Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the T-ransformation! Super stoked to be participating this year. 
I’m currently not preferring to cut at this point (maybe next year? 
) but what I want to do this year is to specialize for the next five months in gaining strength across three of my main lifts: weighted pull ups, conventional deadlift, and conventional squat. After running a 14-month bench specialization phase which took my max from 225x1 to 315x1 as of a couple weeks ago, I’m shifting my goals to build strength in other lifts to stay well rounded and focus more on some of my weaker areas as well. I honestly don’t really care about my physique looks like for this challenge as long as I don’t get too fluffy. I’ve been on a slow rolling bulk/maintain phase for a while now and am currently averaging 168 lbs., slowly getting up to this point from averaging 143 or so in 2022. So my abs have left the chat for a while now but I want to spend 2026 adding a bit more size and pushing up my strength before I entertain the idea of a cut…I’ll be happy at the end of the challenge and this next year if I’m not that much smaller or leaner than now in order to gain strength and muscle mass.
Starting physique picture taken this morning under mid lighting, relaxed with no pump (included because of the “near-mandatory” phrasing in the rules. 
):
Now, on to what I’m actually focusing on during the T-ransformation…
Starting 1RMs:
Weighted Pull Up: 110 x 1 my lifetime PR is 125 x 1 but I’m slightly heavier now and haven’t maxed out for a bit, full disclosure.
Conventional Deadlift: 385 x 1
Squat: 325 x 1
Vids:
Weighted Pull Up:
Conventional Deadlift:
Squat: