Sounds legit! I may have to get on this grind!
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Lol it sure feels like it!
Yeah man itās a great plan, feels good, enjoyable, but doesnāt feel like a grind, donāt feel deprived or anything. Assuming my weight stays at 152 hopefully I can eventually raise cals/carbs a bit and see how that goes.
Saving the pretzel bagel for Fridayās pre workout meal for legs, hereās what I did today
-1.5 servings cream of rice
-1TBSP almond butter
-1 scoop Metabolic Drive vanilla
-Metabolic Drive chocolate icing
-1/2 serving chocolate granola topper
who said bodybuilder food had to be boring!
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i am very late to the party but congratulations bro.
when i saw 240 unread messages, i understood something big happened 
your log makes me want to compete.
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@Gorillakiv83 thank you very much man, I really appreciate that!
Thatās awesome, reading other peopleās logs is what motivated me to really get on stage. Youāve got a great physique man, make sure to keep us updated if you ever decide to pull the trigger!
Training has been solid all week, and really enjoying the 5 day split, with 2 off days in the week. I typically take off Thursday and Sunday, thereās still part of me that feels like I should be in the gym on those days just from force of habit, but the next day Iām always glad I took the recovery day. The point of training hard is to recover from training and grow, which canāt be done without enough recovery time! So, my off days, Iām still eating 200g carbs, just all slow carbs, and the same amount of cals as I do on my training day. Trying to find the sweet spot for maintenance, so far weight has been 152-154 all week, so far so good.
Yesterday had a new food invention, I made my usual pre-workout cake, except since it was an off day I wanted some slower carbs, so I used cinnamon raison Ezekiel cereal, which can be enjoyed hot or cold.
-1.5 servings cereal and some unsweetened almond milk
-microwave for 3 minutes
-stir in 1 scoop Metabolic Drive chocolate, and 1 TBSP nut butter
-1/2tsp baking soda
-1TBSP egg white
-1/4tsp xanathan gum (I recently got into putting this in shakes and baked goods, itās awesome!)
-topped with defatted peanut butter icing (peanut flour mixed with some stevia and a splash of milk)
-0 cal chocolate syrup
Eventually Iām going to get a shelf for these for my office, I had to move them off my desk to make room for some new computer equipment. As I look at each item, memories come flooding back of the prep for each one of the shows, the show day, and so many other memories that I normally wouldnāt think about. Itās absolutely mind boggling, how the last two years of competing has changed my life. @The_Mighty_Stu - Aquaman is still on my desk!
Unrelated, Iām getting a new computer, pretty psyched up about it. I currently work on a 2012 Mac Mini, what has been great for me, but now that Iāve gotten more into the high end sound sampler libraries, my software keeps crashing from overload. The sound libraries are what allows me to write music on the computer and have it sound like itās being played by real musicians. Did you know that the VAST majority of music you hear on todayās movie soundtracks are all software? Sounds like a real orchestra/choir/instruments, but itās not. Thatās the software I use, each individual instrument sample can be as much as 1GB, so imagine how much power/RAM it takes when you have an entire ensemble playing.
So, while I still love my macs, Iām getting a PC workhorse, because I can customize it to my needs with insane specs for literally half the price of a mac, and easily upgrade in the future. PCs have come up a lot and I canāt justify spending thousands extra on a Mac just to use the OS. Iām still going to have my Mac Mini and use the mac for documents and general computer stuff, the PC will be exclusively for composition and audio files. A good friend of mine is a system builder, I have him my specs and heās ordering the parts and putting it together.
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lmao! - And like the trophies it was well earned!
Itāll be a long long while before you can walk past any of your hardware and not get a bit nostalgic, thinking back and recalling every emotion that was running through your head at the time.
I always think back to the morning after my first contest, I had gotten home so late that I just dumped everything I had with me on my small kitchen table, dragged my feet into my bedroom and passed out. The next morning, when I walked to my kitchen and realized that it actually happened, taking in the hardware that was occupying most of my table space amongst a tan stained notebook, a bottle of glycerol, a dirty Bevās Gym sweatshirt, and who knows what else, those trophies, those shiny detailed trophiesā¦ it was just an emotional moment.
Brad had all his hardware taking up a good amount of space in his apt for a while before the wife must have said something -lol. Baby on the way needing space vs Daddyās bodybuilding trophiesā¦ itās a tough call.
S
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When the baby builds a respectable amount of muscle and cuts down to a shredded stage worthy physique than he or she will get the priority!
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Bro we need specs! You going Ryzen?
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For sure, specs below! I donāt think Iām going Ryzen, mainly because the apps I use donāt really utilize the multithreading capabilities that it can offer, I donāt game, not doing anything with 3D rendering or graphic intensive, etc. Iāll ask my buddy if he thinks itāll be worth it though! The composing software I use is pretty basic, my primary concerns are a solid CPU, SSD storage, ridiculous amounts of RAM, and running a virtually silent machine as the noise is distracting to me while Iām thinking of music. Currently I house my sounds on external SSDs, but will be putting them in internal SSDs with the new setup. Thereās a line of equipment by a company called ābe quiet!ā that specializes in silent parts. Weāre still putting the parts list together, so any recommendations would be welcome please!
-be quiet! silent case
-Intel i7-7700K Kaby Lake 4.2GHz Quad Core Processor
-ASUS Prime Z270-A Motherboard
-Corsair H80i v2 liquid cooling
-Samsung 960 EVO 250GB M.2 SSD as my boot drive for the OS, and main applications like my composing software and such.
-(2) Samsung 850 EVO 512GB Internal SSDs for my sounds. I can always add more drives down the road if necessary but two will be enough for the foreseeable future, and itās better to split them up among multiple drives rather than all from the same large drive.
-Corsair Vengeance 64GB RAM (16x4) DDR4-2400
This computer will only be used for composing and sounds, not internet surfing or anything else.
After doing a little more research, apparently pretty much all modern day composers have the setup Iām looking into, in terms of mainly working from a Mac but having a PC workhorse, and typically itās a āmaster-slaveā setup, which I may try to figure out. Essentially, it would allow me to continue working from my Mac (the āmasterā computer) in my composing program and overall computing, but connect the PC (the āslaveā) via ethernet, and also some additional software. When Iām writing in my composing program and I assign my sounds to each instrument, I use the connection to tell my Mac to use the sounds stored in the PC, and as Iām working from my Mac, I can utilize the power, RAM, performance of the PC for my sounds. The main benefit to this is that it would allow me to not have to learn my way around Windows and keep working from my Mac as Iām used to. Although, Iād probably still want a new Mac for that because my Mac Mini is 5 years and Iād rather have some more oomph to it. So, weāll see if I can figure that out. The software is a few hundred dollars and takes a while to setup, so I may just use the PC directly. Since Iām only using it for music exclusively, I donāt think Iāll have to spend to much time learning the intricacies of Windows. Although, Iāve heard Windows 10 is pretty solid, and Iām sure after a little while Iāll be used to it.
Just wanted to say thanks for the great response. Iāve been in Disney this past week so kept the phone offline. Iām hitting the weights tonight and my mind is spinning. Thanks again.
A very solid week of training, eating, and writing music. Hormones are getting back to normal as well, the first two weeks after the show sometimes Iād still feel like Iām completely run down and in a prep, even though I was eating normally and not doing cardio. But, the past few days especially have been much better.
Iāve also been pushing cals and carbs up this week, and man, it seems like I am really handling things well. The past 5 days Iāve been at 250g carbs and 2500 cals a day, conditioning and vascularity is damn tight and this morning I was 153lbs even, and the bloating/water weight seems to have finally worked itself out. Upper body has been looking pretty consistent, but my stomach has been looking puffy and blurry since the show, sticking out past my chest, but this morning I could finally see all my abs again and everything was tighter, no stomach distention. I wasnāt planning on increasing cals/carbs until next week, but training this week has felt really good. Iāve been pushing heavy weight, starting off most sessions with 5x5 or similar, keeping everything 8-10 and focusing on getting my strength up. Throughout multiple preps you get pretty good at listening to your body, feeling what it needs, and I could just feel that I needed more carbs and more food. So, Iāve bumped my carbs up at the right times, with my breakfast, pre and post workout, and added an extra 200 cals in good fats before bed with my shake, and Iām still maintaining at 153, so pretty much 10-12lbs above stage weight. My strength and gym performance has been very solid, and Iām maintaining my weight and physique better than I ever have after a show.
Last year after the Hercules I was careful with my rebound, but I had the āwell Iām looking good so Iāll keep going!ā mentality, and within about 4 weeks I felt like Iād gone past the point I wanted to. I feel great gaining weight and donāt need a shredded 6 pack, but I do like looking lean and like a bodybuilder, and am very motivated to maintain that now. So, as things are going well, Iām going to maintain here because Iām pretty shocked that I can maintain at 2,500 cals and donāt want to push past that (yet.)
Hereās what Iāve been eating for breakfast every day this week. Itās 1 whole egg with a cup of egg white, lots of veggies, ketchup, and 4 āVanās Liteā waffles. Great ingredients and macros, only 260 cals and 56g carbs for 4 waffles. I sprinkle peanut flour on the waffles then add waldens 0 cal syrup and stevia.
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Are you focusing on any particular body part post show? Or just aiming for overall mass?
Edit: loving these in depth posts btw!
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@Irishman92 thanks man, Iām glad youāre enjoying the updates brother! I spent the last year really prioritizing shoulders and arms. Iād still like to bring up my arms more, but Iām not going to train them twice a week for now. Iāve been doing that for almost a year, and currently Iām on a 5 day split, so for now Iām hitting everything once a week directly, focusing more on getting strength up with heavier work and lower reps, and eating for slow and steady growth.
One thing Iāve noticed over time is my arms are not as strong as my other body parts comparatively. Iāve always chased the pump in the arms and wind up favoring higher rep ranges, so since the show Iāve been focusing on training arms as I do every other muscle group when trying to get strength up and get bigger, starting with some 5x5 for barbell curls for bis and close grip bench for tris, then keeping everything 8-10, no more, less overall volume but more intensity. My strength is already increasing and I hit some PRs on Saturday, combined with eating more, I think will spur some new growth.
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Hey Rob, how do you find the 5x5 for arms ? My joints always play up if I go to heavy with arms.
@ostij - so far I havenāt had any elbow issues as long as I get enough warm up sets and take my time during rest periods. If I rush warm ups my left elbow specifically starts yelling at me just a little. For biceps Iāll start with 5x5 curls. Triceps 5x5 Iāll do close grip bench. Plenty of Flameout and Curcumin. I do notice if I forget to take my evening Flameout, my joints will start getting achy.
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Excellent shoulder workout yesterday, Iāve had several PRs this week in back, chest and delts, in both weight and reps. Training has just felt so good the past couple weeks since Iāve been pushing cals and carbs, and still maintaining, 154lbs even today. Even more interesting is that Iāve lowered volume and am not doing any cardio at all, but I do feel like intensity through the workout, and for each set, is at a higher level than itās ever been.
Iāve been between 2500-2600 cals a day, but have had a couple 2800-3000 calorie days in there, and some big meals. After last leg day I got a double rice, double steak burrito bowl at Chipotle, easily a 1200 calorie meal. Yesterday I wound up going out to dinner after delts with the lady, another 2800-2900 calorie day, still waking up tight at 154. When Iām training, I really think about forcing my body to grow and utilize what Iām giving it. Intensity and strength has felt better than ever as a result of the extra food, and also better recovery. My sleep is finally back to normal, sleeping well consistently through the night, 8-9 hours a night. During a prep my sleep quality is worthless.
If I was just pumping or moving weight around, I donāt think Iād be utilizing the extra food as well or getting the same results. Even in the weeks since the show I feel like Iāve made some gains in size and most definitely have in strength, and the fact that Iām still maintaining my weight and am under 155 after everything Iāve been eating the past couple weeks, tells me my body can handle it. Exciting new territory in both nutrition and training!
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God I love reading that
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Well, I know Iāve been repeating myself a bit lately with these posts, but strength continues to go up as weight remains relatively constant. Iāve gained between half a pound to a pound going by my average weight. Low this week has been 154.4, high has been 156.6, some days in between. Iāve had at least a couple PRs in either strength and/or reps every workout lately, and have been shortening the length of the session/lowering volume, and just focusing on going as hard as I can with great MMC during each set. While Iām used to being a high volume guy, for me what feels like a āshortā workout is really a pretty standard session of 15-18 working sets. I have a high work capacity, but more is not always better, and especially as a natural thereās only so much I can do before I start reaching the point of diminishing returns and hindering my ability to recover.
For the past week, rather than starting off with 5x5, Iāve been doing 4x8-10, but with more weight than Iāve been able to do previously. After running 5x5 for four weeks, going back to 8-10, Iām now able to do more weight in that rep range, which was the goal. Get strength up, then alternate back to 8-10 rep range with heavier weight to spur new growth. For example with seated shoulder press, before the 5x5 I was able to do 65b dumbbells for 8-10. Last session I was able to do 75ās for 8-10 for all working sets. On Mondayās incline DB presses, previously Iād be doing 90ās for 8-10, last session I was doing 95ās for 12 and got 3 sets of 100ās for 8. So, overall feeling very good about the progress post show.
My goal now is to put on some size, slow and steady. As my weight is hovering at 155, Iād really like to keep it below 160, and Iām in no rush to get to that point. My current weight zone allows me to eat quite a lot, Iāve been eating 2700-2800 cals a day lately and feeling great, the intense hunger and feelings of just needing to eat all the time have finally subsided, hormones and such are all back to normal. With my metabolism, I will add too much fat if I eat junk or try to put on weigh too fast, so my plan is pretty much to keep doing what Iām doing. Eat a lot of clean foods, time my carbs right (for me) and enjoy myself when the opportunity is there.
Iām going to be in a slow and steady gaining phase through the summer. While Iām not competing again anytime soon, my wife and I talk about how we like the results of a prep, but donāt like how it completely takes over your life. SO, we decided once the school year starts in September again, weāre going to do a āmini-prepā together for 6-8 weeks and lock it down true prep style, and go to the point of where it becomes unsustainable to continue without really inconveniencing your life. As Iāve mentioned before, I am a fan of ācyclical bulking,ā being in a gaining phase for a time until conditioning gets too puffy or weight is higher than desirable, then a light cut for 4ish weeks or so, then back to maintenance. I think by that point, after 12-13 weeks of gaining, itāll be a good time to lock it down and lean up. Doing it together with my wife will make it easier and more fun, we prepped together earlier this year and it went well.
Still waiting on the pro shots from the photo shoot, I finally got them in from the show and will post some later this week once I really have time to go through them. Iāve been crazy busy with my writing, itās going well, but this is the prime time for my writing season. Brain Candy certainly helps get through the long days!
Later this week Iāll be starting a training log and will be primarily posting there, but I still will get notifications from this thread if anyone posts, has a question/comment, etc.
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Ha! The best kind of boring right there!
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