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Sparks' Never Ending Training Log

Also, don't know why the pics are suddenly bad quality. They used to be crystal clear. Even when picking the "best" option it comes out blurry.
 
01AUG16


Chest/Back:

Pull-ups SS w/ Decline BB Press:
10 X BW/10 X 135
10 X BW+25/10 X 205
10 X BW+25/10 X 205
Seated Cable Row - V-Bar SS w/ CYBEX Incline Press Machine - Mimic Closr Grip Guillotine Press:
15 X 130/20 X 50
14 X 160/15 X 70
11 X 190/13 X 90
12 X 190/10 X 110
Rack Pulls SS w/ Flat DB Press - Feet Up:
15 X 225/12 X 65's
5 X 315 - Grip Fried From Arms, No Straps/10 X 80's
12 X 225/6 X 100's
13 X 225/5 X 100's
Pec Deck SS w/ Lat Pulldown - Shoulder Width, Neutral Grip:
12 X 85/15 X 115
12 X 100/15 X 160
8 X 115/10 X 190
Seated Wide Grip Cable Rows SS w/ Incline Plate Pinch Press:
15 X 115/20 X 25lb Plate
14 X 115/15 X 2 ea. 25lb Plate
13 X 115/15 X 2 ea. 25lb Plate


Today was one of those days where I shouldn't have gone. My head wasn't where it needed to be, focus was whack, I just felt "bleh" during the workout. I felt like I needed to go since the wife and I went out to dinner for her birthday, health conscious choices nowhere to be found. I wouldn't have been so adamant about going if my carbs from yesterday weren't that high...no sense in beating myself up. I had an alright pump, which if I'm not 100% usually that doesn't happen. Same mix as last night, 1/2 of the max dose for each. I guess this could be counted as a sort of weird active recovery session, I exerted myself, but it doesn't feel like it should. Oh well. I'll start out with cardio in the morning, hopefully outside as long as it's not pouring rain. We're going on a mini vacation Thursday through Sunday so I didn't want to take any rest days that weren't necessary. Don't know if I'll push through till Thursday morning without a rest day yet or not.
 
I know exactly what you mean about feeling "guilty" after not eating right and feeling the "need" to lift, even if the timing might not be the best. Been there, done that (more than once, I hate to admit).
 
02AUG16

Legs:

Sled Press:
16 X 2 PPS
15 X 4 PPS
10 X 6 PPS
8 X 7 PPS
5 X 8 PPS
5 X 8 PPS
Smith Squat - Feet Far In Front:
15 X 1 PPS
10 X 2 PPS
10 X 2 PPS
Lying Hamstring Curls SS w/ DB SLDL's:
10 X 130/8 X 100's
12 X 110/8 X 100's
10 x110/8 X 100's
Let Extensions SS w/ DB Sumo Squats:
30 X 110/20 X 70
25 X 150/20 X 70
25 X 170/20 X 70
Sled Calf Press SS w/ Hanging Knee Raises:
12 X 1 PPS/30 X BW
12 X 3 PPS/30 X BW
12 X 3 PPS/30 X BW


Surprisingly good workout today. 2 hours left on my 24 hour fast, I only planned on doing fasted cardio today, but I slept pretty late and decided to stick out the last bit of the 24 hours. I didn't do any cardio, I woke up decided to just hit the gym. I was thinking performance would suffer but to my surprise I was able to get a good pump and maintain intensity. I'd also like to mention that USP Labs Modern BCAA + is one of the best intra's I've used. For the price, it's not bad considering you get 30 true servings (2 scoops is a serving, compared to other products advising you take more than 1 serving to be beneficial yet only giving 30 scoops in their products). I dosed the max amount of Noxygen and CM today beforehand in the event that performance would suffer. I attribute the supps to helping a lot today, which is a testament to their efficacy. Despite only having about 40oz of water before the gym I was sweating buckets. Probably all the sodium and BS I took in last night being squeezed out lol. I'm now patiently waiting to eat, I'm fatigued and I feel a bit light headed but nothing major. Not sure how many cals I'll get in tonight but the main focus will be on protein and some fats, still going fairly low carb.
 
Sparkss said:
I know exactly what you mean about feeling "guilty" after not eating right and feeling the "need" to lift, even if the timing might not be the best. Been there, done that (more than once, I hate to admit).
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I hate it too man, but we're all human. I'm not prepping for a show or anything in particular, but I'm really invested into this process so I felt it was my duty to try and make it right...lol.
 
First meal down the hatch, just over 1,000 cals with a shake in there as well. I'll be eating again tonight, the wife's birthday cake on the counter is taunting me...must resist temptation. It's almost like I can feel the nutrients being shuttled around, I feel a bit fuller. I'm still hungry but no sense in binge eating. 16oz egg whites, 2 whole eggs, 4 slices turkey bacon (low sodium), 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 18 oz vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops Myofeed protein all went down quick. Pretty clean meal, I added a little bit of Cuban seasoning to the eggs and Tabasco sauce over everything.
 
03AUG16

Delts/Arms:

Underhand Tri Extension - Cambered Bar SS w/ Cable Rear Delt Pulls - Single Arm, No Attachment:
20 X 70/20 ea. X 20
16 X 90/20 ea. X 30
12 X 120/15 X 40
10 X 140/13 X 50
Behind The Neck BB OHP SS w/ DB Concentration Curls:
15 X Bar/15 X 20's
12 X 95/12 X 30's
7 X 115/10 X 35's
7 X 115/8 X 40's
Press Drop Set - 4ea. 10lb Plates Each Side, Max Rep Then Remove 1 Plate, Repeat Until No Plates Left - 125/105/85/65/45:
6,5,8,10,12
Decline DB Tri Extension SS w/ Side Laterals - Max Reps w/ Mini-Reds:
15 X 25's/20 X Band
10 X 35's/19 X Band
10 X 35's/16 X Band
Cable Preacher Curls SS w/ Rope Pushdown:
15 X 90/15 X 100
10 X 130/15 X 100
6.5 X 150/15 X 100
14 X 110/14.5 X 100
Rope Face Pulls SS w/ Cambered Bar Reverse Curls:
20 X 100/15 X 70
18 X 120/15 X 80
15 X 140/15 X 90
Cable Front Raise - Max Reps Burnout:
31 X 40

Good workout today, went back to down to half the max dose for CM/Noxgyen and results are consistent. At least as far as a "normal" day would go. Fasting or dropping cals significantly lower would undoubtedly have an impact, so take that statement with a grain of salt. Shorter session again, which is fine, if can get in and out in 45 mins and still feel like I went hard then I'm all for it. Roughly 1 hour in there and been home for close to 1.5 hours now. Still feeling a pump in the shoulders, tri's as well. I'm thinking mid-next week I'll bump cals down to just under 2,000 and see how it works for me. I don't think I'm losing much size, and I'm right on the edge of getting some good cuts and vascularity going...I just don't want to drop off too quick. I've adapted pretty quickly to the most recent drop, except for the fact I am ALWAYS craving sh1t food. I'm getting so sick of chicken lol...I'm gonna start gagging soon whenever it gets near my mouth. Need to switch to fish or really lean beef for a bit. Or just have breakfast every meal. I love eggs, egg whites, turkey bacon etc. Anyway, good session tonight. Great pump too.
 
Probably no gym today. Spent most of the day in London hitting the zoo and Regent's Park, walking through Camden etc. Feeling super sore out of nowhere today too. Like almost debilitatingly sore lol, so I'm upping carbs today and not really counting cals; however it's not an all out cheat day, just loosening the belt up a little to get some more nutrients in me and not be as restrictive. After walking all day I'm sure it won't hurt that much. I see myself doing an extensive SMR session later, my lats, traps, neck, and shoulders are super tight. I need to get one of those Monster Balls or something of the sort for some TPT. It's been 11 days since I took a rest day, no wonder I'm feeling beat up.
 
"Ammonia has a strong, pungent odor that is easily recognizable in cleaning products, cat urine, and, for some people, sweat! The key to ammonia in urine and sweat is the nitrogen. The only macronutrient in your body that contains nitrogen is amino acids, the building blocks of protein"

This makes ALOT of sense now...for the past 2 weeks I've noticed a somewhat pungent odor from my sweat. I mean, it never smells good but 7 months in the Middle East NEVER had me smelling like that so I had to look it up. I'm now confident that my body's saturation of the "pump promoting" nitrates is sufficient. hairygrandpa the proof is the in the...uh...sweat? Lol


Anyway, here's today's session.

5AUG16

Chest/Back:

Activation:
Cable Flyes - Angle Shoulder @ Different Postions Throughout Movement:
50 X 20
Lat Pulldown - Switch Between Regular/Behind The Neck Periodically:
50 X 55

Decline BB Press SS w/ Wide Grip Pull-ups:
12 X 135/15 X BW
9 X 225/13 X BW
8 X 225/11 X BW
7 X 225/9 X BW
5 X 245/5 X BW
Wide Grip Deficit Deads SS w/ Incline DB Hex Press:
10 X 135/20 X 35's
8 X 225/17 X 45's
1.5 X 315/11 X 55's
1 X 315/9 X 60's
Pendlay Rows SS w/ CYBEX Incline Press Machine:
10 X 225 (More like 10 singles)/20 X 90
8 X 225/15 X 170 (RP After 7 Reps)
7 X 225/8 X 210 (RP After 4 Reps)
Weighted Dips SS w/ Lat Pulldowns - Underhand Grip:
13 X BW+20/15 X 130
10 X BW+20/11.5 X 175
11 X BW+20/5 X 205 (+3 RP)
6 X BW+20, 6 X BW/15 X 100
Standing Mid Row - Cambered Bar, Underhand SS w/ Pec Deck:
18 X 120/30 X 55
17 X 150/21 X 100
17 X 150/18 X 100

Pendlay rows sucked. Felt great middle back activation and the extra core work, particularly bracing, isn't a bad thing. Wide grip on the deads was something I've been meaning to try for a while. It made it harder, for sure, but I'm not sure if there'll be much carryover into the regular deadlift. Should help add some thickness around the traps, rhomboids, posterior delts, etc. Good pump today. Probably a tad dehydrated, spent a few hours at the beach today, on top of that was a little over 3 hours of driving round-trip. We were supposed to go to Wales but it's forecasted to rain all weekend and most of our trip would revolve around hiking and being outdoors. Felt like the extra carbs from yesterday did me some good, I also just felt refreshed and overall "feel good" today. Weight is at 188.5 as of the end of my workout. Keep in mind I drank close to 70oz of water in the time I was there and I've also eaten so it may be a little lower than that. Here's some updated shots from the back, feeling pretty good and excited to see how far I can push myself.

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I don't know why but my arms look like they lose all definition when viewed from the back like that...I do know that my posing needs a lot of work if I ever wanna compete.
 
Awesome back definition! You are really killing it!

I know that ammonia smell, had it when working out 15 years ago, but not now.
It's stubborn and you can't get it out of your gym clothing.
 
^^^this^^^

I haven't posted in a while, but you're killing it Sparks!
 
hairygrandpa said:
Awesome back definition! You are really killing it!

I know that ammonia smell, had it when working out 15 years ago, but not now.
It's stubborn and you can't get it out of your gym clothing.
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jalfrey said:
^^^this^^^

I haven't posted in a while, but you're killing it Sparks!
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BEAST73 said:
sparks2012, Looking Good.. Bro
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Sparkss said:
awesome shape bro. Keep killin it!
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You guys are too kind. I appreciate the support, keeps me motivated and on track! I've still got work to do, journey is nowhere near over!
 
hairygrandpa I know the supplement game has changed drastically in the last 6 years, let alone 15. Were you taking anything, if you can remember, that may have had an impact on that?
 
sparks2012 said:
hairygrandpa I know the supplement game has changed drastically in the last 6 years, let alone 15. Were you taking anything, if you can remember, that may have had an impact on that?
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I already used whey, creatine and those enormous amino-pills that came in a tin can, LOL.
My protein intake could have been a bit low and catabolic processes were the factor.

This was in 2002 when I stank like ammonia, LOL I had still hair on my head!!!

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hairygrandpa said:
I already used whey, creatine and those enormous amino-pills that came in a tin can, LOL.
My protein intake could have been a bit low and catabolic processes were the factor.

This was in 2002 when I stank like ammonia, LOL I had still hair on my head!!!

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Lol probably amino tabs derived from beef liver? Is so, Animal/Universal Nutrition still sell them.

It could also be the effect of a somewhat catabolic state, my protein intake is between 190-220g ED, which meets or exceeds 1g/lb of BW. But I know that being in a deficit isn't exactly anabolic either. I feel sorry for you and and anyone around you if you were drinking that god awful protein from that time lmao

Time has done you well, my friend! Packed on some serious size!
 
sparks2012 said:
Lol probably amino tabs derived from beef liver? Is so, Animal/Universal Nutrition still sell them.

It could also be the effect of a somewhat catabolic state, my protein intake is between 190-220g ED, which meets or exceeds 1g/lb of BW. But I know that being in a deficit isn't exactly anabolic either. I feel sorry for you and and anyone around you if you were drinking that god awful protein from that time lmao

Time has done you well, my friend! Packed on some serious size!
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YES! LOL It was Universal Nutrition!
I even tried a dried egg powder back than, this was soooo bad, you can't imagine. It made me fart constantly and the smell was burning my eyes.

There is still an ongoing debate over daily protein needs and if you look at the studies, nowadays they say around 0.65g/lb is sufficient but mostly it isn't specified if they mean lb= total body weight or lb=lean body mass. What you are doing, about 1g/lb BW seems sound and is what I'm consuming too.
 
hairygrandpa said:
YES! LOL It was Universal Nutrition!
I even tried a dried egg powder back than, this was soooo bad, you can't imagine. It made me fart constantly and the smell was burning my eyes.

There is still an ongoing debate over daily protein needs and if you look at the studies, nowadays they say around 0.65g/lb is sufficient but mostly it isn't specified if they mean lb= total body weight or lb=lean body mass. What you are doing, about 1g/lb BW seems sound and is what I'm consuming too.
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Lmao powder eggs? I've seen something like that, basically prison food. Mix it with water and heat it up and you magically have "scrambled eggs". Those are bad enough, couldn't imagine drinking it down. But yes, I've also seen studies that suggest that the 0.65g/lb range is sufficient, but I can't remember if it was lb/BW r lb/LBM either...anyway, everything seems to be working for now so no sense in changing it up.
 
6AUG16

Legs:

BB Back Squat - Close Stance, 6 sec. Up/6 sec. Down:
15 X 135 - Slow Tempo, Pace Not Counted
6 X 185
6 X 205
5 X 225 - Failure
3 X 225
5 X 185
Unilateral Sled Press SS w/ Lunges - Holding 25lb Plate, Max Tension On Quad, Lean In To The Movement:
20 X 1 PPS/20 ea.
18 X 2 PPS/15 ea.
10 X 3 PPS/12 ea.
10 X 3 PPS/10 ea.
Single Leg DB SLDL's SS w/ Extensions:
10 X 40 ea./20 X 150
10 X 40 ea./17 X 190
10 X 40 ea./15 X 230
10 X 40 ea./14 X 230
Lying Leg Curl Burnout - Max Reps:
20 X 90

Very short session today. The overall intensity made up for that though. Pump is consistent, which is a great marker on how productive the session was for me. It was one of those gut wrenching, sweat pouring, light headed after almost very set session. I'm starving, need to find food but I don't feel like cooking. The struggle.
 
7AUG16

Delts/Arms:

Activation:
CYBEX Tri Extension Machine:
20 X 50 X 2
Standing DB OHP:
25 X 25's
Standing DB Curls:
15 X 15's/15 X 15's - Hammer Curls

Cable Curls - Straight Bar SS w/ Cable Front Raises:
40 X 50/20 X 40
24 X 90/17 X 50
12 X 130/15 X 60
Incline DB Skullcrushers - Underhand SS w/ Seated Rear Delt Raises:
20 X 20's/30 X 15's
16 X 30's/20 X 25's
12 X 40's/16 X 35's
Standing DB Curls SS w/ Seated Arnold Press:
16 X 30's/10 X 35's
11 X 40's/8 X 45's
8 X 50's/4 X 60's
Press Burnout - Standing Alt. DB OHP, Hit Failure Then Rest Pause Pressing Both @ Same Time Until Failure:
10 ea. Alternating X 35's, +5 RP To Failure
Tri Set:
Rope Pusdowns, Seated Machine Preacher Curls, Reverse Pec Deck:
20 X 90/12 X 100/30 X 40
14 X 110/12 X 100/18 X 70
12 X 140/12 X 100/18 X 70


So-so session. Seems like every other delt/arm session isn't the best. Still got in there and put in work, rather short one again but I felt like I did what I needed to do. Maybe it's a lack of variety that's making me feel like they aren't productive. Still had a good pump, tried to stay in a higher rep range, which helped the pump too. Shoulders felt great on the pressing, I'll admit I do miss trying to go as heavy as I can and having them as the main mover in my Delt workout. Couple more weeks of prioritising raises and I'll throw more presses back in. Rear delts look like they're finally starting grow, so there is progress even if I don't feel like there is all the time.
 
08AUG16

Chest/Back:

Decline BB Press SS w/ Neutral Grip Pull-ups:
15 X Bar/15 X BW
20 X 135/12 X BW
10 X 225/10 X BW
Pendlay Rows SS w/ Flat DB Press - Feet Up:
8 X 225/10 X 90's
8 X 225/8 X 100's
8 X 225/5 X 100's
Seated Cable Rows - Neutral Grip SS w/ CYBEX Incline Press Machine - Handles Pushed Together Entire ROM:
20 X 70/15 X 90
18 X 115/12 X 130
12 X 170/8 X 170
Cable Pulley Flyes - Handles In Different Position Each Set SS w/ Weighted Chins:
15 X 30/10 X BW+25
12 X 50/10 X BW+45
11 X 50/4 (+2 RP) X BW+65
Straight Arm Pulldown SS w/ Incline DB Hex Press:
20 X 50/15 X 40's
18 X 80/10 X 45's
13 X 100/20 X 25's - Max Tension
Wide Grip Pull-up SS w/ Push-ups - Max Reps:
12 X /26 X
9 X /20 X

Don't know what the hell happened today but I felt like a monster in the gym. Weight was moving, contractions were felt, pump was great. Didn't change much as far as PWO nutrition goes. I dropped cals to 1900/day with a 40/30/30 macro breakdown, but I still had around 30-40g carbs before the session. I kept rest periods short, it was more of a circuit than traditional supersets. Really liking the Pendlay Rows, 225 felt better on those today than last session. Another win for today was that I had 1/4 of a pizza and didn't break macros or cals, dieting isn't all that bad

Obviously there's better choices for carbs and nutrient density but I needed a break from that God d**m chicken. I stocked up on Bison and Turkey burgers, pretty good nutrient profile and macro balance. Still lean meats as well, was looking at the tilapia but the price for what you get was higher than I want, even for the bagged and frozen fillets.
 
sparks2012 said:
08AUG16

Chest/Back:

Decline BB Press SS w/ Neutral Grip Pull-ups:
15 X Bar/15 X BW
20 X 135/12 X BW
10 X 225/10 X BW
Pendlay Rows SS w/ Flat DB Press - Feet Up:
8 X 225/10 X 90's
8 X 225/8 X 100's
8 X 225/5 X 100's
Seated Cable Rows - Neutral Grip SS w/ CYBEX Incline Press Machine - Handles Pushed Together Entire ROM:
20 X 70/15 X 90
18 X 115/12 X 130
12 X 170/8 X 170
Cable Pulley Flyes - Handles In Different Position Each Set SS w/ Weighted Chins:
15 X 30/10 X BW+25
12 X 50/10 X BW+45
11 X 50/4 (+2 RP) X BW+65
Straight Arm Pulldown SS w/ Incline DB Hex Press:
20 X 50/15 X 40's
18 X 80/10 X 45's
13 X 100/20 X 25's - Max Tension
Wide Grip Pull-up SS w/ Push-ups - Max Reps:
12 X /26 X
9 X /20 X

Don't know what the hell happened today but I felt like a monster in the gym. Weight was moving, contractions were felt, pump was great. Didn't change much as far as PWO nutrition goes. I dropped cals to 1900/day with a 40/30/30 macro breakdown, but I still had around 30-40g carbs before the session. I kept rest periods short, it was more of a circuit than traditional supersets. Really liking the Pendlay Rows, 225 felt better on those today than last session. Another win for today was that I had 1/4 of a pizza and didn't break macros or cals, dieting isn't all that bad

Obviously there's better choices for carbs and nutrient density but I needed a break from that God d**m chicken. I stocked up on Bison and Turkey burgers, pretty good nutrient profile and macro balance. Still lean meats as well, was looking at the tilapia but the price for what you get was higher than I want, even for the bagged and frozen fillets.
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i think i have used everything thing possible for chicken. almost tempted to throw acid on a piece lol
 
smith_69 said:
i think i have used everything thing possible for chicken. almost tempted to throw acid on a piece lol
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Same here bro, only thing I haven't done is boiled and then shredded it. I'm almost at the point where I'm gagging when I eat it. Still got about 5lbs in the freezer too. I think acid would take our minds off the chicken though
 
I have been using protein bars to add in "solid" nutrients. Been using the Quest bars primarily, but the "best protein bar" thread here on AM (Invalid Link Removed) turned me on to the Grenade bars. I ordered some and they should be here tomorrow (could not find any locally).
 
Sparkss said:
I have been using protein bars to add in "solid" nutrients. Been using the Quest bars primarily, but the "best protein bar" thread here on AM (Invalid Link Removed) turned me on to the Grenade bars. I ordered some and they should be here tomorrow (could not find any locally).
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I'm a huge fan of bars, they're quick and easy and fairly clean. I always grab 4-5 if I'll be driving for any duration. Much better than stopping off at some fast food chain. I haven't tried the Grenade bars, but I'm a fan of MP Combat Crunch bars (I think that's what they're called), Met-RX "Big 100's", Quest because they have so many flavors, PowerBar has a lot of good flavors with good protein in them too. B-Up has some okay-ish bars, and one of my favs is Supreme "Peanutbutter & Jelly". That's one I go for any time they have it.
 
I am actually a bit of a protein bar snob :). I start my search at the nutrient profile, then work my way into flavors that I like. I don't care how good they taste if the profile includes a lot of garbage or artificial sweeteners. I have tried a few of the ones you listed and liked them for the most part. Just trying to expand my arsenal for intake. You actually have a few more options for the Carb Killa (Grenade) bars there in the UK. Makes me jealous :)
 
Sparkss said:
I am actually a bit of a protein bar snob :). I start my search at the nutrient profile, then work my way into flavors that I like. I don't care how good they taste if the profile includes a lot of garbage or artificial sweeteners. I have tried a few of the ones you listed and liked them for the most part. Just trying to expand my arsenal for intake. You actually have a few more options for the Carb Killa (Grenade) bars there in the UK. Makes me jealous :)
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Up until I started tracking my cals and macros, the only nutritional content I looked for was protein. I didn't care if it had 600g dextrose if I could get 40g protein from it. Now that I'm a little wiser on that front, I look at ALOT of other things when it comes to pretty much any food now. Sodium is a silent killer as well, I never realised how much sodium I was eating. You also learn that stuff you thought was healthy really isn't that healthy at all. For instance, Hillshire Farms Kielbasa or Smoked Sausage; you'd think it'd be a great source of protein? Wrong. Like 6g per serving (7 servings in one whole package, with at least 500-600mg sodium per serving, way more fat than you'd expect as well) so it's not worth it. I used to eat it a lot thinking that all meat products we created equal. Not even close. That tenacity has carried over into looking at protein bars and pretty much anything else. My wife gets annoyed when I tell her the nutritional info of whatever she's eating...lmao I'll just whisper to her that it has way too much sodium.

As far as the Carb Killa's go, what site had you looked you for them on? I don't use many British sites as the currency conversion (even after the "Brexit") is still a bit harsh.
 
I was talking about this flavor, and I found it on Amazon.UK and a few other UK based sites (plus from the manufacturer directly).

It may be a shipping thing. When my Caramel Chaos bars showed up today they were packed in a cooler bag lined box (from Amazon US). So maybe the chocolate mint has even stricter shipping requirements.

The Solution said:
Dark Choc Mint Grenade
Someone posted these on another forum:

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A cool after eight
This chocolate mint flavour will win most people’s taste buds with its after eight creme in the centre. The creme doesn’t make the bar sticky. It’s also not overly sweet, achieving a good balance with the chocolate and the mint creme.

Crunchy and soft
Like other carb killa bars, the chocolate mint is a crunchy bar. It’s crispies on top give good contrast from the soft creme in the centre. The bar isn’t too soft nor hard to chew. It could be crumbly like the actual after eights, but they found a good balance in the consistency of the bar.
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09AUG16

Legs:

BB Back Squats - Close Stance:
15 X Bar
12 X 135
10 X 205
8 X 205
3 X 315
3 X 315
3 X 315
8 X 225
8 X 225
8 X 225
Sled Press SS w/ Leg Extensions - Hold Peak 3-4 sec.:
15 X 3 PPS/15 X 130
12 X 5 PPS/12 X 170
8 X 7 PPS/12 X 210
8 X 7 PPS/10.5 X 210
8 X 7 PPS/10 X 210
Single Leg DB SLDL's SS w/ DB Sumo Squats:
12 ea. X 50/15 X 75
10 ea. X 60/15 X 75
8 ea. X 70/15 X 75
Sled Press - High Stance, Only Heels On Platform, Drive Through Heels For Max Hamstring Activation SS w/ Lying Hamstring Curls - Max Effort:
20 X 1 PPS/8 X 150
12 X 3 PPS/7 X 150
12 X 3 PPS/5.5 X 150
12 X 3 PPS/15 X 90
Tri-Set -
Sled Calf Press, Rope Cable Crunches, Hanging Knee Raises:
15 X 3 PPS/20 X 150/20 X BW
15 X 3 PPS/20 X 150/20 X BW
15 X 3 PPS/20 X 150/20 X BW


Really good session today, I've missed going heavy on legs, well "heavy" is a relative term; 315 is reallll light for some guys. Busted that sh1t out today though. Felt great, if you consider great feeling you're gonna pass out or throw up. I've come to realise that legs is one of those groups where you've gotta ruck up and suck up to make any kind of progress. I think in the last month and a half I made more progress with them than training lazily for 8 months prior. I was in and out pretty quick today, just over an hour with the ab work too. I like the feel of doing the heavy top sets, then doing 3-5 back off sets in a more hypertrophy-style to reap benefits of both sides of the fence. Also, bison burgers are amazing. Just what I needed to switch it up from chicken...turkey burgers aren't bad either. Had one with the egg whites for breakfast and 2 bison burgers on a Bagel-Thin post-workout. Has a tad higher fat content but I can adjust the rest of the day around that as long as I'm not eating chicken for a little bit lol. Really enjoyed today's session, I'll take the trade off of poor delt/arm sessions if it means I can get a kicka$$ leg session in every time.
 
Sparkss said:
I was talking about this flavor, and I found it on Amazon.UK and a few other UK based sites (plus from the manufacturer directly).

It may be a shipping thing. When my Caramel Chaos bars showed up today they were packed in a cooler bag lined box (from Amazon US). So maybe the chocolate mint has even stricter shipping requirements.
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Dude these look so good. I'm still hungry after my double bison burger lol...I think some grenade bars are on the list for my next order.
 
sparks2012 said:
Dude these look so good. I'm still hungry after my double bison burger lol...I think some grenade bars are on the list for my next order.
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lmao- i just cooked 2 lbs of bison last night for work this week. love the stuff. little sloppy joe mix, throw in some chicken (def changes the chick routine ;o) ) and your good to go
 
smith_69 said:
lmao- i just cooked 2 lbs of bison last night for work this week. love the stuff. little sloppy joe mix, throw in some chicken (def changes the chick routine ;o) ) and your good to go
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I think you're on to something here, smith. I've got SJ mix and taco seasoning. Turn the patties into ground bison and shred up some chicken and I've got myself a Tex-Mex from heaven!
 
Incoming insulin bomb, had a couple doughnuts from the Dunkin' truck that comes around every so often with breakfast. I'm a sucker for maple flavored anything. About to put it to good use on a delt/arm session in a few.
 
sparks2012 said:
Incoming insulin bomb, had a couple doughnuts from the Dunkin' truck that comes around every so often with breakfast. I'm a sucker for maple flavored anything. About to put it to good use on a delt/arm session in a few.
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10AUG16

Delts/Arms:

Rope Face Pulls SS w/ Rope Pushdown:
30 X 60/25 X 60
22 X 90/16 X 110
18 X 110/10 X 140
10 X 140/8 X 140
Seated DB Arnold Press SS w/ DB Cross Body Curls:
12 X 35's/12 X 25
10 X 40's/12 X 30
9 X 45's/10 X 35
7 X 50's/10 X 40
4.5 X 60's/7 X 45
Underhand Tricep Pushdowns - Cambered Bar SS w/ Cable Upright Rows - Cambered Bar:
20 X 100/20 X 70
15 X 120/20 X 90
12 X 130/15 X 120
11 X 140/12 X 140
CYBEX Rear Delt Row SS w/ Single Arm OH DB Tri Extensions:
20 X 30/12 X 30
15 X 50/8 X 40
10 X 70/6 X 40
10 X 70/15 X 25
Side Laterals - 10lb Plate, Top 1/2 ROM, Hold @ Peak SS w/ Cambered Bar Cable Curls:
15 X 10lb/20 X 90
15 X 10lb/20 X 90
15 X 10lb/20 X 90
15 X 10lb/10 X 90 - Failure, 15 X 50 - Failure
Seated Calf Raises SS w/ Hanging Knee Raises:
20 X 2 Plates/20 X BW
18 X 2 Plates/20 X BW
16 X 2 Plates/20 X BW
Vacuums:
4 X 15 sec. At Home


Had a really good, intense, and short session today. Apparently the key to me having a good delt/arm day is donuts. Note noted. Lol I do feel a bit "ashamed" if you will that I had 4 of them today. There's not much room for error on 1900 cals/day. For all intents and purposes, the extra carbs did their job and I think I put them to good use, all were consumed before training with the exception of a bagel-thin with my post workout meal. I'm still showing progress as far as leaning out goes. Woke up and felt flat as hell but I had striations in both delts, not just separation between the heads but actual striations. I'm SOOOO close to having more veins pop out on the bi's and front delts/chest. Another week or so on this calorie plunge and I should be good. I'm really liking the Arnold presses during a cut, can't press what I used to being on a surplus with standard presses so these make the lighter weights feel more productive. Had a nice pump after 5 sets of those, with an attempted 6th @ 140lbs total. I've also been doing presses unsupported, as in no chair to lean back into or anything. I feel that this has A.) made me more comfortable with handling weight as the stabilisers have gotten stronger since doing this B.) overall shoulder health has improved due to a short-term break in the strength curve resulting in a "rewiring" of motor patterns. Sure, it sucks not slinging 80+ lb DB's up and pressing them, but now I can feel the delts working more than ever. I believe it's had a sizeable carryover into chest pressing stability and strength as well. I'm handling 100lb-ers for 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps on a cut. I wasn't hitting that before I started, my shoulders were always too cranky to get under the weight for an extended duration. The vacuums are interesting to say the least. Didn't even know about the TVA muscle. It's in Lehman's terms basically a "weight belt" of muscle that keeps your organs and all that happy stuff in place. Vacuums are extremely effective at targeting that muscle, so that's just another benefit to those. They're harder than I thought when they're performed correctly. Holding your breath for 15 sec. while you're trying to keep everything tight while also having no breath to hold is almost a workout in itself. I can see them easily being added in as routine "exercise" to do when I get up. We'll soon see if they have a carryover to lifts which I rely heavily on the valsalva technique to help keep internal pressure steady.
 
Pre-workout donuts, LOL. Tried doing vacuums when in public, makes me looking for a restroom after a few attempts. Good colon stimulation.
 
hairygrandpa said:
Pre-workout donuts, LOL. Tried doing vacuums when in public, makes me looking for a restroom after a few attempts. Good colon stimulation.
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lol I can see how they'd have that effect. You're pushing everything even closer together, if one of them is full you're gonna have a bad time.
 
11AUG16

Chest/Back:

Incline BB Press SS w/ DB Rows:
20 X Bar/15 X 45
10 X 185/10 X 70
6 X 205/10 X 85
6 X 205/8 X 100
3 X 225/10 X 100
Incline Finisher - Incline Press 3 sec Neg/3 sec Pause:
5 X 185
Decline DB Press SS w/ Weighted Pull-ups - Neutral Shoulder Width Grip:
15 X 65's/12 X BW+45
12 X 75's/9 X BW+55
6 X 80's/7 X BW+55
6 X 80's - Failure/5 (+1 RP) X BW+25 - Hold 3 sec @ Peak
Straight Arm Pulldowns SS w/ CYBEX Flat Press Machine - Handles Pushed Together:
10 X 80/15 X 90
10 X 100/10 X 130
8 X 120/7 X 130
Single Arm Cable Pulldowns SS w/ Dips - Focus On Pec Minor:
12 X 40/10 X BW
10 X 70/10 X BW
10 X 70/9 X BW
Bent Over Smith Rows SS w/ Pec Deck:
12 X 1 PPS/12 X 115
10 X 1 PPS/10 X 115

Vacuums:
4 X 15 sec Each


Super pumped after this one. Once again, I wasn't in there too long. Total of maybe 80 mins, closer to 70 if anything. I like how much quicker I'm unconsciously making these workouts. That shows me that I'm getting more in tune with my body and how it's reacting more than ever, and pushing myself harder with less rest. hairygrandpa this could be of some use to you in your discussion with HIT4ME as far as training principles go...I wouldn't go as far as to say that I'm following Mentzer. Yates, etc. training theories but I am using them in a relative sense. Less rest, more sets to "failure" - keep I mind I don't have a training partner so true failure (eccentric, static, and concentric) cannot be reached safely or effectively. I do however use more TUT, pauses, RP sets, etc to add intensity and still keep sessions somewhat short and the workload dense yet effective. Strength on back and chest exercises aren't suffering dramatically during this cut. I'm pretty happy with that. Nothing really to note today. Gonna enjoy some egg whites and a turkey burger, still feel like beating myself up a bit after yesterday's donut escapade lol.
 
sparks2012 said:
11AUG16

Chest/Back:

Incline BB Press SS w/ DB Rows:
20 X Bar/15 X 45
10 X 185/10 X 70
6 X 205/10 X 85
6 X 205/8 X 100
3 X 225/10 X 100
Incline Finisher - Incline Press 3 sec Neg/3 sec Pause:
5 X 185
Decline DB Press SS w/ Weighted Pull-ups - Neutral Shoulder Width Grip:
15 X 65's/12 X BW+45
12 X 75's/9 X BW+55
6 X 80's/7 X BW+55
6 X 80's - Failure/5 (+1 RP) X BW+25 - Hold 3 sec @ Peak
Straight Arm Pulldowns SS w/ CYBEX Flat Press Machine - Handles Pushed Together:
10 X 80/15 X 90
10 X 100/10 X 130
8 X 120/7 X 130
Single Arm Cable Pulldowns SS w/ Dips - Focus On Pec Minor:
12 X 40/10 X BW
10 X 70/10 X BW
10 X 70/9 X BW
Bent Over Smith Rows SS w/ Pec Deck:
12 X 1 PPS/12 X 115
10 X 1 PPS/10 X 115

Vacuums:
4 X 15 sec Each


Super pumped after this one. Once again, I wasn't in there too long. Total of maybe 80 mins, closer to 70 if anything. I like how much quicker I'm unconsciously making these workouts. That shows me that I'm getting more in tune with my body and how it's reacting more than ever, and pushing myself harder with less rest. hairygrandpa this could be of some use to you in your discussion with HIT4ME as far as training principles go...I wouldn't go as far as to say that I'm following Mentzer. Yates, etc. training theories but I am using them in a relative sense. Less rest, more sets to "failure" - keep I mind I don't have a training partner so true failure (eccentric, static, and concentric) cannot be reached safely or effectively. I do however use more TUT, pauses, RP sets, etc to add intensity and still keep sessions somewhat short and the workload dense yet effective. Strength on back and chest exercises aren't suffering dramatically during this cut. I'm pretty happy with that. Nothing really to note today. Gonna enjoy some egg whites and a turkey burger, still feel like beating myself up a bit after yesterday's donut escapade lol.
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Great workout man. Sorry I've been missing out on this!

Training density is definitely an intensity factor that is overlooked a lot. You have a lot of sets for my standards, but if you are getting better every workout or so, who can complain?

Training to absolute failure is tough. Even with a training partner, they can interfere sometimes if they help too much or not enough. It takes a while to click with someone to the point where you trust they know what's going down so that you don't doubt and abort, but know they won't help more than necessary so you push as hard as you can while they are helping and don't put too much on them. I've only found that in one partner and unfortunately he lacked the motivation to be consistent. When he showed up it was great.
 
Rest pause sets get you closer to "true failure", IMHO.
Nice workout!
Don't know if I missed it,
what is your verdict on "pump supplements mixes"? Any favorite mixture?
 
HIT4ME said:
Great workout man. Sorry I've been missing out on this!

Training density is definitely an intensity factor that is overlooked a lot. You have a lot of sets for my standards, but if you are getting better every workout or so, who can complain?

Training to absolute failure is tough. Even with a training partner, they can interfere sometimes if they help too much or not enough. It takes a while to click with someone to the point where you trust they know what's going down so that you don't doubt and abort, but know they won't help more than necessary so you push as hard as you can while they are helping and don't put too much on them. I've only found that in one partner and unfortunately he lacked the motivation to be consistent. When he showed up it was great.
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Thanks man! And I do agree that finding a partner that's in there for the same thing is tough. No BS'ing around, just straight iron therapy that's balls to the wall as quick as you can get your session done. I've also only really had 1 partner that was consistent, showed the same intensity, and only helped when I absolutely needed it. Since then I've been cruising solo.
 
sparks2012 said:
Thanks man! And I do agree that finding a partner that's in there for the same thing is tough. No BS'ing around, just straight iron therapy that's balls to the wall as quick as you can get your session done. I've also only really had 1 partner that was consistent, showed the same intensity, and only helped when I absolutely needed it. Since then I've been cruising solo.
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If you are in New England, maybe we should talk since HGP isn't coming anytime soon...haha
 
hairygrandpa said:
Rest pause sets get you closer to "true failure", IMHO.
Nice workout!
Don't know if I missed it,
what is your verdict on "pump supplements mixes"? Any favorite mixture?
Click to expand...

I've been using RP's more often, they're on par with partials for me. I love to use them both, but partials aren't always safe and generally a full rep is more productive than a 1/2 or 1/4, but then there's he variable of continuous tension vs racking it for 10 seconds and getting a short break, I digress. I love them, and they've found a deserving place in my training style.

And the verdict for the pump supps, I was actually about to post that later tonight lol but I'll do it early for you HG.

IMO, the CitMal is a basic and efficient precursor to a good pump. I had good pumps using it mixed with a normal PWO. So, I will continue to use that on conjunction with my other stuff until I place another order soon. Noxygen and Condense by Purus are both great products. Condense is one of the cleanest PWO's I've used, even with 2 scooping it and having coffee earlier in the day I had no energy crash or that cracked out feeling. It was strong, mind you, but it was clean. Something you don't see often. Noxygen is a decent product, it's also relatively cheap, same price range as CitMal, so stacking that with other supps wouldn't be a bad idea. Pumps were good on that mixed with PWO, but didn't last as long as when paired with the CitMal. I don't know what I'll order next, probably the new Hemovol from iFN and hopefully some of that Zeus Juice if Nutra gets it on the market soon. If not, I'll give some stuff by Controlled Labs a try. There's a million and one PWO and pump supps I want to try. There probably won't be a solid verdict in my eyes until I can see what products work well, and what ingredients are the same in the products that I do like so that I can hopefully narrow it down to certain ingredients that work. Right now CitMal is staying on said list.
 
sparks2012 said:
I've been using RP's more often, they're on par with partials for me. I love to use them both, but partials aren't always safe and generally a full rep is more productive than a 1/2 or 1/4, but then there's he variable of continuous tension vs racking it for 10 seconds and getting a short break, I digress. I love them, and they've found a deserving place in my training style.

And the verdict for the pump supps, I was actually about to post that later tonight lol but I'll do it early for you HG.

IMO, the CitMal is a basic and efficient precursor to a good pump. I had good pumps using it mixed with a normal PWO. So, I will continue to use that on conjunction with my other stuff until I place another order soon. Noxygen and Condense by Purus are both great products. Condense is one of the cleanest PWO's I've used, even with 2 scooping it and having coffee earlier in the day I had no energy crash or that cracked out feeling. It was strong, mind you, but it was clean. Something you don't see often. Noxygen is a decent product, it's also relatively cheap, same price range as CitMal, so stacking that with other supps wouldn't be a bad idea. Pumps were good on that mixed with PWO, but didn't last as long as when paired with the CitMal. I don't know what I'll order next, probably the new Hemovol from iFN and hopefully some of that Zeus Juice if Nutra gets it on the market soon. If not, I'll give some stuff by Controlled Labs a try. There's a million and one PWO and pump supps I want to try. There probably won't be a solid verdict in my eyes until I can see what products work well, and what ingredients are the same in the products that I do like so that I can hopefully narrow it down to certain ingredients that work. Right now CitMal is staying on said list.
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Thank you for the effort you've putting into it!
Your research results are somewhat disappointing, as I used Citrulline Malate in the past.
I was hoping you would find something more spectacular, LOL. Our search continues, will invest some money to start my own pump-chaser project, alleviating your work. Any idea what I could try that you had in mind too?
 
hairygrandpa said:
Thank you for the effort you've putting into it!
Your research results are somewhat disappointing, as I used Citrulline Malate in the past.
I was hoping you would find something more spectacular, LOL. Our search continues, will invest some money to start my own pump-chaser project, alleviating your work. Any idea what I could try that you had in mind too?
Click to expand...

HGP, have you tried arginase inhibitors to aid in your pump product effectiveness? Norvaline, Ornithine, resveratrol all come to mind.
 
hairygrandpa said:
Thank you for the effort you've putting into it!
Your research results are somewhat disappointing, as I used Citrulline Malate in the past.
I was hoping you would find something more spectacular, LOL. Our search continues, will invest some money to start my own pump-chaser project, alleviating your work. Any idea what I could try that you had in mind too?
Click to expand...

Oohhhh, a team effort! I like that. I'd have to look and see what's next on my list to be exact. Will continue to research and I'll let you know a list of products I intend to try. I know PES High Volume is on my list for sure, I've seen ALOT of good things on it. The masses can't be wrong, or can they???
 
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