Becoming Hans & Franz....

Big 10 for MASS Building!

2006-06-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

Today we started a 6 week mass building program that is going to be AWESOME! We are going to pack on as much muscle as we can and then start cutting until the winter!
I read about this plan in Muscle and Fitness:
Page 160 The Big 10 Program
Add new beef to your physique and build high-quality, dense muscle in six weeks with these 10 must-do mass moves.
BY JIM STOPPANI, PhD, and ERIC VELAZQUEZ

In this article also suggest training splits and rep recommendations for a 5 day a week work out with 2 rest days split apart (one wednesday or thursday & one on sunday). We will be working M,T,W,TR,F and resting on Saturday & Sunday.

The splits and sets/reps are as follows:

Monday: Quads/Triceps
Exercise | Sets | Reps
Leg Press | 4* | 6, 8, 8, 10
Single Leg Press | 4 | 10, 10, 10, 10
Leg Extensions | 4 | 10, 10, 10, 10

Weighted Bench Dips | 4* | 6, 8, 8, 10
Close Grip Bench Press | 3 | 10, 10, 10
Laying Tricep Extensions | 3 | 10, 10, 10

The rest of the week will be posted soon. Check ya later! My legs are RUBBERBANDS!

- Ray

Pumping Iz Slowz

2006-06-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

RAY::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FRANZ:::::::::::::::

It isn't easy to stay in the gym day after day after day with all the interruptions. Justin had his wisdom teeth removed and my wifes car's coolent system went out yet again! So we have been INfrequenting the gym lately, but it that is OK! We are still seeing massive progresses! We intend to update our mesurements this sunday and then we will post botht he past and present measurements to see exactly how our bodies have changed!

Justin will be missing the rest of this week due to the stitches in his mouth & I will be attempting to make up for lost time by adding a little cardio to my routine and working out this Saturday.

We're hanging in there. Slowly but surely!

Check back soon!

Another week... YES!!!!

2006-06-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

JUSTIN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::HANS:::::::::::::::

This morning was great! Ray and his wife Katie met me at World Gym bright eyed and ready to go. Ray and I started the week out working chest! We only did three exercised but let me tell you, it was a w-o-r-k-o-u-t! We finished the day with some abs. Remember last week when we said we were only able to do about 10? Today Ray finished all 3 sets of 25 on the abs and I finished 2 and 17/20ths of my ab workout (for all of you who dont know our ab work out, contact Ray, its what the pros use)! I am pumped and I am loving it.

Pumping ze irons,

Justin

RAY::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FRANZ:::::::::::::::

It was good to be back in the gym again this morning! I could only work out 2 days last week and they weren't easy! Justin already spoke of our troubles with the car and illnesses and such. However, it doesn't matter. I'm still "working out". You can't let the few times that you mess up interfere with the rest! That is for sure! I'd never be back!

So, today = awesome! My chest was BLASTED! We did Bench, Incline Dumbell, & Killed them on the Cable Crossovers repping out at the very end!
Our bench has already improved in weight, but more importantly in form! Because of the form improving in thin incline bench (and getting used to pushing with the Chest & not Shoulders) our weight has increased as well!

On abs, we killed! I'm going to look right now to see if I can find some exact images of what we do & I'll post the workout. It is short, but you will feel it all day long!!! NO MORE TIRES!

Getting Pumped,

Ray

What a week!

2006-06-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

JUSTIN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::HANS:::::::::::::::

This past week was a tough week on both Ray and I. Over the weekend we both had some car troubles so we were both flying solo at the gym. It really helped me understand the importance of the accoutability we have established over the past week because to be honest, it was hard for me to get up and go so early. Oh well, we finished the week strong and let me tell you, I can really start to see an improvment already!

Monday - Chest - Didnt make it, Car Trouble.

Tuesday - Biceps, Triceps and forearms - This is the area of my body where I can see the most imporvement!! I was doing alot more weight and was able to finish all the reps. I love to see the fruits of our labor. Great thing was, no soreness!

Wednesday - Legs - Cardio - Ran and biked for 30 minutes.

Thursday - Back - Skipped (I know I am a loser)

Friday - Shoulders and Calves - This felt great!

It was a slow week but all in all, I felt pretty good about it.

RAY::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FRANZ:::::::::::::::

Ray, Where are you??? j/k

Days 3 & 4 - WOW!

2006-05-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

RAY::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FRANZ:::::::::::::::

Day 3: Leg Day
Awesome.
Squats, Quarter Squats, Dead Lifts (for hamstring), Superset: Leg Curls & Hamstring Curls
When we are more advanced we will blast them out with lunges, but for week one.. this was enough to give us trouble! We barely walked out on our rubberband legs as it was!
We didn't do abs today to give them a bit of a rest. Also, since we did use our Hip Flexors yesterday during our ab work (small muscle between the quad and the abs), we couldn't do much on abs because they were exhausted from our leg work today.

Day 4: Baby Got Back Day
BECAREFUL!
Everyday, FORM FORM FORM, and ESPECIALLY on BACK DAY! This could completely ruin your back if done improperly!
The workout:
Wide Grip Pull Up (1/2 of one) - we did as many as we could & moved to Lat Pulldown (working the same group). Then we moved to Rows (keeping the back STRAIGHT) Then Close grip pull downs (hitting the middle of the back) & then Good Mornings!
In the future, we will add Dead Lifts (for the back) but I like to wait until the 5th week so that my back has some strength gained.
For the abs we did 75 crunches on the ball in sets of 25. This was PAINFUL on the abs, but made the back feel great because of the good stretch we got from laying on the ball.

That is all for now. There is more coming soon (like our measurements, weight, & overall health analysis).

Still Sore,
Ray

JUSTIN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Hans:::::::::::::::

Justin, how are ya feel'n!??!?!

Dat Really Hurtz! ... Day 2

2006-05-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

JUSTIN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::HANS:::::::::::::::
I think Tuesday's will be one of my favorite days. Biceps, Triceps and Forearms! What man doesn't want monstrous arms? Just a side note for you weightlifting novices, don't forget to work your legs every once in a while. You don't want to be one of those guys with huge arms and stick legs, the ladies don't like it.

Today consisted of a rotation between bicep and tricep exercises that Ray has perfected. He will explain further down this post. Lets just say, I could not lift my arms yesterday, today I can not bend them. The first couple of weeks are going to be pretty tough but, no pain no gain. We don't vant any gurly muscles.

I have a quick side note, I'm so proud of my wife! She got up with me this morning (5:30 mind you) and went to the gym. Ray is pretty good looking but nothing beats ripping out some bicep curlz and looking over and seeing your beautiful wife pedalling away on the stationary bike. Thanks babydoll!

Tomorrow = Legs (remember what I said, no sticks)
I'm actually really excited about legs. I have not done a good squat in over 3 years. I will be ranting tomorrow about how bad my legs ache, but to be honest, I LOVE IT!!!!!!

One more thing, Thanks Ray for keeping me accountable and showing me stellar technique.

RAY::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FRANZ:::::::::::::::

Prefected... not quite. But I got the work out off of a bowed up body builder guy in the gym. I figured if we started with that, then we could refine it for our body types. Here is the basic rotation.
Bicep Barbell Curls, Tricep Press Downs, then alternating sets of Dumbell Concentration Curls & Tricep Kickbacks, then Dumbell Curls (5 reps with Left while holding right hand @ 90 degree angle & then switch untill you get to 10 reps for each arm), then BLAST the triceps with Backhand Crossovers on a pully.

This was a tough workout, but a great work out. Our abs were the same as yesterday so that we could feel the burn again and blast them out of the park. It was a GREAT workout!

I'm proud of Justin for making it out again! It is HARD to get up day after day at 5 a.m. to go push yourself moving weight that does no other work than refining your body! But, noone said it was easy!

I'll post more soon when I find a few minutes to breathe!

-Ray

Dat Hurtz! ... Day 1

2006-05-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

RAY::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::FRANZ:::::::::::::::
Today we hit the chest pretty hard.
Bench, Incline dumbbell Bench, Cable Crossovers, ATTEMPTED: Dips for Chest - Too Exhausted to complete
4 sets of each. Graduating in Weight until we couldn't complete the reps
10, 8, 6, 4 reps most of the time
Abs - OUCH! (I'll find some illustrations to put here as it is hard to explain exactly what we did for abs.. but it works!)

One of the major things I remembered about working out: it hurts! Lifting to exhaustion is exhausting! Sounds rediculus, but it is easy to forget until you get back under that weight and press! WOW! After we had finished everything and our abs, we attempted a push up... and failed! I couldn't even do a "girly" push up!!! That is GREAT because it means we broke down our muscles as much as we could.

It was a great morning and I definitely enjoyed having a partner there! It makes things much more fun & SAFE!

The biggest thing I missed was my morning with Katie! :( The saddest part was leaving her at home in bed & not getting to see her off to school! But, I know that by working out & being healthy, there will be many more weekends and afternoons that I WILL LIVE TO SEE & spend with her! Plus, what gal doesn't want a bowed up, cut up husband? See that is what I thought. ;)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Justin and I will post our measurements tonight.

By for now
Ray

JUSTIN::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::HANS:::::::::::::::

When Ray says hit the chest pretty hard, that doesn't cut it. I can barely scratch my nose, I am beat. But the good thing about aches and pains is that you know your body is doing something. And let me tell you, after a year and a half of not doing anything, I'm glad to finally be doing something.

I agree with Ray, it is very VERY hard to leave in the morning and not get that extra snuggle time with my wife. Hopefully she will be joining us at the gym (family/teacher discount is very good incentive @ World Gym). They have a great 6:00 am aerobics class.

All in all it was a good day! Tomorrow is biceps, triceps, forearms and wrists. I vant manly musclez.

-Justin

Pump up all you pathetic little gurly men...

2006-05-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

Dis is Hanz, "a.k.a. Justin". Out of ze two of us I am probably ze more pathetic little gurly man. But as Franz haz zaid, our goals is large, toned muscles (alzough I could alzo stand to lose zis tire around ze midsection). As the weeks progress we will post some pictures of the transformation and hopefully have a LOT of fun in the process.

-Hanz

Pumping Z Ironz - Da Plan... Yah!

2006-05-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Our Goal: Large, Toned Muscle

Start Date: May 22nd, 2006 - 6:00 A.M.! You heard right! We will be starting with our "Becoming Hans & Frans" plan Monday morning EARLY!

The Plan

Step One Bulking Up
Break Down
Monday: Chest
Tuesday: Arms (Bis, Tris, Forearms, & Wrists)
Wednesday: Quads & Hams
Thursday: Back
Friday: Shoulders & Calves
Everyday: Abs & Limited Cardio

Nutrition: Our goal is to keep the carbs under 60 - 80 grams a day & Increase protien to equal body weight, plus 30 grams. This will give us MAJOR back ups in the ol' intestinal tracks, so it is a great idea to increase our fiber as well (thereby canceling out some of our carbs when eaten close together). This will hopefully give our muscles the proteins that they need to GROW, GROW, GROW! Energy to work out will be pulled from the few carbs we take in and the fat stores!

Tomorrow is MEASUREMENT DAY!!!! See you then!

Franz - "a.k.a. Ray"