My lady hates it so much she won’t even play boards games or cards with me! I know how you feel, man! Rob’s lucky.
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Yeah I am a lucky guy indeed, we’re always having board game challenges, arcade championships, (she’s currently the air hockey champion, I am the reigning Monopoly and Soul Caliber champ!) It’s been a blast to practice posing together, we’re both excited about the idea of doing the same show. After talking with Stu and the lady more yesterday, feeling pretty confident that it’s going to happen, which will be a good push to power through the next 6 weeks before a peak week reboot.
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Speaking of my wife’s show, we’ve hit a slight “bump” in the road, literally. She’s a health and physical ed. teacher, yesterday through the hazards of her job, she wound up falling and slamming her elbow on the floor. X-rays last night, fortunately it looks like just a bad bruise and not hairline fracture, but it’s very swollen and the doc says a hairline fracture sometimes reveals itself after swelling, and she is not to do any upper body work until she goes back on Monday for another set of X-rays to be sure. Her arm is in a sling for the next 5 days. So, we are forced to work around the problem. We need to keep things moving the best we can while not risking injury and allowing her to recover so we can get back to business asap. We’re going to do another set of no carb low days, and cut calories a little more than usual to make for the energy expenditure we’re missing from her usual lifting sessions. 45min of LISS every day in the gym, and a 30-45min walk outside together after dinner. We’re also going to squeeze in an extra leg session this weekend to get some weights and small amount of carbs in, all machines and plate loaded stuff that I can help with. Assuming the doc tells her she can get back to business on Tuesday, we’ll have a solid but controlled refeed and get back to it.
It’s certainly an unfortunate and unexpected situation, but it could be worse, and we’re thankful it’s not. We are still a little over 7 weeks out, which gives us enough time to recover from this and dig in for the last stretch.
Congrats! That’s quite the accomplishment.
Same. Although, mine doesn’t like it when after sharing good news about her day, I immediately follow with good news. You know, because I"m competing. 
Wow, that is rough. Great outlook, though!
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Friday high day today, had a big everything bagel this morning with egg whites, fat free cream cheese and jelly. Currently debating on if my second meal will be my usual big 'ol bowl of cereal (3 servings of various cereals with chocolate protein PB2 milk), or a big bowl of oatmeal with PB2 and a protein milk. The cereal is always amazing but it’s not filling and I have four hours until my next meal, might try the oats today. OR, half oats half cereal…hm…
Yesterday’s HIIT workout was on the elliptical followed by 20min LISS. Today is legs, no cardio today or tomorrow! It’s amazing what just a couple days off of cardio can do for the mind and body.
The past three days I’ve been below 150lbs, getting tighter and strength is still going up, or maintaining (depending on the exercise.)
Saving the best for last, I FINALLY FOUND peanut butter cup Halo Top last night, it’s on deck for tonight.
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First pint I had, it was good!
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148.8 lbs, 15 weeks out for first show, 21 weeks out Hercules. First thing in the AM.
Some good progress this week, little tighter all around, legs looked their best on Wednesday morning first thing, smoothed out a bit after HIIT on Thursday.
Still a lot of work to be done, but happy with where we are. Been comparing these pics to others for some perspective. These are the same pics, compared to a week out of the Hercules last year, so about 7 months ago. Scale weight is almost the same, I was 148 a week before the Hercules.
Here’s the same pics compared to a year ago today.
Crazy what a year of consistency, a prep diet and a well executed off season can do!
Taking consistent pics over the years is a great tool for evaluation, and helps keep the grand scheme of progress in perspective. I am certainly aiming for the best conditioning I’ve ever had and am always striving to be best version of myself, but looking back on these is rewarding, and a constant reminder that anything can be accomplished through hard work and consistency.
A couple more from further back:
Early December, 2009
Early February, 2010
Mid-June, 2010
Excited to keep improving as we head towards the shows. For now, time for some Friday night halo top!
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I always get a (good natured) laugh out of that mischievous little grin you do when you’re posing
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Wow Rob! Awesome progress over the years, man! My apologies if you’ve stated this before, but what’s your height? Also, at what age did you get into weight training/bodybuilding?
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@bobbyPGA thank you so much man! Height is 5’4", 32 years old. I started weight lifting in the gym at 27, and got into bodybuilding at 29, before that I was never very athletic and have always been overweight, got pretty fat in my early and mid 20s. Played tennis in middle school and high school, one year on the swim team freshman year and I immediately knew I wasn’t cut out for the water. 6 years ago I started exercising after getting to that “something has to change” point, starting with P90X. I did home workout routines for a couple years with pull-up bars, push ups and such and some adjustable dumbbells that went up to a whopping 55lbs, then joined a gym 4 years ago in the beginning of 2013.
I still remember why: I was feeling pretty good about finally using the full 55lbs for one arm row, and was reading articles on T-Nation, reading about weights at the time I assumed would be way too heavy for me and just for the huge guys. Then I read a quote in the article that said(paraphrasing here) “the heaviest weights you have available to you are what you’ll view as heavy.” I quickly realized I’d never lift anything heavier than 55lbs if I didn’t join a gym. I was using CT’s “Indigo Hypertrophy Program” to start, bounced around with some other programs on T-Nation, and about 2 years ago got more into bodybuilding style after reading this article: 10 Reasons Bodybuilders Are Bigger Than Powerlifters. Haven’t looked back!
Thanks again for the kind words bro, and thanks for following along!
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@robstein you’re welcome. Credit where it’s due. Thank you for the thorough reply. Even more impressive that you’ve only been at it for what…6 or so years? I also started around 26-27 years old(37 now); and not getting into it earlier is one my few regrets in life.
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Great thread as always Rob. The before and afters are scary mate - and that’s just the body hair!
I had a question for you re Micro PA. I have read you speaking highly of the product and, for that reason, I am keen to try it. Could you give a no-BS assessment of its value and any tips around dosage, timing, duration for optimal results, etc?
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Looking good Robostein.
BTW, if you have Shoprite, Halo Top is on sale for $2.88. I bought five pints yesterday.
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@bobbyPGA thank you bro! I hear you on regretting not getting started earlier, sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I started back in high school or something. But, the silver lining is that WE STARTED! Most people make excuses day in, day out, don’t ever take control of their health or their lives. Sometimes when I feel like I wish I started earlier, I remind myself to celebrate the positive aspects, and just keep striving to be better every day.
@The_Myth - Thank you very much man! We do have a ShopRite here, a buddy of mine has a friend who works there, we call him his “Halo Top” contact because he lets us know whenever there’s a sale 
. I stocked up yesterday as well, we have like 10 pints in our freezer. Between the wife and I we go through 2-3 a week even during preps, so best to have a good selection and take advantage while it’s available! What’s your favorite?
@JamesBrawn007 thank you as always for following along man. Amazing what a good shave can do!
I’d be happy to!
MICRO-PA THOUGHTS
Based on my experience, Micro-PA was a complete game changer for me, and I believe has contributed to some very solid gains. While there’s always more progress to be made, I feel it has helped me get a good level of muscularity and thickness not as common for guys my height/weight and length of training experience. I started taking Micro-PA around the same time I got more into the bodybuilding style of training, and truthfully noticed results with it surprisingly quickly. Within 3-4 weeks I could see gains, in both physique and strength. Other guys in the gym said they thought I was looking bigger/better, I never told them I started a new supplement or anything, so that was encouraging. Not like super transformation “OMG!” type gains, but noticeable differences in my physique and strength. After a few more months, my physique had changed more dramatically. I think the combination of Micro-PA, as well as adjusting my training to be more bodybuilding oriented, all clicked together.
If you want to try it, I think it would be a great investment, and in order to truly see it’s effectiveness, it is essential that training/nutrition supports why you’re using it. Micro-PA is meant to increase hypertrophy, largely by increasing TUT (time under tension) to work properly and as effectively as possible. SO, I think a bodybuilding style split, like this one: A Tried and True Bodybuilding Program Template - T Nation Content - COMMUNITY - T NATION, would be ideal. This was the exact program I used when starting Micro-PA, and at that time also really started focusing on the MMC, keeping constant tension in the working muscle, initiating the movement with the working muscle and implementing a slower and controlled negative. Not super slow, but slower than I was doing, and started paying just as much attention to the eccentric part of the movement as the concentric. Most people only focus on the concentric (as easily seen looking around the gym) but the eccentric is where the majority of the muscle damage will occur that will spur growth. Anytime I’m in the eccentric phase, I am still putting out force, just not enough to move the weight back towards the concentric. For example, if I’m doing incline DB presses, on the negative I still feel like I’m pushing up against the weights and contracting my pecs, but not enough to move the weights back up; the purpose is to increase TUT in the working muscle.
I also started really paying attention to ROM (range of motion) to be more bodybuilding style, meaning not locking out (depending on the exercise), and always keeping tension in the muscle. Going back to the example of incline DB presses, I do not lock my elbows with straight arms at the top, the movement stops shortly before lockout so I can keep the tension in the pecs, and not transfer it to my elbows. Reversely, when I come down, I don’t let my elbows/arms go past ~90 degrees, if they get too low then the tension leaves the pecs and transfers too much to the shoulder and arm. Similar with leg presses, I don’t lock my legs out at the top, I stop just short of lockout to keep tension in the quads. Then on the way down, I stop when my legs reach a ~90 degree angle to keep the tension in my quads, and not let it spread to the lower back and glutes. Some exercises should have a more full ROM, for example preacher curls, where the purpose is to stretch the bicep fully at the bottom. But, for every exercise I do, the goal is to keep constant tension in the working muscle, which can be affected by both TUT and ROM.
Regarding dosage and timing, I’ve always followed the label and taken 6 caps, one hour before training. Lately that lines up with Indigo-3G and I take them together. One thing I like about Micro-PA is it won’t interfere with any other supplements, and doesn’t need to be taken on an empty stomach. I’ve read about some people trying more than the recommended dose with positive reviews, but when it comes to supplements I’ve always taken the “follow the label” approach. Maybe @Chris_Colucci might have some more info about possible dosing adjustments? I’d certainly be willing to experiment with dosage if it was something the makers of Micro-PA recommended, I wouldn’t try upping the dose on my own.
As far as duration for optimal results, I would recommend trying it for at least 4-6 months, consistently, ensuring training is adjusted to maximize the benefits of Micro-PA, to see what it can do. I’ve been taking it for at least two years on training days, and don’t take it on off or cardio only days.
Just want to stress one more time that IMO training should be bodybuilding style, prioritizing TUT, and making sure intensity is high as possible. While I think Micro-PA would provide results on any training program, I think the results would be much more significant on a well executed bodybuilding style plan, rather than something like 5/3/1 or a powerlifting style plan.
Coincidentally, time to take my Micro-PA, Indigo-3G, coffee and prepare the Finibars. I hope this has provided some good info, please let me know if there’s anything else would be helpful!
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Ask Brick about that next time you see him -lol
S
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Peanut Butter Cup, fer sure.
I tried the S’mores tonight, me no likey- I think it has coconut in it, bleah!
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@The_Myth Thanks man that’s good to know! I tried PB Cup also, loved it. Thanks for the warning on s’mores, I have one in the freezer that was on deck, I’ll put it on hold though.
So far my faves are mint, chocolate and sea salt caramel, vanilla is also pretty good. Excited to try oatmeal cookie and cookies and cream next.
I really, really love ice cream.
Me too!! I tried it and it was ok. Had cookies and cream and salted Carmel. The texture didn’t do it for me. So, I did what any sane dieter would do and went back to the store and got Ben and Jerrys.
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