since i've started working out. that said, they probably won't get much larger much like my calves.

For your biceps, you could almost keep track of three measurements. (1) Cold, unflexed, unpumped. Basically, your arm at your side measuring the circumference around the bicep. Then, (2) your arm raised and flexed making a muscle but cold. Lastly, (3) the same thing but pumped after a work out. In my case, the numbers are 13", 14.5" and 15.5".

My forearms have grown an inch since I started but that was mostly early growth and they aren't growing any more. Wrists will never change. And like you, I have had a little growth in the calf & they will probably not grow any bigger.:(

Chest is measured aroung the nipple, under the armpits. I do it flexed but it doesn't really matter as long as you're consistant. Mine is 39" unflexed and 41" flexed.

If you're not yet measuring your shoulders, I would recommend this. I have seen a lot of growth here and it is what leads to the V shape. Measure around the widest part with your arms at your side. I think that measurement has gone up 7" since I started while my waist has gone down 5". That's a 12" swing which is why the V gets more pronounced.:)

Ok this weeks weigh in ...after around 25000 calories of clean food i gained only 1lb!! so upto 156 . when i used to eat the cookies and pizzas i could gain 3lb-4lb in a night..clean bulking is harder than i thought!!:lol:

hmmm... my newbie gains are over i suppose. this week i'm at 148.2lbs, a whopping .2 lbs gain. i guess keep my weight at 148 for the time being. i need to step up the eating big time. maybe its time for me to start really logging my intake in fitday to make sure i'm getting 3000/day.

I committed the cardinal sin in bulking this week-end, I got sick. On Friday night I could tell I was coming down with a cold and by Saturday I felt terrible. I didn't go to the gym all week-end and my meals were not good. Consequently, I lost two pounds so I am back down to 179. The only good thing about this is that it occurred early in my bulk. In my first bulk I got sick right toward the end and I almost gave up but did eventually get back to it and met my goal, although one month later.

I committed the cardinal sin in bulking this week-end, I got sick. On Friday night I could tell I was coming down with a cold and by Saturday I felt terrible. I didn't go to the gym all week-end and my meals were not good. Consequently, I lost two pounds so I am back down to 179. The only good thing about this is that it occurred early in my bulk. In my first bulk I got sick right toward the end and I almost gave up but did eventually get back to it and met my goal, although one month later.

Same happened with me. Saturday morning all was looking good again as I weighed in at 187, but Sunday I felt awful and was in bed all day. I couldn't stomach food so I only managed to get down a couple of shakes. This morning I weighed 182. I think this again made have a lot to do with the fact I barely drank any water yesterday. I was mean't to be doing my deadlift workout today but my back feels soft where I spent so long lying down yesterday and I don't think it would be a good idea putting that much strain on it. It might have to wait until tomorrow.

Sad to hear about the sickness guys. When are you planning to get back on the horse? Don't rush it, wouldn't want you to prolong illness.

The last few days have been fine for me, but earlier in the week I was getting lazy and substituting far too many meals for shakes. So I don't think I'll have gained much this week, if at all. It's weigh in for me tonight, so we'll see.

A quick few questions for all you bulkers...

Do you do direct abs work? Before, I was relying on squats, deads, etc to strengthen my core. But after doing an ab exercise yesterday, I realise my abs were weaker than before, so I think I'm going to start working them directly too...

Also, do you do direct arms work? I always thought you could bulk up your arms without direct arms work, but have realised my arms are 0.5" down now from when I was working them directly. I think I'm just going to add one short bicep and one short tricep exercise to my routine.

As at this morning my weight is about 94 kg ( ~ 207 lb).

I will take some measurements first thing tomorrow morning.

A quick few questions for all you bulkers...

Do you do direct abs work? Before, I was relying on squats, deads, etc to strengthen my core. But after doing an ab exercise yesterday, I realise my abs were weaker than before, so I think I'm going to start working them directly too...

Also, do you do direct arms work? I always thought you could bulk up your arms without direct arms work, but have realised my arms are 0.5" down now from when I was working them directly. I think I'm just going to add one short bicep and one short tricep exercise to my routine.


i do abs 1-2x a week, but not much... i do 3x20 crunches and that's it. this seems to be working fine for me since i haven't noticed my abs being any weaker than before and my core definitely feels stronger, overall. For arms, i do direct bicep work via curls and indirectly through rows & chinups. tri's are getting worked through bench and weighted dips, but no direct tricep work. my arms have gotten bigger since starting so i can't say whether or not this is ideal, but it is most certainly doing something.

hope this helps!

Do you do direct abs work?

I sometimes do some abs exercises at the end of my leg workout if time permits, but it's not a high priority.

Also, do you do direct arms work?

I do shoulders and arms in the same workout.

Just reporting in with my week 2 weight (is it that time?) 155.5lbs

I think it's going to be hard to get beyond this for me, and will take extra effort planning meals...

Do you do direct abs work? Before, I was relying on squats, deads, etc to strengthen my core. But after doing an ab exercise yesterday, I realise my abs were weaker than before, so I think I'm going to start working them directly too...
You're quantifying weakness based on an unrelated movement. Just because your abs are weaker at doing crunches, etc. doesn't mean they're weaker at bracing your midsection during squats and deadlifts. That's not to say that dynamic movements like crunches are unimportant, but, ultimately, they're not what determines your supporting strength.

Just jumping in here for a second. :)

Some measurements this morning:

Waist at naval: 36.5"

Upper arm: 16"

Chest: 41.5"

Forearm: 13"

Thigh: 24.5"

Calf: 16.5"

You're quantifying weakness based on an unrelated movement. Just because your abs are weaker at doing crunches, etc. doesn't mean they're weaker at bracing your midsection during squats and deadlifts. That's not to say that dynamic movements like crunches are unimportant, but, ultimately, they're not what determines your supporting strength.

Just jumping in here for a second. :)

True, true. I guess I just felt bad at not being able to crunch the weight I used to!

Hi everyone,

Carguy fetched me from my last bulking thread (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?p=526957#post526957). I was going to put this off until after my exam mid-October, but I've decided I can't wait, so I'm hopping into this now -- if you will have me.

As of this morning I was 170lbs.

There is a figure (185) that I've been aiming for, but never quite made. I was 2 or 3 pounds away at one point and then I slipped all the way down to the mid 160s. I'm not sure if this was my body being ectomorphic, or if I simply got distracted with other things, but I just could never get back there no matter how hard I thought I was trying.

But I will not be defeated. This is my goal. 185lbs. I will conquer this #.

I'm running roughly 5 times per week at the moment. I'm not going to stop for this bulk, because I just need that kind of exercise right now. But it will make it harder.

And I'm trying something new. After every 5lbs gained, I'm going to take a week off at maintenance. Perhaps this will help my body, but I'm mainly doing it because it is mentally exhausting to think about food all the time, week in week out.

Welcome to our newest bulker, although he is no stranger to bulking, Reeze. Reeze and I go way back to a bulking challenge in 2005. I know his heart is in it but he'll need all our our help to meet his goal of 185# (that is still the plan, isn't it Reeze?). You know everyone is going to tell you that running 5 times a week is counter-productive to a bulk, but as long as your willing to compensate for it, eat away.

Here is the updated chart with all the info I have. If you have a blank anywhere, please post an update. A lot of us had a rough Week 2 so here's hoping for a better Week 3. (Except for you Philph, you seem to be gaining quite readily).

Ignore the start date of Oct. 1, I meant Sept. 1.

Welcome aboard Reeze. The more the merrier I say.

I think after my weekend set back my numbers are going to be looking good this week. While changing earlier I caught myself in the mirror and actually noticed that I looked bigger. Not necessarily since the start of this bulk, but certainly since I started training. This is the first time I've really noticed it.

Now I'm almost looking forward to my killer squat day tomorrow. Fortunately I get to do it a little later in the day so I should have had plenty of food to fuel me. The 2 previous weeks I've had to do them early after just my breakfast. Hopefully, I won't feel sick after again.

Woohoo! Weighed 158lbs at the gym today! Can't believe I'm close to 160 when a few months ago I was a measely 137. I'm sure some is water weight, but we'll see when it's my proper weigh-in time at the end of the week.

I don't know how many of you have previously weighed more than you do now (i.e. if you've been through the bulking/cutting cycle before), but it feels great being the heaviest I've ever been - each week! :D:bb:

Woohoo! Weighed 158lbs at the gym today! Can't believe I'm close to 160 when a few months ago I was a measely 137. I'm sure some is water weight, but we'll see when it's my proper weigh-in time at the end of the week.

I don't know how many of you have previously weighed more than you do now (i.e. if you've been through the bulking/cutting cycle before), but it feels great being the heaviest I've ever been - each week! :D:bb:


I've weighed a lot more than this in the past. It wasn't down to muscle though.

While changing earlier I caught myself in the mirror and actually noticed that I looked bigger.

That's cool, woodan. Proves your hard work is paying off. Wait 'till you catch a glance of yourself in the mirror and think "what is my head doing on that guy's buff body?".

Woohoo! Weighed 158lbs at the gym today! Can't believe I'm close to 160 when a few months ago I was a measely 137. I'm sure some is water weight, but we'll see when it's my proper weigh-in time at the end of the week.

I don't know how many of you have previously weighed more than you do now (i.e. if you've been through the bulking/cutting cycle before), but it feels great being the heaviest I've ever been - each week!

The first bulk is sort of like a first kiss or first date. It's exciting to see the numbers go up and feel and see your body growing. This isn't my first bulk so I have weighed this much before but the first time it was exciting. Just don't get ecarried away watching the numbers go all the way up to 210!:eek:

The first bulk is sort of like a first kiss or first date. It's exciting to see the numbers go up and feel and see your body growing. This isn't my first bulk so I have weighed this much before but the first time it was exciting. Just don't get ecarried away watching the numbers go all the way up to 210!:eek:


My numbers are up and down like a yoyo. Yesterday was good, was up to 188 but when I went to bed after eating constantly all day (it seemed) I was still 188 and woke up at 186.

After writing this I think I've entered my weights wrong thus far. My scales measure in stone and pounds. I started at 13 2 which is 184 but I think I keep putting 18*2* because of the 13 *2*. Or maybe I have got it right and yesterday I was at my heaviest. I'm getting myself confused now. I wonder if I can set my scales to pounds only.

Edit: Ok, the chart is right. I'm just confusing myself.

This isn't my first bulk so I have weighed this much before but the first time it was exciting.

Hi Carguy..out of interest how long did your previous bulk last and what
kind of gains did you make?

don't know how many of you have previously weighed more than you do now [...] but it feels great being the heaviest I've ever been - each week! :D:bb:

Yeah, I remember that. It was a great feeling, especially since I'd never actually been anything other than skinny. Right now though, I'm quite a few pounds short of that max weight. It's still motivating, but in a negative reinforcement kind of way.

Right now I have a bit of a stomach ache, which is not a great way to start bulking! I think it's because I drank a glass of milk recently; so I should just be able to eat my way out of it. I must learn to avoid glasses of milk. I'm at 169 this morning, but I think that's because I'm dehydrated from this stomach ache.

Thank you for the welcomes.

carguy, i'm still at 148 this week.

on another note, i've caught the stomach bug it seems and although i ordered a ton of chinese food last night, i didn't get to eat any. infact, i haven't eaten since about 4pm yesterday. but i'm starting to feel better now and after i have a light breakfast today i'll be back in full swing hopefully.

Edit: Ok, the chart is right. I'm just confusing myself.

Not to mention us.:lol:

Hi Carguy..out of interest how long did your previous bulk last and what
kind of gains did you make?

My first bulk was from the summer of '05 to March '06 (about 8 months) and I went from about 155# to 190" (gain of 35 pounds). After that I lost 10 pounds almost immediately after stopping the bulk and started SGX when I was at 178#. Went down to 163# and was really cut. The next bulk was only about 20 pounds and six months, going from 165# to 185#. That's why this bulk is a particular challenge to me since I am starting at a relatively heavy weight (for me)(178#) and a 20 pound gain is going to have me knocking on the 200# door, which I know is only a number, but it sounds HUGE to me. We'll see if I can make it (and if I will be able to take how I look at that weight :eek:).

I don't know how many of you have previously weighed more than you do now (i.e. if you've been through the bulking/cutting cycle before), but it feels great being the heaviest I've ever been - each week! :D:bb:

At my heaviest and fattest, I was above 105 kg (~ 231 lb), and probably sometimes in the 240 - 250 lb range. That was all fat, and was "ample" proof that even someone with a supposedly ectomorphic underpinning (long narrow bones, nervous disposition and thin when young) can get rapidly obese through lousy diet and lack of exercise.

At my lightest since then, I was about 74 kg (~163 lb). This was still above my alleged "ideal weight", but I was lacking in muscle and felt like a walking skeleton.

After experiencing both those extremes, I understood that my preferred body state would be big and muscular. In fact, one very major landmark for me will be to have the same weight as when I was at my fattest, but still to be notably lean. Something in my obstinate nature makes me want to visit my doctor and challenge her to prove that having equal BMI to those obese times means that my health is equally as bad as then. (This challenge would have the dramatic twist that my doc will not be allowed to just point at the BMI chart and say "but as you can see, you are beyond the red line which proves you are badly off.")

Right now I am very roughly midway between my minimum and my old maximum.

knocking on the 200# door, which I know is only a number, but it sounds HUGE to me. We'll see if I can make it (and if I will be able to take how I look at that weight :eek:).

200lb Carguy:cool:....thats gonna be something to see ...you,ll be as big as BigD..:D

200lb Carguy:cool:....thats gonna be something to see ...you,ll be as big as BigD..:D

Yeah, but he's fat now.;)

Right, I've just finished my last 5x10 squat day on ABBH. I managed to complete all my sets again and even recorded a little video of my last squats set (10x77.5kg) for your viewing pleasure, it will be on youtube shortly. So you can all watch me struggle with my final reps. I mean, critique my form.

Since setting up my home workout space I am really noticing that my cardio is awful again. The biggest problem during that last workout was that I was constantly trying to catch my breath. I didn't feel sick this time though like I have done on this particular day in the past which was obviously nice.

Right, time to get some food down, I'm drained.

Right, I've just finished my last 5x10 squat day on ABBH. I managed to complete all my sets again and even recorded a little video of my last squats set (10x77.5kg) for your viewing pleasure, it will be on youtube shortly. So you can all watch me struggle with my final reps. I mean, critique my form.

Since setting up my home workout space I am really noticing that my cardio is awful again. The biggest problem during that last workout was that I was constantly trying to catch my breath. I didn't feel sick this time though like I have done on this particular day in the past which was obviously nice.

Right, time to get some food down, I'm drained.

Next time I'll put a shirt on to spare you the shot of my pale, hairy belly at the end ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iVb41ojPeo

You might want to turn your speakers down as well as my music was playing right next to the camera and has come out really loud.

Not to mention us.:lol:

I found a switch on my scales which has set it to pounds so there is no chance of me confusing myself or anyone else now. Wearing my shorts earlier I weight, 189lbs!

The first bulk is sort of like a first kiss or first date. It's exciting to see the numbers go up and feel and see your body growing. This isn't my first bulk so I have weighed this much before but the first time it was exciting. Just don't get ecarried away watching the numbers go all the way up to 210!

Is it easier to put on weight the first time? I would've thought the more muscle you have and the more weight you're pushing, the quicker you could pack on muscle (up to a certain point)?

As for getting carried away, I'm actually thinking my belly is growing a little too fast at the moment. I wouldn't want to cut my bulk short though. What would you suggest? Maybe I should make sure I only eat strictly clean from now on, i.e. no dirty bulking?

Right now I have a bit of a stomach ache, which is not a great way to start bulking! I think it's because I drank a glass of milk recently; so I should just be able to eat my way out of it. I must learn to avoid glasses of milk.

What's wrong with milk - are you lactose intolerant? I drink milk throughout the day as part of my bulk...

That's why this bulk is a particular challenge to me since I am starting at a relatively heavy weight (for me)(178#) and a 20 pound gain is going to have me knocking on the 200# door, which I know is only a number, but it sounds HUGE to me.

Maybe it's starting to dawn on you that you're actually pretty stacked already!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iVb41ojPeo

Looked pretty brutal, good work. I thought I went deep into my squats, but obviously not enough so!

Looked pretty brutal, good work. I thought I went deep into my squats, but obviously not enough so!

That's funny as I thought I was going deeper until I saw the video. I think I could get a few inches lower. I also thought I was pausing for breath longer, it's like time stands still with the weight on your back.

Hey Carguy, I've been stuck at the same weight most of the week, give or take a tenth of a pound, so still at 172 for now. One night after eating my second big PWO I was 174.9 which was really heavy for me, 'course it was all gone by the next morning's weigh-in.

I seem to actually be losing some fat while bulking with SUP2. Chris said that I'm probably just one of those lucky guys that can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. We'll see how things pan out in the long-term!

Off to Vegas for the weekend, going to pack a crapload of chicken, rice, veggies, dextrose, protein powder and creatine and try to limit myself to one cheat meal, shouldn't be too hard to still have a good time there. Anyone got recommendations for a good place to pig out there? Going to check out Ka on Saturday, been wanting to see it since my first visit to Vegas and finally going to get to, I'm excited :)

What would you suggest? Maybe I should make sure I only eat strictly clean from now on, i.e. no dirty bulking?

A big YES to eating clean. If you do that, and are still gaining too fast, just eat slightly less that you are now. But eating clean should be a priority. In fact, I'd say it's more important than exercise.


What's wrong with milk - are you lactose intolerant? I drink milk throughout the day as part of my bulk...

Yes, I do appear to be. It's really annoying because I love milk and it really does help with bulking; which is why I get tempted. But I always regret it.

Yeah, but he's fat now.;)
We can rumble if you want. I can barely walk right now, but it's on!

Is it easier to put on weight the first time?

From my own experience, I would say yes.

Maybe it's starting to dawn on you that you're actually pretty stacked already!

That has crossed my mind. But then I think I've got years of training left ahead. If I think I've done as much as I can, I might lose motivation. I figure I can always use a flatter stomach, a bigger chest, bigger arms, etc.

I found a switch on my scales which has set it to pounds so there is no chance of me confusing myself or anyone else now. Wearing my shorts earlier I weight, 189lbs!

Not bad, Woodan. And I agree your squats were very deep. I get about as low as your first one but then you kept getting deeper. What weight in pounds were you doing?

I seem to actually be losing some fat while bulking with SUP2. Chris said that I'm probably just one of those lucky guys that can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. We'll see how things pan out in the long-term!


Eman, that would be great if that lasts throughout your bulk. Since you are the only professional in our bunch, I'm expecting a lot out of you.

Have fun in Las Vegas. My co-worker has been there all week and he said he is so sick of talking about OJ.:lol:

We can rumble if you want. I can barely walk right now, but it's on!

Well, I don't think you should take advantage of an old man and I shouldn't take advantage of a fat man.:whistle:

Fat>old all day. I like how you lose weight somehow, it boggles my mind.

Not bad, Woodan. And I agree your squats were very deep. I get about as low as your first one but then you kept getting deeper. What weight in pounds were you doing?

In pounds I was lifting about 171lbs.

I'm so glad I've changed my scales to pounds now. It was getting annoying remembering that 13 stone was 182 and then adding on the rest. Now I just look down and there it is. Plain and obvious. 187 this morning.

i've lost a lot of motivation to bulk lately, i don't really know why. eating so much is actually tiring to me and i just can't remember to eat when i really should. i've skipped breakfast way too much and when i am eating a lot its hard to find enough "clean" foods. i'm in the middle of a move from an apt to a house so my mind has been elsewhere the past week and will continue to be for the next week i'm sure (i move in the 28th).

so much to do, so much to eat, so much to think about, so tiring.

i've lost a lot of motivation to bulk lately, i don't really know why. eating so much is actually tiring to me and i just can't remember to eat when i really should. i've skipped breakfast way too much and when i am eating a lot its hard to find enough "clean" foods. i'm in the middle of a move from an apt to a house so my mind has been elsewhere the past week and will continue to be for the next week i'm sure (i move in the 28th).

so much to do, so much to eat, so much to think about, so tiring.

Hey, I know what you mean. Just make yourself eat when it's time; force yourself. Even if it's just drinking a small carton of milk, I found my bigger obstacle was to make myself eat/drink when I really didn't want to/felt lazy. Once you get in that pattern, you can worry more about the quality of the food. And the lethargy will pass once you get used to eating that amount every day...

Easier said than done though, I know.

I think I might have to lower my intake a bit. I think I'm just getting fat. The last few weeks are showing some growth but I'm worried it's not the right kinda of growth that I'm looking for.

These are the measurements I've taken over the last few months. I'm awful at measuring so they can be a bit erratic. They are all taken in millimeters so divide by 25.4 to get them in inches.


Jul 30 Aug 10 Aug 18 Sep 04 Sep 21
Shoulders: 1155 1160 1175 1150 1200
Chest: 935 960 957 980 1020
Waist: --- --- --- --- 847
Abdomen: 815 824 835 837 893
Hips: 912 903 910 912 912
Thigh: 560 578 581 586 587
Calf: 374 378 375 379 382
Bicep: 310/--- 315/--- 323/--- 317/--- 317/360
The jump in my abdomen is the scary one. I'm not sure if this is due to the fact that I have been known hold it in a bit in the past. Today I just measured it relaxed and that's what I got. The bicep measurements are done cold unflex/flexed. I've only just starting taking the flex measurement. I've only just started taking the waist measurement as well. Also these latest measurements were taken at 4:30 pm after several meals where as the other are done in the morning. I'll probably redo these ones tomorrow morning and see how that affects them.

i've lost a lot of motivation to bulk lately, i don't really know why. eating so much is actually tiring to me and i just can't remember to eat when i really should. i've skipped breakfast way too much and when i am eating a lot its hard to find enough "clean" foods.

Yeah, it's hard work after the initial few weeks. But if you hang in there it starts to become a habit and much easier.

Moving house is a hard thing, but there's usually something going on. All I can really suggest is you prepare some stuff in advance. Some eat-on-the -fly type foods. Shakes, nutri-bars, packets of nuts.

It feels good when you come out the other side.

Ok, this morning I weighed in at 188.8lbs so I'm still a little concerned that I'm getting fatter quicker than I'm getting bigger. I remeasured myself first thing and it's a little less scary. The numbers are still all over the place. I need to find a girlfriend so I can get her to help with this. Anyway... that's another story.

My BF% is apparently somewhere between 12% and 18% depending on what I use to measure it. The Fat Track Pro calipers say 12% and my scales say 18%. Using U.S Navy Circumference method (http://www.he.net/~zone/prothd2.html (http://www.he.net/%7Ezone/prothd2.html)) it's 15%. What should I trust? From my pics what would you say?

Here's my updated chart:


Jul 30 Aug 10 Aug 18 Sep 04 Sep 22
Shoulders: 1155 1160 1175 1150 1190
Chest: 935 960 957 980 1000
Waist: --- --- --- --- 816
Abdomen: 815 824 835 837 865
Hips: 912 903 910 912 900
Thigh: 560 578 581 586 588
Calf: 374 378 375 379 379
Bicep: 310/--- 315/--- 323/--- 317/--- 323/362
Neck: --- --- --- --- 388

Something is amiss here. Not only does it look like I'm getting fatter, but also it looks as though my strength has gone down. My current program is coming to a close and I'm thinking about trying the Bill Starr 5x5. So today instead of my scheduled workout I figured I'd work out my maxs with the spreadsheet the site provides.

When I was using the Starting strength program I get my squats up to 100kg but got stuck there. I was never able to do more than 12 in the 3 sets of 5. Today when finding my maxs I worked up to 100kg expecting to be able to do at least 5 like before if not more. But no, I could only do 1. I dropped the weight down to 90 and after a few minutes rest managed 3. I used to be able to do 3x5x90kg.

This has got me quite disappointed as although the scales have been going up my strength has been going down. This surely supports the fact I'm just getting fat. I'm gonna work out the rest of my maxs today and then start this new program on Monday. I need to sort this out.

* several hours pass *

Ok, I forgot to post this earlier and now I have actually worked out all of my maxs and got a work out that takes me all the way up to the week begining 17th Dec. I'll have a week off over the Christmas period then start cutting in the New Year (back to the noob forum for me then). With no stalls this would see my squats approaching 5x115kg, bench 5x80kg, DLs 5x140kg, rows 5x65kg and incline press 5x60kg. I doubt I'll reach all of these but I'll sure be trying.

It feels good having it all mapped out now. I can perform all the exercises with my current equipment so I won't have to buy anything new for a while. I was worried I would need to splash out on a dumbbell set and they ain't cheap. The only thing I do need which I just managed to buy online is some microplates so I can make the small steps. Bloody expensive for what they are, 4x0.5kg and 2x0.25kg plates came to £60 after tax and delivery! But this will allow me to make 1kg increments from now on rather than 2.5kg.

Anyway, slightly happier now. I best do some work as I've been slacking the last few days.

thanks for the words of wisdom. actually i've been back on track for the most part since i posted that. yesterday i had the best workout of my life, i posted a personal best on all of my workouts and will be moving up in weight on monday with all of them. that helped bring some motivation back... the workout before that one was pitiful so i was really feeling down about the whole thing.

anyway, i'm back and i'm good to go!

We all have ups and downs. I think we just need to remember this when we are down and be slow to alter the plan.

I'm 171 lbs this morning.

My weigh in for this week is 157lbs so up one 1lb.
i am happy with this as i have been fasting between 5am to 7pm daily
for the last 10 days..so it has been hard cramming the calories in !!:eat:

Hey what are you guys doing in term of cardio?(if any?).
i went for a long walk yesterday and just did a short sprint and noticed my cardio is going downhill!! i used to run 15-20 miles each week ..prior to starting this bulk..3 weeks ago....would it be o.k to start running on my non weight days if i knock up the calories to compensate.?

the last thing i want to do is eat end up 20lbs heavier and not be able to run a mile!!:D

i have been fasting between 5am to 7pm daily
for the last 10 days

:eek: Am I reading this right?

would it be o.k to start running on my non weight days if i knock up the calories to compensate.?

I am doing so.

I got back the two pounds I lost so I am back to 181. I took a long walk today too. But I don't run any more. I think cardio is fine if you compensate with more calories. But the purpose of a bulk is to gain lean muscle mass and to do so you must put on weight. If your cardio balances your calories, you're on maintenance.

And User, you do need to clarify that fasting statement.

:eek: Am I reading this right?




:lol: Yep ..its the Muslim Holy month ..which involves 30 days of fasting
between sunrise and sunset..(which in Britain is 5 in the morning till 7 in the evening).i am on day 11 ..it hasn't been as bad as
i thought ....its turned everything upside though... meaning i eat through from evening to night and sleep more through the day..it keeps my body guessing i suppose...but it can be difficult shoveling 3000 +cals of clean food down!!..



Reeze your running 5 days if i remember correctly ...what do you do liss Hiit ??how long for?
and do you leave a long gap between lifting and running?
(i wont be starting cardio till all the fastings done of course.)

:lol: Yep ..its the Muslim Holy month ..which involves 30 days of fasting
between sunrise and sunset..(which in Britain is 5 in the morning till 7 in the evening).i am on day 11 ..it hasn't been as bad as
i thought ....its turned everything upside though... meaning i eat through from evening to night and sleep more through the day..it keeps my body guessing i suppose...but it can be difficult shoveling 3000 +cals of clean food down!!..

I think I would have taken that as an opportunity to cut a little before starting a bulk. Fair play to you for going for it though. It must be tough.

I think cardio is fine if you compensate with more calories..

:tu:thats what i thought..i dont mind bulking slower as i have more Body fat (approx 19%) and less LBM than everyone else...but i want to maintain my cardio for endurance purposes.

I think I would have taken that as an opportunity to cut a little before starting a bulk. Fair play to you for going for it though. It must be tough.

i started the year at over 200lbs But FOOLISHLY crash dieted on a Low cal diet to around 147lbs by may....which meant i lost lot of LBM. Then i was running and eating anything for a few months and stayed under 150 .But i was basically skinny and weak :bang:...then i discovered this site and started reading about the BENEFITS of weight training ..so i started lifting around 5 weeks ago .and my aim over the next 5 months would ideally to whack on as much lean body mass as possible...My Wife prefers Me With more Meat on..so if i get fat and Strong so be It !!:lol:

if in 12 months i can bench 220Lbs ...squat 250 ..and dead lift 300..i will be a happy man!!:bb:

i started the year at over 200lbs But FOOLISHLY crash dieted on a Low cal diet to around 147lbs by may....which meant i lost lot of LBM. Then i was running and eating anything for a few months and stayed under 150 .But i was basically skinny and weak :bang:...then i discovered this site and started reading about the BENEFITS of weight training ..so i started lifting around 5 weeks ago .and my aim over the next 5 months would ideally to whack on as much lean body mass as possible...My Wife prefers Me With more Meat on..so if i get fat and Strong so be It !!:lol:

if in 12 months i can bench 220Lbs ...squat 250 ..and dead lift 300..i will be a happy man!!:bb:

Good on you. I only started this game in march and haven't looked back. So those numbers you posted on my agenda as well. What sort of program are you following?

Good on you. I only started this game in march and haven't looked back. So those numbers you posted on my agenda as well. What sort of program are you following?
Your almost there on the Deads/Squats Aldready!!:tu:
at the moment i am not following any program im lifting three times weekly and just concentrating on learning the big compound movements bench deads barbell rows squats miltray press barbell curls..i am recordeing my lifts and trying to progree each week .i want my body to get the feel for the weights.i am weak!!:lol: i will be looking at starting a program after fasting is over ...any recommendations?
Westside for Skinny B,s??

Your almost there on the Deads/Squats Aldready!!:tu:
at the moment i am not following any program im lifting three times weekly and just concentrating on learning the big compound movements bench deads barbell rows squats miltray press barbell curls..i am recordeing my lifts and trying to progree each week .i want my body to get the feel for the weights.i am weak!!:lol: i will be looking at starting a program after fasting is over ...any recommendations?
Westside for Skinny B,s??


Almost there already? I wish. I posted my training plan for the rest of the year (http://fitness.danielwood.co.uk/images/5x5-plan.gif) in my journal. If everything goes accordingly I might get near that for squats and deads by the end of the year but I reckon I'll get stuck before that. My bench is way off that though, next year maybe.

As for recommendations I'm not really the one to ask. I've not got much experience either. I tried Max-OT when I started, at least I found out that is what I was doing later. I think that was a little complicated for my level. Then I moved on to Rippetoe's starting strength workout. What you're doing now sounds much like that. You have two works outs that you alternate. A) Squats, Bench, DLs and B) Squats, Press, Rows. You can add in dips and chins as assisted work. The aim is to increase your lifts by 2.5% each workout. I managed this all the until I stopped. I only did a month though. My squats got stuck at 100kg.

I'm about to start the Bill Starr 5x5 now which is very similar to that. Except the progressiion is week to week instead of each work out. The days are mixed up a bit as well. Mondays you work up to your 5rm, Wednesdays are light days, and on Friday you do a heavier 3 set which will be next Mondays top 5 set.

I had a look at the WS4SB but I work out at home and don't have enough equipment for it yet. This is another reason I went with the 5x5, it's all barbell based. Anything with antagonistic sets either means loading and unloading to bar too much or working out with the wrong weight to save the hassle. I figured I'd just wait until I had a dumbbell set before I move on to that stuff.

Weigh-in for the week: 159lbs.

Reeze your running 5 days if i remember correctly ...what do you do liss Hiit ?? how long for?
and do you leave a long gap between lifting and running?

About 25 minutes at the moment. I suppose it's LISS really but I do speed it up at intervals, and go into somewhat of a medium intensity. I run in the morning and then weight train about 5 or 6pm.

You are the first person I've heard of doing a fasted bulk! :bow:

Buster, great job on the 9 pounds so far. Considering your starting weight and the fact that you're one of the shorter guys in the group, that's a lot. Hope the extra weight is showing up in your chest and arms and not just around your waist.

I decided to post a current progress shot so that it won't come as such a shock when I post pics later on in the bulk. I'm definitely going to be bigger and heavier and not as cut as before, but I'm alright with that. I'm already starting to feel "bigger".

Thanks, I'll post some current measurements and pics soon and you can see for yourself. My waist has undoubtedly got bigger, but there are improvements on the chest, arms etc. too. Depending on how my measurements look, I may tweak my diet a little. I've already ditched the double cream, your suggestion which helped get me over the 150lbs hump.

Looking great in your current pic. How are the measurements faring?

Weigh-in for the week: 159lbs.
:claplow: Well done 9lbs is Excellant gain for three weeks. Whats
the Double Cream Secret i keep hearing about? do you have to mix it in with anything or just knock it down?

:claplow: Well done 9lbs is Excellant gain for three weeks. Whats
the Double Cream Secret i keep hearing about? do you have to mix it in with anything or just knock it down?

I used to add it to my shakes before bedtime, just to up the calories when I was stuck in a rut :tu:

Week 0 to Week 3 comparison (150.5lbs to 159lbs). I still think the timeframe is too short to see much visible difference...

EDIT: Text on photos should read Week 0, not Week 1.

My weekly weigh-in this morning was 95 kg (209 lb).

I think I mentioned before that I had already begun my current weight-gain some time before the start-date of this challenge. I've added at least 10 lb since then (including a big recent jump in the last few weeks). I do enjoy bulking (like most people!) but I'm going to start applying the brakes soon - the concept of a huge bulk followed by a huge cut, ad infinitum, doesn't make much sense to me. I see a large weight-gain as an occasional way of kick starting things which perhaps has more of a motivational benefit than anything else.

I'm not ready to stop yet, but I'm going to take a good look at things and decide exactly what my criteria for stopping will be, as I don't really have a precise formula (e.g. stop when bf% exceeds x% or abdomen exceeds y inches, or when strength fails to increase in line with weight, etc). Actually, it was an error not to formulate this before I started - but it's never too late.

Hey what are you guys doing in term of cardio?(if any?).

My cardio has gone completely down the toilet. I used to go for a 3 mile run on my days off, but I'd be lucky to sustain a run for even one fifth of that distance now.

well, unfortunately i'm down a couple lbs @ 146. but on the plus side i lifted a new personal best bench @ 160lbs!! the best part was, i got odd looks from a couple guys in the gym when i grabbed the 80s... then up they went 9x in a row :)

i'm going to continue to do my best to pack on the cals, but this week is going to be a tough one w/ 12-16hr days @ work and moving. its amazing how everything always seems to happen at the same time... ah well, better to be busy, i always say.

well, unfortunately i'm down a couple lbs @ 146. but on the plus side i lifted a new personal best bench @ 160lbs!! the best part was, i got odd looks from a couple guys in the gym when i grabbed the 80s... then up they went 9x in a row :)

i'm going to continue to do my best to pack on the cals, but this week is going to be a tough one w/ 12-16hr days @ work and moving. its amazing how everything always seems to happen at the same time... ah well, better to be busy, i always say.

Hey Rise, sorry about getting thinner on us but congrats on the 160# bench press with DBs. The only thing I've ever done with 80s in my hands are shrugs. Good luck with the move and KEEP EATING.

P.S. I added ground oats to my shakes in the AM and PM yesterday and saw an immediate increase in my weight.

I've lowered my intake somewhat over the last week as I have been gaining weight but it was all appearing around my mid section. I'm currently taking in between 3200-3500. I'll stick with this for a couple of weeks and see how it plays out. This morning I was 188 which is slightly less than other points this week but still 6 pounds up over the last 3 weeks.

Also my new microplates arrived this morning. I can now increase my lifts by 1kg at a time rather than the 2.5kg I was limited to before. Hopefully this will help in my continual improvement.

Thanks to all still reporting. There are some pretty good gains going on. But it's still early and things can change for everyone by the end of the year.

Here's an updated chart showing Week 3. I'll update with new data whenever I get it.

Thanks to all still reporting. There are some pretty good gains going on. But it's still early and things can change for everyone by the end of the year.

Here's an updated chart showing Week 3. I'll update with new data whenever I get it.


How can I make that bigger? I can barely read it.

What would be cool is a column at the end for net gain as well. Or maybe I'm just being lazy ;-)

How can I make that bigger? I can barely read it.

What would be cool is a column at the end for net gain as well. Or maybe I'm just being lazy ;-)

Sorry about that. I'm not good at making these charts and I keep forgetting from week to week how I did it. I'll try to make it bigger.:eek:

I should really be in bed now but sometimes I just can't help but geek out.

I've knocked toether this spreadsheet that we can edit online. If you want to update it yourself PM me your email and I'll add you to the collaborators.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pdpFbob0jN6Lc4R_j3A97HA

Cool, I just added my weight directly in the Google spreadsheet, thanks for setting that up! 173 this week for me.

Hi Woodan Nice chart ...But...
whats the max gain /ave gain columns they confused me??

Hi Woodan Nice chart ...But...
whats the max gain /ave gain columns they confused me??


Net gain
The number of pounds difference between the start and now. This breaks if all the columns aren't filled in as you may have noticed. There may be a better way to work this out but I'm no spreadsheet expert.

Max gain
Highest number of lbs gained since you started but not necessarily the difference between start and now. Take Rise for example: his max gain is 4 but his net is only 2 as he dropped a couple of lbs.

Ave gain
Simply the average number of lbs you are putting on each week. This has been rounded which maybe causing the confusion. In fact maybe it doesn't work. In which case, well spotted ;-)

:tu:that makes it clearer

Thanks for the chart woodan. I could have never done that and now we can all use it.:tu:

Your traps look huge; best of your avatars yet, carguy...speaking of which, do you have one for each day of the week?! :lol:

Your traps look huge; best of your avatars yet, carguy...speaking of which, do you have one for each day of the week?! :lol:


Thanks, Buster. I take a lot of progress shots and I don't know what to do with them, so I turn them into avatars. I wish I would have kept track of all the avatars I've used in the last two years.

Funny you should notice the traps, because that is exactly what surprised me in these pics from today. I never noticed how much they have grown. I put together a comparison from 2005 and then the three shots from today that really made me take notice. I think my traps have progressed more than any other part of my body.

Thanks, Buster. I take a lot of progress shots and I don't know what to do with them, so I turn them into avatars. I wish I would have kept track of all the avatars I've used in the last two years.

Funny you should notice the traps, because that is exactly what surprised me in these pics from today. I never noticed how much they have grown. I put together a comparison from 2005 and then the three shots from today that really made me take notice. I think my traps have progressed more than any other part of my body.

Ur still old.:moon:

Ur still old.:moon:

Hey Tubby, haven't you ever heard that if you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all?:rolleyes:

I've made my lunch; I'm starving; but I'm not allowed to eat yet. I had a filling and have been told to wait until the numbness wears off before I eat. So far it has taken 3 hours and one half of my face is still non-functional.

Normally I'd just laugh this off, but I can't currently laugh.

The :lol: smiley still seems to work though; so maybe I can use that as a workaround.

This ain't helping me bulk!

I've made my lunch; I'm starving; but I'm not allowed to eat yet. I had a filling and have been told to wait until the numbness wears off before I eat. So far it has taken 3 hours and one half of my face is still non-functional.


Better listen to the doc. You'd hate to find out that the bulk of your protein from your lunch came from the inner lining of your cheeks.:lol:

Hey Tubby, haven't you ever heard that if you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all?:rolleyes:

Must be some prehistoric saying or something.

:lol::lol::lol::spaz::spaz::spaz:

:lol::lol::lol::spaz::spaz::spaz:

careful there, buster. I could start calling you Tubby too.:moon:

Just wanted to post up my SUP2 week 4 progress pics. Hard for me to see much difference in the pics, though I am almost continuously lifting heavier, and the fat around my waist does seem to be going down very slowly much to my delight! I also have what seems to be some upper abs, not too visible with my normal lighting so I took another shot with a mirror -- is this how abs normally start to show, the vertical middle divide, and then the horizontal lines eventually? Exciting stuff if so.. anything I can do to speed things along? :)

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/907/20070926073216photo92xo6.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/833/20070926073219photo93bh1.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/121/20070926073259photo95eo3.jpg

abs ??

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/6845/img0306jo5.jpg

careful there, buster. I could start calling you Tubby too.:moon:

I'd consider it a mark of respect in a bulking thread! :p

I also have what seems to be some upper abs, not too visible with my normal lighting so I took another shot with a mirror -- is this how abs normally start to show, the vertical middle divide, and then the horizontal lines eventually? Exciting stuff if so.. anything I can do to speed things along? :)

I think they're quite visible in the first shot - good work :tu: My abs (when they're actually showing) begin to show differently...I get a horizontal middle divide, and then the vertical lines eventually.

I would't try speeding the fat loss along too much - you're bulking, right? Save those precious calories! :eat:

I'd consider it a mark of respect in a bulking thread! :p



I think they're quite visible in the first shot - good work :tu: My abs (when they're actually showing) begin to show differently...I get a horizontal middle divide, and then the vertical lines eventually.

I would't try speeding the fat loss along too much - you're bulking, right? Save those precious calories! :eat:

Well Buster, at the rate you're going, I guess I'm gonna end up respecting you a lot.:eat:

Eman, you're looking great. You look leaner and more muscular, yet you are gaining weight and getting bigger. Can't ask for anything more than that. SwoleCat must have you dialed into a good set-up.

Work has made it difficult for me to continue this challenge (been the trend lately) no change in weight for me. Everyone else, keep it up!

Work has made it difficult for me to continue this challenge (been the trend lately) no change in weight for me. Everyone else, keep it up!

Sorry to hear that, Denz. So are you officially getting out of the challenge? If so, at least keep eating at maintenance and then hit it harder this winter. You've made so much progress so far I'd like to see you reach your ultimate goal.:tu:

It took over 6 hours until my face started working again after the dentist, so that didn't help my bulk one bit. We will see when I weigh in tomorrow, what effect that had.

I have another one in less than two weeks, as well :(

For now though, I'm concentrating on this coming week.

Man, I'm not doing very well. We're a month into this bulk and I can't gain any weight. I'm probably going to be the same this week. And I don't even have an excuse like Reeze. The only good thing is that I'm not losing weight.:blank:

Man, I'm not doing very well. We're a month into this bulk and I can't gain any weight.

If your track record is anything to go by, you will probably be up 10lbs by tomorrow morning. I think maybe your weight has to lower for a moment before it explodes upwards like a spring.

And I really must stop making excuses for myself.

If your track record is anything to go by, you will probably be up 10lbs by tomorrow morning..
:lol:

at this weeks weigh in i am up 1lb total gain 1st month is 4lb then....21 more to go!!!

Still 171 this week.

Must do better :spank:

My naval measurement is now pushing on 37 inches during the daytime, and though I am very much enjoying the mostly good aspects of my gains, I think it's time to lose the fat. Apart from the front of my abdomen, I've stayed relatively lean everywhere else, and I have certainly added some lean mass, so just a little moderation now will go a long way.

My trainer took some new photos of me today, and as soon as he sends them to me I will post them in this thread.

I'm at 181 this week so no gain. I've actually been lower this week end but I am going to go with the 181 and hope to build on that for next week. It won't be easy because I'm going out of town to a conference tomorrow that will last two day. Lots of food but the wrong kind. (If I wanted to, I could come back 10 pounds heavier but it would be all in my gut). My hotel should have a good enough workout room to allow me one work out.

Still at 159lbs (could someone update the chart for me?) The last few days weren't great for eating, so I didn't think I'd be up much. On the plus side, I've finished my strength phase and have switched up to a higher rep muscle building workout now. Am aching all over, and hopefully I'll be bulking up with the right kind of stuff...

Woohoo! At 160.5lbs today. That's exactly 10lbs up from my starting weight :D:D:D Very happy. Bring on 170!

Woohoo! At 160.5lbs today. That's exactly 10lbs up from my starting weight :D:D:D Very happy. Bring on 170!


grrrr...i thought id catch u this week but ur now 2.5 lbs ahead again :lol:

:tu:well done 10lbs is a lot in just over 4 weeks...what u aimin to go upto??

grrrr...i thought id catch u this week but ur now 2.5 lbs ahead again :lol:

:tu:well done 10lbs is a lot in just over 4 weeks...what u aimin to go upto??

Thanks! It's great having some bulkers with similar stats on this thread - makes you aware of who you're catching up with and who's catching up with you!

I'm planning on going up to 170 at the moment (i.e. doing the full 20lbs), and will evaluate what to do from there, be it carry on bulking or cut off some fat.

hey guys, just checking in - i haven't been at the gym for a week (but i have been getting a workout...) and i've been eating like crap due to the move. i should be back on track next week. i've been moving a shitload of boxes with way too much weight in them. so i'm still in, just on hold for a few more days.

keep on eatin!! :eat:

Guh, I've been sick for the past week and a half. I think it's from possibly overtraining (I was doing the Starting strength routine wrong 5X5 three times a week instead of 3X5) and I think I have Strep Throat which I get at least once a year. So, I'm gonna get better, then do the correct Starting Strength routine till that fails me, then I'm gonna move to the Madcow routine.

(edit) my current weight right now is 172.4 but thats also from being sick for a week and a half and still sick.

Congrats to all the bulkers. I just got back from my conference and I'm happy to say my weight is up to 183#! Woohoo. Not the best kind of calories but I tried. People continue to comment how I have kept the weight off that I lost a couple of years ago. What's funny is that I now weigh more than ever and I'm up a full 30 pounds from then. But it is not in my face or around my waist. I really feel motivated to kick this bulk up a notch and see that 190# on the scale.:claphigh:

Congrats to all the bulkers. I just got back from my conference and I'm happy to say my weight is up to 183#! Woohoo. Not the best kind of calories but I tried. People continue to comment how I have kept the weight off that I lost a couple of years ago. What's funny is that I now weigh more than ever and I'm up a full 30 pounds from then. But it is not in my face or around my waist. I really feel motivated to kick this bulk up a notch and see that 190# on the scale.:claphigh:

:claphigh::claphigh::claphigh: You near 200lbs is going to be scary!

:claphigh::claphigh::claphigh: You near 200lbs is going to be scary!

No kidding. I thought about putting out a personal challenge to you for the fastest next 10 pounds but I think we would both end up fat.:lol: I'd hate to get too good at this gaining weight thing.:eek:

I knew this weekend was going to mess everything up. I drank too much, didn't eat enough, what I did eat was crap and stayed up far too late for most of the weekend. I also missed Monday's workout. So this morning I'm weighing in at 185.6lbs which is extremely disappointing. At the same time I knew it was going to happen though.

Also, I feel it would be counter productive to increase my the weight in my workout this week. So I'm essentially starting this workout again but easing into it on the light day.

I've a good friend's 30th birthday to attend on Saturday which could involve more drinking, though I'm gonna try and keep that to a minimum. After that, however, I'm gonna lay off the booze until xmas. I need to save money as well as it messing up my progress here.

I knew this weekend was going to mess everything up. I drank too much, didn't eat enough, what I did eat was crap and stayed up far too late for most of the weekend. I also missed Monday's workout. So this morning I'm weighing in at 185.6lbs which is extremely disappointing. At the same time I knew it was going to happen though.

Also, I feel it would be counter productive to increase my the weight in my workout this week. So I'm essentially starting this workout again but easing into it on the light day.

I've a good friend's 30th birthday to attend on Saturday which could involve more drinking, though I'm gonna try and keep that to a minimum. After that, however, I'm gonna lay off the booze until xmas. I need to save money as well as it messing up my progress here.

Was wondering where you,d got to....so you been hung over!!!:lol:

i dont think alcohol agrees with you at all ....as i seem to remember
you dropping after the last session (ufc) ...

you better start eating heavy :eat: you should get it back within the next few days...


if you get chance could you update the chart..:tu:

I knew this weekend was going to mess everything up. I drank too much, didn't eat enough, what I did eat was crap and stayed up far too late for most of the weekend. I also missed Monday's workout. So this morning I'm weighing in at 185.6lbs which is extremely disappointing. At the same time I knew it was going to happen though.

Also, I feel it would be counter productive to increase my the weight in my workout this week. So I'm essentially starting this workout again but easing into it on the light day.

I've a good friend's 30th birthday to attend on Saturday which could involve more drinking, though I'm gonna try and keep that to a minimum. After that, however, I'm gonna lay off the booze until xmas. I need to save money as well as it messing up my progress here.

Alcohol on nights out was my vice too. I've managed to cut it down quite a lot though. I too have a party to go to this Saturday night - one I'd normally drink a fair bit at. I'm going to try and limit my intake to a couple of drinks though. Let's post what happens here on Sunday to keep us accountable! :lol:

Alcohol on nights out was my vice too. I've managed to cut it down quite a lot though. I too have a party to go to this Saturday night - one I'd normally drink a fair bit at. I'm going to try and limit my intake to a couple of drinks though. Let's post what happens here on Sunday to keep us accountable! :lol:


Haha, you're on. I have a feeling I'll do worse out of this. I'm off to a comedy club starting at 5:30pm! Maybe it'll be alright. I definitely won't be drinking as much as I did this weekend or UFC. This is the last social engagement I have until the Christmas parties start though so I should be able to get through about 2 months relatively dry.

You young guys just drink too much. :lol: Sure, it's a source of calories, but it can get you into trouble. Drinking, and feeling the need to drink to be social, diminishes with age (except for this one guy I work with). But I suppose it would look kinda wierd if you were drinking a protein shake while your friends were having a beer. Maybe you could put a shot of Kahlua in it.

On a different note, I feel like I really outdid myself today. I feel stuffed. I'll be surprised if I don't post my highest weight of this bulk when I weigh myself tonight. Looking forward to getting back to the gym tomorrow, even if it is leg day.

While I wait to receive the photos from my trainer, I took this one last night using my phone camera. Here I am about 207 lb and about 13% or so bf.

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22895&stc=1&d=1191514748

While I wait to receive the photos from my trainer, I took this one last night using my phone camera. Here I am about 207 lb and about 13% or so bf.

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22895&stc=1&d=1191514748

Looking very solid there, philph. Great traps and shoulders and chest.

On a side note, do you think it is easier for you to gain weight on a bulk because you have been heavier in the past? Woodan, you can answer this too.

Thanks Carguy!

do you think it is easier for you to gain weight on a bulk because you have been heavier in the past?.

I really don't know. Before my period of obesity, which was only a few years ago, I had never tried to modify my weight or body composition, so I have nothing to measure my present experiences against. I believe weight gain and loss are both fairly easy for me, by which I mean my body doesn't fight tooth and nail against either a caloric surplus or deficit (assuming one or other is consistently in place, which is another matter).

I believe I could quite effortlessly become very fat again, but I doubt that this is a metabolic result of my previous obesity. I think it's more a case of life-long eating disorders.

As for muscle gain, it would be wrong of me not to mention that this has been more efficient since I began my TRT some time ago.

As for muscle gain, it would be wrong of me not to mention that this has been more efficient since I began my TRT some time ago.


Interesting. I could swear that you said that after checking it out and talking to your doctor, you were not doing TRT. We're talking about HRT like I am doing now, right?

Interesting. I could swear that you said that after checking it out and talking to your doctor, you were not doing TRT. We're talking about HRT like I am doing now, right?

Yes. The doc was reluctant, but after I had researched the suspected long term risks of treatment vs. those of non-treatment I absolutely insisted on going ahead.

Last night I barely slept; today I've been aching, had a sore throat, headache, been extremely tired, not able to think straight and been either really hot or shivering.

I've basically only eaten chicken soup today.

I think I'm only not feeling frustrated right now, because I have no energy :p. However, I feel somewhat better than earlier which is either due to Lemsip or getting some sleep. I'm hoping tomorrow I'll fair better, and want to make up for the calorie deficit.

do you guys recommend any particular supplements during the bulk? all i'm taking is my multi vitamin & whey protein at the moment. i'm looking for some new suggestions though to change it up a bit.

do you guys recommend any particular supplements during the bulk? all i'm taking is my multi vitamin & whey protein at the moment. i'm looking for some new suggestions though to change it up a bit.

I use creatine monohydrate during a bulk. Just a teaspoon (5 mg) a day. I also put 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream in my shakes and use skim milk instead of water. Although I still use water PWO. Other than that, I just try to eat a lot more of what I eat.

do you guys recommend any particular supplements during the bulk? all i'm taking is my multi vitamin & whey protein at the moment. i'm looking for some new suggestions though to change it up a bit.

What kind of protein powder are you using? I use a carb heavy weight gainer (N-Large 2 by Prolab). I'd recommend it, so long as you don't put on fat too easily. One of those shakes before bed with milk and a little double whipping cream really bumps up the calories.

I had one of those day-brighteners happen at the gym this morning. A guy who I've seen at the gym all along but never talked to came up to me and said "You have really built yourself up since you started coming here. You look great." He's a guy a little older than me and probably goes to the gym mostly for health but it really made my day. I've got to remember to say things like that to people, even if I don't know them.

I was having a particularly good arms workout. My arms felt huge and when I got home and measured them, I could see why. I was only a smidge shy of 16". Not bad considering they were just shy of 13" when I started.

I'll be reporting a big weight gain this week.

Looking very solid there, philph. Great traps and shoulders and chest.

On a side note, do you think it is easier for you to gain weight on a bulk because you have been heavier in the past? Woodan, you can answer this too.

I'm not entirely sure either. I certainly feel I could get fat quite easily but that is probably body type rather than having previously been fat. Having never been particularly muscular I'm not sure how quick it is possible to put on muscle. I'm hoping I make some significant progress in the next few months though.

Interesting. I could swear that you said that after checking it out and talking to your doctor, you were not doing TRT. We're talking about HRT like I am doing now, right?

Too many acronyms. What do TRT and HRT mean?

do you guys recommend any particular supplements during the bulk? all i'm taking is my multi vitamin & whey protein at the moment. i'm looking for some new suggestions though to change it up a bit.

At the moment I'm taking a multi vit, flax oil caps and whey protein. I used to take creatine monohydrate from the day I started up until about a month ago. Coming off of it I didn't notice any difference, however, it may explain my decrease in strength. I'm going to carry on without it until I stall, then I'm gonna load on it again and see if it makes a difference when I really need it and can tell if it's doing something. If it does I imagine I'll just stay on it from then on.

My 3rd macbook pro died yesterday which I'm very unhappy about. It was being a little funny and taking a while to login. I called Apple and after speaking with one of their technicians and following his instructions the hard disc completely died. Fortunately, this time I had an online backup running. But for the meantime, until I get the HDD replaced I no longer have any of my workout or progress info other than what I have posted on here. Very, very frustrating! :mad::bang::mad::bang:

Anyway, it's time for my heavy workout of the week shortly that'll take my mind off things.

PS - Finally, learnt how to multiquote!

Too many acronyms. What do TRT and HRT mean?


HRT is Hormone Replacement Therapy and I assume TRT is Testosterone Replacement Therapy. Philph and I are both receiving testosterone injections or cream to bolster up our naturally low testosterone levels. Usually, guys under 30 don't even have to think about this but as you get older, it's not a bad idea to get tested.

Sorry if this was already mentioned as I didn't read all 12 pages of posts. How long are you guys going to bulk for? Or is just till you gain 20lbs?

I just started my bulk 2 weeks ago is it too late to join the fun?

Sorry if this was already mentioned as I didn't read all 12 pages of posts. How long are you guys going to bulk for? Or is just till you gain 20lbs?

I just started my bulk 2 weeks ago is it too late to join the fun?

if you've got a fork and are willing to use it, you are welcome to join. It originally started Sept. 1 and was to run until Jan. 1 but some are bulking longer and some want to gain more or less than 20 pounds. We're basically a group of like-minded, eating fools here to support each other. Let us know your starting weight and height and you're in.

Awesome! I'm 5'11 and at the end of my cut I was 157lbs at about 8%-9%bf. I slowly increased my calories 500 per week and did some strength training only. 2 weeks ago was the actual start of my bulk at 160lbs (probably gained weight from water weight since I increased the carbs) eating around 3100 calories now and currently 162lbs and currently doing Chad Waterbury's Quattro Dynamo program.

count me in, late but still :)

I'll have to fix the amend the chart. I'll delete the average and net gain columns as they don't work. It'll have to wait until tomorrow though as I'm running late as it is today.

Count me in.
I'm 5'7'' (179 cm) and 160 lbs (72 Kg).
After fooling around for 3 months, I will start bulking in a week.

Alcohol on nights out was my vice too. I've managed to cut it down quite a lot though. I too have a party to go to this Saturday night - one I'd normally drink a fair bit at. I'm going to try and limit my intake to a couple of drinks though. Let's post what happens here on Sunday to keep us accountable! :lol:

Ok, I've just got home. I'm feeling ok, but I did end up drinking a lot. It's not too late though considering the past weekends so I don't imagine this will dent my progress much. I'll have a quick shake now before bed and plenty of water and it'll all be cool. I am thinking of setting up a new challenge thread though to do with not drinking. Anyone up for it?

Ok, I've just got home. I'm feeling ok, but I did end up drinking a lot. It's not too late though considering the past weekends so I don't imagine this will dent my progress much. I'll have a quick shake now before bed and plenty of water and it'll all be cool. I am thinking of setting up a new challenge thread though to do with not drinking. Anyone up for it?

Woodan, I think a challenge already exists about not drinking. Thanks for updating the chart. I think we have some that have stopped contributing but two new guys have joined us. For beginner84, you can use a starting weight of 135# and he can correct that if it is wrong.

As for me, I had been all the way up to 186 during the week, but come in with 184 this week-end. That's up 3# from last week. I'm feeling and looking bigger. My arms and forearms are up in measurement. But it feels good to be big. Gotta eat more.:eat:

Hi
could you update.
This weeks weigh in add 1lb and 1lb last week so upto 159.
Only 5 more days of fasting then i can eating regular small meals again...:eat:

Woodan, I think a challenge already exists about not drinking. Thanks for updating the chart. I think we have some that have stopped contributing but two new guys have joined us. For beginner84, you can use a starting weight of 135# and he can correct that if it is wrong.

As for me, I had been all the way up to 186 during the week, but come in with 184 this week-end. That's up 3# from last week. I'm feeling and looking bigger. My arms and forearms are up in measurement. But it feels good to be big. Gotta eat more.:eat:

I had a look for the non drinking challenge and couldn't see one. So you might see a new challenge from me some time soon.

Also, I updated the spreadsheet:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pdpFbob0jN6Lc4R_j3A97HA

I weighed in this morning but I've forgotten what it was now. I'll do a full measure tomorrow.

I had a look for the non drinking challenge and couldn't see one. So you might see a new challenge from me some time soon.

Also, I updated the spreadsheet:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pdpFbob0jN6Lc4R_j3A97HA

I weighed in this morning but I've forgotten what it was now. I'll do a full measure tomorrow.
thanks .
they are doing the sober October chalenge...

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=39240