My Muscle Building Before and After Photos (Week 6))

The end of Week 6 of my Muscle Building and Fat Loss Body Transformation has arrived and as promised I took some photos! Since the start of my body transformation I have gained about 3 kg. I had a problem with the scale in the beginning so I am not sure if my starting weight was right. Although I cheated a lot with my eating, (eating far too fatty foods during lunch and also not enough protein, because I work away from home) I stand by my motto which is that the mirror doesn't lie. I still have tons of work left, but I can definately see some overall improvement in my body.

Well, here are my muscle building before and after photos:



Week 1 -----------------------------------> Week 6



































And no muscle building before and after photo post would be complete without some posing and muscle flexing photos, so here are some of my shots, hehe. You can also see workout videos of mine. See my Dumbbell Curls Video for instance.



Well, like you can see, still a far way to go. Normal body transformation competitions usually give you 12 weeks to transform, so according to that standard, I am halfway through. I will upload muscle building before and after photos again soon after 3 weeks. Until then, see you around, and please feel free to leave any comments or advice that you can give. You can also see my workout routines and exercises with videos at hellosixpackabs.com.

Previous before and after photos:

1. Week 1 Before photos

2. Week 3 Before and After Photos

How to Barbell Bench Press 100 kg (Chest Muscles)

This exercise video is of my friend Os (means Ox in Afrikaans language), and Konstant training in the backyard. They are also following the same workout program that they got from Hello Six Pack Abs. Os is barbell bench pressing 100 kg in this video clip. He just started to workout a few weeks ago, but is naturally strong so he is already using the big weights.

To barbell bench press is one of the favorite chest exercises for bodybuilders. Chest muscles are one of the great show muscles that girls go crazy for. It's also a pretty easy exercise to do, but like all exercises the important thing is to do bench pressing with the correct form.

Chest muscles are also one of the muscles that develops the fastest, so get going and start working those pecs.

This is almost the end of week 5 of my body transformation so I will post pictures again next week. I gained another half a kg and can really see how the working out is working for me.

Keep training!

Body Transformation Week 5 Update and Workout Split Change

Week 5 of my muscle building body transformation and I am still going strong. Or am I? I decided to make some tweaks to my current workout split and get a more effective workout routine. I also changed my diet to get more muscle gain.

My new workout split:
I got my new workout routine from a list of best workout routines. With my new workout routine, I don't over train my triceps and biceps anymore. I do my triceps with my chest and do my biceps with my back and lats. I also moved legs to a totally new Day 4. I also use this day for additional cardiovascular training. After day 4, I take a day rest and then start with day 1 again. I will continue with this routine for at least 4 weeks.

Day 1:
- 7 Minute warm-up
- Chest: 3 Exercises - 3 Sets - 8-12 reps
- Triceps: 3 Exercises - 3 Sets - 8-10 reps

Day 2:
- 7 Minute warm-up
- Shoulders/traps: 4 Exercises - 3 Sets - 8-12 reps
- Abs/Core: 4 Exercises - 3 Sets - 12-15 reps

Day 3:
- 7 Minute warm-up
- Back/Lats: 4 Exercises - 3 Sets - 8-12 reps
- Biceps/forearms: 4 Exercises - 3 Sets - 8-10 reps

Day 4:
- 15 Minutes Interval treadmill training
- Legs: Leg press 4 x 10, quads 4x10, hams 4x10, calves 4x10

How did I change my diet?
As you know I make use of the awesome fat loss guide, Fat Loss 4 Idiots, for my eating needs. I have picked up lean muscle and lowered my fat percentage, but I decided I am going to concentrate more on bulking now, so I am going to increase my food intake. I am taking an additional protein shake per day. I also try to take in more meats and I realized that I am not taking in enough carbs, so I upped my carbs intake, but still try to use only brown carbs and vegetables. Hope this will speed up my muscle gain.

I hope these changes will help, if you have any comments or advice on these I would appreciate it a lot!


Articles you may also like:

1. Before Photos and Week 1 of my Body Transformation

2. Photos and Progress report after Week 3 of my Body Transformation

3. Full Workout Routines and advice for Muscle Building

4. Best Exercises for Chest Muscles

Workout on Caffeine? Good for you?

New studies show that consuming caffeine (Get Prolab Caffeinefrom Amazon) before a workout increases your endurance and it also delays fatigue. Having a few cups of coffee after an intense workout has also been proved to reduce muscle stiffness and soreness. And me being on full steam with my body transformation workout program decided to put these studies to the test...

First a few facts about caffeine use for workouts and exercise:

• Delays fatigue
• Slows the breakdown of muscle glycogen, which means your body has more fuel to keep going
• Enhances endurance
• Keeps you more alert
• Can reduce muscle pain during exercise
• May lower perceived exertion, making exercise feel more comfortable

Unfortunately caffeine is also a stimulant which means that it could have some side effects:

• Increased urination
• Stomach upset
• Trembling or shaking
• Trouble sleeping
• Increased anxiety
• Headaches
• Nausea

Right, so it Day 4 (week 5) of my workout split (that I got from Workout Routines at hellosixpackabs.com), so today I was doing only legs and decided I am going to consume a lot of caffeine (+- 4 cups of coffee) before I go workout and that I am also going to do some heavy cardio to see if the caffeine will increase my endurance for the cardio (running) and leg exercises (hamstrings, calves, upper legs, squad machine).

After I downed my huge cup of coffee, containing 4 teaspoons of concentrated coffee and honey, I could feel my heart rate go up, muscles starting to tremble and I started to talk a lot. (My girlfriend wasn't impressed) I knew that my ultimate caffeine rush has started, and off I went to the gym.

Full of energy and ready for anything I started on the treadmill. Usually I run on speed 10 for about 3 km, before my legs start hurting and my lungs start aching, but today, I started off at 10.5, and soon upped the speed of the treadmill to 12, (caffeine obviously working) running and maintaining my speed for 2 km, and whereas I would normally be too tired to go on, I still had a lot of energy left. I increased the gradient to 3%, setting my speed to 11, running uphill for more than a km. After this I was sweating like a pig, but still had energy left for the rest of my workout, whereas normally I would be pooped by this time.

Already realizing that a workout on caffeine works, I set off to the weights and machines section of the gym, having a 3 minute rest in between, and started with my leg workout. I did 3 sets of leg presses, 10 reps each. After that I moved on to the hamstrings machine, doing 5 sets of 10 reps each. I do all my exercises at about 80% of my max lift. Then I did the quads machine, 4 sets of 9 reps, followed by some quick super sets on the ass machine and inner thighs machine, 3 sets of 15 reps each. Finally I ended off with some calves exercises on the stair master machine, running flat out on my toes for a quick calves burn. It felt really good and I stumbled out of the gym on my way home, really feeling my legs aching all over, my legs total jelly. (Guess my caffeine level downed after the workout, hehe)

The verdict?
I could do all the exercises I usually do on a normal day and do them more intense. I ran faster, I increased the incline of the treadmill, still having enough energy after wards to give a hard workout at the weights and leg machines section. Even after a heavy leg cardio session, I increased my leg lifts by 3 kg and added a few additional sets, that I don't usually do. So, yes, I think workout on caffeine definately DOES work. It increased my endurance and speed and intensity of my workout.


Negative effects of taking caffeine? [added next day]
My muscles doesn't seem more stiff than usual. Surprisingly good actually. I did however struggle to sleep. Don't know if it could be related to the workout with the caffeine. I did take 4 coffees, so maybe that could still be in my system 3 hours later. Didn't feel any nausea or any of the other effects mentioned.

Will I go workout on caffeine again?
I will try this again, for sure, it definately worked. Caffeine rushes are awesome for exercise! I am sure it isn't very good if you take in too much caffeine at a time, so next time I will just lower my caffeine dosage, or get some real caffeine capsules like Prolab Caffeinefrom Amazon.com.

You can check out some good workout routines that I posted in a previous post, if you don't know what workout routine to do. As I have mentioned before I use a very good workout program from renowned bodybuilder Vince DelMonte. So far I have been having really good gains and I can really recommend it. It is called No-Nonsense Muscle Building and you can also read a review of this muscle building program if you want to make sure if this program is the right one for you.




Articles you may also like:

1. Before Photos and Week 1 of my Body Transformation

2. Photos and Progress report after Week 3 of my Body Transformation

3. Full Workout Routines and advice for Muscle Building

4. Best Exercises for Chest Muscles

Full Workout Routines and Advice for Bodybuilding

Workout routines and workout splits are quite the science these days, but what is right for some isn't always right for you. People have different amounts of times/days that they can train, different kinds of gyms or equipment or different goals or motivations. Here is a layout of a bunch of workout routines and splits that have been proved to work well for beginners and pros alike. At this stage I use the first one, very basic. Choose the right one for you and stick with it until you don't get good gains anymore, before you try something else. Alternatively, if you want to invest in a complete muscle building program that has been proven to get you big fast, definately check out Vince DelMonte's No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program. You are getting you money back if it doesn't help you to get really big fast. You can also Read a Full Review of No-Nonsense Muscle Building and decide if it is right for you.

A simple 3 day routine. Each bodypart once per week. Each exercise 2-4 sets, reps 5-8.

Back/Bis

Deadlifts
A Row
Chins or Pulldows
Bicep Curl

Chest/Tris

Bench
DB or Inc Bench
Chest Dips
Triceps Isolation

Legs/Shoulders

Squat
GHR (Glute Ham Raise)
Military Press
Calf Work


A rotation that hits each bodypart once every 4-5 days.

1.
Squat 2-3 x 5, 1 x 10
Ham Work 3 x 8
BB Row 4 x 6
Bicep Iso 2 x 10

2.
Bench Press 3 x 5
Dips 3 x 8
Side Laterals 3 x 10
Tricep Iso 2 x 10

3.
Deadlift 3 x 5
Leg Press 2 x 10 or 1 x 20
Pullups 20-40 reps
Bicep Iso 2 x 10

4.
DB or Incline Bench 3 x 5
Flyes 3 x 8-12
OH Press 3 x 6-8
Tricep Iso 2 x 10

Workout on Mon/Wed/Fri/Mon and alternate workouts 1/2/3/4 etc...

Another rotation that hits each bodypart once every 4-5 days but using a little more volume.

1.
Squats 3 x 5, 1 x 10
Ham Work 3 x 8-10
Pullups 20-40 reps
BB Rows 4 x 6
Curls 2 x 10

2.
DB or Incline Bench 2 x 5, 2 x 8
Dips 2 x 8
DB OH Press 3 x 8
Side Laterals 2 x 10
Skulls 2 x 10

3.
Deadlifts 2-3 x 5
Leg Press 2 x 10 or 1 x 20
Chins 20-40 reps
DB Rows 3 x 8
Curls 2 x 10

4.
Bench Press 2 x 5, 2 x 8
DB Flyes 2 x 8-12
Military Press 3 x 8
Side Laterals 2 x 10
Skulls 2 x 10

Workout on Mon/Wed/Fri/Mon and alternate workouts 1/2/3/4 etc...



A favorite of mine that hits each bodypart twice per week.

Day 1

4x Squats: 5 reps
3x Ham Work: 8 reps
3x BB or DB Row: 8 reps
2x Bicep Curls: 10 reps

Day 2

4x Bench Press: 5 reps
3x Military Press: 8 reps
3x Tricep Isolation: 8 reps
2x Ab/Calf Work: 15 reps

Day 3

4x Deadlifts: 5 reps
3x Pullups: 8 reps
3x Leg Press: 8 reps
2x Biceps Curls: 10 reps

Day 4

4x DB or Incline Press: 5 reps
3x Chest Dips: 8 reps
3x Side Lateral Raise: 8 reps
2x Ab/Calf Work: 15 reps

Day 1: On
Day 2: On
Day 3: Off
Day 4: On
Day 5: Off
Day 6: On
Day 7: Off


A simple 4 day upper/lower.

Mon.

Squat 2-3 x 5
Ham Work 3 x 10
Calves 3 x 15
Abs 2 x 10

Wed.

Bench Press 3 x 5
BB or DB Row 3 x 6, 1 x 15
OH Press 3 x 8
Arms -Tri/Bi - each 3 x 8-10

Fri.

Deadlift Variant 2-3 x 5
Leg Press 2 x 10 or 1 x 20
Calves 3 x 15
Abs 2 x 10

Sun.

Incline bench 3 x 10-15
Pullups 20-40 reps
Dips 2 x 8-12
Lateral Raise 3 x 8-10



A couple of examples of 2 day per week training.

Each bodypart 1x a week.

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps.

Bench or Dips
Incline Bench (optional)
OH Press
Side Laterals
Tricep Isolation

Legs, Back, Biceps.

Squat or Deadlifts
Leg Press (optional)
Pullups
Rowing Lift
Bicep Curl

Hitting each major bodypart 2x per week.

Workout 1.

Squats
BB or DB Row
Bench
Incline Bench
Bicep Curl

Workout 2.

Deadlifts
Pullups
Dips
OH Press
Tricep Isolation


A 10 day strength/hypertrophy rotation.

Day 1: Heavy Upper
Day 2:
Day 3: Heavy Lower
Day 4:
Day 5: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Day 6: Back, Biceps
Day 7:
Day 8: Legs
Day 9:
Day 10:
Repeat, or Repeat on Day 10

Day 1 - Heavy Upper.

Bench 3 x 3 or 3 x 5 or work up to a 1RM
Row 3 x 5
OH Press 3 x 5

Day 3 - Heavy Lower.

Squats 3 x 3 or 3 x 5 or work up to a 1RM
GHR 3 x 5
Calves 3 x 6

Days 5-8 All exercises are 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps.

Day 5 - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps.

Bench or Dips
DB Flyes
Side Lateral Raises
Front Lateral Raises
Tricep Isolation

Day 6 - Back, Biceps.

Wide Grip Chins
Rows
Pulldowns
Shrugs
Curls

Day 8 - Legs.

Squat Variant
GHR
Leg Press
Ham Work
Calf Work

NOTE: The above routine can also be condensed into the 7 day week for those that can tolerate the workload. Monday and Tuesday would be heavy upper and heavy lower, Wednesday would be off followed by the higher rep work on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday off and repeat. This is based on the training style of Layne Norton. Before you try this however be sure that you can tolerate training 5 days per week, this would be suited to more advanced lifters.


Routine Summary.

The routines above are not set in stone, you may like to adjust sets and/or reps to suit you but they serve as a basic template. (from original thread on Bodybuilding.com)

A routine to get you big and strong doesn't need to be filled with loads of "stuff" just heavy work on the important lifts at a frequency that you personally can recover from. If you decide to put together your own program remember to keep it

Simple
Basic
Focus on big lifts
Strength Progression

Add to this a decent diet, and you'll make good progress.


How to deload.

A "deload" is a period of time typically a week where either less intensity, volume and/or frequency, or a combination of all three is used to allow accumulated fatigue to dissipitate. A deload is usually recommended every 4-6 weeks (approx). An example would be to train just once or twice during that week using less intensity and/or volume than usual. You're usually stronger coming back off a deload and often this is when PR's are set. It's an invaluable tool in our box of tricks.

If you want to invest in a total muscle building program to get big fast, you should definately check out Vince DelMonte's No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program. It has everything you need to get started and it has been proven over and over to work. All the best with your training and in reaching your goals.

Articles you may also like:

1. Before Photos and Week 1 of my Body Transformation

2. Photos and Progress report after Week 3 of my Body Transformation

3. Best Exercises for Chest Muscles

Get free ebook "Everything you want to know about fat loss."

I want to thank everyone who follows this blog of mine. I am so thankful that I am going to give away a free ebook "Everything you want to know about fat loss". (Worth $29.95) Everyone that views this blog and the reaction of you all really means a lot for my motivation. As many of you who have tried a similar Body Transformation know, it is really not easy. You need all the motivation and support that you can get.

So far at the beginning of week 4 of my muscle building transformation, the hardest part has been to keep eating right. I am supposed to eat at least 5 meals per day, but with my work and all it is really difficult to keep it going. Mostly I just have 3 meals, but I take an extra protein shake which counts as a meal and I also have a snack of fruit in between meals sometimes. I have really upped my lean meat protein intake, and I am having 1-2 scoops of whey protein everyday. I don't eat any processed meats, like mince or sausage and I don't use as much butter and sauces for cooking. Also having more salad and fresh vegetables, but I'm still not eating enough fruits, so I have to improve on that.

I am also having a few cheat days during the week. Like this weekend was a bit bad. Had a rock and roll 30th bday party on Saturday and had a big ribs and kebab BBQ with cheese and bread platters. Also drank a lot which has a bunch of bad things, like all the calories I took in just from the vodka and redbull. Also, because of the bad hangover I resorted to staying in bed most of the next days only eating microwave dinners. BAD! Anyway, I am so confidend in my body building program that I'm sure it won't matter that much in the end.

Oh, I almost forgot telling you about the free Ebook that I am giving away. In order to get the free ebook, you have to Email subscribe (go to left top of the blog). It works with feedburner, so I don't worry I won't give it away to spammers. As soon as I see you subscribed, I will send the free ebook in PDF format to you via email.

Please feel free to comment on my posts and give advice or ask questions, it really helps a lot. If you are a first time reader, you can also read why I started my Body Transformation.

Articles you may also like:

1. Before Photos and Week 1 of my Body Transformation

2. Photos and Progress report after Week 3 of my Body Transformation

3. Full Workout Routines and advice for Muscle Building

4. Best Exercises for Chest Muscles

My Body Transformation Results after WEEK 3!

The end of Week 3 of my Weight Loss and Muscle Building body transformation has finally arrived and I can say that there definately has been improvement that I can see. I feel great, I can lift much heavier weights and I feel stronger. There is still a long road ahead, but I'm full of confidence at the moment and my self motivation is at an all time high. So I'm ecstatic about that.

So how exactly have I improved since I started my Body Transformation? Check out the before and after pictures for comparison. I have picked up at least 1kg of lean muscle, because I weigh 70.5 kg now, and I can see that I have lost some fat as well. So hopefully I bring down some more fat, but I am positive that I will steadily continue to pack on muscle and weight from now on forth. Well as I promised, here are some of the pictures that I took today. (Still a long way to go to hotness though, hehe.)


Before: --------------------------------------- After:
















Week 1: 69 kg ---------------------------- Week 3: 70.5 kg


















Week 1: 69 kg -------------------------- Week 3: 70.5 kg

I hope you will continue my journey with me. I am sure there will be a lot of interesting surprises on the way to hotness. Subscribe to stay up to date with my progress, I will continue to keep you posted on my progress, I will also upload more workouts and exercises and give you the latest on my muscle building programs and guides that I use. Until next time...

Articles you may also like:

1. Before Photos and Week 1 of my Body Transformation

2. Can I go Workout on Caffeine?

3. Full Workout Routines and advice for Muscle Building

4. Best Exercises for Chest Muscles

What are the Best Exercises for the Chest Muscles?

Day 1 is my chest workout day, but what are the best exercises for a complete chest workout? Should you only do heavy bench pressing to get strong pecs?
It's better to get some variety into your chest workout to train all the various areas of your pectoral muscles. Here are some of my favorite chest exercises.

1. Seated Chest Presses
This works in a similar way as the lying down bench press, but using this machine you are seated. You use similar movements as the bench press, but because it is a machine your movements are stabilized and the weights are not bobbing around, meaning that you get a more focused workout for your pectoral muscles. A very easy chest exercise, you grip the handles and just push it forward in controlled motion. Do not lock elbows at end of extension. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

2. Cable Crossovers (High cables or low Cables)
Stand with your one foot forward for balance, grip the upper cable handles tightly and push forward and down bringing your hands to each other, slowly releasing it back again in a controlled movement. This chest exercise focuses a lot of energy to your chest muscles and done correctly is one of the best exercises for your chest. High cable is better for lower chest muscles and low cable is good for inner chest muscles. Repeat in 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

3. Incline or Decline Flyes
This exercise is very good for the upper part of the chest muscles. Adjust the bench to about a 45 degrees angle. Lie on your back and hold two dumbbells at your sides with your elbows bent at about 90 degrees. (for decline just lie with your head closer to the floor. Now arc the weights upward bringing the weights close to each other (about 6 in.), holding your elbows locked at 90 degrees, slowly lowering them again and repeat. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

4. Bench Press Wide Grip
Extend your grip a bit doing this chest muscle exercise. Pushing the barbell upward while lying down on a flat bench with the hands in a wide grip is a very good exercise for the lower chest muscles. The all time favorite chest muscle exercise for most bodybuilders.

5. Bench Press Close Grip
The same exercise as above, but do it with your hands closer together to get more focus on your inner chest muscles and triceps. Very good chest exercise for some power sets.

6. Dips
Doing dips with our elbows out puts more emphasis on lower pectorals and dips with elbows tucked in puts more focus on the inner chest muscles.

There are others, but these are some of the best chest exercises. Try and do about 3-4 of them each chest workout. Each exercise should be done in 3 sets of about 8-12 reps each. Rest in between your sets for about 30 seconds to 2 mins, but not more than that. If you do a good heavy chest workout, make sure and rest them for about 5 days, so they get plenty of time to rest and grow.

If you want more chest exercises and complete chest workouts with videos how to do them and precise instructions to get perfect chest muscles I can recommend that you invest in a muscle building guide that works like top selling No-Nonsense Muscle Building of Vince DelMonte or you can quickly read a full review of No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program to see if it is for you.

Check out Vince Delmonte's
No-Nonsense Muscle Building here