Nahuel’s BodyBlog

Yep, I just entered my new bodyweight, and is more than 2 pounds above the previous one. I’m happy because on the first 7 days of my journey I have only been working out with light weights and low volume. That means that I’m responding well to the "back in motion" experience. I expect it to be mostly muscle, but it is difficult to say. I clearly have more tone all around, though. Enough to see that I am back on an anabolic state.

I also uploaded my first profile pic today. I am kind of ashamed of it, but the idea is to replace it every month, and use the previous ones for comparison purposes, so what is cause of shame today will become a reason of pride on the future. I will start with my regular routine today. I will use the first workout of each body part to test the weights I need to load as to go to failure on each set. I’m strongly ectomorphs, so keeping low number of sets and having plenty of rest is customary to me. This is a two-days split, working out three times a week, so each body part is exercised every 4/5 days. Focus is in gaining overall mass, but with some emphasis on legs, delts and traps. For that reason I decided for a two-days split vs. one day. This will allow me to add a couple of exercises without having too many sets in a single workout. Besides, in that way, if I skip a WO I will not need to wait more than 7 days to hit again a muscle group as it would happen with a 3-days split. 1 or 2 warm-up sets performed before every exercise. Once or twice a week I’ll have a low-intensity cardio session (45 min-1h), where I will do abs (including obliques) and back extensions. I had to dismiss some of my favorite movements in order to keep a low number of overall sets.
1) Chest, Delts, Tris, Calves

Dumbels shoulder press 2 sets (10/8)
L-Lateral rise 2 sets (10/8)
Declined bench press 3 sets (10/8/6)
Incline dumbbell press 2 sets (8/6)
Dips 3 sets (8/8/6)
Calf rise 3 sets (15/12/15)

15 sets total.

Every 3 WO’s or so, I’ll go back to flat bench press instead of declined. Regarding Calf rises, I alternate 2 sets of standing CR and one set of seated CR on one workout, with 2 sets of seated and one set of standing next time, so both soleus and gastrocnemius are targeted without adding too many sets to my WO.

2) Legs, Back, Biceps

Squats 2 sets (10/8)
Deadlifts 2 sets (10/8)
Legs curl 2 sets (10/8)
Pullups 3 sets (10/8/6)
T-bar rows 2 sets (10/8)
Front barbell shrugs 1 set (10)
Standing Barbell curl 3 sets (10/8/8)

15 sets total
This routine worked well for me last year and earlier this year, I think it will do the same now.

Hi there,

I’m starting this BodyBlog mainly for me, for tracking my progress and for helping me on focusing on working out. I also start this blog in the hope somebody will be interested in reading it, and he will become part of a support network and, why not, a friend. I would like to hear from other skinny guys that started working out in their thirties and who gained a good amount of muscle. And from other guys that are in the same place I am (i.e., 5′10", 143lbs, 37YO and fed up of being skinny).

I have been in and out of the gym (mostly out, though) since I was 17. For the most time I had horrible instructors that made me overtrain, and I completely underestimated the importance of the diet. When I finally started to learn what I needed, I was already 30 years old and my schedule was kind of hectic, so going to the gym was not always an option. Last year I went from 128lbs to 143lbs, but then I had to stop again. Now I’m back on the gym since yesterday, and hoping that the muscle memory will get me back in 140lbs, an all gains from there will be unknown territory.

I will do a light general routine for 7 days, and then I will start going to failure in every set and adding weight in every workout. That’s what worked for me last year. Even when I need muscle in every inch of my frame, I will focus in three areas: traps, delts and legs. I expect to be doing a two-days split and working out three days soon. I will also get serious with aerobics (twice a week, 45min each).

I will post my routine as soon as I finish the final touches on it, but I can anticipate I will base it on basic, composed movements and free weights.

Peace