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The Beast's Training Journal!
- Thread starter WalkingBeast
- Start date
For the lurkers out there that recieve some fire or ideas from the journal, Ill go into a little more detail about held contractions for back. This is something that seemed to really add alot of new muscle to my back, over my old ballistic and fast style.
As mentioned, holds are way harder rep wise. If I can do a lat pulldown for 300x30 fast and ballistic, loose, then less ballistic with holds that number can be cut down easily to 5-10, depending on length of holds. Just an example though. Long holds can bring the reps down even lower. While it seems like more work is done with the 300x30, I believe the holds hit even deeper muscle fibers. I believe both ballistic and holds have thier place but as my tendons got more fucked up, this became my best alternative to constantly going heavier and throwing around massive weights for high reps.
Part of what I do with the holds, is try and trigger a cramping type sensation in the lats. Id describe it like a tenderness that occurs usually after a full stretch with the weight forward, then when the weight is pulled back there will be a cramping type sensation some where in the held contraction. Its often not when the weight is held with shoulder blades pinched all the way back. It can be a little less than that sometimes, but varies. Its not as extreme as a cramp but there is a tenderness felt in the lats. Thats where I try to lock in my hold. I really focus on that sensation and try to continuously hit it with each rep, and hold within that sensation. I dont always do it for each rep but I try to be mindful of that shit as that seems to be the area that gets real torn up from the movement. If done right I get a deep soreness the next day. Back soreness is very rare for me, but if I get it, its usually from alot of hold work these days.
Locking in on that sensation and trying to prolong it is what really seems to have brought new muscle on my back the last 4-5 years, with holds.
When first doing them, expect to start a good deal lighter, but your hold strength should start to move up fast when done consistantly. Once you get back up to the weights and reps you were using with looser form, you may end up with more size as I did.
This may be best for those with sufficient back mass already. This wasnt something I really did until maybe 15-16 years into my training. Doesnt mean I couldnt have sooner, but I did need significant back mass hanging off the sides, to really feel that cramping type of sensation. Fast, explosive training is also probably more efficient for me because of how my muscle works. Different type of muscle may respond differently. I built most of my size with ballistics but they also end up becoming very dangerous on tendons, with all the inertia.
KILL THAT SHIT
As mentioned, holds are way harder rep wise. If I can do a lat pulldown for 300x30 fast and ballistic, loose, then less ballistic with holds that number can be cut down easily to 5-10, depending on length of holds. Just an example though. Long holds can bring the reps down even lower. While it seems like more work is done with the 300x30, I believe the holds hit even deeper muscle fibers. I believe both ballistic and holds have thier place but as my tendons got more fucked up, this became my best alternative to constantly going heavier and throwing around massive weights for high reps.
Part of what I do with the holds, is try and trigger a cramping type sensation in the lats. Id describe it like a tenderness that occurs usually after a full stretch with the weight forward, then when the weight is pulled back there will be a cramping type sensation some where in the held contraction. Its often not when the weight is held with shoulder blades pinched all the way back. It can be a little less than that sometimes, but varies. Its not as extreme as a cramp but there is a tenderness felt in the lats. Thats where I try to lock in my hold. I really focus on that sensation and try to continuously hit it with each rep, and hold within that sensation. I dont always do it for each rep but I try to be mindful of that shit as that seems to be the area that gets real torn up from the movement. If done right I get a deep soreness the next day. Back soreness is very rare for me, but if I get it, its usually from alot of hold work these days.
Locking in on that sensation and trying to prolong it is what really seems to have brought new muscle on my back the last 4-5 years, with holds.
When first doing them, expect to start a good deal lighter, but your hold strength should start to move up fast when done consistantly. Once you get back up to the weights and reps you were using with looser form, you may end up with more size as I did.
This may be best for those with sufficient back mass already. This wasnt something I really did until maybe 15-16 years into my training. Doesnt mean I couldnt have sooner, but I did need significant back mass hanging off the sides, to really feel that cramping type of sensation. Fast, explosive training is also probably more efficient for me because of how my muscle works. Different type of muscle may respond differently. I built most of my size with ballistics but they also end up becoming very dangerous on tendons, with all the inertia.
KILL THAT SHIT
About to hit some leg maintenance. Im really only looking to atleast hit a few high rep sets of leg presses. Probably not even to failure. Knees and hamstrings are still tight as fuck. Just want to send some signal to the muscle. Nothing too special
KILL THAT SHIT
KILL THAT SHIT
Legs and rotator work
Light low volume maintenance.
Despite the very light weights, the leg extention video demonstrates how to make a movement intense. Knees were strained and hamstrings very tight. Tramadol may have dulled it slightly. Though during my sets im focused on increasing muscle pain and prolonging it or hitting lifting records (depends on the set). Everything else gets zoned out. I feel shit later, unless its severe to begin with. My knees will pay for it later. Especially when hitting high intensity shit on the leg extention which is the movement that wrecks my knees the most. Once that teeth gnashing pain starts to set in, thats when the set begins. Embracing that searing pain is what needs to be done with the lighter weights to grow for me. Most likely for anyone who makes excuses about being a hardgainer. Eat more, train fucking harder.
First time filming a leg extention. Gives an idea of the type of intensity required to make this movement a mass builder. This stack was limited to 245 lbs. My knees were strained as well. Ive gone up to 300 lbs for 50-100 reps then down the stack one or two plates at a time (went by feel), for 100 reps each plate. So this is just a small sample of what ive done, and only the warm up set before the heavier work.
I just wanted to give an idea of what can be done with lighter weights. This was 9 minutes straight with only rest pauses only long enough for the muscle to barely recover its strength. Not to catch my breath.
I didnt push as hard as possible due to already tearing my knees up to hit that dropset. I will start to pay for my intensity , and the pain flares up in phases. Ive pushed my body to the point of breaking many times (6 ruptured disks, carpal tunnel in both hands(permanent numbness), hiatal hernia from force feeding, bone spurs, etc), so I know when its time to back off. Though I dont always listen to that shit. Its the last thing I want to do. This is my version of restraint though. Brutal training is the only thing that keeps my demons at bay momentarily, the rest of the time I embrace the beast Ive become. This is entertainment for me. My mind is the real fucking warzone.
My shoulders are starting to feel more inflammation. Ill try to implement lighter pressing and maybe even lighter rowing days again. I was doing lighter chest sessions every other week for a while. The lighter chest session was usually incline dumbbell press with 100x45, 125x20, etc. This helped prolong the joints.
The other day I went for some movements that fuck with my shoulders. Low cable rows are one of the worst movements for my shoulder joints when it comes to back work. Still I finished off with 335 lbs and almost went heavier. Ill have to switch shit up though to keep shit rollin.
Also I did smith machine incline press recently with 315x20. This is also the worst pressing movement for my shoulder joints. So I use shit like that very sparingly these days. I pay for it though. My next chest day will possibly be on wednesday, to give a few days recovery to joints. My shoulders even got more inflammation from training legs since I tense my entire body during. Especially with leg presses.
Some possibilities for my lighter chest session may be 315x25-30 (if I decide to fuck with these with the inflammation), 100x50,125x30 dumbbell incline presses (havent done em in a while so dont know where strength is at), or possible 360x50 and/or 450x25-30 constant tension style on incline hammer strength press. Will all be by feel though. This is really supposed to be a maintenance phase. Yet I cant train like a bitch. Ill just take 10 months off like I did, or whatever I need to be able to train properly. Its all or nothing.
Im growing during this "maintenance phase" so its good. I have increased eating but its still not what it would be for a growth phase. My protein has been around 180-240. More on the lower end of that. Calories varie from 2500 to 4000 plus Im guessing. Basically just eating a little bit more then when Im hungry. Ive been using mostly 60-90 oz of fairlife milk lately. Supposed to have 50 percent more protein. So I may take in 90 to 135 protein from that alone. Sometimes a 2000 calorie, 100 protein shake on training days too. Alot of liquid nutrition and only a few meals a day now. Some inbetween shit too.
Creatine hcl use has not been consistant on non training days. Forget to take the shit often or just dont because Id rather eat then have acid in my throat.
3/4 scoop of mr hyde working much better for me then taking the full scoop. 300 mg caffiene is enough for me these days. I drank a monster tea during the night as well. So I was a little lightheaded from the hyde and tramadol. I find the monster teas actually increase my appetite and I now use them to get in more meals. Maybe the speed up in metabolism from the caffiene but I think its something else in it. Caffiene doesnt usually make me hungry by itself.
238 lbs after previous nights meals, stayed up to train
Leg Extention (knees strained as usual, but more managable today)
No rest til line
90x100 warm
No rest til line (very brief rest pauses)
130x50
140x50 (Nautilus Nitro Leg extention for this set, switched machines)
--------
Nautilus Nitro Leg Extention
170x50 (brief rest pauses at most. Warm up for the upcoming dropset)
No rest til line (brief rest pauses only) (Knees already had a decent amount of pain, but grinded through it)
9 minutes straight, 250 reps, See video
245x50
200x50
170x50
140x100
------------------
Seated Leg Curl (hamstrings still tight as fuck)
90x25 warm
130x20
170x10
No rest til line
210x5
165x5
145x5
125x10
105x10
-------------
Cybex Squat Press
180x75 warm
400x90 warm
600x50
700x40
Knees starting to get more inflamed. Enough for today.
Hip Adduction
no rest til line
70x30
130x30
190x10 (long holds)
--------------
No rest til line
All long holds
210x10
165x10
125x10
95x20
--------------
Hip Adduction
no rest til line
50x50
130x10
190x2 (outer hips tend to cramp up)
---------------
No rest til line
170x5
130x10
90x30
-----
Rotator Cuff Work (shoulder rotations with bicep cable machine)
25 lbs x360 reps (180 reps on each arm, no rest except alternating arms)
Added this rotator work in at the slight chance that it may help with the inflammation.
KILL THAT SHIT
Video below
Enjoy the fuckin view
Light low volume maintenance.
Despite the very light weights, the leg extention video demonstrates how to make a movement intense. Knees were strained and hamstrings very tight. Tramadol may have dulled it slightly. Though during my sets im focused on increasing muscle pain and prolonging it or hitting lifting records (depends on the set). Everything else gets zoned out. I feel shit later, unless its severe to begin with. My knees will pay for it later. Especially when hitting high intensity shit on the leg extention which is the movement that wrecks my knees the most. Once that teeth gnashing pain starts to set in, thats when the set begins. Embracing that searing pain is what needs to be done with the lighter weights to grow for me. Most likely for anyone who makes excuses about being a hardgainer. Eat more, train fucking harder.
First time filming a leg extention. Gives an idea of the type of intensity required to make this movement a mass builder. This stack was limited to 245 lbs. My knees were strained as well. Ive gone up to 300 lbs for 50-100 reps then down the stack one or two plates at a time (went by feel), for 100 reps each plate. So this is just a small sample of what ive done, and only the warm up set before the heavier work.
I just wanted to give an idea of what can be done with lighter weights. This was 9 minutes straight with only rest pauses only long enough for the muscle to barely recover its strength. Not to catch my breath.
I didnt push as hard as possible due to already tearing my knees up to hit that dropset. I will start to pay for my intensity , and the pain flares up in phases. Ive pushed my body to the point of breaking many times (6 ruptured disks, carpal tunnel in both hands(permanent numbness), hiatal hernia from force feeding, bone spurs, etc), so I know when its time to back off. Though I dont always listen to that shit. Its the last thing I want to do. This is my version of restraint though. Brutal training is the only thing that keeps my demons at bay momentarily, the rest of the time I embrace the beast Ive become. This is entertainment for me. My mind is the real fucking warzone.
My shoulders are starting to feel more inflammation. Ill try to implement lighter pressing and maybe even lighter rowing days again. I was doing lighter chest sessions every other week for a while. The lighter chest session was usually incline dumbbell press with 100x45, 125x20, etc. This helped prolong the joints.
The other day I went for some movements that fuck with my shoulders. Low cable rows are one of the worst movements for my shoulder joints when it comes to back work. Still I finished off with 335 lbs and almost went heavier. Ill have to switch shit up though to keep shit rollin.
Also I did smith machine incline press recently with 315x20. This is also the worst pressing movement for my shoulder joints. So I use shit like that very sparingly these days. I pay for it though. My next chest day will possibly be on wednesday, to give a few days recovery to joints. My shoulders even got more inflammation from training legs since I tense my entire body during. Especially with leg presses.
Some possibilities for my lighter chest session may be 315x25-30 (if I decide to fuck with these with the inflammation), 100x50,125x30 dumbbell incline presses (havent done em in a while so dont know where strength is at), or possible 360x50 and/or 450x25-30 constant tension style on incline hammer strength press. Will all be by feel though. This is really supposed to be a maintenance phase. Yet I cant train like a bitch. Ill just take 10 months off like I did, or whatever I need to be able to train properly. Its all or nothing.
Im growing during this "maintenance phase" so its good. I have increased eating but its still not what it would be for a growth phase. My protein has been around 180-240. More on the lower end of that. Calories varie from 2500 to 4000 plus Im guessing. Basically just eating a little bit more then when Im hungry. Ive been using mostly 60-90 oz of fairlife milk lately. Supposed to have 50 percent more protein. So I may take in 90 to 135 protein from that alone. Sometimes a 2000 calorie, 100 protein shake on training days too. Alot of liquid nutrition and only a few meals a day now. Some inbetween shit too.
Creatine hcl use has not been consistant on non training days. Forget to take the shit often or just dont because Id rather eat then have acid in my throat.
3/4 scoop of mr hyde working much better for me then taking the full scoop. 300 mg caffiene is enough for me these days. I drank a monster tea during the night as well. So I was a little lightheaded from the hyde and tramadol. I find the monster teas actually increase my appetite and I now use them to get in more meals. Maybe the speed up in metabolism from the caffiene but I think its something else in it. Caffiene doesnt usually make me hungry by itself.
238 lbs after previous nights meals, stayed up to train
Leg Extention (knees strained as usual, but more managable today)
No rest til line
90x100 warm
No rest til line (very brief rest pauses)
130x50
140x50 (Nautilus Nitro Leg extention for this set, switched machines)
--------
Nautilus Nitro Leg Extention
170x50 (brief rest pauses at most. Warm up for the upcoming dropset)
No rest til line (brief rest pauses only) (Knees already had a decent amount of pain, but grinded through it)
9 minutes straight, 250 reps, See video
245x50
200x50
170x50
140x100
------------------
Seated Leg Curl (hamstrings still tight as fuck)
90x25 warm
130x20
170x10
No rest til line
210x5
165x5
145x5
125x10
105x10
-------------
Cybex Squat Press
180x75 warm
400x90 warm
600x50
700x40
Knees starting to get more inflamed. Enough for today.
Hip Adduction
no rest til line
70x30
130x30
190x10 (long holds)
--------------
No rest til line
All long holds
210x10
165x10
125x10
95x20
--------------
Hip Adduction
no rest til line
50x50
130x10
190x2 (outer hips tend to cramp up)
---------------
No rest til line
170x5
130x10
90x30
-----
Rotator Cuff Work (shoulder rotations with bicep cable machine)
25 lbs x360 reps (180 reps on each arm, no rest except alternating arms)
Added this rotator work in at the slight chance that it may help with the inflammation.
KILL THAT SHIT
Video below
Enjoy the fuckin view
Despite this period being an intended maintenance phase, it looks like im growing. Chest just hit 56 inches cold. 55 3/4 was the largest recently. Of course its hard to self measure consistantly but my chest/back doesnt get up that high unless new size is added. I always measure multiple times to confirm.
This puts me only 1 inch away from my first long term goal of 57 inch chest. Based on a book I had by Swarzenegger where he had his competition measurements listed at 28 thigh, 22 arm, 57 inch chest. Of course much leaner but also 6'2. Im 5'8 , so I hold the mass differently. My goals have been 60 plus inch chest for a while now though, but 57 was an early goal that seemed impossible. I was in the high 30s after 2 years of straight training. 37 inch chest. I started off at maybe 105-115 lbs, I estimate, at 14. 35 now.
Makes sense given that back training has gotten heavier again and have been hitting PRs with the chest work as well, even if its mostly high rep, its still enough weight to tear shit up.
Eating has been getting more consistant around the 200 protein range but mostly milk and eating when I feel like it. More than id eat if I wasnt concious of it though. On a break I eat way less. Just not busting my ass now with eating.
Arms are still hovering around 19 1/4 cold flexed, legs 28 cold flexed. Those measurements are 1/4 from best and 1 inch from best. Though the main area ive been gaining mass yearly has been in my back/chest measurement.
This is good since this is not a real growth phase for me. My left shoulder has been pretty strained the last few days. I may train this week but I will feel shit out. One week is not enough for me to lose significant size (a break) and if anything I come back stronger. Even with 3 week breaks I get it back in a week or so.
KILL THAT SHIT
This puts me only 1 inch away from my first long term goal of 57 inch chest. Based on a book I had by Swarzenegger where he had his competition measurements listed at 28 thigh, 22 arm, 57 inch chest. Of course much leaner but also 6'2. Im 5'8 , so I hold the mass differently. My goals have been 60 plus inch chest for a while now though, but 57 was an early goal that seemed impossible. I was in the high 30s after 2 years of straight training. 37 inch chest. I started off at maybe 105-115 lbs, I estimate, at 14. 35 now.
Makes sense given that back training has gotten heavier again and have been hitting PRs with the chest work as well, even if its mostly high rep, its still enough weight to tear shit up.
Eating has been getting more consistant around the 200 protein range but mostly milk and eating when I feel like it. More than id eat if I wasnt concious of it though. On a break I eat way less. Just not busting my ass now with eating.
Arms are still hovering around 19 1/4 cold flexed, legs 28 cold flexed. Those measurements are 1/4 from best and 1 inch from best. Though the main area ive been gaining mass yearly has been in my back/chest measurement.
This is good since this is not a real growth phase for me. My left shoulder has been pretty strained the last few days. I may train this week but I will feel shit out. One week is not enough for me to lose significant size (a break) and if anything I come back stronger. Even with 3 week breaks I get it back in a week or so.
KILL THAT SHIT
