Vital Stats
Name: Matt Kaufman
Email: kaufman.matthew@gmail.com
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Before: |
After: |
Why I Got Started
Ever since I was a child, I was always "the small kid". As I got older my small size became more and more apparent as my peers began to work out and get muscular.
By the time I was a senior in high school I was constantly being mistaken for a thirteen year-old. I was under the impression that I always would be skinny. I ate and ate but would never gain any weight, so I saw no point in working out.
I always had an interest in bodybuilding, but that interest was really sparked when I started reading articles on Bodybuilding.com. After a good amount of reading I realized that it was very possible for me to gain muscle, I just had to train hard and eat a proper diet. I also realized that with my fast metabolism, I would have to eat at least 3500 calories daily to gain any weight.
In addition to my newly discovered knowledge of nutrition and proper training, I had just moved to a new area that is far more rural than I was used to. The transition from city life to country life was a difficult adjustment, as there is far less to occupy one's time in such a sparsely populated area.
I filled the new gaps in my schedule with training wherever I could. It was difficult and painful in the beginning. I remember very clearly my very first training session. I could barely squeeze out three pull-ups and the next day I could barely move.
The realization of the extent of my weakness only motivated me to push through the pain and persevere to achieve my goal of fitness. I started my training regimen and proper diet, began seeing results very quickly, and never looked back.
I realized that it was very possible for me to gain muscle, I just had to train hard and eat a proper diet.
How I Did It
I had grown up around exercise equipment, as my father has been a weightlifter since he was 16. I grew up with a full gym in my house that I never put to use for myself. By the time I decided to start training I had already moved out of the house, but my father was kind enough to send me some weights, an EZ-curl bar, and some dumbbells.
I also purchased a door frame pullup bar for myself. I found that after a few short months of training with this equipment I had outgrown it, and began to train at a local gym. With advice from Bodybuilding.com articles and my father, I quickly found a routine that worked for me and my body type.
I remained faithful to my diet and training regimen and the results came quickly. Growing up with my father, I was already somewhat knowledgeable about weightlifting and how to use various pieces of gym equipment. My greatest discovery was how important proper nutrition is in bodybuilding.
I became educated about the glycemic index, and how the body reacts to simple sugars versus complex carbohydrates.
I also spent a lot of time reading about various supplements, and formed an opinion as to which ones would work well for me with my nutritional needs. I learned to enjoy healthy foods, not so much because they taste better than junk, but because of the way I felt after a large healthy meal.
I found that merely days after beginning to eat a proper diet I had more energy and was performing more explosively in the gym. At this point I felt I had done enough reading and was ready to begin supplementing my diet to maximize my gains.
After some experimentation I found a balance that worked for me and have been extremely satisfied with the results.
I found that merely days after beginning to eat a proper diet I had more energy and was performing more explosively in the gym.
Supplements
Morning:
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Optimum Nutrition PerforMAXX Multivitamin
1 tab
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Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion Protein
2 scoops
Midday:
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Supreme Protein Carb Conscious Bar
1
Pre Workout:
-
Pre-Workout Booster
1 serving
Post Workout:
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SciFit Prota-lyn
2 scoops
Before Bed:
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Optimum Nutrition PerforMAXX Multivitamin
1 tab
-
Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion Protein
1 scoops
Diet
Meal 1:
-
Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion Protein
2 scoops
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egg whites
3
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whole wheat toast with vegetable oil spread
2 slices
Meal 2:
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Supreme Protein Carb Conscious Bar
1
Meal 3:
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chicken breast
12.5 oz can
-
brown rice
1 cup
Meal 4: Post Workout
-
banana
1 large
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milk
1.5 cups
-
Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion Protein
2 scoops
Meal 5:
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tilapia
8-10 oz
-
steamed broccoli
2 cups
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baked sweet potato
1
Meal 6:
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milk
1 cup
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Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion Protein
1 scoop
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whole wheat bagel with vegetable oil spread
1
Training
Cardio:
Jogging-Treadmill
10 min
Exercises:
Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions)
1 set of 20 reps, each hand position
Incline Dumbbell Press
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Butterfly
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Machine Bench Press
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Dips - Chest Version
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Side Lateral Raise
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Front Dumbbell Raise
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Standing Dumbbell Upright Row
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Weighted Bench Dip
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Triceps Pushdown
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Lying Triceps Press
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Cardio:
-
Jogging-Treadmill
45 min
Exercises:
Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 25, 20, 17 reps
Decline Crunch
3 sets of 25 reps
Decline Reverse Crunch
3 sets of 25 reps
Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise
3 sets of 25 reps
Cardio:
-
Jogging-Treadmill
45 min
Exercises:
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
2 sets of 15-20 reps
Dumbbell Bicep Curl
2 sets of 15-20 reps
Rocky Pull-Ups/Pulldowns
3 sets to failure
V-Bar Pulldown
3 sets of 6-9 reps
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Bent Over Barbell Row
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Close-Grip EZ Bar Curl
3 sets of 6-9 reps
One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Incline Dumbbell Curl
3 sets of 6-9 reps
Barbell Curl
3 sets of 6-9 reps-
Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 25, 20, 17 reps -
Decline Crunch
3 sets of 25 reps -
Decline Reverse Crunch
3 sets of 25 reps -
Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise
3 sets of 25 reps
Leg Press
3 sets of 10-15 reps
Leg Extensions
3 sets of 10-15 reps
Seated Leg Curl
3 sets of 10-15 reps
Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
3 sets of 10-15 reps
Cardio:
-
Jogging-Treadmill
45 min
Exercises:
-
Hanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 25, 20, 17 reps -
Decline Crunch
3 sets of 25 reps -
Decline Reverse Crunch
3 sets of 25 reps -
Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise
3 sets of 25 reps
Suggestions for Others
I think the one of the best suggestions I could give is to not view bodybuilding as a hobby, but as a lifestyle.
There are so many factors influencing your gains and progress, that if you truly want to make a dramatic change to your body, just training hard isn't enough. Your diet has to be balanced and fitting to your body's needs.
As well as a proper diet and exercise regimen, you must learn to handle stress in an appropriate way, and get enough sleep in. Taking a break and spending a day or two a week just relaxing also carries with it many benefits. Most importantly, however, is to learn to enjoy your training.
If you can't look forward to going to the gym and getting that pump, maintaining a proper routine will be nearly impossible.