Craig's Bulking Journal

[CraigC]

I am going to be taking part in the BB4U summer bulker challenge so I figured I would start up a journal. I currently weigh around 167-171, I will update on June 1.

Here is my routine:

Monday:
Squats (deep) 2 x 5
Box squats (set below parallel) 2 x 5
Leg presses 1 x 20 (pick 1 of the squats + the leg presses)
posterior core movement 2 x 10-20reps
heavy abs 2 x 20
hips 1 x 20-25 reps
Calves (your choice of exercise if you like) 2 x 10

Wednesday:
Wide grip flat bench 2 x 6 (index fingers on the rings)
hammer grip dbs 2 x 8-12 reps
tricep push downs 1-2 x 8-100reps. (yup 100)
db side laterals 1-2 x 10reps light
db front raises 1-2 x 10reps light
pull-a-parts 1-2 x 20reps

Friday:
Dead lifts (rotate variations each week) 2 x 5
2 posterior core movements 2 x 10-20reps
heavy abs 2 x 20reps
rows 2 x 4-8reps
Reverse grip narrow grip pull downs 2 x 4-8reps
Standing wide grip curls 2 x 8-12 reps (or your favorite curl here)
hammer curls or reverse curls 2 x 8-12reps

posterior core movements include gm variations, reverse hypers, 45° hypers, glute hame raise, sldl, pull thrus, etc......

Supplements:
ON 100% Whey
Mega Men multivitamins
Flax seed oil pills

Going to cycle Prolab creatine mono throughout the bulking challenge and I am going to get a weight gainer to start me off.

[CraigC]

May 15

Deadlifts:
225x5
225x5
275x3

Didnt feel that 225 was heavy enough so I decided to try a third set. My form felt a bit awkward. Think my negatives were too slow.

Reverse hypers
bw +25 x10
bw +25 x10

Decline bench crunches
+25 x 10
+35 x 10

BB Rows
155x6
155x4

Hadnt done these in a while. Form was a bit off so I am going to drop the weight next time.

RG CG pulldowns
150x8
150x8

EZ Bar curls standing (bar weighs 20)
70x9
70x8

DB Hammer Curls
25x10
25x9

Weak on the hammers.

[CraigC]

May 17

Wide grip flat bench (index fingers on the rings)
155x6
155x5

Not used to benching this wide. Kinda weak. On the last rep of the last set my left side took over.

hammer grip dbs
55x10
55x9

Felt different, especially when I started to struggle. I felt it a lot more in my chest the first set.

tricep push downs
70x40
60x50

Quite the burn. I am going to have to do basically no weight to get to 100.

db side laterals light
15x10
20x8

db front raises light
20x10
20x8

[CraigC]

May 19

Box squats (set below parallel)
160x6
185x5
185x4

Leg presses
270x20
360x20

posterior core movement
heavy abs
Skipped these, real short on time today

Adductor
1x12

Abductor
1x12

First time doing either of these machines, forget the weight I used and which machine was what. Felt good though.

Standing calf raise
300x12
400x10

Not a bad workout but I was rushed.

[CraigC]

May 22

Deadlifts:
225x5
275x4
135x8
Going to work my way up from 225 next time. My form was a bit sloppy at 275.

Reverse hypers
bw +35 x10
bw +35 x10

Leg raises
2x10

BB Rows
155x4
150x4
Not a big fan of these. I'll drop the weight again next time... or may try a diff. row exercise.

RG CG pulldowns
160x8
160x8

EZ Bar curls standing (bar weighs 20)
70x10
70x8.5

DB Hammer Curls
25x10
30x7

Decline bench crunches
+35 x 10
+35 x 10

[CraigC]

May 24

Wide grip flat bench (index fingers on the rings)
155x6
155x5

Same number of reps as last time but without a spot. The last 2 reps last week were assisted so there is some improvement there.

hammer grip dbs
55x8
55x9

Flat bench took a bit more out of me and I should have rested a bit longer but I'm used to HIT training with shorter breaks. Still getting used to taking the longer breaks. Had a bit more energy second set.

tricep push downs
60x60
60x35

db side laterals light
15x12
20x9

db front raises light
20x10
20x10

[CraigC]

Just to get in the habit I guess I'll post up todays diet:

8:00: 3 packets instant oatmeal, 2 cups of milk, multi, flax.
10:30: 1 1/2 cold cut meat sandwiches with over 1" of chicken and ham
11:10: 1 hotdog and bun (it was free)
11:30: 6" Turkey breast sub from subway, apple, cup of milk
3:30: The other 1/2 of my sandwich from lunch
5:30: Roasted chicken with oven roasted potatos, 2 cups of milk
8:00: BBQ peanuts, a good amount
10:30: 2 pouched eggs and 2 pieces of toast

This is probably a bit more than an average day for me but nothing unusual. Doing to start on a gainer on top of all this to add about 700 cals daily. I am going to step it up as far as eating goes doing the bulker as well.

[CraigC]

Did pull again today. I will do legs on monday. I dropped legs today because I would rather do legs on monday and pull on fridays.

Deadlifts:
245x6
245x6
Did one more rep on each set because it wasnt as heavy as I thought it would be, up the weight next time.

Reverse hypers
bw +35 x12
bw +35 x12

Leg raises
2x11

DB rows, 1 arm
75x6
75x5

RG CG pulldowns
170x8
170x6.5

EZ Bar curls standing
70x10
70x9

DB Hammer Curls
25x10
30x6

[CraigC]

Todays diet:

8:00-3 packets instant oatmeal, 1 cups of mulk, vitamins, flax
10:30-2 cold cut meat sandwiches, like 1.5" of meat. Whole wheat bread, apple
4:30-PWO shake, 2 scoops 100% Whey
6:00-large Chicken breast, 2 pieces of toast, 2 cups milk
9:00-chicken, mostly dark meat. Leftover from last night, sliced fruits
10:30-6" Subway turkey breast sub, honey oat bread
12:15-Large bowl of mini wheats, 2 cups milk.

[Cammo]

Why the instant oatmeal Craig? - whole oats take longer to digest so give you more sustained output of energy.
Just a bit of useless info!

[CraigC]

Originally Posted by Cammo

Why the instant oatmeal Craig? - whole oats take longer to digest so give you more sustained output of energy.
Just a bit of useless info!

Convenience mostly. I am not a morning person and am always in a rush to get to school on time. I plan to make the change to regular oatmeal soon. I'll be able to have bigger portions too which is good, and much less sugar than the instant.

[CraigC]

Leg day today. I didnt have a whole lot of energy. This heat is really wearing me down. I'll get used to it though.

Box squats (set below parallel)
185x5
210x4 (needed help on last one, form wasnt perfect)
225x1 (failed on second, beat my PB by 40lbs, at or just above parallel)

First time I have ever tried to lift over 185. Went well. I was really being pushed by my spotter. He felt I could do a lot more so I tried it. I'll try to do both sets of 195-200 next week. Then I'll start ATG squats for the next 3.

Leg presses
360x20

Adductor
30x15

Felt strange. Not used to this exercise.

Abductor
45x16

Standing calf raise
360x11
400x10

Hyper extensions
bw+25x12

Weighted crunch machine
35x12
45x8

[CraigC]

Here is my new diet. I am taking part in the Summer bulking contest. I figure its a win win. Even if I don't win the money I still will put on some much needed lbs. I am keeping my gains fairly clean, a bit of fat doesnt bother me.

Here is my diet:
7:30 - Oatmeal, orange juice, multivitamin, flax
9:30 - Homemade protein bar, apple
11:30 - 2 Sandwiches, meal replacement shake
1:30 - Weight gainer, 1/2 serving (undecided on brand, picking it up tomorrow)
3:30 - PB and banana sandwich
5:30 - Supper, whatever mom makes, milk
7:30 - PWO shake
9:30 - 1 can tuna, cheese, 2 slices bread, milk

[CraigC]

Workout today. Diet has been going well.

Wide grip flat bench (index fingers on the rings)
160x5
160x5
135x8
Up 5 from last week. I'll go up another 5 next workout

hammer grip dbs
60x7
60x7

Bench dips
bw+75x5
bw+90x5
bwx95x5
My triceps really need work so I threw these in instead of the pushdowns. I'll do normal dips next time. I need more weight and its kinda heavy on my legs.

db side laterals light
15x12

db front raises light
20x12

Reverse Fly Machine
85x12
100x8

[CraigC]

Deadlifts:
255x5
255x5
Had someone watching my form. Apparently its pretty good, I just have to lean back a bit more.

Underhand grip Tbar rows
117.5x7
117.5x7

RG CG pulldowns
180x7
180x5

Reverse hypers
bw +35 x12
bw +35 x12

EZ Bar curls standing
70x10
70x10

DB Hammer Curls
25x10
30x8

Weighted crunch decline bench
bw+25x10
bw+35x10

[CraigC]

Although I havnt posted in a few days I am still training. I love this routine I am on now with 1 exception; the push day, which is also the area where I need the most work. I was debating on going back to a 4-5 day split so my chest and triceps could get a bit more isolation. I was going to try it out for a bit, but decided I will continue with my push/pull/legs after this week (and I miss training with a partner, none of my friends train any less than 5 days a week).

I have decided to change the push day:
Flat DB press 2 x 6 reps
CG flat bench press 2 x 6 reps
DB flys 1-2 x 8-12 reps
tricep push downs 1-2 x 8-100reps. (yup 100)
db side laterals 1-2 x 10reps light
db front raises 1-2 x 10reps light
Reverse fly machine 1-2 x 20reps

I will try this for a bit and see how it works for me. I added the flys after reading an article on Mind and Muscle on 'The Skinny-Fat Ectomorph'

On an other note I started up a creatine cycle. Nothing fancy this time, 300g of German Creapure Creatine Monohydrate for only $12 CDN. Started two days ago. I am loading 20g a day for the first 4 days then dropping down to 5g a day for the next 3 weeks and 3 days. I havnt taken monohydrate in a while, I had been taking (and wasting my money on) creatine/glutamine/A-AKG/BCAA mixtures. I did notice a bit of a difference in recovery but I found the doses too small/scoop and it was so much more expensive. I am up to around 174 now, up 4-5 lbs but I know it is mostly, if not all water weight. This is the most I have ever weighed!!!

[CraigC]

June 8

My triceps were still sore from when I worked arms on Tuesday so I did chest today. I'll wait until Monday to continue with my push/pull/legs split. Wasnt a bad workout.

Flat DB press
70x5 good form, touched my chest with the dbs
80x4 below parallel but not low enough, didnt have this weight for a 2nd set
75x5

Incline BB bench
155x6
175x3 Would have had 4 with a spot, PR
155x6

Flyes, slight incline
25x12
30x12
35x6

Light abs.

[CraigC]

Deadlifts
255x5
275x5 Kinda heavy, form was good, bent over a bit too much though

Tbar rows
140x7
140x5
95x8 Really wide grip

RG CG pulldowns
180x7 (or 8, I forget)
200x4 Not bad, stack only goes to 220lbs so I'm getting there

Cable rows
135x8
150x6
Wasnt going to do these but was working out with a friend and he wanted 1 more back exercise.

EZ Bar curls standing
70x10
80x7

DB Hammer Curls
30x10
35x4

Weighted crunch decline bench
bw+25x10
bw+35x10


I havnt really went up in weight lately, other than my water gains from the monohydrate. I am getting around 3000 cals on weekdays and closer to 2500 on weekends. I guess I'll bump pick up a weight gainer and bumb it up to 4000 cals/day. I get almost all of my calories (with the exception of ON Whey shake) from food which is good. I'll see how it goes at 4000 cals. If I start putting on too much fat I'll drop back down.