Andy
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I didn’t check-in this weekend with Nick, truth be told, 1. I don’t need accountability or for someone to agree/disagree with the decisions I’m making just now, and 2. I want a break from worrying about photos and judging things. I will eventually get back to that after my 4 nights in Marbella, but for now, I’m happy coasting, enjoying being in the gym again with my new plans, and not having to constantly worry about my physique.
I know I’m not gaining body fat as I’ve been spot on adherence wise post show. My weight – which I did check – has dropped to 258.4 (I competed at 261). This will mostly just be the gear leaving my system, but I have still increased my carbs slightly.
TD P: 345 C: 580 F: 80
NTD P: 345 C: 430 F: 80
I’m going to reintroduce reta and GH tomorrow (Monday). Reta was as high as 750mcg on prep and I removed reta (which had already been lowered to 500mcg) about 2 weeks out from Cali, and I did another shot pre-France, so I’ve been off reta for 5 weeks.
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I’m training back today at PG Irvine, so I had to do my arm session yesterday – nothing nicer than Friday afternoon arm session, not to mention Friday being my busiest check-in day, it was nice not being right done in from training trying to tick of 15 check-ins.
Standing EZ-bar curls – 3 sets, 15
Overhead rope cable extensions – 3 sets, 15
DB curl variation – 3 sets, 15
> Seated alternating hammer curls
Triceps SS/ – 3 sets, 15
SA d-handle cable curls – 2 sets, 15
SA cuffed cable extensions – 3 sets, 15
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A pretty simple NTD yesterday. As I mentioned, I pushed legs a little bit harder this week, just to slowly reintroduce myself to my standard of leg training. It’s been 7 weeks since my last 100% leg session, and I know if I try to replicate those numbers, I will be in the bin for a good few weeks.
Usual massage early afternoon.
Everything is feeling great 10 days post show. I’m looking forward to checking in on Saturday, as I feel my look was impacted by being absolutely knackered after the entire 7 weeks hit me at once.
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The first semi-proper leg session done and dusted today. I’m not quite there yet to go up to 100% leg training output, but this was still a good one, and good to crack off a good level of intensity whereas the past 7 weeks have just been there to preserve my legs, and I’ve found that I don’t need a lot to do so.
I pyramided up to the working set, with a sub-max set of 12, and then 8 for all exercises.
Pin-loaded abductor – 2 sets, 12-15 > 5s negatives, 2s in the shortened
Pause seated leg curls – 1 set, 8-12
PL leg extensions – 1 set, 8-12
Pendulum squat – 1 set, 8-12 > 4s negatives
BB squat – 1 set, 8-12 > these are in for fun just now, they will ultimately be removed
BB RDL – 1 set, 8-12 > nowhere near the poundages I’ve used in the past
EZ-bar walking lunges – 1 set, the entire length of a gym upstairs which
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I agree with Allison, I think you need to drop any idea of continuing your deficit and focus on replenishing calories. I ended up in a binge cycle in 2014 4 weeks out from my show, it wasn’t until 4 weeks post show that I got things under control, 1 of the reasons was I pushed my carbs up quite a bit to remove food noise. If you were to keep binging you’ll gain body fat anyway, it’s better to get up and ahead of these issues or potential issues.
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Push 1 ticked off for the week. Another productive one, I’m still adjusting movements, and tweaking tempos here and there, but the push sessions are coming together now. I am tracking everything, but I’m not obsessed with making numbers move.
PUSH 1
Lying cuffed Y raises – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off. Bringing arms just below parallel.
Seated d-handle cable flys – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, 1s pause in the lengthened, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off.
Wide grip SM shoulder press (pressing through pinky) – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
HS iso-lateral incline PL chest press – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
SA d-handle cable side raises – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, 2nd back-off is 3s up, 3s down. Bringing arms just below parallel.
Prime rear peck deck (torque 2) – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off.
Prime iso-lateral flat PL chest press – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
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I didn’t check-in with Nick yesterday, I wanted to give myself – and Nick – a break from looking at my physique in that way. I did check my weight however, and I was 261. The same weight I was last Sunday the morning of Empro so a successful week navigating food post show. I have found that when I tick off the first week, it’s relatively plain sailing from that point.
I added 50g of carbs to my TD plan, but not my NTD.
This week is going to be a very busy one in terms of PT, but I’m very excited to get back into my PT routine. Tomorrow is an all day one in the gym, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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1. I personally would use 1 compound assuming you’re controlling E2. 250mg is relatively well tolerated though.
2. To look good for your wedding, this is plenty.
3. I always ask clients to get a thyroid panel done to determine if thyroid supplementation is needed, assuming your timeframe, and less of a “peaking” consideration, I’d consider the T3/T4 however, I wouldn’t say it’s needed.
4. Run 250IU of HCG 3x per week, and then a full pregnancy protocol.
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Everyone has nailed the nail on the head here. Don’t overthink, a textbook “optimal” is not always a real life optimal.
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Arm day Saturdays are back! They’re back – for now – for a few reasons;
1. They’re fun, and I just want to have a bit of fun when I come into the gym, I’m always like this post show.
2. I thought I had good arms until I saw some of the monsters from this season, I’d like to see a lot more separation and thickness in them.
Standing EZ-bar curls – 3 sets, 15
Overhead rope cable extensions – 3 sets, 15
DB curl variation – 3 sets, 15
> Seated alternating hammer curls
Triceps SS/ – 3 sets, 15
SA d-handle cable curls – 2 sets, 15
SA cuffed cable extensions – 3 sets, 15
It may not look like much, but rest periods were no more than 45s and I was using a 4-1-1-2 tempo throughout.
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BB’ing and fitness will always be impacted by trends, it only takes 1 or 2 people to do a certain exercise, use a certain drug, eat a certain food for many to sit and copy it. See if a trend is up to scratch and research these “trends” for yourself.
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A decent back session today. Not much has changed with it compared to the one I was doing prior. The volume is still low, I’m not ready to put it up just yet.
Back
Vulcan grip cable pullovers – 2 sets, 12-15
HS iso SA pulldowns – 1 set, 8-12
High-to-low cable pulldowns – 2 sets, 8-12
– Leaning into the working side a lot, in order to pinch the lower lat.
Conventional t-bar rows – 1 set, 8-12
Megamass chest supported rows – 2 sets, 8-12
– Neutral handles
SA DB rows – 1 set, 8-12
– It should have been 2 sets, but I was ruined by this point.
Romanian chair straight leg raises – 3 sets, AMRAP
Decline bench crunches – 3 sets, AMRAP
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Agreed with everyone here mate, I hope you get it sorted!
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Push 2 squared away today, and it was really good one at that. It’s not that much different from push 1, other than a few exercise tweaks.
PUSH 2
Seated cuffed cable flys – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, 1s pause in the lengthened, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off.
Standing iso-lateral cuffed Y raises – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off. Bringing arms just below parallel.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Small incline SM chest press (pressing through pinky) – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
Cybex iso-lateral ‘PL shoulder press – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened. Once failure has been achieved, perform a 20s rest and go for as many reps as possible.
SA cuffed cable side raises – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, 2nd back-off is 3s up, 3s down. Bringing arms just below parallel.
SA cuffed rear delt raises – 1x 12-15, 1x 8-12, 1x 15-20, 4s negative for all, no pause in the shortened on the 2nd back-off.
Prime iso-lateral flat PL chest press – 1x 8-10, 1x 12-15, 4s negative, smooth concentric, not a powerful one, 1s pause in the lengthened.
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Agree with the guys above. If a doctor said the joint is pristine, it’s not drugs you need, it’s physio/massage work, mobility work and stretching. Shoulders are a minefield due to the amount of directions/planes you can work them in.
What specific pain do you feel in presses? Is it a pinching sensation in the lock out? Is it pain through what feels like the rear delt in the lengthened position? Is it a grinding sensation in the joint like the joint is full of gravel?
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