CJ's 2024/2025 Muscle Gain Block

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CJ

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You still not pulling?

Not right now, no. It'll be too much to add in, the large amount of fatigue would be too much right now.

I am doing hip extensions, though, to prep for a later block, where I will be deadlifting. That block will be less overall volume, so it'll fit in there better.
 

CJ

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12/10, Tuesday
Rest Day

------------

12/11, Wednesday
Legs, and extra

-Leg Extensions
175 x 17
160 x 16
145 x 16
*did these instead of the usual Reverse V Squats, because my foot is still hurting from Sunday's hike. First time using spikes and snowshoes, and my surgically repaired foot is not happy.

-Lying Leg Curls
105 x 11, matched last week
95 x 12, +1 rep
85 x 13, +2 reps

-Hack Squats
230 x 13, +20 lbs from last week
230 x 11, +20 lbs
230 x 10, +20 lbs
*I added weight this week since I had less fatigue from not doing the heavy squats.

-Matrix Narrow Stance Calf Press
*I was unable to do these, the warmup weight caused sharp pain in my foot.

-HS Incline Press
200 x 15, regained the rep I lost last week
180 x 12, matched
160 x 13, +1 rep

-HS Preacher Curls
62.5 x 15+2 partials
50 x 14+2
45 x 14+2
40 x 15+2

-DB Laterals
25's x 19+4 partials
22.5's x 16+4
20's x 14+3
17.5's x 14+5


Workout Time:
75 minutes
 

CJ

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12/12, Thursday
Back, extras, and LISS

-HS Reverse Pulldowns
230 x 12, matched last week
210 x 13, matched
190 x 15, matched

-HS OH CS Rows
260 x 11, +1 rep from last week
245 x 13, +5 lbs
230 x 14, +10 lbs

-Flat DB Skulls
*all cable stations were occupied
32.5's x 11
27.5's x 14
25's x 11
20's x 15

-Machine Laterals
95 x 20+5 partials
80 x 19+3
70 x 18+4
60 x 20+5

-A1) Bosu Crunches
3 quality sets

-A2) EZ Reverse Curls
70 x 13
60 x 17
50 x 18+2 partials

---------------

LISS/Zone 2 Cardio
Treadmill
9.0 incline/3.0 speed
30 minutes
HR: ~125 bpm
Cals: 248
Dist: 1.5 miles

---------------

Workout Times:
Weights: 62 minutes
Cardio: 30 minutes
 

CJ

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Friday, 12/13
Chest, plus extras, and HIIT
*shortened workout, omitted leg training, because I'm going hiking in the mountains tomorrow.

-Matrix Chest Press
200 x 12, matched last week
200 x 10, -1 rep
200 x 8, matched

-HS Incline Press
180 x 14, matched last week
180 x 11, -1 rep
160 x 13, matched

*I'm not happy with the progression on my chest exercises. I'm going to put my numbers for the last 4 weeks in a spreadsheet, then assess. 🤔

**edit... I looked it over, while not ideal, I can't say that I'm regressing, but I also can't say that I'm progressing, either. I'll give it one more week, and see what happens. If anything, I'm doing too much chest volume, as 15 sets definitely isn't too few. If necessary, I'll chop off a few sets, and see if progress accelerates.

-DB Laterals
25's x 17+3 partials
22.5's x 17+4
20's x 14+5
17.5's x 15+5

-Straight Bar Curls
70 x 15+1 sloppy rep
60 x 14
60 x 11
50 x 12+2 partials

----------------

HIIT/Zone 4 Cardio
Upright Cycle

3 minute warmup @L5

3 Rounds of:
3:00 max effort @L17
3:00 recovery/light pedal

2:00 cool down @L5

--------------------

Workout Time:
Weights: 45 mins
Cardio: 20 mins
 
Last edited:

CJ

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Sunday, 12/15
Torso + HIIT

-HS Incline Press
250 x 9, matched last session 2 weeks ago
250 x 8, matched
180 x 14, matched

-Matrix OH Grip Pulldowns
165 x 15, +5 lbs, and 1 rep, from last week
150 x 16, +5 lbs and 1 rep
135 x 17, +5 lbs

-Matrix Chest Press
190 x 13, matched
170 x 12, matched
150 x 13, matched

-Matrix CS Ntrl Grip Rows
150 x 15, +20 lbs, -1 rep from last week
140 x 15, +10 lbs
130 x 14, +1 rep

-Machine Laterals
95 x 17+5 partials
80 x 16+5
70 x 16+4
60 x 18+5

-Hoist Ab Crunches
40 x 31
30 x 22
25 x 20

-DB Hammer Preacher Curls
30's x 12
27.5's x 14
25's x 15

---------

HIIT Cardio/Zone 5
3 Rounds of:
1:00 min max effort
3:00 min light recovery pedal

Rd 1: 152 HR, ~360 watts
Rd 2: 155 HR, ~360 watts
Rd 3: 165 HR, ~365 watts

Workout Times:
Weights: 78 minutes
Cardio: 15 minutes
 

CJ

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Ok, so it's week 5 of this run, and my chest exercises are completely stagnant. No progress is being made despite the drugs and food. Over lifts/bodyparts are progressing, so it's chest specific.

I'm going to lower both my volume and frequency of chest training, going from 15 sets over 3 sessions per week, down to 12 sets over 2 sessions per week.
 

Yano

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You can try PAP work see if that kicks in anything for you it definitely helps with explosive power , i'm still not sure how it effects hypertrophy fully but I don't truly lift for that.

My heavy bench work looks like this , dont mind my fucked up set n reps, this is just for the example of how to stack the pairing

Might help shatter your plateau

Bench:
10 reps x no pairing
5x no pairing
3x Explosive Push-Ups (4 reps)
2x Explosive Push-Ups (4-6 reps)
1x Explosive Push-Ups (3-5 reps)
1x Explosive Push-Ups (3 reps)
**Above final set rotates week to week Top Set Single with 5 singles of lower percentage - 86%/77%
**1 single no jump
**1 x Explosive Push ups (4 reps)
**1 x Explosive Push ups (4-6 reps)
**1 x Explosive Push ups (4-6 reps)
**1 x Explosive Push ups (4 reps)

You can combine this with 3 back off sets at 80/70/65% of your max for that lift and get your hypertrophy in
 

CJ

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Monday, 12/16
Arms + LISS Cardio

-Matrix Shoulder Press
135 x 11, matched last week
125 x 10, matched
115 x 12, +1 rep
*I dropped the 4th set, in case that extra pressing volume was contributing to my chest exercises plateau.

-Reverse Pec Deck
155 x 20, added 5 lbs
140 x 18, +5 lbs
125 x 17, +5 lbs

-45° DB Raises
22.5's x 19+3 partials
20's x 18+3
20's x 16+3 (17.5's were being used)
15's x 17+5

-LF Cable Curls
25's x 15
20's x 14
17.5's x 14
15's x 13

-Seated Incline DB Skulls
32.5's x 13
30's x 14
27.5's x 14
25's x 14

---------------

LISS/Zone 2 Cardio
Treadmill
30:00
HR: 125-130 bpm
Cals: 255
Dist: 1.5 miles



Workout Time
Weights: 55 minutes
Cardio: 30 minutes
 

CJ

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Adding extra rice to my post workout meals on W/Th/F. Two meals each of those days are going from 90 g (2 servings) dry weight rice to 135 g (3 servings) dry weight rice. That'll add 320 calories to each of those days, all coming from carbohydrates.
 
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Chest is the most stagnant part of my routine also. Since I'm bodybuilding and not powerlifting, I don't let it bother me because my chest looks proportionally fine.

I have adjusted my routine over time to compensate for my aesthetically lagging body parts (arms and legs). It helps me some but they still lag aesthetically.
 

CJ

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Tuesday, 12/17
Rest Day

----------

Wednesday, 12/18
Legs, and extras

-Lying Leg Curls
105 x 12, +1 rep
95 x 13, +1 rep
85 x 15, +2 reps

-Reverse V Squats
380 x 10, matched
380 x 8, matched
380 x 8, matched

-Hack Squats
230 x 13, +20 lbs from 2 weeks ago, matched reps
230 x 10, +20 lbs, matched reps
230 x 9, +20 lbs, -1 rep

-Matrix Narrow Stance Calf Press
270 x 16+4 partials
230 x 15+5
200 x 14+4

-HS Preacher Curls
62.5 x 16+2 partials
50 x 13+3
45 x 12+2
40 x 13+3

-DB Laterals
25's x 19+4 partials
22.5's x 15+4
20's x 15+3
17.5's x 16+4

-45° Hip Extensions
3 quality sets



Workout Time: 89 minutes
 

CJ

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Thursday, 12/19
Push + LISS

-Matrix Chest Press
200 x 13, +1 rep
200 x 11, +1 rep
200 x 9, +1 rep

-HS Incline Press
180 x 14, matched
180 x 11, matched
160 x 13, matched

-Machine Laterals
90 x 18+5 partials
80 x 16+5
70 x 17+3
60 x 15+7

-Flat DB Skulls
30's x 17
30's x 11
25's x 17
22.5's x 13

-EZ Reverse Curls
70 x 13
60 x 15
50 x 15+3 partials

-Stability Ball Crunches
3 quality sets

------------

LISS/Zone 2 Cardio

Treadmill
10 mins
HR: ~125 bpm

Bike
20 mins
HR: 125-130 bpm

---------------

Workout Times
Weights: 65 minutes
Cardio: 30 minutes
 

CJ

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Friday, 12/20
PULL, extra legs

-HS Reverse Pulldowns
230 x 13, +1 rep
210 x 13, matched
190 x 15, matched

-HS OH CS Rows
260 x 14, +3 reps
250 x 13, +5 lbs
230 x 14, matched

-Leg Extensions
170 x 18, +5 lbs
145 x 19, +5 lbs
125 x 16+3 partials, +5 lbs

-Straight Bar Curls
70 x 16
60 x 15
50 x 15
50 x 12+2 partials

-Matrix Wide Calf Press
230 x 17+7 partials
190 x 16+6
170 x 15+5

-DB Laterals
25's x 18+5 partials
22.5's x 17+3
20's x 16+5
17.5's x 16+5

-------------

HIIT/Zone 4 Cardio

3:00 warmup @L5

3 rds of:
3:00 max effort @L17
3:00 light recovery pedal @L5

2:00 cool down @L5

---------------

Workout Times
Weights: 75 minutes
Cardio: 20 minutes
 

CJ

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Weekly Progress Update

Huge weight increase, up 5.4 lbs to a 206.8 lb average weigh in. Only difference was a bump in GH from 4 iu's to 5 ius. Obviously mostly, if not all, water weight.

Screenshot_20241222-092132_MyFitnessPal.jpgScreenshot_20241222-092453_MyFitnessPal.jpg
 

CJ

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Saturday, 12/21
Rest Day

----------

Sunday, 12/22
Torso, extras, and HIIT

-HS Incline Press
250 x 10, +1 rep
250 x 8, matched
180 x 15, +1 rep

-Matrix Lat Pulldowns
170 x 15, +5 lbs
155 x 15, +5 lbs
140 x 15, +5 lbs

-Matrix Chest Press
190 x 14, +1 rep
170 x 13, +1 rep
150 x 13, matched

-Matrix Ntrl Grip CS Rows
155 x 15, +5 lbs
145 x 14, +5 lbs
135 x 13, +5 lbs

-Hoist Ab Crunches
40 x 31
30 x 24
25 x 21

-DB Laterals (Machine Laterals occupied)
25's x 21+4 partials
22.5's x 16+5
20's x 13+6
17.5's x 17+4

-DB Hammer Preachers
30's x 13
27.5's x 13
25's x 14


*two straight sessions of progress on chest exercises, it's looking like that I was doing too much before.

--------------

HIIT/Zone 5 Cardio

3:00 minute warmup pedal

3 rounds of:
1:00 minute max effort @L26
3:00 light recovery pedal

3:00 minute cool down pedal

---------------

Workout Times
Weights: 78 minutes
Cardio: 15 minutes
 

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