GVT w/ first One+ cycle

[Madd Hatter]

I'm 6'2" 199lbs 24 year old lanky guy. I'm trying my first cycle ever, with One+, moderate dosing. I'm also trying GVT with it, the first time I've ever tried something so high-volume. I'm posting this 1) for my own record 2) to provide info for other curious newbs 3) to get guidance along the way.

Today was my first day. Woke up and applied 7 runny squirts over various places and rubbed it in w/ gloves. Seemed dry in a couple minutes. Waited a couple hours and went to the gym. Enough time?

10x10 Decline DB Bench - figured 55's as about my 60% 1RM/20 rep max. Made first 3 sets with a little more effort than I thought it should have been. Got to 6 on my 4th, figured I better bring it down. Used 50's for the rest, but never reached the full 10 reps (5-7). Arms just wouldn't push through, when I cheated to get them up there, I couldn't lower under control and grazed my chest. Ok, no 55's next time. 50's? 45's??

10x10 parallel grip chins - figured 12 plates assist as my starting point. Again first few sets made, then hit a brick wall. Went to 14 plates assist but still never hit 10 reps in a set. Also didn't feel it in my back much (never do). Tried looking up and putting elbows out, helped slightly. What else can I do?

I figure my inability to complete the sets with a weight I SHOULD have been able to stems from my lack of endurance. During HST, 15's were always a total bitch. 20 rep sets are always hell. I can't run a mile in under 8.5 minutes. I don't know if the One+ will kick in by next time either. Help on weights to use next time?

3x10 incline flys and db rows - done easily enough.

In the shower I noticed a slight soreness in my upper arms, outside/side chest, but not much else chest/back wise. Since I never get sore, I tried not to let it bum me too much. Slight burning (not like muscle, like skin burning) over upper chest/shoulders. An application site, but only after all that time? Kinda odd. Not uncomfortable in any way.

Tomorrow is leg (and abs) day. I'll do second app of One+ a little before bed, then again when I wake up, then hit the gym a couple hours after that, unless someone tells me that's not ok. I'm also wondering how I'm to know if this stuff is "working" or "getting in there", since the only sure-fire way is getting sides.
If there's interest, I can post my diet, and I do have before pics if this turns out to do any good (I'm naturally skeptical, I've never responded to anything before, and haven't progressed much period in a couple years).

[Madd Hatter]

I woke up today feeling tender in the pecs, sore in the outside chest/side/lat? area. Arms were also pretty frickin sore, one was so bad I could barely straighten it out. I'm thinking (hoping) that this has more to do with how I slept on them. I also hope they and my shoulders are ok to go tomorrow for arm day. But today was leg day. Same daily routine as yesterday.

10x10 squats- made thru 7 sets w/ 130, 8th and 9th sets were low rep, added an extra set because I was kinda disgusted with myself. The 4-0-2 tempo went out the window today, as I was too busy concentrating on not falling over and maintaining decent form, then later on not puking. I just made sure I lowered (and raised) under control. If I was insisting on 4 second descents, I probably wouldn't have gotten halfway through.

10x10 leg curls - couldn't get the last rep or two in the last few sets with 10 plates

3x10-12 calf raises and leg raises - ok

Per usual, I'm left wondering if that was a "good" workout. My legs were shaking uncontrollably during my later squats right before lockout, I guess that's a good sign.

I'm right at 200lbs, and my belt's already getting tighter. Maybe it's just the creatine I'm loading, or retention from the 1+, I dunno. I'm force feeding myself a load of food because I want to be sure to get the most out of this. But if I gain 10lbs of flab, that means too much food does it not? Or is my body just retarded and is putting it all to fat instead of muscle? Yeah, that's probably it. I just got done dropping 2 pants sizes and 16lbs, now it's all gonna come back and then some it seems.

[Magnus]

Why did you stop HST?

[Madd Hatter]

I stopped HST simply because I had done 3 cycles of it, and in my research, I though I'd err on the side of caution and do a trad'l split high volume routine.

Today I'm pretty sore. Walking isn't automatic (stairs suck), lowering myself on the couch or throne is insanely hard, and the same areas around my chest/side are still sore. And so are my arms, which weren't even supposed to be sore in the first place! Bi's not so much, Tri's some, but I went in for arm/shoulder day today anyway.

10x10 Tricep Dips - again, I wasn't concentrating on the 4-0-2, just keeping control. Did all 10x10, w/ 10 plates assist. I'll go 9 next time and try to slow it down a little, though this time pushed my limits.

10x10 Incline Curls - wasn't feeling it too much in the actual bicep. Because my elbows were too high, or because of the soreness in my arms maybe. Eased the incline back a touch for the last two sets and that required more effort. Did all 10x10 with 20 lb db's. 25's would definitely be too big of jump, one I could not make, so next time I'll keep the 20's and go with the harder angle.

3x10 BO and Side laterals - done with 15's and 12's in later sets.

Day off tomorrow, I really hope at least the soreness in my chest/sides are gone by Friday.

[Madd Hatter]

Thought the day off might heal up my soreness. Wrong. I still can't walk, and my trunk area was still a little sore, but I went in for chest/back day anyway.

10x10 Decline DB press - tried 50's this time, but still gave out about halfway through, and my latter sets were only 7-8 reps. Might have something to do with the soreness. Am I overtraining?

10x10 Chins - 14 plates, made it thru 5 sets, than died, upped to 16 plates.

In both exercises, I'm feeling it more in my arms than the target area. I don't know what to do about this.

3x10 incline flys and db rows - I'm starting to wonder how the hell one does rows, because I'm doing it the exact way exrx has it, and with variations, but I rarely feel it in my back.

Tomorrow's supposed to be leg day, I better feel better than I do now or I won't be able to go.

I'm only 4.5 days in, but I'm starting to get paranoid about responding to One+, or if it's even getting into my body. My weight today was 204, but that would easily be attained by the creatine or the volume of food I'm eating. If I had to guess, I'd have to say it's all in my gut.

[Madd Hatter]

Today was a postponed leg day. Though my front quads were a little sore, and my hamstrings were tight, I went in anyway. I stretched all morning and it seemed to help. I was walking pretty much normal.

10x10 squats - 130 again, only my 9th set wasn't 10 reps. But I "cheated" quite bad. I locked out on almost every rep, and at times took a 5 second break. I'm pathetic. But at that point right before lockout, my legs were shaking like mad, and had I never locked out, I wouldn't have made it through 2 sets. Next time I'm gonna concentrate on trying not to lock out as much.

10x10 leg curls - w/ 10 plates again, same story as last time

3 sets of calf raises - ok
Leg raises - stopped after 1.5 sets just too dead to do more. Went and did cable crunches. It doesn't matter, these abs ain't gonna be showing regardless.

Weighed in at just over 206 today. Don't see it anywhere besides my stomach. Also, I'm not sleeping well. First two nights I was on it I woke up at 5am having to whiz and then took awhile to get back to sleep. These two weekend nights I had to be up at 5am for frickin work, so I was going to bed at 8-9, and then laying awake the WHOLE night!! But I'm hesitant to blame that on the One+, because this ****'s happened before. I hate my job.

Tomorrow's arm day. I'm going to start crying if changes don't start coming soon.

[Madd Hatter]

Today I expected to be unable to get out of bed, but my legs were almost totally recovered. Headed off to arm day.

10x10 dips - 9 plates, got em all w/ a couple set breaks towards the end

10x10 hammers - a little harder than last time w/ the bench back more. Now I have a problem. I need to up the weight, but by no means by 10lbs. I can't add plates on the end because the db's are the kind with plates on end and bar in middle all welded together. What can I do to add maybe 5 lbs total?

3x10 bo and side raises - not too much trouble again

Still weigh just over 206. Still can't tell I'm on the stuff. I'm still getting the slight chest skin burning when I start sweating, but don't know why I don't get it anywhere else?

Tomorrow's another frickin day off. I'll have to fight myself to stay out.