shawn, I don’t have a problem feeling the movement. For most of my lifting career, I have found that going narrower feels better, is stronger, and is easier on my shoulders. But I guess it’s been awhile since I’ve tried wide-grip, so next time I’ll try. Thanks for the feedback man!
You have a girlfriend…I guess that makes sense, for some reason I thought I was reading Greg’s thread. Keep SFW, brother.
Bug,
I occasionally go wider on inclines and declines after I work up to my heavy set and do a burnout, really like them a lot.
Wider grip allows me to use more chest than my triceps, if I do narrower grips on my presses my triceps usually give out because my chest/shoulders are a lot stronger compared to triceps…
Lol, I’m aware that wider grip is supposed to work more chest, it’s just it fucks with my right rotator cuff pretty bad. I have still gotten pretty good chest development going narrower grip on all barbell lifts, and I feel my chest working very easily.
Thanks ev.
Eating was a little off today, energy was a bit low (stims helped), and my lower back is still killing me from my drunken antics on Sat. night, lol. I was determined to get a decent back session in, and it went pretty well, all things considered. With abs and cardio, I was in the gym a solid 2 hours. Woof I’m tired.
Started with some lower back hyperextensions to start, 3 sets of 15 to get some blood in the LB. Was a good idea.
Rope stiff-armed pulldowns - trying to minimize lower back strain today. These felt awesome, had been awhile since I’d done 'em.
6 x 15
8 x 12
10 x 8
12 x 8
Cybex plate-loaded pulldowns, neutral grip
1pps x 10
2pps x 8
2pps and 25s x 6
3pps x 6 drop 2pps x 6 drop 1pps x 10ish
Meadows rows
1plate x 8
2plates x 8
2plates and 2p in back x 6
Pullups - deadhang, full stretch, hard contraction.
bw x 10, 10
1 set pulldowns w/ 150lbs to failure.
Rear delt flies - i really want some huge rear delts.
15lbs x 15 - one arm at a time
25lbs x 15 - one arm at a time
30s x 10 - both together
40s x 10 - both together
Barbell shrugs - didnt make the LB felt amazin, was gassing a bit, so just did 2 work sets
225 x 20
315 x 20 - woot, now onto biceps.
Cybex plate-loaded machine curls - kind of simulate an arm-supported DB curl? idk. Did these 1 arm at a time
15lbs x 12
25lbs x 10
30lbs x 8
35lbs x 6
Seated hammer curls
35s x 8 - arms together
40s x 8 - arms together
50s x 6 - alternating
55s x 8 - alternating
barbell curls - 3 sec negative
75lbs x 10, 8 - pooped.
Rope crunches, weighted leg raises, and 20 min step mill. Boom, roasted. I am le tired…
How much cardio are you doing on average bug? I hate doing “traditional” cardio so I’ve been basically avoiding it for the past… Ummm… Well the past forever basically lol. (just a couple months really)
What do you think is helping more, in terms of getting more shredded than a julian salad, the cardio or your dieting strategy? (probably a dumb question that I already know the answer to. Askin anyway cause that’s how hardcore I am)
Greg, I think diet is of course the key element to achieving leanness. Once the ball is rolling though, I definitely think cardio is necessary to keep fanning the metabolic flames.
That said, I think they work synergistically (lolz) to creative an optimal fat burning environment. A lot of people when dieting just kind of blindly do tons of cardio, which as a natty dieting for a long time, is not very fun for your body. That’s what I really liked about the skiploading principles: you do cardio as needed, which for me was usually the first 3 days of the week, and maybe once or occasionally twice more as needed. The handful of weeks that I did significantly less or no cardio I DEFINITELY felt a difference and could tell my body wasn’t burning fat as quickly, if at all.
I didn’t quite reach the level of leanness that I wanted to this diet, but i’ve been at it for a long time and it’s time to start giving my body more nutrients. in the coming weeks I’ll slowwwwwlllllyyyyy start bringing my calories up and playing with my eating to see what I need to do to keep looking sexy while gaining back some energy.
From the shitty weekend and a long night of dinner and drinks on Tuesday night (was networking - scored some interviews though!) I look smoother and watery at the moment, so I want to get back to my drier condition and assess what i’m gonna do.
legs this afternoon/evening!
Its not the class you take, its the hand you shake. Good luck with the interviews.
True dat, Dixie. Just gotta find some important people now to shake their hands and convince them to pay me. 
Energy was very low today. Just feeling tired and lethargic. Even though I’m not technically “dieting” anymore, I’m still trying to deplete over the course of the week, just with slightly higher calories. Doesn’t help that just about every muscle I’ve worked this week is sore, including that damn lower back from the weekend. Made back training somewhat difficult yesterday, and legs today. I warmed up with some extra cardio and took my time getting into it. I did get into it, but I just wasnt too strong, and during leg press, my flexors started cramping, energy levels were tanking, so I knew it was time to go home.
Warmed up with 10 min step mill.
Seated calves
5 sets
Some calf machine
3 sets
Plate loaded leg extensions - been awhile since Ive used this
1 plate x 15
1 plate and a 25 x 12
2 plates x 10
2 plates and a 25 x 10 - good quad pump.
Front squats - went ahead and did a squat variation to not be a total pussy. My lower back wasnt thrilled but they werent too bad. Quads were fucked from the leg ext. though.
135 x 12
185 x 8
225 x 6
275 x 6 - heavy and slow fml. Tried thinking of Dove manhandling the weights.
135 x 20
Lying leg curls
50 x 12
90 x 10
130 x 8
160 x 8
Wide-footed, slow neg leg press - hammie focus
3pps x 12
5pps x 10
7pps x 6 - stopped after 6th rep, felt cramping, fuck that noise.
Some stretching, 10 more min step mill, hobbled my lazy ass home.
Do you wear a belt during squats? Also, when did you last have a big carb up or a high calorie day? It could simply be time for a recharge. Also, do you plan on trying to gain mass in the near future, or maintain that level of leanness throughout summer?
Either way, nice lifting. I know this is anti’bodybuilder, but you might try going with a heavy movement first and then the leg extensions and such. Whether or not this is best for hypertrophy I have no idea, but it should help your strength and make you fresher for the big lifts.
^ I agree with Dove…especially since you are depleted and dieting, I think it would be better to do the heavy movement first because it will allow you to be at your best and retain as much strength/muscle as possible.
I had a high calorie day on Sunday, Dove, and actually ate sort of sloppy Monday and Tuesday as well. I think the chronic caloric deficit that i’ve been under for quite awhile now is really taking a toll on my body. My number one priority over the next few months is to maintain as much of the leanness as possible, but on the flip side, I reallllyyyy want to get back to my old levels of strength, which seem like lightyears away. 
I will try less prefatiguing and more money movements first. I’m not sure that this will be as huge of a difference as you might think, but we will see. I might need a week out of the gym or something soon to get my head back into it.
Yeah Bug, I hear you. I’m obvi no strength or size monster, but even I notice my body being weird. Being chronically starved leaves ME feeling all sorts of weird. I get weird body temp changes (hot or cold) at random points, I need a LOT more sleep to feel rested, I’m cranky all the time, and my strength has plummeted. I bet that within a week or two of being on a more normal diet, though, everything will start going up big time, for both of us!
[quote]bugeishaAD wrote:
From the shitty weekend and a long night of dinner and drinks on Tuesday night (was networking - scored some interviews though!) I look smoother and watery at the moment, so I want to get back to my drier condition and assess what i’m gonna do.
[/quote]
I’m no good at contest prep, but job prep/networking/pitching skills I am unbelievable, let me know if you need any help here
you could wash laundry on those abs, and I think guys look good in drag
(no homo)
<3
My Friday was weird as hell, got into the gym not in real gym clothes, without my headphones, weird food intake before hand… started warming up and wasnt feeling it, so head home and decided I’d do shoulders with arms today. Was a good session.
Seated DB press
30s x 15
40s x 12
60s x 10
80s x 8
100s x 10 - 1 or 2 left in the tank. This felt good.
DB laterals
30s x 12
45s x 10
60s x 8
—Partials
85s x 25
Rear delts
15lbs x 30 LR
—DBs together:
30s x 12
40s x 10
On to arms:
DB kickbacks, arms together, semi supinated
15s x 12
20s x 12
25s x 10
Incline DB curls - really starting to like these again
25s x 12 LR
32.5s x 8 LR
45s x 6 LR
50s x 8 LR
Lying EZ-bar “PJR Pullovers” - first time trying these, didnt feel bad.
45lbs x 12
65lbs x 10
85lbs x 8
105lbs x 8
One-armed DB preachers
35s x 8 LR
40s x 8 LR
45s x 6 LR
Pressdowns
(rope)
8 x 12 - hard squeezes
10 x 10 - hard squeezes
(V-attachment)
13 x 8
stack x 8
EZ rev. grip curls / DB hammers / EZ curls giant set
65lbs x 10 / 35s x 10 / 65lbs x 10 - omg so much pain
65lbs x 8 / 35s x 8 / 65lbs x 7 - fried
2 quick sets of incline DB skulls, high reps as a finisher. 15 min PWO cardio. Good good session.
Bug, I feelz ya, I can’t lift w/out my usual clothes, music, etc. It’s a very weird phenomenon. Also dropped in to let you know that it’s begun. I’m eating like a mofo, gonna be pushing big weights soon. Watch out, cuz I’m looking to bench 405 by July (kidding). Thanks for all the help buddy!
lol bug. this is getting out of hand
ur out of hand.
quick update - I basically ate quite a lot Saturday night, most of sunday, and yesterday evening. Didn’t lift. I’m weighing 208. My belly is happy, but it’s time to get back to tightening things up ha. I believe I’m starting today with a new training partner, which should be cool. He’s almost as big as holymac. un-real, man.