[Andy]

I’d stick to the 5 meals + intra with 3 hours between. As Allison said, longer between meals is better for digestion, so long as everything is spread out fairly evenly.

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[Andy]

A pretty tame NTD today as I’ve just got back from Aberdeen which takes just over 3 hours.

I’m starting to wake up rounder and fuller each morning which is a good sign for me, as usually I have a flatness to me, even when I’m pushing.

My training partner is back this week, so I’ll be getting in some forced reps into the plan which I tend to do with most exercises, especially compounds. Also, I tend to not press max DBs above head unless Chris is there as he’s the only one I really trust.

I should probably announce on here that I won’t be competing this year. I’d like to spend another 20 weeks putting on size rather than prepping. That just feels like the right decision in my gut, so I’ll be aiming to do April/May/June shows in 2026 instead.

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[Andy]

I’ve spent the past couple of days catching up with family in Aberdeen, so it’s been a hectic one, but I found time to get a push session ticked off at Warehouse – probably the best gym in the north east of Scotland, and I managed to catch up with a few friends when I was there as well.

I subbed out a few things like the DB press – I don’t particularly like DB pressing in a gym I’m not used to, I’m not sure why, it just doesn’t feel right – and WH has some great chest pieces so I subbed the Prime PL press for the Nautilus PL press.

Lying Y raises – 2 working sets, 12-15

Cuffed cable rear delt raises – 3 working sets, 15-20

High incline SM shoulder press – 1 working set, 8-12, 1 back-off set, 12-15

Nautilus flat PL chest press – 1 working set, 8-12, 1 back-off set, 12-15

SA cuffed cable side raises – 3 working sets, 12-15 + double drop

Bent over rope triceps extensions – 3 working sets, 12-15 + double drop

Overhead rope triceps extensions – 3 working sets, 12-15

Across the body cable triceps extensions – 3 working sets, 12-15

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[Andy]

During the post show feed if you’ve taken on large amounts of foods your body isn’t used to, perhaps slightly intolerant too, and combined with any kind of water and/or sodium manipulations, it isn’t unheard of to still be a bit bloated almost a week later, and it’s very common to still be holding water from said feed.

Assuming the season is done, try and keep the diet as clean as possible – in an ideal world 100% clean, but that’s not always possible – keep fluids high, train (intensity differs for most), and keep some cardio in and the fluid will fall off and any irritation your gut may have will subside.

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[Andy]

I just make sure I’ve finished my intra by the time my session is over.

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[Andy]

It’s been one of those days where it looked very quiet on paper, but now writing this at 8pm, I’m trying to think of what I’ve actually done today. . .

I finally managed to get in for a massage after being cancelled on twice – for valid reasons I’ll admit. Everything feels great – according to Ricky – so the body is in a good spot for moving forward.

Fullness right out of bed is almost where it was pre-flu, and with another weeks worth of training it should be right back to where it was!

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[Andy]

A great push session squared away today, and that’s me back up to peak levels of strength which is great – obviously. I actually hit a PB on my first movement. I feel my biceps are still gassing earlier than usual, but that will be sorted by next week. In terms of growth vs recovery, I’ve found that 2 exercises for biceps is enough for me to get what I want growth wise, however we’re always chasing more aren’t we, so I’m thinking some bicep work with my shoulder dominant push could be a shout – 1 exercise, 3 sets, 12-15, so I’ll trial that on Saturday.

Seated cuffed cable flys – 2x 8-12, 1x 12-15

Incline DB press – 1x 8-12, 1x 12-15

Small incline SM chest press – 1x 8-12, 1x 12-15

Prime rear peck deck – 3x 12-15

SA cable side raises – 3x 12-15

Standing EZ-bar cable curls – 3x 12-15

High incline EZ-bar cable curls – 3x 12-15

Shallow decline sit-ups – 3 working sets, AMRAP

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[Andy]

Just curious what does your diet look like right now?

Hi Nick,

Yeah, that looks spot on, I can see the Tuor influence in that

[/quote]

Also do you think its fine just doing a protein shake post workout and no CDX shake post workout 15 minutes after like Patrick normally does?[/quote]

Hi Nick,

I’ll post my updated diet with tomorrow’s blog, yeah, so long as there’s a big carb meal PWO then that’s fine. HBCD intra would be my first choice before a PWO dose of it.

[/quote]
Gotcha! So I was thinking about doing 6 meals! You think it’s better to do 6 whole food meals with and intra rather than 5 meals with pre, intra and post workout shakes!

I work a 9-5 so I have lots of time in the day to fit 6 meals but doing 6 meals plus the shakes just exceeds the amount of cals I need! So it’s either 6 meals with just intra or 5 meals with the shakes!

I just know Patrick normally always put the shakes immediately around training maybe for better nutrient up take![/quote]

If you can fit everything into 5 meals calorie wise then that’s absolutely fine. When calories rise, you have the option to add another meal instead of adding more food to meals.

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[Andy]

Assuming it’s a decent meal, and not a binge, you do not need to compensate by “banking calories/macros”. Simply pull 1 or 2 meals out from your day.

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[Andy]

I’d say the main concern with using too much bread, or any at all, is digestion in my opinion. However, if you can tolerate it, and having it in your plan makes your meal(s) enjoyable then keep it in. I have wholemeal bread in year round because I enjoy it.

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[Andy]

Leg day to kick off the week today, and I’d say strength is back to where it was pre-Tenerife/pre-flu, so that’s good, and made me feel a lot better about myself.

The aim now – as it always is – is to push for more in the way of output and see where the visuals lead.

I can “get away with” training legs with quite low volume (when I have access to forced reps from my training partner). Whenever I push volume or workload I always end up beat up quicker, which then impacts areas which do actually need more attention (chest & delts).

Prime PL lying leg curls – 1x 12-15 + double drop set

Prime PL leg extensions – 1x 12-15 + Tuor rest pause

HS horizontal leg press – 1x 8-12, 1x 12-15

Pendulum squat – 1x 8-12

Paused Cybex seated leg curls – 1x 12-15, 1x 15-20

Seated calve raises – 3x 20

Decline sit-ups – 3x AMRAP

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[Andy]

I don’t use my Tik Tok account because some of the stuff I’m “subjected to” is appalling.

As a few of the team have said above, there is a mountain of information in this forum, all from pro’s and top amateurs.

It’s a shame when you see 18-25 years olds in the gym clearly emulating these people, yet, it’s now not uncommon to walk into a BB gym in the UK and not see a pro (of any fed) training in there. The evidence for what to do is right there in front of you, and 9.9/10 that BB will be more than happy to tell you how he/she got there.

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[Andy]

I don’t really feel we need a study to know/show that a nap can make up for a bad night’s sleep. Id take every opportunity to nap, even if it’s just 10 minutes, and even if you get 7-8 hours deep sleep.

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[Andy]

A very wholesome NTD today, meeting some of the team for in person check-ins, Sunday roast with the other half – I don’t rate Sunday roasts, it’s meat and veg, but this is pretty good! – and plenty of naps, catching up from a hectic Friday/Saturday.

There was a sense of relief when the other half moved in as we now no longer need to do long distance which was becoming harder and harder to do. As many of you know, it’s not easy for a BB to travel light, and being a busy PT, it’s a hard to juggle that too.

I’m now going into the rest of the year with a far more routine personal life.

I still haven’t checked in with Nick yet, I’m in a good place across the board though, and this coming week should be another good one!

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[Andy]

Yes, you can still progress well into a deficit, but there will come a time where recoverability lowers and thus so will progression and ultimately, some lifts will drop. The severity of which is what would dictate the actions you take.

Are you seeing subtle drops in poundages, reps, stability in the lift? All of which would/may require different actions to be taken. As well as how much body weight/mass you’ve lost over the course of your diet. If you have to slash calories, then performance will suffer, if you’ve started your strongest at a lean start point, you may not see any regression.

I will now 9/10 end up just flatlining, and lifts won’t progress, but they won’t regress either.

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