JK vs BigRed

JK

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Paekakboyz" data-cid="410531" data-time="1389733458">
 
What sites were you checking out mate? could you post some links?</blockquote>
 
A couple of the ectomorph pages I was reading <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/ectomorph-hardgainer/'>http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/ectomorph-hardgainer/</a> <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="bbc_url" href='http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/11_training_tips_for_the_skinny_fat_ectomorph'>http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/11_training_tips_for_the_skinny_fat_ectomorph</a>

JK

Woe is me. Did a quick check in this morning and dropped more weight and body fat despite upping the calorie intake! Well trying to up my calorie intake. Proving a bit difficult to get all the food in there to hit them. Combination of not being hungry and eating pretty clean food which is not overly calorie dense. Anyway, bodyfat down to 12.5%. My lowest.
 
Today's workout was 20mins low resistance cycle, stretching and foam roller work and then more light legs work - Leg press (12x80kg, 12x80, 12x120, 12x120, 12x160, 12x16), hamstring curls (12x36kg, 12x36, 12x36), standing calf raises (12x130kg, 15x130, 12x150, 12x150, 12x150). 5 more easy minutes on cycle to finish.
 
Right, off to EAT

JK

Decent workout today. Very similar to mondays but rather than 5x5 I went for 4 to 5 sets of 5-8reps to keep things varied. Same exercises though.

Warmup was 1000m row then BB OHP (30kg x 8, 8, 8, 8, 8), T-bar rows (50kg x 8, 8, 8, 8 and then 40kg x15), BB bench press (65kg x 8, 8, 8, 8 and then 40kg x 15), Weighted chins (+16kg x 5, 5, 5 and then 10 rep unweighted), Weighted dips (+16kg x 10, 10, 10 and then 10 reps unweighted), EZ bar curls (37kg x 8, 8, 8)
 
Big eat day today.

JK

Two excellent days of recovery in the weekend. Lots of time in the sun and swimming. Awesome. Eats were ok but not great - had a couple of BBQs on etc and a fair few low carb beers but nothing that's gonna really set me back.
 
Today's session was another 5x5 upper body session. Usual 1000m row to warm up and then BB bench press (70kg x 5,5,5,5,5), T-bar rows (55kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), BB OHP (37.5kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 7), Weighted chins (+16kg x 5, 5, 5, 4, 4), Weighted dips (+22kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), EZ bar curls (37kg x 5, 5, 5)
 
So upped weights on a couple of lifts this morning. Kept BB bench the same but shortened the rest periods between sets as took me too long last week. Struggled with the weighted chins today.

JK

Legs this morning. Slowly increasing the weights and volume and feeling great so far.
 
Warmup was 15moins on the bike and then 5mins stretching and rolling and then 50 step ups on to a box with high knee raises.
Workout was Leg press (12x80kg, 12x80, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200), Front squats (just the bar x 12, 12, 12), Leg extensions (12x42kg, 12, 12x48, 12x48), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 12x150, 12x150, 12x150)
 
Had another 5mins on the cycle to warm down plus also bit of stretching.

JK

Upper body today. Started with 1000m row and then did max pullups - got 14 with strict form and then did 3 more but the form was a bit ropey. Not too bad.
 
Workout was: Lat pull downs (12x54k, 12x54, 10x60), Incline BB press (12x50kg, 10x60, 10x60), Decline flies (12x12.5kg/side, 12x12.5), Upright rows (12x38kg, 12x44, 12x44), Hyperextensions (15, 15), HS OHP (12x25kg/side, 12x30, 12x32.5 - smashed these today), Front plate raises (12x10kg, 12x15, 12x15), Tricep V-bar pushdowns (12x56kg, 12x62, 12x62), Hammer curls using fatgrips (12x12.5kg per side x 3 sets) superset with Tricep kickbacks (12x7.5kg each side x 3 sets).
 
So these fatgrips..... Picked up a set the other day and first time I've used them. Holy hell they change things up. Killed my forearms this morning with just 3 sets and biceps still felt like they got hit as hard as ever despite going light weight. Will be using them occasionally on other lifts too.
 
Legs and glutes pretty sore from yesterday. Hurt to sit on the rower today. Will pop in for some cardio and stretching on the way home today if all goes well.

JK

And I did. Popped in this arvo and did 30 mins on the spin bike then 10mins of stretching and foam roller before another 10min on the bike to finish.

JK

Bit of legs and abs this morning. Started with 10mins on the bike and stretching
 
Workout was: Front squats (4 sets of 15 x just the bar), Leg press (12x120, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200, 20x80), Hamstring curls (12x36kg, 12x42, 10x42, 12x36), Standing calf raises (12x130kg, 12x130, 12x150, 12x150) and then abs which were 3 sets of 12 of hanging leg raises and weighted cable crunches (these felt awesome on the abs). Finished with another 10mins on the bike.

JK

Good upper body session this morning. Really enjoying my lifting at the moment. Picked up some more BCAA (Infinite Force BCAA) which is great to sip through my workout and keep me going strong despite not eating before I train.
 
Started with a 1000m row and then the workout was BB OHP (10x30kg, 8x35, 8x35, 7x35, 10x30), T-bar rows (8x50, 8x50, 8x50, 8x50 dropset --> 6x40 --> 6x30), BB Bench (10x60kg, 10x60, 10x60 dropset 15x40), Cable curls (20x30kg, 20x30kg to get some blood in the biceps), EZ bar curls (6x37kg, 8x37, 6x37), Dips (+18kg - 12, 12, 10 reps), then chins (10, 10, 10 reps) superset with unweighted dips (12, 12, 15 reps).

JK

More 5x5 today in what I now call heavy Monday. Was a pretty good upper body session with weight increases and also rotating in incline bench for a few weeks rather than flat bench as I seem to get more out of it. 
Usual 1000m row to warm up and then incline BB bench press (60kg x 5,5,5,5,8), T-bar rows (60kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 7), BB OHP (40kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5) , Weighted chins (+16kg x 5, 5, 5, 4, 4), Weighted dips (+24kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), Incline DB curls (17.5kg per side x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5) 
Still struggling a bit on the weighted chins. Could drop the weight a wee bit of maybe swap the order around a bit next week. 
Legs tomorrow and planning on finally squatting (with weight) again

JK

LEGS today. Started with a a 15min cycle to warmup and then the usual stretches and work with foam roller.
 
Workout was Leg Press (12x80kg, 12x80, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200), Squats (15xbar, 10x60kg, 10x60, 10x60), Leg extensions (12x42kg/side, 10x48, 12x48), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 12x150, 12x150, 15x150).
Another 10mins on bike to finish.
 
It all felt pretty good. Took it easy on the squats and ensured form was bang on. Felt very easy and I was keen to crank the weights up but I know I shouldnt just yet). The key will be how I pull up later today and tomorrow.

Paekakboyz

Hope the knee is feeling ok. Very easy to get a bit shy on the squats if you've got a niggle!

JK

Knee feels great mate. Absolutely fine. Hardly any DOMS after yesterday which is weird. Could be the added glutamine in my BCAAs, but yeah hardly any noticeable DOMS. Only slightly tender when I sat on the rower. No where near as bad as previous weeks.
 
Today was upper body again and my higher rep day. 1000m row to warmup and then a couple of quick sets of pullups for 10 reps each.
 
Rest of workout was: Lat pulldowns (12x48kg, 12x54kg - really just a follow on from the pullups), HS flat bench press (12x35kg per side, 12x35, 10x37.5), incline DB flies (12x12.5kg per side x 2 sets), Close grip pull downs (12x48kg, 12x54, 12x54), Arnie press (12x15kg per side x 3 sets) superset with shrugs (12x65g per side x 3 sets), weighted hyperextensions (3 sets of 12reps @ 10kg), Machine flies (15x60kg, 15x66), Upright cable rows (12x38kg, 12x38), Skull crushers (12x27kg x 3 sets), preacher curls (10x27kg x 3sets), Tricep pushdowns (12x56kg x sets)

Wairau

another excellent workout. Hey, I was just wondering if it would be worth it to finish your workouts with ten minutes focusing on one muscle group, go to your max, small rest, continue for ten minutes? HIT in a way. Glad that the knee is feeling better. 
Heh, deleted

JK

Might try that Kea. Always good to do something a bit different. 
More legs today but no squats - wont quite jump in to it too hard with squats twice a week just yet. Started with a 15mins ride and then step up (with high knee raises) on to a box for about 3mins (1 song). Then got the 30kg weight bag and did another song worth of box step ups with the bag on my shoulders. 
Weights were - Hamstring curls (12x36kg, 12x42, 12x42), Deadlifts (10x70kg, 10x110, 10x110, 10x110), Leg press (20x80kg, 20x120, 12x120, 12x120), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 15x130, 15x130). Another 5mins on the bike to finish. 
So alot of higher rep stuff. Short rests too so sweated hard. 
Decent. 
Edit - quick weigh in too and bodyweight slightly up from last week. BF back up in to the 13% range though. Will need to increase my calories a bit more especially once I get in to the heavier leg training. Having said that, I've been struggling to hit my targets most days. Feels like I am eating all the dam time.

Wairau

JK, just a quick thought-I'm wondering if the body resistance stuff I do is making me heavier (muscles, bones)-I'm really not fat, maybe losing 5 kgs would have me super toned, but I'm noticing my weight tracking up over the years.
 
Second thought: One of the reason I started doing multiple sets to failure is to make the musculature deep and tough-really fit-being able to lift myself more easily. While I'm just average compared to many people, and I'm a bit slack lately, I've seen real changes.
 
You always have excellent workouts, so I'm not sure if you have the need to push even harder-so it's just an idea, take it or leave it both ok.

JK

Use to do a lot to failure but don't do it so often now after doing a lot of reading up on my bodytype and what (apparently) works for me. I basically learnt that ectomorphs should try to avoid training to failure and hammering the CNS as ours are a bit shit. So I'm trying that for a while.
 
 
Today was upper body and with medium rep ranges and fairly heavy.
 
Workout was 1000m row, BB OHP (35kg x 8, 8, 8 and 30kgx10), T-bar rows (55kg x 10, 10, 8 and then 12x50kg), Incline BB press (50kg x10, 60kg x 7, 55kgx8, 50kgx12), Chins (12 unweighted, then +10kg for 2x8 reps and then 10 more unweighted), Dips (+22kg x 10, 10, 10), standing BB curls (12x27kg x 3sets), OH cable extensions (12x32kg, 15x32kg, 15x38kg) and concentration curls (2 sets of 12x15kg per side)
 
Dont usually plan to do this much arms work on a friday but it just happened. Hard to avoid it when its a friday and you can wear a t-shirt to work. Suns out....guns out.
 
Feel like I am making some good progress on weights with them tracking up in all areas. Hardest things for me re putting quality weight on is eating enough and getting enough sleep. Been trying to go to bed earlier but already having a few late nights creeping in with a couple of midnighters this week. You then dont get much rest when the alarm goes off at 530am.

JK

Great weekend. No training but heaps of swimming in the sea (and tanning). Short week as I'm heading away for a few days fishing Weds evening. Will just go hard for 3 days and then let the body "recover".
 
Today was the usual heavy monday upper body 5x5 work with weights up on most lifts and a bit of change in order to keep things interesting. Started with 1000m row to warm up.
Workout was: Incline BB press (65kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), T-bar rows (65kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), BB OHP (42.5kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), EZ bar curls (37kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), Dips (+28kg x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5), Chins (unweighted - 12, 15, 15)
Also did some abs work which was decline weighted crunches, decline medicine ball twists and decline twist and crunches. Lots of each.

JK

Tuesday - legs day. Still working on getting the knees used to increased weight etc but its going well so far.

Warmup was 10mins on bike and then 5mins stretches and foam roller
 
Workout was - Leg extensions (12x30kg per side, 12x30, 12x36, 12x36), Squats (15xbar, 10x40kg, 10x60, 6x80, 6x80, 8x80, 8x80), leg press (12x120, 12x120, 12x160, 10x200, 10x200, 10x200, 20x80), Standing calf raises (15x130kg, 12x150, 10x160, 10x160, 12x150)
 
Usual 5mins ride to finish and I will probably pop in for a longer ride on the way home today if time permits.

JK

30mins cycle on the way home plus stretching and foam roller. Quads a bit tender but no where near as tight mid arvo

The Silver Fern

JK vs BigRed