PL/BB Journal

[FearFactory]

2/29/12

Best post deload workout I have ever had.

Bench - Heavy triple day
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
255 x 1
275 x 1 (feeler set)
275 x 3 Boo ya, was very easy too. Had great power off the chest so the close grips every workout is working very well.

Pendlay Rows off pins
235 x 10 was a f'in grinder...15 secs between rep 9 and 10
205 x 10
185 x 10

Military Press
140 x 8
115 x 10
95 x 10

Neutral Chins
+70 x 1 Starting at a dead hang...I was feeling beat so I wanted to spark my CNS before my work set
+45 x 8
BW x 10
BW x 10

Close Grip Bench
245 x 7
185 x 10
135 x 10

Ok so last time I did 3 plates (320) was over a year ago. My best bench for reps at that point was 255 for 9. If I am doing 245 x 7 and it is close grip and I am already beat from the other sets, then I am getting very close to 3 plates again.

Very happy with my upper body progression...however, I am starting to look really stupid, physique wise. My upper body is getting bigger and wide and my legs are TINY! I mean tiny...like I never worked out legs in my life. I am going to try something pretty extreme for my leg days...tune in on Friday. My upper body looks like I might be 240-245 lbs, so I am missing quite a bit of mass in my legs.

[FearFactory]

**Update**

Well, definitely found out my issue is caffeine..I don't know what changed, I used to be able to consume it no problem. But I am 100% sure whatever is going on is linked to caffeine.

I have noticed lately I cannot for the life of me focus at work. I have a coffee every day when I get to work. Last night's workout brought on a minor attack and I only had 1/2 serving of my preworkout (buzzsaw from truenutrition) so basically just one cup of coffee.

Today, no coffee the whole day and my concentration has been WAY better. So I am dropping caffeine for good...I don't know how I am going to get through those workouts where you are just dragging ass, but it is better than feeling like you can't breathe!

It really is a shame, because buzzsaw is a fantastic product...it gave me very good, sustained energy through my workouts.

Anyone have any recommendations for something natural? I am thinking some b-vits may help.

[FearFactory]

3/4/12

Had a crazy weekend, got outta the groove workout wise, so just did a low vol workout.

Military Press - 3's
160 x 3

Pendlays
240 x 8, grinder

DB Bench
120's x 6 Fuck yeah.

Neutral Chins
+65 x 2
+50 x 8

Close Grip Smith
235 x 10

Then did some leg press and leg curls just because I haven't worked out legs in 2 weeks.

[FearFactory]

Hello 11's on street tires in the vette.

[FearFactory]

3/7/12

Project grow Mike some fucking legs has commenced.

Squats - 3's
Took it easy today...been 2 weeks and my back wasn't feeling it.
135 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3

GMs
135 x 10
115 x 10
95 x 10

Incline DB Curls
40's x 11

Walking Lunges
70's x 10
55's x 10
40 x's x 10

Lying Leg Curls
110 x 10
90 x 10
70 x 10

Cybex Leg Press
5pps x 10
4pps x 10
3pps x 10

Fucking smoked after this...the weights aren't very high yet, but these are movements that feel like they hit my legs a lot harder than free squatting. I have basically done nothing but squat/deads for 4+ years and have no legs to show for it, so I may as well try something different. Time to stop being such a pussy....I am sitting here bitching about how bad my squats are because of my long legs and I have fucking pathetic 24 inch quads. I mean how can I expect to have a big squat with these legs!

[chevelle2291]

I mean how can I expect to have a big squat with these legs!

Layne says deal with it.

[Coke]

Very good with the leg work...moving onward to 25 inch quads, small increments will make that take place.

[FearFactory]

Ryan, I am dealing with it.

Coke, exactly my thoughts. Going to take monthly measurements.

[chevelle2291]

Ryan, I am dealing with it.

Coke, exactly my thoughts. Going to take monthly measurements.

meant it more tongue in cheek. don't have to have big legs for a big squat dude. Layne's legs are small.

[FearFactory]

meant it more tongue in cheek. don't have to have big legs for a big squat dude. Layne's legs are small.

I have been around 350-400 squat for a cpl years now, time to make a change. It is retarded to just keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

[Time+Patience]

I have been around 350-400 squat for a cpl years now, time to make a change. It is retarded to just keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

That's a smart statement. Stop dicking around and give something else a try. One thing I've never worked with extensively is higher rep leg work, 10-20 reps.

I'm such a puss, so I work with 10 reps and under. Going past 10 reps, it just.... it just hurts!

I'm also able to grow off of limited sets and direct leg work, so I just do what I feel like doing. Or maybe I've hit the money with limited working sets for legs. Have you given minimal leg work a try?

I did 1 set @ 350x8 and then a dropset of 275x12. I'm really going slow on the negative, and my legs are thrashed. Nothing beats your legs up like negative-focused leg work.

[FearFactory]

That's a smart statement. Stop dicking around and give something else a try. One thing I've never worked with extensively is higher rep leg work, 10-20 reps.

I'm such a puss, so I work with 10 reps and under. Going past 10 reps, it just.... it just hurts!

I'm also able to grow off of limited sets and direct leg work, so I just do what I feel like doing. Or maybe I've hit the money with limited working sets for legs. Have you given minimal leg work a try?

I did 1 set @ 350x8 and then a dropset of 275x12. I'm really going slow on the negative, and my legs are thrashed. Nothing beats your legs up like negative-focused leg work.

I have done nothing but limited leg work since I started, that is why I am throwing volume + intensity + frequency in now, going all out. The volume isn't that high, but much higher than what I am used to...I am smoked today.

+1 on the negatives. I am incorporating that as well on my leg curl/leg press sets...just making sure I go real slow and then explode up.

[FearFactory]

233 AM weight today

Fat

I abandoned the carb cycling diet because I was getting panic attacks every time I overloaded the carbs at night. Just back to a normal diet now. I am going to just cycle my calories...probably just add an extra 500-600 on training days. Got preg stomach going on big time...with the wedding in November and vacay plans for summer, I am most likely doing a cut starting in May. Possibly still doing the meet on May 19th if I can make any progress on my squat....may do it regardless if my bench/dead go up big time (which they have been)

[FearFactory]

3/9/12

Bench
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
255 x 1
275 x 1
295 x 1
280 x 3

Bench is flying up, nice. I think I am good for 305 next time as 295 was definitely not a max. It was too easy for a ME single. Maybe 315 in a month? I hope so.

Pendlays off pins
245 x 8
215 x 10
185 x 10

Military Press
145 x 8
115 x 10
95 x 10

These are gettin hard...trained just short of failure on all 3 sets.

Neutral Chins
BW about 237 lbs
+55 lbs x 8
+10 lbs x 10
BW x 10

Close Grip Bench
250 x 6
215 x 10
155 x 10

plateauing on the close grips.

[Coke]

No joke, the 3pps bench is well within your reach...session is very nice guy.

[FearFactory]

Thanks Coke...

Saw some skinny kid do 315 bench today...lol. I have like 60 lbs on him.

3/11/12

Deads
Just took it easy today...
135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 3

Squats
Went a little heavier, but took it easy for the most part
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 2
295 x 5

Incline DB Curls
45's x 10

Decline Abs
+25 lb bar x 5 then BW x 5 right after

Walking DB Lunges
75's x 10, each leg
60's x 10
45's x 10

Walking lunges are fucking hard

Lying Leg Curls
115 x 10
95 x 10
75 x 10

Leg Press
5 + 25ps x 10
4 + 25ps x 10
3 + 25ps x 10

Going to swap lunges and leg press...after lunges, I am fucking smoked.

[Coke]

Great job with the effort(s).

[FearFactory]

Begin rant...I am frustrated. Very happy with my strength gains...not happy at all with what appears to be no size (muscle) gained in the past 6 months.

So yeah, I dunno if it is genetics or the fact that I am a lifetime natural trainee, but all weight gain seems to do for me is just get me fat. I got my weight up to 234 lbs in the AM. That is just an 8 lb gain since 2 months ago (24 lbs in 7 months starting in August), about a lb a week....all of it appears in my stomach and arms. I lost all arm definition and my stomach is hanging over my belt when I sit. It was doing ok for a while, the stomach fat was kept at bay it seemed, but the last 2 lbs I gained seemed to ALL go to my stomach.

I said to myself at the beginning of the year that I was going to try to take my size to another level, since I have been basically hovering around the same size for the past year.

I am starting to think I am just fooling myself...

Sure, I have no doubt I can technically get my weight up to 250-260 lbs...I easily have the dedication for that. But how much of it will be muscle? At the rate I have been going the last year....I would say not much.

I do not know why I am wasting my time with this bulking/cutting stuff if I don't even do any shows or anything like that. I also won't be competitive in PL at my height unless I go to 275+, which I am not doing anytime soon. So why am I trying to force the issue by getting fat?

What I really would like is to get lean and stay lean the whole year, gaining a lb here or there and continue beating my log book.

I am still on the see-saw about what to do. I know deep down I want to be BIG and LEAN, but in my head I am not sure if that is possible in the near future. And while I may be able to get it in my mid-late 30's if I take YEARS putting on as much size (fat) as possible, is it worth it living those years embarrassed to take my shirt off in the summer, so I can have it later in life?

On the flip side, will I be disappointed if I cut down considering my height? 10% would probably be 210 lbs. Not very much size for someone who is 6'5".


Rant over...I just have no idea what to do. My strength gains lately are the best I have had in my 5 years of training...it is 5-10 lbs a WEEK on every movement, just ridiculous as of late and I don't want to abandon that by spaz cutting..

If anyone read this journal and has any thoughts/insight, feel free to post...negative or positive, I don't care.

[Time+Patience]

A lot of people don't realize what they would truly look like when they diet down. And I mean diet down to a true level of leanness.

It's all about the appearance with regards to being lean.

You may look "slight" given your height, but I say you gotta give it a try at some point.

I have been looking back at some videos of me when I was about 6-8 weeks out from a contest and I really liked how I looked. Would love to look like that on a regular basis.

Not huge by any means, but looked damn good.

It's always a tough thought process. You want this and you want that.

I say diet down and see how you are able to handle it and how you feel during the dieting.

275+ pounds just ain't worth it IMO. If you're beginning to think of what you would look like, then you don't wanna go that route.

[chevelle2291]

Thought you'd like this thread.

http://forums.lylemcdonald.com/showthread.php?t=14265


Read what Lyle says about guys with shit leverages/tall guys needing MORE isolation for certain bodyparts.

In the end, Mike, I think it's pretty obvious that the back squat is not conducive to your goals. Continue to train it, but I think hack squats, leg press, etc. are going to help you out a lot more. I think it's obvious I'm in the same boat. Never once had quads be REALLY sore/fatigued from a back squat. I do like me some back squatting, but I don't think it's the leg killer you or I are looking for.

This goes back to what I was talking about with you earlier about the higher volume training. I think it's something that you should definitely try out. Hit your 315 bench again, and then switch over.

Do something like:

Monday: Quads/Hams
Hack Squat/Leg Press
Lunges
Calf Raise

Tuesday: Chest/Biceps
Flat DB Press
Machine Press
Cable Crossover
Curl Movement
Curl Movement

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: Back
Deadlifts
Chins
Cable Row/DB Row

Friday: Shoulders/Triceps
Seated DB OHP
Seated Lateral Raise
Rear Delt exercise
Skulls
Triceps pushdown.

Saturday: OFF

Sunday: OFF

Focus on strength in the 6-12 rep range for the first set of every exercise, then just fill in with a ton of volume afterwards with relatively short rest. Seems to have worked well for Tim and Rory over the years.

It seems like the guys who REALLY respond well to back squats and squats in general are on the shorter side. Only tall guy I can think of who has damn good legs who just squats is Tim at 6'2". Guys with shitty leverages like you and I seem to get way more lower back/glute/ham stimulation because of the forward lean.

[chevelle2291]

Thought you'd like this thread.

http://forums.lylemcdonald.com/showthread.php?t=14265

Read what Lyle says about guys with shit leverages/tall guys needing MORE isolation for certain bodyparts.

In the end, Mike, I think it's pretty obvious that the back squat is not conducive to your goals. Continue to train it, but I think hack squats, leg press, etc. are going to help you out a lot more. I think it's obvious I'm in the same boat. Never once had quads be REALLY sore/fatigued from a back squat. I do like me some back squatting, but I don't think it's the leg killer you or I are looking for.

This goes back to what I was talking about with you earlier about the higher volume training. I think it's something that you should definitely try out. Hit your 315 bench again, and then switch over.

Do something like:

Monday: Quads/Hams
Hack Squat/Leg Press
Lunges
Calf Raise

Tuesday: Chest/Biceps
Flat DB Press
Machine Press
Cable Crossover
Curl Movement
Curl Movement

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: Back
Deadlifts
Chins
Cable Row/DB Row

Friday: Shoulders/Triceps
Seated DB OHP
Seated Lateral Raise
Rear Delt exercise
Skulls
Triceps pushdown.

Saturday: OFF

Sunday: OFF

Focus on strength in the 6-12 rep range for the first set of every exercise, then just fill in with a ton of volume afterwards with relatively short rest. Seems to have worked well for Tim and Rory over the years.

It seems like the guys who REALLY respond well to back squats and squats in general are on the shorter side. Only tall guy I can think of who has damn good legs who just squats is Tim at 6'2". Guys with shitty leverages like you and I seem to get way more lower back/glute/ham stimulation because of the forward lean.

[FearFactory]

A lot of people don't realize what they would truly look like when they diet down. And I mean diet down to a true level of leanness.

It's all about the appearance with regards to being lean.

You may look "slight" given your height, but I say you gotta give it a try at some point.

I have been looking back at some videos of me when I was about 6-8 weeks out from a contest and I really liked how I looked. Would love to look like that on a regular basis.

Not huge by any means, but looked damn good.

It's always a tough thought process. You want this and you want that.

I say diet down and see how you are able to handle it and how you feel during the dieting.

275+ pounds just ain't worth it IMO. If you're beginning to think of what you would look like, then you don't wanna go that route.

I agree..if I don't like the way I look at 234...275 would be pretty damn ugly.

I am going to diet down. I am going to wait until my meet in May is over. I still want to do that. In the meantime, my "bulk" is over. I am just going to eat at maintenance and do fasted mornings to see if I can recomp slightly before my actual cut.

After this diet, I will most likely just sit at that weight(however low it is) and just focus on lean bulking here on out. Getting fat on a bulk only worked when I was a noob.

Pure recreational mode, here I come .

[joey54]

It seems as though long paused squats are the key to building a huge squat. You may want to add those in.

[Rileigh]

Gaining lean mass is tough. If your body has a good amount of fat stores, then it's more likely to dedicate excess energy to lean mass. When it runs low on fat stores, it's less likely to dedicate excess energy to lean mass and more likely to store it as fat.

It sounds to me (and take this with a grain of salt as I'm still relatively new to this) like your taking the bulking a bit more extreme then it needs to be. If you have a high % of body fat, you should be able build lean mass while at an energy deficit for a cutting phase to a certain point. The lower the body fat %, the harder that becomes. So you should aim for a range that works best for you. That could be bulk to 18% BF and then cut to 14%. Or adjust according to how your body reacts and what you feel comfortable with.

I'm sort of a good example. I started out around 20% BF, and have started an energy deficit (actually quite by accident, my activity level just went up quite a bit) about a week ago. My weight has remained relatively static, but I've had some good strength gains so I've definitely gained some lean mass as well. According to my shitty bathroom scales my BF is down 1.5% but it fluctuates quite a bit from day to day, so it's hard to say for sure. Reality is probably closer to a .75 or .5% reduction in body fat over the past week.

[FearFactory]

It seems as though long paused squats are the key to building a huge squat. You may want to add those in.

How hilarious would it be if I was squatting like 5 plates a year from now and all I did was that lol.

Gaining lean mass is tough. If your body has a good amount of fat stores, then it's more likely to dedicate excess energy to lean mass. When it runs low on fat stores, it's less likely to dedicate excess energy to lean mass and more likely to store it as fat.

It sounds to me (and take this with a grain of salt as I'm still relatively new to this) like your taking the bulking a bit more extreme then it needs to be. If you have a high % of body fat, you should be able build lean mass while at an energy deficit for a cutting phase to a certain point. The lower the body fat %, the harder that becomes. So you should aim for a range that works best for you. That could be bulk to 18% BF and then cut to 14%. Or adjust according to how your body reacts and what you feel comfortable with.

I'm sort of a good example. I started out around 20% BF, and have started an energy deficit (actually quite by accident, my activity level just went up quite a bit) about a week ago. My weight has remained relatively static, but I've had some good strength gains so I've definitely gained some lean mass as well. According to my shitty bathroom scales my BF is down 1.5% but it fluctuates quite a bit from day to day, so it's hard to say for sure. Reality is probably closer to a .75 or .5% reduction in body fat over the past week.

I wouldn't call my bulking extreme...Basically 1 lb a week or less for the last 7 months. 210 in August post cut at about 12% BF, just estimated based on my pics compared with others. Now I am 234. About .85 lb a week. To me, that is not that extreme, yet all I have seemed to gain is fat around my mid section and lower back. The good news is that I am still definitely leaner then when I started my first cut about a year ago at close to the same weight. I was about 237 then and definitely fatter, so progress was made. I am just not ok with being out of shape the majority of the year just so I can be lean for 2 months.

With that being said, it is obvious that even .85 lb/wk is too much for me at this stage. I don't know if it is Low T, poor genetics, or just that I am getting older, but I just seem to gain no muscle now.

I am going to just cut down and lean gain from here on out. Gain a lb here and there and see where I end up.