Joe that is a GOLD MINE. Thank you so much! These are really great links.
I do have to once again give credit to Mr Zsasz, as he sent me that terrific final link at the very beginning of all this, and it is a great resource. One of the links you sent also has an 11 minute video that is terrific in walking you through the manditories.
Again, THANKS!
And thanks to everybody, again, for all of your support and kind words. I keep you guys in mind when I train because I don’t want to let you down. I’m going to bring a fantastic package in to that show.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
I don’t have a seated or standing calf raise machine, but I have modified the Smith machine so that with a small platform, a padded board, and a bench I can do either of those exercises.
A few months back I was doing between 6 to 8 sets of both seated and standing calf raises every time I went to the gym and that was actually working very well to finally stimulate them to grow.
Unfortunately, I overdid it, injured myself, and couldn’t mess with them or even run for a few months afterward. I’m recovered from that but still wary about going completely balls to the wall like before out of fear of another injury, so I am doing 3 to 4 sets of either seated or standing or leg sled 3 to 4 times a week.
They are growing, and they are not quite as small as the lighting in some of those pictures might lead you to believe, but yeah, they stil have a long way to go to catch up with the rest of me. Any suggestions? [/quote]
Are you truly recovered? If yes then nothing should stop you from again going balls to the wall as you say. I tend to favor the one leg standing calf raise mostly because I can do the entire stack even with one leg.
So I so as many reps as I can until my form breaks down so bad or I cannot get a single rep. Then I will switch over to some two leggers. Usually just for some 10 second peak contraction holds at the top. Listen I sound like a bodybuilder. Partial reps work good too.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
sapasion wrote:
Cortes wrote:
Jelly Roll wrote:
Fantastic shoulders Cortes. Even with the bad lighting they really stand out.
Jelly
Thanks JR. I think my shoulders are my best bodypart, too. Wish my calves would grow in the same manner.
You probably address this in the t-cell alpha thread on calves [maybe not]. But how do you train your calves? I know they are so genetic but still. I have medium calf genetics but I made such a priority to blast the hell out them.
So people might think they are a natural specialty which they aren’t. I’m one of the few PL’ers who does not want to walk around with huge thighs and pipe cleaners below the needs
I don’t have a seated or standing calf raise machine, but I have modified the Smith machine so that with a small platform, a padded board, and a bench I can do either of those exercises.
A few months back I was doing between 6 to 8 sets of both seated and standing calf raises every time I went to the gym and that was actually working very well to finally stimulate them to grow. Unfortunately, I overdid it, injured myself, and couldn’t mess with them or even run for a few months afterward. I’m recovered from that but still wary about going completely balls to the wall like before out of fear of another injury, so I am doing 3 to 4 sets of either seated or standing or leg sled 3 to 4 times a week.
They are growing, and they are not quite as small as the lighting in some of those pictures might lead you to believe, but yeah, they stil have a long way to go to catch up with the rest of me. Any suggestions? [/quote]
I find (as most will agree with calves i suspect) that the best way for calves to grow is little and often rather than alot and less often.
So maybe 3 sets 5-6 days a week may do you well once you are 100% obviously.
Joe
Close. I say a lot and often 
But sure I’d say 3 sets 5 days a week is much better than 8 sets twice a week. I hit calves almost every day I am in the gym so yeah its probably 4-5 times a week. The sets vary of course. As important as frequency is [and I’d rate it second] heavy loads is definitely first.
you look terrible just awful, terrible ugghhghhghg… LOL just kidding dude looking good and big. hit the cardio real hard now so u dont end up like me hating life less then a week out hoping to choke and die off a green bean.
Man, what a difference from your pics from last autumn. Your physique is starting to rock. An inspiration for newbies like me - it CAN be done. Go get 'em…LittleRunt
Hey Cortes. How 'bout some stats?
Weight lost? Measurements?
I’m really interested in how you’re getting through (mentally) losing weight - which is pretty much all of our worst nightmare - even when you know it’ll show off more muscle.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
[quote]kroby wrote:
Hey Cortes. How 'bout some stats?
Weight lost? Measurements?
I’m really interested in how you’re getting through (mentally) losing weight - which is pretty much all of our worst nightmare - even when you know it’ll show off more muscle.
Thanks in advance for your reply.[/quote]
I can tell you from personal experience that it is very demoralizing. As of the end of March, I was in the upper 220’s and quite solid. I have cut all the way down to 196. In case you were unaware, I have training coming up and wanted to be as light as comfortably possible in order to make running easier.
Anyways, it just killed me for a while. But now I’m bulking back up to 210-215 by the end of July. Shouldn’t be that hard for me, even while natural…
Hijack ended.
World
[quote]kroby wrote:
Hey Cortes. How 'bout some stats?
Weight lost? Measurements?
I’m really interested in how you’re getting through (mentally) losing weight - which is pretty much all of our worst nightmare - even when you know it’ll show off more muscle.
Thanks in advance for your reply.[/quote]
You know what, kroby, as of yesterday I weighed 217.8 lbs. Meaning I am nowhere near the point of feeling demoralized. Actually, I feel pretty jacked. I am continuing to lose fat and obviously it’s getting replaced with muscle, which is what I am pretty sure any of us would define as an ideal situation. It really seems that, for me, a high protein, medium fat, low carb diet is what works. I know it won’t (and can’t) continue indefinitely, and there is going to have to be a point where the weight just goes down instead of holding static, but I haven’t hit it yet, and right now I am very, very happy with what is happening.
Also I realized yesterday that I miscalculated and that I still have 10 weeks to my show, so there is still plenty of time to get this just right.
Cortes bud, you have plenty of time. No sense in pushing the envelope and doing too much too early. Been there, done that, and it’s miserable.
Low carbs are always the way to go. If anything, increase your cardio or switch it up in order increase the fat loss. Find a diet that works, stick with it, and modify your training.
Perhaps switch to a high intensity, high frequency style of training now, and then go to a rather hardcore pre-contest routine 4-6 weeks out. DC would be pretty damned good for you right now.
Just a few thoughts.
World
Wow, Cortes, I’ve missed a lot. You’re physique looks great. I see that squirrel that used to live on your stomach found a new home. Must be out hunting for nuts.
They’re going to be cursing the baca gai’jin that invaded their contest. Your discipline really shows. Keep it up!
Thanks 5.0, good to have you here! I hope to show a few of these nihonjin what a gaijin is capable of.
Oh, a lot of you guys will be thrilled to learn that I just ordered my MT-II. Got a great deal, 50mgs for 125 bucks plus free shipping to Japan. I’ll let you know how that works out when it gets here. And no, I don’t plan on using the entire 50mgs all at once, but it will be nice to be able to keep my tan through the winter for once.
[quote]world1187 wrote:
I was in the upper 220’s and quite solid. I have cut all the way down to 196. … Anyways, it just killed me for a while. [/quote]
For me, that 220 mark is the killer. I’ve dipped below, and my brain is fighting itself to add weight, wait, no. Drop fat. No, add weight. My wife says I’m looking bigger every morning - and I’m reluctant to step on the scale. It’s truly a psychological battle.
30 pounds in 2.5 months is sick.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
You know what, kroby, as of yesterday I weighed 217.8 lbs. Meaning I am nowhere near the point of feeling demoralized. Actually, I feel pretty jacked. I am continuing to lose fat and obviously it’s getting replaced with muscle, which is what I am pretty sure any of us would define as an ideal situation. [/quote]
You’re living the high life for sure. The only way I know my cut is working is: my weight is dropping but my measurements are going up. That’s the trump card in this whole battle. Since you have ten weeks to go, you’ll do great, Cortes.
btw - Cortes and World1187, I have been trying to PM you both so as to not clutter any thread up with chatter, but I don’t have this ability at the time.
Very nice Cortes. It is fun to watch someone dieting down for a show. The transformation is exciting and motivating to watch. You have a lot of time left before you step on stage and I am anxious to see the pre contest photos.
[quote]2thepain wrote:
Very nice Cortes. It is fun to watch someone dieting down for a show. The transformation is exciting and motivating to watch. You have a lot of time left before you step on stage and I am anxious to see the pre contest photos. [/quote]
Me too!
I’m doing my best to make it worth all you guys’ whiles. Is what I just said even English?
Here’s an update for you guys that are still interested.
Fat loss is going great. I’m pretty excited because I’m already quite lean and I still have 2 months of contest prep left and the diet so far has not been that hard at all. I know will have to change things up and get ever stricter with it, and I don’t think it will be a breeze, but the great thing is that I really am an ecto, and when it comes time to lose the fat, I’ve already done most of the hard work, and this is pretty well the easy part.
I have also started a run of HCG. My wife and I are now actively attempting to have a baby (practicing hard, guys 
and my cycle is pretty long and heavy, so that is the reason I have chosen to try this. There are about a million different protocols all over the net, so who knows what is best. I am trying to balance needles/injection frequency/cost with overall effectiveness, and what I have arrived at is 500iu/E3D. I know that ED or EOD is probably better, but my main concern is with just keeping the boys stimulated enough to begin producing a fair amount of sperm. To my surprise, by the seventh week into my cycle using pretty suppressive compounds, they had not shrunk up nearly as much as I had expected. However, after two injections so far, seminal volume has definitely increased and size seems to slowly be coming back. If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve my HCG protocol, I am open to them. Also, I am injecting into my belly fat (subcutaneous) about an inch and a half distal to either side of my naval. Unfortunately there is still a little fat there that I can use
Oh, and I will have update pictures for you next month, but I have promised myself that I’m not taking a picture of another bodypart of mine until it gets a tan. My MT-II is on it’s way, probably to arrive in within a week. So you guys will have to find something else to rib me about the next time I throw pictures up
Bump:)
Outstanding results, seven months later, C. You need to update here more though!