Approved Log Return to bodybuilding.... finally

[Dan30185]

Training yesterday :

Shoulder Press - 3 sets 10@55kg mac
P.D.F - 3 sets 15@25kg mac
Facepull - 3 sets 10@20kg cable
Lateral Raises - 3 sets 12@ 12.5kg db

Hit shoulders, Shoulder Press wasn't the heaviest I've pressed since coming back, but was the best I've felt through the movement. Post Delt Flyes were done in Oec Dec , single handed accross body , superset with Facepulls as I find the posterior deltoids hard to connect with , so it takes a minute to engage them properly. Lateral Raises with dumbells as I'm a bit over cables at the moment

 

[Dan30185]

Training Today :

Leg Extension - 3 sets [email protected] mac
Leg Curl - 3 sets 12@36kg mac
Hack Squat - 3 sets 8@48kg mac
Seated Calf Press - 3 sets 15@25kg mac
Bulgarians - 3 sets 12@20kg db

Don't know what happened today, just a bit of a write off. Strength felt off , wasn't able to get any real meaningful connection with anything except Bulgarians, just felt off in gym today. It happens but on a leg day it's particularly noticeable very quickly when not feeling 100, not suck or anything but just off the game and couldn't get back into it, so a bit disappointing today, but it happens

 

[Dan30185]

Training this morning :

Incline Split Press - 2 sets 12 @ 32.5kg db
Cable Fly - 2 sets 10 @ 22kg mac
Seated Chest Press - 2 sets 8 @ 84kg mac
Dips - 1 set to failure ( ? No idea )

Today marks the beginning of HIT phase again going down the heavy duty route. Started with Incline Split Press , into Cable Fly , Seated Chest Press into Dips. All supersets, using 2 sets instead of 1 top set as I felt I needed the extra set to connect properly through the exercises. No idea how many Dips were done, usually this exercise is a write off for me, I don't count anything I just go and do them until I cant do them anymore, usually I start to struggle at the 12 - 15 mark , but as I only do one set at the end I just keep going to neg failure.

 

[Dan30185]

Training this morning :

Hammer Curl - 2 sets 12@ 20kg db
Tri Push Down - 2 sets 12@40kg cable
Curl Machine - 2 sets 8@60kg mac
Overhead Tri Ext - 2 sets 8@ 38.5kg

Did 10 mins of dynamic stretches prior and some light 5kg bicep Curls and 5kg kickbacks for 1 set each of 15, then into it

 

[Dan30185]

Package arrived from OzSteroids this week , so began adding the Somatropin to the TRT , adding in just the 1iu daily on the 150mg of Test, reduced cruise from 175mg to 150mg , last week, a few annoying pimples on shoulders and back so reducing to see if that helps get rid of them

 

[Dan30185]

Training this morning :

Supported R (u) - 2 sets 10@ 92kg
O.I.R - 2 sets 12@ 94kg
Supported R (w) - 2 sets 10 @ 68kg
L.P.D (w) - 2 sets 10 @ 35.5kg

Started with Supported Rows in an underhand grip and Overhead Iso Rows 2 sets each with 3 min rest between sets. Going into supersets of Supported Rows with wide grip and Lat Pull Downs. Doing L.P.D after heavy Overheads , really seems to tax my strength, it plummets rather significantly , so serves as not only a main lift but as a pre fatigue on my lats, in particular the lower lats. Supersetting the L.P.D with the Wide Grip Row , really hurts the lats in both the upper and lower heads although working through different fibres. As can be seen , even with just the 8 working sets , my strength was going down through the exercises and in 32 mins I was hurting. Highlights for me, that volume vs intensity both achieve the same degree of stimulus, just that I can do it much faster with heavier loads , just doing a few less sets and reps makes a big differance in how much time you are in gym vs into recovery, so I guess one isn't better than the other, just one can be faster , with the caveat of requiring control and form.

 

[keith432]

Training this morning :

Incline Split Press - 2 sets 12 @ 32.5kg db
Cable Fly - 2 sets 10 @ 22kg mac
Seated Chest Press - 2 sets 8 @ 84kg mac
Dips - 1 set to failure ( ? No idea )

Today marks the beginning of HIT phase again going down the heavy duty route. Started with Incline Split Press , into Cable Fly , Seated Chest Press into Dips. All supersets, using 2 sets instead of 1 top set as I felt I needed the extra set to connect properly through the exercises. No idea how many Dips were done, usually this exercise is a write off for me, I don't count anything I just go and do them until I cant do them anymore, usually I start to struggle at the 12 - 15 mark , but as I only do one set at the end I just keep going to neg failure.

Traimning and intensity looks great. Try sticking to one all out top set per movement after warm ups and try to count and log your dip reps so you can track the progression. That’s the core of making this style work.

 

[keith432]

Package arrived from OzSteroids this week , so began adding the Somatropin to the TRT , adding in just the 1iu daily on the 150mg of Test, reduced cruise from 175mg to 150mg , last week, a few annoying pimples on shoulders and back so reducing to see if that helps get rid of them

The acne is from the androgen load and even 150 to 175mg of test can do it depending on how you convert to DHT and how sensitive you are. So dropping from 175mg to 150mg is logical but give it a few weeks to stabilise before judging it. 1iu daily somatropin is very unlikely to be the primary cause of acne. My suggestion would be monitor, don’t change variables too fast and then reassess once levels settle.

 

[keith432]

Training this morning :

Supported R (u) - 2 sets 10@ 92kg
O.I.R - 2 sets 12@ 94kg
Supported R (w) - 2 sets 10 @ 68kg
L.P.D (w) - 2 sets 10 @ 35.5kg

Started with Supported Rows in an underhand grip and Overhead Iso Rows 2 sets each with 3 min rest between sets. Going into supersets of Supported Rows with wide grip and Lat Pull Downs. Doing L.P.D after heavy Overheads , really seems to tax my strength, it plummets rather significantly , so serves as not only a main lift but as a pre fatigue on my lats, in particular the lower lats. Supersetting the L.P.D with the Wide Grip Row , really hurts the lats in both the upper and lower heads although working through different fibres. As can be seen , even with just the 8 working sets , my strength was going down through the exercises and in 32 mins I was hurting. Highlights for me, that volume vs intensity both achieve the same degree of stimulus, just that I can do it much faster with heavier loads , just doing a few less sets and reps makes a big differance in how much time you are in gym vs into recovery, so I guess one isn't better than the other, just one can be faster , with the caveat of requiring control and form.

Strength dropping across the session is just fatigue building up especially when you’re pre fatiguing and supersetting. That’s very normal & expected. Doesn’t really prove volume and intensity give the same stimulus it just shows you’re accumulating fatigue fast. If the goal is progression, judge it by whether your first main movement is improving week to week.

 

[Dan30185]

Training this morning :

Lat Raises - 17.5kg x 8 db
P.D.F - 54kg x 10 mac
Shoulder Press - 66kg x 8 mac
Shrugs - 70kg x 12 cable

Started with Lateral Raises ( dumbells ) and Posterior Delt Flyes on Pec Dec, done single handed accross body. Did these first to pre fatigue the Lateral and Posterior heads before pressing. Into Shoulder Press really trying to take that 3 seconds on the eccentric, and concentrating on keeping scapular retracted and not allowing Triceps to chip in too much. Finished off with Shrugs on the cable machine with straight bar, possibly could have gone heavier and kept the reps down to 8 - 10 , but i was already set up and warm , that was the weight the stack had on that machine. All in all happy enough , have been off cycle now for a bit and have lost 1.75kg in that time , likely glycogen retention, so given the hindrance on the hand , I'm fairly happy that I haven't seemed to crash too much.

 

[Dan30185]

Traimning and intensity looks great. Try sticking to one all out top set per movement after warm ups and try to count and log your dip reps so you can track the progression. That’s the core of making this style work.

I love the philosophy of Jones, Mentzer , Yates etc despite Dorian being far less articulate than Mike. The reason I'm using 2 sets in that session , is the back I've always taken a minute to truly connect with, when doing the single top set , for example 8 reps, you need to be connected and bang on , all 8 reps , if you're only bang on say 3 reps, you didn't do 8 you did 3. But you're correct on that philosophy

 

[Dan30185]

The acne is from the androgen load and even 150 to 175mg of test can do it depending on how you convert to DHT and how sensitive you are. So dropping from 175mg to 150mg is logical but give it a few weeks to stabilise before judging it. 1iu daily somatropin is very unlikely to be the primary cause of acne. My suggestion would be monitor, don’t change variables too fast and then reassess once levels settle.

Yeah for sure , in have spent a couple months on TRT , so I reduced it just a bit to see and will gauge in another 6 weeks or so. There may be some nandrolites floating about still too , which may be a contributing factor, its also been hot after lately in Brissy and as a boilermaker it could very well just be heat and sweat etc. The Somatropin wont do anything no, just listing what TRT looks like at present

 

[Dan30185]

Strength dropping across the session is just fatigue building up especially when you’re pre fatiguing and supersetting. That’s very normal & expected. Doesn’t really prove volume and intensity give the same stimulus it just shows you’re accumulating fatigue fast. If the goal is progression, judge it by whether your first main movement is improving week to week.

You're correct, my ****ogy is if it were a graph, fatigue is a linear line going up and hypertrophy is a curved line heading down, at some point , you're no longer stimulating sarcoplasmic or myofibrillar hypertrophy, you're just burning calories. Which is why 2 hr lifting sessions arent ideal , you need a bit of both columns there , but my own opinion is that volume will probably never get the same stimulus as mechanical load for mist people. Although there is a genetic predisposition caveat to that dependant on if you have more red or white fibres, which most people wont know without an ATP scan. But yes progressive overload should be primary focus from week to week from your first day in gym to 20th year in gym , nothing should change.

 

[Dan30185]

Training this morning :

Leg Extension - 10 x 52kg
Laying Leg Curl - 8 x 64kg
Hack Squat - 8 x 86kg
Leg Press - 12 x 135kg
Standing Calf Raise - 12 x 115kg
Hip Abductor - 15 x 40kg

Started with Leg Extension supersetting with Leg Curls, didnt seem to have much fuel in the tank with the extensions , but still happy with the top set. Into Hack Squats, thats the heaviest I've been able to push without supraphysiological doses of androgens in as long as I can remember , the last 2 reps were a bit of a fight , in particular that last one was a bit messy. Took a 5 min rest and had some water etc , into Leg Pressing , 135kg is not the heaviest I've pushed since returning , but its also further down the list than usual and so my lack of love for the exercise aside, still ok with that top set. Standing Calf Raises supersetting with Hip Abductor , strength was getting sapped at this point and 115kg was the best I could muster I felt, although being able to get 12 reps suggests I could have gone heavier for 8-10 , Hip Abductor , I've used like 3 times in my life, there must be an art to getting into the machine without looking like a constipated fish , I'm yet to learn the art, however I did learn and remember the first time I tried it , to be mindful of the weight you liad it with , you may not feel much at the time , but over the next 2 days you do, I haven't found a weight I should be using yet through my refusal to perform the exercise for the most part. Just trying to hit legs from various angles

 

[Dan30185]

Training this morning :

Cable Fly - 5 sets 15 @ 5kg
Iso Lateral Incline Press - 10 x 80kg
Pec Dec - 10 x 40kg
Cable Fly - 5 sets 15 @ 5kg

Did some light Cable Fly work to warm up , using Iso Lateral Incline Press machine went with 80kg , a little disappointed in that top set, but felt underdone weather a bit all weekend , so it's a pass mark. 5 min rest into Pec Dec where I got 10 reps for 88.5lb , so 40kg, pretty happy with this , bring the seat up a bit to where it's seemingly a touch high, rotated my arms back a bit so the outside of my palm was on the handles and pulled the Pec Dec from there, 5 sec eccentric with an explosive concentric , doing this feels a bit awkward for a bit , but once you get used to the position , it removes alot of the work the anterior delts do in a fly movement and allows you to really focus on the chest. Finished off with more light fly work to warm diwn.