JC's Journal

[JohnnyCage]

Right now I am 6'1 and 178 pounds. My goal is to gain mass for now, later on I plan on putting a higher rep range to use for cutting, but thats not for a while. I am adjusting my routine and tweaking it to make it better. Currently I am focusing on my delts, lats, traps, and my legs. Right now I have 16 inch guns, but im not focusing mainly on that area, seeing as though my arms are almost as big as my upper legs. But my posterior delts are lagging in comparison to the middle and anterior, i am doing BTN Military Press', hopefully I won't get any injuries from that, so far i haven't had any. My traps and deltoids seem to be gaining mass very rapidly, I guess they are relatively easy to train.

My legs arent making much progress despite my best efforts, but I guess I will have to stick to the program and hope that my gains on those areas increase. I can leg press alot of weight and I can rep 215 pounds on the leg extensions but i cant get the mass on my upper legs.

I will keep you guys updated on my progress.

[bigjoec.]

How often do you squat? Good luck with your goals.

[p.s.]

How often do you squat? Good luck with your goals.

And what is your rep range on legs?

[JohnnyCage]

I squat twice a week, I stay between 8 and 12 reps.

[p.s.]

I squat twice a week, I stay between 8 and 12 reps.

It may be Johnny that 2x per week is to much for you with regards to squatting. I suggest that you make one leg day a heavy squat, leg press day and the next day do high reps (20s) on leg press, hacks, front squats. But remember that for every 2 sets of quads you must do 1 set of hammies to have equal developement/balance in your legs, or you run the risk of knee issues down the road as well as having 70s looking legs!

[JohnnyCage]

Haha. Thanks alot, I will try doing that now

[JohnnyCage]

Here is my current routine, but I will change the leg workout.

Day 1

Behind the Neck Military Presses     8-12 reps    4 sets           
Bent Over Rear Deltoid Raises         8-12 reps    3 sets
Barbell Shrugs                              8-12 reps    3 sets
Front Military Presses                    8-12 reps    4 sets
Seated Side Deltoid Raises             8-12 reps    3 sets
Dumbbell Shrugs                          8-12 reps    3 sets
Front Deltoid Raises                     8-12 reps     3 sets

Day 2

Narrow Grip Tricep Pulldowns         8-12 reps    4 sets
Close Grip Bench Press                 8-10 reps    3 sets
Skull Crushers                             8-12 reps    4 sets
Overhead Dumbbell extensions       8-12 reps    4 sets
Dumbbell kickbacks                      8-12 reps    3 sets

Day 3

Bent over Rows                                   8-12 reps        4 sets
Wide Grip Lat Pulls                               8-12 reps         4 sets
Reverse Grip Pulldowns                         8-12 reps         3 sets
Pull-Ups                                             failure
 
Day 4

Wrist Curls super-setted with Reverse Wrist Curls  4 sets 8-15 reps
Low Cable Wrist Curls                   8-12 reps    4 sets
Barbell Curls                                8-12 reps    4  sets
Dumbbell Hammer Curls                 8-15 reps    3 sets
Alternating Precher Curls               8-12 reps    2 sets, one negative reps set
                                           
Day 5

Squat                                              8-12 reps    4 sets           
Lying Leg Curls                                  8-12 reps    4 sets
Leg Extensions                                  8-12 reps    4 sets


I know i shouldnt do biceps after back day, but big biceps aren't what I'm looking for. Right now building bigger deltoids is my main goal, with legs as a secondary goal. I am going to update my leg routine because I am not seeing good results from my current leg workouts, I will take p.s.'s advice on that one. I will prbably start work on cutting my tri's in a few months too.
                     

[bigjoec.]

I would work legs 2x week. One day quad emphasis one day posterior chain emphasis. I see you do 35 total sets a week of arm training and 12 for legs. This is why your legs aren't gaining. Establish your mass movements and base all training around them.  Hope this helps.

[p.s.]

First off where's the chest workout? Second traps are part of your back so I suggest that you move those trap specific exercises to back day (you only need one type of shrug by the way.). Third dump behind the neck presses as these are VERY hard on both the neck and the rotator cuff, so stick with seated DB press or military press. Fourth start putting some damned effort into legs and back if you want to grow these two areas must be trained hard (and don't give me the over training BS!).

Now as for your need to address your delts. You're going about this the wrong way you need to work from back to front so I suggest that you start your delt workout with rear laterals 5x12, side laterals 5x12, military press 6x8-12, and finish with 2-4 sets of high rep (15-20) rear delts or side laterals.

[JohnnyCage]

I do chest workouts sometimes with delts, but they aren't a regular part of my routine because that's my strongest point since all I used to do was bench, curl, pushups and some leg presses, right now I am just maintaining what i have on that area. I had no idea that it was best to work from back to front in the delts. I always thought it was better to do pressings first because it uses more energy and higher weights, then to isolate each muscle, but then again you are probably a hell of a lot bigger then me so I take your word for it. Nick Matera uses pushups with his hands wide apart maybe I could add those and stiff-legged deadlifts. As far as the legs go I will use the advice you gave me before. So far i havent had neck or cuff injuries from btn presses, but I won't run that risk anymore.

I'm not sure if Im working out tomorrow, I did my delts on thursday, skipped friday since I promised Nick me and him would spar, then saturday i did tri's, then sunday I did biceps and wrists, and today I ran a few miles, it might be too much on my body to do a workout tomorrow without a break, but I'm dying to workout! Would i see better results if i took tomorrow off and worked out on Wednesday or would it be the same if i did it tomorrow and took a break the day after?

[p.s.]

You can workout as all you did was a light run of a few miles, so in all honesty you're recouperated enough to train again.

[JohnnyCage]

Nice, because I hate days when I don't lift weights.

[JohnnyCage]

I did the delts routine today. It seems wierd that so many reps and sets are needed for such a relatively small muscle group, I can hardly lift my arms now  . I have read that a good mass builder for delts is to start with bent over laterals 2x4-6, then side lateral 2x4-6, and them military press 2x4-6. I think I will continue what p.s. recomended for a while, then try that one and see what builds more mass.

[p.s.]

I did the delts routine today. It seems wierd that so many reps and sets are needed for such a relatively small muscle group, I can hardly lift my arms now  . I have read that a good mass builder for delts is to start with bent over laterals 2x4-6, then side lateral 2x4-6, and them military press 2x4-6. I think I will continue what p.s. recomended for a while, then try that one and see what builds more mass.

4-6 reps will build a great amount of strength, but this is not a good rep range for muscle growth. If you want try adding 1 set per exercise using 4-6 reps and see how you do.

[JohnnyCage]

I will stick to what you suggested, the growth just from that was noticable when I looked in the mirror today. It's just wierd because doing the rear delt exercises I have to use unusually light weights compared to what I normally used to work with. Also it is unlikely for me to add on weight to that for next time and still get in 12 reps for those exercises.