AM SKWATS 3-2-1s @ 135-225-315-365-415-455-495-515 then 3*3@425
Right before 3rd set I received a time sensitive email I had been waiting for all week (and literally losing sleep for) so I took that as an excuse to ditch the assistance work. My back still has doms from tuesday anyways.
This morning woke up 88.5cm waist (at 530am unfortunately) also my ab cuts were much better. It’s amazing what not eating ice cream does for a physique.
My calories yesterday were no way lower than what they had been all week and I even had that piece of religieuses (thanks markko for a new word) but I did not have carbs after my PM workout.
BROSCIENCE ADVICE: Don’t eat carbs post work out (in PM) or past a certain time of day if you are cutting. IT WORKS!!! It’s broscience to say you need post work out carbs at all, worse broscience IMO. Carbs are way better utilized pre workout and your muscles don’t need them to recover, they need protein…which also doesn’t need to come post workout but seems any time in the next 20 hours should work.
Anabolic window has been disproved, and spiking insulin is complete nonsense.
Standard disclaimer: This applies to us mortals, the people who step on stage or other top level physiques I wouldn’t begin to say what works for them…but if I were a gambling man I doubt they need carbs to “spike their insulin” if you catch my meaning.
How do you determine when this is the case? I feel like I have a tendency to do this, but then how do I know when I’m just being a wuss and still eating too much? Hope you don’t mind a question, and thanks in advance.
Awesome log, by the way. Impressive and entertaining.
For me, if I start running out of energy I should be eating more. You will be hungry because your body and mind are used to eating more, but for me this usually happens long before energy levels drop off.
I think calorie cycling (or just straight up cheat meals when needed) is probably ideal to still maintain performance while leaning out. In my experience timing is more important than quality. Ice cream for breakfast or preworkout >>>>brebed but the difference is probably truthfully negligible.
Of course not, that is why all these logs are here. motivation and thought sharing. And thanks!!!
I’m US born but live in playa del carmen…loved the movie but that scene makes my skin crawl!!!
My broscience is getting tested today. After grabbing coffee and raiding krispy kreme samples wifey and I went to bad moms (pretty good, some awkwardness) and then went to a new italian place and had a calzone (huge, literally a full size pizza just folded in half) and a plate of pasta. I am half embarrassed half impressed we ate it all. Oh, and olive oil and bread!!! I have not had that in forever. Tomorrow…puffy? watery? eye popping? Either way my diet is on lock down tomorrow.
PM Bench
paused 3-2-1s @ 135-185-225-265-295-315-325-335
5*5@255 mostly all paused
Dum Military 5s@25-50 and 75s for 4 sets in the 8 to 10 rep range
Cable Back flies to stretch out a bit
Mild doms in delts but 315 was still fast, 325 and 335 slowed down each a little. Since delts were the weak link I smashed them, in hindsight I probably should have let them recover. Will know more next bench session.
I like how honest you are which is part of the reason this is one of my favorite logs! I think people are afraid to admit their weaknesses and I personally have many of them. Thank you for sharing more than just workouts because the other stuff is important too.
I know I’ve noticed that the morning after a carby/cheaty day I look fuller and leaner (which in my case doesn’t mean a whole lot, but still noticeable).
This is how I woke up…at 530am AGAIN!! Looking pretty full especially in delts and lats and waist was 88cm so carb loaded right where I want to be.
Wifey picked up my bad habit of sleeping by 10pm up by 6am as well so we ran to the beach to see the sunrise. And then just as I am bragging about how full and big I am she out angles me and makes me look tiny…all 59kg of her.
AM Deads Volume/Deload
Hook 3s 135-225-315-365
Strapped 405s for 16-8-5- and a hooked 3
Plate Pinches
Power Rows 5s@135-225 8ish? @ 315
Had the most amazing debilitating back pump this morning after deads. It was so painful, at first I thought it was sciatica but I did a feel check IT WAS MY CHRISTMAS TREE!!! I got a pump there, so awesome.
UGH Really went backwards on friday. Sunday Morning 93.0kg (205lbs) and 91.5cm waist. Thats it, i’m done. Dont ask me to go out, I am not going. I am not eating anything*. I dont care if the world is ending (actually for that I would probably be deadlifting with some bourbon with Sofi). I dont think my definition suffered that much but something is going on with those numbers.
I really wanted some volume today so doubled up on the Squat sets and I was promptly rewarded with raging sciatica. The strapped deads were supposed to be 5s but my back was not having it. Next time I want lower body volume I will go with trap bar reps.
MINI RANT: Sciatica is soo stupid. It isnt a real injury, just painful to a debilitating degree. It serves no purpose other than keeping me from lifting.
*Last meal, headed for beach walk with Omar, Deya and Sofi until we find a place for breakfast.
FUNNY Headed to the gym this morning and there was a dude passed out cold snoring in a tree planter next to an empty litro cup. His last drink was probably consumed sitting on the planter. When I went came back home he had rolled over but he was still sleeping very soundly.
Sciatica flare up again, will probably work from bed for a few days and never do squats or reps every again.
Side Stuff:
My diet is going full lockdown mode. At least until next monday. Omar is on board too, we both want to lose 5kg over the next few weeks. Much more difficult for him as he weighs 83 to begin (to my 93) and my first 2kg should be water weight. In the past he was less than helpful as a cut buddy LOL.
POWER ROW RANT
AlphaV has a whole video on this but I have my 2 cents. The power row is the best and most well rounded back movement there is for body building and function.
You can adjust your grip width to change the bar path which can make it anywhere from any upper back centric to a more lat centric exercise.
Yes being able to pick something heavy off the ground (deadlift) with safe form is extremely functional but for every day functioning such as walking with decent posture the power row is better. It will fix all those muscles we destroy (weaken and stretch out) by sitting in front of our computers or in our lazy boys or so we can more safely get back to our excessive pressing movements.
For any program Power Rows could very well be the only exercise you need for back…I would also add in pullups and deads every time though.
Work was the worst so went to the gym a little early today.
And carrying a little extra everything today so I wanted to try Tree Fiddy
Afternooner BENCH
Comp Pause Bench:
3-2-1s@ 135-185-225-265-295-315 smoked 335 faster than 315 then got crushed by 355.
5*3@275
Dum Press:
5s @ 50-100 and 2*8@125s
Dum Military:
5@50 and 3*8@80s
Will look to taper my Benching a bit. Next Bench back Off work will be 53@295 then 53@315 then AMRAP 315.
I am realizing I have accomplished all of my PL goals time and again and it really is time to get stage shredded. If I commit hopefully I can be legit shredded by January to re up on some PL goals. #wintershred#summerbulk
I am 90% certain I did not coin that phrase but a google search makes me think I did. It is just a Bent Over Row but you remain a little more upright (up to 45 degrees). Usually this happens with Bent Over Rows when the weights get heavy.
Every thing I said for Power Rows goes for Bent Over Rows. The more upright version is just the version I have always done because that must have been the version I read about years ago that now no longer exists or never made it to the internet? (This was well over 10 years ago and I probably read it in a book. LOL who remembers going to the library?)
Personally I do think the Power Row is superior to Bent Over / Pendlay Row because your lower back is in a more rigid position. Most Pendlay Rowing I see being done is with a rounded back.
Sick Squat Workout but first a funny story…that I wont tell because it probably wont be as funny. I will just say a friend who has claimed natty since I knew him* “came out” today about his use. Funny situation because we already knew and I gues he thought we didn’t.
*Unless you claim natty to sell bullshit (#FitnessIndustryIsASCAM) to the less informed I could care less what you are on and who you lie to about it, even if it’s to me. Frankly, it is as relevant to my life as your sexuality or favorite color…you better not be an ohio fan though!!! GO BLUE!!!
Back off work: 5*3@405 (which feels so heavy after my actual work)
Few more warm up reps than normal trying lock in my form which never really settled in until about 365.
545 to 565 actually all felt pretty light. I did a really good job staying the zone and getting my adrenaline pumping for the sets. Pretty sure the gym must of thought I was Mr. Hyde.
So easy for me to skip arm training but even though I convinced myself this morning I would not do deads until tomorrow (sciatica) I brought my chalk (i use it for everything) so I did deads. Hook PR of 585 (that I even held at the top for a 2 count) and I am extremely confident I can hook grip anything I can strap.
I will try to pull 635+ (ideally 655) in a couple weeks so until then my deadlifting will be capped at 585 and volume when sciatica allows.
Then I tried to do bench but some drama (not mine…not ever mine LOL) really caused a loss of focus to the point that Drama Gym buddy forgot to load half the bar and it made for a really funny situation when he gave me the lift off. This drama kept me from finishing my bench workout but gave the perfect mood for boring pump (jk I am sure most think deadlifting and squats are boring) work so I smashed my Biceps.
This drama also reminded me of what is important in life so I am taking the day off from work and wifey and I going to run around getting some stuff done and living.
ooo also I got to explain why you should never deadlift in shoes!!! I try so hard not to help people with their form, instead I tell people when they have nice squat form or deadlift form.
AM WORKOUT ADHD
-Hook Dead 2-1s @
135-225-315
405-495-545 585 (hook PR)
-Bench 5-1s @
135-185-225
255-275-295
315-315
Bar Curls, Dum Curls drop set into plate curls then machine curls
So after the Great Tequila and Pizza Catastrophe of Friday Night I am back to where I was at my peak condition. It took 5 days of lock down 2400 cals which may not seem like much time but that was for 12 hours of failing. Not going into details but I think a lot of it was a combination of dehydration, excessive sodium (even for me) and no vegetables slowing digestion. (This is probably a contributing factor in the bubble guts you see in bodybuilding contests, along side a heavy abuse of growth hormones.)
-Yesterday I hit the energy wall so I skipped another PM workout (but we were out walking around all day so cals were burned…and that fixed my Sciatica too…until I work again).
-This morning I hit the “it’s 90 degrees but cloudy so I am cold” phase of leanness.
So with that I feel like I am on track to get supa lean and prove the dogma of cardio and ab training as useless as I know they are.
Energy wall led to a high carb day and dropping fats to still keep cals below 2600.
So potatoes and boiled chicken today (aka the Ronnie Coleman). Potatoes are my super food. Carbs and fiber go great with a number of condiments and even add some protein. I came home to find this…the most beautiful thing I have ever seen made with potatoes. Side note, if you need extra salt in your diet (if you are active and eat clean you should be adding salt to your food) step your game up with Garlic or Onion salt. Dont get seasoned salt because it usually has sugar and other junk.
AM Workouts Went generally higher reps today, just a bunch of support work and rather average workouts if not borderline blah…probably because I didnt do any of the Big 3 it felt that way and also I tried to fit 2 workouts into an hour less of time I normally do 1 and a bunch of food.
AM workout #1
Dum Military up to 48-8-8-7 drop set @ 85s
Dum Press up to 18@125s
Delts ON FIRE, could not continue ran home for my Coleman AM workout #2
Power Rows up to a few sets of 8@315
UG Pullups up to 3*8ish 90
I’m jealous of the beautiful background!!