The Beast's Training Journal!

[WalkingBeast]

Chest and delts


First day back after 6 weeks out of training. Eating was mostly garbage foods. Some days would be 3000 calories, other days would be less than 1000 calories. No consistancy. Hate to eat overall, so very little protein based meals. Mostly microwavable carb foods and other non cook carbs, low quality.

Down maybe 20 lbs from the last time I lifted. Gut went down maybe an inch or two, but most of the size loss was muscle fullness. Chest/back,traps, arms. Legs not too much.

This is not really a full return. I am thinking of training a minimum of 3 times a week, upper body only for now. The only reasons for me to train legs at this point is to increase my bodyweight or have an extra training day.

Eating will be half ass for now. Acid is really fucking bad in throat. Ill aim for maybe 130-150 protein. Maybe get over 200 grams on some days, but I can gain most of my size back with that amount now. Since its muscle memory and my metabolism is slow. Beyond that Ill have to increase eating again when the time is right.

Basically Ill do what I feel like for now. My mind is not really into it, but I can probably break some strength records in the coming weeks or months again. No comittments as of yet.

Largest arm down to 18 1/2 cold flexed. Legs around 27. And chest 53 cold flexed.

Its just a matter of weeks for the muscle to fill back out again and adjust to lifting. Muscle memory is quick at this point.

May or may not keep consistant posts in here for now.


218 lbs after previous nights meals


Incline Hammer Strength Press (constant tension style)

90x60 warm not to failure
180x45 same
270x18 (getting a feel for training again)
270x25 (reps are increasing on the same sets due to muscle re adjusting to training, not intentional)
320x12
320x18
360x8
360x11

Ill see if after 6 weeks my chest strain is healed, once the weights get heavy again

Hammer Strength Decline Press (full reps)

180x15


no rest til line

270x6
180x8
-------

These are risky with the full stretch. The bottom area is where I popped my chest twice, on the right side, recently

Just looking to get blood back in the muscle today

Iso Lateral Shoulder Press Hammer Stength (full reps mostly)

90x40 warm not failure
180x20 same
270x7 (some left tricep cramping towards end)


Some shoulder joint pain but not too bad. Should subside with training.

Dumbbell Laterals (trap focused version)

40x25

Feeling tightness in neck, so didnt push it

Throat was scorced from acid at this point. May need to make some modifications to the pre workout stimulants, foods, or drinking aminos during training. Was unable to finish the aminos today. Acid has gotten much worse lately.

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Correction on flexed chest size. Down to 52 inches. Just estimated when I posted the session. Was 53 a little while ago, but things change quickly when diet and training isnt in place.

Was at 56. Not that important since it should all fill back out in a few weeks. More of a refference for me when I backtrack though this journal. Much quicker than going through all the files on my PC , since everything is seperate there.

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

.......

 

[WalkingBeast]

Back


Second day back after 6 week break. Back tends to keep strength much longer than chest, during breaks. Kept it relatively light and strict with long holds. Just sending a signal this week after the break.

Elbow tendonitis is definately reduced after the 6 weeks. Not gone but it was sharp prior to the break. The sharp pain was there for months during rowing, but it did not start to inhibit strength as I was still rowing 330 lbs on cable rows. However , the sharp pain does reduce strength after many months of grinding through the pain, so its good to reset it periodically.

Training and eating will most likely be in the background until I decide to do a focused growth phase again. Still I should be able to atleast get back to my peak size in a few weeks again and break some strength records during that time. Strength gains are usually the best vent for me, over the size gain. Size gains are an extremely gradual process and even after a year the gains are minimal. Its the cumulative gains that add up in the end.

Strength gains have been a weekly occurence for me, since Ive been back. Usually multiple records a week. Which keeps my drive burning. Otherwise I get bored with the shit these days. After 21 years Ive already served my time with the grind of force feeding and 6-8 hour training routines. For now Im just trying to have fun with the shit. Vent my demons. There will definately be growth phases, as always, but strength will be the most frequent marker of progress for me.

Im still not decided if I am back from my break yet. Strictly going by feel at this point. The longer I stay out the stronger I come back, as the fire builds and joints and tendons heal. So it all balances out in the end. Im seeking longetivity over complete anihilation these days.

Managed 213 grams of protein yesterday. Im aiming for atleast 130-150 now daily, with fucked digestion and eating being on the side lines for now. The acid is much worse but I should be able to time things and adapt. I just have less flexibility with when I train. If acid is severe I have to wait or ill be drowning in acid during training. Normally when training is in the background for me, Ill go train when Im about to sleep. Ill take my stims then and go train. I do that so that I can get other things done. Otherwise I will be exhausted after training and crash. Ill just have to train when its right and watch what I eat and when.

Im only aiming for 3 days of training a week minimum, so it shouldnt be a problem. Thats all I need along with 130-150 protein to get most of my previous size back these days.



Estimated 221 lbs after previous nights meals, this gym scale is broken,but digital scale gives me a decent estimate


Low Cable Rows with Wider narrow grip handle

No rest til line

165x20 (long holds)
225x5 (same)
----------

No rest til line

240x5 (long holds)
195x5 (same)
165x5 (same)
-----------

No rest til line

255x7 (regular reps for these)
195x10
165x10
---------------

Chin Ups (close grip handles, palms facing)

130 lbs assistance x 10
6 (bodyweight)
6 (same)

Weak as fuck on these, but almost no elbow pain. Thats a good sign because these and low cable rows are usually the toughest on that area. I should be able to come back much stronger if it doesnt flare up for a few months. Though either way it shouldnt inhibit me unless severe.


Lat Pulldowns With Narrow Handle (palms facing)

130x10 (long holds)
195x5 (same)
210x7 (same)

Hammer Strength Iso Low Row (plate loaded)

180x25 (holds and regular reps)
270x10 (long holds)

Cybex Lat Pull

190x11 (long holds)


Decided to end it here and keep volume low. Too much volume this week is not really useful since this week is just to send a signal after the break.

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Chest measurement back up to 53 inches cold flexed. Will probably regain about an inch a week or so on chest/back measurement, after returning from this 6 week break. Thats if I decide to continue training at this point.

Usually within 24 hours of a back or chest session I will see an increase like that, when returning. Until I get back to 56 inches. At that point growth will slow dramatically. The muscle right now is like a sponge and just fills back out to where it was.

It will probably even slow down around 55 inches, since thats close to peak size. Then to move beyond 56 will take some growth focused eating. Though I may make some very slow growth even in a maintenance type of phase.

Since ive been back in 2007 or 2008 (from a 2 year lay off), Ive averaged 1-2 inches of back/chest growth a year. So even with breaks there has been cumulative gains. I cant say the same for arms as they have not gone above 19 1/2 cold. My arms were 18 3/4 cold back in 2004, so the growth there has been shit. Some of that average, in the first few years, was regaining lost size from the 2 year lay off. After the first 2 years back, it was new size.

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

..........

 

[WalkingBeast]

Wont be doing consistant diet postings but calories today were around 5000 or higher:


12 oz shrimp for first meal, (78) (cup of pumpkin seeds, bag of chips)(120)(3 slices cheese)(135)(noodles)(139)(bag of chips)(145)(20 oz choc milk)(175) XXL Burrito for second meal, (194)(cup of peanuts)(214)(4 soft pretzels)(234)(cup of peanuts)(258)(20 oz choc milk)


288 grams protein calories around 5000 or above


You can see I dont really structure diet around alot of sit down meals. Just eat consistantly through the day. With calorie dense foods as well.

Nothing special here, but it was good considering all the acid issues I was having. I was concerned I would not be able to consume enough food to push growth, but it looks like everything is in place for when I decide to push food consumption high.

As of now, no committment to eating. Just having fun with the shit. Some days will be like this, other days will be less or more. Will most likely stay with the routine for now, training atleast 3 times a week for now. If I feel like doing more I will.

As mentioned I am only aiming for 130-150 grams of protein minimum and 3 days of training a week. When I say minimum it means I dont want to sink below those numbers. How far above I eat or train is limitless. The minimum is all I need to merely get back to around my peak size though.

The acid may be better than when I first took the 6 week break (6 weeks ago). It was in my nasal cavity at that point. Ive elevated my bed 6 inches on one side, and that has helped immensely with the sleep part. Im not waking up too often due to acid. Only when I sleep very long periods usually.

So I should be able to adapt to the changes.

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Arms

Light, low volume


When I say "Low Volume" Im refferring to the total amount of weight moved for the session. I used to define volume as total number of sets. It was very decieving as I got much stronger over the years. For example, when I was pressing 450x3 as a max set on hammer strength inclines I was moving 1350 lbs for that set. Then Id stay with that weight or go back down.

When I was hitting 540x20 reps, I was moving 10,800 lbs for that set. So if I only counted sets it would be very deceptive , the workload I was completing. My pyramids also got much longer as I got stronger. Since id be adding more sets in the pyramid until getting to the low rep set, then work back down. Its something to consider when Im doing less sets but moving a shitload more weight in the session.

Light is also relative to what Ive done. Once triceps are back in strength, Ill hit some 300 lb sets for high reps. Curls will also move up in weight and reps.

Third day back , after 6 week break. Curling strength was decent today considering not touching weights for 6 weeks. Arms were not thrashed as usual. After a break they tend to be really tender. Tendonitus feels much better this time around, for now, and biceps felt decent. Maybe because this break was only 6 weeks. Though ive taken shorter breaks and had initial issues, so it varies.

Chest/back measurement regained an inch as mentioned. Retaining it and should continue to add an inch or so weekly until I get to around 55 or 56. 56 being my previous peak. Sitting at 53 inches cold flexed now.

Arms havent moved up from 18 1/2 yet. Strength was decent though for being an inch smaller.

I have maybe 26 protein bars. 410 calorie , 32 protein each. Im saving those for when I hit a real growth phase. This is just coming back with training and eating in the background, for now. My problem is that I am all or nothing usually. So Ill start off somewhat balanced and in a few weeks start going all out again, most likely. Ill take breaks as needed so it doesnt really matter. I should have no problem making continual yearly size progress and weekly strength gains again.

I only need 130-150 protein daily and 3 training days a week to get most of my size back for now. Some days will be better and some days worse. The other day I hit 288 protein and 5000 calories, so that shows me that I can adapt around the acid and grow when I choose to focus on that again.

I avoided the Pro Bcaa aminos today during training. Dont know if they do anything but I was getting an extra 64 oz of water, so that was good in itself. I had way too many acidic foods last night. So I couldlve avoided that issue. I will have to be more cautious with what I consume pre workout as the acid lasts many hours. Its definately gotten worse.

Im interested in bringing up my strength on the closer grip smith machine incline press and military press with same machine and grip. Id like to rep 405 for 10 plus on the militaries and work towards repping 455 lbs, possibly this year. Repping 455 with incline most likely, though my military is very close to my incline right now. I think it has something to do with my chest strains. Hopefully it will be healed enough to push for some new records. Im not sure yet how 405 plus will feel on my chest for inclines, but the militaries are a possibility, since they exclude the chest. I was hitting 385x3 on those, pre exhausted and not really testing it fully.

Ill most likely build strength back on dumbbells and hammer strength presses before going back to those movements.

Not pushing volume too hard. Just sending a signal this week.

Estimated 221 lbs after previous nights meals

(Scale at gym seems fucked up. It doesnt even register me at 200 until I mess with it and then it showed at 210. I was 221 a few weeks ago at docs and maybe got slightly lighter. Then regained some of that weight when I started eating again. My digital scale usually has me 6-10 lbs lighter and it showed me at 215, so scale seems fucked. Dont think I dropped that much weight in a few weeks. Regardless I should have most of my size and strength back within the next 3 or 4 weeks. I was around 238 before the break, 56 chest, 19 1/2 arms, etc. )

Curved Bar Pressdowns

THE STACK AT THIS GYM MAXES AT !60 LBS (just getting some blood in arms)


No rest til line

60x100
120x20
160x5
--------

Triceps still a little crampy. Like they want to lock up sometimes. This should improve after a few weeks.

Right hand was locking up and cramping during the pressdowns. Constantly had to turn my palm into the handle to keep it going. Hands get bad sometimes.

No rest til line

160x10
140x10
120x10
100x10
----------

No rest til line

160x10
140x10
120x10
100x10
---------------

No rest til line

160x14
140x10
120x10
100x10
-----------------

No rest til line

160x10
140x10
120x10
100x10
---------------

V Bar Pressdowns (Same range on all pressdowns. Forearm 90 degrees to upper arm, back down to lockout or close)

no rest til line

100x20
120x10
140x4
--------

no rest til line

140x10
120x10
100x10
----------

Straight Bar Pressdowns (wider grip on these as usual. Gripping near the ends)

no rest til line

120x15
140x5
-------------

no rest til line

160x5-10
140x5-10
120x5-10
100x10
------------ (Wasnt too concerned with keeping track today. The reps and weight dont matter with this type of training, just contraction and pain)

Strict Alternating Dumbbell Curls (Palms facing forward the entire time. No twisting. SLOW with some HOLDS)

35x15
40x10

No rest til line

50x5
35x6
------------

No rest til line

60x3 (Decent for first day back on arms)
45x5
40x5
--------

Alternating Dumbbell Curls With Reverse Curl Negative (Seems to also be known as Zottman Curl)

No rest til line

45x8
35x5
-----------

No rest til line

60x3
45x3
35x5
----
Slow with holds on those too.

KILL THAT SHIT

 

[WalkingBeast]

Largest arm up to 18 3/4 cold flexed after first week back from 6 week break. Chest back up

to 54 inches cold flexed. Still have 2 inches left to regain (but gained 2 inches in one

week), and 3/4 inches to regain on arms to be back to where i was size wise, in upper body.

Gained 2 inches on chest in first week back. 1/4 to 1/2 on arms.

Triceps sore as fuck after arm session. Very tender. Eating has been mixed. Nothing extreme

yet. Only one meal yesterday. 4 large sausages (twice as big as hotdogs) in buns. Some

crackers and cream cheese and that was about it.

Size comes back easily after a break.

May train today. Back or legs are considerations since triceps are real torn up. Could train

chest but not optimal. Legs ill only do sometimes for the fuck of it, for now.

Kill that shit

 

[WalkingBeast]

Chest and delts


Light and low volume


Second chest session since the 6 week break. This was just to gradually reintroduce more weight and reps into the routine.

Pressing strength is still extremely reduced but it should come back quick. Gained 2 inches in the last week on chest/back measurement. Was down to 52, am now at 54. Still have 2 more inches to reach previous size.

I started with incline smith machine presses, since that and military smith machine presses are two movements Im looking to break records on when strength returns.

Strength gains should be large each week until I get back, then slow down and continue weekly once Im back fully.

Triceps still torn up from previous arm session.

(224 lbs after meal and 40 oz milk)

Incline Smith Machine Press (closer grip)(Lockout or close to it, down to chin level and back up)

Bar x 50 warm
135x 40 warm
225x15
240x10
275x5

Incline Hammer Strength Press (constant tension style)

90x50 warm
180x20 warm
270x30
320x10
360x11
410x5

Incline Dumbbell Presses (some elbow and shoulder pain with these especially)

70x25
80x14

Nautilus Overhead Press (plate loaded as well) (Seat set at 9)

270x15
360x10

No rest til line

450x7
360x5
270x6
----------

KILL THAT SHIT