Drex's Journal

Hello

I am starting my first “bulk” since I learned about the terms “cutting” and “bulking” just a couple months ago.

On Jan 1, 2006 I weighed 260 lbs and decided to start getting into a routine to attempt to both lose weight and gain muscle. I continued this for a year and made descent progress getting down to 230 lbs. I took about 4 months off and was back up to 240 lbs. on May 1st when I started on a program again. In August I did some research and found out about bulking and cutting. I wanted to get down to around 12% body fat before I started bulking, but since winter is coming up, I want to be bulking during the winter and then cutting again prior to the summer. So, I decided to start bulking now and will bulk for about 4 months and then start cutting to get ready for the summer.

My goals are basically to get a strong muscular body and get in as good a shape as I can. I want to put on a lot more muscle than I have with as little fat as possible. I am also planning on running a marathon in June 2008. Prior to the marathon I would like to get down to 10-12% body fat.

Starting point on Oct. 13, 2007 - 8:00 AM
Age - 31
Height - 6’5”
Weight - 198.8
BF% - 21.4% (according to my body fat analyzer scale)

My routine will be a FBW 3 days a week and cardio 4 days a week. Cardio will be mostly running. I will have 3 routines, one for each day of the week, but routines A and C will be identical for now.

Routine A
Hack Squat
(ss) Deadlift
(ss) Calf Raise
Bench Press
(ss) Pull-up
(ss) Shoulder Press
Bicep Curl
(ss) Dip
(ss) Stiff-leg Deadlift
Decline Weighted Crunch

Routine B
Lunge
(ss) Deadlift
(ss) Calf Press
Inclined DB Chest Press
Declined DB Chest Press
(ss) Standing bent-over Row
(ss) Fly
Lateral Raise
Chin-up
(ss) Lying Tricep Extension
(ss) Stiff-leg Deadlift
Leg Raise

Routine C
Hack Squat
(ss) Deadlift
(ss) Calf Raise
Bench Press
(ss) Pull-up
(ss) Shoulder Press
Bicep Curl
(ss) Dip
(ss) Stiff-leg Deadlift
Decline Weighted Crunch

I will be keeping track of my diet on fit day. You can see all food consumption on this link:

Here are pictures where I am right now.

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Matt
 

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This is from someone not nearly in a position to offer assistance or critique but got a question.

Since its all relative I think you look really great now compared to me, you said your were first losing fat and gaining muscle, what did you do to accomplish this? routine and diet etc

Also, got any pics prior to Jan 07?
 
Congrats on your progress over the time you specified!

And good luck with your bulk!

I will stop in from time to time to see how you are doing and assist when you need it!

Im bulking too at the moment--be nice to share our experiences!


ROCK ON!................., my friend.

Good luck with the journal


Best wishes



Chillen
 
Hello matts0344 and thanks.

Losing fat and gaining muscle was my goal when I started. I didn't have very much knowledge about it at the time though and just went on an exercise program. I lifted and ran throughout 2006, but really didn't have a very good routine and I didn't watch my diet. I was probably not doing both at the same time, but I think ended up doing a little of each depending on what I ate. I have no records for this though.

I found a picture of me from Dec 2004. This is about a year before I started working out and am probably about 250 in that picture.

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DUDE!..........What a fantastic transformation!..........DUDE.....!

You flat blasted and then REBLASTED..........yourself!



ROCK THE HECK ON!


And,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Your welcome.......

Im tolerated....on the forum........... ( :) )

HEHEHEHHE

Man........GREAT JOB!


Best wishes



Chillen
 
First, take that body fat scale and throw it in the dumpster. It is 10% off. Your body fat is not much more than 10%.

Second, enjoy your accomplishment. As others have mentioned, you have arrived. If you decide to get a little bigger, that is your decision. But, you don't have to do anything to accomplish what most on this forum, including myself, would consider to be their ultimate goals.
 
Thank you g8r80! :)

15 Oct 2007
Routine A
Hack Squat - 10x165; 10x165; 10x165
(ss) Deadlift - 10x225; 10x225; 10x225
(ss) Calf Raise - 50x100; 50x100; 50x100
Bench Press - 9x200; 10x185; 8x185
(ss) Pull-up - 7xbw; 7xbw; 7xbw
(ss) Shoulder Press - 10x(50x2); 10x(50x2); 10x(50x2)
Bicep Curl - 8x(55x2); 8x(50x2); 8x(50x2)
(ss) Dip - 10xbw; 10xbw; 10xbw
(ss) Stiff-leg Deadlift - 10x110; 10x110; 10x110
Decline Weighted Crunch - 75x25; 75x25; 75x25
 
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I ran 5 miles on the treadmill today, since it was cold and raining outside. Finished the run in 39:23.
 
Thanks tonymcclellan,

For the last couple months I have been trying to eat healthy. I have been keeping track of it all on fitday and there is a link in the inital post that lists everything I eat each day and it stays updated. I have a whey shake pretty much every day. I have been eating Subway a lot. I have been eating a lot more fruit than I used to and try to get in eggs, oatmeal, lean meat and veggies as much as I can.
 
Hey Drex

It's looking good, you seem to be controling calorie intake well. I also think your training schedule looks tough but if you're body's coping with it then great, I bet you're gonna get some fantastic results
 
Haha my bad. I would up the fat and lower the carbs a bit, but thats me. .2 tbsp of fish oil? That is one thing you can never have enough of. Im taking 10 pills a day, or 12.5g.
 
Thanks CCR.

Hey tonymcclellan, yeah, I have been intending to increase my fish oil. Thanks for bringing that up. The .2 tbls comes from the nutrition info on the bottle. 2 pills = 1 serving, 1 serving = 25 calories, fitday calculates off of tbls and .2 tbls = 25 calories.

Workout 10/17/07
Routine B
Lunge - 10x100; 10x100; 10x100
(ss) Deadlift - 10x225; 10x225; 10x225
(ss) Calf Press - 30x165; 30x165; 30x165
Inclined DB Chest Press - 12x(65x2); 12x(65x2); 12x(65x2)
Declined DB Chest Press - 12x(70x2); 12x(70x2); 12x(70x2)
(ss) one arm Standing bent-over Row - 10x65; 10x65; 10x65
(ss) Fly - 10x(35x2); 10x(35x2); 10x(35x2)
Lateral Raise - 10x(20x2); 10x(20x2); 10x(20x2)
Chin-up - 7; 7; 7
(ss) Lying Tricep Extension - 10x(45x2); 10x(45x2); 10x(45x2)
(ss) Stiff-leg Deadlift - 10x110; 10x110; 10x110
Leg Raise - 20; 20; 20


On a side note, the hoist 985 (half cage and lat pull machine) I ordered came in today and I was able to pick it up this afternoon. I got most of it put together, just have the bench left. That will give me a few more options to add to my routine including front and back squats. I am going to stick to the routine I am on for a while yet though.

This is more directed to Chillen as I know he is an advocate of heavy weight low reps on crunches, but if anyone else has any input. How do you add the weight? I just recently bumped the weight up to 25 lbs using a 25 lb plate and that is a tight fit on its own. My only thought would be to maybe tape some 25 lb plates together as I don't think I will get a bigger plate to work.

Thanks,
 
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Yes, that is it. It also came with a bench that has the preacher curl, leg extension, etc. add-ons as well. What is pictured there is what I was able to get put together yesterday, still have the bench part of it to go.
 
19 Oct 2007
Routine C
Hack Squat - 10x170; 10x170; 10x170
(ss) Deadlift - 10x230; 10x230; 10x230
(ss) Calf Raise - 50x100; 50x100; 50x100
Bench Press - 8x200; 10x185; 8x185
(ss) Pull-up - 7xbw; 7xbw; 7xbw
(ss) Shoulder Press - 10x(50x2); 10x(50x2); 10x(50x2)
Bicep Curl - 8x(55x2); 9x(50x2); 8x(50x2)
(ss) Dip - 10xbw; 10xbw; 10xbw
(ss) Stiff-leg Deadlift - 10x110; 10x110; 10x110
Decline Weighted Crunch - 75x25; 75x25; 75x25

Headed to a halloween party tonight. There will be a couple kegs, so free beer. :) My wife picked out my costume today. I am going as the grim reaper, wife as mother nature and my 2 year old daughter is going as a princess.
 
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In reference to your weighted crunches question. Hopefully I can explain this correctly so you understand.

Get two 2' velcro straps, or something comparable in strength.

Take one of the straps and go through the hand slot (like the ones golds gym has on their olympic style plates) or go through the bar hole, of one of the plates and then into the other, and velco or tie them together on one side.

Do the same for the other side. If going through the ring hole, just do the opposites side all the way across.

This will hold them together.

There are two options in placing the plates for different effects: the Chest and the lower naval.

If you notice when you perform crunches the muscle tends to push UP and placing the plates near the belly button can have some differing weighted effects than putting them on the chest provides. Just some thoughts, hopefully I explained this well.



Best wishes



Chillen
 
That makes sense Chillen. Velcro will work better than the tape I was thinking of using.

I had never thought about adding the weight near the belly button. I will give that a try one of these times as well to see how that works for me.

Thanks a lot Chillen!
 
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