Pete's Quest for Mass

[PistolPete]

Hey Guys,

I'm pretty new to MuscleMecca, but I spend more time on here than I have any other site. Anyway, I just got done me second competition in Philadelphia (about 3 weeks ago) and since then I've been raising my calories a lot, already put back roughly 15 pounds since my dried out contest weight (185-198). This year I'm going to try and put on anywhere from 10-15 pounds of solid muscle. Of course, fat comes along with that, so I'm shooting to be around 220 pounds before I start dieting for my shows next summer. I think this is definitly a feisable goal with solid nutrition, rest, and HEAVY LIFTING!! YEA BUDDY!!

Onto the lifting! Yesterday I lifted Legs. My second heavy session of legs since the contest. My strength is coming back from my last off season steadily. In the offseason I'm staying away from back squats as they didn't bring up my quads effectively. They made my hips and glutes bigger which I'm not looking for, so I'm switching to front squats, which I love!

1. Front Squats: 215: 8 220: 8 225: 8 230: 8 155: 20
2. Leg Press (narrow Stance) 300: 10 310: 10 320: 10 330: 10

I do those on a smith, lying on the floor with my legs in a narrow stance, heels on the bar. I bring the bar pretty low, until my knees almost hit my chest and then push to almost lockout. My gym doesn't have a plate loaded leg press so I have to resort to this, but it's not a big deal because my lower back doesnt get involved at all!

3. Lying Leg curl: 75: 10x9 80: 8x10

4. Stiff Leg Deads: 195: 8x8x8

I don't go real heavy on these, but I change the foot position each time on these to hit different parts of the hamstring slowly and effectively.

5. Smith Lunges (one leg at a time): 155: 8x8x8

I'm doing these really to bring up my hamstring to glute tie in. That was definitly a weak point of mine in competition.

I did this all in about an hour. Overall good workout, can't wait to work the wheels again!

 

[drexel1234]

thats a solid leg workout bro, cant believe u gave up squats though u were really into them when we were liftin together at skool. neway so far so good man lookin foward to seeing ur next post and lifting with u again at skool.

 

[philosopher]

Welcome in the log sectione Pete. Leg session looks solid, keep up the good work

 

[Big_Guns_Lance]

Welcome to the logs

That leg workout looked good mate

 

[PrinceVegeta]

Welcome man!

Session looks solid!

 

[Lionheart]

Welcome to the logs Pete

 

[PistolPete]

Thanks guys! Damn the enviornment is welcoming here, I love it. I'll be posting a Chest/Calves/Abs workout tonight.

 

[PistolPete]

Ok so yesterday was my Chest/Calves/Abs day

My shoulder popped out of its socket this summer, about 2 months ago and it got checked out by my local chiropractor. She put me right back in place, and I felt a lot better afterwards, but its still not 100% better. But Its definitly able to go through a rigorous workout, so here goes.

1. Incline Smith Press: 205: 8 215:7 220:5 225: 5
2. Decline Barbell Press: 185: 8 195: 8x7.5 (almost had it!) 200: 5
My shoulder felt a bit of pressure the whole way through with the decline.
3. DB fly: 55's: 8x8 60: 8

4. Calf Raise: 255: 10 265: 10 275: 10
5. Calf Raise with toes pointed in to hit outside of calf: 225: 10 235: 10 245: 10

6. Ab rope crunch: 160: 12 180: 12 190: 12
7. Leg Raises on Captains chair, with DB in feet: 15: 9 10: 10x10

Pretty good workout, especially with the calves, they felt really worked and pumped. I'm glad I switched to using heavier weights for calves and less reps. I really hope my shoulder gets better to 100%, I can't stand inuries holding me back!!

 

[drexel1234]

tell me bout it man my right shoulder clicks and cracks when ever i rotate it lol. i strech it out real good and do this cable shoulder strech that really helps ill show u when we get back to skool. looks like the barbell presses are goin up 225 for 5 solid. ive been pressing 85lbs dumbells for 6-8 on my last set of incline presses.

 

[PistolPete]

yea dude, get your paki ass back to Drexel! 85 for 6-8 is damn nice. You going all the way to your chest or just parallel? either way is good for your long as all hell monkey arms.

 

[PistolPete]

Yesterday was BACK DAY!! my favorite day I think. Thickness and width, just everything needs work, so seeing any improvements from week to week really gets me phyched for Back Day. Anyway onto the workout.

1. Deadlifts: 365: 8 385: 5x8
I do three warmup sets first cause I like to go heavy on these. So I only do three working sets. I figure any more and my lower back will probably just be dead for too long and interfere with my leg day. I also noticed that my grip where my hands go is vital to the very inch. My first set on 385 I got 5, then I moved my hands in slightly on the final set and got 8 very smoothly.

2. Underhand BB rows: 215: 9x8 220: 8x8

3. Machine rows: 170: 8 190: 8x8
My gym doesn't have any cable pulley for rows. It does for one machine, but I maxed it out easily, which is pitiful, but its not saying much cause I think I 15 year old girl could too...lol

4. Hammer Strength overhand Pulldowns: 200: 9 210: 8x8 215: 9
5. Wide grip Chins: 7x7x6
The bar I use is on the squat rack, and its pretty damn thick. That and I'm going wider than usual, so this was all I could really do at the end of my workout.

Overall good workout I think. My back is sore as Im writing this, especially my lower back but in that painful good way hahah GREAT SUCCESS!:methman:

 

[Maxmonzter]

too bad about hte cable pulley maching, just go slower on it then or more reps
that session looked pretty good, deadz are real strong, i´ll be checking this log more often for sure, keep up the good work

 

[PistolPete]

Yea I was considering that, but the machine is pretty good. I might also change to the T Bar in my gym, although, Im not a huge fan of it I'm up for change. Thanks for the support bro! You got a log too?

 

[drexel1234]

Ya dude all the way down almost lol. I did back monday and deadlifted 5 plates of the rack with a spot though and im prob gonna be sore till i see ya saturday lol. i had done 4 plates almost by myself which hurt but just holding 500 pounds like that was painful as hell started seein stars lol.

 

[PistolPete]

Was that a rack lift or from the floor?

 

[drexel1234]

off the rack i defin couldnt do that off the floor but i feel that even though it shortens the rep it puts less stress on the legs and isolates the back more as well as allows u to use more weight. its not a high rack maybe 8-10 inches off the floor.

 

[PistolPete]

Yea i smell ya on that. I want to keep it off the floor just to get my legs more, I feel like they need more work whenever they can get it. But I want to see your paki ass in the gym doing those crazy rack deads.

 

[drexel1234]

ya man defin i deadlift every other week cuz i wasnt gettin stronger doin it every week and there are soo many excerises i like to do for back so i got to mix it up alot but defin next week man ill go for 5 again.

 

[El Freako]

Nice sessions so far Pete! We look forward to more.

 

[PistolPete]

Thanks El Freako!

Ok onto ARM DAY!! Gotta love that swollen arm feeling at the end of the workout!

1. Tricep Smith Press (explanation below):165: 8 175: 8 185: 8 195: 8
http://www.averagewhitedude.com/?s=&paged=2
look at the article called An ancient Secret to Building Tricep Mass. This exercise has gotten my arm to have that tricep hang look when I do a front double bicep pose. Its definitly hitting all heads of the tricep which I love.
2. Cable Pushdowns: 150: 10 160: 9 167.5: 7x8
I focus on the back of my arms the most on this one. I really try to hit the long head of the tricep, as this is the biggest part of the tricep. Strict form on this is key for me. Any bit of cheating and the value is lost.

3. Ez Bar Curl: 125: 8x7x6

4. DB alternating curls:55's: 7.5x6x6

5. Reverse Cable Curls: 100: 10 107.5: 9x11
I use this exercise to focus on my brachialis and forearms. I feel they don't need any more than a solid three sets of progressive resistance each week. The forearms are used in everywork pretty much, so anymore than this would probably be overkill for me.

This workout felt so damn good. My triceps especially felt bigger than ever after this one.