Topic: Goals for November

[Damayonnaise]

Hey guys hows it goin? So this year my friends have convinced me that i should go to Youmacon with them. you know. one of those anime/comic/videogame convention things. Anyway i figured since 'im going i might as well do it up and cosplay as well. I was going through some ideas and I settled on this  http://matteomazzali.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/asura_-0000.jpg  (yes i realize this is a videogame) so this is Asura from the game Asura's Wrath and I really liked the game and what not and i figured  if im gonna cosplay anyone, i would do him thing is, just want to have the body art or hair, i want to have the same physical condition.  So from viewing the picture, you guys can obviously tell Asura is pretty big and strong and I fully realize that I may not get the look exactly i really just want to get as close as i can to the same shape and condition as possible in the short amount of months that i have.
 
 I have already been going to the gym steadily but I can already tell this is going to take more than the strength training I've been doing. from the looks of it Im going to have to put on some weight and muscle too. Getting in the same cardio condition isnt going to be difficult for me. In fact i already know exactly what i'm going to do in that respect. However weight lifting and dieting are still things I'm learning and thats why I decided to make this thread. SO if i want any real hep i might as well tell you guys what Ive been doing so far and my weight and such.

My current weight right now is 191 and im 100% positive that most of it is water weight considering i don't eat very much throughout the day.

I workout with my best friend on mondays, wednesdays, and fridays and our workout consists of beginner strength training workout involving Bench Press, Chest Press, Squats, Deadlifts, Chin/Pull Ups and Rows. All of the cardio i do, I do on my own though.

I dont know how much help I'lll get here but Ive been on the forums for a long time and I trust Chris, Steve and Joe's opinions as well as Alec and the others. I'd be happy to post pics and stuff and any help, advice, encouragement you guys  give will be greatly appreciated. I'd like to know what workouts I should be doing to help me buk up a bit and ill post in the DIet section for food advice. Thanks in advance everyone.

[Scott Eustice]

What is the difference between chest press and bench press? Switch one of them (probably bench) to overhead press for more rounded pressing and shoulder work you are probably gonna need shoulder work to look like that guy.

How tall are you? I'm just trying to imagine how big you are. Pictures might help if you are trying to change your looks.

I'm assuming you are trying to gain muscle. This is going to require that you eat more. Especially since you don't eat alot.

The exercises you are doing look almost like Starting Strength. The recommended diet for that is Gallon Of Milk A Day. I didn't do GOMAD will on Starting Strength and I got stronger. I didn't get that much bigger though.

Regardless, you need to eat alot if you want to get bigger.

Speaking of Staring Strength and programming, what kind of rep/ set plan are you following, and what weights are you using now?

Cardio isn't really that good for bodybuilding. I love long distance running, but it really doesn't help all that much. If you want to do it, make sure that you have enough recovery to keep training.

[MedvisP]

You probably want a bodybuilding program for that... you wont look like that after 5 months of strength training.

[Joe Brock]

You probably want a bodybuilding program for that... you wont look like that after 5 months of strength training.

You won't look like that after 5 months of bodybuilding either.  What you're doing currently, if being loaded in a linear fashion is probably going to work as well as anything would.

Scott's question is the one I'm wondering, what is your set/rep scheme?  Also, if you're trying to build, pictures would help.

BTW: 191 of water weight?  That's obviously the wrong choice of words, so I'm going to assume that you mean you're carrying a higher BF%.  Diet will be a MAJOR factor in a recomposition, so we need more details about how much and what kind of cardio you're doing, what exactly you're eating, and how you're loading your weightlifting. 

(Now it's official, I'll take physique questions from this point forward.)

[Steve Low]

What you're doing is fine.

Get rid of chest press for dips IMO.

[Damayonnaise]

I knew I wasn't gonna get like that in five months before I started. I just wanted to get as close as possible.

As far as reps are concerned for bench I'm currently at 170 doing 6-7 reps for three total sets with a minute between each set. I dont squat very much weight but im at 180 doing 6 reps for three sets I do around 15-20 chin ups and pull ups in three sets as well. I have started incorporating dips into my workout too. Cardio wise I do burpees, star jumps, mountain climbers, bear crawls, stuff like that. I also run hills nearby but that's mostly for track later this year. I'll post my diet stuff in the diet section.

I'll post pics later tonight if not tomorrow. Thanks for the help so far!

[Scott Eustice]

The ratio of bench to squat is kinda weird (no offense). I would expect your squat to be higher than your bench. Maybe its just because you are starting out? Regardless, you should really push linear gains for the lower body lifts. These have the added benefit of helping your track times as well.

Its time to add weight to the pullups/ chinups, or somehow increase the intensity. 20 reps is too many. If you can do 15, add weight.

[Damayonnaise]

Only reason I'm doing lower weight on square is because my friend can't squat as much as me and I know if I do the weight I can actually do then it would mess with his confidence. However I realize if I'm going to get anywhere near my goals, he's either going to have to get over it or I'll just find someone else to workout with that's as strong as I am.

[Joe Brock]

Only reason I'm doing lower weight on square is because my friend can't squat as much as me and I know if I do the weight I can actually do then it would mess with his confidence. However I realize if I'm going to get anywhere near my goals, he's either going to have to get over it or I'll just find someone else to workout with that's as strong as I am.

WHAT?!?!?!?!

NO!  That's a totally unacceptable answer.  The best thing that you could do for your friend (if this is really the reason and not some crazy excuse to avoid squatting) is to squat more than him.  We've seen it with lifters that come to train here...being beaten regularly is a huge motivational tool.  There is no reason for anyone who lifts to not squat for all they're worth.

[Damayonnaise]

Yikes! I guess I never thought about it that way. When I lift alone I squat the weight I can actually do which is 215 (i just bumped up to it last week) I've been taking it slower with him
Because he's completely new and I'm not exactly an expert myself. I'll start squatting what I can actually do.

Also, umm does anyone know how to post pictures on here from an iPhone?