I completely agree
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Thank you guys!
I hear you loud and clear.
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I am Never going to failure on any compound lifts
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On the compound lifts I am going try leave a minimum of 1 rep in the tank unless I make an error and am over ambitious, but certainly never reaching failure.
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I am also considering upping my calories from 3,250 to 3,500.
Thatās good! Seems good to me.
I think if youāre at a reasonable BF percentage (Which I think you stayed you are), upwards of 3500 especially on a cycle is certainly no mistake.
I am somewhere around 17%BF @lordgains
Guys,
Does increased vascularity mean I am getting leaner or is this common when on a blast?
I have veins popping from the top of my shoulders all the way down to my wrists.
Could be both especially if youāre on Anavar.
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Anavar hasnāt started yet.
I generally think it is an indicator of leanness, It can be other things too. It is getting warmer outside. If you are consistently warmer, you will likely be more vascular.
End of Week 7
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This week I went to Aromasin every 3 days from every 2 days as I didnāt want to have my oestrogen too low. This has made me feel a bit more puffy.
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I am suppose to start Anavar tomorrow.
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Although feeling more puffy I am definitely more vascular.
Progress Pics at end of Week 7ā¦ Feeling alpuffy which is either due to going to aromasin every 3 days or from going up to 3,500 calories.
Youāre on testosterone. Some amount of puffy is going to happen. Over controlling it is going to come at a cost of gains. Looking good man.
I wanted to share my recent lifts as I am hitting triples on most of the compound movements this week.
I am around 10 days in with the Anavar. Have another 3.5 weeks to go on my blast. Achieving my strength goals is looking doubtful.
Flat Bench:
130kg (286lbs) for 3 Reps x 5 sets
12kg (26lbs) added to my bench 8 weeks into my blast. Not as good as I had hoped to be honest.
Incline Bench:
100kg (220lbs) x 8 Reps x 3 sets
12kg (26lbs) also added to my incline bench 8 weeks into my blast. Again a bit disappointed.
Squat:
155kg (342lbs) x 3 Reps x 5 Sets
20kg (44lbs) added during my 8 week blast.
Overhead Press:
70kg (155lbs) x 6 Reps x 3 Sets
10kg (22lbs) added in 8 week blast
Conventional Rack Pull (Below Knees):
190kg (418lbs) x 6 Reps x 3 Sets
30kg (66lbs) added in 8 week blast
Sumo Deadlift:
In 2 Days
Projecting 200kg x 3 Reps x 3 Sets
If achieved will be a good improvement of around 40kg (88lbs)
As you will note I have gained about 22lbs on all my pushing movements with better results on squats and deads. I was really hoping to achieve the following goals by the end of my blast but it is looking doubtful:
- 3 plate bench for triples - This was my biggest goal
- 80kg (176lbs) overhead press for 5
- 4 plate squat for a single
- 220kg sumo deadlift for a triple
At the moment it looks like the overhead press and Sumo deadlift could be achieved with the other two looking challenging/doubtful.
Any advice?
I donāt know what your goals are but 10 days in you have no clue what youāre going to get from the Anavar yet. I remember at 16 days in not noticing anything yet besides my dick going into hibernation. Itāll likely be one of those things where at week 4 you feel like throwing weight around that you usually have a hard time lifting.
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That is music to my ears @dextermorgan. Not the dick part obviously lol.
My dick is functioning but my sex drive has diminished a bit.
I sure hope I can hit my goals.
I did 190kg (419lbs) on below the knee rack pulls for 3 sets of 5 reps. It was suppose to be 5 sets but they took my soul. After I could only do 1 set on Sumo for 3 reps of 190kg and I was fuckitoed.
Iāve never had rack pulls kill me like it did today.
@dextermorgan and @iron_yuppie YOU GUYS WERENāT KIDDING!
The Var is making a big difference!
My bench last week was 130kg for triples. I did 140kg (3 plates) for two sets of doubles today followed by 4 sets of 135kg for doubles and this is with me feeling beat up (shoulders aching and lower back aching a bit + feeling a bit worn out) after weeks of super hard training. I was shocked at the increase of my bench from last week. Thatās a 22lbs increase to my bench in 1 week at only 1 rep less!
I sure hope these strength gains continue. Anavar sure seems awesome so far, although it has hurt my sex drive some.
May I ask a couple questions please:
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I finish another round of my 4 week program this week. I need to start a new program and would normally have a deload next week. If I am on week 10 of a 12 week planned blast cycle is a deload at this late stage a mistake? I am currently training twice a day, 3 days on 1 dayoff. Any advice here pls?
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I am open to extending the blast for a week or 2 if it doesnāt pose any significant increase to sides or health risks. Can you please consider this as part of the above question?
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I am considering switching from a 3 day on and 1 day off lifting program to a 4 day a week program for more recovery. Any thoughts here?
Help with the end of my blast is much appreciated.
Thank you all very much!
So itās the final week of my current 4 week program and I wanted to share an update along with my full program in case others wanted to try it. I have found it very brutal and tough. This is my third round of it and I canāt handle a 4th.
Note : Originally the program was meant to be 6 days straight but I needed a second rest day after day 3 because itās very tough.
This week, I am halfway through so have trained the last 3 days (am and pm sessions) and today was my off day before another 3 days straight of am and Pm training.
Day 1 Chest and Back:
Day 1 (AM):
Flat Bench - 6 sets of heavy benching - doubles dayā¦Hit 3 Plates for 2 Sets of Doubles!
Incline bench - 3 Sets of 8 reps
Chest flies with 3 sec pause on the bottom.
Day 1 (PM):
Dumbbell rows -3 sets of 20 reps
Wide grip chins - 3 sets to failure
Shrugs - 3 sets of 20 reps
- The flat benching was 6 sets of absolute grinders BUT I FINALLY LIFTED 3 PLATES FOR THE FIRST 2 SETS OF DOUBLES!!! My shoulder was aching quite a bit and my triceps really game through to finish the lifts. Tricep work definitely paid off.
Day 2 Legs and Abs:
Day 2 (AM)
Back Squat - 6 sets of doublesā¦ Hit 160kg (352lbs) for a triple on set 6. 180 for a single is still a ways away. Not sure if I can reach 4 plates for a single. It was an absolute grinder
Front squat - 3 sets of 10 reps
Day 2 (PM)
Hamstring Dumbbell Curls - 3 sets of 10
Stiff Leg Deadlift - 3 sets of 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Plank
Day 3 ARMS (MY NUMBERS WENT BACKWARDS FROM LAST WEEK):
Day 3 (AM):
Spoto Press - matched the previous weeks performance for the first 2 sets then the numbers dropped off.
Close Grip 15 Degree Bench - Numbers Fell By 20%
Skull Crushers - 3 Heavy sets to failure
Day 3 (PM):
Barbell Curls - 3 Sets of 15 to 20 RepsReverse Incline Bench Curls - 3 sets of 10 reps to failure
Hammer Curls - 3 sets of 10 reps to failure
Note:
I felt my triceps hadnāt recovered fully from Day 1s heavy benching and my back was also burned out from the heavy squats and Day 1 PM back session. Every set of the 6 bench sets were grinders where my triceps were responsible for finishing the lifts.
Day 4 Rest:
I got good rest today, but starting tomorrow, I have the last 3 days of my program before I start a new program. Tomorrow is heavy deadlifts and I still feel a little beat up.
Day 5 Back:
Day 5 AM
Rack Pulls
Sumo Deadlifts - I am doubting I will be able to hit my goal of 220kg for 3 reps this week but I will be going for it. I get worried about my lower back.
Day 5 PM
Weighted Wide Grip Chins
Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell Shrugs
Day 6 (Shoudlers and Arms):
Day 6 AM:
Standing Overhead Press - I hit 75kg for 5 reps. I think I might be able to hit my goal of 80kg for 5 this week if my triceps have recovered nicely.
Seated Lateral Raises
Reverse Incline Rear Delt Flies
Day 6 PM:
Tricep Kickbacks
Seated Bicep Curls
Close Grip Flat Dumbell Press
Hammer Curls
Day 7 (Legs and Core):
Day 7 AM:
Hex Bar Deadlifts
Step Ups
Goblet Squat
Day 7 PM:
Standing Side Crunches
Hanging Leg Raises
Plank
What I find very interested this week is my tricep strength has shot up bringing all my pressing goals within reach (flat bench, incline bench and overhead press) when I thought they werenāt going to happen.
Now it looks like my squat and deadlift will fall short without extending my blast, unless some deload time really adds a boost. Exciting times!
I hope you guys find the program useful as it was designed for me by a world class power lifter.
Well today was sumo deadlifts after some light conventional rack pulls.
My goal has been to hit 5 plates for a triple. I worked up to 4 plates and hit a super solid and easy double.
Threw 5 plates and only just got it off the ground and back down it went. Tried a second time and again couldnāt get it up.
Went down to 4.5 plates (200kg) and hit an 8 rep set.
5 plates wasnāt a million miles off but today wasnāt the day.
I am feeling pretty beat up, my lower back is super tight fit and my shoulder is aching.
Tomorrow I am going for my goal on overhead pressā¦ 80kg
I hate having to deload when there is only a couple weeks left for my blast. Any advice guys? Anyone done a half week deload or mini deload?
Donāt feel too discouraged about the deadlift. I battled the 5 plate deadlift and failed for about a year, then I got it and a month later pulled 550.
Maybe a deload is exactly what you need? If you still have 2 weeks left, do a deload now for 5-8 days then try to hit your 1RMās to finish off your blast.
Also, if you can hit 8 at 441, 500 is definitely there. Itās probably in your headā¦ heavy lifting is a huge mental game
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I agree with this. A lot of power lifters take a deload before a meet. See it as your meet. Do a deload. Maybe you donāt do it because of ego or youāre like me, you donāt like going super heavy after going light for a week. Iād chill out for a few days in your case, lifting heavy is also highly neurological and a recovered nervous system is an efficient nervous system.
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