How to bulk up?

[Howling Wolf]

one thing to mention about this 5x5 routine is that i don't use racks so you get one extra clean when doing the military press and front squat. so i guess the squat in particular you will be no where near your max, but still moving good weights. this is mostly about improving core strength and over all power and front squats are just an awsome exercise whatever you are lifting. it is really tough on your whole back

in terms of order of the exercise, i dont see why doing the dead lift last is a problem but i guess you can do it any order that suits you. for me thought of doing dead lifts before power cleans is a bit scary, and as said above that includes getting the bar up for the shoulder press and squats. i would leave it last because you are gonna use most energy. if im squating off the rack, again i would leave it last because i know it will effect me more than say a shoulder press or bench press in terms of energy.

remember this is for a beginner so even if you go quite light you are doing 25 reps on each exercise and rest for no more than 60secs between each set which is challenging for anyone. i tend to use the 2 sets on each exercise as warm up sets then go in a bit heavier for the last 3.

you can increase your weights slowly over the 6 weeks. in general i will do this work out normally twice a year and it is always one of the enyoyable and always make progress.

 

[Dirty Harry]

in terms of order of the exercise, i dont see why doing the dead lift last is a problem but i guess you can do it any order that suits you. for me thought of doing dead lifts before power cleans is a bit scary .

The reason for it is quite simple really HW (and this is from some of the most experienced lifters out there including the strongest over 50's power-lifter in Britain).
Deadlift should be your strongest lift (if they're not, they should be), as such, it will be the exercise you are using the most weight on, it is also the most common exercise where form deteriorates rapidly after around 5-6 reps, even when fresh, so it makes no sense to put an exercise of such nature and potential to cause injury anywhere near the end of an exercise programme as intense as this.

Hope that makes sense bud.

 

[rhysmcfc]

Give it to me in English, doc!

Haha,agreed,I've no idea what he's talking about......

However,i hope i learn something.

I took it that he meant many believe optimal hypertrophy occurs within that 40-70 seconds of TUT.

I've added a few words though as only then does it make possible sense to me.

Rhys ?

When I do a hypertrophy workout, I do 4 sets of 8 reps with a 4-0-1-0 tempo, with a last set to failure -1. It's really important not to lock out and keep the weight moving, keeping your TUT (Time Under Tension) throughout the whole set. Take bench for example, if you lock out and hold you will take some of the load off the chest and into your shoulders, which we don't want.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Haha,agreed,I've no idea what he's talking about......

However,i hope i learn something.

I took it that he meant many believe optimal hypertrophy occurs within that 40-70 seconds of TUT.

I've added a few words though as only then does it make possible sense to me.

Rhys ?

When I do a hypertrophy workout, I do 4 sets of 8 reps with a 4-0-1-0 tempo, with a last set to failure -1. It's really important not to lock out and keep the weight moving, keeping your TUT (Time Under Tension) throughout the whole set. Take bench for example, if you lock out and hold you will take some of the load off the chest and into your shoulders, which we don't want.

I know people who have that preference Rhys and I can see the logic behind it (for bench and isolating the pecs more anyway, other lifts ? Then no) so ultimately I guess it's a matter of preference, but I (respectfully) still think much is debateable and open to question with it, even if you used a cadence of say 4-2-1-0, the 'time under tension' for that rep will still equate to 5, I'm not aware of anything which says that to pause or not makes any kind of significant difference bud and of anyone who uses it for that specific reason ?

Also, flat benching still incorporates huge emphasis on the front delts (amongst other things) throughout the move, and you also miss out on the last portion of the movement where the triceps come into play more, so in effect it's not truly a bench press, my own thoughts are that it's better all round to do the complete movement.

 

[Howling Wolf]

in terms of order of the exercise, i dont see why doing the dead lift last is a problem but i guess you can do it any order that suits you. for me thought of doing dead lifts before power cleans is a bit scary .

The reason for it is quite simple really HW (and this is from some of the most experienced lifters out there including the strongest over 50's power-lifter in Britain).
Deadlift should be your strongest lift (if they're not, they should be), as such, it will be the exercise you are using the most weight on, it is also the most common exercise where form deteriorates rapidly after around 5-6 reps, even when fresh, so it makes no sense to put an exercise of such nature and potential to cause injury anywhere near the end of an exercise programme as intense as this.

Hope that makes sense bud.

does make sense to me mate im not an expert and have just done it as i saw it and not changed the routine as i liked it. i really look to get 5 reps in with perfect form, so i will choose a weight accordingly. i take this attitude with higher reps as well. the only time i ever go to failure where form is an issue is on body weight stuff, where i will normally just do as many as i can in one set. e.g pull ups. although this routine is low reps, i don'e think it's designed for pushing near your max lifts as it would be too intense to try it like that and as you said you would be risking injury. as i said in my last post there is little rest between sets, and that is the biggest challenge. you could try at a different intensity each session as someone mentioned above, i just prefer to slowly and methodically increase the intensity over the six weeks. a nice idea would be too test your big 3 (dead lift, squat, bench) at the end of the 6 weeks cycle and see if there are any gains, as you might be sceptical due to the intensity being lower than you might imagine is required.

btw as a warm up when doing this we normally do clusters of over head squats, shoulder press, straight back dead lifts and bent over rows all 8reps without a brake so32 reps - 3 times. then 1 more as a warm down so that is 253 reps in the whole work out - you really cant do this with heavy weight

 

[Dirty Harry]

in terms of order of the exercise, i dont see why doing the dead lift last is a problem but i guess you can do it any order that suits you. for me thought of doing dead lifts before power cleans is a bit scary .

The reason for it is quite simple really HW (and this is from some of the most experienced lifters out there including the strongest over 50's power-lifter in Britain).
Deadlift should be your strongest lift (if they're not, they should be), as such, it will be the exercise you are using the most weight on, it is also the most common exercise where form deteriorates rapidly after around 5-6 reps, even when fresh, so it makes no sense to put an exercise of such nature and potential to cause injury anywhere near the end of an exercise programme as intense as this.

Hope that makes sense bud.

does make sense to me mate im not an expert and have just done it as i saw it and not changed the routine as i liked it. i really look to get 5 reps in with perfect form, so i will choose a weight accordingly. i take this attitude with higher reps as well. the only time i ever go to failure where form is an issue is on body weight stuff, where i will normally just do as many as i can in one set. e.g pull ups. although this routine is low reps, i don'e think it's designed for pushing near your max lifts as it would be too intense to try it like that and as you said you would be risking injury. as i said in my last post there is little rest between sets, and that is the biggest challenge. you could try at a different intensity each session as someone mentioned above, i just prefer to slowly and methodically increase the intensity over the six weeks. a nice idea would be too test your big 3 (dead lift, squat, bench) at the end of the 6 weeks cycle and see if there are any gains, as you might be sceptical due to the intensity being lower than you might imagine is required.

btw as a warm up when doing this we normally do clusters of over head squats, shoulder press, straight back dead lifts and bent over rows all 8reps without a brake so32 reps - 3 times. then 1 more as a warm down so that is 253 reps in the whole work out - you really cant do this with heavy weight

Don't get me wrong mate, I'm no expert either lol, far from it, especially in the grand scheme of things, I've just been in and around the game for over 30 years and been lucky enough to have had the benefit of some very well respected and experienced peoples knowledge over that time, as it happens some of it stuck :-).

Your way does seem a little heavy for volume on all those big movements in one workout for me, even with less intensity, I simply wouldn't recover sufficiently from it before the next workout, I do however, like (and rate very highly) the 'clusters' or 'complexes' you mention but I'd stick them at the end of the workout to finish off (I make mention of them a few pages back actually), for the short time it takes the benefits are great imo.

 

[Daveth]

How is this for a weekly shop?

Breakfast: Protein shake & fruit

Lunches: Tuna wraps, crackers w/ cottage cheese & chutney, 3 egg white 1 egg yolk omellete w/ mushrooms & cottage cheese, tuna/chicken salads

Dinners: Stuffed chicken w/ mash(quark instead of butter and cheese) & broccoli, tuna pasta w/ cucumber & lettuce, pasta bake, meatballs, tuna/chicken salads

Snacks: Apples, bananas, dried mango, raspberries, blackberries, cashews, pistachios, fat free greek yoghurt


I think my evening meals are too carb heavy - what can I do to improve this?
What should I be buying/not buying that is in that picture?

 

[Dirty Harry]

For a week ! ?

I wouldn't eat the 'Lime source' mate ;-).

Seriously, not much to change really, at a quick glance could change the crackers to oatcakes or ryvita/rye bread, cant' remember whether you like fish or not but oily fish like Pilchards/Sardines/Salmon and more veg.

 

[Daveth]

For a week ! ?

I wouldn't eat the 'Lime source' mate ;-).

Seriously, not much to change really, at a quick glance could change the crackers to oatcakes or ryvita/rye bread, cant' remember whether you like fish or not but oily fish like Pilchards/Sardines/Salmon and more veg.

Yeah I love fish but the problem is its very expensive (for a poor student)! That weeks shop was £40 compared to £30 if I was eating shit .. criminal really.

Not a fan of cottage cheese... this quark stuff is boss though

 

[Dirty Harry]

For a week ! ?

I wouldn't eat the 'Lime source' mate ;-).

Seriously, not much to change really, at a quick glance could change the crackers to oatcakes or ryvita/rye bread, cant' remember whether you like fish or not but oily fish like Pilchards/Sardines/Salmon and more veg.

Yeah I love fish but the problem is its very expensive (for a poor student)! That weeks shop was £40 compared to £30 if I was eating shit .. criminal really.

Not a fan of cottage cheese... this quark stuff is boss though

The tinned Pilchards and Sardines in tomatoe sauce are fine mate ( I know what you mean regards Salmon though), if you don't like the tomatoe sauce just drain it off, sure you can still get a big 400g tin for under £1, get some Rye or Wholemeal bread and have it on toast, a tin should give you round 2-3 meals.