THE BULK IS ON ! RENO v HIIT MAN

[wayne]

i wanna see how big you guys are gettin, post some pics pleeeeaaaase

[Reno_1ted]

UPDATE

Well, last nights shoulders session was amazing... just amazing.

It was easy.

I belted out 6 reps on everything wise ease. All maximum weights apart from arnolds, which i had to lower on account of being on my own and thus having no one to pass me the weights. But even then it was only 5lbs an arm less. It wasnt like i didnt push myself, this was some serious weight i was lifting (for me), it was just like everything felt light and i had bags of energy. Weird. But great. What a good workout.

If fact its been a good week. Ive got all three sessions in at the gym, the first time thats happened in a while, hopefully a sign of things to come. Also, im gald ive rested my leg, it felt much better last night, and i was soooo tempted to play tomorrow, but in the end i thought, "hey its getting better, lets just let it GET better.". So tomorrow ill be watching from the side lines. I may even go to the gym again and get an extra session in, abs and forearms or something. We shall see.

Photos. Well, i really need to get my own digital camera coz at the moment i have to borrow my dads, and asking him all the time makes him ask what i need it for, and i couldnt tell him, as he would rib me from now till next year. I will desperatly try and get some up this weekend.

Well, have a good weekend, i shall see u all later.

[wayne]

reno, what are your stats on all your lifts?

[Reno_1ted]

Originally Posted by wayne

reno, what are your stats on all your lifts?

Based on 3 sets and 4-6 reps, bearing in mind im only 5'8'' and 160lbs, the main lifts are (with good form):

BB Bench press 90kg
Incline DB press 35kg (per dumbell)
Military press 60kg
Arnold press 30kg (per dumbell)
Seated cable row 105kg
Deadlift 120kg
Squat 90kg

Id like a bigger squat.

EDIT: multiply the weight by 2.2 to get the amount in lbs.

[wayne]

thats pretty good. Dont fret with the squat, it will come, you are (no offense) a shorter person (im the same height btw) and trust me the strength will come in the legs.

Your next challenge when ur cutting ill get in on it with you because i have a similar body type, the only difference is my lifts are a little heavier but i think it would be fun to compete with you in a cutting challenge. I am currently bulking now btw.

[Doug Miles]

Just a quick update.

Things have been really crazy this week. I'm glad I decided to take the week off lifting. I never would have been able to fit it in. Work has been really busy and it doesn't help that Halo 2 was released this week. Talk about lack of sleep. I can't stop playing that game. I just hope I get it out of my system by next week, so I can start my lifting again, full force.

Have a great weekend.

Time to go shoot up some aliens!

[Reno_1ted]

Update

Just a quick one today, as work is very busy.

Weekend went well, in the end our rugby match was cancelled anyways, so i had a good rest and my groin feels much better. I didnt eat too much junk, and didnt get to drunk saturday, and got plenty of sleep, so am fired up for the week ahead, injury free, and ready to go !

Need to ensure im getting enough water, have neglected that a bit recently. Still getting "enough" as in not being dehydrated, but could use more.

Cant wait for the gym this week. Hopefully will rock as much as last week.

Dougie - Whats the deal man ? Computer games prioritised over the challenge ??? Come on !

HIIT MAN - Heres that link i promised you.

http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/.../endeating.htm

Basically, what i do before a game is 4 hours before i have 50g oats with milk. Then 3 hours before, ill have 3 bits of wholewheat toast with 2 eggs. Then 2 hours before ill have 2 cups orange juice and 2 bannanas, then ill just sip glucose/maltodextrin drink till the match, and then throughout the match. Works well so far, but as its a big race your in, you would wanna look at the preceeding week as well.

[HIIT MAN]

Thanks Reno for the info.

Good weekend, no cardio or Weights though. I was at a wedding but behaved food wise.

Gym tonight which Ii am really looking forward too. Gonna give the chest and tris some workout!!!!!

Definitely putting on mass on the arms and chest and shoulders.

Feels good and around 9lbs heavier from when I started.

Big is beautiful


HIIT MAN

[HIIT MAN]

Good Solid work out at the Gym Monday night.

However whilst doing Shoulder presses with Dumbells, got some twinge start in the lats. Stopped a while and did some stretches, and carried on. Feeling a little sore there this morning so figured I pulled something. Its only the second time I have done something like that, so I will concentrate on Abs and legs on next workout. Overall though, I feel great and mentally very positive. Getting comments about looking bigger,saw a mate I hadn't seen for a few weeks and first thing he said was that was some serious muscle I was getting on the arms, so that was a real boost. The wife thinks I look like one of those muscley marines in my vest and tracksuit trousers.

Feeling confident about results so far and the the cut to follow, I definitely see the abs developing this time and once the fat is cut back I'll think I will acheive what I failed on the last cut. A DEFINED SIX PACK!!!!!!


Take Care lads and keep up the Good work.
Doug: You have gotta get some quality sleep, all that computer games, gets the brain all worked up and wont rest at night. I tell you after a good workout and a good nights sleep, I just love the feeling of waking up refreshed, body feeling powerful and fit... nothing like it!!!


HIIT MAN

[Doug Miles]

Originally Posted by Reno_1ted

Dougie - Whats the deal man ? Computer games prioritised over the challenge ??? Come on !

Yeah, I know. This game is just so addicting. But don't count me out. I have been able to keep my diet pretty clean. And I am back in full force with lifting this week. I must say though, the week off felt great.

Originally Posted by HIIT MAN

Doug: You have gotta get some quality sleep, all that computer games, gets the brain all worked up and wont rest at night. I tell you after a good workout and a good nights sleep, I just love the feeling of waking up refreshed, body feeling powerful and fit... nothing like it!!!

Man, are you right there. As if I wasn't getting enough sleep already.
Now I just have to do it.

[HIIT MAN]

DOMS Galore, chest feels like rock and delts bulging.

Diet good , workouts good, look good. Life is Good


HIIT MAN

[Reno_1ted]

Its time to re-assess my self.

Since ive begun my new job, and indeed this bulk, i cant help but feel that excersize and fitness has taken a backstep. Whereas once id hit the gym 4 times a week, now im lucky if i go twice. Whereas once id never put any junk near my mouth during the week, now i find myself eating and indulging in meals only fit for cheat day, every day. Im smoking more weed then normal. (I dont want any lectures, ive always smoked in moderation, and i KNOW i can cope with it, but i admit its getting in the way of things). And im getting lazy. If ive become anything since i started this whole fitness thing its accountable to myself. And if truth be told and i hold my hand up to myself honestly, fitness wise, im fuckin pretty lazy right now.

Thats not to say im lazy in life. Im working VERY hard right now, probably harder then ive ever worked in my life. And i think thats the biggest part of the problem. Its the first time ive ever worked toward something i really want to do. I LOVE my new job, and im putting in extra time to make sure i do things properly and impress. And because previously ive had all the time in the world to workout and stuff, now im faced with working past 5 oclock, being mentally tired and drained after work and having less time to myself. Juggle this with a serious relationship, spending time with my friends, playing rugby, playing in a band, and suddenly there aint a whole heap of time for the gym. Whereas before it was always a busy tight balance, now im in my new job, the balance has finally tipped.

Ive given serious time to building the foundation of what is, if i may so so, a great transformation. Because it was new to me, i found it to be motivating. Now i find it to be normalcy, and although i still get the same buzz in the gym i always did, i dont get the same buzz out of the lifestyle any more. So that means changing the lifestyle up a bit. I need to get my drive back. And so this weekend, kinda like when i decided to quit smoking, im gonna get back to it. And im going to get FIT.

From now on, fitness is the key word. Im going to start running, rugby train twice a week instead of once. Im going to get fit. That is to be my new lifestyle, one that is centred around fitness rather then looks. Im going to keep eating high calories, but ALL clean, and in fact im going to raise my calories. But im going to train as hard as i can and see what happens. Hopefully the looks will come as a byproduct of what im doing. Im sure it will. But it wont be my focus. And im quitting all weed during the week. I know i can do it, although it will be tough i think. I wont quit all together, because i dont have to, trust me, this isnt some cop out, its not all or nothing. I dont wanna be told it is, coz i know it aint. I know myself well enough to know my self. Im honest with myself, hence why im writing this. I always smoked weed and coped with fitness and life. I have a good job, and a healthy body, and i smoked. But now i need extra effort as i have less time, and the extra effort requires me to cut down on the green. So i will.

So here goes. I still wanna be gaining weight, so im still gonna be checking in with you guys here, the challenge aint over yet baby. Its just im gonna up the cardio, and the fitness, and get fit. New and improved. My workouts will be mainly focussing on compound movements to, so it will be interesting to see how well i can bulk using them and not iscolation exersizes.

Welcome to a new era. See you guys tomorrow. A new week. A new beggining.

Oh and by the way, my progress hasnt slipped altogether, and i will post some new pics asap.

[Doug Miles]

Hey Reno,

Sounds like a good plan to me. To 'get fit' should really be everyone's goal (fitness wise) in life any, IMO. And I think you are smart for analyzing your situation and making changes before too much time goes by. Oh, and you won't get any lecture from me. I do enough questionable things in my life that I would be wrong to lecture anybody on anything.

I have also let myself go recently (and I don't just mean HALO). The holidays are hectic, work is hectic, and on and on. I am eating crap, and not hitting the weights for every scheduled workout. I have gained weight (fat) and it doesn't feel good at all. I am not stopping the bulk, but I feel I am need of a calorie reduction period to get back on track. Going to be hard to do with the holidays, but I will find a balance. Any minute I get, I am trying to workout, so I don't know when exactly I will get more pics up, but hopefully soon.

[HIIT MAN]

Well, Its time for me to give a an update too.

I read with great interest Renos last entry, and can sympathise totally.
I have been going great guns til last Wednesday and then seem to hit a wall. No energy, no fight and an upset stomach which I still have.
Consequently, I decided to give myself a complete rest from any training whatsoever including my beloved running. Fortunately, as I dont have an appetite at the moment, the cals have been fairly low. Consequently, I have lost about 4lbs in weight this last week. So what's the score? Well, like Reno, life's committments are really bearing down at the mo, being married and having a Son with all the financial, emotional, physical and spiritual needs take a huge amount of time and of course often huge amounts of stress. So I figure I am stressed up, especially this stomach problem. I dont believe its a physical problem, my stomach has always been my "alarm signal" when I am stressing.

Anyway, having this last week off has been really beneficial and I have not allowed myself to get Angst or worried about loss of muscle or losing the edge etc. In fact It has really helped me to reassess my goals. I look at it this way. I am 40 years of age, I have a great marriage, a wonderful son and family, I am blessed to live in a country where I dont have to send my kid into rubbish dumps for food, or scour fields for any meagre grains to put in their stomach. This I am sure you will all agree is number one. However, I realise I am blessed to that I sat up and realized that good health( apart from some genetic imput) comes from good diet, exercise and knowledge of these things and then putting them into practice. This forum has been a godsend for many of us. I am the fittest I have ever been, I lost 42lbs in fat, built some good strong muscle and have energy of an 18 year old. I am not gonna lose that for anything. So My goal is to keep this potential I have reached. Yes, I say potential because a. age and b.time factor to me means that I can give all I have given when it comes to the body I have. The only goal left is now to trim back that last bit of fat again and reveal at last a six pack, thats one thing I wanna see next summer and I am well on the way. When I look at pics from just two years ago, its hard to imagine that was me. I have a 43 chest, 31 waist and looking lean. Hey , sure I look at some guys and think wow, love to have muscles like that, but then I look at other guys and think hey, bet you wish you had my stomach. Im happy at where I have reached. So the bulk seems to be winding to a close this Dec 1st. I intend to maintain over the holiday period til Jan, and then a cut to get real trim 9-10% b/f as a goal. Then ,I want to enjoy the running I do, the 10k races and as Reno would say enjoy being fit and healthy and most of all sharing all that energy I have with the ones I love. I really love this site and all the info shared and all you guys who have shared with me the angst and experiences which makes us and this forum unique.

Here ends the first lesson.


HIIT MAN

Ps So Lads, the challenge is still on, there's no giving up on this road of life, at the end of the bulk I'll post some pics, to show the gains I did make. Definitely been some results.

[Reno_1ted]

Agreed. Agreed. We shall post pics Dec 1st showing progress. I would say this has been a troubled bulk for us all, but many lessons have been learned. Thats the main thing.

Well, this week has been great fitness wise. "Fitness" wise.

The new 2 day spilt is a f##kin killer !!! For those interested it looks like this. (NB I didnt do chins last night, but will be adding them in as of next week, just forgot, thats all.)

Monday

Military press (3 sets)
Bench Press (3 sets)
Arnold Press (3 sets)
Incline DB press (3 sets)
Bodyweight Dips (2 sets)
Superset Overhead DB extentions and cable pushdowns (triceps)(2 sets)


Wednesday

Squat (3 sets)
Seated cable row (3 sets)
Stiff leg deads (3 sets)
DB Lunges (3 sets)
Body weight chins (2 sets)
EZ bar curls (2 sets)


It felt really good and hard work, never felt like a workout was really tough to get through before. They are always hard and heavy, but this was a real slog, very endurance testing.

Also rugby training went very well tuesday, did some stuff one on one with the coach at the end, and have improved greatly on a lot of things (still a way to go) and i have every intention of going tonight.

This week i have lost 2lbs already. And my diet hasnt changed from when i was gaining weight. So i can assume this loss to be fat. The mirror confirms this, as do the calipers. . With this regime and diet, hopefully i can get fit, trim up AND gain muscle, although the muscle gain will be at a slower rate.

Interestingly, a friend of mine found a photo of me on my 21st birthday at my old weight of (wait for it) 145lbs !!! Yes, i was a small little guy, and considering i had a BF then of about 13%, its amazing to think i have gained 11lbs while loosing 4% BF. This from a hard gainer (although mesomorph body type). Ill try and scan it in and post it.

I will be starting my own personal jouranl soon. Stay tuned.

Later guys.

[HIIT MAN]

Well Lads,

After almost two weeks total rest from weights and a week from Cardio, feeling a whole lot better, physically and mentally.
Had a good run early Sunday Morning and went to Gym last night. Nice workout: shoulders , chest and abs. Felt a little strength depletion, but I will soon make that up.

I have made some nice gains over the last couple of months, most noticable upper traps, shoulders, delts. I have gained about 9 lbs over all, hopefully not too much fat. As we have reached December I intend to maintain or even cut a little during the next four weeks til we hit New Year. I can see some gain also on the pecs and with b/f loss I think I will look fairly ripped come next spring, just determined not to lose the LBM. So keeping up the weights and steady cardio 3/4 a week.
Overall, happy at what I have acheived and think having a nice toned ripped look for next Summer will be my goal.

Take care lads.

Reno: Keep up the "Fitness"
Doug: You ok?



HIIT MAN

[Reno_1ted]

All is well. Last week was a good one, got my 2 mega-split sessions in, plus some extra cardio, a full training session and a rugby match, which also went well. The extra cardio and lower cals on non-workout days has stripped my BF down to sub 10% again, which is always a bonus !!!

I will defo be posting some pics at the end of the challenge this week.

Hpefully we will see some good LBM gains from the start.

[Reno_1ted]

Hey,

Well, just to let you know that last night, finally, i got the call. I have been picked for the 1st team at rugby at last, after training hard and working on improving, i now have thge chance to prove my worth on the field. Hopefully ill be ready.

Tonight is going to be chest and delts, with a swim and steam afterwards for recovery. Im off work friday to go shopping with a friend, so im going to book in for a massage and go for a light run and stretching session then as well.

Diet wise i plan to up the carbs as of tomorrow to make sure glycogen levels are well stocked. And i will be getting lots of rest.

I cant wait.

[vovo]

awesome dude,

although really its just the same its just a little quicker paced so do everything that you would normally do, rather than try to prove yourself (a mistake i made), and you will and soon you will be a regular.
just play exactly the same game.

life just seems to be a cherry for you at the moment enjoy it.

~v

[Reno_1ted]

Thanks man,