Starting my offseason

by: Ben Hartman - October 15th, 2008

After taking all of last week completely off from anything bodybuilding related (many donuts and oreos lost their lives last week), I started back in the gym with a new workout routine and eating plan


I'm going back to my roots with low volume, heavy basic training centered around mostly compound freeweight exercises.

My routine will probably look something like this (although I imagine some minor tweaks will occur as I move along:


Monday – Quads, Hams
Squat….2 x 8
Front Squat….2 x 8
Leg Ext….2 x 8
Stiffs….2 x 8
Kneeling Leg Curl….2 x 8

Tuesday – Chest, Biceps
Decline Press….2 x 8
Incline Press….2 x 8
Flat DB Press….2 x 8
Barbell Curl….2 x 8
DB Curl….2 x 8

Wednesday – Cardio or off

Thursday – Back/Traps, Calves
Rack Deads….2 x 8
Barbell Row….2 x 8
Chins….2 x 8
Incline DB Row….2 x 8
Leg Press Calf….2 x 8
Seated Calf….2 x 8

Friday/Saturday – Delts, Triceps, Abs
Overhead DB Press….2 x 8
DB Lateral….2 x 8
Bent or Incline DB Lateral….2 x 8
Close-grip….2 x 8
Overhead Ext….2 x 8
Lying Leg Raise…2 x 12

Friday/Saturday – Cardio or off









Diet:

Meal 1 –
1 s protein (ON 100% whey, casein, or egg)
40g oats
100g berries
35g honey or equivalent (30g carbs)
1 Tbsp. flaxseeds
1 Tbsp. wheat germ
Opti-men

Meal 2 –
2 s protein (ON 100% whey, casein, or egg)
1 piece fruit
or
1 s protein, 1 s Whey & Oats
or
2 s NitroCore 24

Meal 3 –
5oz. lean meat
150 cals complex carbs (rice, potato, beans, corn, etc.)
1 Tbsp. oil or 20g nuts

Meal 4 –
2 s protein (ON 100% whey, casein, or egg)
1 piece fruit
or
1 s protein, 1 s Whey & Oats
or
2 s NitroCore 24

Pre –
10g BCAA
10g glutamine or Vassive-EA8
1 s Glycomaize
5g creatine or 1 serv. CGT
1 s Threshold

Post –
10g BCAA
10g glutamine or Vassive-EA8
1 s Glycomaize
or
1 s 2:1:1 Recovery with 5g BCAA added
5g creatine or 1 serv. CGT
1 s Threshold

Meal 5 –
2 s protein (ON 100% whey, casein, or egg)
150 calories simple carbs (cereal, low-fat ice cream, etc.)

Meal 6 –
5oz. lean meat
150 calories complex carbs (rice, potato, beans, corn, etc.)
1 Tbsp. oil or 20g nuts

Meal 7 –
2 s protein (ON 100% whey, casein, or egg)
9g EFA (fish oil, CLA, etc.)

TOTALS – Pro: 330, Carbs: 330, Fat: 74, Cals: 3,300

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