**Marcus's HIT Dungeon**

[AD]

I'm in deficit calories for cutting. And I want to avoid strength drop. Any idea?

if you're not in a big hurry, i suggest eating at maintenance on training days and only go into a small caloric deficit on rest days.

[almostgone]

I'm in deficit calories for cutting. And I want to avoid strength drop. Any idea?

Search this thread for "carb cycling". A very basic explanation would be to calculate your TDEE, subtract 500 calories, set your ratio of pro/carb/fat to approximately 40:40:20, reduce the maintenance carbs by 40% for 3 days and on the 4th day increase the carbs by 15% over maintenance carbs for a refeed day. Cardio 2-3 days/week. Repeat process and adjust as necessary to keep the process going.
Again, that's a very basic explanation, but it you search this thread, there are several really good posts on the subject (I think Marcus posted most/ all of them).

[almostgone]

...or what AD posted is another way you could approach it. Both ways would maintain muscle while slowly lowering bf.

[Sfla80]

How are you getting a full range of motion with plates on the end? I have always had to put 25s on so I can get my hands closer to my body when I squeeze it into my torso. Otherwise, with plates, I feel like I get a really short ROM cuz the plate bumps me, if that makes sense.

I felt the burn and squeeze on every rep. Plus dont wanna be that guy taking every 25 in house.

What about mak8ng a platform for my feet so I stand a little higher

[Doom44]

if you're not in a big hurry, i suggest eating at maintenance on training days and only go into a small caloric deficit on rest days.

I'm 9 weeks out of my competition.

[Doom44]

Search this thread for "carb cycling". A very basic explanation would be to calculate your TDEE, subtract 500 calories, set your ratio of pro/carb/fat to approximately 40:40:20, reduce the maintenance carbs by 40% for 3 days and on the 4th day increase the carbs by 15% over maintenance carbs for a refeed day. Cardio 2-3 days/week. Repeat process and adjust as necessary to keep the process going. Again, that's a very basic explanation, but it you search this thread, there are several really good posts on the subject (I think Marcus posted most/ all of them).

Thanks mate, I will give it a try.

[DontTaseMeBro]

Did back this morning and nailed it. Got up early enough to eat some oatmeal about 1.5 hours before hitting the gym. After a light warm up on the rowing machine, I felt in the zone. Promised the wife we could finish in 30 minutes and we nailed it. Pullovers went well, but close grip lat pulls were insane. I'm up 50lbs in 3 weeks. Cable rows rocked. Didn't go to failure on deadlifts (not gonna risk messing up the low back). Added some shrugs at Kel's recommendation. Failed at 6 and dropped 40lbs for 4 more perfect reps. Feeling wide and thick as fvck!

[kelkel]

What about mak8ng a platform for my feet so I stand a little higher

If you hold proper form with your back arched you will never hit the floor. If so, you're probably rounding your back or hyper-extending your shoulders, or both.

[Sfla80]

If you hold proper form with your back arched you will never hit the floor. If so, you're probably rounding your back or hyper-extending your shoulders, or both.

Exactly what I do....so ill stick to what im doing. Maybe next week ill get the HAW to video it.

[RipOwens]

Did back this morning and nailed it. Got up early enough to eat some oatmeal about 1.5 hours before hitting the gym. After a light warm up on the rowing machine, I felt in the zone. Promised the wife we could finish in 30 minutes and we nailed it. Pullovers went well, but close grip lat pulls were insane. I'm up 50lbs in 3 weeks. Cable rows rocked. Didn't go to failure on deadlifts (not gonna risk messing up the low back). Added some shrugs at Kel's recommendation. Failed at 6 and dropped 40lbs for 4 more perfect reps. Feeling wide and thick as fvck!

Up 50 lbs? Nicely done!

[gearbox]

Did back this morning and nailed it. Got up early enough to eat some oatmeal about 1.5 hours before hitting the gym. After a light warm up on the rowing machine, I felt in the zone. Promised the wife we could finish in 30 minutes and we nailed it. Pullovers went well, but close grip lat pulls were insane. I'm up 50lbs in 3 weeks. Cable rows rocked. Didn't go to failure on deadlifts (not gonna risk messing up the low back). Added some shrugs at Kel's recommendation. Failed at 6 and dropped 40lbs for 4 more perfect reps. Feeling wide and thick as fvck!

Nicely done!
Remember to use strict form and squeeze that muscle your working!

[AD]

I'm 9 weeks out of my competition.

i've never competed, so i can't say from experience. but i imagine contest prep should be totally different from the usual post-bulk cut. a lot will be determined by the gear you're using. and as you get closer to the comp date, your strength will definitely decrease as you approach your target bf%

[marcus300]

Good leg workout yesterday but was too tired to post. Wicked sore today so I'm focused on eating and doing better with consistency in eating more!

That's the key to continuous gains and maintenance of what you have already

[marcus300]

Good back workout today

Wont post everything, tyical feel sets with one working wth a lot of drops thrown in.

Standing lat pull downs
seated close grip rows (210#)
TBAR rows (pic attatched
DB rows (100#)
Lat pull downs
Racked deads (dorian style. mid chins)

Nothing close to Kel's pic the other day, but im happy with it

Attachment 148631

Looks like an excellent workout, keep on it and you will explode

[marcus300]

any suggestions on incorporating something into my HIT routine to really target traps. do you do them with back or with delts? anything more effective than shrugs?

I personally like doing shrugs with shoulders and I incorporate all kinds of beyond failure methods to keep them stimulated. My main builder is BB shrugs and I will do either dropsets or rest pause. I also makes sure I contract them right high up and let them hang slightly for a second at the bottom. The drop setting gives me the most out of this exercise.

[marcus300]

Hey bro. Actually I've felt like shit this week but I'm feeling better. Thanks for asking. Down 4 lbs as of yesterday which sux. Couldn't eat much for a couple days and it really took its toll. I will get it back. Thinking of dropping drol but damn pumps are ao good off it I hate to.

Checked bp was actually low unless machine was inaccurate. 119/67. Seemed low. Had a terrible headache monday couldn't even see lol. Took some 10mg cialis and 1000mg ibuprofen and was fine two hours later. Probably need to donate...I don't really wamt too. Not really getting huge but just rounding out. Which is fine with me. I'd rather have a phil heath physique than a kai greene physique. Its just that ecto in me. Small framed lol but I'm getting noticed in the gym. I look ok with a pump but still have a lot more size to put on in chest and calves. Just cruizing right now. Working out the way i like too. Its hard for me to stick with a schedule lol but i try. Taking tommorow off. How u feeling IG?

Drol can really hit your appetite and if your one of those guys who suffer this with orals then pulse the drol in future - pulsing means that you use the drol for around 10-14 days or up to were you normally start to feel a drop in appetite then you come off for around 2 weeks and repeat 10 days on 14 days off protocol or what ever protocol suits you so your appetite doesn't suffer. It really does work and you still get the full benefit out of the compound. If you cant eat its a pointless thing to do but pulsing does work and ive used it many times with drop and other orals.

[marcus300]

I'm in deficit calories for cutting. And I want to avoid strength drop. Any idea?

Don't change your training, what built the muscle and strength will keep it. If you feel under pressure with your workouts extend the rest days and cut the volume down in the sessions. It also depends on what type of cut your doing personally I cut very slowly because I wont sacrifice any of my hard earned tissue all because I want to cut fast. Cutting fast is a big NO for me so how ever your cutting make sure you do it slowly and adjust accordingly as your body reacts to the amount of cals its having or the extra cardio.

[marcus300]

Did back this morning and nailed it. Got up early enough to eat some oatmeal about 1.5 hours before hitting the gym. After a light warm up on the rowing machine, I felt in the zone. Promised the wife we could finish in 30 minutes and we nailed it. Pullovers went well, but close grip lat pulls were insane. I'm up 50lbs in 3 weeks. Cable rows rocked. Didn't go to failure on deadlifts (not gonna risk messing up the low back). Added some shrugs at Kel's recommendation. Failed at 6 and dropped 40lbs for 4 more perfect reps. Feeling wide and thick as fvck!

Not sure if your going to the floor with your deads but personally I wouldn't, just go just below the knee and keep the tension on the lower back without rounding it, it will also prevent injury and make you back explode far more in size

[Doom44]

Don't change your training, what built the muscle and strength will keep it. If you feel under pressure with your workouts extend the rest days and cut the volume down in the sessions. It also depends on what type of cut your doing personally I cut very slowly because I wont sacrifice any of my hard earned tissue all because I want to cut fast. Cutting fast is a big NO for me so how ever your cutting make sure you do it slowly and adjust accordingly as your body reacts to the amount of cals its having or the extra cardio.

Thanks man. Will do it slow.

[Dpyle]

Hell of a leg session this morning.

Seated extensions
Lying curls
Standing curls
Leg press
And machine squats

All done with 2 working sets with 2 drops, forced reps on leg press

Gonna walk like a spent whore for the next couple days.

[marcus300]

Hell of a leg session this morning.

Seated extensions
Lying curls
Standing curls
Leg press
And machine squats

All done with 2 working sets with 2 drops, forced reps on leg press

Gonna walk like a spent whore for the next couple days.

hahaha well done

[DontTaseMeBro]

Not sure if your going to the floor with your deads but personally I wouldn't, just go just below the knee and keep the tension on the lower back without rounding it, it will also prevent injury and make you back explode far more in size

thanks, Marcus. Yeah - I just go below the knee like Dorian suggests in the video. I've been having some back issues for a couple of months. Its more of the middle back and I'm almost positive that it is caused by a muscle or ligament rather than any type of spine issue. Regardless, I'm pretty cautious with back exercises. More than anything, a spine / disc injury is catastrophic to training.

[kelkel]

Gonna walk like a spent whore for the next couple days.

Well there's an analogy.

[almostgone]

Well, I got lucky and have a weekend off from work!!!! I had a couple of ideas for one of the projects I'm working on right now and it cut a little over 5 days off of the timeline.
Gonna finish tidying up the lifting area of my shop @ home and see how many good lifts I can get in this weekend.
Should get my TRT bw results a week from today. This old man is getting excited
Will post up a lift this evening. Going to spend a little quality time with the wife and the beasts this morning.

[Cuz]

Good God look at Kel's avi!!

[BallSak]

Good God look at Kel's avi!!

I guess when you work out alone in your basement you can wear what you want.

[Cuz]

I guess when you work out alone in your basement you can wear what you want.

Lmfao

[marcus300]

Well, I got lucky and have a weekend off from work!!!! I had a couple of ideas for one of the projects I'm working on right now and it cut a little over 5 days off of the timeline.
Gonna finish tidying up the lifting area of my shop @ home and see how many good lifts I can get in this weekend.
Should get my TRT bw results a week from today. This old man is getting excited
Will post up a lift this evening. Going to spend a little quality time with the wife and the beasts this morning.

Best of luck on the TRT big guy

[kelkel]

I guess when you work out alone in your basement you can wear what you want.

Finally, someone who understands.

[marcus300]

Big back yesterday and I am doing arms this morning. Shoulder is still bothering me and is restricting chest day also my lower back is tender but that isn't changing been tender for 20 yrs!!

I am 261lbs and feeling very heavy, really feeling the weight and in all honesty I need to drop some but going to maintain for a few more weeks to try and solidify some of my recent gains.

[thunderthor70]

I am 261lbs and feeling very heavy, really feeling the weight and in all honesty I need to drop some but going to maintain for a few more weeks to try and solidify some of my recent gains.

I've been working in the shop all winter and this week was the first full week I've been out in the field. It took me two days to decide that I needed to shed some weight. I'm very uncomfortable at 260- 265 and being bent over for any period of time sucks. I'm sure I can get down to 245-250 without loosing any muscle. 8 month bulk over!

[Cuz]

Big back yesterday and I am doing arms this morning. Shoulder is still bothering me and is restricting chest day also my lower back is tender but that isn't changing been tender for 20 yrs!!

I am 261lbs and feeling very heavy, really feeling the weight and in all honesty I need to drop some but going to maintain for a few more weeks to try and solidify some of my recent gains.

Marcus=Monster!

[Igifuno]

I've been working in the shop all winter and this week was the first full week I've been out in the field. It took me two days to decide that I needed to shed some weight. I'm very uncomfortable at 260- 265 and being bent over for any period of time sucks. I'm sure I can get down to 245-250 without loosing any muscle. 8 month bulk over!

I know that feeling when you're tying your shoes and calculating how many seconds of consciousness you have left. Haha.

[thunderthor70]

I know that feeling when you're tying your shoes and calculating how many seconds of consciousness you have left. Haha.

Exactly! Then the wife asks why you're breathing so heavy. Lol

[Hazard]

Exactly! Then the wife asks why you're breathing so heavy. Lol

Lmfao been there haha

[Hazard]

Update: I'm eating cleaner and a bit more strict but I've only been to the gym twice in 1 month. I'm dying to figure this schedule out so I can be back. Work is killin me.

[thunderthor70]

Update: I'm eating cleaner and a bit more strict but I've only been to the gym twice in 1 month. I'm dying to figure this schedule out so I can be back. Work is killin me.

Still looking solid Haz! White but still solid Its got to be mental torture not being able to lift man!

[DCI]

You still a sidewalk cracking mother fker haz you'll find your schedule after a while, the same thing has happend to me too big change in job but finally finding my routine now

[Black]

I know that feeling when you're tying your shoes and calculating how many seconds of consciousness you have left. Haha.

Exactly! Then the wife asks why you're breathing so heavy. Lol

My wife and I were just talking about that. She was laughing at me trying to bring my knee into my chest so I could reach my foot.

[almostgone]

Whew!!! Got in a workout, just not the usual way. Rearranged lifting area in my shop. Stripped plates off of the Smith machine and moved it. Did the same for my hip/leg sled and moved it. Reloaded tree on leg press, moved dumbbells, moved plate trees, reloaded them, vacuumed, etc, ad infinitum, ad nauseum .....
Believe I will like the new layout. If I can walk in the morning, I'll take it for a test drive/ lift.