My Off-Cycle/Pre-Cycle Training Journal

[Frackal]

11/18/01 - 11/21/01

Well now, I have not had time to post much lately, but I wrote everything down so I could update it as promised. 2 of the 4 days I missed, 18th and the 20th were non-workout days.

19th Was Leg Day, I decided to try working just quads and do hams with back on Friday, something I do every 4th workout or so to mix things up and give my injury a bit of a rest from deadlift type work 2x a week.

Quads:

Squats, concentrated on putting full pressure on quads and off glutes and hams: 275 x 9
Slow Front Squats: Bar + 100 x 10
Horizontal Squat Machine: Whole Stack (400lbs) x 8
Hack Squats, Very Slow: 270 x 8
Leg Extentions: 140 x 8 with superpainfulassfuckingsqueeze at the top of the rep...don't normally do these because of shearing forces on the knee

Today, 21st Chest, Calves, Abs:

Incline Presses: 90's x 6 - Tried New Warmup Strategy, did not work well for dumbell presses, was weaker than usual, will not do again.
Flat Presses: 100's x 8 - " "

Incline SM Presses Bar + 230 x 6
Dips w/ 55lb Dumbell x 8
Incline and Decline Flyes: 50lbs x 8 (very slow and controlled)
Extreme Stretching Using Pec Dec

Seated Calf Raises: 320 x 6
Standing Calf Raises: 300 x 8 (from full stretch to full contraction)
Modified Seated Calf Raises: 180 x 8
Extreme Stretching

 

[Frackal]

11/23/01

Today Was Back Day, popped a vandayl sulfate 5000mcg cap before my workout, actually my muscles felt quite hard, pretty cool.

Weights were:

Cable Rows: 230 x 7
Pulldowns: 220 x 8
T-Bar Rows (stuck on this one damnit) 4 plates x 6
Close Grip Very Controlled Pulldowns: 220 x 9
Dumbell Rows: 75 x 8

Lower Back/Hams:
Deads: 185 x 8
DB Deads w/ deep hamstring isolation: 75 x 10
Lying One Legged Curls: 190 x 5
Standing One Legged Curls 150 x 6

Will Be posting 12 day cutting phase and reasoning behind it in the next few days.

 

[Frackal]

11/24/01 - 11/27/01

First off, Delts weights were as follows:

Military Press: 175 x 6
Dumbell Presses: 70 x 8
SM Presses: Bar + 180 x 5
Side Raises: 30's x 7
Cable Rear Delt Raises: 30's x 8
Reverse Pec Rear Delt Raises: 90 x 8
Rotator Cuff Strengthening Exercises

Obviously Delts are lagging as far as strength, looks like it's time to change up my routine a bit, maybe I'll try doing dumbell presses first w/ 75's, than barbell presses....

Now, I am 2 days into the cutting phase. My diet looks like this:

Total Caloric Intake: 2,300 - 2,700 calories
Protein: 50% of total calories, or approximately 340 grams/day
Carbs: 25% of total calories, or approximately 170 grams/ day
Fats: 25% of total calories, or approximately 75 grams/day

Carbs are highest pre and post workout, lowest at night, with unsaturated fats replacing them for calories.

A regular meal with this ratio is:

Protein: 55grams
Carbs: 30 grams
Fat: 13 grams

I am using 20mg ox in the morning to help preserve lean mass, along with an NYC (norephedrine/caffeine/yohimbine) stack, + l-tyrosine to help neurotransmitters. I am consuming 10 grams of creatine per day as well, and a Ribo-Force HP packet pre workout, I can get these free from work.

Unfortunately I cannot afford L-glutamine which bothers me but hopefully the high protein intake will offset the negative implications of that somewhat.

I am also doing short intense cardio in the morning on an empty stomach 30 min after NYC stack three days a week, and weights three days per week.

The way the cycle went, I left the bulking phase w/o completing my full rotation, arms/traps were left so I trained those today by themselves, otherwise bi's will go w/ back and chest w/ tris for the durationi of this 12-14 day dieting phase.

Triceps:
CG Bench: 235 x 6
Skullcrushers: Cambered Bar + 90

Bi's:
Barbell Curls: Bar + 70 x 6

Traps: (must continue to be careful w/ lower back)
SM Shrugs: Bar + 230
Dumbell Shrugs: 105's x 8

Forearms: Standing wrist curls w/ 55lb dumbells

 

[Frackal]

Update:

Well now, obviously I've been getting worse and worse about updating this and for that I apologize again..I've been busy and my keyboard broke yadda yadda

Anyway:


- I am almost finished with my dieting phase. I am EXTREMELY impressed with how much LEANER I have gotten...amazed really...the way my abs came out, I can almost guarantee I lost like 2 % bodyfat in about 12 days....Here is what I've been doing:

- My meals have been as follows:

-1 to 2 moderate low GI carb meals per day, usually morning before a workout and if a weights day immediately after a workout

-The remainder of my meals have been 1 serving of protein, and 2 tablespoons of flaxseed...not the oil but the seed....it is simply an amazing compound which I have neglected to include in my diet..I feel it is the primary force behind quick loss of bodyfat. Read up on it for those who don't know the value of these EFAs to see why it is such a powerful fatloss tool, especially when it consists of the majority of your non-protein intake.

- I have used a nor-ephedrine/caffeine/yohimbine hcl stack 2 -3 times per day..because insulin blunts the effects of yohimbine, I feel the lower carb diet works systergenically w/ the NYC stack to help lower bodyfat even faster.

- I am also using 20mg/day of IP ox, taken all in the morning as to limit HTPA interruption as a good hormone balance is crucial to this ABCDE program...

To give an example of my fatloss progress (will take pics next time)...I started being able to see all 6 abs but only in the morning, could not see serratus at all...now I can not only see all 6 abs clearly, there is a true dent in between my upper 2 sets of abdominal muscles, both vertically and horizontially, I can clearly see my serrattus at all times now as well as my obliques, I can also see to veins on either side of my lower waistline..my arms are looking more cut and vascular as well as my chest, etc...

- I have not lost much if any strength, possibly only a couple reps shorter on all exercises.

Overall I am EXTREMELY impressed with my progress of this dieting phase which I am ending on Friday (12 days) and hitting a 14 day bulking phase...I beileve if I can continue to make this sort of progress then I may just get another 200 10mg ox and keep doing this for awhile...I believe the ox is a crucial component of this, because it does not interrupt the endocrine balance much, but it provides great anti-catabolic and fatloss properties on the cutting phase, while also helping to maximize my results from loaiding with creatine on the bulking phase, and enhancing my strength as well...I hope there are some who are still interested in my progress as I will continue to post it...I will also post my full workout with weights as well as cardio for this dieting phase in the next few days....

 

[Frackal]

Bulking Phase Update

Today is day 4 of the bulking phase....going EXCELLENT actually, feeling quite hungry, quite pumped and quite strong....

Leg Day 12/08/01

Squats: 265 x 6 (I attribute my weakness here to still being carb depleted)

Front Squats: 130 x 5

Horizontal Squats w/ extra focus on working quads: 400 x 6

Hack Squats, slow w/ super squeeze on top: 270 x 7

Dumbell SLDL: 80's x 8

1 Leg Lying Leg Curl: 200 x 3
1 Leg Standing Leg Curl: 150 x 6


12/10/01

Chest: AWESOME Day..broke personal record on inclines....helps to have a spotter!

Incline DB Press: 100x 7
Flat DB Press: 105 x 6
Incline SM Press: 240
Pullovers: 75 DB x 7
Incline DB Flyes: 55 x 7
Dips: 55lb DB x 7

Stretching

 

[Frackal]

12/11/01-12/16/01

I guess some people are paying attention here since I can see it has 100+ views which aren't all from me so I will continue to update. Bulking phase is going well, not gaining much bodyfat at all, pretty bloated with water but I can tell it's water because in the mornings I look pretty ripped.

What's cool is, weights are up in virtually all exercises and all areas:

12/12/01:

Back Day:

Cable Rows: 230 x 7
Cable Pulldowns: 220 x 5
T-Bar Rows: 190 x 4 1/2 (lol)
Chins w/ 40 lb DB: 6 reps
Pulldowns with Wide Attachment "Heavy" Dropset: Don't really count weights here, this is kind of an all-out animalistic set where I start at about 180 or so and go all the way down, lowering it so I can do no more than 6 reps as per Max - OT principles.

(Max-Ot is the MOST effective set of training principles I have ever used)

Extreme Stretching after being very pumped, helps expand myocyte I believe it's called, leading to growth.

Lower Back:
Deads: 190 x 12
Hypers

12/14/01

Shoulders:

My shoulders have been rather sore lately, but despite that I still was able to raise my dumbell presses by 5 lbs per arm:

BB Presses: 185 x 4 Not sure why I was weaker here
DB Presses: 75's x 7
BB SM Presses Bar + 185 x 5
Side Raises: 30's x 6, 20's x 7
Rear Delt Cable Raises: 30 x 6 (30 each side)

Calves:
Seated CR: 360 x 5...not full reps, but close
Standing: 380 x 7 ... could do more but I get spasms in my quads from this.
Altered Seated CR, exaggeratedly full reps, full contraction to full extention: 200 x 8
One Legged Stair CR holding 45 lb DB: Full reps, x 8
Extreme Stretching

Shoulders began to bother me a bit so I stopped here. Normally traps would have followed before calves.


12/16/01

Arms/Traps/Abs

Close Grip Bench: 245 x 5 (This bothers me because it's way too close to my squat, yet somehow I manage to keep symmetry with the other exercises thank god, my arms are about 17-17.25 pumped and my quads are 26 cold)
Skullcrushers: Bar + 100 x 3 (that sucked)
One Arm Overhead Extentions: 45 lb DB x 6
SM CG Bench: Bar + 200 x 7
Cable Pushdowns: Stack (190?) x 6

Barbell Curl: Bar + 90 x 5
Dumbell Curl Standing: 50's x 4
One Arm Cable Curls: 75 x 8 and 7 right/left

Shrugs:
110 lb DB's x 7
Upright Rows: Bar + 55 x 6

Hanging Leg Raises: 8
Decline Crunches w/ 25 Plate: 12
Cable Rope Crunches: Stack (190?) x 11
Seated Machine Crunch: Stack (??) x 8

 

[Frackal]

12/17/01-12/23/01

Not much new to report...strength continued to be at pretty much an all time high. 2 days into the cutting phase now and feeling fine, slightly upset that I will be eating flax and turkey breast on X-mas day but I have my priorites. =) My grandpa will bitch like hell but that's ok.



12/18/01

Legs: I am frustrated as my back continues to limit me here...it has been so long since I hurt it...

Squats: 295 x 6
SM Front Squats: Bar + 140 x 5
<spur of the moment>
Breathing Squats: 225 x 19
Hack Squats: 3 plates per side x 8 (too light)

Dumbell Deadlifts: 80lb DB x 8
Dumbell Lunges (liked these alot, hard on hams, easy on back): 45's in each hand x 6 reps per leg
Standing Leg Curls: 150 x 7


12/20/01

Chest:

Dumbell Incline: 100 x 7
Dumbell Flat: 105 x 5
Incline SM Presses: Bar + 230 x 4
Dips w/ 60lb DB: 8
SM Decline Presses (too light) Bar + 200 x 9
Incline DB Flyes 50lb DB's x 6
Pullovers: 75lb DB x 7

-End Bulking Phase-

Now, a couple new things in store for the future. =)

First, I am going to concentrate the dieting phase on a few things besides fatloss. I am going to use it as a period to stress my back as little as possible, while doing extremely intense ab training as well as solid back stretching. I will now be devoting one entire day in my diet training cycle as a lower back (mainly stretching) and ab strengthening day.

I am also going to look into adding glucophage to my bulking as well as possibly cutting diet depending on how much you need to cycle off.

I will be loading with creatine + dextrose (glucose) at high dosages post workout from now on with hopefully glucophage in the future which I believe will be quite systergenic with the Ox that I take pre-workout.

I have done some calculating and it appears that I will have to eat NO LESS than 6,000 calories per day to grow, less when I have my car. A lot of fucking food. But I can do it, I've done more than that in the past.

I will be doing breathing squats as my primary leg exercise..I use E/C pre-workout, no more than 40mg E and 3-400mg C but I have still been worried about the stress on my heart from that. I am going to instead get some vivarin and take that along with 25mg or so of ephedra and see how that works.

I will now be posting my GOALS in bodyweight as well as weight INCREASES and throw it out there for everyone to see whether or not I can accomplish it.

It is time to take this shit to the next level and I am fucking ready!!!

 

[Frackal]

Example Of My Cutting Diet - Feel Free To Critique

My Estimate of my Daily Caloric Expenditure on non-workout days is between 4,000 and 5000, on workout days close to 6000. I have a very, very fast metabolism and from my researched calculations this is correct.

Therefore my goal has been to create a caloric deficit of around 500-1000 per day.

To acomplish this, I have been eating 7 meals of around 500 cals a piece in this fashion:

Weight Training Day Meal Plan:

1- 1 cup oatmeal, 200 cals protein (steak, eggwhites)
2- Post workout Shake: 400 cals carbs, 2 scoops whey (around 550 cals)
3. 2 Heaping Tablespoons flaxseed, steak/tuna/whey: 200 cals flax, 250 give/take cals protein, fiberous carbs.
4. 2 Heaping Tablespoons flaxseed, steak/tuna/whey: 200 cals flax, 250 give/take cals protein, fiberous carbs.
5. 2 Heaping Tablespoons flaxseed, steak/tuna/whey: 200 cals flax, 250 give/take cals protein, fiberous carbs.
6. 2 Heaping Tablespoons flaxseed, steak/tuna/whey: 200 cals flax, 250 give/take cals protein, fiberous carbs.
7. 2 Heaping Tablespoons flaxseed, steak/tuna/whey: 200 cals flax, 250 give/take cals protein, fiberous carbs.

Sometimes I will be unable to eat the fiberous carbs.

On non-workout days I will be doing cardio in the morning for short intense bursts on an empty stomach, eating a flax protein meal after, I believe I will continue to burn bodyfat during this time.

Each day I will have between 1-2 carb containing meals.

 

[Frackal]

12/24/01-1/07/02

Bulking Cycle is on it's third day today, going quite well. Hitting a solid 6,000-6,500 calories per day, eating my fucking ass off, muscles are full and feeling pretty good.

Thanks to some sort of delay, I am currently training 100% natural, no ox or anything, so we'll see what happens. This bulking cycle will also last longer than 14 (probably 21-28) days due to my propensity to lose bodyfat very easily, but not gain mass as quickly.

Here is an example of my daily nutrition not including supplements on a NON-workout day, on a workout day, meal number 2 switches with one, and takes place after my workout:

1. 700 calories Ultra Fuel, 300 cals Whey
2. 600 calories Waffles, 400 calories Whole Eggs
3. 700 calories Rice Milk, 300 calories Whey
4. 1,000 calories ground beef, milk, potato mix
5. Myoplex Deluxe + Myoplex Mass if at work, if not at work substituted for something similiar
6. Steak - 2-300 cals, 200 cals oatmeal, 500 cals (5 tablespoons) flaxseed
7. Shortly before bed, or mid-night, scoop whey, 2-3 tablespoons flax

First Bulking Training Day, 12/06/01

Back:

Cable Rows - 240 x 5
Cable Pulldowns - 220 x 7
T-Bar Rows - 185 x 5.5
Chins: 40lb DB x 6
One Arm DB Rows: 80 lb DB x 8
Max of 6 Reps Dropset with modified grip pulldowns - N/A
Extreme Stretching

Deads: 205 x 6


Next back day I will switch some shit around, been doing this routine too long.

NOTE: Cutting phase went very well, at the end of it I can honestly say I've never been that ripped in my life..couldn't have been above 7% bodyfat.

Dehydrated bodyweight was 190 lbs. Current bodyweight after 3 days is 202, but most of that is food since I just weighed myself at that and I've been eating all day. Morning goal weight after this is 205.

 

[Frackal]

1/08/02

Alright, 2 updates in a row, gotta be a fuckin record.

Anyway, no ox like I said so I'm naked against the iron...or something...ehhh

Anyway, trained shoulders today...I will say I have never been so full or pumped except for when I was on test, pretty impressed there. However I was a bit weaker, so I had to change my training regime on the spot:

Military Press: 185 x 6
Dumbell Presses: Tried to get the 75's up w/o a spotter, couldn't fucking make it. :MAD:
Dropped Dumbells, immediately went over to SM BB where I only got 3 goddamn reps with 2 plates per side.
So, decided to do a strip set of DB presses, started with 65's x 6, all the way down to 40's x 6 progression was 65, 55, 45, 40
Side Raises Strip Set: 25 x 6, 20 x 6 15 x 6
Rear Delt Raises: 25s x 8

Sad sad shit, even though I had a pump from hell...I might have to revise my routine if I'm going to be out of ox....maybe concentrate on slightly higher reps with very good form, slower reps, tempos like 2-1-3 ...