Workout and diet - opinions plz

[VforVendetta]

I'm currently in the 8th week of my first cycle which consisted of 500mg test/deca per week (for a total of 10 weeks) and also 1000mg of Reforvit (2x per day - morn and evening) for the first 6 weeks. I have several years of on again off again training under my belt but never bothered to be focused, consistent or FEED myself properly so i have have made minimal gains. I am 6'2 and I started off at around 194lbs unsure of bf % but it is prolly in the mid-teens. I am currently up to 214 lbs although I've been as much as 218 (water I'm sure)...bf is still around the same percentage.

Anyway, since I've got 2 more weeks left, I wanted to get some opinions to make sure I'm doing a proper bulking routine and I'm not over training. I've seen decent gains in my strength and obvious weight gain not to mention I've heard from every person i know that I look "huge" (yeah right) so i know what I'm doing is working. However, sice I'm soon to be off the juice I'd like to keep as much of the weight as I can and also continue to make some progress. I'm posting my diet and workout routine below. I'd appreciate any input, thoughts or criticism.

Diet:

10am Breakfast - Cytogainer shake (55g protein, 80g carbs) + 4 dess liver tabs, glucosamine, MSM, multi-vitamin, saw palmetto, milk thistle, flax tabs

or

4 egg (whites only) omlet with 2 silces of fat free mozzarella, 1 cup of oatmeal + above listed vitamins

1pm Post workout - Cytogainer shake (55g protein, 80g carbs) + 4 dess liver tabs

3pm Post workout meal - 10-12oz grilled chicken breast, unseasoned steak fries, 4 dess liver tabs, milk thistle

5pm - Prorated protein shake approx. 60g protein + 4 dess liver tabs

7pm - 10-12oz grilled chicken breast, unseasoned steak fries, 4 dess liver tabs

9pm - Prorated protein shake approx. 60g protein + 4 dess liver tabs, glucosamine, MSM, multi-vitamin, saw palmetto, milk thistle, flax tabs

Bedtime - Cytogainer shake (55g protein, 80g carbs) + 4 dess liver tabs



Workout - One day on , one day "off"

Day 1 - Chest/ tris

- Incline Press 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Decline Press 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Flat bench 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Dips 3 sets of 10
- Rope pulldowns 5 sets @ 10 reps
- French press 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
-wide underhand pulldowns 5 sets @ 10 reps

Day 2 - Legs

- Squats 5 sets @ 15,10,8,6,6
-Leg Extensions 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Leg curls 5 sets @ 10,10,8,8,6

Day 3 - Back/ bis

- Wide lat pulldowns 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Close grip seated row 5 sets @ 10,10,8,8,6
- Bent over rows 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Straight leg deadlifts 3 sets of 10
- Reverse situps 5 sets of 10

Day 4 - Shoulders

- Military press 4 sets of 8,8,6,6
- Lateral raises 4 sets of 10
- Bent over/incline pull (with db) 4 sets of 10
- Reverse flys (on pec dec) 3 sets of 10
- Heavy bb shrugs 5 sets of 10

I do calves every workout day - Standing calf raises, seated calf raises both with 5 sets of 10 or to failure with alternating toe placement. Abs are done on "off days" and consist of 100 weighted crunches, weighted side bends 5 sets of 10 each side and 100 leg lifts. I also do forearms every workout day except for leg days. I alternate between outer/inner depending on the type of workout I've had. Pulling exercises (back ) I will do inner forearms, pushing, I will do outer.

Anyway, thanks in advance for taking the time to look this over and I look forward to your responses.

[DARKSEID]

[QUOTE=VforVendetta]I'm currently in the 8th week of my first cycle which consisted of 500mg test/deca per week (for a total of 10 weeks) and also 1000mg of Reforvit (2x per day - morn and evening) for the first 6 weeks. I have several years of on again off again training under my belt but never bothered to be focused, consistent or FEED myself properly so i have have made minimal gains. I am 6'2 and I started off at around 194lbs unsure of bf % but it is prolly in the mid-teens. I am currently up to 214 lbs although I've been as much as 218 (water I'm sure)...bf is still around the same percentage.

Anyway, since I've got 2 more weeks left, I wanted to get some opinions to make sure I'm doing a proper bulking routine and I'm not over training. I've seen decent gains in my strength and obvious weight gain not to mention I've heard from every person i know that I look "huge" (yeah right) so i know what I'm doing is working. However, sice I'm soon to be off the juice I'd like to keep as much of the weight as I can and also continue to make some progress. I'm posting my diet and workout routine below. I'd appreciate any input, thoughts or criticism.

Diet:

10am Breakfast - Cytogainer shake (55g protein, 80g carbs) + 4 dess liver tabs, glucosamine, MSM, multi-vitamin, saw palmetto, milk thistle, flax tabs

or

4 egg (whites only) omlet with 2 silces of fat free mozzarella, 1 cup of oatmeal + above listed vitamins

1pm Post workout - Cytogainer shake (55g protein, 80g carbs) + 4 dess liver tabs

3pm Post workout meal - 10-12oz grilled chicken breast, unseasoned steak fries, 4 dess liver tabs, milk thistle

5pm - Prorated protein shake approx. 60g protein + 4 dess liver tabs

7pm - 10-12oz grilled chicken breast, unseasoned steak fries, 4 dess liver tabs

9pm - Prorated protein shake approx. 60g protein + 4 dess liver tabs, glucosamine, MSM, multi-vitamin, saw palmetto, milk thistle, flax tabs

Bedtime - Cytogainer shake (55g protein, 80g carbs) + 4 dess liver tabs



Workout - One day on , one day "off"

Day 1 - Chest/ tris

- Incline Press 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Decline Press 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Flat bench 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Dips 3 sets of 10
- Rope pulldowns 5 sets @ 10 reps
- French press 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
-wide underhand pulldowns 5 sets @ 10 reps

Day 2 - Legs

- Squats 5 sets @ 15,10,8,6,6
-Leg Extensions 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Leg curls 5 sets @ 10,10,8,8,6

Day 3 - Back/ bis

- Wide lat pulldowns 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Close grip seated row 5 sets @ 10,10,8,8,6
- Bent over rows 5 sets @ 8,8,8,6,6
- Straight leg deadlifts 3 sets of 10
- Reverse situps 5 sets of 10

Day 4 - Shoulders

- Military press 4 sets of 8,8,6,6
- Lateral raises 4 sets of 10
- Bent over/incline pull (with db) 4 sets of 10
- Reverse flys (on pec dec) 3 sets of 10

I do calves every workout day - Standing calf raises, seated calf raises both with 5 sets of 10 or to failure with alternating toe placement. Abs are done on "off days" and consist of 100 weighted crunches, weighted side bends 5 sets of 10 each side and 100 leg lifts. I also do forearms every workout day except for leg days. I alternate between outer/inner depending on the type of workout I've had. Pulling exercises (back ) I will do inner forearms, pushing, I will do outer.

The protein count looks good, I don't like the shake in place of the breakfast though. Breakfast looks too small and not enough protein. It looks like you consistantly shoot for 50+ grams of protein in each meal except for bfast. This is just a general question-Is it necessary to take that many liver pills? I'm assuming on the chest and tris, you meant rope pushdowns and not pulldowns? I tend to use less volume on training, but that really comes down to how your body responds.

[Mu'min]

I noticed that compared to the rest of your workouts your leg days are under the volume that you normally do. For me, if you are doing this level of volume I would make sure that legs are the highest. They can take it better than any other body part.
Stiffleg deadlifts are really more for the hams than the back. If you want to continue them, put them on leg day. If you want to keep deads on back day, switch to regular deadlifts.
I used to do lots of calf work. Are you seeing progress with this method? If not try to cut calves down to once or twice a week but up the intensity. Try calf work on the leg press machine or a donkey calf machine. A buddy of mine had me doing what we called 100s at the end of the calf workout. You put a your original working weight on a standing calf machine or smith machine. Do standing calf raises until you cannot go anymore. Rest for a LITTLE bit, mostly let the burn die down. Do some more. If the reps get to low between each pause, then take a rest period to lower the weight then back to it. The goal is to get to 100 reps. If you keep up the intensity and do not drop weight too quickly or rest too long, soreness should be on the agenda for the next day.
I know Arnold S said to train calves differently because you are walking on them all day but I am also walking on my legs. I use my arms to eat. My stomach is moving all day from breathing. I personally feel that less frequency and more intensity works best. It is just hard to get the intensity because it hurts so good.

[VforVendetta]

Breakfast looks too small and not enough protein. It looks like you consistantly shoot for 50+ grams of protein in each meal except for bfast. This is just a general question-Is it necessary to take that many liver pills? I'm assuming on the chest and tris, you meant rope pushdowns and not pulldowns?

Too small in what way? Protein intake or overall? 1 cup of oatmeal just about does me in. What wopuld you change/add?

As far as the liver pills go, I figure they're cheap and chock full of good stuff - is there a downside to taking so many?

I noticed that compared to the rest of your workouts your leg days are under the volume that you normally do. For me, if you are doing this level of volume I would make sure that legs are the highest. They can take it better than any other body part.
Stiffleg deadlifts are really more for the hams than the back. If you want to continue them, put them on leg day. If you want to keep deads on back day, switch to regular deadlifts.

Leg workouts have never been my strong days and I guess since I feel so drained after doing them it seemed to me that I was doing enough to sufficiently stimulate growth but after looking at my workout "on paper" I can see how it is lacking - I definately feel that they (legs) could stand to show more results. When i really think about it, I feel more bodily worn out than leg fatigued; an endurance issue perhaps. What would you reccommend changing about my routine?

And sorry, I meant to say regular deadlifts and typed stiff instead.

I used to do lots of calf work. Are you seeing progress with this method? If not try to cut calves down to once or twice a week but up the intensity. Try calf work on the leg press machine or a donkey calf machine. A buddy of mine had me doing what we called 100s at the end of the calf workout. You put a your original working weight on a standing calf machine or smith machine. Do standing calf raises until you cannot go anymore. Rest for a LITTLE bit, mostly let the burn die down. Do some more. If the reps get to low between each pause, then take a rest period to lower the weight then back to it. The goal is to get to 100 reps. If you keep up the intensity and do not drop weight too quickly or rest too long, soreness should be on the agenda for the next day.

Frankly, my calves SUCK and I've been trying to hit them as heavy and as hard as I can to try and shock them into growth. So far, I'm seeing some results that I am happy with. After each workout I can barely squat down becasue the skin feels like its about to rip open and both heads are hard as a rock and stay swollen up for a good while afterwards. My control over them in terms of flexing has improved so i can feel like I am making my body more aware of them - if that makes sense. Your suggestion of the 100s sounds good though, I think I'm going to try and mix it in to my regular routine , maybe rotate one every other workout. Thx for the suggestion.