ALRI Evolution: Gettin' Leaner, Not weaker

[celc5]

Over the past 2 summers, I have had no problems dropping winter insulating fat for the summer cut. However, it has always been at the expense of hard earned muscle and strength. My supplement and workout plan are arranged to combat muscle and strength loss while cutting.

Stats

27 years old, 5'10", 200lbs
19% BF according to 3, 5, and 7 point skinfold tests

10 years powerlifting, 3-4 years recreational bodybuilding

Supplement History and my personal preference ratings:

NO2 5/5
Creatine Monohydrate 5/5
TRAC 5/5
Vitrix (Tribulus) 4/5
E-form (Formastane) 4/5
Lipo-6 (not 6x) 3/5
6-oxo 3/5
Creakic 3/5
Anator p70 3/5
Bulk Arginine 2/5
Bulk CEE 1/5
Ripped Fuel (pre-ban) 1/5
ZMA -3,072/5
No steroids or prohormones

Supplements

Beginner/cutting ALRI Evolution protocol as follows:
Week 1-4: Jungle Warfare
Week 5-8: Bad Ass Mass
Week 9-12: Restore

Low dose of bulk GABA at 1-1.5g per night to avoid sleep issues that others have reported on this stack. I will have melatonin tabs on hand "just in case."

Bulk cissus will be for elbow tendonitis and bilateral shoulder pain from old sports injuries. Dosage will be 1.4g 2x/day.

Typical Diet

3260 calories
282g protien, 400g carbs, 62g fat
36/47/18 according to FitDay.com
I won't list every day's diet but will briefly comment.

 

[celc5]

P/RR/S Workout

Legs Power
Olympic Squat 4 x 6
Deadlift 3 x 6
SLDL 2 x 6

Shoulders Power
Standing BB Press 4 x 6
BB Upright Row 3 x 6
BB Shrug 2 x 6

Back/Bis Power
Wide Grip Pull Up 4 x 6
Wide Grip BB Row 3 x 6
BB Curl 3 x 6
Incline Curl 2 x 6

Chest/Tris Power
BB Bench 4 x 6
BB Incline 3 x 6
Close Grip BP 3 x 6
French Press 2 x 6

Legs Rep Range
Narrow Squats 4 x 9
BB Rev Lunges 3 x 12
BB Cleans 2 x 15

Shoulder Rep Range
Arnold Press 4 x 9
DB Lateral 3 x 12
Bent Over Posterior Delts 2 x 15

Back and Bis
Neutral Pullups 4 x 9
Underhand BB Row 3 x 12
BO Reverse Flies 2 x 15
DB Hammers 3 x 12
Rev BB Curl 2 x 15

Chest & Tris Rep Range
Decline BB Press 4 x 9
BB Flat Bench 3 x 12
Incline Flies 2 x 15
DB Kickback 3 x 12
DB Overhead 2 x 15

Legs Shock
Leg Extension 2 x 10
SS Narrow Leg Press
Leg Curl 2 x 10
SS Wide Leg Press

Shoulders Shock
Cable Front Raise 2 x 10
SS Neutral Grip Machine Shoulder Press
Wide Grip Machine Shoulder Press 2 x 10
SS Cable Upright Row
Cable Shrugs 1 x 10
Down the rack

Back & Bis Shock
BB Curl 2 x 8-10
SS Underhand Chins
Seated Supinating Curl 2 x 8-10
SS body weight rows
Concentration Curls 1 x 10
Drop Set

Chest & Tris Shock
Incline DB Flies 2 x 8-10
SS Incline DB Press
DB Flat Bench 2 x 8-10
SS CGBP
DB Skull Crushers 1 x 8-10
Drop Set

*abs twice per week
*calves once per week

 

[celc5]

Workout

Squat 255 x 6
Deadlift 215 x 6
SLDL 205 x 6

*I haven't performed these lifts in 4-5 months so I kept it very light today. I also have never used the suggested 4/x/0 tempo so round one was practice. The tempo calls for explosive concentric, no pause, and 4 second negative. I can't wait to throw around some heavier weights next time power comes around.

Diet

Very clean today and I stuck to the plan. I plan to drop carbs just a bit at a time over the next few weeks.

Supplements

JW: (3 caps/day) Day 4 for my supplements. I enjoy taking JW on an empty stomach because you can feel it sort of "searching" for nutrients. You have NO CHOICE but to eat cause it makes you so friggin hungry. I am concerned, however, that cutting down on the carbs is going to be difficult with JW.

Also, muscles feel harder full body. No noticable pumps. No increased libido. No negative effects.

GABA: 1g at night. Oderless and tasteless bulk gaba from NP. I take 3/8 tsp and chase it with water. I have to go to bed IMMEDIATELY cause it kicks in fast for me.

Cissus: 1.4 g (1/2 tsp) twice per day. It's the bulk version from NP. I had analgesic effect on my first dose. No noticable effect since then.

I swear they should make people on Fear Factor drink this stuff because it's the worst taste ever! I gotta get some caps!

 

[FitnFirm]

Im sure you will do well !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bb:

 

[celc5]

Thanks for the support FitnFirm.

Day 5
Tuesday, May 1, 2007

I just did some outside cardio for day 5 because the weather was so nice out.

I forgot to mention that I had splitting headaches on day 2 of JW. I significantly increased my water intake that day, popped a few ibuprofin, and was fine by day 3. I have had no headaches since then.

I have had some mild lethargy. I don't want to blame JW just yet because it could also be from altered sleep cycles with the GABA.

 

[celc5]

Day 6

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Workout

Shoulders Power
Standing BB Shoulder Press 105 x 6
BB Upright Row 85 x 6
BB Shrug 365 x 6

Shoulder pain significantly hindered my workout today. Oddly, shrugs seemed to help reduce pain at the end of my workout. Next shoulder routine will have to start off with shrugs and a much more elaborate warm-up.

Diet

Nothing to note

Supplements

Gaba: What I was afraid of with a sleep aide happened. Crazy ass dreams woke me up yelling in my sleep! I think I was in a concentration camp or something. I NEVER dream at night except when taking sleep aides. I'm gonna have to think about this some more...

 

[celc5]

Day 7

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Workout

Abs and light cardio. Nothing to journal here.

Diet

If I had no other effects from the supplements, I notice that they seem to motivate me to stick to my diet. I usually have no problem getting lean in the summer, but being strict is helping so far.

Supplements

GABA: slept all night with no nightmares. Woo Hoo!

JW: I take it with food now and don't feel the need to gorge on carbs any more. As of right now, I feel more confident that I'll be able to start lowering carbs with the JW.

Cissus: Got my 0 caps! Nuff said.

 

[celc5]

Day 8

Friday, May 4, 2007

Workout

Back and Bis Power
Wide Grip Pull Ups 6, 5, 5, 5
BB Row 175 x 6
BB Curl 85 x 6
Incline DB Curl 30 x 6

The power tempo suggests a 4 second negative. Had to check my ego at the door cause I didn't realize how fast I usually do ALL these movements. I used to do 12 or 15 wide grip pullups but I guess I was really cheating.

Diet

Consistant. Nothing to note.

Supplements

JW: gettin antsy with the JW. Not much to note other than it MAY be helping to get leaner slightly faster than expected.

GABA: nothing to note

Cissus: thank goodness for the caps.

Music

I feel that I hit a wall about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through my workout. Then a song motivates me to just blast through my workout. I listen to The-X in Pittsburgh which plays modern rock and alternative.

White Zombie: More Human Than Human

 

[thebigt]

nice job so far. im on day 15 on jw and the strength gains kinda crept up on me. around day 12 you should start noticing decent lift gains, good luck. btw some times i take jw 30 minutes before work out with 2 scoops waxy maize and a scoop of protein.

 

[celc5]

nice job so far. im on day 15 on jw and the strength gains kinda crept up on me. around day 12 you should start noticing decent lift gains, good luck. btw some times i take jw 30 minutes before work out with 2 scoops waxy maize and a scoop of protein.

Thanks for the tip on when to expect the strength gains. Are you running JW solo or stacking?

I take my first JW about 15 minutes before breakfast. Second dose is immediately before working out and then I sip on a shake about 15 minutes into the workout. Third cap is 15 minutes before my last meal.

 

[celc5]

Day 9

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Workout

Chest Power
BB Flat Bench 185 x 5
BB Incline 160 x 6
CGBP 145 x 4
BB Skull Crushers 65 x 6

Shoulder pain really holds me back with pressing movements. But, the 4 second negative allowed me to really work hard with lighter weights. Also, I've never used BB for skull crushers before and, quite honestly, I didn't feel them at all. Lackluster workout today.

Diet

Over the weekend, I'm doing some exact measuring of cals and carbs so that I can cut back just a bit this week. I'm already starting to lean out a bit so no drastic adjustments will be necessary.

Supplements

JW: I'm looking for effects of JW based on what I've read from other logs. Libido is up and down throughout the day. And energy levels and lethargy are up and down throughout the day.

 

[celc5]

Day 10

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Workout

Off day. 1 hour walk in the sun.

Diet

I just did my grocery shopping and I plan to be just a little more strict this week. My plan is 40/40/20 (pro/carb/fat). I started at 36/46/18. I want to keep my cals just about the same at around 3200.

Supplements

Cissus: sometimes I get an analgesic effect, sometimes I don't. Not sure why. Maybe it has something to do with how much time I give for digestion after my last meal. I'll pay closer attention this week. I am also considering to try double the dosage preworkout for shoulders and chest.

GABA: I've skipped taking it the past 2 nights. I haven't needed it which means...

JW: It's keeping me NOT interfering with sleep at all. Maybe it was another part of the stack that was keeping some of the testers awake? I guess I'll find out over the next few months.

Also of note, I have not had to use the melatonin yet. I'll save it for an emergency "can't fall asleep" situation.

 

[thebigt]

just remember jw is a good glucose disposal agent. so when you take with your shake prework-out try to add some carbs. btw im on post cycle therapy right now so im taking a boat load of stuff, but i can tell a difference after i take jw. the stuff is working. im up 7lbs since starting post cycle therapy, and getting stronger!!!good luck.

 

[celc5]

Day 11

Monday, May 7, 2007

Workout

Legs Rep Range
Narrow Stance Squats (a2g) 165 x 9
BB Reverse Alternating Lunges 65 x 24 (12/side)
BB Cleans (a2g) 65 x 11

These tempo changes are totally screwing with my head and coordination. The one second pause at the bottom of lunges and cleans put my quads on fire. I had to lay down to drink my post workout shake because my legs were so fried.

Diet

I'm up one pound and eating less than I have in about 5 months.

Supplements

JW: It's gotta be doing something because I'm getting leaner AND gaining weight. I'll get another skinfold done at the end of 4 weeks to see what effects JW had on my bf%.

GABA: no new info

Cissus: shoulder hurts worse even with double dose of the bulk cissus. When the bulk is finished, I have a bottle of Super Cissus Rx to compare.

Music

Finger Eleven: Paralyzed
I rarely like new bands but this song is pretty decent. Mandatory Metallica at 6 o'clock every day is the best for liftin but that goes without being said.

 

[Camaroguy1]

great log! i'm a new member and this is helping me out because i was interested in seeing what the affects of this stack will be. i just started yesterday on the JW.

 

[brugalou]

Subsribed! I'm also doing a JW, Anabolic Pump stack I'm on day 8 and I feel lethargic as **** but lets see what happens.

 

[celc5]

great log! i'm a new member and this is helping me out because i was interested in seeing what the affects of this stack will be. i just started yesterday on the JW.

I definately learned a lot from reading tons of logs over the past few months. I'm not sure if mine will offer you anything noteworthy, but it's cool that you're following.

I hope the other members don't mind, but I want to mention a few exellent Evolution logs. Outsidebacker is the one that really got my attention. Also, KraZnuts is doing an incredible log that has tons of info in it. Good luck!

 

[celc5]

Subsribed! I'm also doing a JW, Anabolic Pump stack I'm on day 8 and I feel lethargic as **** but lets see what happens.

Cool stack. I just saw that someone in the BN forums is doing the same stack. I read a post on here a while ago where someone was running AP, BAM, and powerful I believe. Lots of creative ideas going around.

 

[celc5]

Day 12

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Workout

Shoulder Rep Range
Seated Arnold Press 40 x 9
Standing DB Lateral 15 x 12
Bent Over Posterior Delts 15 x 15

Same old story. Shoulder pain is holdin me back. I wanted to go so much heavier today. I wonder if I'm gonna have to use P/RR/S for back, arms, legs and just do high reps/light weight all the time for shoulders and chest.

Diet

I'm havin a tough time keepin the carbs and protein at 40%. Seems like I keep getting around 35p/45c/20f. I'm not worried though because I can see that I'm getting leaner in the mirror and all my bulking fatty pants are feelin looser :burger:

Supplements

JW: Is it kicking in? I have no idea. It's hard to tell because I'm using a routine that I've never done before, which may be what's accounting for my body comp changes so far. One thing is for sure, JW makes me drink water and pee... drink water and pee... even during the night.

Cissus: Can't wait to finish off the bulk and get the USP bottle I have sittin in my cupboard. Oh and --->:gas:

GABA: It works on very low dosage. Nuff said.

Music

Listened to Linkin Park Live today. Just to get me psyched a bit fo the new album next week.

 

[KraZnut07]

Hey Celc! Very nice Log! Loads of information and training tips, wow.

Don't worry about the JW, I thought it was fairly suttle. I started noticing the strength gains in weeks 3 on up. I noticed the pumps right away though. I think the body composition change is the most important part and it seems that you are getting that.

I have problems with tendonitis in both of my elbows. Is the cissus helping with that? I was thinking of trying some.

I will answer your questions you posted later this week at the end of my log so that I can give it some good thought.

Great log, you have lots of great tips and techniques for training, I'm gonna have to write some of that down for sure!

 

[celc5]

Day 13

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Workout

30 minutes of core. Skipped the cardio after a killer day at work.

Diet

Olive Garden put a red flag on my diet for the first time since starting the stack. I don't feel super guilty though because I ordered from the low fat choices... AND JW was just screaming for more carbs. It's gotta be SIMPLE to bulk with this stuff.

Supplements

JW: Maybe a small pump? Everything is very subtle with JW just as KraZ said in the above post.

GABA: I realized last night that I have a bit of paranoia every time I take my GABA. But, I fall asleep so quickly that I forget to mention it in my log the next day. I've been dreaming a lot and most dreams are very vivid, violent, and intense. It's definately from the GABA because I NEVER dream without taking night time supps.

Cissus: Inconsistant results. After I whined like a baby yesterday about how bad my shoulder hurt, I felt as if I could have done a solid heavy shoulder workout today.

Music

Listened to David DeAngelo while doing abs today. My undergrad had a psych emphasis so his stuff really intrigues me.

 

[celc5]

Day 14

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Took the day off to get my shoulder and elbow worked on by a massage therapist. Frictional massage felt good on my rotator cuff and triceps tendon. Unfortunately, I don't think it solved any of my problems.

Jungle Warfare 14 Day Review

Compared to other supplements at 14 days in:

Pumps: I have mild pumps and vascularity so far from JW. Pumps/vascularity are waaaay better with NO2 at even a few days in. JW pumps are better than bulk A-AKG. I know most of you don't have much faith in NO2 but it delivers for me every time. It's definately my favorite supplement.

Hardness: Mild increased muscle hardness with JW. 14 days in with trib I was much harder head to toe.

Recomp: Much better leaning effect with e-form and lipo 6 (oops, I'll have to add that one to my supp history)

Strength: I have not had the opportunity to fairly measure progress in the gym because the P/RR/S routine is new to me. The tempo changes are an eye opener for me and may have been a missing component to my workout routine over the past few years. I'm humbled to continue learning with this routine to say the least.

Sexual: Over the past week, I have hooked up twice. With JW, I have noticed mild increased hardness and mild increased size. I have not noticed increased desire/libido, no increased sensitivity, and no increase in load size. E-form and vitrix rocked my socks off in this department :afro:

JW Cons: Overall, very very little cons. The only glaring problem is having a full bladder in the middle of the night which interupts sleep. Very mild problems that faded quickly after I adjusted were ravenous hunger and headaches.

So far, in terms of gains... I rate JW 2/5. In terms of sides, I rate it 5/5. I will review JW again at the end of the month as objectively as possible.

So far I rate P/RR/S 5/5 because it is exciting and motivating to have variety. It alters my typical number of sets, tempo, rest periods, and superset strategies. I'm typically a volume lifter with all supersets/drop sets OR all power lifting. The weekly changes are fun as he11!

 

[celc5]

Day 15

Friday, May 11, 2007

Workout

He11 ya!!! Had to tear the weights away from me today! He11 ya!!!

Back and Bis Rep Range
Neutral Grip Pullups 9, 8, 8, 7
Underhand BB Rows 125 x 12
BO Reverse Flies 30 x 13
DB Hammer Curls 30 x 12, 40 x 6 (wish I had 35's for this one)
Rev Grip BB Curls 45 x 13

The pause at the top of the pullups is delicously painful at the end of the set! :nutkick: Gonna be sore for sure. PRRS is great!

Diet

40/40/20 today. 2 scoops protein instead of 1 in each shake. Cut out lunch starch and added veggies.

Supplements

JW: I'm just gonna chill with the comments on JW for a while to give it a chance to kick in.

GABA: I give GABA a "borderline 11 out of 10" for it's 2 week rating. Low dose and it still works.

Cissus: My shoulder will put it to the test tomorrow with chest.

TRAC: I cut grass for 2 hours before working out so I needed a quick boost. Kicked in immediately and lasted the whole workout. I almost felt like I could head butt the cement wall during my workout! I would use TRAC every day if it didn't have the mono in it. I'm staying away from that right now as I'm trying to get lean for summer. It's for emergencies only throughout this stack.

Music

Rush: Snakes and Arrows
I'm a die-hard Rush fan and have to say this new album is definately in their top 3. Highly recommended!

 

[thebigt]

great log. first time i heard live version of working man off all the worlds a stage, i became a fan.:hammer:

 

[celc5]

Day 16

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Workout

Chest Rep Range
Decline BB Bench 175 x 7
Incline Cybex Press 70/side x 10
Low CCO 20 x 15
Straight Bar Pushdowns 80 x 10
1 Arm DB Overhead 17 x 14

I typically have a lot less shoulder pain with decline presses simply because of the mechanics of the movement are less stressful to the shoulder joint. I had discomfort but none more than usual on that movement. On the flip side, I have ZERO pain with the light crossovers and got a spectacular pump with that one! Another great workout from the PRRS tempo once again. Pausing at the top of compound movements is just sick!

Diet
Slightly under so far with cals but that's because we have a family picnic later this afternoon. I'm sure that will more than make up for it.

Supplements

JW: nothing of note

GABA/melatonin: I tried out the melatonin last night at 3mg. It did help me fall asleep quicly but it's not a natural feeling at all- almost out of body feeling or hallucinogenic. I woke up groggy and couldn't sleep in. GABA blows it out of the water, in my limited experience.

Cissus: I got frustrated with the shoulder pain so I upped my dosage. I'm now taking about 3.5 grams of bulk cissus 2 times per day. The cissus plus the massage is surprisingly helping my triceps pain over the past 2-3 days. Not much improvement with the shoulder noted.

Music
The X is playing some tracks off of the new Linkin Park Album. I give it mixed reviews and seem to tolerate the new stuff better than some of my friends who are die-hard fans.

 

[thebigt]

you got a great log going. i like the idea of adding music, i dont think i could do cardio w/o. btw im like your friends, i love aerosmith's old stuff-get your wings-tollerate the new. good luck.

 

[celc5]

Day 17

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Supplements

This is the first time that I've ever made a change in plans of supplementation. Quite frankly, I couldn't see being 16 days into taking a supplement and not noticing much at all.

I'm the guy that takes 5 grams of mono or arginine and all my lifts go up 5 or 10% in 7-10 days. Maybe I'm spoiled because of typically being a "responder." Maybe the chosen PRRS routine doesn't lend itself well to seeing results with running JW solo. This is just my exerience, others have had great success with JW.

So I decided to switch to the Advanced Evolution Protocol. I started BAM yesterday so I was technically just 1 day behind the suggested day 15 start to BAM. I will continue to run JW as recommended by the Advanced Evolution protocol.

So my revised protocol will be:

JW Day 1-30
BAM Day 17-47
Resore Day 31-60

Today was an off day from the gym.

 

[celc5]

Day 18

Monday, May 14, 2007

Workout

20 min cardio pre-workout

Legs and Bis Shock
Leg Extension 140 x 10
... SS Narrow Stance Leg Press
Leg Curl 70 x 10
... SS Wide Stance Leg Press

Reverse Cable Curl 40 x 10
... SS Cable Curl
High Cable Curls 15 x 15

I frequently do a lot of volume/superset workouts so I doubt that I'll be overly "shocked" this week. The leg extensions will creep up to around 200 next time, I was getting used to a new machine today.

I added Bis to legs today because, well... cah-mon!!! Who doesn't want bigger biceps!?!? (there needs to be a meat-head smiley for comments like that).

Side note: I NEVER do cardio, even during a cut because of my typical volume training. This is a first for me to do cardio 2-3 times per week. I hate it.

Diet

I'm hitting my stride. Weighed in at 199 so that's 2 pounds lost in about 10 days. I'm confident that I'm not losing muscle like I usually do during a cut. The skinfold will reveal the truth soon.

Supplements

JW: no comment

BAM: day 3 of BAM and I feel it. The test boost hits you about 10-15 minutes after taking it. And, I've never tried a test booster before that actually ENHANCES mood. I feel confident, but still calm and controlled. Energy levels are steady throughout the day, rather than the ups and downs of week 1 and 2.

GABA: No offense to my buddy GABA, but I haven't needed it the past few days. It rocks but I'm sleeping just fine without it.

Cissus: same comment as previous workout

Music

Nothing really stood out to me today. I was moving so fast between sets for shock day that I'm not even sure what was on the radio.

 

[thebigt]

i just ordered mfx, been on jw for 17 days. glad you got such a boost out of bam. hope i get same effect from mfx. btw read your review of 6oxo,very good. dont give up on the jw most logs say 3rd week is when it starts to kick in.

 

[celc5]

i just ordered mfx, been on jw for 17 days. glad you got such a boost out of bam. hope i get same effect from mfx. btw read your review of 6oxo,very good. dont give up on the jw most logs say 3rd week is when it starts to kick in.

I didn't expect too many people from this board to venture over to BN. Pleasant surprise seeing you over there. Good luck with the Mfx. Everyone just raves over it!

I did that 6-oxo log cause I just couldn't resist it from all the hype. I would have given it a 4/5 if it didn't have so many sides. I've been wondering if 6-oxo is what escalated this whole shoulder pain issue as well.

So far the first few days of BAM lead me to believe that it will be slightly milder than the 6-oxo. On that note, 6-oxo just kicks you in the balls and wreaks havoc . BAM feels more subtle, natural, and humbly does its job. I'm psyched to see how the next 3 weeks go with this killer (so far) supplement!

 

[thebigt]

man you give great reviews. cant wait to see what next few weeks will bring. btw allman bros. rock-one way out and whipping post are great for cardio.

 

[celc5]

Day 19

Off

FYI, don't waste your money on the new Linkin Park album. It totally blows goats!

Day 20

Wednesday May 16, 2007

Workout

20 minutes moderate cardio

Shoulders and Tris Shock

Rotator Cuff Routine

Cable Shrugs: Up to the rack to 155x20, down the rack
Cable Straight Bar Front Raises 22.5 x 10
... SS Machine Neutral Grip Shoulder Press 70 x 10
Cable Upright Row 40 x 10
... SS Machine Wide Grip Shoulder Press 70 x 10

Reverse Grip Straight Bar Pushdowns 35 x 10
... SS Pushdows 35 x 10
1 Arm Overhead Tricep Extensions 15 x 10

For shock week, I take 3 deep breathes and move on to my next set. It's fun to move fast and I hate standing around. Since I'm pretty familiar with the volume training, I usually do about 3-4 working sets for each movement rather than the recommended 2 in the PRRS article.

I have a feeling the next push/pull days will rock though. Shoulder hurt today and keeps the weights puny... next topic

Diet

About $75/ week is going toward groceries and it's showing. I look and feel lean. I will hopefully get my skinfolds this weekend.

Supplements

Jungle Warfare: no comment

BAM: Mild increase in libido. Noticable increase in hardness during sex. Improved ability to hold off on cumming for longer than usual when sex gets rough. Slightly smaller load size :think: Weird, right? Slightly improved overall mood all day long.

Cissus: I've noticed that my shoulder doesn't hurt during the day. It's still a major problem during workouts. Um, do I notice a slight pump from this stuff.. :woohoo: Thought my dosage was too low, but maybe it's enough.

GABA: no sleep aides needed.

Music

Some old fart mentioned the Allman Brothers. So I had no choice but to dig out Live At the Fillmore East. I love playing my guitar along with the One Way Out solo!

 

[thebigt]

you dont get to be an old fart without learning a thing or two, sonny.lol. cissus doses vary a lot from person to person, got to find your sweet spot. just found an alternative to reg spaghetti. spelt, its a complex carbo and tastes great. might have to go to health store to find it. glad to hear your getting good results.

 

[celc5]

Day 21

May 18, 2007

Workout

Back and Bis Shock

DB Rows (10 sets of 10 per side) x 45 pounds
Bodyweight Rows (hanging from a power rack) 18, 15, 15
Underhand Pull Ups (Rest Pause) 2+2+2+0... or something like that for 3 sets

DB Hammers (up the rack x 10, down the rack to failuare each set) peaked at 40's
Seated DB Supinating Curl 30x10
... SS Narrow Grip BB Curl (elbows in front of body) 55x10
Concentration Curl (Drop Set) 30 x 9

How about if EVERY DAY is back and bis? Everyone agree? I think I should do the rest pause for the pull ups first next time so I can get more reps. And, the 10 sets of 10 should be last because 45 was too light (I don't have any DB's that go higher than 45).

Diet

I have stayed on track but I look a little soft today... sort of like a creatine bloat.

Supplements

JW: ???

BAM: the effects in the gym aren't as noticable as the first few days, but they are still there. I feel very "balanced" and "aware" on BAM. For example, I feel cocky but in a funny and entertaining way. I haven't been over the top at all like on some other test boosters. Also, I notice an improved mind muscle connection today. I actually got my interscapulars to cramp today. Sweet!

Cissus: I don't have pain on B&B day so there's no way to measure the cissus effectiveness today. Saturday's push day will test it again.

GABA: I think I might save this for a stack that gets me wired or when life is more stressful.

Music

Foo Fighters have an acoustic version of Times Like These that just totally rocks. I was also digging Good Times, Bad Times by Zeppelin today. I have an eclectic rock genre taste which really keeps my workouts feeling fresh (ew, did that sound weird?).

 

[thebigt]

check out old neil young and crazy horse live-rust never sleeps. out of the blue into the black is killer.

 

[celc5]

Day 22

Friday, May 18, 2007

Off day. 2 hours of cutting grass. Does that count as cardio? ...not really.

Supplements

JW/BAM: I'm noticing that I'm a little jittery. If I had to guess, I'd say it's from a slight increased test from the BAM. I love it! I want more! Wish I had another bottle of BAM to try ramping up the dosage to 3 or 4 caps/day. But, I'll just be patient and stick to the plan.

Day 23

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Workout

Chest & Tris Shock
Incline DB Flies 27.5 x 12
... SS Incline DB Press 55 x 10
DB Flat Bench 70 x 7
... SS CGBP 50 x 21's (x-reps style)
CCO 10 x 50, 20 x 30

Triceps Cable Overhead
... SS Assisted Dips
Lying Triceps DB Extension

Calve Raise (leg press) 8 plates/side x 7
... SS BW calf raises 21's

10 minutes of core

I've honestly never done DB flies before. I hate to say it, but what a crappy exercise. CCO is so much better because the range is limited on the DB flies. Shock week was fun, but I don't think it was much of a shock to my body. I can't remember the weights I used for triceps cause I was about to throw up from how fast we were moving... ya, I miss workin out like that ALL THE TIME!

Diet

Hmm, not lookin so lean today either. I've been hovering at 40/40/20 for the past few days. I can't imagine going to 45/35/20. That would be torture. Treadmill, here I come.

Supplements

JW: It is making me hungry. That is not very useful on a cut.

BAM: I'm starting to think this is a good beginner test booster for someone who has never messed with trib, an AI, or any other estrogen blocker. It's very very mild but those who have experience with other supps that ram their way into your system might yawn at BAM. I'm diggin it with a mild increase in aggression in the gym, mild increases across the board sexually, and a pleasant cool affect/mood.

Cissus: It helps with some movements but is no match for movements that are awkward on the shoulder. I'm almost out of bulk cissus and will be starting SuperCissusRx in about a week or 2. It'll be fun to compare the 2.

GABA/melatonin: took em both last night because I was wired. Definately helped me fall asleep. A+. However, if you don't have time to sleep in, you feel weird in the morning. I get best results when I can definately dedicate 8-9 hours with the sleep aides.

TRAC: It's become my saturday staple for motivation. A+. I need to find a PWO that doesn't have caffiene or any creatine. Any suggestions?

Music

Tool is slowly becoming one of my favorite bands in the gym. It sounds like they're playing their music for the sole purpose of making people deadlift more weight! He11 ya!!!

 

[thebigt]

incarnate/bulk citrulline malate. plus incarnate has cissus already in it. best endurance/recovery ive ever tried.

 

[celc5]

Day 24

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Body Comp Update

Off day today so it's an opportunity to discuss a few things. I took skinfold measurements to check my progress. According to the Jackson/Pollock 7 site method, I have lost fat AND gained muscle... the original plan was to get leaner but not weaker---> and heres some proof:

Day 1 200 lbs at 19.5%
Day 24 199 lbs at 17.14%

That's 5 pounds fat loss and 4 pounds LBM gain!!! I suppose I do that in about 4-6 weeks time usually so JW and BAM have sped up the process a bit. I plan to take measurements again in about 2-3 weeks and again at the end of the stack.

I found a killer website that calculates the measurements for you. I don't think I'll be able to post the link but feel free to email me at the same user name on yahoo.

Music

Since my music taste is so broad, I thought it would be fun to do a few lists to explain my tastes.

Favorite Bands for listening and to just chill:
1) Pink Floyd
2) Led Zeppelin
3) Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Favorite Bands for the Gym
1) Rage Against the Machine
2) Tool
3) Disturbed
4) Velvet Revolver
5) Metallica

Favorites to Play on my guitar:
1) Santana
2) Audioslave
3) Tom Petty
4) Neil Young -see T, I know my classic rock

Favorite Concerts (bands that I've seen 4-5 times each)
1) Allman Brothers
2) Yes
3) Rush

 

[thebigt]

im turning green. you've seen the bros. live. man i wish i could have seen them back in the day, when duane was still alive. found a great supp with lots of good stuff cheap, also comes caffeine free version. ragnarok, for under 30 bucks cant be beat. i like this a lot.

 

[celc5]

Day 25

Monday, May 21, 2007

Workout

Legs Power (2)
Squat 295 x 6
Deadlift 275 x 6
SLDL 255 x 6

It looks like an impressive gain in strength since my last power workout 2 weeks ago, but don't be fooled. I ease my way into new routines because of all my injuries. My PR for 4-6 reps is around 450 squat, 365 deads, and probably 365 SLDL. I will switch the order next time around as shoulder pain hindered holding the bar for squats. HOWEVER, the heavy pulls seem to activate my rotator cuff muscles and I had ZERO pain by the end of the workout. So, pulls first next time and then squats will be Huuuuge... for a scrawny little 200 pounder :head:

Diet

Going well.

Supplements

JW: I think it gives a mild boost if I take it 1 hour pre workout followed by a shake 1/2 hour pre workout. Someone suggested this earlier in my log but I haven't really noticed any effects until, well, today.

BAM: Nice mild test boost.

Cissus: Everything feels good but the shoulder. I'd like to run it again at a higher dosage sometime.

GABA: Super low dose knocked me out cold last night. Would have loved to sleep in though

Music

Well, yesterday's list just killed anything I have to say about music. So, I'll talk movies. Spiderman 3 killed my libido :yawn: I was afraid I was going to go into complete shutdown from how fruity that movie was. I'll go pick up a chick at the bar for post movie therapy to get my balls back

 

[thebigt]

:toofunny:

 

[celc5]

Day 25

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Workout

Abs and cardio

I highly recommend straight leg raises hanging from the top of a slant board. I pre-exhaust my obliques first (on the slant board as well) and then SS with the SLRs. A trainer buddy of mine in grad school taught me that one. I swear it makes my abs grow somethin fierce! They are poppin out right now even though I'm a big fatty still

Diet

Little bit higher with carbs today. I felt I needed the fuel after the legs powerlifting routine yesterday.

Supplements

JW: might be kickin in a little but I think that I'd need a much higher dosage to really get some results with this mild supp.

BAM: It's been my buddy so far... BUT, I think I may have a little decreased libido, my boys are lookin a little skimpy. Maybe it's just in my head but my chest is lookin a little soft and my man boobs aren't keepin pace with the rest of my body's recomp. Any thoughts? I have an idea for a strategy to deal with this but I want to see if anyone has some ideas first.

GABA: Hmm, this is a few nights in a row now that I needed a sleep aide. I don't wanna blame the supps for the trouble getting to sleep because I really do need to change my night time habits before bed.

Off Topic

I changed the last section because I'm pretty sure that I buried the music topic into the ground. My friend sent me a hilarious 2 minute Will Ferrel skit. If you're a fan, google "Will Ferrel Landlord"

 

[celc5]

im turning green. you've seen the bros. live. man i wish i could have seen them back in the day, when duane was still alive. found a great supp with lots of good stuff cheap, also comes caffeine free version. ragnarok, for under 30 bucks cant be beat. i like this a lot.

Allman's usually play the concert that caps off the summer in August here in Pittsburgh. I've probably seen them 6 or 7 times- obviously AD (after Duane). If you like the Allman's, check out Government Mule (Warren Haynes' side project).

Wasn't Ragnorak a character on Lord of the Rings? :think: Anyways, it looks solid accept creatine is a No No for me during the summer. Might have to try it out for powerlifitng in the fall/winter though.

Bulk Citruline Malate: do you cap it? or is the taste tolerable? I wanna find this out BEFORE i buy any bulk supps next time becuase I almost barfed my brains out with cissus

 

[thebigt]

i mix bulk cm in ragnarok or gatorade almost anything will do. it doesnt really have that much of a taste. bulk cm/beta-alanine= close to man body octane. look at reviews it is a great supp.

 

[celc5]

Day 26

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Workout

Shoulder Power ...modified
Shrugs 395 x 6
BB Shoulder Press 110 x 5
DB Upright Row 40 x 12

I made a few changes to my routine today to adjust for shoulder pain. I did a few nerve stretch techniques for my elbow/forearm and ALA-KAZAAM, no pain for upright rows! 40's are a PR for me :woohoo:

Diet

Bought a scale yesterday at Target on sale for 30 bucks. It reads 198.6 and 17.1% bodyfat. The super accurate scale at work says 199 and caliper says 17.14% bf so this impulse buy may have turned out to be a steal

Supplements

Cissus: I take 1.5 grams twice per day. The second dose is 3g on workout days (preworkout of course). However, I've noticed that the 3g only kicks in at the end of my workout. This could mean that it takes approximately 1.5 hours for it to kick in for me? Isn't that a bit of a long time? :think: I got IMMEDIATE relief for the first week or two.

JW/BAM: Libido is still down a bit but I'm "functioning" just fine. And maybe even slightly enhanced performance. I've done some reading and some suggest that BAM may be the culprit. I dunno bout that cause I'm no expert. I hope this changes when restore comes into the picture in a few days.

GABA: crashed yesterday after reading logs while strategizing for my next stack so I never took it

Off Topic

Gonna catch some South Park tonight while I do cardio. One of my favorite episodes is when Jimmy gets roid rage while training for the Special Olympics

Edit: JW/BAM: I have read that others believe that BAM may be the culprit for a slightly lowered libido. I hope that adding restore clears up this problem.

 

[celc5]

Day 27

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Off day. 2 rounds of sex. Does that count as cardio?

I don't think I've mentioned this but I've been having nose bleeds throughout this entire stack. Just a little when I blew my nose. But last night, I woke up with my nose just GUSHING blood for about an hour. I've never had a nose bleed... well, not since I broke my face mask in HS football. Weird right?

Day 28

Friday, May 25

Workout

Quasi cardio: 2 hours cutting grass with a dull blade

Back and Bis Power
Wide Grip Pullups 7,7,6,6
Wide Grip Bent Over BB Row 205 x 4 PR?
BB Curl 95 x 4
DB Incline Curl 30 x 4

An old buddy in undergrad taught me to try holding my elbows up just a hair on incline curls. Initially, I thought this would engage anterior delt. But actually, I found that it seems to put tension at the top of my biceps and allows for a much harder contraction. Although he may not have understood bio-mechanically why this worked, I'm sure he could feel it. Good advice from my pal.

Diet

I was tracking on fit day and just about FREAKED when I realized I was eatin about 35 grams of sugar RIGHT BEFORE BED and yogurt was the culprit :nono: Yogurt found it's way into my post workout shake today where it belongs.

Supplements

JW/BAM: Looking forward to adding Restore

Cissus: I will start SuperCissusRx on Sunday. At the end of the log, I hope to do a comparison.

Off Topic

I hate it when you feel a log brewing preworkout and it's just not quite ready. At the end of every set, squeezing out an extra rep is a reminder that it's time to produce real soon :dump:

 

[thebigt]

it beats the alternative-it could be ready during a set.:toofunny:

 

[celc5]

Day 29

Saturday, May 27, 2007

Workout

Chest and Tris Power
BB Flat Bench 190 x 5
DB Inlcline Bench 75 x 5
CGBP 150 x 4 PR?
Miscellaneous Tris
Calves (Leg Press) 8 plates x 8

Swapped BB inlcline for DB because of the shoulder issues. Also, I had to go back down to 8 plates for calves as I was at a new gym with fat plates and couldn't fit any more onto the machine. Luckily, it was the exact same cybex leg press.

Diet

Might have went a bit too low on carbs preworkout. Personally, a quality workout is priority for me over diet. For me, the psychological benefits of a carb-energized workout outweigh the benefits of matching my exact macro ratios.

Supplements

JW/BAM: I'm noticing that libido is up and down. I reread several logs on the EVO stack and this is VERY common. Not sure if this is necessarily a negative.

Bulk Cissus: Last day of bulk cissus. In my opinion, it does help just slightly for pain issues and that's worth the $15 or 20 bucks I spent on the powder and caps. I will start SuperCissus Rx tomorrow.

TRAC: Saturday staple also greatly enhances my mood, for about 8 hours! It has so many ingredients that it's hard to say exactly what is so effective in this PWO supp.

Off Topic

Before Limewire, there was BMG music service. BMG sold me a good 2 or 3 hundred cds that I keep on a homeade cd rack. That rack was made by my grandfather and is one of the coolest gifts that anyone could receive.

 

[celc5]

Day 30

Sunday, May 28, 2007

Jungle Warfare 30 day Review

Instead of simply diving head first into this review with opinions, I will compare claims made on the JW FAQ to my experience. Then I’ll give my opinion.

Increased myotrophic activity:
It’s unfair to try to rate this claim. NA

Favorable Nutrient Repartitioning:
JW did make me hungry when taken on an empty stomach. IMO this means that absorption of nutrients would be affected in a positive manner. 3/5

HPTA modulation:
I’d bet the bank that my HPTA is just fine. 5/5

Estrogen management:
ADED is much too mild. 1/5

Significant Pro-hypertrophic activity:
I gained muscle mass (4 pounds muscle gain). Decreasing my number of workouts per week played a role in this as well. 3/5

Anti Catabolic:
Again +4 pounds muscle and –5 pounds fat. My strict diet played a large role in this. 3/5

The FAQ states that JW is NOT intended for post cycle therapy. I agree whole heartedly that depending on JW for any of the aforementioned claims in post cycle therapy would be a huge gamble.

Side Effects
-Very very mild headaches. Easily controlled with increased water intake.
-Low to normal libido (although performance was normal to very slightly enhanced).
-Increased urination was annoying at night. After the first 2 weeks, this was still a problem although to a lesser extent.

Opinion
My big Italian mouth gives JW 2 thumbs down. I had no enhanced pumps, no increased vascularity, and only very mild increased muscular hardness. I do not believe that it gave me any boost whatsoever in the gym. JW had no affect on mood.

I have had satisfactory results in my recomp efforts so far. However, I strongly believe that my modified routine and less drastic dietary changes (as compared to my previous summer cuts) play a much larger role in recomp than JW did.

Comparison to other supplements
In comparison, bulk A-AKG increases intensity in the gym, enhances pumps, vascularity, and hardness within 3-5 days of consistent use even on a low carb diet. I also believe, although I may not be able to back this up in scientific terms, that the enhanced blood flow with arginine will enhance nutrient absorption. It costs about $30 for 2 months worth if you does 3g at 3 times/day for a 2 month supply. That’s more results at ½ the price. And although opinions seem divided, I had even better experiences with NO2 than I did with bulk arginine. Both outman JW.

As far as anti-estrogen effects go, my experience is that E-form and 6-oxo blow JW out of the water at the recommended dosage. That being said, JW’s estrogen “management” probably allows for a much higher dosage with less negative effects that result from the stronger anti-estrogens.

Final thoughts: I won’t be using JW again. However, it would be interesting to see it’s effects in a 6-8 week run at 4-6 caps per day. That would be too expensive for me to try, but interesting to hear about none the less.

I did not mention strength in the review because the PRRS routine is new to me. Only the power week was repeated while on JW. My strength gains were as I would expect without any supplementation. I feel as though I am not able to accurately and fairly assess whether or not JW would affect strength.

ONWARD!!! Bring on the bigger weights and looser pants :head:

 

[thebigt]

thank you for a fair and unbiased review. you bought your own supps and arent whoring for freebies. it is nice to read a review by someone with integrity, thank you.