Ok, here is how the start of my new routine is going, started on 7/16/04. Comments on the routine can be found here http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/New_Routine%25%25%25/m_22911/tm.htm

Chest/Shoulders - 7/16/04

Incline DB Presses - 3 Sets
55x10, 70x8, 85x8 with one forced rep.
Flat Barbell Presses - 3 Sets
135x8, 185x6, 225x4 and did a drop set back down to 185 for 4.
Incline Flyes - 3 Sets
35x8, 50x8, 65x6
Smith Military Presses - 3 Sets
135x8, 165x8, 185x6
Lateral DB Raises - 3 Sets (Superset these two raises back and forth, all three sets... just something different.)
20x10, 25x10, 30x6
Rear DB Raises - 3 Sets
40x10, 45x10, 55x6
DB Shrugs - 3 Sets
65x12, 100x12, 120x10 finished with a couple of partials raising the DB'as high as I can.

As you can see ny the numbers I am no Powerhouse. I weigh about 205-208 right now. I know there is a lot of debate about doing Shoulders after Chest, but this workout feels like my whole Shoulder grille is welded to my body, and I can barely move my neck. I love it!!! My Shoulders now get a full seven days rest from any type of pressing movements.

My goal is to get to the 100lb DB's for at least 6 reps on the Incline DB presses, as my upper chest is really week looking. I should have used the 90's this workout, but went for higher reps with strict form. I am not necessarily concerned with how much weight I can lift, but that my form is perfect every rep. I try to go to falure on the last set as well, the other sets only act as a warmup for me. Kind of along the lines of how Dorian Yates used to train, it makes the most sense to me.

Nice numbers. 85x8... you'll hit the 100's easy with good form. My guess would be, you'll be able to do about 4-5 of them in good form. I agree that it's not necessarily the weight but the form. If you can do the 100's in perfect form, you will get so much more out of it then if you try and go for the 100's and cheat your way there.

Sounds to me like you pretty much have it figured out. I would say that shoulders before chest would be crazy but after. If it works for you. And they are already warmed up.

Back/Calves - 7/18/04 (Woops... Chest Shoulders was on 7/17/04, not 7/16.)

Wide Grip Pulldowns - 3 Sets
110x10, 140x10, 170x8
Barbell Rows - 3 Sets
135x10, 185x6, 205x8
Seated Rows - 3 Sets
12x10, 14x10, 17x8
DB Rows - 2 Sets
100x8, 120x8
Deadlifts - 3 Sets
135x8, 225x8, 315x6
Seated Calf Raises - 3 Sets
50x15, 100x15, 150x10
Standing Calf Raises - 3 Sets
(It's hard to say the poundages, because the numbers are fading off and it's a hybrid machine squat/calf raise.)

Awesome, awesome workout!!! I almost puked after Deadlifts. I was really light headed. I had an awesome pump in my back. I would like to get the whole stack on the Pulldown machine we use... it may go like 5-6 more plates than I finished with. It's a lot of old equipment, old, old Nautilus mostly and a couple of ancient pulldown stations.

I have to rethink my Calf routine. My right calf is way bigger than my left, nothing noticeable unless someone was really looking, but I notice it. I have a falling Arch in my left foot that really effects the feeling in my left foot. I have custom orthodix that help a lot, but I don't think that I ever developed equal strength in both my Achilles tendons. I always seem to feel it in my foot, not my left calf. I think that I may do one-legged standing calf raises with the left foot only for awhile to build up the strength in my tendons. The seated raises seem to be good, because I am better able to shift the stress to the weaker calf. We are only as strong as out weakest link, right? I have been avoiding it, but I have to bring that left calf up.

I kinda went a little out of order, but here was what I ate for the previous workouts posted. My goal is to increase strength and muscle mass while keeping my bodyfat levels in check. Again, any motivational thoughts would be appreciated because I know I have what it takes to keep a strict diet plan... just have yet to put the effort needed. I am hoping posting this for all to see will motivate me to get going!!!!

Chest/Shoulders - 7/17/04

8:00am
1 Large Bagel
3 Scrambled Eggs
1 Scoop Optimum Whey Protein with No-Fat Milk
Animal Pack Muti-Vitamin

11:30am
1 can of tuna and rice

1:30pm
No-Fat Cottage Cheese

2:00pm
Creatine by Maximum Human Performance and Glutamine by AST

2:15pm
Train

3:30pm
Mass Recovery Post Workout Drink

5:00pm
Chicken Breasts
Rice

7:30pm
Pasta and Sausage with two huge cups of Milk

11:00pm
Whey Protein with Milk

11:30pm
Sleep

I was a little all over the place today with my meals. We went to my parents house and I kinda fell off with the pasta and sausage deal. I also like to have a caisen protein shake before bed, but only had Whey at the parents house. Slept in a little today as well, the weekend. Felt very good and hungry throughout the day.

I don't think that I stray to much from my supplement use, so I will just list them once and then again if I make any additional changes to them. I am looking inot getting a better Post-Workout dring than the one I am getting, it's good, but I think I may be able to do better with Biotest Surge. I have to look more into it. I would also like to split my Creatine dosage in half by taking it onece before workout and once after... also taking Glutamine after working out as well.

Ahhh... I also take BCAA's by Prolab after my workout, and I also just picked up some L-Carnatine (might have spelled that wrong), but haven't figured out were that would fall in the mix... maybe before cardio??

Back/Calves - 7/18/04

8:00am
2 Bowls of Wheaties with Milk
3 Scrambled Eggs
1 Scoop Optimum Whey Protein with No-Fat Milk
Animal Pack Muti-Vitamin

11:30am
1 can of tuna and rice

1:30pm
Caisen Protein with Milk

2:00pm
Creatine by Maximum Human Performance and Glutamine by AST

2:15pm
Train

3:30pm
Mass Recovery Post Workout Drink

5:00pm
Chicken Breasts
Rice

7:00pm
Ok, I had to do it... Long John Silvers - 2 fish and three chicken platter. Good stuff!!!!

10:00pm
Casien Protein with Glutamine

10:30pm
Sleep

Fairly decent eating day besides the Long John's, but I think that it was good for my body. I think Sunday may be my all out cheat day. I know that I should be adding Oatmeal into the mix, I just have to pick some up. Overall, my energy level was good up unitll after my workout. I felt really drained. I picked up some cheep nutritional drinks at K-Mart today that have 350 calories with 50g carbs and 13g Protein. I bought like 12 of them, so I hope to get some extra colories with them. It should help things as long as I keep an eye on the BF.

Why are you using casein protein? Whey is much better for the daytime, casein is better right before bed- I think I might have asked you this question elsewhere, either you missed it, or I missed the reply. Either way, just curious.

Hey CPL,
Yea... I responded here http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_22532/mpage_1/key_//tm.htm#22559 Maybe I didn't totally explain myself scientifically correct, but I just feel fuller taking it then. I think that I ment to say that cottage cheese obsorbs slower into your system, even though I think that it contains Whey. Maybe not the best example, but it just feels better for me at certain times... can't explain it. Thanks for inquiring.

Thanks for the link, I must have missed your reply the first time around. Like I said, I was just curious, since you're just about the only person I've ever heard of taking casein in the day- Your explanation makes total sense, though. You obviously know the differences between the two, but you choose casein because it feels better for you- That kind of thing can be really important, listening to your body and going with what it tells you.

Rest - 7/19/04

7:00am
1 Large Chicken Breast
Nutritional Shake
Animal Pack Muti-Vitamin

10:00am
Nutritional shake mixed with Protein and Glutamine

1:00pm
Tuna and Rice

4:00pm
Tuna and Rice

5:30pm
1/2 Hour Cardio

7:00pm
Mr. Sub... Chicken Parm Sub with small nuggets and two milks.

10:00pm
Caisen Protein with Glutamine

Felt good today. Suprisingly my back is not that sore. I wonder if it's because I uped my Glutamine intake and calories with adding the nutritional shake? Nothing else to report other than I feel good. I think that me taking the Valerian Root before I go to bed has helped a lot, I am getting really restfull sleep. My fiancee has actually just started to take it as well and she is noticing that she is less tired throughout the day. I think that the combination of that and ZMA really help me out. I'll be reading or something and then my eyes get really, really heavy and I am out. For those that have trouble getting to sleep I would check them out. I really have a hard time falling to sleep on the day I train legs and this stuff seems to help.

Biceps/Triceps - 7/20/04

7:00am
3 Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Nutritional Drinks
Animal Pack Muti-Vitamin

10:00am
1 Nutritional Drink with two scoops Protein Powder

12:00pm
Power walked for a good 40 minutes.

1:00pm
Chicken Breast and Rice

4:00pm
1 Nutritional Drink with one scoop Protein Powder and Rice

4:20pm
Took a 45 minute power nap.

6:30pm
Creatine and Glutamine

7:00pm
Train (While slowly drinking Mass Recovery Post Workout Drink)

9:00pm
Chicken Breast and Rice

10:30pm
Sleep

3:00am
Caisen Protein with Glutamine... back to sleep.

Tuesday's and Thursday's are a little tough for me because my workout partners are only available later to train. I would prefer to be working out a 5:00, because I get out of work at 4:00... but this is what time works for them. I hate eating that late at night such filling food, but I had to eat something good after the workout. I only have to eat that late two times a week, so I should be allright. Overall, felt good today. I was a little tired approaching the workout, but kinda snaped out of it. Each one of those cheep nutritional drinks that I got at K-mart contain like 350 calories... so I should be getting all I need throughout the day. I just have to keep active with the cardio situation so I don't turn into a slob.

Biceps/Triceps - 7/20/04

Incline DB Curls - 3 Sets
30x10, 40x10, 45x6 (Drop set down to 30 for 6 more reps)
Cambered Bar Curls - 3 Sets
80x10, 100x10 (Barely), 120x6 (Way to heavy for me... cheated big time on the last three or so)
One-Arm Preacher Curls - 3 Sets
20x10, 25x10, 30x10
Hammer Curl - 2 Sets
35x10, 45x10
V-Bar Pushdowns - 3 Sets
70x12, 90x10, 120x12 (Wasn't really using full range of motion on last set... I will go lighter next week.)
Skullcrushers - 3 Sets
65x10, 80x10, 100x8 (Finished with a superset of close-grips for a slow 10 with the 100lbs)
One-Arm Reverse Pushdowns - 3 Sets
40x10, 60x10, 70x6 (With two forced reps)

I slight deviation from my original plan as posted in the Critique my routine section. I had originally wanted to superset Bi's/Tri's back and and forth, but decided to go with this so it wouldn't throw my Stepdad off to much... when he gets used to this day, maybe we'll try it. My arms were superpumped!!!! I felt great, allthough I find it a little hard to get fired up working small bodyparts like this day. I like more of the compound movements to get the full body pumps. Something I will have to work on to get mentally fired up... maybe I will flip through all my books and magazines with pictures of Arnold in them. Looking at his arms out to get me going.

Something I have been noticing is that I seem to have a knot in my left pec or something. It just seems to be a tangled feeling. I feels a lot harder than the right one, and it feels all sore. I think that it may have been from me doing dips like a month ago, and on my last set I lost my form and kind of wretched that side. It could also be from me always sleeping on my left side and it being all bunched up throuout the night. I stopped sleping on my right side because that was irritating my right shoulder... I sleep in very akward postions, so this may contribute to the little aches and pains I get. I have to do alot more stretching.

Rest - 7/21/04

7:00am
3 Scrambled Eggs
1 Nutritional shake with whey
Animal Pack Muti-Vitamin

10:00am
1qt No-Fat milk with Whey and nutritional shake

12:00
40 minute walk

1:00pm
Chicken and Rice

4:00pm
1qt No-Fat milk

4:20pm
40 minute nap

7:00pm
4 eggs made into two egg salad sandwiches

10:00pm
Caisen Protein with Glutamine

10:30pm
Sleep

Felt really tired today. The weather may have something to do with it, it's really hot and muggy here. My biceps are fairly sore today, nothing to bad... my triceps aren't sore at all. Wow!!! I guess I drank my fill of milk today. Ate allright today, just trying to get the nutrition from any source possible, I have to get in the kitchen and get going making supplies.

7/22/04

7:00am
3 scrambled eggs and rice
Nutritional shake
Mulit-Vitamin

9:00am
Nutritional Shake with whey

12:00pm
Huge portion of Meatloaf with homemade bread and side of mac and cheese

3:00pm
Nutritional Shake with whey

5:00
Half a bottle of Redline energy drink

6:00pm
Command Protein Bar

6:30pm
Creatine and Glutamine

7:00pm
Train

8:00
Biotest Surge Post-Workout drink (Funky taste) with extra glutamine and some creatine

9:30
Chicken and Rice
Big Glass of Milk

10:30
Sleep

Felt really low on energy today, again the weather is very hot and humid. I tried out that ebnergy drink Redline for the very first time. It kind of had a cough surip taste to it, but it gave me a good kick. Also tried a new post-workout drink. It was very thick and didn't taste very good. I think that I may go back to my Mass Recovery Pre-mixed drink... that stuff tastes great, especially the grape. And it's really sweat, something I think my body is craving after workoing out.

Thursday
Legs/Forearms - 7/22/04

Leg Extensions - 3 Sets (It's hard to gauge the weight being used because of the machine)
8x12, 11x12, 15x15... Really tough and concentrating on squeezing
Squats - 4 Sets (Trying to get back into squats after a long break because waiting for my orthodix for my feet) - FULL RANGE SQUATS also, no half reps.
135x10, 205x10, 235x10, 275x6... Tough, especially after wasting myself after leg extensions.
Leg Presses - 2 Sets (Again.. hard to gauge, I won't count the carriage)
470x12, 590x10... (Drop set down to 380 for 8.... almost threw up)
Lying Leg Curls - 3 Sets...concentrating on squeezing
8x12, 10x12, 13x6... (Double drop set... to 10 for 4 and then to 8 for 6....almost threw up again)
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts - 2 Sets
135x10, 185x7... very weak at this point, I should have gotten that for a easy ten.
Wrist Curls - 2 Sets (Superset with next excersise)
80x25, 80x15
Standing behind the back wrist curls - 2 Sets
85x15, 85x10... burning up, I had a hard time getting the top off of my shaker cup after.

This day was hell for me, but I loved it. My head and stomach were swimming through the whole workout. This order of excerises always kills my legs, and with the drop sets I can hardly walk. The last two times I did this I threw up shortly after... scrambled eggs and oatmeal comming out of my nose at 9:30 on a Sunday morning. I would like to think I have learned a little from that incident, to eat light before leg training. Overall, a good workout and exactly what me and my training partners needed. A good kick!

Rest - 7/23/04

7:00am
3 scrambled eggs with rice
Whey with milk
Multi-Vitamin

9:00
Nutritional Shake with whey

12:00
6 peices of small, square cut pizza
Whey shake

4:30
Chicken and rice
Multi-Vitamin

7:30
Tuna and rice

10:30
Caisen Protein with Glutamine

11:00
Sleep

Felt ok today. Kind of stuffed myself on pizza on lunch... we had a lunch for work and it was free food. I guess I relied on shakes a lot today. My legs are extemely sore from yesterday. I took in to Multi-Vitamin packs today, I don't know if it did anything. I just wanted to make sure I was recovered as best as I could for tommorow.