The Beast's Training Journal!

[WalkingBeast]

Another small size update. Legs up to 28 1/2 cold flexed , left, and 28 1/4 right. Nothing major but shows that size is in a rising state during this growth phase. Eating has been up to 250-285 protein last 4 days or so but havent been able to train in 4 days. Still waiting for this strained neck/shoulder/trap to heal up. Maybe within a few days but dont know yet. Its been gradually getting better. Some of my strains tend to be more severe then regular pulls since it involves the discs getting compressed and nerve issues too

kill that shit

 

[WalkingBeast]

Took a little over 3 weeks off to heal this neck,trap,shoulder strain. Not sure what to call it exactly. Some nerve compression from the crushed discs too Im sure.

Feels mostly back to usual state. Still some tightness in neck but should be able to work around it now. Would be best to minimise trap work with laterals and maybe avoid overhead pressing all together. Delts get plenty of growth from the incline and other chest work anyway.

Im going to attempt to continue my growth phase for 2 months, from where I left off. I lost very minimal size, muscle measurement wise, so everything should fill back out in a week or so.

Size is the main focus now but strength PRs will probably be hit with the high rep pressing (incline dumbbells) and possibly the heavier machine work but I want to test shit out first before I get into the more damaging shit.

Im at a good size now where any growth can be potential all time records and any strength increases would be all time records as well. So Ill see if I can finish out the year with some further progress. Cant say yet until I see what happens today. If things go well I wont re injure my first day back

The strains did not feel even close to healed after the second week, so I thought it might take months, but by the third week it began healing quickly and now I dont feel that tightness, strained feeling.


Really wont know where Im at til put some weight on it though. Relaxed without weight is completely different then adding hundreds of pounds. So Ill see how shit feels today. Ill decide from that point

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Chest and delts



Not a bad session today for taking 3 weeks off. Half of that 3 weeks was eating very little. Only down to 229 lbs , and minimal size loss overall, so not too bad. Strength was down 16 reps with the 450 hammer strength incline but thats to be expected with a 3 week break. It comes back very quick for me, size and strength

I wasnt looking to go all out wild and ballistic as I was mostly testing the integrity of my trap, shoulder, neck after the strains. Never know until I put some real weight on it. Everything felt good overall but didnt push volume hard or weight. Survival is the goal for this next 2 months.

So I decided to resume my growth phase as planned. My goal for this phase is just to finish off the year with some added progress in size and strength, and SURVIVE the next 2 months of training. Dont want to have any major strains again for that period. I want to make the most of that growth phase.

Some heaviness in breathing today and cardiovascular conditioning but managable.

I should get it back pretty quick. Some of my growth phase has been compromised since Im starting it a little undersized and under strength but Ill make the best out of it aslong as I last the duration without breaks.

Being lighter was also partly do to not eating beforehand, and being on a scale that usually has me 3 lbs lighter as well. So I may have been a little heavier under normal conditions on the usual scale

229 lbs before meals

Was tempted to do more but will hold myself back and try to last. Overhead presses and heavy dumbbell laterals have the most potential to aggravate that neck area. So Ill have to feel shit out and maybe even avoid overheads during this phase. Dont need em anyway


Incline Hammer Strength Press (3/4 ballistic reps until noted)


90x80 (not to failure, warm up)
180x40 (same)
270x10 (same)
360x20 ( to failure but didnt implement too much rest pause)
450x7 (same)

Full lockout repetitions


No rest til line

450x3
360x5
270x5
180x15

---------

I get much better chest stimulation and growth off of 3/4 reps and constant tension but just switched it up since I was not planning to go to 500 or 540 today like usual. Didnt wanna fuck with strains. Aside from better results , cutting short of lockout also allows my joints to last much longer before breaks. I will cycle ranges though at times. It can be a good way to break plateus. Hitting 3/4 reps for a while and then going to full reps for example, my full rep strength will increase along with 3/4 rep strength, so its a way to keep records coming in by switching between the two. Not as strength PR focused these days though. More size focus.

Wide Chest Hammer Strength

Full range repetitions (switching it up)

180x20
270x8
270x10

(fatigued quick today but returns fast)

No rest til line (same range)

270x6
180x15
-------

Aside from full range on these, many reps were held while I contracted chest as hard as possible, and extra stretching at the bottom.

Very light but I tried to keep all sets high quality, and more difficult for the weight used.


Dumbbell Laterals (hybrid movement as usual, more trap focused)


I went very light with these as I did not want to risk re pulling the strain. These were what finished me off 3 weeks ago, so this exercise was high risk. No noticable issues though, but I didnt push it.

No rest til line

35x30-40
45x10
-------

no rest til line

55x20
50x10
------------------

50x40 (brief rest pauses used)
50x40 (same)

Backed off for today

KILL SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Legs


Very light , low volume. First leg session in atleast 3 weeks.

Went for some extra depth today on the presses. Wanted to keep the weight as light as possible while still sending out some growth signals. It takes very little at this point for my legs to grow. So they should be able to break 30 inches during this growth phase. Eating will be the main thing, and not taking myself out within the next 2 months.

231 lbs after meal

Leg extentions

Brief rest pauses on each set

90x100 warm up
130x100 same

185/150 x100 (about half way I cut the weight down to 150 since knee joints were flaring up)

150/120x100 (same)

Seated Leg Curl

90x25 warm up not to failure
130x15 (same)
170x10
205x5
165x10


Cybex Squat Press

Much deeper range of motion today , to get more out of the lighter weights

300x70 warm
500x55
500x50
500x55

Some knee inflammation but sent the signal for growth

Hip adductor

no rest til line

70x50
110x30
150x15
190x5
---------

With the adductor and abductors holds are mixed in as well

Same

205x10
165x10
125x??
105x10
--------

Hip abductor

no rest til line

50x60
90x30
130x10
--------------

Same

190x5
150x10
110x20
90x20
--------

KILL SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Back and delts, 10 mins cardio


Very light, low volume

First back session in over 3 weeks.

Everything is still very sore , being first week back. Inner elbow tendonitis is still flared up from before the break but can work around it.

With the chin ups Im still re introducing them into the routine. Wide grip overhand was my prefferred grip and Ive hit over 40 when I was around 200 lbs, but now a palms facing closer grip is allowing me to do them again. Wide grip became very painful on joints with that movement. With all the extra back mass since that period, I should easily hit 20 soon, even though my bodyweight will be moving up quite a bit during this growth phase. If everything goes as planned. Will drop the movement if it causes too much issue as well. Can always do pullovers only for back if forced to do it.

232 lbs after meal


Hammer Strength Lat Pullover (plate loaded)

Can feel the extra inch or so I lost in my back/chest measurement, as I wasnt compressed into the machine as usual. Lats should fill back out in a few weeks.

90x50 warm not to failure
180x30 same
230x25 (not to failure but didnt want to fuck with neck, coming back from the strain)

Palms Facing Close Grip Chin Ups (re introducing chin ups)

100 lbs assistance x 10 (warm up)
40 lbs assistance x10 (warm)
Bodyweight x 12
Bodyweight x 10

Iso High Row Hammer Strength (plate loaded)

Most exercises not to failure today

90x30 warm not to failure
180x25 same
270x20
360x8

Iso Low Row Hammer Strength (plate loaded)

180x25 warm
270x25
360x12

Dumbbell Laterals (hybrid movement, more traps)

Kept these light as well

45x40 warm

no rest til line

55x25
45x15
-------------

same

55x25
45x15
-------------

same

55x20
45x15

--------------

Cybex lat pull (pin loaded)

190x15 (long holds)
230x12 (long holds)
230x10 (same)

Free Motion Cable Row

150x10 (holds)

Decided against it, elbow tendonitis flaring up. Switched to some pullovers to take the elbows out of it and finish up

Standing Cable Pullover (curved bar)

120x10

no rest til line

160x5
120x5
--------------

again

120x10
100x10
---------

10 mins cardio

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Inner elbows are VERY sore. Alot of inflammation. So this is going to be the biggest challenge , I think, for the next 8

weeks of this growth phase. Training around them. Today I used ice, stretched, took alieve. Ill try to heal it before

hitting arms on saturday. Though Im thinking against even hitting arms during this growth phase or keeping it VERY minimal.

As ive done up to 100 sets a week to failure of arms, I dont believe I need more volume or intensity to grow them. Growth on

my arms has been very minimal compared to everything else.

This is something ive dealt with before. Though Id have to dig back into my records to see if I trained through it or took a long break. Ive dealt with elbow pain more than once though. Where it became significant. It was never permanent.

They may be getting too much abuse indirectly from back and chest work. There are a few strategies to deal with this. One

is keeping hands straight and neutral during rowing and most movements. That means wrapping the wrists tighter than usual to

keep them straight at all times. Elbow sleeves for all upper body training most likely, for now.

Training back using pullovers only is a possibility. Standing and seated variations. That eliminates elbow usage pretty

much.

So the only things that really are compromised would be rowing for back work (can still do pullovers) and curling, biceps.

Triceps I think can still be done.

No growth phase has ever been perfect anyway with all these issues. I will try to work around it and merely SURVIVE the next

2 months without having to take a break.

After this 2 months is done I think I long break may be due, but Ill see how shit feels.

Next few days will likely be off. Possible arm training on saturday. Trained 3 days consecutively and got most of my shit done.

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Back and delts (second back session, third delt/trap session) 10 mins cardio


Elbows were real inflamed yesterday. Iced them. Took 220 mg naproxen and 1000 mg bromelain. Some stretching. They definately feel better today, even after training. Though I excluded elbows as much as possible today.

No rowing. Just pullovers for back. Wore the elbow sleeves too. Growth is coming quick in the first week of this growth phase. Chest/back is now over 55 inches again cold, and legs are 28 1/4 right and 28 1/2 left, cold flexed.

Strength still is not back. Size seems to mostly be. So I should have a good seven weeks to really add some new mass. I can tell my lats really grew again as I had trouble squeezing into the lat pullover machine , with alot of friction and compression on my sides. Which fucks up the movement. Since you want to spread your lats to get the full contraction. Still usable though. In worst case I may need to throw some rows in when possible, or blast the fuck out of standing pullovers. Ill figure something out.

I may be training back twice a week and delts/traps 3 times a week. I hit delts wit my back and chest sessions usually. My delt sessions tend to be mostly trap since I use a hybrid movement for laterals. Its the only way I can really hit my traps directly without issues.

Shoulder presses are a consideration , but maybe not until the end of the growth phase. They have too much potential to re strain my neck/trap/shoulder strain that I had to take 3 weeks off to recover from. Dont want to fuck anything up mid growth phase. Dont need direct shoulder work anyway. Get enough from chest work.

There is a possibility that I wont train arms during this growth phase. Or if I do it may be very minimal. Depends how elbows feel. They may grow a little from the 10-20 lbs of body mass I gain everywhere else, and some indirect stimulation from back/chest/etc.

If I cant hit arms then ill probably be hitting back twice a week. Shit is light anyway. I should be able to train around the shit and grow everything else. Using just pullovers and no rows , I was able to blast the fuck out of my lats and really get them swollen and pumped. Minimised rest between sets too.

Arms have been stagnant even with super high volume and high intensity anyway, so this may give them some room to grow. Only thing I havent tried yet for them.

Bromelain is a digestive enzyme that is supposed to reduce inflammation , break down protein and thin blood. I took 500 mg before 6 tilapia filets and my stomach was growling after the meal, so it may do something. Inflammation feels a little better too but I took 220 mg naproxen yesterday and 1000 mg bromelain. Probably do 1000-1500 mg bromelain daily. Naproxen I wont abuse since it gives alot of acid, and will interfere with food consumption.

My protein is around 275-300 daily in this growth phase. Sometimes it will be higher or a little lower. Calories are basically whatever else I can get down , the filler foods and milk.

Ill eat 4-6 tilapia per meal. Sometimes twice a day. Plus milk, protein shake, carb and calorie heavy freezer foods like jamaican meat pockets, mozarella sticks, anything that will raise calories. Pumpkin seeds too. Much more variety then in the past.

233 lbs after meal (this scale seems to have me 3 lbs lighter so possibly 236)


Standing Cable Pullover (short straight bar)

KILOGRAMS for this stack

All pullovers are a mix of holds, long holds, regular reps and some stretching mixed in to maximise that cramping sensation in lats

No rest til line

57x20
95x5 (210 lb stack)
------------

Same

95x10
65x15
--------------------
same

95x7
65x10
-----------

same

95x7
65x8
--------------

same

95x6
65x10
------------------

Seated Lat Pullover Hammer Strength (plate loaded)

Alot of friction with pads scraping lats again today. Have filled out since a few days ago.

no rest til line

90x50
180x10
---------------
180x20

no rest til line

205x15
180x10
135x15
-----------------

Dumbbell Laterals (hybrid movement, mostly traps)

Light and low volume today. Dont want to restrain left trap/neck/shoulder

45x75 (brief rest pauses)

No rest til line

50x20
45x15
-----------------
again

50x30
45x20
--------

10 mins cardio

Quick and efficient. Very good pump. Will see about hitting back twice a week, but its all by feel. Goal is really just growth during this 2 month growth phase.
There may be some PR lifts. If there is it will probably be high rep dumbbell presses (already getting 125x20 and 100x45) and hammerstrength incline press , maybe 450x30 and if I decide to go back to 500 and 540 then 500x20 plus or 540x10 plus. All possibilities but my main focus is to avoid restrains and just grow now. Itll come easily with the food and if I avoid injury

KILL SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Chest and delts (10 mins cardio)


Second week back from 3 week break. Huge strength increase from last week. Last week I hit 450 for 7, and this week 22. Which is one rep from my previous best before the 3 week break. Came back extremely quick. Not only was the strength back but I hit 2 PR's with 500x16 and 540x11.

Felt like I couldve kept repping much heavier weights but decided to restrain myself to keep tendons intact.

Elbows have been especially bad the last few weeks, but didnt effect my pressing strength today.

With having most of my size back by week 2 and being stronger than before, the next seven weeks of this growth phase should see massive increases in size and strength , aslong as no major injuries creep up.

Main goal will be growth during this phase. Will hit the high rep shit though. For me to get into a low rep range would require extreme weight at this strength level now. So most training will be high rep to preserve tendons.

Traps and neck got extremely pumped during the lateral raises. Hard to keep my head upright. I kept those light and just tried to get some blood and stimulation in the area. Still have to be careful of straining the neck area.

233 lbs after meal


Hammer Strength Incline Press (3/4 reps)(plate loaded)

90x60 (not to failure, warm up)
180x50 (same)
270x10 (same)
360x10 (same)
450x22 (1 rep from best, but 15 rep increase from last week. Muscle memory)
500x16 (1 rep PR)
540x11 (3 1/2 rep PR I believe)

See videos for 450,500 and 540 sets

No rest til line

Slow reps (see video)

500x5
450x5
360x8
320x6
270x6
180x10
------------------

Nautilus Horizontal Chest Press (plate loaded) (3/4 reps)

180x40 (warm up)
270x15

No rest til line

360x6
270x5
180x10
---------

Some holds mixed in

Dumbbell Laterals (hybrid movement, trap focused)

No rest til line

45x35
55x10
-----------------

same

60x20
55x10
50x10
----------------------

same

60x20
55x10
50x10
----------------

same

55x20
45x20
---------------

Incline Dumbbell Press (3/4 reps)

80x30 (chest heavily pre exhausted)

10 mins cardio

Decided to restrain myself and leave for today. Want to keep shit going for the next 7 week of this growth phase.

KILL THAT SHIT

Videos below

 

[WalkingBeast]

 

[WalkingBeast]