Gym And Supplement Discussion

[hazjaz]

Usually the case with lack of results is eating habits.. And that usually means they aren't eating enough. But since you have said you seem to gain a bit more fat, do you mind if I ask where you are at "fat wise"? Can you see any definition on the abdominal region? I'd still say eat more. Perhaps change the ratio of protein/carb/fat... Fasted cardio (low intensity, like a brisk walk) also really helps to limit fat gain.

I couldn't say what I am at as a fat percentage.. I can see my top 4 abs when I flex, but nothing to flash haha.. I started off at 105kgs in 2012 with struggling to push 60kg on bench so I had come a decent way, I just want to take it further.. Defiantly will be trying out that walk.. Possibly on an incline too to hit the calves haha. How much cardio would you do on an 'off' day?

So for eg tonight I'll train chest shoulders triceps.. Should it go like this;

Incline bench 3x11 1x11 (hitting fatigue and taking 10 or so breathes and going at it until I hit 11?)

Flat flyes - same reps as bench

Chest stretch

Military press - same as bench

Side lat - same as bench

Shoulder stretch

Etc etc?

Also, how do you train your calves! Mine are staring to grow, I wouldn't mind adding 3 inches on them haha

[Birds]

Training calves is like training forearms...

But if you must do it, you can do calf raises standing with dumbells in each hand (maybe incorporate a shrugging motion into it for two movements in one) or in a squat rack with a barbell...

[Dajae]

Usually the case with lack of results is eating habits.. And that usually means they aren't eating enough. But since you have said you seem to gain a bit more fat, do you mind if I ask where you are at "fat wise"? Can you see any definition on the abdominal region? I'd still say eat more. Perhaps change the ratio of protein/carb/fat... Fasted cardio (low intensity, like a brisk walk) also really helps to limit fat gain.

I couldn't say what I am at as a fat percentage.. I can see my top 4 abs when I flex, but nothing to flash haha.. I started off at 105kgs in 2012 with struggling to push 60kg on bench so I had come a decent way, I just want to take it further.. Defiantly will be trying out that walk.. Possibly on an incline too to hit the calves haha. How much cardio would you do on an 'off' day?

So for eg tonight I'll train chest shoulders triceps.. Should it go like this;

Incline bench 3x11 1x11 (hitting fatigue and taking 10 or so breathes and going at it until I hit 11?)

Flat flyes - same reps as bench

Chest stretch

Military press - same as bench

Side lat - same as bench

Shoulder stretch

Etc etc?

Also, how do you train your calves! Mine are staring to grow, I wouldn't mind adding 3 inches on them haha

Yeah, not too many people have a DEXA machine lying around at home or similar there is an online calculator I use to gauge an estimate, the link is: http://www.calculator.net/body-fat-calculator.html

Also some other really helpful calculators on there too, such as the calorie and BMR ones.

So I'm about the same as you then, in terms of fat percentage. I also have the "V" lines and a bit of definition on the lower abdominal section. I'm sitting at around 12% - 13% body fat, give or take 0.5%. So by the sounds of it, you're not too far off. You've definitely made some awesome progress, good stuff!

Once you get into doing the walks, you'll really start to enjoy them. Of the 4 'off' days I have a week, 3 are at the gym, and the other I just walk around my neighbourhood. Cardio on my 'off' days (at the gym) consists of the following:

Foam roll + stretch, all up takes about 8 - 10 minutes.

Cable crunches - working up to a 'heavy' set for 12 reps. Usually includes around 4 - 5 warm ups.

25 minutes fast paced walk on treadmill, at 6% incline. Usually around 6km/h speed. Your heart rate should be somewhere around 120bpm.

Planks - front then sides, holding for 30 seconds, then 45, then 60.

Foam roll + stretching.

I'm usually in and out, in under 75 minutes. And yes, incline work is great for some extra calf work. On the 4th day outside of the gym, I walk around with a loaded backpack. If you notice you're getting a bit of extra 'softness' around the midsection (best way is to measure on a weekly basis), then increase the walking by 5 - 10 minutes each session. The cable crunches I like to treat as any other exercise, and try to increase weight used. Just be careful to not hurt yourself. Because DC training can be quite intense, cardio is kept to just enough to minimise fat gain.

Yeah so you're definitely on the right track with the routine.. However if you're going DC, it's just one exercise per muscle group. I would also, however, try to choose mainly compound movements that allow for more measurable gains in progression. So for example, my corresponding workout for Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Back Width, Back Thickness, would be:

Incline barbell press - 3 warm up sets, then 87.5kgs until failure, 15 deep breaths, failure again, 15 deep breaths, failure for the last time.

Overhead press - 1 warm up set, then 45kgs, same as above.

Parallel Bar Triceps Dip - 1 warm up set, then attaching 20kgs to weight belt, and same as above.

Neutral grip pull up - no warm up, same as above.

Deadlift - For these, I just do triples until I max out.

The idea is to get your rest-pause sets to end in a certain rep range. So, for chest its 11-15, shoulders its 15-30, triceps its 15-20, back thickness its 15-20. In my case for chest, my weight is too light, because with those numbers, my rest-pause set ends up being 24 total reps. Oops so the idea is to keep adding a little bit of weight each session to try and get in those suggested rep ranges. What you'll probably find, however, is that you just keep getting stronger.. and keep going higher than the suggested rep range! Lol.

For example with my dips, I started out with just body weight, and my rest-pause set looked like this: 18, 12, 7.. I then added 5kg, and got: 19, 12, 7.. I then added 10kg, and got: 21, 12, 6.. My last attempt I got, with extra 20kg: 22, 11, 5. So as you can see, your strength goes up regardless.. good times!

Haha yeah calves.. largely it will come down to genetics (I have a long calf muscle belly... the bottom ends a touch further than half way down my lower leg, so I'm a little lucky in that regard), but usually a little tweak in how you train them can yield better results.

On all eccentric portions of the lifts, make it a 5 second negative. When you get into the bottom stretch position, really try to get a deep stretch by forcefully trying to pull your toes/foot towards the front of your leg. Hold that stretch for 5 seconds (I'm currently holding the stretch for 15 seconds.. trust me... work your way up!), then explode up, and hold for a count of 2 in the top position. Do these for 12 reps. Maybe do one or two warm up sets prior to the work set, though. I really can't stress enough about progressing slowly with the bottom stretches.. I went all out guns blazing the first time and held for 12 seconds. Man, I couldn't walk properly for a week! Probably didn't help that I did x2 working sets either, ouch.

But, doing this, my calves are now a touch bigger than my arms. I'm happy with the results thus far.

[Dajae]

Training calves is like training forearms...

Interesting.. How so?

[No Crust Racing]

I'd say he means he gets his best results from masturbation?

[Birds]

Interesting.. How so?

They are the leg equivalent of forearms, only more pointless to train in isolation given you don't use them for grip like forearms. A compound movement will build strength and size in them as much as they are needed.

Can only see competition bodybuilders or those jumping in a sport having a benefit to isolate them during weight training. In the case of the former, genetics will ultimately decide the shape they take on. In the case of the latter, plyometrics would do more for you than weight training calves anyway.

[Birds]

Also, IMO cardio on off days is a waste of time and valuable resting period. You can incorporate cardio into your weights routine at the end of your heavy sets; just hit a moderate weight for high volume and that will get your heart pumping and your skin sweating to finish off the exercise; it'll burn more calories too. The rest is diet - you don't need to run to lose fat; it can actually be detrimental to that goal if your goal is also to retain muscle.

Sometimes less is more; don't feel like having a day off isn't training to your full potential if you don't fill it with exercise. Rest and diet are the other 2/3 of a training regiment!

[Dajae]

They are the leg equivalent of forearms, only more pointless to train in isolation given you don't use them for grip like forearms. A compound movement will build strength and size in them as much as they are needed.

Can only see competition bodybuilders or those jumping in a sport having a benefit to isolate them during weight training. In the case of the latter, plyometrics would do more for you than weight training calves anyway.

Your definition of "pointless" is a subjective one. Yes, a compound movement will build required strength/size in them. But once a certain level of development has been reached, then 'isolation' focus is required. Once again, this comes down to what you subjectively view as 'required'..

Anyone who is simply looking to 'look better naked', so to speak, or be more 'aesthetic', will benefit from direct calf development. Besides...

Don't power lifters train their triceps in an 'isolation' fashion (think board press, CGBP), to benefit their bench? Why would training calves not have the same carry over into other lower body movements? Albeit it would probably be much less, but benefit much the less.

[Dajae]

Also, IMO cardio on off days is a waste of time and valuable resting period. You can incorporate cardio into your weights routine at the end of your heavy sets; just hit a moderate weight for high volume and that will get your heart pumping and your skin sweating to finish off the exercise; it'll burn more calories too. The rest is diet - you don't need to run to lose fat; it can actually be detrimental to that goal if your goal is also to retain muscle.

Sometimes less is more; don't feel like having a day off isn't training to your full potential if you don't fill it with exercise. Rest and diet are the other 2/3 of a training regiment!

Agreed, nutrition is key. However..

Your definition of "cardio" here will define whether or not its a 'waste of time and valuable resting period'.. A fast paced walk, will actually benefit your recovery capabilities, and it is hardly a waste of time. I can think of worse things to do with that 30 minute period. Moderate weight for high volume..

Yes. It will get your heart bumping. But the calorie burning you're referring to is the EPOC effect.. Which no one really has an 'absolute' definition for how much calories are burned for the period after exercise. Yes, EPOC is great.. but DC training has this effect anyway. So point is moot.

I also agree that you don't need to run to lose fat, and that it is detrimental - but a fast paced walk, keeps your heart healthy, and it burns fat without loss of muscle. It also helps recovery and can act as a nice break from simply hitting the iron. I listen to audio books while I walk; helps 'reset' my mind and keep my stress down.

You're right though, I don't think it's necessary to train 7 days a week either. But... To call a 30 minute brisk walk as full blown training, I wouldn't agree with.

Tell me, do you do anything other than lift weights? Basketball, yes?

[Birds]

To what movements do you want it to carry over to, that don't already work them to the extent they are needed? Lower body movements use them mostly for stabilisation; they don't see full contraction unless you are up on the balls of your feet; you're not gripping anything like with hands, so I can't see where beyond plyometric movements they would be useful to train in isolation.

For a powerlifter in a non-open class, I imagine it would just be more unnecessary weight to build up calves. Also, comparing isolation of calves to assistance exercises for triceps is a far stretch when the quads are more anatomically the equivalent of triceps for the legs.

Fair enough if you are training to make them look bigger for whatever reason, but you are limited by naturalcalf shape and compound leg movements will often be enough to bring them up to proportion with the rest of your leg anyway.

[Birds]

Agreed, nutrition is key. However..

Your definition of "cardio" here will define whether or not its a 'waste of time and valuable resting period'.. A fast paced walk, will actually benefit your recovery capabilities, and it is hardly a waste of time. I can think of worse things to do with that 30 minute period. Moderate weight for high volume..

Yes. It will get your heart bumping. But the calorie burning you're referring to is the EPOC effect.. Which no one really has an 'absolute' definition for how much calories are burned for the period after exercise. Yes, EPOC is great.. but DC training has this effect anyway. So point is moot.

I also agree that you don't need to run to lose fat, and that it is detrimental - but a fast paced walk, keeps your heart healthy, and it burns fat without loss of muscle. It also helps recovery and can act as a nice break from simply hitting the iron. I listen to audio books while I walk; helps 'reset' my mind and keep my stress down.

You're right though, I don't think it's necessary to train 7 days a week either. But... To call a 30 minute brisk walk as full blown training, I wouldn't agree with.

Tell me, do you do anything other than lift weights? Basketball, yes?

The fellow wants to increase strength and lose fat; the fastest way to do this is to supplement his weight training with HIIT and focus on the diet. You can get down to any bf% with those alone; most bodybuilders do. Walking is all good, but I think you're giving it way too much credit in the scheme of things. Cut it out and see if you gain fat...

Basketball is the only exercise I engage in outside of weight training, and it is done immediately after a weights session (moreso, the weights session is done immediately before it). This maximizes my resting time / rest days where my focus is on getting muscles food for repair and growth rather than exercising them more.

[Dajae]

To what movements do you want it to carry over to, that don't already work them to the extent they are needed? Lower body movements use them mostly for stabilisation; they don't see full contraction unless you are up on the balls of your feet; you're not gripping anything like with hands, so I can't see where beyond plyometric movements they would be useful to train in isolation.

For a powerlifter in a non-open class, I imagine it would just be more unnecessary weight to build up calves. Also, comparing isolation of calves to assistance exercises for triceps is a far stretch when the quads are more anatomically the equivalent of triceps for the legs.

Fair enough if you are training to make them look bigger for whatever reason, but you are limited by naturalcalf shape and compound leg movements will often be enough to bring them up to proportion with the rest of your leg anyway.

Having a muscle that is stronger through a range of motion, will also be stronger in a isometric/stabilisation position.

I didn't mention that a power lifter required bigger calves. As for the comparing of calves to triceps, it was more to illustrate the fact that training a specific muscle which is used in a particular movement can have an additive benefit to the whole. Also, I would argue the fact that quads are the largest force developer in the lower body, dependant on movement and style of movement. Can this carry over to the triceps? Hm...

I completely agree with genetics playing a big role in calf development, which is why I stated it prior. However... It's my opinion, that training just compound movements will not bring them up to be 'proportionate' with the rest of the legs musculature.. If to be 'proportionate' is the goal, that is. While I have no studies to support this view, a quick look around your average gym gives adequate anecdotal evidence in support of this.

A ton of guys with *cough* decent *cough* quad development, but with pathetic excuses for calves. The lack of hamstrings/glutes is for another discussion though, lol. That would probably require it's own thread.. haha

[Birds]

You don't need the extra strength if the muscle is already capable of stabilising what it needs to. Put it this way: I've never heard a powerlifter say they need to work on their calves so they can go further with their dead/squat/bench. It's not a limiting factor in the scheme of things. They are not muscles that need to be big for anything other than a desired appearance, which as we both agree is difficult to achieve. I would focus on a ton of other things (like basics) before devoting time towards calves like a bodybuilder

I think calling quads the most powerful muscles in the lower body is twisting the analogy to suit...if we are comparing legs to arms like I did when I said calves are like forearms, it should be said that the most powerful muscles in the legs (not lower body) are quads, whilst the most powerful muscles in the arms (not upper body) are triceps. Incidentally, both produce a push motion vs the biceps and hamstring which are their pull counterparts.

[rev210]

Agree with many points Rev. Especially point number 3.. Very true! And something which a lot of guys will often not take into account..

Great post.

Oh, and it looks like he was looking to get the gainzz before dieting down. The suggestion to change up his training routine came from the fact that his current routine looks like it has a little to be desired.. I thought DC would have been a decent suggestion because it limits the amount of work sets he has to do. Something which he stated can be affected by his work day.

I initially thought about SS or 5/3/1, but to see decent gains in muscle mass along side the strength gains, the volume required still heads into more sets per workout, something which could still be affected by his work day.

I see. Yes.

If the goal is to gain muscle.

How much do you have? Then how much extra? By when?

Is there a specific point to the gain? (Asthetics? Stronger?)

Perhaps more info To be sought To help with better guidance

[Dani Boi]

[Dajae]

The fellow wants to increase strength and lose fat; the fastest way to do this is to supplement his weight training with HIIT and focus on the diet. You can get down to any bf% with those alone; most bodybuilders do. Walking is all good, but I think you're giving it way too much credit in the scheme of things. Cut it out and see if you gain fat...

Basketball is the only exercise I engage in outside of weight training, and it is done immediately after a weights session (moreso, the weights session is done immediately before it). This maximizes my resting time / rest days where my focus is on getting muscles food for repair and growth rather than exercising them more.

I thought he wanted more muscle mass? So when he dieted down, he didn't look 'skinny', as he put it. Totally agree, diet is the key. However I think you're not taking into account the fact that he often can't perform at 110% all the time, due to his work habits. Asking him to do HIIT after his weight training, or before, could lead to sub par performance. He can't do it on his off days, because then he is 'exercising' the muscles rather than letting them rest. And I think we can both agree that the demands put on the body from HIIT and from walking are worlds apart. Haha, touché.. I probably give it too much credit. But I think on the same coin you're discrediting it a little too much.

Active recovery is a big topic in the fitness industry, and one of the best ways to incorporate this into a weekly routine is via brisk walking.

I have cut it out, and I gained fat. Albeit slowly-ish, but gained it nonetheless. What we have to remember is that walking and running both burn the same amount of calories for a given distance. Walking 3-4 times a week adds up over the course of the month, and you'll soon see that you're walking up to 24km a month, without any real backwards steps in muscle/strength gains.

Basketball is awesome, I used to play in high school when I was actually taller than everyone else.

You don't need the extra strength if the muscle is already capable of stabilising what it needs to. Put it this way: I've never heard a powerlifter say they need to work on their calves so they can go further with their dead/squat/bench. It's not a limiting factor in the scheme of things. They are not muscles that need to be big for anything other than a desired appearance, which as we both agree is difficult to achieve. I would focus on a ton of other things (like basics) before devoting time towards calves like a bodybuilder

I think calling quads the most powerful muscles in the lower body is twisting the analogy to suit...if we are comparing legs to arms like I did when I said calves are like forearms, it should be said that the most powerful muscles in the legs (not lower body) are quads, whilst the most powerful muscles in the arms (not upper body) are triceps. Incidentally, both produce a push motion vs the biceps and hamstring which are their pull counterparts.

So, gaining extra strength for something we are already capable of doing, is not needed? Why do we add weight to a bar and pick it up off the ground then, and keep adding weight?

Agreed, I've never heard a power lifter say that either. And I probably won't. Ever. But, we're not talking about power lifters here. But, you can't argue against the fact that a limb/body part with a bigger cross sectional area, will give you better leverage. Whether or not it is strictly required for strength, is a matter of debate (as we've proven ).. However, the guy wants bigger calves. Doesn't sound like he wants a 800lb squat. Sounds like he wants a good looking leg. So, 9 times out of 10, this means direct calf work.

Also, agreed. Devoting time to the basics is the best way to go. But it's not necessary for him to completely disregard training the calves (since big calves is a goal of his) when we can cut out other "fluff" exercises.. like tricep kick backs, tricep pushdowns, chest flyes, lateral raises, etc. I don't think being a body builder is the only time one is allowed/should train calves.

Fair enough, I should have been more specific and stated that quads are the strongest muscle in the leg. But now you're twisting what I said to suit your statement haha.. like I said, I was more using the example to state that training a specific muscle, to the best degree possible, which is used within a movement, on it's own, can have an additive effect on the movement when performed as part of a whole.

And yeah.. golden rule about calves... if you want calves that make people stare, get the right parents.

[stolen_s15]

Calves are almost purely down to genetics. You can train them (I even tried 3 days a week for 8 weeks flat out) but then change was barely noticable.

Seeing as they are really only trained for aesthetics I'd rather just wear pants!

[France]

And yeah.. golden rule about calves... if you want calves that make people stare, get the right parents.

100% truth

[hazjaz]

Yeah, not too many people have a DEXA machine lying around at home or similar there is an online calculator I use to gauge an estimate, the link is: http://www.calculator.net/body-fat-calculator.html

Also some other really helpful calculators on there too, such as the calorie and BMR ones.

So I'm about the same as you then, in terms of fat percentage. I also have the "V" lines and a bit of definition on the lower abdominal section. I'm sitting at around 12% - 13% body fat, give or take 0.5%. So by the sounds of it, you're not too far off. You've definitely made some awesome progress, good stuff!

Once you get into doing the walks, you'll really start to enjoy them. Of the 4 'off' days I have a week, 3 are at the gym, and the other I just walk around my neighbourhood. Cardio on my 'off' days (at the gym) consists of the following:

Foam roll + stretch, all up takes about 8 - 10 minutes.

Cable crunches - working up to a 'heavy' set for 12 reps. Usually includes around 4 - 5 warm ups.

25 minutes fast paced walk on treadmill, at 6% incline. Usually around 6km/h speed. Your heart rate should be somewhere around 120bpm.

Planks - front then sides, holding for 30 seconds, then 45, then 60.

Foam roll + stretching.

I'm usually in and out, in under 75 minutes. And yes, incline work is great for some extra calf work. On the 4th day outside of the gym, I walk around with a loaded backpack. If you notice you're getting a bit of extra 'softness' around the midsection (best way is to measure on a weekly basis), then increase the walking by 5 - 10 minutes each session. The cable crunches I like to treat as any other exercise, and try to increase weight used. Just be careful to not hurt yourself. Because DC training can be quite intense, cardio is kept to just enough to minimise fat gain.

Yeah so you're definitely on the right track with the routine.. However if you're going DC, it's just one exercise per muscle group. I would also, however, try to choose mainly compound movements that allow for more measurable gains in progression. So for example, my corresponding workout for Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Back Width, Back Thickness, would be:

Incline barbell press - 3 warm up sets, then 87.5kgs until failure, 15 deep breaths, failure again, 15 deep breaths, failure for the last time.

Overhead press - 1 warm up set, then 45kgs, same as above.

Parallel Bar Triceps Dip - 1 warm up set, then attaching 20kgs to weight belt, and same as above.

Neutral grip pull up - no warm up, same as above.

Deadlift - For these, I just do triples until I max out.

The idea is to get your rest-pause sets to end in a certain rep range. So, for chest its 11-15, shoulders its 15-30, triceps its 15-20, back thickness its 15-20. In my case for chest, my weight is too light, because with those numbers, my rest-pause set ends up being 24 total reps. Oops so the idea is to keep adding a little bit of weight each session to try and get in those suggested rep ranges. What you'll probably find, however, is that you just keep getting stronger.. and keep going higher than the suggested rep range! Lol.

For example with my dips, I started out with just body weight, and my rest-pause set looked like this: 18, 12, 7.. I then added 5kg, and got: 19, 12, 7.. I then added 10kg, and got: 21, 12, 6.. My last attempt I got, with extra 20kg: 22, 11, 5. So as you can see, your strength goes up regardless.. good times!

Haha yeah calves.. largely it will come down to genetics (I have a long calf muscle belly... the bottom ends a touch further than half way down my lower leg, so I'm a little lucky in that regard), but usually a little tweak in how you train them can yield better results.

On all eccentric portions of the lifts, make it a 5 second negative. When you get into the bottom stretch position, really try to get a deep stretch by forcefully trying to pull your toes/foot towards the front of your leg. Hold that stretch for 5 seconds (I'm currently holding the stretch for 15 seconds.. trust me... work your way up!), then explode up, and hold for a count of 2 in the top position. Do these for 12 reps. Maybe do one or two warm up sets prior to the work set, though. I really can't stress enough about progressing slowly with the bottom stretches.. I went all out guns blazing the first time and held for 12 seconds. Man, I couldn't walk properly for a week! Probably didn't help that I did x2 working sets either, ouch.

But, doing this, my calves are now a touch bigger than my arms. I'm happy with the results thus far.

Alrighty, I wanted to train on monday but ended up doing 13 hours at work and coming down with the flu haha, great timing.. Tried out a workout 'a' today, which pretty much followed your one, I want to post it and you can tell me if I am doing it right or if it needs tweaking;

WORKOUT A

Dumbell Incline Bench Press - 26kg x 11, 28kg x 11, 30kg x 11, 32kg x 9-8-6 (RP)

Chest Stretch like this guy - http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/2009/09-074-training/07.jpg - 24kg could only last for 15 seconds, it kills haha

Dumbell Pull Over - 28kg x 12, 28kg x 12, 34kg x 6-6-6 (RP) (From what I have read I think I need to hit more shoulders in this second exercise?)

Parallel Bar Dip - 11, 11, 10, 8-5-4 (RP)

Pull Up (had to do assisted with 12kgs ) - 9, 9, 9, 6-5-4 (RP)

Deadlift - 40kg x 11, 50kg x 10, 50kg x 10

Tri Stretch - http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/2009/09-074-training/09.jpg 18kg x 20sec

Im thinking Workout B would go something like this..

Dumbell Alternating Curl

Barbell Reverse Curl

Calves (going off what you told me)

Stiff Legged Deadlift

Squats

I have also read that it is 3 days off so (hitting cardio on the off days)

Mon - Workout A

Wed - Workout B

Fri - Workout A

Mon - Workout B

Wed - Workout A

Fri - Workout B

Also a rough calculation of the daily intake minus dinner.. according to DC I need another 100 grams of protein haha... SHIT!

P - 287.3

C - 131.7

F - 65

[Dajae]

Alrighty, I wanted to train on monday but ended up doing 13 hours at work and coming down with the flu haha, great timing.. Tried out a workout 'a' today, which pretty much followed your one, I want to post it and you can tell me if I am doing it right or if it needs tweaking;

WORKOUT A

Dumbell Incline Bench Press - 26kg x 11, 28kg x 11, 30kg x 11, 32kg x 9-8-6 (RP)

Chest Stretch like this guy - http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/2009/09-074-training/07.jpg - 24kg could only last for 15 seconds, it kills haha

Dumbell Pull Over - 28kg x 12, 28kg x 12, 34kg x 6-6-6 (RP) (From what I have read I think I need to hit more shoulders in this second exercise?)

Parallel Bar Dip - 11, 11, 10, 8-5-4 (RP)

Pull Up (had to do assisted with 12kgs ) - 9, 9, 9, 6-5-4 (RP)

Deadlift - 40kg x 11, 50kg x 10, 50kg x 10

Tri Stretch - http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/2009/09-074-training/09.jpg 18kg x 20sec

Im thinking Workout B would go something like this..

Dumbell Alternating Curl

Barbell Reverse Curl

Calves (going off what you told me)

Stiff Legged Deadlift

Squats

I have also read that it is 3 days off so (hitting cardio on the off days)

Mon - Workout A

Wed - Workout B

Fri - Workout A

Mon - Workout B

Wed - Workout A

Fri - Workout B

Also a rough calculation of the daily intake minus dinner.. according to DC I need another 100 grams of protein haha... SHIT!

P - 287.3

C - 131.7

F - 65

Don't you love how life can give the finger to your plans? Sucks training while being sick. Taking vitamin C and all that?

Yeah nice! So most of it looks pretty much spot on. Those stretches are pretty intense eh? I love them. Only a few things I might suggest.. Do only as many warm up sets as you need. And yes, try to pick an exercise which focuses more on the target muscle. While pull overs are definitely an awesome exercise, I'd choose something like the OHP, dumbbell OHP, push press, something like that. I prefer lower rep deadlifts, max 5 reps, but it really just comes down to personal preference

Workout B looks good. I'd be super cautious about pairing a low back intensive exercise like SLDL with squats. Maybe swap the squats for leg press, or swap the SLDL for some kind of leg curl. If you MUST do SLDL within the same session as squats, do the squats first.

And spot on with the days as well.. You could also go Tues/Thurs/Sat, or Wed/Fri/Sun if it suited your schedule better.. personal preference once again.

Haha yeah the protein part can be a bit much; I figure if you're hitting about 300 grams, it's more than enough. Our bodies have a hard time absorbing huge amounts of protein (without any "help", if you know what I mean), not impossible, just a bit different. I find that the difference between approx. 300 grams a day, and 400 grams a day, isn't any noticeable or tangible difference. See how you go, you might get far better results with eating a bit more!

After a while you'll really enjoy those stretches. Wait until you do the biceps one... ho-ly-fu-ck-in-g-sh-it. That hurts! And the pump is pretty intense as well.