[quote]
My forearms are so pumped it’s painful. It feels like the muscle is about to burst through the skin. They’ve also got a lot of water in the muscles, causing them to look a little swollen…my forearms look like Popeye.
I have wood all the time.[/quote]
Isn’t it a great feeling haha!
Weigh day!
Last week was 232.8 lbs, 13.8% body-fat.
Today: 236.3 lbs, 13.7% body-fat. That works out to 204 lbs lean muscle and 32 pounds fat.
So basically this week I gained 3 pounds of muscle and no fat. I am visibly larger - particularly my shoulders and arms. So far, after two weeks of this cycle, I have gained 8 lbs lean muscle, lost 1 pound body fat, for a net gain of 7 pounds.
\0/
Monday was Chest/Biceps. We’re now in the “Medium” week of the HIML routine…Medium refers to medium weight, not effort (the weight drops, but the reps increase accordingly).
Yesterday’s workout:
Machine Bench Press (123 Strive machine w/ adjustable cam): 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets, 12 reps each
Incline Bench with dumbbells, 3 sets x 12 reps
Pec Deck, 3 sets x 12
Hammer strength decline press machine, over-weighted for negatives, 3 sets x 12. Wow.
EZ Bar curl, 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets, 12 reps each
dumbbell curls, 3 sets x 12 reps
Drag curl, 3 sets x 12. At this point my arms were completely smoked.
Cable crunch, 3 sets, 30 reps.
Weighted sit-up, 3 sets, 30 reps.
Last night my biceps were so pumped that it was impossible to sleep; they throbbed and spasmed all night. I can’t even fully let them extend at my sides; it’s too painful a stretch.
Today was legs.
Holy shit, are my legs sore. I am going to hate tomorrow.
Squat: 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets, 12 reps each.
Leg press Machine: 3 sets x 12
Leg extension machine: 3 sets x 12
Lunge, 3 sets, 12 reps each leg. At this point I was dripping with sweat and walking a little funny.
Romanian Deadlift w/ smith machine, 3 sets, 12 reps. My back started to seize up…I guess that’s not uncommon w/ dbol.
Single leg curls, 3 sets, 12 reps each leg.
Split suat w/ barbell, 3 sets, 12 reps each. My legs were so smoked at this point I couldn’t even do these with any weight; just the bar, and even that was shaky. When I finished the last rep on set 3, I literally collapsed.
Calf extension, 3 sets x 12. This was practically a rest for me…I got to sit down.
Calf raise, seated, 3 sets, 12 reps.
Total workout took 90 minutes. I’m already walking like I took a 12-incher up the ass.
Tomorrow is supposed to be Muy Thai at the dojo, but I think there’s very little chance of that happening. I need a rest day.
[quote]MassiveGuns wrote:
[quote]aspengc8 wrote:
[quote]MassiveGuns wrote:
[quote]SonoraStorm wrote:
Thanks Massive Guns. I use FitBit’s web-app to track my food, so I am pretty sure I’m at least 95% accurate (since almost none of my food comes out of a box, portion sizes can vary a little bit here and there). I aim for 250 - 300 grams of protein a day, and less than 25g carbs. Regarding upping my carbs, my theory - and I could be completely wrong - is that since the DBol increases glycogen storage, a carb deficit prevents storing that cheap energy in the muscle, my body will instead turn to fat stores and create glycogen indirectly ythrough Gluconeogenesis. My theory’s based on research done at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
We’ll see…[/quote]
If you eat that few carbs, you lose protein since a portion of it turns to carbs. Therefore, if you are using steroids, you either need to eat even more protein, or add some carbs. I’m familiar with the anabolic diet. Most people using gear do better with a higher carb intake.[/quote]
You are NOT familiar with the AD based on your quote. Thow whole purpose of the AD is to use fat as fuel, since it has a metabolic pathway to convert to blood sugar. If he is eating enough fat, protein is spared.[/quote]
Thats odd because I have the ebook on this computer?
If you eat enough fat, then no glucenogenesis takes place either…
Which is why dropping carbs too much makes you look flat and is a bad idea if you are on gear
[/quote]
1.) That’s good, because you don’t want gluconeogenesis on the AD, you want fatty acid metabolism. Gluconeo only happens if protein is your major source of energy eaten…
2.) not sure what ‘looking flat’ has to do with gear…
Sonoma how is the AD treating you so far? From your measured numbers, looks like good progress.
The Anabolic Diet has been a big success so far in my opinion. Gain of 8 lbs lean muscle, lost 1 lb fat, net gain of 7 pounds, and it’s only been 2 1/2 weeks. I think it’s more than feasible I end up finishing the cycle at 255 lbs and keep 245 lbs, and I don’t think I’ll need any type of cutting regimen afterwards. We’ll need to wait until after PCT to be sure, but I think I’ll have a case study for people to consider as an alternative to a high carb (read: high bloat) bulking cycle.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving! So, in honor of Thanksgiving, I went over to my neighbor’s house and said “This is mine now.”
I also worked out, 'cause I’m dedicated and shit, yo (that’s how you know I’m gangster; because I say ‘yo’, like the kids). Yesterday was Medium shoulders/triceps - “medium” week is turning out to be a real mother fucker. 12 reps turns out to be a lot harder than 6 - 8 reps. You know…because math.
Shoulder Press, dumbbells. 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets, 12 reps each.
Upright row, barbell, 3 sets x 12
Lateral raise, cable, 3 sets x 12
Reverse Fly, pec deck machine, 3 sets x 12
Skull crushers w/ EZ bar, 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets, 12 reps each
Triceps extension, dumbbell, 3 sets x 12. I wonder if I have something wrong with my left shoulder; doing this exercise hurts a lot. My right tricep I use a 40 lb weight; I couldn’t even do this with a 15lb on my left, and it wasn’t like the weight was causing the pain or strain or anything…it’s just with weight directly over my left shoulder, it just locks up. I switched to using both hands on a 70 lb dumbbell, and that was fine…just that little switchy which moved the dumbbell over my head instead of over my shoulder. Hmm.
Tricep extension, machine, 3 sets, 12 reps. Here my left arm worked just fine; it just seems like there’s something about the position of overhead tricep extensions with dumbbells my body doesn’t like.
Hanging Leg Raises, 3 sets, 30 reps each.
Seated crunch, 3 sets, 30 reps each.
I’ve had a cold the last few days…hopefully I’ll feel better and can get my back workout in the morning tomorrow, and then do the chest in the afternoon. Otherwise I may just end up missing the back workout.
[quote]aspengc8 wrote:
[quote]MassiveGuns wrote:
[quote]aspengc8 wrote:
[quote]MassiveGuns wrote:
[quote]SonoraStorm wrote:
Thanks Massive Guns. I use FitBit’s web-app to track my food, so I am pretty sure I’m at least 95% accurate (since almost none of my food comes out of a box, portion sizes can vary a little bit here and there). I aim for 250 - 300 grams of protein a day, and less than 25g carbs. Regarding upping my carbs, my theory - and I could be completely wrong - is that since the DBol increases glycogen storage, a carb deficit prevents storing that cheap energy in the muscle, my body will instead turn to fat stores and create glycogen indirectly ythrough Gluconeogenesis. My theory’s based on research done at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
We’ll see…[/quote]
If you eat that few carbs, you lose protein since a portion of it turns to carbs. Therefore, if you are using steroids, you either need to eat even more protein, or add some carbs. I’m familiar with the anabolic diet. Most people using gear do better with a higher carb intake.[/quote]
You are NOT familiar with the AD based on your quote. Thow whole purpose of the AD is to use fat as fuel, since it has a metabolic pathway to convert to blood sugar. If he is eating enough fat, protein is spared.[/quote]
Thats odd because I have the ebook on this computer?
If you eat enough fat, then no glucenogenesis takes place either…
Which is why dropping carbs too much makes you look flat and is a bad idea if you are on gear
[/quote]
1.) That’s good, because you don’t want gluconeogenesis on the AD, you want fatty acid metabolism. Gluconeo only happens if protein is your major source of energy eaten…
2.) not sure what ‘looking flat’ has to do with gear…
Sonoma how is the AD treating you so far? From your measured numbers, looks like good progress.[/quote]
You need carbs for maximum muscle gain, which is why on the anabolic diet you eat a shitload of carbs at the weekend.
Looking flat is a sign that your muscle glycogen reserves are depleted, due to decreased muscle intracellular hydration. Since cellular hydration affects protein synthesis, not having enough glycogen in your muscles will negatively affect your muscle gains from a steroid cycle.
Well, I like how the AD diet is treating me - but to be fair, I don’t have anything to compare it to. I suppose it’s possible I would be seeing much better results on a more bulk-y diet. If I run a 2nd cycle in the future, maybe I’ll try it.
So, I sucked it up and made it to the gym for medium back day.
Bent-Over row, 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets, 12 reps each.
Weighted pull-ups, 3 sets, 12 reps each. I could only get 8 reps on the 3rd sets…definitely felt weak today due to the cold.flu.
Cable pull over, 3 sets, 12 reps. Only got 9 reps on the 3rd set.
Lat pulldown, 3 sets x 12. I probably should have used a higher weight, but I was just feeling really weak.
Barbell shrug, 3 sets x 12. I focused on the squeeze at the top rather than the weight; I’/m happy with my trap work.
Shrug w/ smith machine, 3 sets x 12.
Reverse preacher curl w/ EZ bar, 3 sets x 12.
Wrist curl, 3 sets x 12.
All in all, I’ve had better workouts, but considering how sick I’ve been, I’m happy.
Still suffering from the cold/flu/whatever. At the “coughing up thick chunky gobs of lung” stage.
That made today’s workout lots of fun.
Light chest day:
Cable Crossovers, 4 sets x 20 reps
Pec Deck Fly, 4 sets x 20 reps
Bench Press, Strive 123 Machine, 4 sets x 20 reps
Preacher Curl, EZ Bar, 4 sets 20 reps
Cable Curl, 4 sets x 20 reps
Abdominal Twist, decline bench, 4 sets x 20 reps each side.
Hanging Leg raise, 4 sets 20 reps
Yesterday was light legs; today is a rest day.
Light legs:
Leg extension, 4 sets, 20 reps each
Lunge, 4 sets, 20 reps each
Hack Squat, Smith Machine, 4 x 20
Leg Curl, 4 x 20
Glute flexor, 4 x 20
Calf extension, 4 x 20
Yesterday light shoulders:
Front Raise, dumbbells, 20 reps x 4 sets
Side raise, dumbbells, 20 x 4
Shoulder Press, Strive 123 Machine, 20 x 4
Triceps Extension, Hammer Strength Machine, 20 x 4
Front Triceps Extensions, cable, 20 x 4
Incline Sit-up, 20 x 4
Seated Crunch, 20 x 4
My lower back pumps are very powerful from the dbol, I’m taking 500mg of taurine now to try to get some relief.
Light back today. Glad I have the weekend off, I need it. I feel beat up.
Lat Pulldown, 4 sets x 20 reps
Incline Row, Cable, 4 x 20
T-bar row machine, 4 x 20
Shrug, smith machine, 4 x 20
Shrug, seated dumbbell, 4 x 20
Wrist curl, dumbbell, 4 x 20
Reverse wrist curl, dumbbell, 4 x 20
Week 5!
Things are now getting very interesting. I am cruising - I feel pumped up all the time, I’ve gained over 10 pounds of muscle while shedding a few pounds of bodyfat in the process, people are complimenting on how I look, girls look at me when I’m at the gym, younger guys are starting to come up to me at the gym and ask for advice…one of the funniest things was last week, one of the bigger guys at my gym came over to me and asked me to spot for him: “I’m gonna’ try to go heavy, so I need someone who knows what they’re doing.” Made me chuckle. I ride a Harley, and was out with some of my friends this weekend, and a couple of guys said I looked like Brian Bosworth from Stone Cold. HA!
I do the HIML workout, so the start of week 5 also means I’ve looped back around, and am now doing the same routine I did in week 1, so I can start to compare progress. So - yesterday was heavy chest. To recap:
Heavy Chest is (in general) trying to get 7 reps per set, where you’re lifting a heavy enough weight that you think you might fail on the 8th rep. In other words, pushing just short of muscle failure.
Bench Press: 2 warm up sets, 4 working sets, 7 reps each.
Incline dumbbell press, 4 x 7
Chest press w/ Strive 123 Machine, 4 x 7 (I really love the adjustable cam on these machines; brilliant)
Curl w/ EZ Bar, 2 warm-up sets, 4 working sets, 7 reps each
Concentration dumbbell curl, 4 x 7
Kneeling cable crunch, 4 x 20
Seated Crunch, 4 x 20
Because I can compare to my performance in week 1 - it’s a complete apple’s to apple’s comparison - I can proudly say I improved by 8.1%! Put another way, my Bench went up 25 lbs from 4 weeks ago. Tell me you wouldn’t be happy if you were improving your bench by 6 pounds/week!!
Yesterday was legs. 9.1% improvement over the same exercise 4 weeks ago. Shit is awesome.
Im interested to hear more about your conversation with your wife. Since Im not telling my girlfriend, I’d like to fill my excuse arsenal now in case I find myself in the same position as you were in.
She doesnt live with me so Im not too worried about her stumbling upon my stash. But we have sex a couple times a day, so if my libido crashes during PCT she will know something’s up. At that point I’d rather come clean about my aas use than have her think i’m getting my sexual satisfaction elsewhere.