Bouldersnap's First Bulk - Facing my fears

[Bouldersnap]

"The time has come" the walrus said, "to talk of food and things; of peppercorn and mustard seed and other seasonings!" - Lewis Carrol

 

I want to start this off by saying I have no experince deliberately bulking. To me that's the best reason to do this.

 

I've been dropping weight consistently and steadily for 10 months. A couple of weeks ago I finally looked at myself in the mirror and didn't have to convince myself I'm not fat anymore. Instead I said: Jesus I'm small. This isn't the goal. I didn't want to be a waif or street urchin. I wanted to be He-Man. I could feel my abs through my skin even though I couldn't see them.. I could also play matchbox cars on my ribs with my nephew.

 

In the world of underpants gnomes I made a plan:

Step 1: Cut this excess body fat off

Step 2:

Step 3: He-Man

 

Well having collected all the underpants I'm left with choices. Why did I want to become He-man in the first place? I was too weak to mow my lawn without getting winded. I was too weak to bath my 160lb great dane without assistance (For the record while I can do this now I still prefer not to... He is not a fan of the bathtub). Superficially that is my ideal body image though in my head so that will alwyas be my driving goal.

 

However I've learned here at Nerd Fitness just how empty that shallow goal is. Sure it's always the end game, but strength is going to get me there. I need to pay attention to that and stop focusing on the painfully slow process of my body reconstituting itself.

 

So that brings my babble to this challenge.

 

Goal 1: Start bulking. Starting Saturday I'm setting my calories to 3250 and leaving them there until my waist hits 33inches again or I see Santa Claus whichever comes first. If I get to New year's I'll re asses if I should keep going or go back to a cut. I currently have a 30.5 inch waist so I think I'll be fine with this goal. Hit my calories with 100 every day. Simple Straight forward. Sta - 2 Con - 3

 

Goal 2: Expand my workout routine. I want to learn how to do more than SL 5x5. It's served me well, but there's a lot of world out there and I'm hungry to see some of it. I've started experimenting with bodyweight exercises. I want to keep up working on single leg squats (I use them to warm up for back squats right now). I've also switched to several dumbel exercises instead of the barbell for this challenge to try them out. Same exercise, slightly different execution. I'm also starting to do pullups and more pushups and am looking at installing rings in my gym. SL 5x5 routine with dumbells takes alot longer, but I want to see if this helps build my muscles a little when I go back to the barbell after the challenge. Dex- 3 Str - 2

 

Goal 3: Face my Fears: My biggest fears for right now are lifting to full failure and getting fat again. I need to conquer these two goals if I'm going to progress. So jumping right in the pool with a bulk and forcing myself to failure more frequently seem like the best way to get it over with! Wis - 3

 

Life Goal:

Finish 1 Crochet project. I am working on a baby blanket for a freind. I need to get that shit done. I have a ton of crochet and cross stitch projects I keep backing up on doing. Well lets make it a goal and finish it! Wis - 2

[El Exorcisto]

If you want to add some variation to your training, why not pick up something like 5/3/1 that can be built up around supplemental and assistance work? Especially if you're bulking, doing more volume than 5x5 will get you better size gains. Don't think of training for size as not training for strength. Training for size is just training for strength at 10+ reps instead of 5 or 1. Mindless gym rats will do 3x10 with the same DBs for years and wonder why they aren't progressing, but it's not the rep scheme that is the problem, it's that they aren't trying to get stronger within it.

 

There is a reason that Olympia competitors are brutally strong and huge beyond belief. Kai Greene has a 400+ pound seated military press, Ronnie Coleman had an 800 pound deadlift and 600+ pound squat for reps. Big and weak don't go together.

 

Enjoy the ride. Bulking is fun for a while, and incredibly rewarding when shit starts blowing up.

[Bouldersnap]

As long as my muscels blow up and don't just drop a new keg ontop of my stomach, bring on the pasta.

 

I at least know better than thatL If I can do 3x10 I'm not lifting heavy enough, and it's time to up the weight. I have that problem with the dumbells right now. I keep doing a ton of build up - warm up work at 3x10 so I wind up hitting failure at a pretty light weight. It also takes for friggin ever to get there. I went with SL 5x5 on a suggestion and let medhi sell me. I need to read about 5/3/1 - I don't know anything about it. I don't know how true it is, but I feel like half an hour of unlilateral bench presses that only builds up to 35-40lbs on either arm is not going to get me anywhere in terms of strength for very long.

[El Exorcisto]

3x10 will get you stronger, so will 1x20. They will also make you bigger faster than failing at 6. Mehdi's program works but his salesmanship has led a lot of people down a very narrow minded path. The same can be said for Mark Rippetoe.

 

Creep on my training log if you want to see what 5/3/1 days can end up looking like. There are infinite ways to adjust 5/3/1 to suit a goal, whether it is just to get swole, peak for a meet, train strongman, whatever. I'm in the gym for an hour tops and making faster gains than when I was spending an hour and a half grunting through Madcow 5x5.

[Bouldersnap]

Spent the morning screwing around at work looking through 5/3/1. I like the versatility with the assistance work. It would allow me to work in learning more variety of exercises while continuing to work on the ones I currently work on.Since I'm starting new, may as well give it a shot. Thanks!

 

One of the options described is for a full body workout version of 5/3/1. I'm curious what your thoughts are between the 4 day split (Which I would do using a 3 day stagger) or the full body version (which is similar to SL5x5 in structure, but different in the progression and variety of exercises).

[El Exorcisto]

I can get a lot more volume in by doing a 4 day split than I can doing full body.

 

On a bench day for example, the only time spent working up with light weights is on my main lift for the day. After that there's no reason to work up on the floor press since all the prime movers are already in the game. The same can be said for moving from deadlifts into front squats, or squats into high pulls, etc... Doing full body requires you work up on the squat all your big lifts, which blows a lot of time that would otherwise be devoted to work sets. That time could be much better utilized IMO being devoted to bringing up weak points in a lift or just getting bigger.

[Bouldersnap]

In for a penny in for a pound. Not squatting every day is gonna be a different world, but what the hell. If I'm gonna do something different I may as well do it all.

 

BTW - Dude I just read your signature link. That is frigign awesome.

[EmbracingChaos]

You and I are about in the same points in our fitness quest.  This last challenge was my first attempt at bulking, I put on about 6 lbs. of half muscle and half fat.  So I can safely say that you can't gain too much fat in 6 weeks unless you really don't count any calories and go balls to the wall eating.  Plus, at this point we're professionals at losing weight, so though easier said than done don't be too afraid.  I'll be following you, I'm doing another 6 week bulk session for this challenge as well.  Good luck!

[El Exorcisto]

Just don't fall victim to fuckarounditis. Research supplemental and assistance work that you think will really benefit you and pour your fucking soul into it. Read about different rep schemes, including clusters and rest-pause training. Experiment with what works, but give it at least a month before even thinking about changing things around. I made that mistake, and my gains came to a screeching halt every time. Realize that you will again be very sore for a while with the increased volume put on new muscle groups that have gotten off easy.

 

Oh, and read this. Pack a lunch because it's ginormous, but explains the function behind supplemental and assistance work better than I ever could.

[Bouldersnap]

Just don't fall victim to fuckarounditis. Research supplemental and assistance work that you think will really benefit you and pour your fucking soul into it. Read about different rep schemes, including clusters and rest-pause training. Experiment with what works, but give it at least a month before even thinking about changing things around. I made that mistake, and my gains came to a screeching halt every time. Realize that you will again be very sore for a while with the increased volume put on new muscle groups that have gotten off easy.

 

Oh, and read this. Pack a lunch because it's ginormous, but explains the function behind supplemental and assistance work better than I ever could.

I'm gonna need an afternoon siesta to read that thing... but I get plenty of down time.

 

Yeah I'm 99% convinced that's why I did well with SL 5x5. I don't like to vary my program. I don't even like to vary my eating. I eat the same thing 2 out of 3 meals every day. I lift the same, just a little heavier over and over. After 10 mos though it's time to lift with the goal of growing instead of cutting. I'm excited to give this a shot. Lay out my program while I'm playing pokemon tonight :L)

 

You and I are about in the same points in our fitness quest.  This last challenge was my first attempt at bulking, I put on about 6 lbs. of half muscle and half fat.  So I can safely say that you can't gain too much fat in 6 weeks unless you really don't count any calories and go balls to the wall eating.  Plus, at this point we're professionals at losing weight, so though easier said than done don't be too afraid.  I'll be following you, I'm doing another 6 week bulk session for this challenge as well.  Good luck!

 

Welcome aboard! I don't plan on just 6 weeks. If I'm gonna bulk I may as well do it right. Who knows how my body will react. Only one way to find out.

[El Exorcisto]

And be sure to hit each muscle group at least twice a week. Some things like upper back are going to get hit more frequently because they function in nearly everything, but make sure you intentionally hit everything at least twice.

[Bouldersnap]

Well here we go. Starting a 4 day split routine starting tomorrow. Picked assistance exercises I know how to do (except 1) and I like in general.

Today's goal. Get my pull up bar up in place to be ready for using it tomorrow. Nothing gets your ass in gear like a deadline.

 

Sunday Monday Wed Friday split

 

Sunday

Press - 5/3/1

Assistance:

Dumbell Rows

Pullup

 

Monday

Deadlift 5/3/1

Assstance:

Suitcase Deadlift

Side Planks

 

Wedneday

Bench Press 5/3/1

Assistance:

Dumbell Bench

Pushup

 

Friday

Back Squat 5/3/1

Assisatnce

Front Squat

Single Leg Squat

 

Do it while bulking. 5/3/1 is cycles of 4 weeks so I figure I should start seeing actual results of some kind in 4 cycles. So to give it a fair shake lets' see what happens by New Year's (1/3).

[El Exorcisto]

I'd swap DB rows and pullups, otherwise it looks nice and clean. Doing that will have you working your lats twice a week instead of just doing a double dose once a week.

[Bouldersnap]

I'd swap DB rows and pullups, otherwise it looks nice and clean. Doing that will have you working your lats twice a week instead of just doing a double dose once a week.

Thanks for the tips. Feedback much appreciated.

[Bouldersnap]

3250 calories day 1: That is a lot of food.... But living with a chef that just had the "cut calorie" shackles taken off him is gonna be SWEET

[Bouldersnap]

Day 1 of 5/3/1:

 

Military Press:

35x5

40x5

50x5

55X5

65X5

70X5+3

 

Dumbell Rows

25X10 Per Arm

35X40 Per Arm

(Managed to string together sets of 10)

 

Pushup - 100

Sets of 15 - my goal is to get this to where I'm strining 20.

 

That's it? In and out in an hour again (way better than the 6 exercise complication the trainer did) I'm not sure this is enough volume, but I'll know in the morning and after a week if I'm sore and healing up right afterwards. I felt that way about SL 5x5 at first, I was wrong. It was plenty of volume - so likely this is too.

 

Eating all this food was a chore - now it's friggin awesome. Finally back to keeping my calories in check instead of scrambling t find more food at dinner time. 3300 cal- 134 protein 390carbs 144 fat.

 

Off to hang a pull up bar and stuff my face.. maybe mow the lawn.

[Bouldersnap]

Had to doa protein shake to get my protein up. Killed a lot lf waffles today. mmmmmm waffles ....

[Bouldersnap]

It is extremely weird to only have the top half of my body sore and swollen from lifting. I'm looking forward to deadlifting though, maybe doing it without being worn out from squatting will let me do better at them

[EmbracingChaos]

Yea changing from full body to a split has that effect. You'll work out tomorrow while still being sore, and it will feel like you're violating the golden rule of rest. Great job pounding the food by the way.

[T2sarahconnor]

I can't visit very often and here about you eating waffles!

[Bouldersnap]

Some reason I cant get quoting to work:

 

Sarah: Whole wheat waffles are carby carby crack in my veins!!! Don't be afraid of the waffle - be at one with the waffle.

 

Chaos: I'll know soon enough if it's enough food. Pounding 3250 is ok, but if I don't gain any weight in a week or two I may need to investigate 3500.

 

I gotta figure out how to get my iphone to take smaller pics so I can start posting my food all the time. Hate the fact that my phone pics are always "too big to upload".

[Devyn]

 

KENDER LAUGH IN THE FACE OF FEAR! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

These are great goals. Funny how everyone's body is so different. I'd love to by tiny and waifish and street urchin-ish. True kender But for reals, I think it's fantastic that you want to get strong and that you've leveled up to a point where you are changing your viewpoint on your body completely. I bow to your awesomeness and I will cheer for you all the way. 

[Bouldersnap]

KENDER LAUGH IN THE FACE OF FEAR! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

These are great goals. Funny how everyone's body is so different. I'd love to by tiny and waifish and street urchin-ish. True kender But for reals, I think it's fantastic that you want to get strong and that you've leveled up to a point where you are changing your viewpoint on your body completely. I bow to your awesomeness and I will cheer for you all the way. 

 

Someday you and I are gonna do the Fastball special my friend:

[Bouldersnap]

New respect for side planks tonight. I set a goal of 5 minutes - apparently 2 in 40 second chunks was what my body was willing to give me.

[Devyn]

You set a goal for 5 minutes tonight? You gotta work up to that!