Quick and dirty.

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SideSteel
SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
I'm going to ramble a lot, but that's what these logs are for.

So I had a great cut this summer along with a successful fast reverse diet, and a few good months of slow and steady weight gain. This was the first time I've been able to bulk where 3300 calories isn't enough. Feelsgoodman. The previous two weeks have been IDGAF eating (intentionally). I leave for vacation tomorrow early AM and return Tuesday. On Wednesday morning the cut begins and since I've taken two weeks off of logging, I expect to be mentally ready.

I'll post official stats for beginning weigh in and measurements. My intent is to just take a 4 to 6 week period to get back down to the 180-184 range and then get right back to dat dere bulk.

I'll be starting out aggressively, around 2100-2200 calories with the following macros:

180 protein
60 fat
200-225 carbs

I expect my beginning weight to be anywhere in the 189-193 range. I also expect rapid loss the first week, and after about two weeks I'll likely add in about 100 calories and then play it by ear.


At the end of my last bulk (end Feb, 2013) I weighed around 195 with the following calculated 1rms. I wasn't able to squat due to knee problems, but since then I took several months to really work on technique -- and fortunately now I'm able to squat. I since dropped Sumo deads, but I've recently replaced conventional deads with sumo deads for a short time.

Bench: 275
Sumo Dead: 355
Deadlift: 380
OHP: 170


My current actual 1rms are as follows now:

Bench: 285
Squat: 385 (300 front)
Sumo Dead: 365
Deadlift: 405
OHP: 190

Minor improvement everywhere but developmentally I've seen the most in the legs and in the squats, and that feels pretty damn awesome.

Up until this point I have been squatting Low-Bar. I'm having some issues with joint pain and I believe it's either a mobility issue or the bar rolling on me on heavier sets, so I'm contemplating moving to high bar for a few months while I continue to work on shoulder mobility. I tested them today and they feel "reasonable".

My deadlifts suck donkey balls, and it's been a source of frustration for me. If I ever get these figured out I fully expect to go apenuts on this lift because I really do love it -- it's just not feeling good as of late.


I will be posting some lifting vids. I will be posting some food, and I'll post before and after pics along with random updates about how the progress is going.

Expectation is to drop about 10lbs in 4 to 6 weeks, with an expected big drop in week 1 as per normal.

Before pics to be posted Tuesday night.

Thanks for following along.


Oh, and I may be making some programming changes. So far it's been a bastardized 5/3/1. I'll probably keep doing it, I'll just mix around some accessories, flip a few things around, carry the two, etc....
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Replies

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    In for the dirty....
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    yew!
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Came in expecting something else *kicks rocks*
    p0Byba3.gif

    Good luck SS, doubt you will need it.
  • CallMeBacon
    CallMeBacon Posts: 196 Member
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    Tagging to keep tabs on you :)
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
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    In for the win.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Tagging this ;)
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Back from vacation and today starts the diet. My angus is peppered.

    Official starting weight this AM is at 189.0.

    Pics incoming today.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Front flexed:

    214edtc.jpg

    Front relaxed
    vx0k6p.jpg

    Side relaxed
    2uz5btv.jpg
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Today's workout -- Upper (bench main)

    5's week using 270 calculated.

    warmups -- bar, 95, 135, 135, 135.

    175x5
    205x5
    230x7 (<-- pleased with this)

    First two sets felt pretty awful. Form was fine but it just felt like I wasn't going to be able to get 230 off the pegs, so I was pretty happy with the top set.

    Banded bench (speed):
    155x3,3,3,3,3

    I don't actually know how much the bands are contributing as I'm using a very ghetto method but I'm increasing the static load over time while keeping the same bands.

    Chins:
    BWx5
    (BW+75)x5,4
    (BW+45)x8,6

    Barbell overhead press (volume, 90s rest)
    105x12
    105x8
    105x8

    Face pulls
    10 plates (weight stack) x 10,10,10,10

    Inc cable flies
    30x12,10,8,8


    Overall a good workout. I left out pendlay rows because I'm deadlifting tomorrow. Normally I have a rest day in between but vacation threw my schedule off (today was a non lift day).
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    awesome stuff!

    How do you do the bands for speed? It is adding resistance as you press right?

    My ghetto version was just taking an end in each hand and wrapping behind shoulder. Lay on bench, grab bar and press.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    When I say ghetto it's because I'm not using the appropriate bands. I'm taking resistance bands that have handles on each end (typically used for bodyweight stuff) and I'm putting one handle on each end of the bar and stringing it under the bench. So effectively, as the bar is pressed upwards the resistance contribution from the bands is increased. Since these bands aren't very strong I use 3 of them together.

    Just did triples focusing on accelerating the weight as fast as I could.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    So last night I somehow forgot to eat the 1oz of peanuts I logged, which means I actually ended the day around 1960 calories. LOLpovertymacros


    Today was lower day, my plan was to pull first, then some high bar back squats to see how those felt, then some calf work.

    It didn't go as planned.

    I started with some deads and it just felt like SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIT. REALLY didn't feel good. I stopped at 275 (1rm is 405 if the stars align, realistically I'd struggle with 380 now). Got too frustrated, and making technical adjustments didn't help anything so I quit.

    Tried some high bar squats and those didn't feel good either (I've only done them once so far) so I went to low bar because it felt reasonable.

    135x3,3
    185x3,3
    225x1
    255x1
    285x1
    315x1
    345x1
    390x1 PR

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x31IvcYg-58&amp;feature=youtu.be

    Depth is certainly questionable but when I pause it at the bottom and ignore the stripes on my pants I do think this is at parallel. Bar speed is decent for a 1RM. Definitely tip forward a bit out of the hole but I made it up just fine.

    Followed with:
    285x8,6 for volume:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RYRbYcEjIc

    My breathing is annoying.
    Going to film another few sets on next leg day from exactly the side view (this is off a bit) so I can see how much drift I have with the bar. I'm shifting forward slightly.

    Followed that with front squats:
    135x3
    185x3
    225x1
    275x1
    205x12,3 (totally wiped at this point).

    Then a high rep set of calves and done.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    How can you forget something while on poverty macros...must have been really distracted :wink:
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    How can you forget something while on poverty macros...must have been really distracted :wink:

    lulz
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    And re the PR

    66ztys.jpg



    ETA: As I have already mentioned - I think the depth is legit.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    looks like just on depth to me and I would call that super speedy. If that was in a PL comp, that would be my second based on that speed :smile: Good stuff!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    10/4/13

    Rest day. Today's weight: 187.2. Down 1.8lbs.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    10/5

    Upper day. Ohp main, 5s week 175 calc.

    Not listing warmup sets-
    115x5, 130x5, 150x7
    110x12,8,7 (90s rest)

    Pendlay rows:
    210x5, 205x5, 205x5, 175x12,9

    Bench, 90s rest
    175x12,8,7

    Chins, 90s rest
    45x8,5,5

    Cable rows, single arm:
    2x12

    Felt good overall. I'm not noticing any effects yet from the low intake and hopefully I won't ever, as I'll be adding some cals in soon.

    Body weight dropped another .6. Now at 186.6, started 189 3 days ago.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    So if you're unaware of flatbread pizza, get aware.

    2r58a34.jpg

    Seriously these things are amazing.

    Macros if you top with some chopped shrimp:
    749 75c 22f 71p

    I used turkey pepperoni tonight, check my log to decipher macros, but GL because it's grouped with other stuff. I think Thursday has the shrimp ones if you want to check ingredients.

    These taste OUTSTANDING. I grill the flatbread first, then top it, then put it on the cool side of the grill to melt the toppings. Two of them made a reasonable meal. I'd love to eat 3 or 4 of them, but then again I'd also love a BJ and you can't have everything you want all the time, n'amsayan?

    So on these low *kitten* calories (low for me anyways) I'm finding that I can't always meet the following criteria:

    a) Eat ice cream or poptarts
    AND
    b) Keep hunger low.

    It's been especially difficult today, so I removed my measly 1/2c of ice cream and replaced it with:

    1z31g14.jpg

    That's right, vegetables, B. Some bell pepper, a cucumber, some tomato, and 2tbsp of fat free italian and some salt.

    I will choose satiety over non satiating foods almost always, if I know that I'll be fighting hunger .

    Fortunately, even at 2400-2500 calories, which I'll be on in a couple of weeks most likely, I can still lose fat and fit in some fun stuff as well. I just can't seem to do it on 2100 right now.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    IN