Taman heading for summer with PES/USP/Finaflex

[taman6886]

Special thanks to the great folks of USP Labs, PES and Finaflex for this opportunity. Am looking to get the leanest I have been in years heading into the summer while still maintaining and hopefully increasing strength and mass.

I will be dosing USP labs' Compound 20 (2 caps 2x/day, Prime (2 caps 3x/day), PES' Erase Pro (1 cap am) and Finaflex Pro Xanathine at 1 cap 2x/day . Also in the mix will be USP Labs Modern BCAA (8/1/1 Ration) chugged with 2-3 scoops of Jack3d to pre-work out. I will also be ingesting another 12-18 grams of RecoverPro (4/1/1) intra workout.

As to diet, I will be running Lean Gains/Intermittent Fasting Protocols with target of 2700 or under cals on lifting days (usually run about 2550) and under 2200 cals on burn days (usually about 1900 in reality.) Feed window is usually 12-8 but will vary according to my schedule and where I am on protein intake.

I had been running a 5/3/1 variation for damn near a year and started not only stagnating, but even losing ground on some lifts. Tomorrow will be day one of a 5x5 program provided to me by our own Copycat (Thanks bro, HIGH FIVE ) Should look a little something like this:

Perform the exercises as straight sets, completing all the prescribed sets for one move before going on to the next. Pay attention to the percentages of your 1RM assigned to each 5x5 lift. They will increase each week. If your 1RM is 300 lbs, a set that calls for 65% of it will be done at 195 lbs. The loads will increase as follows:

Wk 1: 65% of 1RM
Wk 2: 75% of 1RM
Wk 3: 85% of 1RM
Wk 4: 60% of 1RM... Reduce the sets on the remaining exercises to two each.
Wk 5: Add 5 lbs to upper-body lifts and 10 lbs to lower-body lifts, and begin the cycle again at 65%.

Lifts...

Day 1:
Squat 5x5
Power Clean 5x5

Split Squat 3x6 (each leg) (or alternative)

Hanging Leg Raise 3x As many as possible

Day 2:
Bench Press 5x5
Dips 3x As many as possible
Bent Over Row 3x8-12
Pull-ups 3x As many as possible
Side Bends 3x8-12 (each side)

Day 3:
Deadlift 5x5
Front Squat 3x8-12 (I actually ended up doing this 5x5 more often so I could keep pace w/ Pwr Cleans)
Back Raise 3x8-12
Planks 5x10 sec hold (tense all muscles as hard as possible, increase hold as feasible)

Day 4:
Overhead Press 5x5
Incline DB Press 3x8-12
Tate Press 3x8-12
One-arm DB Row 3x8-12 (each side)
Hammer Curl 3x8-12

About 2 months ago, I started working on getting deeper on my squat, so I dropped a lot of weight from what I was doing. I will also be working in some stretch work provided by a super dude to help in this endeavor (you know who you are )

Anyways, here are my staring training max's for the big 5 (Squat, Power Cleans, Deads, Bench, Standing OH BB Press {full ROM, no cheap **** here}

Back Squat - 350

Power Cleans - 205 (basically guess work, figured I could handle 5x5 at 135 for week one)

Deads - 380 (Had hit 400x2 in January, has been going down hill ever since)

Bench - 270

OH BB Press - 205

I will also do cardio in the form of stationary bikes or real bike riding anywhere from 3-5 times a week, anywhere from 25-45 minutes.


Some starting points: Yesterday I was 261 with a 40 inch waist, 41 at the navel. Took a cheat day today (Which with IF, I don't feel a need to do very often)


Starting pics:



Let's do this!

[Jonbero]

Good looking log

[EBF_2356]

In bro

[strategicmove]

Have a great run!

[DreamWeaver]

Wow you have come a long way dude, now I can see you are extremely large boned so you are always going to be a big boy...you can see that you're taking shape though.

[taman6886]

Good looking log

In bro

Have a great run!

Welcome aboard gents!

Wow you have come a long way dude, now I can see you are extremely large boned so you are always going to be a big boy...you can see that you're taking shape though.

Yeah, baring HIV or cancer, I will always be a "big boy". I have also resolved that that does not mean I have to be a "fat boy."

[DreamWeaver]

Welcome aboard gents!



Yeah, baring HIV or cancer, I will always be a "big boy". I have also resolved that that does not mean I have to be a "fat boy."

Yah, it's hard to the bigger boned guy to get the look of a bodybuilder but there is no reason you can't be lean and look great... My son is like you so I am familar with the body type.

[taman6886]

Today was day 1 of the new 5x5 program. Overall it went well. more details top follow.
5:40-6:30 Week 1 (65%)

Squat 5x5 At 225 (getting better depth here)

Power Clean 5x5 @135 (went well, we'll see what happens in the weeks to come)

Split Squat 3x6 (each leg) (or alternative) For these, I did 2 reps with left foot with 30's, then dropped to 20's and then figured out I just need to work on getting the form down for now. This is not an easy move at 260. Will have to keep working at it til the mind-muscle link is grooved in.

Hanging Leg Raise 3 sets (20/15/15)

Despite the fact that this was a fairly light day, the intensity was good and I was sweating my ass off. Gotta love that.

Fed from 12-8. 2509 cals (119 carbs, 222 protein [plus 34 g bcaa], 130 fats) with an estimated burn of 3950.

[Onlychevy6]

Dang you have made some big changes. Super proud to follow along and see you kill it.

[taman6886]

Dang you have made some big changes. Super proud to follow along and see you kill it.

Super proud to have you push me to my man!

[TurningGreen]

Yeah right on to the next! I'm in bro.

[BPjohn123]

I'm in bud....

[PrepNwa23]

Nice I'm in for this buddy.

[taman6886]

Woots. more of muh bro's in da house!

4/10/12 Day 2, wk1 (65%)
5:10-5:50

Bench 5x5@175

Dip (Body weight) 10/10/9

BO Row (been about a year since I did these.) 185x8/10/10

Assisted Pull Up (Estimated BW+clothes of 265 - 65 =200) 7/8/7

Side Bends 3x10 (did not go real heavy here, my sides are thick enough as it is)

Finished it off with 32 minutes of cardio for 239 cals.

Fed from a little before 12 till 8.2633 cals (197 carbs, 220 protein [plus 32g bcaa], 114 fats) with an estimated burn of 4100.

Not sure if it is the C20 or the Pro X, but I am sweating like a beast dripping very quickly into the work outs. I love that. I do have an almost sick (like I am fighting something off) about 1-2 hours after taking the stack, it passes fairly quickly, likely just adopting to the sups on an empty stomach with coffee.

[TurningGreen]

The original Pro-Xanthine made me sweat something fierce bro and that was at only one cap a day (its so damn strong!) Im not sure if Finaflex changed the formulation or just the name and label, but that may be the culprit. Solid training as well...welcome back to the bent over row...I am a big fan makes my whole back light up like X-Mas.

[DreamWeaver]

I was sweating like a pig last night too, and I was wondering about that as it was not overly warm in the gym or anything...

[taman6886]

Up on it early for some pre-work cardio on my burn day. 30 minutes, hills, 200 cals.

[taman6886]

4/12/12 Day 3, wk 1 (65%)
4:50-5:40 Started with some deep calf stretching and hip flexor stretches (after a bit of cardio of course)

Deads 5x5@245

Front Squat (did these to the low end of a decline bench just to have a depth marker, these things take some getting used to.)
135x8/10, 155x10

Back Raise/Hyper Extensions 3x12 w/65#db

Planks 5x15 second hold

Full ROM DB Shrugs @100's 15/15/8(started losing my grip)

Opted for some whirlpool time instead of cardio, that's cool, gonna hit it tomorrow morning, lift after work.

Dietary for today:2652 cals (186 carbs, 218 protein [plus 40g bcaa], 117 fats) with an estimated burn of 4000. Fed from 12-8.

[TurningGreen]

Beast mode on those shrugs...that's some fuggin weight there! I like the stretching, I'm gonna have to spend more time on that myself...I am wound pretty damn tight especially in the calves and hams.

[taman6886]

Beast mode on those shrugs...that's some fuggin weight there! I like the stretching, I'm gonna have to spend more time on that myself...I am wound pretty damn tight especially in the calves and hams.

Thanks, BDCC clued me in on the deep calf stretches to help me achieve better depth on my squat. I basically do 5x20 second stretches at the bottom with progressively heaver weight on both seated and standing calf raise machines then a hip flexor stretch where I stand facing out at the side of a bench, bend one leg up and place the top of my foot on the bench then lower myself till the knee of that back leg hits the ground, arch my back to lean back bit and hold it for 20-30 secs, repeat for other leg.

As promised, AM cardio, Random Hills 30 minutes, 215 cals.