The Evolution of My Workout Routine

I could not grasp the depth of the bodybuilding culture when I had first began seriously working out. I wasn't even aware that I was going to transition from push-up circuits to actual bodybuilding. It's been just over a year since I decided to train legs. It took me a solid 6 months of only upper body training to realize I needed to train my legs. Back then, I found a perfect harmony between push-ups and pull-ups, and coasted that way for too long. I was weary of joining a gym because I felt my strength wasn't impressive enough and that all I needed were bodyweight exercises. With them alone and no weight training, I had put on about twenty pounds of muscle. I saw no end to where I could take push-ups and pull-ups, but my body did see the end. I maxed out at 70 push-ups and 128 pull-ups. After these high numbers, my body resisted both of my beloved movements. My joints were worn and I was grossly overtrained. I attempted to reach my high numbers again, and got nowhere close to where I was at my peak. I knew I needed to make drastic change, and I did by adding bench press and curls.

Everything I read online told me to do the compound exercises, but I was hesitant at first. I had been eager to squats, and first tried with dumbbells. I didn't realize it at the time, but I didn't have heavy enough weight (2x21lb dbs), nor did I understand squatting technique. This resulted in injury everytime I attempted squats. I deadlifted dumbbells as well (same weight), and was better off than squats, but still hadn't found a groove. I switched my leg training to leg press and quickly worked my way up to pressing the whole stack (200lb). I was doing too many isolation exercises and neglecting my compounds. After learning about muscle anatomy more, I added tons of exercises to my routine and created these 2 hour+ workouts, where I became overtrained, and had joint soreness, my central nervous system was always fried, as well as my grip.

I learned through reeling back my exercises, dropping them, that I had more stength and energy for the remaining exercises. This came to me like an epiphany. I realized simplicity is efficient, and that you can't focus on a large number of exercises, especially not as a beginner. I really felt like I had a great mind-muscle connection with push-ups and pull-ups that I wasn't attaining with the numerous new exercises I added. I chose very carefully which exercises to drop, leaving myself with the exercises that were most efficient and ones that I liked. Ultimately this came to me having fewer exercises and utilizing the compound exercises. I learned to barbell back squat and barbell deadlift, and recently learned more barbell leg exercises: hack squat, zercher squat, good mornings, and stiff-leg deadlifts. I started weighted pull-ups and weighted dips. For flexibility and recovery, I learned Tibetan Yoga, Hindu Yoga, Muscle Control, and Foam Rolling.

I switched from working out 3 days a week to 2 days a week. I found I was overtraining with 3 days. I've really learned to feel the power in squats. I now begin each workout with them as they are the king of exercises.

I don't believe I've said one sentence about food, but a calorie excess is necessary for muscle growth. This is my current supplement stack: controlled labs orange triad multivitamin, sci-fit kre-alklyn creatine, muscle milk protein powder, monster amino intraworkout, glycergrow preworkout, fish oil, vitamin a/b/c/d/e/k, ginkgo bilboa, supreme power (mushroom extracts), amino acid pills (before sleep) [beta carotene for a, 1000mg vitamin c].