Demigod before 35 (Aldebaran)

[aldebaran]

Ahah thanks!!

But once again I’ve tried several times. last bulk up to 95 kgs (I’m like 82-83 right now), last two autumn-winters I was hovering at 88-90, and younger I even bulked up to 110 kgs ahahah

I think my asian heritage makes it for me easy to get lean, not as easy to pack muscle. I also don’t think I have that much T (gyno when I was a kid, zero facial or body hair etc). But I think in spite of this I have quite good insertions, which make me look better and bigger than what I really am (like people can’t believe my arms are only 16’')

BUT yes this autumn, I’m trying one more time. These two times I did Colossus proved I could gain mass, and that it was the way to go. So this autumn I’m doing the Unity program, then another Meadows I haven’t done, perhaps Gamma Bomb. And I’ll eat accordingly to my goals, and see what happens!

[ChongLordUno]

Wow someone has booked a one way ticket to rip city

Fuxking annihilation up in here

[Frank_C]

You can clearly control your eating so make the growth phase methodical. Aim for 1-2 kg per month and keep it slow. We’ve all fallen victim to the speed bulk.

[aldebaran]

I clearly cannot as yesterday and today have proven. At the very least, I really have to avoid trigger food, they trigger me badly. So I think I’ll stick to plain food, “count”’ calories, and avoid pizza and all the most I can

[Frank_C]

That’s the problem with restriction. When we decide to let ourselves gain weight we convince ourselves it’s a free pass to make up for lost time. That’s why we end up gaining more fat than we’d like and then we go back to cutting. I can say I still haven’t successfully gained weight in a smart manner. I always eat bad foods.

[aldebaran]

Yesss I start okay, then at some point it spirals out of control. “after all, you’re bulking, you can eat this” blah blah blah

I still went walking after my dinner, which was already huge, then chocolate, then chips loool

But you know it didn’t even make me feel that good. It was tasty but not that much. I felt a bit sick, for my stomach was full, and the idea of a 2000 calories meal.

It didn’t feel like I was making up for lost time, because I didn’t enjoy that much more than my regular food, honestly, just the same!

But it just felt like I was a slave to, I don’t know, my serotonin receptors or something that just made crave chocolate and chips ahahah. When you feel full but yous till want to eat some shit!

Sure it’s tasty, but it didn’t feel pleasant

I’d rather share a nice cheat meal with people than indulge myself to this shit, honestly I’d rather be strict, because it just felt like 10 mins of wasted pleasure

[T3hPwnisher]

@aldebaran

I tried the continental clean and failed though, I need more belly or a belt

Neither. That’s the “easy” way out, but you got 175ers that are crushing crazy overhead records with no gut and no belt touch. There’s a technique to it, which is, of course, anathema to the spirit of strongman, but it’s there. Took me a serious concentrated effort to learn it, and I’d say the juice isn’t worth the squeeze if you don’t plan to compete, but it can be “fun” when you take the axle out to play.

Regarding the slow gain: I’ve found success with a restricted food list and a focus on increased food variety. I’m not really upping portion sizes much, but I keep adding things to meals to get more to them. Things become elaborate, but that sorta makes it self regulating too. My breakfast is now 2 whole eggs, 1 egg white, 2.25oz of beef, half an avocado, a slice of fat free cheese, some grassfed butter all placed on an egg wrap to make it into a burrito, served alongside 2 stalks of celery with nuts n more spread, a slice of keto toast with sunbutter and a cup of cashew milk. It didn’t start out that way, but has “evolved” into that. And, in turn, I have to REALLY need more food if I want to add on to that, because it’s a total pain in the butt to make, haha.

[aldebaran]

It was more a jest than anything, I tried only once, indeed I need the technique… (and an axle lol). If I were to compete I would have no shame in using a more technical approach, Licis does it, right? I would totally split jerk the shit out of the axle.

@T3hPwnisher

focus on increased food variety.

I’ve seen your delicious breakfast. I think than variety is indeed beneficial. used to eat only one fruit, now when I do my meal I use like the same amount of fruit, but of 3-4 different kind each time for instance, and I think I have more energy now!

@T3hPwnisher

And, in turn, I have to REALLY need more food if I want to add on to that, because it’s a total pain in the butt to make, haha.

Yeah I cook everything everytime so i usually go to the simplest meals

Anyway after having eating shit for 2 days, I have a bit of acne now lol so it’s one more proof that it’s not the way to go ahah

[dagill2]

@Frank_C

We’ve all fallen victim to the speed bulk

Victim is a strong word. I’d describe myself as a willing participant.

@Frank_C

That’s the problem with restriction

Time for my regular Dan John quote: What we contract, expands. On a more practical note, I find that if my diet is heavy in the things I need, it’s much, much easier to keep cravings at bay and calories controlled. For me that’s fat, caffeine and salt. It’s a lesson I keep learning.

@aldebaran

I’d rather share a nice cheat meal with people than indulge myself to this shit, honestly I’d rather be strict, because it just felt like 10 mins of wasted pleasure

This is also a lesson I keep learning. Cheating like a food addict brings me no pleasure. Cheating like my parents used to, by enjoying good food with good people at appropriate occasions, does.

[Frank_C]

I currently sprinkle in my indulgences on a regular basis. Fasting has become my counter balance if I overdo it.

Do I need to eat double crunch spicy nacho Ruffles chips? No. Are they delicious? Yes.

[aldebaran]

F yes they are, the problem is that I just can’t stop afterwards ahah

Fasting is tough, I commend your fortitude. Best I did was like 18 hours. But it’s probably not a good idea to try one when you’re already dieting, rpetty lean and hungry all the time

This is my almost daily indulgence all summer… Greek salad with grilled halloumi cheese or feta, pasta and some bread and ham on the side. It’s to die for. It’s around 900 cals

[Koestrizer]

If it all fails, you could always become a food influencer. Your food presenting skills are on another level mate

[aldebaran]

It’s because I love it

Last summer when I was doing my biking to diet down, I was watching cooking stuff and it made me want to try to present stuff better, even just for myself

At some point I’ll start posting food stuff for sure. Not what I intended but people ask. And after all, nutrition is a very important part of fitness…

[Frank_C]

@aldebaran

Fasting is tough, I commend your fortitude. Best I did was like 18 hours.

I’m doing a variety of things. On Mondays I fast till dinner. I’m probably only fasting for 20-22 hours depending on Sunday night.

I’ve tried the 5:2 diet approach that has you consume 400 calories twice in the day with a 12 hour gap.

And then there are days that I do the 16:8 fast and just don’t eat till about 2pm.

Today I’m butchering the Velocity Diet. That’s basically protein shakes throughout the day with a healthy dinner. The reason I say I’m butchering it is because I brought protein bars instead of shakes. They’re more calories for the same protein (20g).

[kdjohn]

I used to fast on Saturday’s after dinner until Sunday’s dinner. I don’t think it really did anything for my health or wellness that I really noticed, but holy hell was it a nice break from worrying about food all week.

So I suppose it did benefit my wellness, in a way, because it was a piece of mental stress I could get rid off.

[Frank_C]

Fasting has been found to maintain more muscle than a regular restricted calorie diet during a weight loss phase. That alone makes it appealing. I can suffer for one day or all days.

It’s also been shown to improve other things found in your blood work. It can still be used to gain weight, too.

[aldebaran]

@Frank_C

Today I’m butchering the Velocity Diet.

Tried it “for fun” once. Nope, not for me, I couldn’t do it!

24/05 - Ulysses - Legs - Week 1

A. Lying Leg Curl with 3 secs eccentric 2 x 10 with 40 kgs

B. Squat 16 x 3 with 120 kgs

C. Reverse-Band Hack Squat 2 x 10 with 3 plates

D. Good Morning 3 x 10 with 60 kgs

E1. Leg Raises 3 x max

E2. DB farmer’s Walk 3 x 30m with 40 kgs

F. Calves on Leg Press 1 x cluster 5 x 5 with 120 kgs

Back to it! Yesterday went out and drank quite some tequila. I can’t hold my liquor at all lol. Got a headache all day and slept badly despite going to bed early. At least I save some money because I don’t need much lol. I didn’t want to drink at all these previous weeks because of the calories, but now also because I don’t need much of it to feel like total garbage the following day!

So this was a tough workout, despite everything beint NOT RPE 10 for once!

For the squats, we had 20 mins to do max sets of 3 at 80%, and I did 16. Honestly it felt good, I felt powerful, confident. But it was super tough! We were soaked and our heads were achy and dizzy afterwards. Really a tough, great workout. This drained us, a lot. But we clearly weren’t in our best shape that day

Squat

Then, some reverse-band hack squats, these felt amazing! Really great on the knees, no pain, no crunchy noises, incredible ROM and all! The strength curve was great as well, and we could overload our quads the wole rep.

Meadows talked about how he liked reverse-band squats for band knees/hips, and now I understand why. Also you look cool for you’re putting more weight lol. I’m eager to try these sometimes. If your knees annoy you still @flappinit give this a try!

Reverse-Band Hack Squat

Then some ncie accessory to work on our weaknesses + the calf work.

Whya re DB farmers so haaaard. With 40 per hands, my grip was doing. When I was using 105 per hand with the farmer’s handles, my grip was good though…

Anyway, good but tough session, I’m famished. Getting back to 2600 calories though. This week has proven that i relaly can’t control myself with some food. I was at 4000 - 4500 cals everyday. But, it didn’t ruin my physique at all! Still veins on the abs. So yeah, I guess I was more in a deficit than I thought?

I know that on the evening, when I play games with friend or write, I’m tired. I make mistakes. They tell me I’m tired ahah. I just thought, well you know, I diet down, work 7/7, train my ass off, so it’s normal to be tired. But maybe I wasn’t feeling that I was putting quite a toll on my body? More than I thought anyway.

So, up to June the 1st, stay at 2600, then spend the rest of the summer more around 3000 I think, we’ll see.

Here are today’s pics, my spinal erectors look massive, about to hatch lol!

[FlatsFarmer]

Cool reverse banding.

Will you aim for more sets of 3 with 80% next squat workout?

[aldebaran]

Next week is sets of 2 with 85%, and the week after sets of 1 with 90%

I took that progression from an old Thibaudeau program, “Beast Building”, and Martin Licis uses it as well for his “skill acquisition” workouts

[Frank_C]

@aldebaran

@Frank_C

Today I’m butchering the Velocity Diet.

Tried it “for fun” once. Nope, not for me, I couldn’t do it!

Definitely not something I can do regularly.

I briefly thought about trying a Meadows program. I think I started reading through a free one and realized it wasn’t for me. Does he produce any workouts that don’t take 90 minutes???