Hey guys,

I'd like to share with you the transformation I have gone within the past five years.

Here is the transformation: https://imgur.com/a/hJ69i

Background

I started college after the summer of 2009, and became intrigued by fitness. During this time my main focus was geared towards running. For nearly two years, I ran 7-8 miles and did core almost every day. I would rarely touch a weight. After the summer of 2011 I got interested in weightlifting after talking to some friends at the gym. From there, I started going in every other day or so and lifted without any real knowledge of what I was doing. I would go bench press here...curl there...curl some more. I was still pretty weak and oblivious to what I should have been doing. It was a good start though! I did this until sometime during the winter of 2012 and at the start of the new year (2013), I joined a Crossfit gym. At first, I loved it. I got stronger, I was in great shape, and met some incredible people through it. The more I worked out there, the more I realized it wasn't for me. Basically, I wasn't seeing the results I truly wanted, which was to get bigger and leaner. After the Spring of 2013, I joined a local Y with my younger brother, who was already on a great lifting split and had tons of experience. He's really one of the reasons I started lifting in the first place. To start the Summer of 2013 we decided to give Jim Stoppani's Shortcut to Shred a try. This is when I first really started seeing results. After the first couple of weeks of the workout we cut out the cardio acceleration and just lifted to weights. Note: It's very important to add that around this time is when I really started cleaning up my diet which I believe was a HUGE factor in the results that were showing. Once we finished Shortcut to Shred, we created our own workout which was based on that same exact split. I worked out on the split until the Spring of 2014, and have been doing what I'm doing now, since then. Below I'll give an explanation of the split I run today.

Workout/Split

My split goes as such:

Day 1: Chest/Tri
Day 2: Back/Bi
Day 3: Shoulders
Day 4: Legs
Day 5: Chest/Tri
Day 6: Back/Bi
Day 7: Legs

Here's a layout of what the days generally look like (Each day, I start with a power movement. For example Chest = Barbell Bench, Shoulders = OHP, etc. I will perform those movements for 6-10 sets with low rep ranges) Note: format for exercises will be SETSxREPS:

Chest/Triceps

• Barbell Bench: 7 x 5 @ 80% of max.
  
• Incline Barbell: 4 x 6-8
• Decline Barbell: 4 x 6-8
  
• Cable Flys: 3 x 10-14 (3 sets from top, 3 from bottom, 3 from middle)
  
• Close Grip Bench: 5 x 5
  
• Dips (weighted): 4 x 6-8
  
• Tricep Pushdown: 3 x 8-12
  
• Cable Kickbacks: 3 x 8-12
  

Things to consider: The presses can be switched out with dumbbell which I will every other week or so. The second chest/tricep day of the week starts with the same power movement for high sets and low reps at a % of my max, but I will implement more reps in the workout. For example: I won't do dips weighted and will do bodyweight until failure. I will also swap up cable flys with dumbbell flys. I will also swap out various tricep exercises with the ones I listed. For example: Skull crushers for pushdowns, dumbbell kickbacks, etc.

Back/Biceps

• Barbell Rows: 7 x 5 @ 80% of max.
  
• Lat Pulldown: 4 x 6-8
• Seated Row: 4 x 6-8
  
• Pull-ups: 3 x failure
  
• Straight arm pulldowns: 3 x 8-12
• Barbell Curls: 4 x 6-10
  
• Preacher Curls: 4 x 6-8
  
• Reverse Curls: 3 x 8-12
  
• Hammer Curls: 4 x 8-12
  

Things to consider: A lot of the same things with chest/triceps applies here/ Second day of the week is focused on higher rep ranges and starts with the same power movement. As we all know, there are tons of bicep and back exercises to exchange here. You can swap out whatever as long as the rep ranges are the same.

Shoulders

• OHP: 10 x 3 @ 85% of max.
  
• Bent-Over Reverse cable flys: 4 x 8-12
• Front raises w/ barbell: 4 x 8-12
  
• Hammer Strength (machine) seated press: 4 x 4-6
  
• Dumbbell Later Raises: 3 x 8-12
  
• Single Arm Reverse Cable Flys: 4 x 8-12
  

Things to consider: The change in the power movement here is just showing what changes I'll make to the movements week in and week out. Sometimes at the end of the workout, I'll add in a few more rear delt exercises like reverse dumbbell flys.

Legs

• Squats: 10 x 3 @ 85% of max.
  
• Leg Press: 4 x 6-8
• Hack Squat: 4 x 6-8
  
• Goblet Squats: 4 x 10-14
• Leg Extensions: 4 x 8-12
  
• Leg Curls: 4 x 8-12
  
• Standing Calf Raises (slow controlled reps): 8 x 12-16

Things to consider: This is what one of my current leg days look like. Typically I would implement deadlifts but I'm dealing with a gluteal strain that is holding me back from doing so at the moment. Again, many of these exercises are interchangeable with others that work just as well.

Core/Cardio

I'll be honest, I don't do a whole hell of a lot of cardio. If I do, it's typically to warm up and if that's the case I'll run a mile and walk for about 5 minutes.

I get asked what I do for core more than anything else and I hope I don't disappoint people with what I'm going to say since my core routine isn't intense at all. I try to work my core every other day. I never have a set workout for it, I just go in and do various exercises. Most of these include: Touchdowns, weighted sit-ups on decline bench, leg raises, hanging leg raises, standard crunches, planks, etc. Remember: If you want abs, diet well.

One Rep Max

• Bench: 315 x 1
  
• Squat: 385 x 1
  
• Deadlift (calculated): 485 x 1
  
• OHP: 185 x 1
  

Final things to add: I know that it's a pretty high volume, and I know that some people will advise against the volume of it. This is what works for me. I've never had any trouble with this sort of volume and I believe that I benefit from it more than anything else. Also, I've been dealing with a gluteal strain injury for the past several months so sometime I will cut my leg days short if it is bothering me.

Diet
Overall my diet is very clean and rarely do I eat any "junk food". I only allow myself to drink alcohol one night a week and it's always just vodka with water and lime juice. I do not count my macros, and just estimate everything that I'm taking in. Here's a sample of what my day looks like:

Breakfast

• 1.5 cup of oats mixed with milk and one scoop of whey protein.
  
• Bowl of strawberries and blueberries.
  

Lunch

Honestly, I almost eat chipotle every day for lunch. But when I don't, I usually just cook the same thing myself.

• Chicken
  
• Rice
  
• Beans
  
• Hot Sauce
  

Post-Workout

• Protein shake with 2 scoops of whey and 5g of creatine.
  
• Banana
  

Dinner

• Dinner is typically the same as lunch, but I usually just up the portions and interchange foods. So I'll add something like Salmon, broccoli, and a salad.
  

Snacks

• Yogurt, cottage cheese, protein bars, protein shake, string cheese, and fruit.
  

Supplements

Pre-Workout

• Creatine
  
• Beta Alanine
  
• Taurine
  
• Caffeine
  
• Citruilline
  
• Mixed with Crystal Light Lemonade
  

Post-Workout

• Whey Protein
  
• Creatine
  

Future Goals

Within the next three years I really want to be around 205-210 pounds with a similar BF%. Along with that, just like anyone else, I want to get stronger as I'm going along. That's why I'm trying to implement power into my routine since I've never really been too keen on doing so. I might start competing after I graduate from college at the end of this year.

Thank you guys for taking your time to read through this. I will be here to answer any questions that you might have for me.