AG's Learning Curve...

Sunday 9th - decided after O&Gs thread to take a load off and go light and slow to focus on form. 4-5 seconds on decent, pause at each end of the movement.

Dips: BW+5x5x5
Chins: BW+10x5x5.
Flat barbell press: 30x5x5.
Arnold's: 16x5x5.
Deadlift: 50x5x5.

Had a bit of extra time in the gym so messed around with:
Hangs - 10 seconds, then 8 then 6.
Hammer curls: 12x5x5.
Reverse fly (learning forward 45degrees to hit upper back more): 10x5x5.

Monday 10th - slight increase but still mainly a focus on slow speed and technique.
Dips: BW+15x5x5
Chins: BW+10x5x5.
Flat barbell press: 40x5x5.
Arnold's: 16x5x5.
Deadlift: 70x5x5.

Today (12th Wednesday):
Dips: BW+17.5x5x4x5x4.
Pull ups: BW+12.5x5x5.
Flat barbell press: 47.5x5x5.
Arnold's: 18x5x5.
Deadlift: 70x5x5.

Form good, nice controlled movements. Felt amazing after a lighter session and some good days with my diet (lowered Cal's but maintained carbs). Hoping to push for some PRs on Friday if I can psych myself up.
 
Ok, so my car had to go into the garage for most of this week and I didn't think to get my weights out at home to keep the work outs going so I've ended up with a slight unplanned SD. It's slightly annoying as next week is going to be my last week training before my planned SD.

Either way diet has gone to ****e too (which isn't necessarily a bad thing as my waist has slimmed down nicely in 1 week).

So, planning the next HST workout for 2 weeks time and would like some guidance from anyone who cares to chip in:
1. Creatine - I'm going to introduce this after speaking to a few people about it's benefits, but does anyone have any tips I should especially avoid or do?

2. I'm going to stick with the same routine as I was really enjoying it and seeing good strength gains (if not as much hypertrophy as I'd like). I know some of the hypertrophy will be down to an inconsistent diet, but I also think I could be training more than I currently am. So I'm going to throw in 2 extra sessions per week to focus on the areas that lagged over this session (namely arms) and to work other areas of muscles already being worked (traps and lats etc).

So, Sunday/Monday, Wed/Thurs/Friday
3 x week Full body - Chins, dips, flat bench, arnold's and RDLs/Squats alternating.
2 x week - EZ curl, cuban press, chest fly, DB row, and some abs work,

Only equipment I have at home is a basic bench, EZ curl bar, tricep bar, BB & DB's. Plus note is I've a punch bag at home too for a bit more cardio.

I'm cautious that it's a lot of upper body work, but thats my focus. I don't I'm hitting the same muscles too much across the week (hence leaving our Triceps from the seconds workout). Anyone think i'm over doing it or can suggest other exercises with my limited equipment from home to help build my upper body?
 
Regarding creatine: I've tried pretty much every form of creatine on the market. Creatine Monohydrate powder is the cheapest and it works. Most of the others seemed to work too, but were considerably more expensive.

Many different opinions about when/how to take creatine; seems to be consensus that simply taking it is what's important. That said, I was taking ~5g about 2 hours before workout with simple carbs and protein. For my next cycle (which starts tomorrow) I'm going to experiment with taking creatine before and after workout with simple carbs and protein.
 
nativetroutbum said:
Regarding creatine: I've tried pretty much every form of creatine on the market. Creatine Monohydrate powder is the cheapest and it works. Most of the others seemed to work too, but were considerably more expensive.

Many different opinions about when/how to take creatine; seems to be consensus that simply taking it is what's important. That said, I was taking ~5g about 2 hours before workout with simple carbs and protein. For my next cycle (which starts tomorrow) I'm going to experiment with taking creatine before and after workout with simple carbs and protein.
Click to expand...

Cheers for the input mate, I'm going to try Creapure, 5g in a post work out shake. I've read an insulin spike is highly beneficial as that increases uptake, so I'm thinking of starting to add some oats into the shake as I've read mixed reports if protein will cause an insulin spike or not. It would be a PITA though as I'd have to wait till I get home to make the shake (since I generally train after work) and that would clash with my meal time.

Although I generally drink around 30g's of carbs (OJ) pre/during my work outs so I'm also thinking that should cause enough of a spike, I just don't know if it'll last... Guess ill try it and see.
 
I too use creapure, good stuff IMO.

I also workout after work. For my post workout shake, I spoon the creapure straight into my mouth and then wash it down with my shake. My shake consistes of 12oz of natural chocolate milk (made with real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup) and protein powder. I bring the chocolate milk to work in a blender bottle and keep it in a small cooler in my office... still reasonably cold after my workout.

This shake usually gets about 45g of simple carbs, and ~40g of protein (depending on how much protein you add in) and a few grams of fat since I use the 1% milkfat variety.

Hope that helps.
 
Summary of last full cycle for reference:

Body weight fluctuated between 11stone 6lbs and 11st 12lbs through cycle.

Maxes are as follows (Kg's, obviously):

Chins (pronated): 15x2xBW, 10x3x3.75, 5x5x12.5,
Dips: 15x2xBW, 10x3x5, 5x5x20,
Flat BB Bench: 15x2x25, 10x3x37.25, 5x5x50,
Standing Arnold: 15x2x10, 10x3x14, 5x5x18,
Squat (smith machine): 15x2x15, 10x3x40, 5x5x50,
RDL (smith machine): 15x2x30, 10x3x45, 5x5x75,

Last cycle saw and extended 5's cycle by 2-3 weeks.
 
End of my first week of 10's.

BW down to 11st 1lb, 5lb drop in 2 weeks. I thought it would have been more but I guess the creatine is slowing my weight loss with water retention (now in 4th week).

Row C2: 500m in 1:50 warm up
Chins: 3.75 x10,10,7,3 clustered last set,
Dips: 12.5x10,6,4,6,4
Bench: 35x10, 30x10,
Arnold's: 14x7, 10, 13
Deads: 50x10, 60x10,10

Notes:
- Dips - Annoyed as I nailed 12.5x10x3 on Wednesday, but I didn't have it in me today.
- Bench - Towards the end of the first set I felt a dull pull/stretch behind my left clavicle. It was pretty much bang in the middle between my neck and shoulder, right in the hole behind the bone. I'm guessing since it wasn't painful and kind a slow throb it wasn't a tear but a stretch. I've felt it before, but only when benching in the 5 range (around 50-60kgs) and its never impacted on my Arnold's like it did yesterday (needed 10 minutes rest to complete Arnold's with no stretch feeling). Maybe my grip was too wide or elbows too flared?

Weight loss is coming on nicely, was hoping to drop half a stone by now but didn't factor in creatine. Strangely the my calves, shoulders and stomach are the noticeably thinner areas since the weight loss and is starting to make my back and chest look even larger. I think another half a stone loss will suffice and then ill start slowly bulking again.
 
Ok, so ended last years final cycle with a few new PRs

BW 76kg's (heaviest ever)

All weights in Kg's, chins and dips inc BW above.

Chin Up (wide pronated grip) - 1x81, 1x86, 1x91, 0x93.5 on both pro&sup grip,
T.Dips - 1x91, 1x101, 1x106, 1x111, 0x116 failure twice,
Arnolds - 1x20,
BB.Bench - 2x39, 1x59, 1x69, 1x74, 1x79, 1x84,
Squat - 1x59, 1x79, 1x99, 1x104, 1x109, 1x119,
Romanian Deadlift - 1x59, 1x89, 1x129, 1x139,

Was shattered by the end, but very impressed at a x+1 BW bench, 1.5xBW squat and 2xBW deadlift.

New routine for Jan and early feb focuses on weight loss. Since I can drop weight pretty good, I plan on doing it as fast as possible so i can get plenty of time on the next bulk before another cut for summer.

This is where I could use some guidance, never cut before.

Current BW is 74.8kg's.

BMR = 1,795,
Inc Activity I reckon = 2.513 (My day is between 6:30 until 9:30 and I'm on my feet the whole day apart from 20-30 minutes lunch and 2x45 minute drives to and from work. I climb 30 steps each day around 20-30 times as the office and stock room are on the first floor).

Basically i'm not sure if to drop right down to 1,200 calories or play it safer and aim around 1,500? I'll be aiming or around 180g protein (7250 calories by itself), I just cannot decide on the rest? I plan on using the UD 2.0 diet and coupling it with basic HST principles. I know UD2.0 has it's own training, but last time I did it this way (last summer) I was lost about 3-4 kg's/week over 3 weeks without any loss in strength.

Is 1,200 calories too far?
 
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