Grounded's Excellent Adventure, Phase II

Grounded

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Old folks have fun too.

During two and a half years of HRT I make significant body composition improvements, the back-sliding stopped and I was feeling really good again. Progress seemed to stall around the first of the year. So in May I committed to fish, no longer cut bate and focus on Bobo’s Deluxe Fat-loss Program. My progress is outlined in the FLA Training Forum, http://anabolicminds.com/forum/fla-training-forum/51049-fat-loss-success.html.

So with that success under my belt and Bobo no longer available (whine) now what?

I stepped up my level of commitment and bought 48 private training sessions from a gentleman I had been watching train some others at the gym where I work out. I decided I wanted to focus on building strength-recovery and would see what could happen with a careful diet pushing for some weight gain.

After figuring out my strength unbalances we have settled into three workouts a week, chest & tris. Monday, back Wednesday, legs Friday.

I asked for high intensity and I’m getting it. Warm ups to three or so low (6) rep heavy sets (positive failure then one or more forced) followed with another two or three higher rep pyramiding down sets, those also to failure. Then several other support exercises, multiple sets, 10-12 reps to failure, sometimes up to 20 reps or more. PNF stretching for the worked muscles is included.

My working poundage for the heavy stuff is moving up nicely. At 90 lbs dbs I’m 15 lbs above my PB for incline db presses. Dead lift is going up (275 for 3 sets of 7 this week) but I wasted several weeks trying to switch to Sumo and have come back to regular, (PB 335). And squats…for the first time in my life I hit 305# (I don’t think I made 90 degrees but they were close) (PB 295). I did three sets of 275 to parallel yesterday and they felt “comfortable”. (Yes, each taken to positive failure but that happened after seven reps.) I feel like I’m making great progress.

Tale of the tape:

Body Weight 182 lb, 5/20 175 lb, 9/6 182 lb,11/19

........5/20 9/6 11/19

Bicep 15 15.5 15.38
Chest 43.75 44 44.5
Waist 31.5 30 30.5
Navel 33.5 31 31.5
Hips 37.5 36 37
Thigh 22.75 22.5 23
Calf 15.25 15.13 15.13

Here are a couple progress photos (after 8 weeks):
(Reference photos at the FLA thread.)

End of 8 weeks 1 11-19-06.JPG

End of 8 weeks 2 11-19-06.JPG


I leave on a two week vacation after Thanksgiving (very high altitude hiking in Peru). My recovery has been great, way beyond anything I could ever imagine. DOMs like no tomorrow but I’m alive with energy knowing that I can go in and workout HARD for about an hour and feel incredible until the next workout.

My trainer (who is one sick puppy) thinks I’m doing great (I’m one of his sickest clients). He’s saying that when I get back he’s going to blow me up big time. Cool. I feel like I’m a beginner again. Look out Arnooolllldddd! :good:

I believe my lean to fat gain is running about 5:1 or better. I’m running about 1,000 kcal (3,300) above the average I ran through the cut. This seems to be a good ratio and quick enough weight gain. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
 

Grounded

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Progress Update

I just hit a milestone triggering this update; I weighed in this morning at 190 lbs. :dance:

After twenty seven weeks on my "lean bulk" program I've gained 15 lbs of what appears to be mostly lean weight. I think I picked up approximately 11 lean and 4 fat.

Except for two weeks in Peru and nine days in Aspen, I've missed no workouts and almost all of them were with my trainer.

Diet has also been spot on. I pushed up to around 3,700 cal per day in February but dropped back to around 3,300 two weeks ago. I'm watching energy, strength growth and fat gain carefully. Maintenance seems to be around 2,800 cal.

So here's the tail of the tape:

......5/20/2006 -> 9/6 -> 11/19 -> 3/31/2007


Weight 182 lb -> 175 lb -> 182 lb -> 190 lb

Bicep 15 -> 15.5 -> 15.38 -> 15.75
Chest 43.75 -> 44 -> 44.5 -> 45.25
Waist 31.5 -> 30 -> 30.5 -> 32
Navel 33.5 -> 31 -> 31.5 -> 33
Hips 37.5 -> 36 -> 37 -> 38
Thigh 22.75 -> 22.5 -> 23 -> 23.75
Calf 15.25 -> 15.13 -> 15.13 -> 15.5

Here are two photos from today:

View attachment 16945

View attachment 16946

My core is growing from the squats and deadlifts. There is some fat, caliper measurement has gone from 3mm to 4mm, but I think it is minimal. Upper back has really improved. And I'm developing wheels (caliper measurement unchanged).

My self-image has always been that I am a "hard gainer". I no longer believe that. It has just taken me a long time to find what works for me. And of course it doesn't hurt to have the blood profile of a lucky 25 year old (HRT). :head:

I originally thought that when I hit 190 I would want to do a cut to pull off some of the fat but I've changed my mind. I think I should push forward to 200. Seeing the DEXA results may change my mind. What do you think?

Grounded
 

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