Progress - Week 9 of my Body Transformation

My Muscle Building and Weight Loss Body Transformation is going pretty well. Week 9 has just started and can really see the difference in the mirror every week. Where I started by bench pressing 40 kg, I am now bench pressing 60kg. I started my dumbbell curls with 10 kg and now I do my sets with 15 kg dumbbells. My Triceps exercises went from a 6kg weight that I use to 10kg weights. Where I started with 50kg quads press, I now work it at 80kg. Overall, I see more than 35% increase in strength! If haven't seen my before and after photos at week 6, you should take a look at it. And it is all thanks to the super cool Muscle Building Program that I am using.

I do a lot of my exercises right here at home. Going to an expensive gym is not needed anymore, you can buy all your basic exercise equipment for pretty cheap. I came across HelloSixPackAbs's Amazon Store, where you can get great deals on all exercise and fitness equipment and supplements. You should definately check it out if you are interested in working out at home.

So what else have I been up to? I have started to make exercise videos of all the exercises that you can do at home and are starting to upload them with full instructions and tips on my website, Hellosixpackabs.com. I will also upload more after photos of me in a week or 2's time. If you want any additional advice or if you want to give me some feedback feel free to comment.

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

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

How did I survive the first 2 weeks of my Body Transformation?

Setting of to the local gym I was really excited and motivated for my new weight loss and muscle building Body Transformation. Full of confidence that I will be able to keep up with all the heavy training and dieting. But all was not as easy as I thought it would be...

I quickly realized that I am not as fit or strong as I thought I was. I decided to just get my body used to all the exercise first and do all my workouts at 60% max lift weight. I kept going with my workout program and worked out 5 days per week for the first 2 weeks. The second week I started working heavier weights and really pushed myself to fail each set. Could really feel the pump, hehe. I kept to my fat loss and muscle building diet, which includes an average of 4 means per day. Eating mostly lean meats, healthy carbs and vegetables and salad. I also had a protein shake or two on all my lifting days.

What is my workout split? I decided I am going to use a 3 day workout split, meaning I have a day 1, day 2, day 3, and then I start with day 1 again. Sometimes I take a break on the 4 day and start day 1 after that. For starters my muscle building workout program consists mainly training my all my bigger muscles, different muscles each day so I don't over train and my muscles get enough time to rest and get stronger.

I will post a full workout split and the exercises with sets and reps in another post later, but here are the basics:

Day1:
- Warm up (5 minutes tread mill and stretching)
- Chest
- Legs

Day 2:
- Warm up
- Shoulders/traps
- Biceps/forearms
- Abs/core
- Cardio 15 mins

Day 3:
- Warm up
- Back/lats
- Triceps
- Cardio 15 mins

I was pretty sore and stiff the first week, but I am already feeling better and I can see how I got stronger, already lifting a lot more, and not getting so sore anymore. The diet is pretty difficult to hold without cheating as my girlfriend still wants to eat pasta and bacon etc. sometimes and of course then there's the weekends, where all the housemates party and drink and barbeque (We South Africans like our BBQ) So I guess I am still cheating at least 2 days out of the week. But mostly I improved my diet a lot. I will upload my next pictures at the end of week 3.


Read more:

1. How and why I started my weight loss and muscle building Body Transformation

2. Week 1 of my body transformation with before pictures

3. Foods that burn fat

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