[Driven2lift]

It's been a long while AM.

Time I get back into more than recipes on my pages.
Just launched my new IG account driven2lift, recipes will all be on Whey2Bake.

This will be a mashup of:
Meals, nutrition
Training, log
Supplement Science talk
Supplement review/log as I go
Daily randomness
Anything you guys have to ask

Why did it take you so long?

Skip this section to the next bold if a long story will bore you.

Not too long after joining up here my life took a few bad turns. It used to be a taboo topic with me (depression) but I'm comfortable with it now, I'm all for using my experiences to help out any other member here who is having a rough time, ever. Just ask here, PM, email, anything.

Strait to it,
I fell ill on what should have been the best week of my life. On my honeymoon (in Cuba) my liver began to fail. My kidneys struggled with chronic and acute onset pitting edema my first day there (almost 30 pounds of fluid overnight, before eating anything there). We later determined that I also had damage to my pituitary gland. That resulted in me needing synthetic hormone replacement (pituitary makes most of your testosterone, not your testes)
It is also why my thyroid hormones fell off,
And my antidiuretic hormones (hence the edema)

To this day the best theory is that the pituitary went first, possibly on the flight.
They've scanned every inch of me now, 2-3 times each lol.
2 internal medicine specialists, a cardiologist, nephrologist, 2 GP's, a gastroenterologist, and one of the best endocrinologists in the country.

Between the hospital and bedrest I spent over a year on disability and still struggled to train through a newly developing chronic pain issue.

My deadlifts will probably never get to where they were with my back pain. Partly my own choosing, as I refused opiate and strong narcotic pain medications. I use low dose hydromorphone, only as needed.

With a now scarred liver and past addictive tendencies (alcohol) I won't risk it.

Anyways, next up my marriage fell apart.
I don't know if I blame her; she signed up for something other than a disabled and depressed partner. I ruined what should have been the best time of her life too.

Life, like gravity, can hold you down; but if you fight back long enough you can adapt and come out stronger.

I figure it can only get better from there, right?


Now

I'm medicated back to full functioning other than the pain (mostly both upper/lower back)

I am working a new job 10 hour shifts at ungodly hours making cakes & desserts, I train 6 days a week as soon as I get home. Home gym is the only way I find time right now.

Which is fine, home gym has grown to:
-Weider basic 4-sided station
-Smith Machine
-Bench
-Treadmill
-Stationary cycle/Rowing Machine
-Dumbells 3-60
-OLY Plates for days haha
-Standard bar loaded with my comfortable deadlift max (even belted my back feels it)
-Pullup Bar
-Belts
-Resistance Bands

Still looking to add more

Stats, Goals

Weight-182
BF% - 14-15%
Deadlift- Low, I don't 1RM this ever, I stick to volume and slow weight jumps. I'll get there.
Squat- 315
Bench- 260

Recently gained another few pounds as the new job was getting bad on my joints. Always achey when I'm low BF%

Goal is to maintain for fall, lean growth would be welcome.

Routine

Compressed and Customized PHAT

-Heavy Legs
-Hyper Posterior Chain
-Heavy Chest, accessory
-Hyper Legs
-Heavy Posterior Chain
-Hyper Chest, Accessory
-OFF-

(Repeat)

My hypertrophy days are similar to a GVT lift, 10x10 gets thrown in a lot


Diet

Maintaining on 2350 calories,
185-220g protein daily
Carbs and fats vary but my average day is about:

200p, 255c, 70f



Follow along and help keep me Driven AM

[Driven2lift]

Dinner Tonight was interesting,
Jana stopped for our Taco Friday ingredients and she grabbed a boxed kit on sale...

=the 1/2 size wraps



Lol couldn't fit a damn thing on them but I had 5 and a shake to hit some macros

Sour cream, taco spiced chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion, texmex cheese, mango salsa, jalapeno hot sauce seeds in
Then struggle to close

Other training notes...

-I don't program any direct bicep work, though I do program chin-ups which I guess is bicep-heavy

-I always belt for deadlifting anything over 150

-I would say my biggest weakness is obviously my back.

-At 182 I am 7 pounds heavier than my typical off season, 175 is a "good while still healthy" look for me. I turned a lean bulk into a pure bulk recently lol.

[jswain34]

Bud...hydromorphone is a narcotic.

With that said, your story is crazy and you're a huge part of the forum here, so I'm subbing in on this! Im glad you're finally feeling slightly back to normal and coming to terms with and adapting from the huge pile o' **** life through at you.

[Woody]

Ooo boy Dilaudid. That's the good **** lol

[AntM1564]

I'm in Dylan!

[Driven2lift]

Hydro is way less than I was recommended, I chose poor phrasing. its just starter dose 10mg and I only use them when I absolutely need to. Some days now I can go with none at all

Nothing addictive about them to me

[Driven2lift]

Welcome bros!

[Woody]

Hydro is way less than I was recommended, I chose poor phrasing. its just starter dose 10mg and I only use them when I absolutely need to. Some days now I can go with none at all

Nothing addictive about them to me

I'd chose Dilaudid over morphine 10/10.

Pro Tip: don't chase back pain. You'll end up dosing more to catch up. I didn't want to use pain meds after surgery and it took a while to finally get relief where as a half dose or so could keep it at bay.

Also had no withdrawal no dilaudid vs morphine fwiw

[Driven2lift]

Also Luna's Birthday today so of course she gets a present, she turned 3!



Today was heavy PC, but I'll start the log tomorrow as I've taken longer online tonight than anticipated, family time!

[FireTitan]

Dude, bad times for sure, but you've done the hardest part. Moving on. Dont know you but proud of you, and I find it inspirational. For sure Im in here for the motivation and hoping to give some

[Hyde]

Sup my ninja

[carmaf]

In for sexy Driven any time, any where.

[Driven2lift]

Thanks to all who jumped on board, pre workout is down and heading to hit chest/accessory!

Off work today, place is closed on weekends for most positions, beautiful for me to actually sync up with my friends again here

I have a tray of "kitchen sink" protein krispies setting, swinging by the hospital later to drop those off and visit our friend. (Recently paralyzed, in recovery another month or so)

After that I'm honestly hoping to just crash and play the new Fallout expansion on XB1... But it's likely plans will come up. Alphamine will get me through haha

[Matthew1237]

Innnnnn

[NoAddedHmones]

Subbed, on and up my man.

[Jebrook]

Sorry to hear about your troubles bro. Life is a real b*tch sometimes. Only you can fix you but I'm in for support.

[RugbyBaller91]

Wow bro you've been through a hell of a lot man glad to see you didn't throw in the towel a lot of people would your a strong guy I'm def subbed

[Hyde]

Wow bro you've been through a hell of a lot man glad to see you didn't throw in the towel a lot of people would your a strong guy I'm def subbed

You never find out how much gut you really have til you have to truly strain harder than you ever have to keep moving at all. That goes for lifting and life.

[Driven2lift]

Alright plans did arise, went to the fair!
Rained all night but that will just mean shorter lines for us we don't mind



While there we stopped off for some Bavarian Beer Nuts, one of the better booths, been here for years and everyone here waits for it annually. Grabbed classic, chocolate, and cajun



Lift was solid, I named it super bro day as it is chest hypertrophy and accessory



It feels good to be comfortable with my self image again.
That being said I'll never take offence yo a critique. If you have a suggestion for me speak up!
I'm not looking to compete in any foreseeable future, I'm after happy, healthy, confident.

Hyper Chest/Accessory:

Supersets have 60 second rests between movements.

Active Warmups, 2 minutes

Superset 1
Dumbell Flies - flat: 12, 12, 12
Rear Delt Raises: 12, 12, 12

This gets me well stretched out and ready, opposing motions to fully warm up my shoulders as well.

Superset 2
Decline Press: 12, 12, 12
Side Raises: 12, 12, 12

Pyramid Flat Bench Press
(2 minute rests between these)

155x 12
180x 12
205x 12
230x 10- had to rack and breath at rep 8
245x 4
230x 8- to failure
205x 10
180x 12
155x 12

I like to rep up to my 3 rep max here, I hit 4 today so soon I'll be bumping the weights

Finisher superset
Dumbell Incline press SS with Pullups, 30 seconds rest between, 5 rounds

A Day well done all and all

[RugbyBaller91]

You never find out how much gut you really have til you have to truly strain harder than you ever have to keep moving at all. That goes for lifting and life.

That's why I love it! Wifey always complains about me going downstairs to lift blah blah just spend time with me this and that lol and I just look at her and say I could have a different hobbie like smoking crack haha

[RugbyBaller91]

Alright plans did arise, went to the fair!
Rained all night but that will just mean shorter lines for us we don't mind



While there we stopped off for some Bavarian Beer Nuts, one of the better booths, been here for years and everyone here waits for it annually. Grabbed classic, chocolate, and cajun



Lift was solid, I named it super bro day as it is chest hypertrophy and accessory



It feels good to be comfortable with my self image again.
That being said I'll never take offence yo a critique. If you have a suggestion for me speak up!
I'm not looking to compete in any foreseeable future, I'm after happy, healthy, confident.

Hyper Chest/Accessory:

Supersets have 60 second rests between movements.

Active Warmups, 2 minutes

Superset 1
Dumbell Flies - flat: 12, 12, 12
Rear Delt Raises: 12, 12, 12

This gets me well stretched out and ready, opposing motions to fully warm up my shoulders as well.

Superset 2
Decline Press: 12, 12, 12
Side Raises: 12, 12, 12

Pyramid Flat Bench Press
(2 minute rests between these)

155x 12
180x 12
205x 12
230x 10- had to rack and breath at rep 8
245x 4
230x 8- to failure
205x 10
180x 12
155x 12

I like to rep up to my 3 rep max here, I hit 4 today so soon I'll be bumping the weights

Finisher superset
Dumbell Incline press SS with Pullups, 30 seconds rest between, 5 rounds

A Day well done all and all

Look good no homo and your numbers are great bro ps. Yals fair looks ten times nicer than ours lol your lucky if you don't get tetnis at ours lol

[Hyde]

Looking pretty jacked man!

[Driven2lift]

Thanks a lot all!
<3

Always know I can feel at home here on AM

Legs are up today, as are some Tuxedo Protein Krispies



Wait until you see the slice cut out

[Driven2lift]

Oh and just to get some American envy:



This is my stash getting low
@GNO you have a reserve as well?

[Hyde]

Dang that's some tasty looking treats! And I can get ephedrine over the counter here in IL, thankfully. When I'm having allergy issues like today nothing helps training more than one lil HCL tab stacked onto my usual White Flood. Just opens everything up some and the extra horsepower is appreciated when the allergies make me a little draggy.