DAMNNNN. So what exactly did you do for that 3 months? Diet/training/everything haha. I wanna know!
4 Likes
I second that. Thatās incredible progress for 3 months!
1 Like
Holy fuckballsā¦
2 Likes
@BOTSLAYER - Thanks man!
@robstein - Haha, hadnāt looked back through old progress pics in awhileā¦kind of wondering now why I hadnāt picked this program (or similar) up again since.
For what itās worth, neither of you came off overbearing or aggressive, just two people successful in an awesome hobby sharing your different approaches to training!
@Benanything @isdatnutty @MarkKO - Haha thanks guys.
Looking back through my logs, it looks like:
I did Jim Stoppaniās ā12-Week Shortcut to Sizeā program from Jan 1 - Feb 14, 2015 (only performed this for 6 weeks), then his ā6-week Shortcut to Shredā program from Feb 15 - March 15, 2015.
Both programs have full PDF packages available online including nutrition, cardio, active rest suggestions, intensification techniques, etc.
When I was an active member on another fitness site, Jim Stoppani was the one I typically migrated towards for my info. He seemed to be one of those trainers that was well spoken and also āwalked the walkā.
Iām almost a little mad looking at these pictures. Hard to believe that this was 2 years ago.
Numbers and strength-wise, I have no doubt, drastically improved. But physique-wise (well I was leaner thenā¦) it doesnāt looks like much progress has been made!
Also: DISCLAIMER:
I think muscle memory played a huge role in this transformation. I was definitely much more muscular at the beginning of 2014 than I was at the end. I was away living out of town for work for around 8 months. In order to stay in half decent shape I did mini workouts on a suspension trainer in the back yard and started running a bit.
By running a BIT, I mean just that. The most I ran was 2.5km, then turned around walked for about 500m and then ran the rest of the way home. I have NEVER had any cardiovascular capacity, so this was actually pretty huge for me at the time.
Needless to say, size and strength dwindled away with every run and every beer I drank. I was staying in a little cottage on a river near my construction site, by myself. There were lots of nights spent just BBQāing and drinking my evening away.
Iām not going to lie, it was a great summerā¦just not for my health or hobby.
But this led me to be the dedicated lifter I am today. I have barely missed a workout since Jan 1, 2015. This was the date that I considered myself to have truly started āliftingā rather than haphazardly visiting the weight room. I was never as big as my after photos, so my body clearly responded well to this training.
I think revisiting a similar training style for a few months could pay dividends.
3 Likes
Soā¦ basically you trained like a bodybuilder and cleaned up your diet? Would you attribute your transformation-ness to the program or more to you just getting way out of shape which made for a really good before photo? Either way I know you worked your ass off. On top of that, did you follow the programs strictly?
Colesnotes:
Yes, trained like a bodybuilder, ate very clean. Slight surplus for 6 weeks, slight deficit with added cardio for 6 weeks. [quote=āBenanything, post:508, topic:215777ā]
Would you attribute your transformation-ness to the program or more to you just getting way out of shape which made for a really good before photo?
[/quote]
Definitely a solid program, from an author I would consider to be reputable. I donāt hear his name tossed around here very often, but if I recall correctly there is an article or two referencing him or his training methods on here somewhere.
And whoa, whoa, whoa. āWay out of shapeā? haha jkā¦a little of Column A and a little of Column B. Good before photos due to lay-off from training then mixed with extremely focused training program and nutrition template. I was as strict as I could be with this program. I ate exactly as the programs recommended, and I loved the fact that he recommends gummy bears for post-workout. Amazing sweet snack as a reward for a good training session.
I had to make a few little tweaks here and there for what equipment I had available, but overall followed it VERY closely. Also, I didnāt touch 1 single drop of alcohol for 3 months, which is a big weakness of mine.
6 Likes
02/27/2017
Well, after the anouncment today that we are 12 weeks out from the end of the T-ransformation Challenge, I decided to dive into a 12 week Bodybuilding Program. It has been awhile since Iāve done this type of training so hopefully I can see some results. Still main goal is to drop bodyfat, but I hope this training will spur on some growth as well.
Phase 1: Week 1
Workout 1: Chest, Triceps, Calves
Bench Press
205lbs x 15/14/13/13
Incline DB Press
55lbs x 12/12/12
Incline Fly
25lb Plate x 15/12/12
On all chest exercises I really focused on trying to maintain constant tension in the pecs. Not fully locking out at the top and coming to about 1/2 inch above my chest. Thought about squeezing my chest at the top. Really made these weights more difficult.
Dips
BW x 15/15/12 ā Felt some elbow pain on the last set so I stopped. These havenāt bothered my elbows for quite awhile, so Iām kinda pissed about this.
Tricep Band Pressdowns
Red+Blue Mini Bands x 15/15/15 ā Really focusing on stretching the bottom position. Tricep pump is on point.
Lying Tricep Extensions
Barbell
95lbs x 15/12/12
OH Tricep Extensions
70lb DB x 12/12/12
Standing Calf Raise
205lbs x 12/12/12/12
Seated Calf Raise
135lbs x 25/25/25/25
I forgot calve training hurt this much. These babies were not going to fit in a pair of loose fit jeans after this workout. Iām likely going to be feeling them tomorrowā¦since they have been hurting the next day after walking on incline on the treadmill!
Anyways, overall happy with the workout. Some great pumps throughout, and I have a feeling this training is going to help make some changes in my physique.
6 Likes
Good stuff man! Good program, sounds like youāre really concentrating on MMC, have a good amount of volume and are attacking things properly. IMO this will definitely spur some new growth, and additionally, the simple change in volume and TUT will burn more calories. Looking forward to seeing your progress over the next 12 weeks on this, especially after the last set of pics you posted. Keep killing it!
2 Likes
Thanks man, I appreciate it.
This last workout was nearly twice as long as my typical workout (1hr 20mins vs ~40-45mins), so even just at that I will be burning more calories throughout the workoutā¦then there is the increased TUT, etc.
Down to 207.2lbs this morning, but I was feeling pretty bloated for some reason, but Iām not sure if that would transfer to much scale weight or not, just an observation.
8 weeks down = 5.4lbs down - I was originally hoping for a 1lb per week loss through this competition, so I have some catching up to do.
I took progress pics this morning, but really no noticeable change so I am not going to bother posting them. Iāll have them on file for my own kick in the ass to get moving more this month.
Overall, Iāve definitely tightened up, but by the end of March I would like to be down around the 200lb mark, and this should have me looking noticeably leaner.
1 Like
Not sure what your current macros are like, personally Iāve found excess protein bloats me and keeps scale weight up. Iāve had good success this prep keeping protein at ~1.2g per pound of bodyweight, where as last year it was closer to as much as 1.8. Ultimately calories are king, but keeping protein lower has kept me looking leaner and allows more cals for carbs/fats.
Thanks for the suggestion.
My protein has been hanging around in the 1.0-1.2g/lb BW, so I think it is more of an anomaly. My wife said she was also feeling unusually bloated, so it may have been something we ate together. The only thing that wasnāt homemade and a fairly usual meal was a large bag of this mixed kale salad kit and we ate the entire thingā¦ But I canāt really see that being the culprit.
Iām going to start going back to the basics again.
Breakfast: Eggs, spinach (cooked in coconut oil), 1 Serving of Fruit
Lunch: Chicken, Broccoli/Salad
Pre-Workout: Chicken, Potatoes OR Proatmeal
Intra-workout: BCAAās
Post-Workout/Dinner: Chicken/Fish, Potatoes/Rice, Salad/Frozen Veggies
Bedtime Snack/Dessert: Greek Yogurt OR Cottage Cheese AND/OR Handful of Almonds
2 Likes
Did you cook it down or eat raw? Raw kale and spinach, broccoli, cruciferous vegetables, actually can bloat significantly if eaten in large amounts. Couple weeks ago in an effort to curb hunger I ate a LOT of raw spinach that day (the only thing that changed in my diet in weeks) and on a low 1650 cal day my weight went up 3.5 pounds, got above 150lbs for the first time in almost a month. Itās hard for our digestive to handle those types of raw veggies in large amounts. I recently starting wilting my spinach and itās been helping, no bloat. Just something to think about which typically wouldnāt be a big deal, but in a situation where we want to keep bloating minimal and scale weight as accurate as possible, all makes a difference.
All your meals look good delicious!
2 Likes
You learn something every day!
This was a store bought salad kit and was eaten raw. Since we were keeping the rest of our meal quantities small we both overindulged on the salad (plus it is absolutely delicious with the sesame seed dressing). It was an 8 serving bag that we finished together, so Iām going to attribute the bloating to that.
Letās hope that Iām holding an additional 3.5lbs, that sure would make getting to 200lbs a lot easier by the end of March!
Iām also going to have to figure out what to do about my March birthday. Split parents means two birthday parties with both sides of the family, then usually my wife puts on one with my friendsā¦hmmm. Oh well, worry about that hurdle when it gets here.
I really appreciate the info, thank you.
02/28/2017
Phase 1: Week 1
Workout 2: Back, Biceps, Abs
Kroc Rows
75 x 15
95 x 15
105 x 15
105 x 15 Rest Pause (R/P) 7reps
Felt like a boss after these. Good upper back pump (whole body felt pumped up)
Rack Pulls
405 x 12
495 x 12
495 x 12 R/P 7
Holy shit, these kicked my ass. Things slowed down after the last set hereā¦
Chin Ups (Wide Grip/Neutral Grip) - Bodyweight
8/4
8/4
8/4 R/P 3/2
Felt some good lat engagement in the wide grip pull ups.
DB Pullover
70lb DB x 12 x 3 R/P 3
Whoa, was barely eeking out the reps in the later sets of this one. Kinda cheat reps engaging chest/tris ANYTHING to pull that DB back over my head.
BB Curls
75 x 15
85 x 12
85 x 10
75 x 12 R/P 4
Biceps hit a wall on that 3rd set. The fourth set with the 75lbs was some good olā fashion cheat curls. Awesome gun and forearm pump though.
DB Incline Curls
25lbs x 8
15lbs x 15 ā Yep, 15lbsā¦not exactly feeling like a boss anymoreā¦
15 x 15 R/P 4
Biceps are not respondingā¦
One Arm High Band Curl
Red Mini Band x 12 x 3 R/P 5
Hip Thrust
135lbs x 20, 15, 15 R/P 8
Ok, a little demoralizing putting the pussy pad on the barbell and doing hip thrusters. Luckily I workout alone at homeā¦I swear Iāve deadlifts 600lbsā¦
This different style of training is definitely going to require some mindset changes.
Crunches
30, 30, 30
Ab Wheel Rollout
12, 12, 12
Got some good pumps throughout. The high rep heavy rack pulls really took their toll on me early in the workout. I almost think they would serve their purpose better near the end of the workout so they donāt take away from the rest of the work.
The workout took nearly 2hrs.
Iāll either be supersetting or cutting exercises to try to reduce this time.
Deadlifts actually werenāt in this workout, so instead of DL I added rack pulls thinking I could get some good heavy work in with them. Turns out I think they did more harm than good. Iām not sure Iāll be mentally able to do a program for 3 months without deadlifting at all. Maybe I can mix it in once a month just to try and ensure I donāt completely lose my strength on that lift.
4 Likes
Ok, Iāve decided to go through my first week as prescribed. Then do my best to ātrim the fatā and cut out any exercises I feel have the least impact on the overall effectiveness of my training.
Looking back through my old logs of this program, I actually did just that. Nearly every day I have a strike through 1-2 of the exercises that I didnāt feel like doing that dayā¦likely also in an attempt to keep the workouts to a reasonable amount of time.
1hr 15mins is pretty much a cap for me, beyond this Iām dragging my ass around the weight room and angry that Iām still in there.
I can tell already (after only two days of these workouts) my appetite has increased significantly. I havenāt really been hungry or suffering AT ALL during this cut which has been awesome. I think the suck is just around the corner though. I just need to embrace it as recently I have just been eating when hungry, not exactly conducive to weight lossā¦
Also some good DOMS in every area I worked over the last two days. I havenāt felt like this in awhile, I like it. Feeling swole!
6 Likes
ME TOO!!
1 Like
03/02/2017
Well, I pigged out last night at a family dinner. Greek takeout got the better of me. Luckily it was chicken souvlaki, rice, potatoes, and greek salad so it wasnāt all that terrible for me. The piece of ice cream cake after dinner probably didnāt help though.
Around 3000cals yesterday and only at about 150g protein.
I am currently experiencing some extreme Chest/Triceps/Calves and Back/Biceps DOMS today. Wow, much more than yesterday. Tonight is going to be Shoulders/Traps/Calves. My traps are feeling pretty beat up from those rack pulls on Monday, so tonight should be funā¦oh and my calves are going to really hate me.
Iām not overly concerned with the additional cals yesterday as my body sure can use them for recovery right now (yep, Iāll justify them anyway I can). I am going to reduce cals today, then tomorrow up them a bit again for a high volume leg day.
My in-laws are staying at our place this weekend, so I will try to behave myself as they are wine drinkers and we will more than likely eat out a couple times.
Anyways, just an update on all the shit that runs through my headā¦specifically while attempting to drop a few pounds.
If this muscle soreness is any sort of indicator of muscle growth, yāall better watch out.
EDIT:
Also, on a positive note; after looking further into my program Iām currently using I misinterpreted the exercise āHip Thrustsā. I did the hip thrust with a barbell on my pelvis and shoulders on a bench. Yet, the movement that was prescribed was simply a reverse crunch and finishing with your hips thrusted upwards.
I thought it was odd that hip thrusters were put in under the ab movementsā¦
4 Likes
FWIW when I come out of Keto and eat a higher carb meal, all my muscles are sore the next day. Itās really odd. My only reasoning for it is that high carbs are responsible as Iām rarely sore without them.
I honestly wasnāt thinking there was any direct correlation between the carbs and the soreness today. Often the second day after training is when I feel the soreness the most.
But it is interesting that you experience increase muscle soreness after re-introducing carbs.
I wonder if @robstein has any input on the subject?
Hm, good question. I donāt get as sore as I used to, unless I introduce a new exercise, set/rep scheme, etc. I donāt notice a difference in soreness related to carbs personally. The only thing I can think of is possible having carbs gives more gas in the tank, hitting the gym harder, getting more sore? Or, maybe the carbs putting more water/glycogen in the muscle could have something to do with it, greater contractions maybeā¦totally guessing here.
2 Likes