Blood on the Barbell (5 months of compound lifts)

Okiludy

Background:
45-year-old male. Obese and have gone from 300 lbs on 4/1/2017 to 244lbs on 10/20/2017.

Supplements:
I am using the Kaged muscle pre-intra stack but will be moving to Nutrabio once I’m done with current supply. It’s not a bad stack just want a change. Nutrabio has completely transparent labeling and no soy to mess with my allergy.

I also take fish oil and a multi, but that is for health not really lifting

I wanted to add I really don't know if you need anything more than some protein. That can be found easily in normal food. You don't need supplements if you don't want them. If you do it’s your body, and if legal, who has a right to take moral high ground.

Soreness:
Recovery has been a bit harder in last month. I changed my programming and it’s helping. I sleep good and eat higher amounts of protein but the deficit in calories has been hurting me and slowing my progress.

Injury:
Well, the title of the thread should be explained. I have had a few calluses torn off in the last couple of weeks. I have been taping them and cleaning bar but the first time it happens it can make you stop and watch blood rolling down the arm to the bar. Then you say *kitten* it and continue your lift. Well if your a knucklehead like me that's how it works.

I pulled my right rhomboid and had to take 2 weeks off and lower intensity and volume for a week after that. I am back to full strength finally this week but it sucked.

Goal:
I broke the 950 combined finally. Didn’t happen until I increased calories. I want 1000 more than I want the 100kg weight class. So the goal is right now to eat at maintenance and watch the weight. A slow decrease in weight would be fine so not eating back exercise calories. Still if more than a pound a week I’ll increase the amount.

Longer term goal is to enter first meet next Feb. I’m hoping to go at 100kg but would go higher if means hurting my totals.

Body Composition & Health:
I don’t take body fat percentages and don’t care much about my weight except for my first competition weight class. Still, it should be noted that my body is much different than when I started.

At around 48lbs lost I could fit into 42” slacks. At 56lbs lost, I am almost into 38” slacks. I have obvious changes in my arms (mainly triceps), chest, traps, and legs. I actually have veins showing on my forearms most days.

I feel great. Not only physically but mentally I think I am happier. I do random acts of kindness and would honestly never have gone out of my way to help another in last 15 years.

Programming:
I switched to 5/3/1 Boring But Big. It’s a lot of volume but at a lower intensity. Problem with it is the progression is slow at monthly. This will not work for a younger novice or intermediate lifters. For an older, early intermediate lifter it means I am pretty sore but recovery is good as only hitting each lift once a week. I’ll take slow steady progression over spinning my wheels and *kitten* recovery.

https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/boring-but-big-3-month-challenge - I am not running this version but one from "5/3/1 Forever" but it's pretty close. I also started the assistance work at 30% as he recommends in the book to get used to the added volume. I am increasing that percentage by 10% next month and hopefully another 10% the following month. Taking it slow to adapt.

Numbers:
1RM is calculated off a heavy double or triple. These are not all on the same day so total may be 10% or more off but it gives me a reference point.

Squat
3x5 45lbs 6/5/2017 - learning lifts
3x5 150lbs 7/5/2017
2x5 260lbs 7/28/2017
1rm 320 8/21/2017
1rm 330 10/20/2017

Bench
3x5 45lbs 6/5/2017 - learning lifts
3x5 135lbs 7/5/2017
3x3 160lbs 7/28/2017
1rm 185lbs 8/25/2017
1rm 210lbs 10/19/2017 - SO DAMN CLOSE TO 2 PLATES!

Deadlift
1x5 65lbs 6/5/2017 - learning lifts
1x5 265lbs 7/5/2017
1x5 335lbs 7/28/2017
1rm 405 8/25/2017
1rm 416 10/16/2017

Thanks for reading my wall of text.