The Time is Now - the next level and beyond
While it probably has much to do with the fact that I’m more or less taking this year off, I’ve been doing a lot of reflection (more so than usual) on my training. While I have very little doubt that the average person off the street would consider me distinctly muscular, the members of AR, and justifiably so as evidenced in the members’ pictures forum, ascribe to a much higher standard of what constitutes ‘ripped’, ‘muscular’, or ‘huge’. Content in the past to appear as such to 99% of the population, I’m at the point now where I’ve taken stock in and responsibility of my training up to this point and have come to two related conclusions: one, that within a year’s time I’ll have made tremendous progress from where I am at now towards attaining that status by “AR Standards”, and, two, that my current approach to training is not sufficient to get me there.
While I have consistently for the past four years poured the very limits of myself into my actual workouts, that intensity is at best sorely unmatched in all other aspects of the bodybuilding equation, and, at worst, and more likely, woefully detrimental. An hour’s worth of work, no matter how excruciating, can not (at least in this pursuit) remedy shortcuts in other aspects of the equation, particularly nutrition. The same average person on the street I brought up above would no doubt see my diet as borderline impeccable; to my AR brethren, however, it is full of holes that have kept me from reaching the upper limits of my potential.
At this point, it is time to place the same dedication that I have accorded my workouts into ALL aspects of bodybuilding. It is time to instill that same tenacity that had me going from surrendering my lunch money three times a week as a sixth grader to becoming a two time under-18 Tang Soo Do national champion by the time I was a junior in high school. It is time to display the same resolve that found me just recently graduating from a top ten college after being told in the ninth grade that college prep courses may not be for me. In short, it is time to become a true bodybuilder, one of AR’s truly complete physiques.
I don’t expect to get there in a year, but I expect to take a HUGE step in that direction. This thread, which will serve as a year long journal of this journey, will not only allow others to follow and hopefully learn from my approaches, setbacks and successes, but keep me accountable to you guys. The journal will cover five distinct phases (which I’ll lay out in detail tomorrow), each with their own uniquely structured dietary approach, as well as two complete AAS cycles. I’ll be taking pictures throughout, but will not post any until the year is over. Hopefully the year culminates with my first competition, though whether that occurs or not at this stage, it is the decision to take my training, diet, rest, etc to the next level that truly matters. Looking forward to keeping a detailed record of this year!
PHASE 1 WORKOUT SPLIT - "Back to Basics"
During Phase One, the breakdown of the split is that of a MWF one, with Monday being "Push Day", Wednesday "Leg Day" and Friday "Pull Day". I know this seems to go against my constant preaching that you shouldn't have a "leg day" in your routine, but rather, separate workouts/days for calves, hams and quads...but that largely applies to workouts that insist on insanely broken up splits with a separate day for bis, a separate day for traps, yet one day for "LEGS"..that's what I don't like. Plus, this training approach, both in its frequency and exercise selection is a major part of my philosophy that you need SUBSTANTIAL overhauls every three months or so in your training split. Without further, delay, here is that split:
MONDAY - Push Day
*Bench Press: (true pyramid*) 12-8-6-2-6-8-12
*Military Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
*Close Grip Bench: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
*Weighted Dips: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
WEDNESDAY - Leg Day
*Squats - (true pyramid*) 15-12-8-4-8-12-15
*Leg Press - 3 sets of 6-10 reps
*Glute/Ham Raises - 3 sets of 4-8 reps
*Stiff Leg Deadlifts - 3 sets of 8-12 reps
*Box Step-Ups - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
*Selected Calf Exercise - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
FRIDAY - Pull Day
*Deadlifts from low pins - (true pyramid*) 12-8-5-2-5-8-12
*Pull-Ups - 3 sets of however many reps I can manage at that time
*Chinups - 3 sets of same rep restrictions
*Barbell Rows - 3 sets of 10-12 reps
*Power Cleans- 3 sets of 10-12 reps
*Barbell Shrugs - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
*Regarding the asterick following each "true pyramid", the first three sets, working up to the lowest rep, will serve as 'working warm-ups'...somewhere in between a pure warmup and a working set so as to feel worked going into the low rep set but not so burnt that I can't then finish the three sets to follow.