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07-19-2013, 01:52 AM #2881
30mins cardio in the morning 30 mins at night
Very low carbs, just carbs pre and post workout all the rest of my meals are protein. Extending my low carb days to 5 at the moment then refeeding - if I feel or look like I need more carbs I will adjust daily according to how I feel. Nothing is static for with me its all about preserving muscle tissue whiling burning fat as fuel.
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07-19-2013, 03:02 AM #2882
I haven't posted much in this thread but I've been observing it like a hawk. This entire thread is a gold mine. Really an incredible resource. While I haven't posted, I've been exchanging various PM's with Marcus over some time in regards to training and other stuff. So I think it's time I share my recent experiment since I ended my last seemingly-never-ending cycle back in March.
Prior to my 6 month cycle I was stuck on the same routine. Very little growth and progress. Quite frustrating. One of the reasons I decided to go with a heavy, multi-compound long term cycle. The cycle was very overwhelming considering the injection frequency and volumes. Especially towards the end. But it worked and I managed to gain a decent amount of mass with a manageable amount of fat. The results however, were not very impressive considering the amount of money spent and the cycle length. For the majority of that cycle my diet was the best it ever was. So I attributed an unsuccessful percentage to my training.
My training then, consisted of a 3 day split with the goal of training each muscle group twice per week. There were times where I moved to a 4 day split but you get the idea. Each exercise consisted of 3 to 4 sets. 8 to 12 reps each.
At this point I started to look into changing my training habits. So I changed my entire program and started training every other day. This ensured that each muscle group is untouched the following day, and not stressed for another 9 days. So each muscle group gets a guaranteed 48 hours of no stress (no inadvertent resistance by training other muscle groups the next day) and each group is trained once every 9 days.
The other thing I changed was my actual lifting habits. I'm still doing 3 to 4 exercises per muscle group. But now my 1st two sets are warm up sets. My 3rd and final set is a failure set at 3 to 5 reps max. That's it. Failing so soon concerned me at first because I didn't feel that it was enough to damage the muscle. Well, that proved wrong.
This routine was worrisome at first. I felt that I am in and out of the gym so fast. Is that it?? Really? Then I felt that I'm not hitting the muscle groups enough. But I figured I'd keep this up, I really have no reason for a high sense of urgency. Besides, I was actually a lot more comfortable having those extra days off.
This experiment has been a complete success. I've noticed steady improvements (mostly in my chest and lats). But overall noticing greater growth and at rates I wasn't able to accomplish before. It's almost as if my body was so used to my old training style that it got bored and stopped producing. Today was a mile marker for me and I sent Marcus a PM to notify him of the changes I'm seeing. Mind you I haven't cycled since I came off in March. Been on 150 mg of cyp and 100 mg of deca every week; my standard protocol. That's all.
My grouping schedule changed once but still maintained the 9 day spread. Schedule is as follows:
Day 1: Chest & Triceps
Day 2: OFF
Day 3: Quads & Calves
Day 4: OFF
Day 5: Back & Biceps
Day 6: OFF
Day 7: Shoulders & Traps
Day 8: OFF
Day 9: Hamstrings
Day 10: OFF
Rinse & repeat.........
I might be able to afford to do Calves more often, but I'm going to stay the course for another 3 months and see what happens. Abs are worked each visit to the gym. Either way, I'm very happy with my progress and very glad I changed my training style. Because of the extended wait periods between muscle group trainings, it was tough at first to maintain some patience, but it didn't really take too long to start noticing a difference. When the second month came around I thought I was just imagining some improvements, but they were real, and today, it's certainly more evident.~ PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR SOURCE CHECKS ~
"It's human nature in a 'more is better' society full of a younger generation that expects instant gratification, then complain when they don't get it. The problem will get far worse before it gets better". ~ kelkel
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07-19-2013, 04:30 AM #2883
Good post Aust. Although I know you're unable to post up pictures, would you be willing to tell us about some improvements? LBM gains, increases in lifts and size gain?
Also I agree fully when you said this thread is a gold mine. It should be condensed and made mandatory reading !
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07-19-2013, 04:43 AM #2884~ PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR SOURCE CHECKS ~
"It's human nature in a 'more is better' society full of a younger generation that expects instant gratification, then complain when they don't get it. The problem will get far worse before it gets better". ~ kelkel
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07-19-2013, 04:54 AM #2885
I think this thread has helped ALOT of people. Not enough but lots.
Austin, you are right, it takes something to get your head around it at the start and even after a week or 2 you still aren't sure. But after that, when you get your weights, reps and intensity right it's brilliant. You are doing even less than me I think.
I think it needs cycling, I ran it for 6 or 7 weeks a couple of months ago and dropped off it because of a niggle or 2. Although I was having to train 4 days in a row which is hell, I may be able to lengthen it by training no more than 2 days in a row, certainly that's what I'm doing now and I am progressing nicely. That just re-emphasises the importance of rest.
Thanks MarcusNO SOURCES GIVEN
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07-19-2013, 05:49 AM #2886
It certainly has helped me and someday hopefully I can learn a fractio of what the pads know and help others
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07-19-2013, 06:25 AM #2887
Aust with that routine when did you throw in cardio? I like doing what marcus did the other day on my days off if work and do 30 in the morning and then again in the evening. Just curious with your split do u do cardio on non lifting days?
And this for anyone else that wabts ti chime in. Pct for me is coming very soon. I know gym time u want to be in and out. Higher reps. With these higher reps am I still going to hit complete failure?
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07-19-2013, 07:40 AM #2888
Woooow great to see you here
Looks like the change in routine has done you good. Well done on your progress and finding something to kickstart new growth again. I would continue to do what your doing like you said for another few months and let the body respond and build, but what also I would do is every now and again over the 9 days try and take your failure set past your 3-5 rep range. Even if this means a spotter or you really pushing to get another rep out try and push your failure set to around 6-8 reps then when on cycle you can introduce beyond failure protocols what will make you explode in new growth again.
You at a really good stage, learn how to go to true positive failure then add further reps to your failure set then add beyond failure protocols but only when your body tells you to and also if it comes in-line with a cycle, this is when you will see huge improvements but in the mean time carry on doing what your doing building new tissue and learning how your body responds.
What are your goals, more size or cut for the future?
Your right you cant train in this way without having a few weeks off and taking a rest from the attack your putting your body under, I normally hit around 4-6 weeks and then I need to lay off the intensity and just go to failure or just do some volume training, but you defo need to pull back.
Why in pct would you do higher reps? what built the muscle will keep the muscle so carry on doing what build it in the first place, but just pull back on the intensity of the workout. I have a thread on keeping gains which may help you hit the link below of keeping gains for the moderate user.
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07-19-2013, 07:48 AM #2889
sfla
Keeping gains-
These tips are for the moderate user and not for the high dose or long term AAS user, these basic methods will help maintain a degree of muscularity while in the off period. If all procedures are carried out during cycle you would of maximise gains and will be carrying new muscle tissue, then you need to focus on the off period and put yourself in an optimal position to keeping your new found gains once the cycle is stopped.
Recovery- One of the areas of focus is the HPTA (Hypothalamus-pituitary-testicular axis), Recovering the HPTA is vital to maintaining gains, typically on a 10-12 week standard AAS cycle will almost certainly cause full suppression/shutdown despite any strategies we might undertake. The natural androgen production needs to be quickly recovered so anabolic hormones are up and running to help maintain the new found muscle. This is why post cycle therapy is vital and the correct protocol's are adhered to. Shorter cycles are becoming increasingly more popular because with these type of cycles there is a significant chance you will have testicular function straight after or very shortly after the cycle as stopped and recovery looks to be alot faster, not in all cases that would depend on compounds used but overall, the shorter the cycle the quicker the recovery.
Once the cycle as stopped we must preserve our gains and if steps haven't been taken during cycle we must now take some steps to reduce estrogen binding in the hypothalamus.You have to look at post cycle estrogen this can be a huge problem for some and this will have a negative impact on recovery of your HPTA just like androgens can and do in this period. The only way to fully recover your HPTA is to completely come off cycle, with this day and age of PCT compounds to recover with, the job will be alot easier. Problems occur if you stayed on cycle for to long or keep taking low suppression drugs to bridge cycles together, all this will have an effect on your HPTA and long term health. Recovery and maintenance of the new found gains are the objects at this stage and stay as healthy as possible, remember suppression and shutdown are linked they both effect your HPTA, so get a decent PCT protocol and recover as fast as possible. The common ancillary drugs what will support the post cycle and the recovery period are clomid,nolvadex ,a-dex and HCG to name a few. Please check out the PCT section and the stickies for protocols and further advice.
Nutrition - is another area which we must focus on to help maintain the new found gains, after a cycle androgen levels are going to be lower than normal even with the above strategies. We have to maximise the anabolic hormones as much as possible while our system is recovering. First we need to calculate the change in the new calories needed for the new tissue gained during the cycle and support the new tissue, a person who under eats to their requirements will be stripped of the muscle mass very quickly.
Overeating has been shown in numerous studies to maximise these factors. Over maintenance calories are needed to promote the anabolic edge, dietary fat has an influence on androgen secretion, monounsaturated and saturated fat raises testosterone levels but polyunsaturated fat does not so a healthy diet containing O'3 and O'6 will help in this period. Eat clean and feed the new tissue with abundance of calories but always have in mind of muscle building foods and not the sugar rich alternatives we can easily lean to in this period. As testosterone returns to normal and recovery is nearly there, eating over the calories can be lowered to maintenance of the new found muscle what's been gained during the cycle. Never start dieting in the recovery stage it will strip you of your hard earned tissue.
Training - If you have been training intensely during the on period you can help to maintain the new found gains with a slight alteration in the way your training. In some cases further gains have been seen in the recovery part of cycling, this is normally with short cycles and very intense training. If you implement more rest days and make sure your C.N.S gets fully recovered, further gains can be seen. Keep the training sessions down to around 30 mins and incorporate longer rest days in-between. Long workouts lower testosterone to cortisol ratio, so don't go for long workouts no matter how strong or fit you may feel, short and fast will help with recovery without further stress on your system.
Still concentrate on the basic heavy movements this and still focus on HIT type of training, also take more attention on the eccentric part of the lift because this causes most of the muscle fibre damage, after warm up do about 2 sets per bodypart and dropset them, which should consist of eccentric reps start with maximum followed by 90% Max, then 80%max, making sure you take a good 5-6 seconds for the eccentric portion of the reps on all dropsets. There are many other ways of training to help recovery but this method does have great benefits by making the workout shorter and the muscle being hit in a different way. Further gains can be achieved if careful planning is done of your training sessions.
Supplements- Its hard to advice what supplements will help and work for you in the recovery and maintenance period. Clearly a quality protein powder,creatine, test booster's,BCAA's, glutamine and vital vits and supps in the off period does help drastically and all aid recovery, past experience will help to pick which other supps may help and agree with your body.
The more advance you become the more advanced procedure need to be carried out, this is just a basic methods and tips on maintaining post cycle for the moderate user.
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07-19-2013, 08:21 AM #2890
Thanks marcus, misunderstood changing intensity with how I work out my reps and sets. Thinking about going to a 4 day split for recovery so I will get more rest days in.
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07-19-2013, 08:51 AM #2891
Last edited by kelkel; 07-19-2013 at 01:11 PM.
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07-19-2013, 01:11 PM #2892
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07-19-2013, 01:21 PM #2893
Shoulders tonight, was a tough session but feels good big bit of pain now and did cardio.
Appetite is back thankfully don't know why it was so bad last weekend.
The only thing that is bothering me is that I cannot shift this last bit of fat round my middle it is really getting on my tits now that I can't get rid of it. This is really frustrating
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07-19-2013, 01:57 PM #2894
This thread just gets better and better. I was worried it might die down a bit due to "the man" feeling a little down in the dumps. But, I was wrong. Thanks austinite. I don't recall reading a more "personal" type post from you. Really enjoyed reading that. I just keep learning....about lifting and about you guys. All of you are top notch people.
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07-19-2013, 02:06 PM #2895
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07-19-2013, 02:11 PM #2896Originally Posted by kelkel
Two is definitely not better than one.NO SOURCES GIVEN
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07-19-2013, 02:11 PM #2897
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07-19-2013, 02:22 PM #2898
I definitely will let you guys know how pct goes. I started a log, but fell off updating towards the middle of cycle. might update here also as weeks go by. I have been on 11.5 wks now. might extend to 13wks, it looks like i have exactly 3 pins left. Test C 250/2x wk, hcg 250 2x/wk, ldex .25 eod up until last week I started ed when I noticed slight sensitivity in nips. I am now also 1.5 wks into winny at 75mg ed. will run up until pct starts. Was also going to research about the old school way of using the hcg, like blasting it just before pct. But knowledge about that isn't great so I doubt ill do it.
This diary has helped greatly through this cycle. I have asked a few questions but mainly lurk around and take in everything that's said. Just miss a few pages sometimes. lol. I would like to thank you marcus for taking the time to reply to everyone that post here....and for everyone else that helps.
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07-19-2013, 03:15 PM #2899
Yes. Certainly tough at first. The first 2 to 3 weeks I just wanted to change things up again but I kept reminding myself that I'll never know until I try it.
Hey buddy. I was doing cardio 3 days a week for about 30 minutes post workouts. I've been having a little trouble with my diet trying to get under 12.06%, so just recently increased cardio to 1 hour in the AM, and 30 to 45 minutes post workout at night. No cardio on Leg day. I've done this before and it worked great for me.
Excellent advice, Marcus. I'll stay the course and introduce the changes you mentioned in a few months. I've done minor changes in the past, but this was a major change in routine and sometimes that's what it takes, a complete overhaul.
My goals are actually not too far off. I'm currently bouncing between 220 and 225 lbs @ 12%. I'd like to stay the course until I reach 235 lbs. Would be nice to maintain 210 lbs of lean mass. So my goal is 235 lbs @ 11% BF. I'm never getting on stage but I know what I look like at 11% and I'd be very happy with that.
Thanks for all the support.
Absolutely, kel. In my case this proved correct. Less is certainly more. And man... it was tough at first because I was at home thinking... "I need to be at the gym", but now I'm appreciating the time off even more. It's a mental state I had to overcome.~ PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR SOURCE CHECKS ~
"It's human nature in a 'more is better' society full of a younger generation that expects instant gratification, then complain when they don't get it. The problem will get far worse before it gets better". ~ kelkel
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07-19-2013, 04:54 PM #2900
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07-21-2013, 04:48 AM #2901
high reps, light weight 20 seconds rest in-between sets - that's it for me on every bodypart except legs..............
I'm pissed off, on a positive note dropping bf
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07-21-2013, 05:22 AM #2902
Shoulder is in bits. Just done chest and really hurt and I was only super setting flyes with press with 40's . Need to release my rage but can't ......
Just took my nebido took 2ml in each outer head of the bi
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07-21-2013, 05:42 AM #2903
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07-21-2013, 06:06 AM #2904
You clever fuking bastard lmfao like your style............you have to remember I am abnormal not like the norm so !!!!!
I would say go to the doctor and get therapy and help to repair the problem, take time out and train around it.
Kronik420 - I love size, I adore size, I love when I turn heads, I love lifting more than anyone else, I love pain, I am in love with bodybuilding and mentally unstable when it comes to training, I will go up against anyone that's how positive I am...........can you feel my pain lol my shoulder pain lol
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07-21-2013, 06:49 AM #2905
lol yes i can feel your pain.. i went so long without training.. but now i can't live without going to the gym.. i get upset when im sick or injured (thankfully haven't had any serious injuries in the 3 years i've been training).. i'll never go back to the lazy fk i was... i like the looks i get from people when i walk past..
just take care.. don't turn a 6 week injury into 6+ months...
p.s. since i've learnt to go beyond failure with legs, been getting compliments that i've put on size.. loving it
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07-21-2013, 06:53 AM #2906
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07-21-2013, 09:28 AM #2907
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07-22-2013, 01:45 AM #2908"ARs Pork Eating Crusader"
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How do you find HIT on forearms? I just cant seem to do it. Don't have the energy at the end of a workout and if i do it at the start i struggle with other lifts.
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07-22-2013, 01:47 AM #2909
Forearms? I personally never train them.
~ PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR SOURCE CHECKS ~
"It's human nature in a 'more is better' society full of a younger generation that expects instant gratification, then complain when they don't get it. The problem will get far worse before it gets better". ~ kelkel
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07-22-2013, 01:53 AM #2910"ARs Pork Eating Crusader"
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07-22-2013, 02:26 AM #2911
I don't train forearms either. They should be.getting plenty of work from bicep and tricep training if youre using proper form.
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07-22-2013, 05:29 AM #2912
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07-22-2013, 06:30 AM #2913
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07-22-2013, 09:14 AM #2914
If or when I train them it's always in superset fashion. Hammer curls / wrist curls or reverse curls with e-z bar then wrist curls. Couple sets and done. Always good to directly stimulate the muscle. Rarely do you get something for nothing. Remember, shoulders and triceps usually give out first when doing chest but we don't then skip them thinking they got enough work!
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07-22-2013, 09:28 AM #2915
legs today - shite workout couldn't hold the squat bar due to my shoulder, had to leg press instead, leg extensions, lying leg curls and stiff leg dead lifts. Nothing to failure, just straight sets. No big weights really just pumping sets.......
shoulder still sore, doing some cuff exercises now see if that will help........
been carb cycling which has been great, going to around 5 days low then one refeed. Dropped loads of fat but maintained tissue, upped my deca dose to see if it help speed recovery.
Done to around 244lbs but flat due to glycogen depleted, coming down around 2lbs per week unless I up my cardio then its taking around 4 lbs but then I reefed sooner.Last edited by marcus300; 07-22-2013 at 10:46 AM.
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07-22-2013, 10:36 AM #2916
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07-22-2013, 10:47 AM #2917
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07-22-2013, 11:48 AM #2918
I am so confused,lol. Reading these post are we saying that a person should continue to use HIT even while cutting carbs or carb cycling? or should higher reps be the key while cutting? I know each individual is different but if carbs are low how can you put the same intensity into HIT. Just trying to gain a little more knowledge not trying to be a knucklehead.
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07-22-2013, 12:46 PM #2919
Yes, I carb cycle whether I am bulking, cutting or maintaining. It all depends on how you carb cycle what determines the results. My priority no matter what my goal is, is to preserve my muscle tissue so if its cutting I do this very slowly and I never cut carbs to much at the cost of precious muscle tissue being burnt, this is one of the biggest mistakes everyone does. Ive written about in previous post.
I also use HIT no matter what my goal is, what build the muscle will keep the muscle, the only time I don't run HIT is when I am taking a week or two deload from it were I will use other methods but to answer your question yes, I use HIT no matter what I am doing because it builds, maintains and my body responds very well to it
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07-22-2013, 12:58 PM #2920
Now I understand....thanks Marcus
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