Well put.
Just to give my support and lot of appreciation to Ricky and his son.
This is really done in a serious, transparent and precise fashion, something that is so rare.
Forums all over are full of people claiming this and that, but actual experience is something different and documenting it should be number 1 benefit of having forums in the first place, yet is still such exception. Not to mention this training method which is still borderline controversial.
So again, kudos to you guys, just wanted to state this, you certainly deserve it.
I am watching this thread and wish you great progress and much fun.
And thank you again 
S.
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You (and Ricky) are absolutely right.
My personal experience here is, even if I am able to make a proper judgement on NTF - my head tells me to do one more… LOL
== Scott==
Yes I’m also having a tough time not taking the 10 reps to failure. Being that my strength seems to fluctuate from one workout to the next it’s taken me weeks to figure out where in the set I have 2 reps still in the tank and even then I always want to do more. It’s like Jones it watching over my shoulder saying you can get another rep , ha ha !
Summary
Rick
Roch
Rick
Roch
This time we did not time between sets, we simply moved quickly… on average I think we were less than 25 seconds… have to watch video
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Ricky, you’ve got me so excited to do this program! I’m chomping at the bit! Hopefully the follow-up program is released by the time I’m finished so I can go right into that!
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Some funky differences between progress to Roch’s morning and evening readings… he usually gets up around 11 and this was done much earlier…
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Roch
Note, when all this over, I will post the difference between the average of 5 days (start day and 4 days before) and “last” 5 days" (day 35 and 4 days after) to hopefully circumvent some of the daily fluctuations that water can make…
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Roch
I’m noticing that I’m getting fat (mirror) and this is not a reflection on the program but my own lack of discipline. I have been measuring my intake in some way, shape or form, for many years, on a mostly daily basis, and since beginning this program, I’ve been eating a LOT of food… starting with this Monday, I plan to aim for 3000 calories over and above the calories from Plazma/Mag10… I’m pretty confident this should provide more than enough of a caloric surplus to continue gaining muscle, and I might even have to reduce more before program is over. Of course, I defer to Dr. Darden if he weighs in on this… to this end I’m posting a graphic of what is supposed to be good body fat %'s for men at different ages below to get feedback from the group. I believe the higher numbers for older men are higher due to having more visceral fat as we age. According to this chart I’m too lean??? Dr. Darden is there a body fat% below which your body might resist putting on muscle (or vice versa)…
Hey ricky I subbed your YouTube Channel. Do you think you could post a video reviewing the powertec piece? As well as a tour of your home gym?
Jon
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You raise an interesting question.
There is no doubt that being too fat creates health issues. But is being super lean always the healthiest state for a human? That lean and ripped look is certainly considered desirable by a lot of people. Clarence Bass is an example of someone who has always stayed in the single digits in terms of body fat, and that has always contributed to his muscular appearance. But now that he is old, I wonder if being too lean hasn’t contribute to his struggles to retain muscle mass.
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Hi Ricky,
To begin with, I admire your scientific approach to Dr Darden’s new protocol. You do seem to progress, which in my view is all positive, even if some of the gains are fat. I believe you are right on the calorie estimate, since I have a similar intake (and still progress).
Progress is an interesting indicator. Do we measure strength? Weight gain? Muscle gain?
I believe this depends on the individual context, where we begin at. Since you are lean to begin with, Ricky - I would expect your muscle gains to follow fat (and fluid) gains to some extent. I would advise you to gain whatever you can at this stage, and judge by the outcome afterwards. If you are ectomorph in your physionomy, your body will re-adapt after this experiment - meaning, you most probably end up with some net gain in muscle (and go back to your normal fat levels). Ground metabolism (and genetics) isn’t easily altered.
That being said, I am very impressed by your development so far. You are one of the role-models to follow. Keep up the good work!
Btw, re bodyfat I have heard/read that above 9% you are safe in terms of metabolism/hormones/muscle - Meaning you are doing alright. Someone correct me here if I am mistaken.
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Based on above could Tyler Darden’s 9.5% be more understandable as an 18 year old who probably has little visceral fat, therefore most of his fat would be subcutaneous and as such not look as “ripped”?
Doubtful. I’m 42 and my last DEXA scan showed 1.7# of visceral fat, with a total body fat percentage of 22. The visceral fat was only a little over 3% of my total fat mass.
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Rick
Roch
Ricky,
It appears to me that, after 6 metabolic challenges, you are putting on significant muscle mass. Keep going.
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any thoughts on my previous comments about cutting back on calories, or keep devouring? lol
Please and Thanks!