Nasty, Freaky, Ugly Size

squatster said:

No pic of the banana pudding?

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It should be the right below the chicken

ASHOP said:

Love reading your updates. Keep us posted and good luck!

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Thanks!

Looks like a prep will start in a couple months so, that will be fun. Gotta start rounding up all the gears though lol.

Donated blood today.

Hct was 51 this morning but on my recent labs it was at 52.7 which is dangerously high. I think that was mostly due to being dehydrated when I had labs pulled because I got straight out of bed and went before I had anything to even drink.

Anyways, I was able to do a double red so I did that. 51 to start and was down to a 44 after the donation.

Tomorrow is lower loading if it don't have to work in the morning

Was talking to one of my guys yday about log booking. His got ruined by a leaking pipe so, he couldn't go back in time to see progression.

I decided to flip back a couple months in mine today and just see where I'm at.

Today's lower loading sets were -
Mid stance leg press - 18*20, 18*12 few months back it was 16+50*15/10
Duck leg press - 5
4*20, 3*25 few months back 3*20, 3*14
Sldl - 405*10, 315*12 few months back 365*9, 225*10
Adductor/Abductor - 170*19/23, 170*16/19 few months back 150*12/15, 130*13/16

So, yeah. Big jumps in strength last year. May not seem like a ton but given I was already what I considered strong back then, it's great progress imo.

Also, ALL of these were pb's today.

Plus, I'm low on blood and cruising in my gears ��

Upper Muscle rounds

Solid. Strong. Let's keep getting it.

Hi row (both sides at once, weight per side) - 105*24(+2)
One side at a time - 90*25(+2)
Partial Pulldown - 12*27(+4), 14+(2)*24
Dip Machine - 360(+20)*22(-1), 290*25(+2)
Cable fly press - 100*25
Reverse shoulder press - 180*24(+2), 180*22(+1)
DB lateral - 30*25(+2)
Rope extension - 9(+1)*23
Multiple curl variations to straight set failure.

I got a pair of Iron Rebel elbow sleeves yday. They're the short sleeve that just covers the elbow and gd are they uncomfortable. I think I got the wrong size too start with, 12.5', need a 13', but, there's a big fucking seam that runs inside and it's annoying af. I'm gonna send them back and see about the bigger size.

Figured I would start using some equipment here and there before I NEEDED it. Plus my left elbow has had a couple days where it's tender.

Lower muscle rounds

Fucking knee is acting up again. Dunno wtf is going on. I'm gonna have to get it checked. Still trained as usual, just in some pain.

Leg press feet low and close - 12*23(+1), 10*23
Smith lunge - 70(+20)*23
Smith Sldl (new) - 205*25
Smith single leg Sldl (awesome) - 70*22
Calf press - 290(+10)*23, 22, 22, 21
Adductor RP - 170*20(+2)/12(+1)/6(+2)
Abductor RP - 170*21/15(+4)/7(+3)
EZ Curl Preacher (straight sets) - 105*18, 15, 14, 12

The single leg deads kill. It's similar to a Bulgarian split squat set up but, you do a Sldl instead. Stretch made me cramp.

squatster said:

Can you turn them inside out?
It would suck to BUT
they should know better

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Seam is on both sides.

I'll try the bigger size and get a piece of fabric sewn in if I like them enough.

Might have went over board on steak... Top sirloin and ribeye were on sale lol.

Upper loading

Plate loaded Pulldown - 370*9(+1), 360(+40)*9(+1), 270*10(+2)

Stretchers - 7*20/15

Star flat press - 410*9, 360*9

Cable Fly high low - 120*15/12

Behind neck Smith - 225(+20)*7(-1), 185*12(+2)

DB swings - 45*50, 45*30

Hanging knee raise - 4*15

Lower loading

Maxed out the leg press. It's pretty steep compared to most so, this is plenty of weight lol. Doesn't look too impressive. MIGHT be able to balance another plate on each side at the top but I dunno how secure they would be. Next we add to the foot plate.

Leg press feet high mid - 20(40)*13(-2), 18*17(+2), WM 14(+40)*25(+5)

One leg press - 110(+10)*15(+3), 130(+30)*9(-1)

Seated hamstring curl - 110*13(+5)

Bicep tricep stuff

Knee raises

Update from after lower today.

Hamstrings are getting better little by little. Fat and strong. Hovering around 265ish now at what I think is four weeks into my cruise? Started before Christmas so close.

Muscle rounds.

No back today. Gym was packed, fucking new years, and I mean PACKED. The most people I've ever seen in the gym by far. When walking from your car to the gym becomes cardio, you gotta get a handicap tag ��.

Incline Hammer - 335(+5)*24, 290(+10)*23

Cable Fly - 140(+20)*25

Hammer shoulder press - 260(+50)*23

Lateral with cuff - 30*25, 25*24

Tricep v bar (new cable station) - stack *23, stack *21

Drag curl - 95*24, 95*22

That's a wrap.

Got the bigger elbow sleeves and they're still pretty uncomfortable. I'll keep using them since they were fucking $45 but, they did their job. Just had to fold them over between sets.

Lower muscle rounds

Took a couple extra rest days to let this knee stop acting up. Didn't help. Fuck it. I've got a feeling it's going to give soon.

Heels high leg press - 14+50(+50)*24, 12+50(+50)*23

Extension - 130(+20)*24

Sissy Squat - bw*24

Lying leg curl - 130(+20)*22

Calf Raise +140*24, 22, 21, 21

DB curl - 35*23, 22

Hanging knee raise - 12*4

Vacuum stretch - 3*10 seconds

Upper loading

Strength took a bit of a hit today n lost a couple reps on pressing. Meh.

Bb rows - 405*8, 7

Rack Pull - 585*6

Incline Smith - 315*10(-2), 275*11

Hammer flat press - 180*12

Hammer shoulder press - 270*10(-2), 270*7(-1)

Single arm Tricep press down - 50*12, 50*8, 50*6

Hanging knee raise - 4*12

Let's see what the next session brings. Blip on the strength hopefully.

Off today.

Just eating and doing little errands.

Ordered some brakes and rotors for my car but they were the wrong size in the rear. Had to send those back.

Did some food prep, chicken, beef, steaks, potatoes.

Had lunch with the wife. Lean brisket with red potatoes and green beans.

Did some chores, sweeping, mopping, wiping down counters, laundry, dishes.

Just helping where I can since I've been extra busy with work and clients. My wife is trying to quit smoking soooooo, I'm trying to avoid that hate as well lol.

Sitting around 261 now. Fully in cruise mode. Sleeping as much as I can. Eating on time and on plan. I'm fatter then I've been in about four years right now. Not super excited about that but, can't carve a pebble as they say. I haven't tried to push my weight this high, this loosely in years but, I trust the coach so I just follow the plan. The biggest reason I'm not overly worried is the fact that strength keeps increasing. Even in a more natural hormone state stop, if that's happening, good things will surely follow. I'm not really sure what I'll do post contest as far as off season. I love being big and strong AF but, I also like to see my abs relaxed lol.

Lower loadings

Strength didn't drop on lower. Picked up some reps in the squat. I moved my target rep range on my first movement for legs a few weeks back to see how they would respond. So far I like what I'm seeing so, I'll continue to keep it in the higher reps instead of 6-10. I'll move them back heavier soon but, I needed to work out the mind muscle connection to my glutes and hams a bit as well as the fact that, I've maxed out the safety squat bar in the 6-10 range and I didn't want to have to ditch it before prep. Also did upper pump. Getting fat. Needed to burn some calories.

Safety Squats - 405*16(+1), 405*12(+2)
Duck squat - 320(+20)*15, 320(+20)*12
Lying hamstring curl - 90kg*12 (very easy but cramped as usual)
Adductor\Abductor - 190*11/12, 150*13*15
Calf Raise - 150*22, 21, 19, 16
Hanging knee raise - 2*12
Vacuum stretch - 2*15 seconds
Preacher machine - 75*12, 11, 10, 9
Upper pump

Upper Muscle Rounds

I started warming up on the high row and just wasn't feeling my lats so, tried a new machine today for my "row" movement. It's a Star brand "vertical row". Basically just a seated Incline row with multiple grips but, they are all very narrow which is why I never use it. Decided to find the lowest grip, which is also angled out slightly, a try. These felt really good. Big big stretch and as long as I pulled all the way to my chest, I felt them. Sometimes you gotta adapt. I've got about five more pins on the stack for this machine so, not much room to improve but, we'll see. Along with the row, my presses were all different due to how many people were there. Meh


Vertical row - 105kg*27, 105*24
Close grip pull down - 16*24(+2)
Hammer flat press with pad - 180*26, 180*24
Cable fly - 190*23
Star shoulder press - 270*23
1 arm Cable lateral w cuff - 30*27(+4)
Hammer shrug - 225*23
Bb curl - 95*23(+1)

Not bad. Can always be better.

Lower muscle rounds

Tired. Recovery is starting to suffer a bit this last week. Still sore a tiny bit today from Squats on loading day when I would typically be fully recovered. This also happened last week as well if I remember correctly. If I'm still lagging here in the next few days I'll be going back to eod training if not more rest then that. I removed REAL a working set today due to this.

I misread my log book, didn't increase weights on my thigh movement to start the training.

Leg press high close - 14*27(+1), 6*32(very slow, paused at the bottom)
Extension - 150(+20)*23
Seated leg curl - 115(+5)*23 cramp ended set as usual
Adductor laying back - 90*23, 22
Calf press - 280*23, 22, 22