Gamechanger: Gain 30, Pull 500.
- Thread starter Sci
- Start date
Sci
Well-Known Member
Had a melancholy day. Decided to put the negative emotions to use, and take it out on the weights. Took 400Mg of caffeine, ate a bunch of tuna-pasta casserole, took some vitamins, and headed to the gym to test out my maxes for next cycle...
Deadlift: 135x10, 225x5,5, 315x1, 405x1 PR
[video=youtube_share;pkQssnnqEDk]http://youtu.be/pkQssnnqEDk[/video]
NG Pulldowns: 220x7 PR
Hack Squat: 450x7 New exercise, more quad-y than the leg press, squat rack was busy, so I decided to do the Hack Squat sled.
Dips: 270x7 PR
Machine Press: 240x8 Decided this was safer than trying to max out with free-weights.
DB Laterals: 20s x10 PR
Deadlift: 135x10, 225x5,5, 315x1, 405x1 PR
[video=youtube_share;pkQssnnqEDk]http://youtu.be/pkQssnnqEDk[/video]
NG Pulldowns: 220x7 PR
Hack Squat: 450x7 New exercise, more quad-y than the leg press, squat rack was busy, so I decided to do the Hack Squat sled.
Dips: 270x7 PR
Machine Press: 240x8 Decided this was safer than trying to max out with free-weights.
DB Laterals: 20s x10 PR
Last edited:
Tryingtologin
Member
PR in every lift! Awesome work mate.
nativetroutbum
Member
Outstanding 405 Deadlift, Sci!! Congrats, man, I'm very happy for you!
Sci
Well-Known Member
Thx bros. it felt awesome. You know it's funny, I've been to this gym over 100 times, and on average there are at least 25 guys lifting weights, and so far I've never seen anyone Deadlift 405 or more. So even though I know that 405 isn't all that great, it's more than I have seen anyone in my gym ever Deadlift! 
Sci
Well-Known Member
I pretty much feel fine after the PRs. Surprisingly my lower back is not even stiff or sore, but I pulled the right side of my trapezius probably during the 405 Deadlift, and it's been very sore. I think I am going to rehab the area with the reverse fly machine. It hits the middle trapezius even better than rows. Even doing the reverse fly motion with no resistance helps loosen up the tender area.
Bodyweight has stabilized, it's easy for me at thus stage to maintain 220, probably slowly start dropping some weight soon.
Bodyweight has stabilized, it's easy for me at thus stage to maintain 220, probably slowly start dropping some weight soon.
Sci
Well-Known Member
Started my "cut cycle" today. I will probably not log my training much while cutting. Its just not as interesting to maintain muscle mass, as it is to build it up...
This cut cycle will be very different than my last one. It will be closer to a "re-composition" type of cut. My cut will be very careful at retaining lean mass. I am going to be lifting quite heavy, and maintaining volume
I am really even hoping to "recomp" slightly, and actually make some small lean mass gains here and there, while I slowly trim some bodyfat. I realize this is a bit ambitious for a natural, but lucky for me I happen to have very high testosterone levels naturally, so compared to the average male, I have a hormonal advantage for bodybuilding. Obviously, I realize that more realistically, I will probably just retain my lean mass while losing bodyfat, but this time I am really going to focus on retaining lean mass, and not as much on rapid fat loss. SLow and steady is the way to go.
This cut cycle will be very different than my last one. It will be closer to a "re-composition" type of cut. My cut will be very careful at retaining lean mass. I am going to be lifting quite heavy, and maintaining volume
I am really even hoping to "recomp" slightly, and actually make some small lean mass gains here and there, while I slowly trim some bodyfat. I realize this is a bit ambitious for a natural, but lucky for me I happen to have very high testosterone levels naturally, so compared to the average male, I have a hormonal advantage for bodybuilding. Obviously, I realize that more realistically, I will probably just retain my lean mass while losing bodyfat, but this time I am really going to focus on retaining lean mass, and not as much on rapid fat loss. SLow and steady is the way to go.
Sci
Well-Known Member
A little more exotic, basically a sort of IF diet. I want to create an environment where lean mass is retained, so I will be keeping my eating windows high protein, and higher calories around the 24 hours following training. Then lower calories when the body isn't in an anabolic state. So hoping to see a little of the Recomping that IF is supposedly famous for, or at least retain most of my current lean mass while slowly losing bodyfat...
Its really just a matter of caloric deficit, combined with nutrient timing around workouts. That and keeping the caloric deficit under control, so as not to lose muscle.
Obviously this will make the cut take a lot longer than RFL, but I think a more patient approach will work better at retaining my muscle gains that I worked so hard for.
Thoughts?
Last edited:
Sci
Well-Known Member
I just found this quote in your HST e-book, and it goes along perfectly with my diet approach:
ALso, I am a lot more patient this time, because I feel like I am already quite massive. So I am happy to slowly cut down and see the muscles, I am not in a rush psychologically to "get the cut over with, so I can bulk up again" like I was last time. A lot of the bodybuilding game is entirely mental, as you well know.
p.s. Thanks for all your help and motivation. This last bulk cycle was truly a GAMECHANGER for me, people look at me different now, like someone who has succeeded in the weight room, I no longer feel like that skinny, weak teenager I once was.
ALso, I am a lot more patient this time, because I feel like I am already quite massive. So I am happy to slowly cut down and see the muscles, I am not in a rush psychologically to "get the cut over with, so I can bulk up again" like I was last time. A lot of the bodybuilding game is entirely mental, as you well know.
p.s. Thanks for all your help and motivation. This last bulk cycle was truly a GAMECHANGER for me, people look at me different now, like someone who has succeeded in the weight room, I no longer feel like that skinny, weak teenager I once was.
Last edited:
Sci
Well-Known Member
I pulled my right upper back/shoulder out last week pulling a Deadlift record.
I hit the gym Saturday and did a fullbody workout which temporarily made it feel better, but it's been bothering me all week. Basically all the muscles which attach to my right scapula are whacked, hard to sleep on my side. I may have aggravated it further on Saturday doing rack pulls. My right shoulder has always been problematic. I am getting tired of it, going to focus on it for awhile.
I might have to skip any heavy pulling for a week or so, and just focus on some shoulder and upper back work. It seems all my right shoulder problens stem from some imbalances around the scapula area.
My goal this cutting cycle will be to maintain legs, chest and arms, while bringing up strength in my shoulders and upper back (scapular muscles), so I am going to devote most of my workout to shoulders and back, with just one exercise each for quads, hams and pecs.
I hit the gym Saturday and did a fullbody workout which temporarily made it feel better, but it's been bothering me all week. Basically all the muscles which attach to my right scapula are whacked, hard to sleep on my side. I may have aggravated it further on Saturday doing rack pulls. My right shoulder has always been problematic. I am getting tired of it, going to focus on it for awhile.
I might have to skip any heavy pulling for a week or so, and just focus on some shoulder and upper back work. It seems all my right shoulder problens stem from some imbalances around the scapula area.
My goal this cutting cycle will be to maintain legs, chest and arms, while bringing up strength in my shoulders and upper back (scapular muscles), so I am going to devote most of my workout to shoulders and back, with just one exercise each for quads, hams and pecs.
Sci
Well-Known Member
Home workout with dumbells. Upper back/ Shoulder work.
DB Rows. 85s 3x10
Trap-rapers: pull to ribs, lower halfway, pull to ribs, lower halfway... Brutal on the traps and rhomboids, less latissimus involvement doing them this way.
Bent DB Laterals: 15s 3x10
Focusing on pinching scapula together at the top.
Lying External Rotations: 10s 3x10
Infraspinitus gets wrecked with these, noticed my right rotator cuff is inflamed.
Lying Laterals: 10s ... Ouch, nevermind, I did these on Sunday and it was fine. But I might have done too much, because my right supraspinitus was in pain trying to do these.
The upper back work actually felt good, helped out the pain. The rotator cuff on the other hand is inflamed... More rest needed.
Will take off the rest of the week and rest up.
DB Rows. 85s 3x10
Trap-rapers: pull to ribs, lower halfway, pull to ribs, lower halfway... Brutal on the traps and rhomboids, less latissimus involvement doing them this way.
Bent DB Laterals: 15s 3x10
Focusing on pinching scapula together at the top.
Lying External Rotations: 10s 3x10
Infraspinitus gets wrecked with these, noticed my right rotator cuff is inflamed.
Lying Laterals: 10s ... Ouch, nevermind, I did these on Sunday and it was fine. But I might have done too much, because my right supraspinitus was in pain trying to do these.
The upper back work actually felt good, helped out the pain. The rotator cuff on the other hand is inflamed... More rest needed.
Will take off the rest of the week and rest up.
Sci
Well-Known Member
In the middle of a 9 Day HST SD. Working a ton of hours, so not really deconditioning much, but definitely recovering and healing up from last brutal cycle.
Really enjoying Intermittant fasting. I don't think there is any magic to it, I just think it's a very efficient way to manage calorie and nutrient intake. I have managed to maintain mass. Hovering around 219 lbs. (100 kg)
Worked 12 hours straight, came home and did some burn sets to loosen up my tight, aching shoulders.
Bent Rear Laterals: 10s x20
Lying External Rotations: 10s x20
Side Lying Laterals: 10s x20
Front Laterals: 10s x20
Infraspinitus stretch.
Hamstring Stretch.
Pectoral Stretch.
Ahhhh... Felling much less aching from work.
Will return on Tuesday for a fullbody lifting blitz.
Gonna really blast the upper back and shoulders this next cycle.
Really enjoying Intermittant fasting. I don't think there is any magic to it, I just think it's a very efficient way to manage calorie and nutrient intake. I have managed to maintain mass. Hovering around 219 lbs. (100 kg)
Worked 12 hours straight, came home and did some burn sets to loosen up my tight, aching shoulders.
Bent Rear Laterals: 10s x20
Lying External Rotations: 10s x20
Side Lying Laterals: 10s x20
Front Laterals: 10s x20
Infraspinitus stretch.
Hamstring Stretch.
Pectoral Stretch.
Ahhhh... Felling much less aching from work.
Will return on Tuesday for a fullbody lifting blitz.
Gonna really blast the upper back and shoulders this next cycle.