I hope that you get to the bottom of the cause of the migraines soon. The final weeks of contest prep is painful enough without migraines. I just cannot imagine the push it would take have to deal with working through migraines too.
My wife has around 6 migraines a month. So, I have “some” idea what you are dealing with.
I’ll be rescheduling my show.
As much progress as I’ve made, I am not at a ‘7 weeks out’ physique.
I do not have details for reschedule, but the show is happening. I need to adjust the plan.
Details to follow later on.
Have you considered using the current planned show as a tune-up? I did at least one tune-up show every year.
No, because I’m too fat to be on as low of calories I’m on. A couple weeks ago, my answer would have been ‘yes’. 3 weeks of no scale change has changed my answer.
I believe we started too low and now have scant left to pull from with a lot of progress left to go.
I’ll take fault for this as I was already eating 1k cals under maintenance before we even started. I asked if we should return to maintenance for a bit then start, was given the option to do either, and chose to push on with low calories.
Gear / Supps
65mg test c (450/wk)
70mg mast e (500/wk)
45mg Equipoise (300/wk)
10mg tren a (70/wk)
600mg l-carnitine
*daily injection amount
500mcg MT2 (split 2x weekly)
2mg Retatrutide (split 2x weekly)
1200mg berberine (daily)
5mg cialis (daily)
.5mg dutasteride (daily)
40mg Accutane (daily)
30mg Adderall XR (daily)
25mcg T3 (daily)
40mg clen (daily)
Fasted cardio 50mins
No cold plunge today
Push+Quads (Delt focus)
Friday, Aug 29, 2025 at 11:08am
Meadows Lateral Raise Partials
Set 1: 40 lbs x 15
Set 2: 40 lbs x 14 [Failure]
Viking Press
Set 1: 65 lbs x 21 [Failure]
Set 2: 65 lbs x 12 [Failure]
Pendulum Squat (Machine)
Set 1: 135 lbs x 16 [Failure]
Set 2: 90 lbs x 17 [Failure]
Butterfly (Pec Deck)
Set 1: 150 lbs x 15
Set 2: 150 lbs x 15 [Failure]
Triceps Pushdown
“Rest Pause 40-50”
Set 1: 65 lbs x 20 [Failure]
Set 2: 65 lbs x 12 [Failure]
Set 3: 65 lbs x 9 [Failure]
@hevyapp
Pull+Hams (Thickness)
Saturday, Aug 30, 2025 at 2:28pm
Seated Cable Row
Set 1: 160 lbs x 16 [Failure]
Set 2: 140 lbs x 13 [Failure]
Dante Row
Set 1: 100 lbs x 11 [Failure]
Set 2: 100 lbs x 8 [Failure]
Preacher Curl (Barbell)
Set 1: 75 lbs x 14 [Failure]
Set 2: 75 lbs x 8 [Failure]
Shrug (Smith Machine)
Set 1: 275 lbs x 20
Set 2: 275 lbs x 20 [Failure]
Lying Leg Curl (Machine)
Set 1: 150 lbs x 15
Set 2: 150 lbs x 12 [Failure]
Set 3: 150 lbs x 7 [Failure]
@hevyapp
Okay so we’re pushing the show back to Dec 6th and taking a few weeks to try working calories back up in the meantime.
This will be a long shot no matter what, but I’m gonna give it my all.
I’m rooting for you!
YOU GOT THIS!!! Believe it.
I don’t know much if anything about cold plunges, but I always consider adverse consequences when adding something to my bodybuilding protocol.
I don’t know the benefits from a competitor’s perspective. But my concern would be that my body might adapt to the cold plunges, which I would suppose are severe, by adding subcutaneous fat to help insulate my body in an effort help maintain 98.6.
And the last thing you need to fight is extra subcutaneous fat.
We’re going to push for the show in 7 weeks.
If out turns out we cant make that happen, we’ll push it back when we get closer.
No reverse diet.
Plan is set.
It’s go time.
This is what I like to see! 
Fasted cardio 50mins
Cold plunge 5mins
Meal prep and posing today, Push+Quads tomorrow.
50mins incline tread
5mins cold plunge
Push+Quads (Chest focus)
Tuesday, Sep 02, 2025 at 11:32am
Chest Press (Machine)
Set 1: 225 lbs x 12
Set 2: 225 lbs x 9 [Failure]
Meadows Lateral Raise Partials
Set 1: 40 lbs x 15
Set 2: 40 lbs x 14 [Failure]
Cable Fly Crossovers
Set 1: 42.5 lbs x 15 [Failure]
Set 2: 35 lbs x 11 [Failure]
Triceps Pushdown
Set 1: 65 lbs x 20
Set 2: 65 lbs x 17 [Failure]
Leg Extension (Machine)
Set 1: 50 lbs x 15
Set 2: 50 lbs x 16 [Failure]
@hevyapp
You think so even with only 5min plunges? From what little I have read, it seems like the benefits might outweigh any advantages, and the type of fat, if any, would contribute to thermogenesis rather than storing subcutaneous fat. That’s Google AI for you. I also would wonder if a proper diet could alleviate that and also a cold plunge shortly after working out or between cardio and weightlifting would occur during an anabolic state rather than an absorption state reducing the desire for your body to store fat. Thoughts?
I tried touching all the bases. For a strive to compete on stage, I am not willing to take the risk.
I can diet down the fat and add clenbuterol when I get below 8 or 9% body fat.
Is there any hard research for those at extremely low percent body fat who cold plunge? Until I see hard results on a lean competitor, I would be unwilling to be the guinea pig.
Cold plunge after lifting will reduce growth.
There’s a chance it helps with Brown Adipose Tissue activation.
The claim that it makes the skin “thicker” is true, but only for a short term due to vasoconstriction.
I’ve discussed this with my coach as well as challenged the argument on both sides (for and against) on ChatGPT, it comes to the same conclusion.
Doesn’t help much, but it doesn’t hurt if done before training.
I’m neutral to it. I only do it for discipline purposes. Kind of nice to cool off after cardio too, though.
In the last three weeks before the show, I would bet that your cold plunges will be a welcome break from the suffering dieting toward 5% body fat.
Yep, we’re pretty much spamming tren and prayers at the moment, but it’s going to get MUCH worse.
Just doing what i can to keep my mind occupied.
50mins incline tread
5mins cold plunge
Pull+Hams (Width)
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025 at 11:49am
Lat Pulldown (Cable)
Set 1: 160 lbs x 15
Set 2: 160 lbs x 14 [Failure]
Straight Arm Lat Pulldown (Cable)
Set 1: 55 lbs x 13 [Failure]
Set 2: 55 lbs x 11 [Failure]
Preacher Curl (Barbell)
Set 1: 75 lbs x 15
Set 2: 75 lbs x 13 [Failure]
Shrug (Smith Machine)
Set 1: 315 lbs x 20
Set 2: 315 lbs x 13 [Failure]
Seated Leg Curl (Machine)
Set 1: 120 lbs x 15
Set 2: 120 lbs x 15
Set 3: 120 lbs x 14 [Failure]
@hevyapp
Check in pic
