Gaining them gainnnnz with Ironflex Brawn and Halo-X!

[bcazo]

Holy arm session! You've ran previous cycles yes? How would you say our halo and epi stack up to what you've ran, for your goals anyhow.

Great question! You read my mind

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Saw this yesterday.
http://www.geneticwar.com/training/shoulders/top-5-shoulder-training-mistakes/
Little confused about number 4. Can anyone explain that exercise for me?

Holy arm session! You've ran previous cycles yes?

How would you say our halo and epi stack up to what you've ran, for your goals anyhow.

Great question! You read my mind

2x. Well only 1 really. When I was 18 or 19 which was like 10 years ago when i first started.. I went to gnc not knowing anything about supplements and asked what could i get to build muscles and the guy gave me Methyl D by Gaspari. I went from 100lb body to 130s but like i said didn't know jack $hit and didn't do pct plus diet was crappy. Than 2012 I did Trifecta Stack by LG Science while cutting and doing DTP. Saw massaive gains, broke PRs almost every session.

The trifecta stack compared to Halo X and Brawn... Hmmm. I did see great gains from both in the gym and in the scale. But I have to say that Halo X and Brawn is better for the fact that I'm always pumped, like 24/7 pumped. I always have the mindset that I'm ready to hit the gym, even hours after I worked out I would be ready to go again and do a 2 a day workout. Focus is always there, ALWAYS. I'm aggressive as you might have read in a few posts lol. I'm always hungry. And last but not least again I feel like I can workout everyday, like you noticed in the beginning of the log... i went like 11 days without a rest day.


Off to do delts right now..

 

[bcazo]

I can only imagine how many young guys have walked into a store back in the day and were recommended compounds without knowing what they were getting into

 

[pete8407]

I remember one of the first products I ever bought was a fizogen product that I'm sure had a pro in it.

 

[KingLeonidas9]

I can only imagine how many young guys have walked into a store back in the day and were recommended compounds without knowing what they were getting into

I remember one of the first products I ever bought was a fizogen product that I'm sure had a pro in it.

Yeah I was one of them and after I saw how much weight I had put on I told my friends allllllll about it and they all went and bought it too =/. That's what happens when you shop at GNC...

 

[pete8407]

It was GNC, that's funny!

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Day 27
Delts!

DB Presses
4 sets of 10 reps
45lb, 50lb, 55lb, 55lb. couldn't get my left arm to keep up with my right. pain started settling in right after the 2nd set.. argg

Machine Presses
4 sets of 15 reps
45lb each side, 50lb each side, 50lb each side, 55lb each side. The pain came and was there through the entire workout after that. FML!

Side Lateral on Machine
4 sets of 10 reps
50lb, 55lb, 60lb, 60lb. this doesn't hurt me as much when i do it. only last few reps but better than hurting the whole time!

Front DB Raises
4 sets of 10 reps
15lb, 20lb, 25lb, 30lb. so i go to do my first set, grabbed the 20s and i was like errr no too heavy. So I do the 15s and was too light. 2nd set i do 20s it was light. 3rd set i do 25s and it was nice, go for the last set with the 30s and my face was turning red and i could see that vein i saw back on arms day that was on my neck and my forehead LOL. On my 2 last reps this guy out of nowhere I didn't even see him coming I was so focused on my veins haha that he stepped right in front of me while I was doing my raises and hit him on the arm with the dumbbell... i only noticed something was wrong when i felt that my arm wasn't going up and i looked and saw him so i took a step back and looked at him like why would you step right in front of me in the middle of my set so I told him "sorry you alright?" and he was like 'no no i'm sorry i thought i could grab those dumbbells here before you could do your rep. sorry!' and walked away. I have done that before but only if a guy is taking a few extra breaths before he does his rep but I wasn't doing that I was just going at it.. That was f'n weird.

Rear Flys on Machine
3 sets of 15 reps
85lb

Low Pulley Side Laterals
3 sets of 10 reps and 3 drop sets of 7 reps
5lb, 10lb, 15lb and 10lb, 7.5lb, 5lb


My shoulders were pumped, they burned and they hurt all at the same time! They hurt just from lifting my shaker up to take a sip. That was crazy!

Day 28
LEGS!

Was going to take a ritual with my con-cret pre workout but had a sample of beta-cret so i mixed that with con-cret. 0 energy or tingles from it. Said fock it and headed to the gym. For my best leg workout!

Leg Extensions
5 sets of 12 reps
115lb, 130lb, 145lb, 160lb, 175lb. <- PR! 2 weeks ago I felt good doing this to pre exhaust my legs and warm them up so i did it again and boom! 160lb felt good so I went for an extra set and did 175lb. I think I could had gone to 190lb if I wanted to! =D

Leg Presses
4 sets of 10 reps
270lb, 360lb, 450lb, 540lb <- so f'n close to my personal record of 560! I had set up my phone to record it but stupid thing only took a picture argg! Next week I will go for 590! I don't give a fock if I will no longer be on Brawn and Halo X anymore! I'm going for it!

Front BB Squats
4 sets of 10 reps
25lb each side, 35lb, each side, 45lb each side, 55lb each side. same weight as last week but I was able to squat lower than parallel and it wasn't as heavy.. I WILL GO HEAVIER next week!

BB Squats
4 sets of 10 reps
55lb each side, 70lb each side, 80lb each side, 100lb each side. So I was super excited about this up till the last set. Why? Cuz I was going parallel and getting a second hold at the bottom before exploding up and on the last 2 or 3 reps I was going bellow parallel! So last set and I'm thinking about going heavier than last week and breaking that PR. So I put the extra 10 pounds on each side. First 3 reps I was great at parallel than it started getting heavy and heavy and I could no longer hit parallel... at one point I even felt like I was going to drop forward and had to quick take a step forward... that really sucked! So no parallel on what is my heaviest squat but no PR in my book.

Laying Leg Curls
4 sets of 12 reps
80, 90, 100, 110lb

Seated Curls
3 sets of 10 reps
90lb, 100lb, 110lb.

Seated Leg Press on different machine, high and wide
3 sets of 10 reps
150lb, 190lb, 240lb. other machine was taken by 2 guys who were taking mad long to do the exercises and talk in between so I just jumped on this one.

Leg Abductor
3 sets of 10 reps. cant remember weight.

Leg Abduction
3 sets of 10 reps. cant remember weight.


Got home had a shake. 30 mins later had some of this!

This has only happened 2x and it was when I did my last cycle. My legs were super pumped today!! How do I know? Cuz when I was walking back to the locker room I felt my legs rubbing against each other as I walked. What an awesome feeling that was! Not so awesome when I got home and had to go up the stairs! LOL
Does anyone ever feel like after they are done with their main lifts the rest are like blah? I been feeling like that after I get PRs on the big and main exercises.
What crappy day tomorrow will be! Tomorrow will be the last day of Brawn and Halo.... Will also be Chest. FML! AND we suppose to get MORE snow...

 

[pete8407]

Badass workouts man! That run went quick! What was that post w/o meal? Congrats on the PR!

 

[Hyde]

Whenever I'm in a powerlifting-based routine, I always feel that way - I move my big weight & am like, blahhh....I don't even wanna workout. If I'm just in more of a muscle-oriented bodybuilding phase I usually get a lot more intense & enjoy the whole workout a lot more....it's the difference between a training session & a workout. Very difficult to hardcore work your muscles when the CNS is already thrashed. Is for me anyway.

That's why sometimes I take time off from going super-heavy & just play bodybuilder for a bit.

 

[bcazo]

Hey the snow missed us for once!!! :arms:

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Badass workouts man! That run went quick! What was that post w/o meal? Congrats on the PR!

It was eggs, ground beef and whole wheat bread.

Whenever I'm in a powerlifting-based routine, I always feel that way - I move my big weight & am like, blahhh....I don't even wanna workout. If I'm just in more of a muscle-oriented bodybuilding phase I usually get a lot more intense & enjoy the whole workout a lot more....it's the difference between a training session & a workout. Very difficult to hardcore work your muscles when the CNS is already thrashed. Is for me anyway.

That's why sometimes I take time off from going super-heavy & just play bodybuilder for a bit.

I started the 5/3/1 boring but big yesterday. I didn't feel like that after the big lifts, cuz now every lift is a big one! =D

Hey the snow missed us for once!!! :arms:

 

[tyga tyga]

After my prep I'm going to move into either 5/3/1 boring but big routine or back to doggcrapp. "Accessory" work will be hypertrophy/TUT work.

So, let me know how you like the boring but big protocol and how it pans out for you KL.

 

[KingLeonidas9]

DAY 29
The Start of 5/3/1 Boring But Big!

I completely focked it up.​

Military press
5 x 5
80lb. I tried doing this on the bar but it aggravated my shoulder having to pull the bar forward for lift off and than push it back to rack it. So I was deciding either doing dumbbells or the machine. I decided machine. No pain.

Bench press
5 x 10
35lb each side, 35lb, 35lb, 45lb, 55lb.

T Bar Rows
5 x 10
70lb, 90lb, 115lb, 115lb, 135lb.

Bar Curls
3 x 10
50lb, 60lb, 70lb, 70lb. Did one more set because 3 didn't feel like it was enough.

Triceps pushdowns
3 x 10

Face pulls
3 x 10
50lb, 55lb, 60lb.

Today will be the very last doses of Brawn and Halo X. I know I said that before but apparently I'm even more blind than I thought lol.
Alright so I felt good throughout the whole workout. But felt like something was missing. I came home looked at the workout again. Decided to look at other logs of people, sometimes I'll understand something completely if I see an example. And I saw this

MONTH 1 = BBB
Wave1 - 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5

- 5/3/1 Squats Using Powertec Workbench - 1rep max is 290
Bar x 5
105lbs x 3 Warmup @ 40%
170lbs x 5
195lbs x 5
220lbs x 5

-Deadlift = 5 x 8 @ 50%
115lbs x 8
115lbs x 8
115lbs x 8
115lbs x 8
115lbs x 8

MONTH 1 = BBB
Wave1 - 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5

- 5/3/1 OH Press - 1rep max is 155
Bar x 5
55lbs x 3 warmup @ 40%
90lbs x 5
105lbs x 5
120lbs x 5

- Bench Press; 5 x 10 @ 50%
100lbs x 10
100lbs x 10
100lbs x 10
100lbs x 10
100lbs x 10

- Lat Pulldown's 5 x 10 @ 50%
70lbs x 10
70lbs x 10
70lbs x 10
70lbs x 10
70lbs x 10

- Curls 3 x 10 @ 50%
40lbs x 10
40lbs x 10
40lbs x 10


Got me thinking damn I'm already not strong enough.. If I'm do 5 reps of 50% the weight that I can lift that I know for sure I will never be satisfied every time I leave the gym. Will always leave feeling like I could've and wanted to do more. I'm guess that's why they call boring but big? idk.. I'm have to take another look at the whole program again and decide if this is what I want to do.

 

[KingLeonidas9]

After my prep I'm going to move into either 5/3/1 boring but big routine or back to doggcrapp. "Accessory" work will be hypertrophy/TUT work.

So, let me know how you like the boring but big protocol and how it pans out for you KL.

Did it yesterday. Not sure if I actually like it. Honestly not sure if I would be able to do it for 3 months straights and be completely satisfied with it.

I was looking at another article on T Nation and I kind of like this one.
T NATION | How I Finally Got Muscle to Grow

 

[bcazo]

I'm with you I need more volume in my routines

 

[Hyde]

Did it yesterday. Not sure if I actually like it. Honestly not sure if I would be able to do it for 3 months straights and be completely satisfied with it.

I was looking at another article on T Nation and I kind of like this one.
T NATION | How I Finally Got Muscle to Grow

You're approaching the 5x10 wrong - after the main lift (& only the last set should really be the bear) when you get to the 5x10, it's supposed to be performed intensely. You're supposed to keep the rests shorter & be maximizing muscular fatigue within the itsy bitsy 1hr window you have. 50% also is only for the first month - the challenge is to go to 60% the 2nd month & 70% the last month. I've never made it.

Squat, for example:

450 1RM = 225lbs @ 50%. 270 @ 60%. 315 @ 70%. And 5x10 @ 315 after I just pulled over 450lbs with less than 3 min rest in between each sets, for 5 sets, well I'm simply not that strong. Even 270 is too damn much lol. 225 @ 5x10 actually is a damn good workout for me, after I've lifted heavy. Sweatin' & all red-faced & I look like I got beat up lol

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Day 30... The End.
Chest

Low Incline DB Flys
4 sets of 10 reps
25lb, 30lb, 35lb, 40lb.

Decline Barbelll Presses
6 sets of 10 reps
45lb each side, 45lb, 50lb each side, 50lb , 55lb each side, 55lb.

Incline Barbell Presses
6 sets of 10 reps
35lb, 35lb, 45lb, 45lb, 55lb, 55lb each side.

Barbell Presses
4 set of 10 reps
45lb, 45lb, 55lb, 55lb.

I tried to do something new since I didn't really like the 5/3/1 the day before. But I don't think its the routine that I didn't like it's in my head. Not sure exactly what is going on but the workout was boring. I left the gym the same way I went in I was all like ehhh ok i'm here than i was like ehh ok i'm done. Probably the first time that I didn't get a huge pump either. Could it be that my mind is already like "hey Brawn and Halo are done, now you are focked! You will be back to being a weakling, even smaller weights, no strength, muscles? yeah you will never see on you." Idk. Not the way I wanted to finish this up on my last workout! :17:

I weighed myself in this morning naked and scale said 181.3 pounds. I started last month at 175. So 6.3 pounds gain. Weird cuz first week the scale was telling me 10 pounds gain and now its like 6.3 in a month... I will post pictures Friday when I will have someone to take them for me. Will post Final Review tomorrow or sunday along with after pictures.

Decided to do Neil Hill's Y3T program. It's 9 weeks. I think it will fit me well. 4 workout days, 3 rest days(I will run 2 of those days). April 21 I'll be away for 15 days doing annual training with unit so it kinda fits me well.

PCT will look like:
SERM
AD-3
Liv.52
Test Powder
Creatine
Vitamin C
Fish Oil
OT(almost over) and Animal PAK
Glycofuse
Might also add Anatropin into the mix as welll as a sleep aid. Been having hard time sleeping lately.

 

[pete8407]

Badass pct! Have you ever looked into Ben Pakulski's MI40?

 

[Hyde]

Sad day when the cycle ends, but you have a sweet PCT lined up & a new routine to look forward to, so the fun doesn't have to end - just the Brawn/Halo X

6.3lbs ain't bad in a month, that's for sure!

 

[bcazo]

Sad day when the cycle ends, but you have a sweet PCT lined up & a new routine to look forward to, so the fun doesn't have to end - just the Brawn/Halo X 6.3lbs ain't bad in a month, that's for sure!

^^^ this

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Badass pct! Have you ever looked into Ben Pakulski's MI40?

Thanks for the tip! I am watching a few of the videos as I type this. Looks really interesting. Might do this in May when I get back home. I'll have passed my PT by than and won't have to run as much. Really like how he explains every exercise and gives tips on how to do the exercise.

Sad day when the cycle ends, but you have a sweet PCT lined up & a new routine to look forward to, so the fun doesn't have to end - just the Brawn/Halo X

6.3lbs ain't bad in a month, that's for sure!

^^^ this

Oh I wasn't complaining that it was only 6.3lb pounds lol. I was just saying I was confused on how my weight changed. Sure ate more and less on a few days. Very happy about this run though.

Review coming up tomorrow =D.

 

[tyga tyga]

Can't wait for the review

 

[bcazo]

impatiently waiting

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Can't wait for the review

impatiently waiting

Sorry fellas! Taking pictures now and will post review after pictures are done taking.

 

[KingLeonidas9]

FINAL REVIEW!

4 weeks after my run with both Halo X and Brawn I think it's safe to say that I'm happy with my run.

First week on it I was getting the feel for it and trying to get my head in the right place with the thoughts that now I'm going to get stronger, I CAN lift heavy weights. It worked. I was slowing working my way up on the weights. Half way into week 2 I was up 10 pounds. I have never been able to get over 175 pounds before in my life and now to be OVER 175 pounds was an amazing feeling. There was time while on this run that rest days were non existent, I worked out for about 10 or so days in a row and my body felt great and responded really well. My rest periods at the gym were always VERY VERY short. I would do my set, take a sip of my carb shake take a few breaths and I was back at it again, I think it never went over 40 seconds. On leg days it was about a 1 minute but that was because I was always pushing it so hard to get big numbers up. And it worked.

Some of my best and heaviest lifts while on this cycle was:
Squats, 100lb each side plus bar so 245 pounds.
Barbell Curl, 80lb for 5 reps
Leg Presses, 540lb
DB Shoulder Presses, 60lb
And yesterday, running PCT already I was able to get 190lb on the Leg Extensions for 10 reps.

Long way since I first came back from basic training and was super weak. Speaking of super weak... I came back in mid december weighing, 158 pounds. Started bulking right away. When I started with Brawn and Halo X a month ago I was at 175 pounds, I am now at 182 pounds. So F'N awesome!!

The pump... ahh the pump! It was ALWAYYYYYS there! I was always pumped. Specially my chest. I would do my first chest exercise and boom hard rock chest and super pumped up. Same for my arms, I would be doing 8 to 10 exercises for triceps and biceps and my arms would be super pumped! I truly felt like I was Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk after I felt the pump. It didn't go away after a few hours.. Oh no! It was always there. Would wake up the next day and I could feel my arms still pumped and a bit sore but more pumped than sore. Kinda hard to explain. Not sure if it was sore from me flexing it so much to feel the muscle or from the workout the day before lol, it was probably from flexing all the time because if I was to hit that same muscle the next day I'm pretty sure I could do it again. Even felt my legs pumped towards the end of my run with Halo and Brawn... I was walking back to the locker room and my thighs were rubbing against each other. What an awesome feeling! It did sorta of get in the way though when training arms, biceps curls to be more exact... I could not curl the weight all the way up because the pump was so much! Kinda hurt a few times.

The only regrets about Halo and Brawn was that after a failed physical test my mind started mind fock me and it got the best out of me a few times. I could not run either while on this cycle the pain I would get on my calves were way too much for me to bear. It made me angry out of nowhere, like I switch I would get super angry in a heart beat.

Pictures don't do any justice. Every time I walk past my tv without a shirt on I see my shoulders and arms and they look bigger/fuller. Another crazy thing about the pictures... I gained a few pounds while on this cycle yet my stomach looks smaller! Oh and I only did sit ups about once or twice a week while on the run.. Go figure! Don't mind the face.. I dreamed that I had won the lottery and I woke up very disappointed. lol

Huge thank you to IronFlex, Tyga and bcazo for giving me the opportunity to try. And all the other members who followed along and were helping me out with numerous tips and words of encouragement. I love being part of the am community.

If there was anything I forgot to mention please let me know and I'll add that in, but I think I got everything covered in the final review.

 

[skinnybones]

Great job dude. Fast log but fast results.
I really like the last pic, you look good. Nice run!

 

[pete8407]

Great log and great review!

 

[tyga tyga]

You look good KL. Need to shave that rug you got going to show off the shredz lol

 

[Hyde]

^ seconded - you can tell the core has some good definition going on. Hiding it is for out-of-shape ppl! Might as well show it off since you got it!

 

[bcazo]

You look good KL. Need to shave that rug you got going to show off the shredz lol

Time to shed the winter coat..

 

[bcazo]

Thanks King for the very detailed log!! I can see a big difference under the fur, keep pushing hard in PCT and your #s will keep climbing

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Thanks fellas! Fur will only be shaved off when warm weather comes around. Too cold in Jersey right now to shave it all off lol.

Today was leg day and even though I been off Halo and Brawn for a few days now I had a great and heavy leg workout. Same weights as last workout on the cycle, so strength is no where near down!

Oh and bcazo animal is going to have one of their abc events not this week coming up, the next one and they are going to have Frank McGrath along. It's going to be after 6:30 as well. They just trying to get an exact date and gym now. You should come.

 

[KingLeonidas9]

Just a quick update. Been almost a month since I finished my cycle and I had a few things to say.

Strength on my legs are going up. Chest are slowly increasing. Arms are going up. Delts same old. Back is getting better been starting with deadlifts first and i think that helps with other exercises. All in all strength has not gone down.

I was running 2x a week, sometimes 3x. Always failing at one mile. Well I was week my unit this week and I had to re do the PT test. I passed! I walked for a few seconds because I felt like I was going to faint, than i picked up and my squad leaders says to me as I pass him "only 3 more laps." So I went faster on there, slowed a bit down on the second to last lap and on my last lap I just took off like a rocket, striding it out and crossed the finished like at 15:32. Much better than last month's 17:09. Felt some pain on my foot that I always felt before but none on my calves or shins which was great.

Oh my weight has been the same as well! In fact I gained 2 pounds. Been eating more meals since I got a new job. Some what clean as well but will clean up my act now, will keep running, will cut some stuff from diet. I never want to fail again. It's the worst feeling in the world, even worse when called a failure.

Thanks again fellas, it was a great cycle, got my strength back to where I was at last summer. Cannot wait to keep going up and start cutting some body fat.

 

[Hyde]

This is awesome to hear KL; really glad for & proud of you brother! Keep killing it & hold yourself to higher standards and you'll continue to see the progress you desire. Maybe a rep here, a few lbs there, but inch by inch you'll get where you wanna go if you put in the work over time.

 

[tyga tyga]

Awesome job on passing AND improving your time!!

 

[iparatroop]

Viewing mountains as only hills makes obstacles much easier to overcome.

 

[bcazo]

Great job passing you PT test!! I knew u could do it