BigVrunga's PowerFULL,C2,CreEthylThunder,mega-dosed BCAA 4-week Bonanza

[BigVrunga]

Hey!

Nothing too extreme or exciting here, I just want to keep a log of my progress a planned 4 to 8 week body recomp/lean gainer. (8 weeks if I feel the supps are working well enough)

Ive been trying to slowly cut down since March of this year, and Ive gone from 240lbs @ 18% BF to 218lbs @ ~11%BF. This has been an all-natural cut, with the inclusion of CissusRX and Camphobolic periodically but other than that, nothing special in the way of anabolics or thermogenics.

And its been a pisser!! The toughest part is trying to stay motivated for such a long time while the results come slowly. Im at the point where I need to be really strict about the diet and do more cardio to see the fat come off and preserve LBM - but the past couple months Ive really been busy and Ive been slacking - and as a result Ive lost a couple lbs of muscle.

I can't be having that!

My bench press is in the toilet, but all other lifts are actually better than they were when I was 20lbs heavier. Deadlift is pretty much the same at 455 x 6 off plates, Squat is up nearly 50lbs to 405x5, and my bench has gone from a solid 300x6 to a paltry 275 x 5.

The next 8 weeks are going to be dedicated to me getting back on track mentally and physically. No more missed workouts, getting to the gym late and skimping on cardio, etc. After that, Ill be able to refocus and strip off that last 3-4% BF and finally be in a good position to get a renewed focus on lean mass gain, and maybe compete in a year or so.

Ok, onto the plan:

Supplementation:

PowerFULL 9 Caps/day
-I was a beta tester for PowerFULL and really didnt see much in the way of results. Im hoping that, in a caloric surplus Ill get the impressive effects others have reported.

C2 3 caps pre-workout
-I workout when I get out of work, and sometimes Im so tired from staying up late the night before - its far too easy to stay home and cuddle with the girlfriend than it is to drag my ass to the gym and hit the weights hard. Lately, even my beloved death metal hasnt been able to ignite the fire within when Im under the bar - I just want to finish up quick and go home. Hopefully this will help.

CreEthylThunder 8 Caps pre-workout, 4 Caps on off days
-Ive never tried a CEE supplement before, and Custom's product looks solid. Price is right too.

BCAA's 40g/day
-Ive been reading a lot about supplementing with BCAA's as of late and it makes a lot of sense. 10g with a protien shake in the morning, 20g throughout the day while Im at work, and 10g during my workout at night.

Also:
Multivitamin 1x/day
Uni-Liver 12tabs/day
VitaminC 3g/day
Calcium+D 1tab/day
Zinc 50mg before bed/day

Diet is ~3300 Calories/day, 40/40/20 breakdown. Im trying to be real strict here and have eliminated most processed foods from my daily meals.

Training 4 days per week:

Day 1 Chest/Calves
Day 2 Back/Abs
Day 3 Delts/Arms
Day 4 Legs

Im am going to TRY and get 5 days of cardio @ 30min per session in every week. This is the part I have the most trouble with. One, because cardio is a pain in the ass, and two, because thats more time out of a week thats already packed full.

But, you know what Yoda said: Do or do not, there is no try

Or something like that

BV

 

[motiv8er]

BV

Looks like you've got a pretty good Non-hormonal type stack going bud. I look foward to your results and comments while using all those goodies. Please make sure you note performance observations too. Pics are nice! Good luck hombre!!!

 

[Beowulf]

Looks good BV. I'm starting to think that cutting for extremely long periods is not good. IRSerge plateaued big time at the end of a 28 week cutter. You need a psychological break, and you need to refeed your body so that your metabolic hormones stay in a favorable range. I don't think I'll ever get to a point where I need to cut for 20 weeks, but I'm guessing every 8 or 12 weeks of cutting it is probably a good idea to increase cals to maintenance, or even a little above for 1-2 weeks.

 

[klugman]

any chance you could post how a typical day works out diet wise?

I'm curious about how to get 3000+ cals per day and keep it as clean as possible.

 

[BigVrunga]

ooks good BV. I'm starting to think that cutting for extremely long periods is not good. IRSerge plateaued big time at the end of a 28 week cutter. You need a psychological break, and you need to refeed your body so that your metabolic hormones stay in a favorable range. I don't think I'll ever get to a point where I need to cut for 20 weeks, but I'm guessing every 8 or 12 weeks of cutting it is probably a good idea to increase cals to maintenance, or even a little above for 1-2 weeks.

Yeah, I totally agree with you. My issue was I got too damn fat after a 4-year bulkathon. You know how it is, all you care about is mass and strength and before you know it your as strong as an ox and squeezing into 38 inch pants, trying to convince yourself its all muscle

I stripped off the first 10lbs with a 5week CKD, but that was rough. I dont know if Id want to do that again without anabolics. The diet works really well, but my strength took a nosedive after the second week of no carbs. After the refeeds started I gained most of it back, though. Ive gone from 230 - 218 with a traditional cut. Which was going great at first - Id eat 500cals below maitenence for 3-4 days and then eat a little above maintence. I was getting my cardio in, the fat was coming off, etc.

But for the past few months, Ive been so busy and the lax attitude toward diet and training crept up and bit me in the ass. I was still eating clean, but not nearly enough and I was only hitting the gym 2-3 days a week.

Ill never get to the point where I have to cut for this long again either. Im never going above 10% after I get to where Im going. Screw that. There's no need to get that bulky, IMO.

Looks like you've got a pretty good Non-hormonal type stack going bud. I look foward to your results and comments while using all those goodies. Please make sure you note performance observations too. Pics are nice! Good luck hombre!!!

Thanks bro! Ill keep this thread updated frequently...here's a couple crappy cell phone pics I took last night:

 

[BigVrunga]

any chance you could post how a typical day works out diet wise?

I'm curious about how to get 3000+ cals per day and keep it as clean as possible.

Im not writing everything down yet (which I should be, and I will) - but here's the diet for a typical day:

Meal 1:
5 eggwhite/1 egg omlette
1.5 servings oatmeal
1.5 servings Optimum Whey w/10g BCAA's
1 Bannana

Meal 2:
6-8 oz lean protien (chicken, ground turkey,tuna etc)
1cup Cooked Brown Rice
4-6 oz green veg (Broccoli, asparagus, spinach, etc)

Meal 3:
6-8 oz lean protien (chicken, ground turkey,tuna etc)
1cup Cooked Brown Rice
4-6 oz green veg (Broccoli, asparagus, spinach, etc)

Meal 3:
6-8 oz lean protien (chicken, ground turkey,tuna etc)
1cup Cooked Brown Rice
4-6 oz green veg (Broccoli, asparagus, spinach, etc)

Meal 4:
Whatever my girlfriend cooks for dinner Usually its a lean protien, complex carb, and a fibrous veg. She knows what I need

Meal 5: (workout/post workout)
2 servings Optimum whey, Grapenuts, oatmeal, or brown rice, 1tbsp flax oil.

Meal 6: (couple hours before bed)
6-8 oz lean protien (chicken, ground turkey,tuna etc)
1cup Cooked Brown Rice
4-6 oz green veg (Broccoli, asparagus, spinach, etc)

Id like to make things a little more strict and do some caloric/carb tapering as the day goes on...but its tough because I workout late at night. I think the whole dieting thing would be more effective if I could get to the gym in the morning before work.

 

[BigVrunga]

So Ive been on the stack for 3 days now, and last night (delts,abs, and arms) was my second workout.

Ill say this about C2: The stuff rocks! Im not big into stims (other than my daily 2-3 cups of coffee and green tea), and ephedra turned me off because it always made me feel jittery. C2 is a great blend of stimulants and adaptogens, and you can really feel them working synergistically. Im a huge fan of Rhodiola Rosea, and Rhodiola + caffeine is an awesome combo IMO. (I usually put ~500mg in my morning coffee). I took 3 C2 about 45 min before I went to the gym...I was pretty tired because I didnt get a lot of sleep the night before, and by the time I got there I felt ready to roll. Focused, in a good mood, and good stamina. (still kind of dragging from the lack of sleep though.) I can definitely feel the psychoactive qualities of the apaptogenic herbs in C2 - everything is clear and focused...thoughts, vision, etc.
Good stuff.

Great pumps too, not 'Mind Blowing', but definitely long lastig and working bi's and tri's felt great. I wore a tank top just to see if I noticed an above normal pump, and I defintely did. Even say some veins in my pecs while doing lateral raises (Im not a vascular person at all) Not sure if this from the CEE or the PowerFULL (or both), but I was pleased.

Only negative? I was wired until 2:30 in the morning. No doubt, the effects of taking the C2 at 8:30 at night. I got up at 7:00 too...I feel fine but that kind of sleep is definitely counter productive to my goals. Gotta fix that
Looking good so far...

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Today I hit back in the afternoon. Pumps were really, really good. Definite increase since early this week. I do look quite a bit fuller, BF% holding at about 11% and weight is ~219-220.Not much to report in the way of strength gains, but Im sure they'll come with the renewed focus on attaining my goals.

One thing I find interesting - it seems like Im healing *really* fast. I did some bodywork on my girlfriend's car last weekend and one of the sanding discs on the orbital sander flew off and sliced my finger pretty good. By the end of the week, I really noticed the healing of the cut starting to accelerate. I dont think its in my head, either, I can almost see the skin -restitching itself, everytime I look at it a new section of the ~2" long slice in my skin is closed up and it itches like a mother. I had a lot of minor cuts and scrapes on my hands too, and they were completely gone within days.
Fingernails seem to be growing faster too - anyone else experience faster healing while using anything Ive got listed here?

BV

 

[Beowulf]

I think I recall something about BCAAs boosting immunity. That may impact the healing process :think:

BTW, megadosing BCAAs is a no-brainer now tha Synergy has such great prices.

 

[BigVrunga]

yeah, that's where i got mine too. Seems like this is going to be a great 4 weeks (in that case it will be 8). One thing I forgot to mention is that my skin seems really dry...maybe from the CEE? Ive upped my H2O intake...

 

[BigVrunga]

Just an update:

Pumps are just off the charts in the gym! Im really impressed. If this is the CEE at work, then its far more effective for me than standard Creatine Monohydrate (which always worked well).

Ive gained 2lbs, BF% still the same. Not much to report in the way of strength gains yet.

So far, everything seems to be working pretty well. I can't say as though Im feeling the benefits of the PowerFULL (fat loss, strength gains, etc), but its only been a week.

I went to bed late because I was working on a project, and ended up waking up withonly 30 minutes to get to work (and its a 20 minute drive). So I didnt have time to prepare any meals or get my BCAA drink ready. I bummed a can of tuna of a friend at work, and it looks like Ill be hitting the grocery store during lunch

I see that Activate is finally going to be available. Im thinking maybe RXT/Activate/PGH might be a great addition to what Im trying now...

BV

 

[200wannabe]

Today I hit back in the afternoon. Pumps were really, really good. Definite increase since early this week. I do look quite a bit fuller, BF% holding at about 11% and weight is ~219-220.Not much to report in the way of strength gains, but Im sure they'll come with the renewed focus on attaining my goals.

One thing I find interesting - it seems like Im healing *really* fast. I did some bodywork on my girlfriend's car last weekend and one of the sanding discs on the orbital sander flew off and sliced my finger pretty good. By the end of the week, I really noticed the healing of the cut starting to accelerate. I dont think its in my head, either, I can almost see the skin -restitching itself, everytime I look at it a new section of the ~2" long slice in my skin is closed up and it itches like a mother. I had a lot of minor cuts and scrapes on my hands too, and they were completely gone within days.
Fingernails seem to be growing faster too - anyone else experience faster healing while using anything Ive got listed here?

BV

I found powerfull really helped with my recovery, after a leg workout i didnt feel like a zombie!
Loved the sleep improving effects too.
Be interested to hear more about how you get on with C2, sure it will stack well with Powerfull.

 

[BigVrunga]

C2 is definitely a keeper. The only downside for me is that I usually end up having to workout late at night, and if I take C2 not only am I amped up in the gym but Im wired till 2am and I have to be up at 8. Id like to try working out early in the morning - but Ive never been a morning person so its rough.

On another note - seems like the PowerFULL might be doing its thing...checked my BF% this morning because i definitely looked leaner in the mirror. I couldnt get a reading over 11% on the calipers, seems like Ive broken through that plateau.

 

[BigVrunga]

Had a great back workout last night. After 7 sets of deads and 4 sets of weighted chins, the pump in my back was just short of amazing. I think the only other time Ive felt this jacked from lifting was on 1t/4AD and creatine monohydrate - which was so intense it was actually painful.

The mirror and the calipers also show that Ive definitely leaned out a bit. This is most likely due to a renewed focus on cardio training and making sure I get to the gym 4 days a week. Im also up a couple lbs - maybe this is the powerFULL in action.

Really pleased with all the supps so far...now that Cissus is back in stock I may just add it to the stack.

On another note - the last wisdom tooth in my mouth is starting to hurt like a bastard. The thing hasnt moved in 5 years! So, Im off to the oral surgeon soon. Im sure that will put me out for at least a couple days.

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Man this tooth hurts like a bastard!! Im downing 12 advil a day just to deal with it.

 

[BigVrunga]

Tooth still hurts, but after 1 Amoxicillian it seems to have subsided quite a bit. Gotta love antibiotics.

Great chest workout last night 285 x 5, 290 x 3, then got 305 up for 1. Still about 20-25lbs off my best bench, but Im also 25lbs lighter so I guess its not so bad. Strength seems to be improving.

Really impressed with the CreEthylThunder too, pumps are just off the hook.

As mentioned above, C2 is also a really effective stimulant. I took 3 caps on an empty stomach and 45 minutes later I could feel my heart racing - I felt like I could run through a wall. It was actually a bit much, and Ill only be dosing w/2 caps from no on

ReboundXT should be here tomorrow, and Im adding that to my supplement regimen. It seems like PowerFULL may have some estrogenic activity, plus Im interested to see if the effects of ATD and PF are synergistic They seem to be from other reports Ive read.

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Rebound arrived today, started dosing at 2caps (50mg) per day. Also starting Cissus when it gets here next week. Man this is a lot of pills

Legs today, felt pretty good after 2 C2, although Im really thinking of making the change to working out in the AM before work, as difficult of a switch as it will be.

I hadnt worked legs heavy in about 2 weeks, so when I wasnt sure where my strength would be. I felt pretty strong considering. The whole routine went as follows:

Squats

135 x 10
225 x 10
315 x 10
345 x 10
365 x 8
405 x 3
455 x 8 (partials)
315 x 10 (box squat)
275 x 10 (box squat)

SLDL's

245 x 12
255 x 10
265 x 10

Giant Set:
Single Leg Press/Standing Calf Raise/Walking Lunges to Failure

365 x 8/Stack+90/bodyweight
365 x 7/Stack+90/20lb dumbells
315 x 10/Stack+90/20lb dumbells

Incline Leg Raises
15,12,10

Cardio

Elliptical, 25 minutes

So that was a fairly high-volume workout for me, and I finished up all the weight training in about 70 minutes. All those sets for squats was kind of pointless, but I guess I was in a squatting mood After that last set of walking lunges I couldnt even stand for a few minutes, which felt great because I havent pushed it that hard in a while.

The first 10 minutes on the elliptical were rough, I just wanted to go home and take a nap Second wind kicked right in though and got the cardio in,thankful for my MP3 player

Two weeks in:

Positive Sides include: Great pumps, mild strength gains, great energy and focus., deeper sleep. I definitely look better, and even though Ive upped the caloric intake Im not gaining fat.

Negative Sides: slightly puffy nipples, and i seem to need more sleep as well. If I dont get in 6-8 hours, Im dragging all day. Could just be I really need the sleep though! Looking forward to the 4-day weekend.

Positive sides Im expecting to see but havent yet:
Big strength gains, tangible muscle gain with a loss in bodyfat (wishful thinking maybe), big increase in libido

Im looking forward to adding Cissus to the supplement regimen. That stuff works wonders in my system. Big boost in libido with a very noticible anabolic edge about a week into use. Should stack great with everything else.

I wish i wasnt broke and Christmas wasnt around the corner, i would have jumped all over the USP sale that ended yesterday!!

Well! Have a great thanksgiving everybody, enough rambling for now.

BV

 

[bioman]

If the C2 is keeping you up try swapping it out for cAMPI and plain Rhodiola rosea. I can't deal with stims in the PM either but RR is a definite plus for focus and endurance.

Cissus really adds to Powerfull in a big way, IMO. The all day pumps are really nice.

I'm trialing Powerfull and X-Factor right now so I can't take any anti inflammatory supps like Cissus. I miss it and I'm really really sore :blink:

 

[BigVrunga]

Yeah Im a huge fan of RR. I usually take about 500mg daily with my morning coffee. I wish USP would re-release CAMPED, which was basically C2 without the stims.

This Cissus should be here next week, and If I like the effects Ill extend the BCAA/PowerFull/Cre-EthylThunder/Cissus/ReboundXT/C2 menagerie out for another 4 weeks.

This morning, no sign of puffy nippes either, although the perkiness is still a bit evident. It should subside after a couple days.

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Rebound seems to have taken care of the 'perky nip' issue and now that Im on the 3rd day of adding Rebound to the stack I feel pumped all day. Even as soon as I get up in the morning.

Back yesterday, strength was up. Endurance seems elevated as well, as Im blasting through 20+ set workouts and then hitting ~30min cardio afterward without a problem.

BV

 

[TheViking]

How the heck are you getting that BCAA in? The first time I tried it I nearly puked, and I'm not choosy when it comes to supp powders. Nice log by the way

 

[BigVrunga]

Thanks bro! BCAA goes down pretty easily mixed in with some sugar-free iced tea mix. Generic Crystal-Light type stuff. During my workout, I actually mix it in with 32Oz of water, 2 scoops Optimum Chocolate-Mint protien and 10g BCAA's, and 20g dextrose. Can hardly taste it!

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Here's the other day's back workout for anyone interested:

Bent Row
225 x 7
225 x 10
235 x 8
205 x 7 + 185 x 8 (dropset)

Weighted Chins
35lbs x 8
25lbs x 7
15lbs x 9
10lbs x 9

Rope "Facepulls"
(This is the first time I tried doing this exercise - seems like a good one)
25 x 12
30 x 12
40 x 12
50 x 12

DB Shrugs
110s x 12
110s x 12
110s x 12

Preacher Curl + Lateral Raise(superset)
125 x 10 + 25s x 10
125 x 8 + 25s x 10
125 x 6 + 25s X 8 + 15s x 8 (dropset)

25 min Elliptical

Strength was up on the weighted chins by 10lbs and 3 reps! Havent Bent Rows in a couple weeks, weight/reps still the same.

Skipped Deads this week - I usually take a week off from deadlifts every couple weeks and do a higher-volume back workout. Seems to work well.

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Chest today:

Flat Bench

250 x 11
255 x 8
265 x 5

Incline Dumbell Press

100s x 5
100s x 5

Pause Dumbells (2 sec pause)

80s x 7
80s x 5

Weighted Dips

100lbs x 10
125lbs x 4
70lbs x 12

Skull Crusher

120 x 10
120 x 5
115 x 5

Tricep Pressdown
'9' (out of 14 plates) x 10
9 x 9 (close grip)
9 x 10 (wide grip)
9 x 9 (close grip)

Hangling Leg Raises

15, 12, 10

Weighted Incline Situps

35lbs x 15
35lbs x 12
35lbs x 10

I have to say, it was a less than ideal workout. Although my strength seems to be moving up in other exercises, my bench still sucks. Ive really been focusing on form lately, and it seems to be helping - but I just can't break that sticking point. The 265x5 didnt feel too hard and I probably could have got another 2 reps (no spotter today), but still - nearly 40lbs off my best!!
Seemed like things picked up when I got to incline dumbell presses - 100x5 isnt much but I had to use this crappy old bench that was at a fixed incline of about 70degrees. This is a lot higher than I usually go (about 30 - 45 degrees) so I was happy I could just move the weight
I havent been able to do weighted dips for a good while after a chest and shoulder injury a couple years ago - so seeing the weight creep back up to 3 45's feels really nice

Into the 3rd week now of the supplement stack. I have to say, some of the positive effects seem to be wearing off a bit. Pumps were good today, but not the seam-splitting fullness of last week. Maybe its just monday

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Wearing off my ass!!

Delts/Arms today

Finally, strength is starting to move:

Arnold Presses
70s x 12
75s x 9
80s x 6
90s x 2 (regular shoulder press)

Lateral Raises
25s x 12
25s x 12
30s x 10

Preacher Curls
(3 sec negative with a good 1-2 second squeeze at the top)
110 x 12
115 x 10
125 x 8

Hammer Curl Dropsets
60s x 8 + 35s x 8 (full supination)
55s x 8 + 30s x 8 (full supination)

One Dumbell Extensions (behind the head)
110 x 10

Kickbacks
45s x 12
45s x 12
50s x 10

Reverse Curls
75 x 12

Got to the gym late and couldnt get a full workout or my cardio in today. But I gotta say, the pumps were the best Ive felt so far. Literally, my bis havent felt like that since 1test/4AD - I couldnt even touch my face for a few minutes after the preacher curls! Sweeet

The weight on the Arnold presses is nothing special, but for me its pretty good. A couple years ago I got hit pretty hard with shoulder impingement - couldnt work delts for **** for a LONG time. Just being able to move the 90's felt great - if I hadnt saved them for last I no doubt could have hit 4-5 reps.

Before today, I couldnt seem to break 70s x 10 , and the 75's always felt too heavy to get past 6 reps.

My tris still felt burnt from doing chest on Monday, so its probably for the best the workout got cut short. I have been going a bit too high on the volume for the amount of sleep Im getting.

I wonder if the strength gains is due the the ReboundXT? Ive been on it for nearly a week now, and I am starting to notice some slight changes. Seems like I look a bit fuller, a tad more defined. Check out the pics below...

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Side pics are today(left) and about 18 days ago(right). Back pic is from today.

 

[BigVrunga]

Well, just got back from the gym a little while ago. I got there late, and only had about 40 minutes to lift. I had to do back and calves, so I went with a 3-exercise giant set to save time:

Deadlifts + Weighted Chins + Standing Calf Press
445lbs x 8...........45lbs x 7............Stack+110lbs x 15
475lbs x 4...........35lbs x 8............Stack+130lbs x 12
510lbs x 1...........25lbs x 8............Stack+140lbs x 10
...........................BW x 15

Since Ive added the CissusRX and ReboundXT to the stack, my strength is really starting to take off. Weighted chins are up 10lbs, and thats with doing each set 2 minutes after a deadlift!! Ive deadlifted 500+lbs before, but I havent even attempted it since I weighed 240lbs! And it went up pretty easy, I have to say. Calf press is also up a good 20lbs from last week.

I didnt have time to get my cardio in, but I did sprint for about 5 minutes and my heart rate up to around 165BPM - something I definitely need to do more. At first I thought I wasnt going to make it, then I felt my body 'shift gears' as my cardiovascular system got used to the more intense load.

So to me, this is starting to get impressive. Problem is, I dont know what to attribute it to - is it the Rebound boosting natty test? The PowerFULL kicking in? The Cissus? Honestly, since Ive started the CissusRX Ive felt the trademark anabolic effects - libido boost mainly, and just an overall 'nice' feeling throughout the day. Perhaps its all the supplements working in synergy.

So far, after 3 weeks Im up right around 3 solid lbs with a slight loss in bodyfat, as can be seen in the pics above.

I was planning on a 4-week test base/1test transdermal cycle in Janurary as part of a body recomp to strip off the last 3% bodyfat and hit my goal of 215-220lbs and 8%BF. If these results are indicitive of what I can expect from Activate/Rebound, I may forego the cycle and do a 2 month NHA/Cissus/CEE stack and keep the anabolics for lean bulker in the spring.

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Well, Wednesday I have to go in for some oral surgery (lower impacted wisdom tooth is coming out) - so Ill be out of the gym for at least 3 days, Im sure.

Ill hit legs/delts/tris tonight and chest/back/bis tomorrow in an effort to get everything in this week.

 

[Grunt76]

Dude, this stuff ROCKS. Good log. This is more than interesting. Downright fascinating, because all we hear about is those prosteroids, but it's VERY nice to see something ELSE out there that really works good.

You would recommend this stack for PCT I imagine?

 

[BigVrunga]

Dude, this stuff ROCKS. Good log. This is more than interesting....
You would recommend this stack for PCT I imagine?

That's one reason why I ran these products - Im trying to work out the 'ultimate PCT' for a planned cycle next year.

Im still on the fence about the PowerFULL - I know its worked very well for most people, but there seem to be a few non-responders. I know it didnt do much for me during the beta run, and I figured Id give another shot.

For the first two weeks, I had some great pumps - but not much in the way of strength or LBM gains. A few days after I added the Rebound and Cissus - BAM - all my lifts start going up and the pumps got even better. Now Ive got that 'all day pump' that you really miss when it goes away

So - either it just took a couple weeks to kick in, its a synergistic effect between the PowerFULL, Cissus, and Rebound, or its the Cissus (which has always had a pronounced anabolic effect for me) and the ReboundXT by themselves.
Ive only got a few days left of the PowerFULL, it will be interesting to see if I can feel a difference after Im not taking it. (but still on everything else)

...Downright fascinating, because all we hear about is those prosteroids, but it's VERY nice to see something ELSE out there that really works good.

I totally agree. For so long, there were three classes of supplements: Anabolic Hormones (which worked), Creatine(which helped a little), and everything else(which was just a waste of money).

Now we've got phytosterols, which seem *really* promising, the NHA stack, nootropics,GHRP's, CEE - its a very exciting time for the natural lifter, or any lifter for that matter.

These new products defintely arent the hammer of anabolism that a true anabolic steroid is - but they work suprisingly well and are very cost effective.

Zero shutdown, nice boost in libido, mild to moderate anabolic effects AND easy on the wallet? What's not to love?!

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Went and did legs and shoulders tonight as planned. My lower back is still kind of sore from deads on Friday, and I think it sabotaged my squats a bit:


Squats

225 x 15
345 x 10
365 x 10
395 x 2
went down for the 3rd rep and went over like a ninny bitch!
365 x 4
345 x 8

Arnold Press

80s x 7
75s x 9
75s x 8

SLDL's

265 x 10
265 x 10

Lateral Raises
30s x 12
35s x 12 (side leaning w/1 arm)

Cardio 18 min

Well, I got to the gym with only 1 hour to train, I really needed another 30min to get everything done that I wanted to.

Started off pretty strong, strength definitely up from last week. The 345, 365 on the squat felt easy, even the 395 didnt feel too heavy, but I tried to go really low on the 3rd rep and I went over and nad to set it on the rails - my lower back just couldnt hold it up. After that, I was done.

Shoulder presses, a definite improvement. The 80s x 7 went up nice and smooth all the way down, I dropped to 75's to keep the reps high and actually went up 2 reps on the 2nd set - substantial strength gains from the beginning of the cycle.

I was going for 25 minutes cardio but the skinny kid at the counter who kicks everyone out right on time was there Which is fine, because they're closed but still - he dosent have to say, in a real snotty voice over the PA:

"Attention Gold's Gym members, the gym is now closed!"

when Im the only one in there! Geez!

To top it off, the batteries in my Mp3 player died on my 2nd set of squats. From Trivium to Destiny's Child - even the C2 couldnt hold my focus

BV

 

[BigCasino]

I just want to thank you for keeping this log, and making it both informative and entertaining to read!

Looks like you are having some promising results off this stack, please keep us posted :-D

 

[BigVrunga]

I just want to thank you for keeping this log, and making it both informative and entertaining to read!

Looks like you are having some promising results off this stack, please keep us posted :-D

Thank you sir! Glad its of use to someone.

Today, I worked out in the gym at work. Which is well equipped, but once again the chest workout was lackluster.

I went in feeling pretty strong, but after one set of benching (275 x 5) I felt like crap. I went on as best as I could, and did get a nice pump after I switched to higher reps out of frustration.

Honestly, I felt like I was heading toward overtraining. A tendon in my left wrist hurts, my lower back is still sore from Friday...I guess a few weeks of 20+ set workouts and 4-5 hours a sleep a night catches up quick!

My fault for burning the candle at both ends - but I get that wisdom out tomorrow morning. So I get a couple days off work to sleep all day.

Been using these products for 25days now, here are some early results thus far:

...........start:.....25 days.... net
Weight:.218lbs.....223lbs.....+5lbs
BF%:....~11%....~11.25%...+.25%
Arms:.....17.5"......17.75"....+.25"
Waist:....33.5"......33.5"........0%

Strength is up noticably (5-20lbs) in all lifts except the flat bench, go figure. I really must need to radically alter my training for that exercise. The slight raise in BF% is definitely due to some big and not-so-clean eating these past couple days, but Im trying to get a lot of calories in - Im sure I wont be eating much tomorrow or the next day.
I do look fuller, a little bigger, and strength is up. My T-shirts feel tighter in the right places and you know how nice that is Ive achieved the goals that I set ~4 weeks ago (except gaining on the bench!!!).

Ive got a few more days to go, but they will be spent sleeping and recovering from the oral surgery - Ill try to hit up the gym on Saturday. Im debating discontinuing the Rebound when I run out of PowerFULL, and saving it for a planned NHA stack in January. The last 3 weeks of the year are going to be really busy - so it will be a challenge to focus on training, Ill be lucky to make the gym 3 days a week. Which is fine for maintaining - it will be interesting to see how well these gains are kept after all the holiday debauchery

BV

Some pics below from today, 25 days:

 

[BigVrunga]

Final update

Well I had that wisdom tooth out Wednesday morning, and was out of comission all that day and Thursday as well. I went to the gym and hit up arms on Friday, and Ive gotta say the pumps were the best yet.
Strength was up, but I kept reps between 10-12 because of the issues I've been having with my left wrist. Its fine, but I'll have to wrap it for the next few weeks and drop the weight a little.
Im a guitarist and that's my fretboard hand, so I dont want to risk injuring it in any way.

So anyway, this was Friday's routine:

Standing EZ Bar Curls
115 x 12
125 x 12
130 x 12
135 x 10

Seated Preacher EZ-Bar Curls
105 x 10 (inner grip)
105 x 10 (outer grip)
115 x 8 (inner grip)

Lying Tricep Extension
115 x 12
120 x 10
125 x 10
125 x 8

Rope Press Downs
12
12
10


Reverse Curls
75 x 12
75 x 12
75 x 12

Wrist Curls
60 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 12

The pumps were again, off the hook. While doing wrist curls, I could see the veins bulging out more and more with every rep, and my skin starting to redden from all the blood rushing into the area. It was really quite nifty!

So Ive got enough PowerFull for another couple days, and thats when this stack will end.

Middle of January starts :

CET/Activate/ReboundXT/CissusRX/C2/Camphobolic/PGH-T

In an aggressive 8-week cut to finally get down to ~8%BF.

 

[Grunt76]

Very informative. What's CET?

 

[BigVrunga]

CET = CreEthylThunder

 

[BigVrunga]

So after the oral surgery, and a few <1500 calorie days (it was kind of difficult to eat), Im stil up a solid ~4lbs and my BF% is back down to ~11% or slightly lower.

And that's on a slight average caloric surplus. Most days Id get in about 200-300 calories over maitenence, some days it would be a little below maintence. I didnt track calories as well as I could have, I really need to start using BalanceLog and my PDA for that stuff - Im just way too busy these days to sit down at the end of the day and calculate everything like I used to.

Seems like a small, solid gain in LBM, and the mild strength gains and weight vs BF caliper readings seem to confirm this. Im sure I could have gained more weight/strengh if I was eating for it, but that wasnt my goal this time around - the goal was a small increase in mass in strength to get a nice anabolic boost before I finish cutting. And, I'd have to say the goal was definitely achieved.

So after being on this stack for a solid 4 weeks, these are my impressions and experiences with each product:

PowerFULL- As a beta tester of this product, I didnt notice much at all. Using it for a month at a steady 9-caps a day, I think it had an effect but I still dont think I've felt the big muscle gain/fat loss effects that others have reported. I did get some puffy nipples about 10 days into the cycle, which from SuperSoldier's bloodwork (bless his heart) could be due to a slight increase in prolactin levels. Definitely needs to be taken on an empty stomach (as recommended), I could feel a difference ~30 minutes later if I did so. I believe that it did have a positive effect, but I still dont think I respond to it as well as others. Good stuff, but I dont know if its effects, for me personally, are worth $70 for 4 weeks. However, keep in mind that most users seem to report much more in the way of anabolism from the product than I do.

CreEthylThunder- This stuff is freaking wicked. I always responded to Creatine Monohydrate well, but CET blew that straight out of the water. I had some crazy pumps,which were possibly enhanced by the PowerFULL. Honestly, the best pumps Ive felt while training naturally. Hell, even on off days where I'd only take 4 caps, I could feel my arms getting jacked up 45 minutes later while I was doing the dishes! Seriously! Highly Recommended.

C2 - Without question, the best preworkout stim I have ever used. This stuff is potent, I still dont feel comfortable taking 3 caps at once. 1 cap before a workout provides a smooth, even energy while 2 is a noticable CNS spike. 3 caps, and I feel like running through concrete. (and also could feel my heart rate pick up). The Chocamine and Rhodiola are in an excellent synergy with the stimulants in C2 and provide nice focus and a tangible mood lift in addition to the CNS stimulation, its obviously a well-designed blend and my hat goes off to USPLabs

Mega-Dosed BCAA's-First time I tried doing this. While I used 40g/day for the first couple weeks, I dropped down to 30g on workout days/ 20g on off-days after that. I didnt notice the effects of the stack diminish at all, either. It makes sense to up your BCAA intake if you lift weights, and Im sure it did contribute to lean mass accrual. I'd say its a worthwhile addition to any training regimen, espcially if you've got some time to really focus on diet and training and the extra aminos in your system will be used effectively.

CissusRX - This is, hands down, my favorite non-hormonal supplement. While Im on Cissus at 6 caps a day, I feel as though I am on a mild anabolic - experiencing what many users reported from M4OHN. Mild strength gains, good pumps, definite increase in libidio and 'volume', etc. (Although I have never tried M4OHN, so I really can't compare the 2 - the above comment is based on what Ive read from anecdotal reports).CissusRX and CreEthylThunder would be a great, and inexpensive, combo IMHO.

Cissus' healing properties are noteworthy, but honestly I think its analgesic effects mask a lot of the pain caused by connective tissue problems. If I use Cissus for a month then stop, my issues will return a few days later. At a reduced pain-level, for sure, but they still return. I believe that to use CissusRX as an effective agent in joint and tissue repair, you would have to use it for the duration of the healing process , and still take all the necessary precautions associated with an injured bodypart. You would heal quicker, but dont think with an injured shoulder you can take Cissus for 2 weeks and then try to max out on your bench press.


ReboundXT- I basically picked up the rebound to suppress the unexpected perky nips from the PowerFULL, which it did in about 2 days. For the first 2 weeks of this stack, I had great pumps but not much in the way of strength gains. After the second week, when I added ReboundXT and CissusRX, everything took off. Whether this was everything working in synergy, or the PowerFULL needing 2 weeks to kick in, or both, I can't be sure. If I were to repeat this stack, I would start ReboundXT and Cissus from the get-go, however.
One thing about ATD that I dont like is that it seems to tank my sex drive. Ive used UltraHot before and it did the same thing, so Im pretty sure it's not a coincidence.
However, with UltraHot only my libido felt pretty surpressed. With Rebound in combination with PowerFULL and Cissus (which are notorious for increasing libidio), I felt plenty horny, but I didnt feel like putting forth the effort to do anything about it. Wierd! In fact, Cissus and PF's effect on seminal volume and libido kept on churning away behind the scenes, because after a few days of not attending to my primal needs, Id end up with a case of blue balls! (no kidding!)

That, however, is the only negative side I have to report. This short non-hormonal cycle was really worth doing, and I achieved what I set out to do with it. Honestly, I think would have had the best effects running it for 8 weeks, as these natural products seem to increase in effectiveness the longer they're used.

My other goal for this past month was to test these products in combination to gauge how well they'd work for a future PCT, and they definitely worked as well as I'd hoped.

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Post - cycle update for anyone who is interested...

Ive been off these products for ~17 days now. Taking nothing but a multi and vitamin C. I've been eating relativly clean, but definately maintenence or below. I worked out once last week, partied a bit on the weekend, etc.

As of today, I am still up a solid 5lbs. Bodyfat holding steady at ~11%. And (drum roll) - flat bench was up 15 lbs tonight!

IMO, anyone considering using one of the newer methylated compounds should really give some of these new 'Non-hormonal stacks' a try first - if only to gauge how well it would work for them in PCT.

In 4 weeks, I gained a solid 5lbs and a decent bit of strength without introducing any extragenous hormones. That's pretty darn spiffy, I do believe!

BV

 

[jas123]

Amazing results BV. I'll definitely keep this stack in mind. 5 lbs in a month without the "ups and downs" of hormones is worth the cash.

 

[rhunt000]

BigV,

Are you still taking the Cissus? Are you going to try the bulk powder and CNW?

Thanks

 

[BigVrunga]

Hi Rhunt000,

I just started taking CissusRX again after 3 weeks of rest/slack-off time. Im basically finishing out the bottle. I also am using up the last of the BCAA's @ 30g/day.

I will be trying the bulk powder from CNW this next time around, the 'Final Cut Stack' looks like this so far:

Anabolic:
Activate/RXT
Cissus(CNW)
CET
mega-dosed BCAA's

GH Release:
PGH-T

Lipolysis/Cortisol Reduction:
LipidFX
Camphobolic
transdermal 7-OXO or LXT. (I have the 7-OXO on hand and need to use it up)
C2 pre-workout

I'd originally planned on starting this in the middle of this month, but its going to have to wait until Feb1. Im a bit spent from Christmas and need to recoup financially

BV

 

[hardknock]

I'll def be looking into this mixture...im "thinking" of running this mix with either of the tropins, probably ora-1.

 

[rhunt000]

Thanks for the info BigV. I'm thinking about running some pgh-t and Cissus around Feb 1 myself.

 

[Odessa14]

BV - Thanks for keeping this log bro...Any updates as to where you're at now?

And thanks for the in-depth reviews of the supps at the end of the log...Very helpful!

O14

 

[BigVrunga]

You're welcome!! Still right about the same weight, BF% , and strength. Slacked off for a good 3 weeks and just started back up again this week. Testing Scivation's Lipid FX (link in the sig). Here's to 10%!!

I plan on running an NHA stack + PGH-T but it will have to wait till I have more funds...totally strapped after christmas/bills/etc.

BV

 

[Odessa14]

I plan on running an NHA stack + PGH-T but it will have to wait till I have more funds...totally strapped after christmas/bills/etc.

BV

Yeah I hear ya bro...and looking at your "Final Cut Stack" that could empty a rich man's wallet!:jaw:


Good luck with it though man! I will be looking forward to the results, I will be giving customs' Cissus a shot soon too.

O14