Great things start from small beginnings~

zyferzyfer Posts: 4
in Personal Journals
I have actually started to go to gym last year but is an on again off again thing. Most of the time tinatamad at hindi talaga focused.

However, starting January 2013, I have really tried to be more dedicated and did a 3 day per program. Eventually I got used to it and switched to a 5 day per week program starting around April 2013.

I am very new to the forum and to weight lifting in general....Any comments and suggestions will be appreciated!

Sana tuloy tuloy akong sipagin....at ma achieve ang goal ko!


Rock on \m/

Comments

  • PatrickStarrPatrickStarr Posts: 197
    Welcome bro! Seeing your beginning pictures, it seems that you have a very solid foundation for building a nice physique. I have nothing to say, besides ditch the Smith Machine Bench press and go with the Barbell bench, other than that, the program and meal plan seems well thought out. Take your time and do a good job. Don't dirty bulk. Just gain muscle mass and do a re-composition over time. Best of luck! :)
  • zyferzyfer Posts: 4
    Salamat sir! Actually kaya ako ng smith is mas ramdam ko bawat reps dahil guided un left and right tska usually wala ako spotter. But yes, soon I have to switch to barbell pag mas stable na siguro.

    As to my meal plan, mconsider na ba yan as dirty or clean bulk? Ngahn nagpreprepare na ako for one week kasi wala time during weekdays.

    Salamat!
  • PatrickStarrPatrickStarr Posts: 197
    ^
    You should actually feel it more in the barbell bench. You work your stabilizer muscles more, and you're free to determine the bar path, which helps your rotator cuff, can't say the same for the Smith.If you don't have a spotter, Bench nalang on the power cage, and if you fail, the safety bars can catch the barbell.

    I'd rather have you do a flat dumbbell press over a Smith machine, to be honest.

    As for your meal plan, it really depends on you and how you gain weight. I consider a bulk to be 'dirty' if you're gaining weight too fast. Dirty bulking is never worth it, you'll just waste too much time going on a cut for fat you should have never gained. Clean bulking for me is defined by gaining 1-3 lbs every month for an extended period of time. Best of luck :-)
  • Big DawgBig Dawg Posts: 645
    PatrickStarr wrote:
    ^
    You should actually feel it more in the barbell bench. You work your stabilizer muscles more, and you're free to determine the bar path, which helps your rotator cuff, can't say the same for the Smith.

    You are certainly right about bb bench using more stabilziers. However, bb bench has caused more cuff issues than any other exercise - it's a fact. It's bcoz many use sloppy form, go to heavy, don't warm-up enough or all of the above. Regarding feel, most will FEEL it more in the pecs on damn near any machine press, ie smith, hammer, etc compared to bb bench. However, do not be misleaded by FEEL - it is by far NOT the most important factor in getting results. What do you feel more in the quads, leg ext or squats? What do you feel more in the pecs, db flyes or bb bench? Get my point? The basics are the way to go for maximum muscle size, and yes he should be doing bb bench at this early stage of development, as well as all the basics. :)
  • PatrickStarrPatrickStarr Posts: 197
    ^
    Agree 100% with Big Dawg. I was referring to doing the BB Bench with proper progression and form, which I think won't cause any rotator cuff injuries. Although the smith does, cause it has a fixed movement.. well that's what I hear.
  • zyferzyfer Posts: 4
    ^ thank you both. Much appreciated!

    At dahil jan BB bench na ako sa monday hehe. Mejo naranasan ko yang rotator cuff problem dati nung hindi ko pa alam ang proper form, importante talaga ang magbasa basa muna hindi bira lang ng bira sa gym hehe.


    Thanks ulit mga sir!
  • Big DawgBig Dawg Posts: 645
    Zyfer I see some major issues. You've only been hitting the weights for 7 months or so and yet you are doing the same amount or more exercises than I do and I've been in this game for 35 years haha. You will make more gains by cutting WAY back on the exercises, stick to the basics, and make your most important goal to be GET STRONGER on every exercise. Every workout you should try to get 1 more rep than last week, OR more weight for the same amount of reps. That is the #1 goal to get bigger muscles. And I don't mean stronger for only 1 or 3 or 5 reps, I mean stronger as in 8-10 rep range. If you squatted 150 last week for 8, then this week try your HARDEST to get it for 9 - give it everything. That should be your mindset for all exercises. That's the key - not numerous exercises. :)

    p.s - Only 1 exercise for quads, but 5 for chest, 3 for bi's??? Routine needs overhauled dude!
  • PatrickStarrPatrickStarr Posts: 197
    ^
    To make things easier, why don't you (Zyfer) just switch to a well renowned program with strength + hypertrophy? Some recommendations:

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=148036063&page=1
    http://www.jcdfitness.com/2009/01/lyle-mcdonalds-bulking-routine/
  • nrg500nrg500 Posts: 1,233
    In relation to what Big Dawg has said, here are some of the programs you can try

    Starting Strength
    Wendler 5 3 1
    Strong Lifts 5x5

    The programs above focus on Squat, Dead Lift, Bench Press, and Press
  • Big DawgBig Dawg Posts: 645
    The above programs you guys listed are good for building strength, but not optimal for building muscle size. Doing very low reps builds just as much tendon strength as it does muscle strength, or more. Moreso, it stresses the CNS, easy to overtrain, and worse yet can lead to sore joints and injuries. Keeping the reps generally in the 8-10 range is better to pack on muscle size, safer and promotes longevity in the game. It's not like doing over 5 reps means you're not building strength also haha, it's just that it's not the primary focus. No need to confuse Zyfra with all those programs - all he needs to do is bust ass on the basics, doing 2-3 all sets per exercise of 8-10 reps, occasionally going down to 6 reps on a few compounds. Simple, not rocket science hehe. :)
  • zyferzyfer Posts: 4
    @ Big Dawg

    Sir I am doing 4 sets by 10reps pala sa mga exercise ko. Then as for the weight dun lang sa kaya ko without sacrificing form.

    Ex. Sa mga bench press, tig 25kg plates. Nung nagstart ako tig 15kg lang kaya ko, sapilitan pa. ( ang noob ng pag explain ko ng weights hehe)

    Anyway, I see your point hindi nga masyado balanced ang workout ko...try ko irevise...

    Eto pa pala napansin ko. Hirap ako mag dips at pull ups, any tips to improve in these areas? XD

    @All

    Thanks sa input.
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