Gonna try a 4 week bulk using bodyweight exercises

Welcome to our Community
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Feel free to Sign Up today.
Sign up

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
Ugh cutting sucks. But I'm through the worst of it now and not craving sugar any more. My weight is sticking higher than before, so I guess the bulk did what it was supposed to.
 

regular john

Muay Thai World Champion
May 21, 2015
5,043
6,628
Ugh cutting sucks. But I'm through the worst of it now and not craving sugar any more. My weight is sticking higher than before, so I guess the bulk did what it was supposed to.
didn't you do all of this so you wouldn't have to cut weight?
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
End result after cutting. Started at 67.5kg, went up to 71kg, now at 65kg

 

Hulc

Member
Apr 15, 2016
10
12
How did you work the BW exercises to follow a 5 x 5 system? I assume you can already do 5 x 5 dips for example, so how did you keep the resistance high enough as you've got stronger?

Also how did you work the levers for time into the workout, and was the front lever supinated (which i find very tough on my biceps)?
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
How did you work the BW exercises to follow a 5 x 5 system? I assume you can already do 5 x 5 dips for example, so how did you keep the resistance high enough as you've got stronger?

Also how did you work the levers for time into the workout, and was the front lever supinated (which i find very tough on my biceps)?
I'm only using 60% 1rm for my 5x5, so the dips and chins are a bit light but they're OK. If I needed to, I would add weight.

Levers I just hold for as long as I can, which is zero at the moment LOL. No, I don't suppinate, just hang from parallel bars.
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
I still maintain you should try out some rings...might take a bit of getting used to, but the stabilising muscles you work should benefit you well in BJJ..I don't think you should have any issues getting to them right away, and even if you can't do an awesome routine from start pull ups into muscle ups into holding top position and dips is would work out really well..then agaim I don't really work out with a set weight in mind so I don't know if you'll reach your target...they are by far the best bodyweight exercises in my view though.
I did finally get some rings and you're right, they're great. Cheers :)

Youll be back, Ill SN bet you that youll be back to lifting at the very least to 80% using the CAT method (at the very least) within 12 months.
Still not lifting heavy 4 years later.
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
Are neck bridges part of your program? What made you pick the Bulgarian squats?
Bulgarian split squats allow me to work a single with load without wrecking my back. I've been doing them for years and to be honest, I don't think they can really compare to back squats but my back feels healthier.

No, I don't do neck work. I grapple a lot, so get plenty of supplemental work through that.
 

Tuc Ouiner

Posting Machine
May 19, 2016
1,816
1,467
Informative. I broke my right leg 7 wks ago and can't put wt. on it--10 screws/2 plates. Need to strengthen the other leg, me thinks the Bulgarian thing should do the trick. Back kinda jacked anyway.
 

Jesus X

4 drink minimum.
Sep 7, 2015
28,766
31,291
I'm doing a 52 week bulk without any bodyweight exercises.mass cultivation then harvest.
 

Shinkicker

For what it's worth
Jan 30, 2016
10,307
13,908
I'm only using 60% 1rm for my 5x5, so the dips and chins are a bit light but they're OK. If I needed to, I would add weight.

Levers I just hold for as long as I can, which is zero at the moment LOL. No, I don't suppinate, just hang from parallel bars.
60% of what?

I came in here because my son is going to have to compete (wrestling) this year at a higher weight class. I'm trying to figure out the benefit of bulking up and then cutting back down to the same weight.
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
Yeah nice! But how them glutes look?

:oops::D
Two bowling balls

60% of what?

I came in here because my son is going to have to compete (wrestling) this year at a higher weight class. I'm trying to figure out the benefit of bulking up and then cutting back down to the same weight.
1 rep max. So if I could bench press 200lbs 1 time, I would work out with 120lbs.

The benefit is that cutting means you're generally bigger. If you walk at 150lbs and compete at 154lbs (or whatever the weight class is), you'll be less competitive than if you trimmed up to compete at 145lbs.

Of course, some athletes go too far and get ill
 

Shinkicker

For what it's worth
Jan 30, 2016
10,307
13,908
Two bowling balls


1 rep max. So if I could bench press 200lbs 1 time, I would work out with 120lbs.

The benefit is that cutting means you're generally bigger. If you walk at 150lbs and compete at 154lbs (or whatever the weight class is), you'll be less competitive than if you trimmed up to compete at 145lbs.

Of course, some athletes go too far and get ill
Ok, gotcha.

He walks around at 70.7kg. He cut to 65 to compete. He made it to state but did get ill at times. He's decided to just try to compete at his natural weight this year.

I don't think he realizes how strong these bigger guys are going to be.

I don't like the cutting at all. But I don't want him to get hurt either. :(
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
Ok, gotcha.

He walks around at 70.7kg. He cut to 65 to compete. He made it to state but did get ill at times. He's decided to just try to compete at his natural weight this year.

I don't think he realizes how strong these bigger guys are going to be.

I don't like the cutting at all. But I don't want him to get hurt either. :(
5kg is a pretty big cut, especially for a growing lad. He'd want to do that over 3-4 weeks but if he's wrestling every weekend, then it's unsustainable.

What's the next weight class up? If he can go up to 72/73 and compete at 70, that would be perfect. The extra size would come off easily
 

Shinkicker

For what it's worth
Jan 30, 2016
10,307
13,908
5kg is a pretty big cut, especially for a growing lad. He'd want to do that over 3-4 weeks but if he's wrestling every weekend, then it's unsustainable.

What's the next weight class up? If he can go up to 72/73 and compete at 70, that would be perfect. The extra size would come off easily
65.7
68.9 (his bracket)
72.5

He says he worked hard to bulk up and got to 70.7kg (sorry, that I thought that was his walking around weight). As soon as he stopped he was back down to 68.9. So I don't think he could put much more on. They compete at least once a week.
 

Tuc Ouiner

Posting Machine
May 19, 2016
1,816
1,467
What's your opinion of bridges, hindu push ups, rope climbing? What made you choose the bulgarian split squats?P.S. Good luck-- tear it up bro!
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
What's your opinion of bridges, hindu push ups, rope climbing? What made you choose the bulgarian split squats?P.S. Good luck-- tear it up bro!
I chose Bulgarian split squats because it was a way to work my legs without overly loading my back. Here we are 5 years later and I've been pretty consistent with it. In the last few weeks I've replaced them with belt squats, as the single leg work simply wasn't a mass builder. The belt squats are much more effective and have even less lumbar loading.

Everything else is pretty much the same; weighted pull ups are now on rings, hand stand pushups are done with parallettes and I've recently swapped weighted dips for weighted pushups on the rings. The workout is great and I'm even more convinced I'll never have to lift heavy again.

To answer your questions:
Bridges: Not sure how god they are for your neck. They'll build muscle but I don't know if my discs like it much. I don't do them anymore.
Hindu pushups: What's the goal? I don't think they'd produce enough of a stimulus for muscle growth if the goal is upper body strength, at least after a little while. Can you load them?
Rope climbing: Great for grip and pulling strength. You'd need to find a way to standardise what you're doing and measure it to hit your required volume and intensity to program progress.