**Marcus's HIT Dungeon**

[Black]

Hit 217 today.. New heaviest. 3 more lbs to go to 220. Going on a cardio strike this weekend.

Way to go brother. I'm looking forward to 220 next cycle.

Kel, for me, its just a small milestone to reach for. I'm more focused on my strength numbers and what I see in the mirror.

[Igifuno]

I'm asking. Why so obsessed with the scale Igi?

I really haven't been until recently, but a little obsessed now that I'm so close to 220.

Never been this heavy and a lot of it is good quality gains which I'm excited about.

Post cycle, the more mass I can keep, the better I think my cut will go next spring.

[Java Man]

Exactly, many think they are going to true failure and many will never understand what it truly is it all depends if they are suited to HIT or not. Once you cant do anymore and your at your last rep that's when the set really starts and those tough fibers come into recruitment. Training the mind and having a very active mind set help so much get into the zone is the key, fight or flight zone

I equate it with that moment in The Matrix when neo get s shot by Smith near the end, dies, then stands up again. The concept finally 'clicked' and he realized he was only dead because his mind told him he was dead. So he wasn't dead, and he was just getting started. The next time Smith shoots at him, he just stands there and calmly says "no.". The bullets stop in mid air and he starts collecting them.

The "final" rep is like that for me. It's the signal to start REALLY pushing the weight now. Not playing anymore! Ok brain thinks I'm done. Time to show my brain who's boss..

[Java Man]

Thanks, Marcus. Sure do appreciate all the time you spend replying to.the questions. This thread has gotten HUGE. So much information.

x2. I honestly don't think I would spend much time in this forum at all if this thread wasn't here.

[Java Man]

Havnt been around for a while, heads not in the right place. Still sufferingfrom injuryies and cant train. Im getting a ligament reconstruction on the 21st and wont be able to train for at least thre months but total recovery is around a year. Also got fluid on my shoulder which needs surgery so im getting that done while im recovering from ligament surgery. Threads going great though im justcatching up on the last few pages.

Sorry to hear this sawyer. Hopefully you'll get in and train whatever you CAN train and bring the parts you can't train up after recovery. Don't just stop training altogether if there's anything you can train during this period. Good luck on the surgeries and hope you have a fast recovery. We meatheads recover faster than the average patient so the doctors are probably wrong about that time frame.

[Java Man]

I know beef has more cals in it than chicken and is best overall for bulking imo. just gotta watch the salt and fats. i dont eat that much chicken, just an example. I couldn't eat that every day. thats 1500+ cals of chicken and 1800+ cals of rice. if you can eat three cups uncooked weight rice and three lbs chicken then hats off to you lol. I normally only eat 24oz of lean meat, chicken or.fish or both. and use oats, fruit, and rice for carbs mostly oats.

beef is expensive and im poor, so I buy my macros according to my budget. if I cant hit macros then I throw in shakes to finish it off

Gotcha. I do the same thing. As long as I don't eat ONLY chicken I do like it. Ahhh beef! I just bought 9.5lbs of beef chuck roast, 8 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast, and 4lbs of lean grd beef, and a rotisserie chicken, that one is for my lunch . One of the chucks is in the crock with potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions, collard greens and veal broth. Grilling half the chix later today.

I looked at my diet, hard, in the last two days. It is not consistent. One day I ate about 6800 cal total but the next day (yesterday) I only ate ~3000. When I look back in time that seems to be a pattern. It's looking as if it actually takes 2 days to process the food I eat when I eat 6k+ in one day. I haven't noticed because I don't have time to play the count and write down your foods game. I've been at this long enough that I don't need to pay attention to what I eat (if I didn't buy it, it's not in the house so I can't eat bad food lol) but it seems I do need to pay attention to volume and forcing myself to eat on some sort of schedule like I used to when I was cycling. I can eat a ton in one sitting. I need to pay attention to how many times I'm "sitting" for it....

Thanks for the feedback. It helped me figure this out.

[thunderthor70]

Carrying a lot of weight thor. Very thick. Are you on TRT or just blasting and cruising?

Thanks Kel. For the last year I've ran 2 cycles and dropped to 200 mgs between so blast and cruise. I need to get on trt.

[sawyer86]

Thanks java. Im going to have pns in my wrist so only going to be able to train legs and abs and daily cardio. So hopefully make some good progress in these areas.

[thunderthor70]

253.. Looking mean Thor.

Thanks Igi!!! I'm geting a little obsessed with the scale also. I don't want to gain fat but I love seeing that number go up.

[thunderthor70]

x2. I honestly don't think I would spend much time in this forum at all if this thread wasn't here.

I probably wouldn't either Java. I know I wouldn't be a member. I've learned more from this thread in the last year than I did from the thousands of magazines I've bought through the years.

Like the new avi. Arm is looking swoll!!

[sawyer86]

I probably wouldn't either Java. I know I wouldn't be a member. I've learned more from this thread in the last year than I did from the thousands of magazines I've bought through the years.

Like the new avi. Arm is looking swoll!!

Me too guys!

[Venom]

Stopping in here to say hello!

I have to go out to dinner with my girlfriend and her friends tonight so my game plan is to read all 684 pages of this thread during dinner lol.

Then ill start asking some questions once I've read everything

[Rusty11]

I probably wouldn't either Java. I know I wouldn't be a member. I've learned more from this thread in the last year than I did from the thousands of magazines I've bought through the years.

Like the new avi. Arm is looking swoll!!

Amen. It's really the only thread that interests me.

Thor....250+ lean and huge.

Java...nice avi. Looking like a big mofo.

Sawyer. Been wondering where you went. Sounds like a long road ahead.

[sawyer86]

Its all got my head in he wrong place rusty. Havnt been able to train at all but came back on here to help get focused.

[Java Man]

Thanks java. Im going to have pns in my wrist so only going to be able to train legs and abs and daily cardio. So hopefully make some good progress in these areas.

Time to get creative! I know you can come up with ways to train upper body parts without involving hands and wrists.

I found you a training coach to help you with this:
Attachment 147632

[Igifuno]

Stopping in here to say hello!

I have to go out to dinner with my girlfriend and her friends tonight so my game plan is to read all 684 pages of this thread during dinner lol.

Then ill start asking some questions once I've read everything

Welcome Venom - enjoy the read and looking forward to hearing more from you in here.

[thunderthor70]

Its all got my head in he wrong place rusty. Havnt been able to train at all but came back on here to help get focused.

Just focus on legs and whatever else you can do sawyer. Don't let it drag you down and come here for motivation and support.

[sawyer86]

Maybe your right java and i have been racking my brain to see what i can come up with. I think the coach will help!

[thunderthor70]

Welcome Venom - enjoy the read and looking forward to hearing more from you in here.

X2.. could be sensory overload if you read all in one sitting

[sawyer86]

Just focus on legs and whatever else you can do sawyer. Don't let it drag you down and come here for motivation and support.

Thats the plan thor, thanks.

[Java Man]

I probably wouldn't either Java. I know I wouldn't be a member. I've learned more from this thread in the last year than I did from the thousands of magazines I've bought through the years.

Like the new avi. Arm is looking swoll!!

Same here. I'm glad you did decide to join and contribute. And thanks

Stopping in here to say hello!

I have to go out to dinner with my girlfriend and her friends tonight so my game plan is to read the first 6.84 pages of this thread during dinner lol.

Then ill start asking some questions once I've read everything

Fixed!

Amen. It's really the only thread that interests me.

Thor....250+ lean and huge.

Java...nice avi. Looking like a big mofo.

Sawyer. Been wondering where you went. Sounds like a long road ahead.

thanks rusty!

Its all got my head in he wrong place rusty. Havnt been able to train at all but came back on here to help get focused.

Stay focused. It's an obstacle to be overcome. Youre not dead yet!

[Igifuno]

Question on symmetry:

For some reason, my right arm (bi and tri) and right lat seen to be stronger than my left side. My issue is this, I measure my max reps from my weaker side to help ensure the best symmetry, but now I feel like I'm really cutting my right side short in many areas. For example, today during back, I was doing single arm lat pulldowns and went to failure on my left side at 6 reps, but on the right side, i was still going strong and could have kept going, but stopped in order to 'keep it even' with my left side.

Does anyone else face this type of challenge and if so, any suggestions? Is this okay because both sides are going to failure, or should I consider doing an extra set on the left side only?

[sawyer86]

Tricky question igi and i think therl be a lot of difrent answers. I know what you mean though i have slight strength diffrences like this but not too much of a diffrence. I would push both sides to failure even if it means getting more reps on one side.

[Java Man]

Question on symmetry:

For some reason, my right arm (bi and tri) and right lat seen to be stronger than my left side. My issue is this, I measure my max reps from my weaker side to help ensure the best symmetry, but now I feel like I'm really cutting my right side short in many areas. For example, today during back, I was doing single arm lat pulldowns and went to failure on my left side at 6 reps, but on the right side, i was still going strong and could have kept going, but stopped in order to 'keep it even' with my left side.

Does anyone else face this type of challenge and if so, any suggestions? Is this okay because both sides are going to failure, or should I consider doing an extra set on the left side only?

I hasn't this problem igi. My left arm is measurably larger than my right and also stronger. I'm right handed. Lol. I don't.get it but I work both arms using the max dictated by my right (weaker/smaller arm). Nothing I can do about compounds where arms are involved but in isolation I focus on the weaker arm. Seems to be working. They are getting closer in size and strength. At some point my goal is to have them equal so if 1x5 #50 is failure for right it also is for left.

[thunderthor70]

Question on symmetry:

For some reason, my right arm (bi and tri) and right lat seen to be stronger than my left side. My issue is this, I measure my max reps from my weaker side to help ensure the best symmetry, but now I feel like I'm really cutting my right side short in many areas. For example, today during back, I was doing single arm lat pulldowns and went to failure on my left side at 6 reps, but on the right side, i was still going strong and could have kept going, but stopped in order to 'keep it even' with my left side.

Does anyone else face this type of challenge and if so, any suggestions? Is this okay because both sides are going to failure, or should I consider doing an extra set on the left side only?

My wife has this problem with Db curls. On her working set her right arm fails 2 reps before her left so I start helping that side first. She ends up doing 4 forced reps on the right and 2 on the left. This is on incline Db curls curling both arms at the same time. The funny thing is her weaker arm has more of a peak and is 1/4 inch bigger so I'm not that concerned.

[Igifuno]

I hasn't this problem igi. My left arm is measurably larger than my right and also stronger. I'm right handed. Lol. I don't.get it but I work both arms using the max dictated by my right (weaker/smaller arm). Nothing I can do about compounds where arms are involved but in isolation I focus on the weaker arm. Seems to be working. They are getting closer in size and strength. At some point my goal is to have them equal so if 1x5 #50 is failure for right it also is for left.

So would you say you're actually working the weaker arm harder in an effort to 'catch up' to the stronger arm? Because this is what I'm doing as well and its frustrating becuase I feel like my stronger side is not getting pushed to the max under the same rep range.

[Igifuno]

My wife has this problem with Db curls. On her working set her right arm fails 2 reps before her left so I start helping that side first. She ends up doing 4 forced reps on the right and 2 on the left. This is on incline Db curls curling both arms at the same time. The funny thing is her weaker arm has more of a peak and is 1/4 inch bigger so I'm not that concerned.

I wish a had a consistent lifing partner to help with spotting and forced reps.

What about this? Max out the stronger side, and then make up for it on the weaker side by doing RP after failure in order to rep the same as the stronger side? If you're already doing forced reps, RP, or even drop sets on the stronger side, then you follow on the weaker side, only you may need to do additional RP... make sense?

[thunderthor70]

I wish a had a consistent lifing partner to help with spotting and forced reps.

What about this? Max out the stronger side, and then make up for it on the weaker side by doing RP after failure in order to rep the same as the stronger side? If you're already doing forced reps, RP, or even drop sets on the stronger side, then you follow on the weaker side, only you may need to do additional RP... make sense?

Makes sense to me. All you can do is try it for a few months and see what happens. Maybe my wifes weaker arm is bigger because she hitting it with more forced reps???

[sawyer86]

I think you may be over thinking this igi, you look great and you are progressing well. Just keep training hard like i know you do. There really isnt a problem here for you. I wouldnt wory about it until there is a noticable diffrence.

[thunderthor70]

i think you may be over thinking this igi, you look great and you are progressing well. Just keep training hard like i know you do. There really isnt a problem here for you. I wouldnt wory about it until there is a noticable diffrence.

x2.....

[Giggle]

For Java or anyone else - I'm eating a lot of beef as well these days. Do you have any ideas of where to get reasonable-prices?
We have Costco and Sams, and Target occasionally has good sales. But other than that - I hate to pay top prices at regular groceries!
[QUOTE=Java Man;6782837]Gotcha. I do the same thing. As long as I don't eat ONLY chicken I do like it. Ahhh beef! I just bought 9.5lbs of beef chuck roast, 8 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast, and 4lbs of lean grd beef, and a rotisserie chicken, that one is for my lunch . One of the chucks is in the crock with potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions, collard greens and veal broth. Grilling half the chix later today.

[Igifuno]

Makes sense to me. All you can do is try it for a few months and see what happens. Maybe my wifes weaker arm is bigger because she hitting it with more forced reps???

That could be. yeah I may give it a test run.

I think you may be over thinking this igi, you look great and you are progressing well. Just keep training hard like i know you do. There really isnt a problem here for you. I wouldnt wory about it until there is a noticable diffrence.

Thanks man and perhaps I'm overthinking it... I do notice a slight diference when I stare at myself lol.. particularly in the biceps. You're right its not a huge difference but as I move forward and grow, I would love to help ensure that everything is as proportioned as possible.

[Giggle]

Sorry - somehow messed up on Java's quote above....

[Igifuno]

[QUOTE=Giggle;6782910]For Java or anyone else - I'm eating a lot of beef as well these days. Do you have any ideas of where to get reasonable-prices?
We have Costco and Sams, and Target occasionally has good sales. But other than that - I hate to pay top prices at regular groceries!

Gotcha. I do the same thing. As long as I don't eat ONLY chicken I do like it. Ahhh beef! I just bought 9.5lbs of beef chuck roast, 8 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast, and 4lbs of lean grd beef, and a rotisserie chicken, that one is for my lunch . One of the chucks is in the crock with potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions, collard greens and veal broth. Grilling half the chix later today.

I get all my beef from Costco, and try to stick to tenderloin since its a a good lean steak and reasonably priced.

I have a buddy that goes directly to a butcher, and saves a few more dollars, but he has some prep work involved as well (particularly with the chicken - skinning it).

[Giggle]

thanks Igi - yep, I go for the tenderloin too. Good on the grill!

[thunderthor70]

For Java or anyone else - I'm eating a lot of beef as well these days. Do you have any ideas of where to get reasonable-prices?
We have Costco and Sams, and Target occasionally has good sales. But other than that - I hate to pay top prices at regular groceries!

I've found that Sams has quality beef and fareway. Wall mart beef isn't very good in my opinion. I've been eating more beef recently also because chicken is geting old.

[sawyer86]

Igi, i think in this game we sometimes look until we find something. Im the same i totally overthink everything and i get obsessed to the point were ive got snap myself out of it. I suppose we will never be truly happy with our bodys. ... but who wants to be content? That would be boring!

[Giggle]

Thanks Thor - me too, just tired of chicken. I like beef on the grill, or in the crockpot!

[Igifuno]

Igi, i think in this game we sometimes look until we find something. Im the same i totally overthink everything and i get obsessed to the point were ive got snap myself out of it. I suppose we will never be truly happy with our bodys. ... but who wants to be content? That would be boring!

It's an on going, never ending battle, isn't it? It's a crazy sport when you know you'll never be completely happy with yourself. Progress is great but when you meet a goal, it's on to the next one.

[sawyer86]

It's an on going, never ending battle, isn't it? It's a crazy sport when you know you'll never be completely happy with yourself. Progress is great but when you meet a goal, it's on to the next one.

It is mate. And i totally agree with you. I love having a goal im very competative and it helps drive me.