Cohiba's Journey from Skinny Fat

[So1970]

I don't get to hung up on routines I mainly just try to keep it simple . Push days and pull days. Every once in a while mix it up a bit to keep your workout from getting stale.just remember to make progress

 

[CJ]

I've been trying to increase volume, that's why I added the cable crosses. Any other chest stuff I should try?

Why do you want to increase volume?

Don't add more unless you have to. If you're progressing with less, that's perfect. Don't add just to add. More isn't always better.

Just looked again at your routine. You're doing 20 sets for chest, that's a fukk ton! I'd bet if you cut that in half, and did them better, you'd progress faster.

 

[tinymk]

Gotta eat brother. Put that quality meat on your frame. Consistent solid eating, training and rest will bring you the hard gains your looking for

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Why do you want to increase volume?

Don't add more unless you have to. If you're progressing with less, that's perfect. Don't add just to add. More isn't always better.

Just looked again at your routine. You're doing 20 sets for chest, that's a fukk ton! I'd bet if you cut that in half, and did them better, you'd progress faster.

Ok. I added more because I don't feel like I've been progressing. I'm still using weights I was lifting 6 mos ago. I feel like I hit a wall, like I have shitty genetics or something. I mean no one in my family has ever been big or athletic.

That's a big reason I came here, was thinking about trying a test cycle.

I definitely feel like I work harder than the other guys at my gym, and I am the smallest for sure, granted I'm a newb lol. A lot of these guys have been at it for years.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

I think I'm doing a good job with my nutrition. I did food logs for a while and my trainer went over everything with me. I also supplement some and have a scoop of casein before bed every night.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Anyway, I'm like a turtle, slow and steady wins the race has been my motto all through life, and I've found success in a lot of things because I didn't give up when most people did. I'll stick with it.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Fwiw, I think having both chest fly machine and cable crossovers, might be a bit redundant. They're both basically the same exercise.

Why do you want to increase volume?

Don't add more unless you have to. If you're progressing with less, that's perfect. Don't add just to add. More isn't always better.

Just looked again at your routine. You're doing 20 sets for chest, that's a fukk ton! I'd bet if you cut that in half, and did them better, you'd progress faster.

Left off the cable crosses today. Also I started with flat bench today because I hadn't started with that in a while, and to my astonishment -- I benched about 5 lbs heavier than I had previously.

I don't want to post my bench press numbers, because they are still really embarrassing. But I'm feeling good that progress has been made. I guess I didn't factor in that I've been starting on Fly for the past month or so. But maybe switching it up like that is what helped also.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Gotta eat brother. Put that quality meat on your frame. Consistent solid eating, training and rest will bring you the hard gains your looking for

Just wanted to mention this in case it could help other newbs. I didn't know anything about nutrition AT ALL when I started this journey. I did some really stupid stuff at times (i.e. going on Keto for 3 weeks once).

One of my trainers suggested Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook (https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Clarks-Sports-Nutrition-Guidebook/dp/1450459935)
This book was awesome. It really broke things down for me in a simple way that I could understand. It was an easy read.

I've also been using the MyFitnessPal app to track calories and macros. It has been really helpful, and it lets me export my food logs also, which was helpful for working with my trainer because one is kind of a nutrition guru.

I'm on a break from logging food right now, but will probably start doing it again when I try to cut. But that's a long way off. After I used it for a while, I got a good handle on what I was taking in and how to spread it out, how much to eat etc.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Being at the gym today was the best part of my crappy day, and I was glad to be doing legs.

A guy who works out around the same time as me has this killer squat routine, and I told him I'd give it a try. So I started off with that today.

1 x 10 reps at half my normal squat weight
1 x 10 +20lbs
1 x 10 + 20lbs
1 x 9 + 20 lbs
1 x 8 + 20 lbs
1 x 6 + 20lbs
1x 4 + 20 lbs
1 x 3 + 20 lbs

I want to say I finished at 185 but don't remember for sure.

Deadlift
1x12
1x10
1x8

Leg Extensions
1x14
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Lying Leg curl
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Adductor machine
1x14
1x12
1x12
1x10

Standing calf raise machine
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Seated calf
1x15
1x12 + 10lbs
1x8 +10 lbs
1x5 + 10 lbs

By the time I finished deadlifts, I was sweating like crazy. That dude's leg routine was a time killer too, was there 1.5 hrs today.

 

[Jin]

What does “normal squat weight” mean?

Any pics from your adductor set?

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Any pics from your adductor set?

I need the yes / no machine machine more than ever now hanging out in this sausage factory.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

In all seriousness though I heard that muscle it works is critical for building up squat strength, and when I squat low, I can definitely feel it tighten up.???

My normal squat routine is just 3 sets of 12, 10, and 8 reps at one weight. So this guy was saying start out light at like half that weight and pyramid up.

It seems like I see a lot of people doing that these days too. Not sure if it is any better, but it takes longer, and I don't feel amy different today than I normally would post-leg day.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Back Day today. I think I had too much pre-workout drink, started feeling kind of sick towards the end. I probably need to cut back on that shit. Added in some situps because I've been neglecting core days and cardio. Gotta look good for Cancun this coming Saturday!

30 decline situps

Assisted chinups
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

DB Lat pullovers
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

25 decline situps

Low Row cable
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Isolated lateral hammer strength row
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

25 decline situps

Face Pulls
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

25 decline situps

Reverse cable crossovers
1x15
1x10
1x8
1x6

gym time 1hr.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Day 4 in Playa del Carmen was leg day. This Hilton is badass. Best hotel gym I've seen. 2 separate racks of dumbells, all the most common machines covered. Only slightly bummed about the smith machine in place of a standard rack, but for a hotel that's still awesome. Lots of cardio stuff too. You can't see it all in the pic.

Anyhow it's been easy keeping up my routine here. Wifey keeps telling me I look better than all the other old farts out here LOL. Met a jacked up bodybuilder at the gym today. He's gay too, here with his partner, y'all would absolutely love this guy! He'd fit right in.

 

[Voyagersixone]

View attachment 9274

Day 4 in Playa del Carmen was leg day. This Hilton is badass. Best hotel gym I've seen. 2 separate racks of dumbells, all the most common machines covered. Only slightly bummed about the smith machine in place of a standard rack, but for a hotel that's still awesome. Lots of cardio stuff too. You can't see it all in the pic.

Anyhow it's been easy keeping up my routine here. Wifey keeps telling me I look better than all the other old farts out here LOL. Met a jacked up bodybuilder at the gym today. He's gay too, here with his partner, y'all would absolutely love this guy! He'd fit right in.

Score on all counts.
1. I want to be the jacked gay type. One day. Lol.
2. that is a KILLER hotel gym!
3. Good for you keeping it up on your vacation dude!!

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Back at my home gym today for arm day. I lifted every full day I was on vacation and not traveling (4 days).

25 leg raises

Ez bar curl wide grip
1x12
2x10
1x9

Ez bar curl narrow grip
1x8
1x7
1x6
1x6

I didn't plan out these rep numbers, just kept doing the most I could do with the weight. Also I'm nursing some tendonitis in my right elbow and ezbar tends to not trigger it as much.

20 leg raises

Concentration curls
1x12
1x11
1x9
1x6

25 situps

Dip assist
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Tricep pushdown cable
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

20 situps

Overhead db tricep extension
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Isolated tricep cable pushdown
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6
each arm

Forearm curls
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Also I ate ice cream and dessert every day on vacation, so I think I put on some fat. Other than that though my diet was good and I kept up my protein intake.

 

[Voyagersixone]

Back at my home gym today for arm day. I lifted every full day I was on vacation and not traveling (4 days).

25 leg raises

Ez bar curl wide grip
1x12
2x10
1x9

Ez bar curl narrow grip
1x8
1x7
1x6
1x6

I didn't plan out these rep numbers, just kept doing the most I could do with the weight. Also I'm nursing some tendonitis in my right elbow and ezbar tends to not trigger it as much.

20 leg raises

Concentration curls
1x12
1x11
1x9
1x6

25 situps

Dip assist
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Tricep pushdown cable
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

20 situps

Overhead db tricep extension
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Isolated tricep cable pushdown
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6
each arm

Forearm curls
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Also I ate ice cream and dessert every day on vacation, so I think I put on some fat. Other than that though my diet was good and I kept up my protein intake.

well done brother!

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Leg day today, and of course the first thing I noticed when I walked in was that it didn't seem like the AC was on at all. So I start sweating like a pig during my second set of squats. Which is kind of normal on leg day for me, but way worse when it's hot.

I know my preworkout drinks make me sweat some more, but it seems like I'm the only one drenched in sweat, and I'm getting a little self conscious about it. I wipe down equipment after I use it always when I'm like this.

Anyway I had a really good workout, wife and kids went today and did cardio while I was there too, so that was cool.

Barbell Squats
1x10
1x8
1x6

Deadlifts
1x10
1x8
1x6

Barbell walking lunges
2x20

Leg Extensions
1x15
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x7

Lying leg curl
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

Adductor
1x15
1x12
1x10
1x6

Standing calf machine
1x12
1x8
1x8
1x6

Seated calf
1x12
1x10
1x8
1x6

 

[Voyagersixone]

Looks like a GREAT day man! Well
done

 

[CohibaRobusto]

Thanks Voy! I'm working hard. I want post up some 1 year before / after pics in a few weeks. I gotta burn off this ice cream fat from vacation first LOL.