Pumping Iron

theGEM

I'll keep this diary to keep track of my progress and to keep me motivated.

Currently

• Height: 184cm
• Weight: Currently about 84kg - need to get a weighing scales.

I want to do bodyweight focused excersises, mainly because I find the gym very awkward to train in. I don't have a training partner so not really confident doing bench press etc and the gym has only 1 power rack and is always in use. The title of the thread is a misnomer ;P My immediate goal is to gain muscle mass, gain strength & lose fat. My longterm goal is to be able to perform the following excersises:

• 90 degree pushups
• 1 arm pullup
• Planche pushups
• Back lever

Anyways, after weeks of research I decided on the following workout plan:

Workout A:
Dips - Chest, Triceps
Pistol Squats - Performed on a chair
Leg Raises - Abs, Suspended off a pullup bar

Workout B:
Chinups - Back, Biceps
Hand Stand Pushups - Shoulders, Triceps
Pistol Squats - Performed on a chair

Doing these compound excersises will allow me to keep the routine short and simple. I'm missing a decent alternative to the Deadlift but can't replicate everything. Once I can do 8 or so reps I will start adding weight to the excersies and try to get some linear progression.

theGEM

Workout B:

• Chin Ups - 4,5,7,5,6 total 27
  
• HSPU - Nowhere near to doing a HSPU and trying to progress. Once I get used to being in the upside down position I will get some bands and do some assited HSPU's Anyways completed today: wallwalk & 3*30sec holds
  
• Pistol Squats - 2 sets * 5 (my legs nearly exploded, so warmed down by just doing some normal BW squats)

RidleyRider

Try hyper extensions instead of deadlifts. Won't have the same effect/results as heavy ass deads but target the lower back nicely.

Best of luck with this BTW

theGEM

RidleyRider wrote: »

Try hyper extensions instead of deadlifts. Won't have the same effect/results as heavy ass deads but target the lower back nicely.

Best of luck with this BTW

Yes I might try hyperextensions. I'm going to build a box for the pistol squats and might build a hyperextension add-on, similar to arsebiscuit on here:

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/132018/265728.jpg

I can really feel the DOMS from the pistol squats today. Once I get good at them I will start adding weight using a sandbag - it will really hit the core too

theGEM

Workout A

Dips (bodyweight) - 5,5,4 (failed on the last rep)
Normal bodyweight squats - 10,10,10 (legs still in bits)
Leg Raises - 3*1min static holds (progression)

Bought three 15kg bags of playsand in Argos for c. €12. Looking to buy a army duffel bag and I will have a decent sandbag to use for pistol squats. I also hope to use it for circuit training when I have more time to train.

RidleyRider

For pistols, will it not be really hard with your centre of gravity is on your back?

JJayoo

How many times a week are you training?

theGEM

JJayoo wrote: »

How many times a week are you training?

Non-Consecutive days. I've been doing a pullup program on my phone since the middle of July and have been doing that every 2nd day. I started off been able to do 1 and although I havn't done a max test I'd say I could do 11 now.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rittr.pullups&hl=en

My current program will be something like this:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Week 1 A B A B
Week 2 A B A
Week 3 B A B A
Week 4 B A B

theGEM

RidleyRider wrote: »

For pistols, will it not be really hard with your centre of gravity is on your back?

Idk to be honest. I'll do a review when I get to that stage

Anyways it will be something like this (with much better form hopefully!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK9XOUY3uk4

theGEM

Workout B

Chinups - 5,6,7,6,7 (total 31)
Squats - 4*10 (normal BW squats - going to ease upto harder versions)
HSPU - 3*30sec holds

My biceps were bursting after the chinups, it felt great almost like...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZqfUzax3kE

theGEM

Workout A

• Chest Dips - 5,5,4,3 (failed on the last two sets)
• Squats - 12,10,14,10,10 (BW Squats)
• Leg Raise - 10,10,10 (lying on floor)

theGEM

Workout B

Chinups - 5,6,7,6,7 (total 31)
Squats - 12,10,14,10,10 (BW Squats)
HSPU - 3*30sec holds

Wasn't feeling the best today. I'm going to have to repeat the chinup set again the next workout, just don't feel ready to progress.

theGEM

Workout A

• Dips - 5,5,5,3,2
• Squats (BW) - 14,15,17,13,12 (total 71)
• Leg Raises - 10,10,10,10 (lying on the floor)

Leg raises burn the abs..love em. Failed on the last two sets of dips. Going to stick with BW squats for a bit more.

theGEM

Workout B

• Chin Ups - 5,6,7,6,2 (total 26)
• Squats - 16,16,18,16,16 (total 82)
• HSPU - 3*30sec holds

Kept the rest periods between pullups to 45sec and failed on the last set (should have done 7).

theGEM

Workout A

• Dips - 5,5,5,5,4
• Squats - 18,18,20,18,18 (92)
• Leg Raises (lying on floor) - 10,10,10

This workout should have been done yesterday but went on a date after work instead I'm a 3rd of the way through the BW squat program I'm doing on my phone (100 consecutive BW squats), once I finish it I'll move onto doing pistol squat training. In a few weeks I might add a couple of secondary excersises to the above (pushups, planks, flutter kicks or a medicine ball ab workout).

theGEM

I started Workout B yesterday but again failed on the last set of pullups and I got demoralised. Today I decided to do a max effort pullup test and got 11 pullups which I'm very happy with.

I've got important exams coming up in a couple of weeks and I'm now just going to focus all my energy on them. I have developed a 6 month workout program and I will start it when I have more time.