GP’s Old Man With A Plan Log

[gphagan1]

Got off last year for about 10 weeks and was miserable. Didn't realize how much outside the gym it effected me. Never again will I be off

Yeah man I have no desire to be off TRT…. I feel too good to risk throwing a monkey wrench into things.

 

[Dustin07]

the scenery is amazing there in the Spring.

even on those days I'm feeling tired I just remind myself that if I make to the gym to lift the management will probably pump in some yoga pants through the hvac to make the visit worth it.

 

[gphagan1]

4/20/2026
Monday
Stretches
Warmups
Rotator Cuff
McLeod Flys

Bench 5-3-1
165 x 5
185 x 5
215 x 10 (only because it felt too light to stop at 5)
Spoto Bench
215 x 5, 5

HS Incline Bench Machine
205 x 10
210 x 10, 10

CG Bench
175 x 10
185 x 10, 10
205 x 10

Side Laterals
30s x 10, 10, 10

Cybex Tri Extension Machine
3 x 10

Started 5-3-1 today, and man those weights are extremely light. I think I figured my max too light at 275, but I’m going to trust the process. I know as the weights go up this slow progression will be beneficial, especially to prevent injury, and as it progresses it will get more challenging. But I’ve done 5/3/1 numerous times, and it always feels light in the beginning. I did add a couple of sets of Spoto bench which did help, and I also did my usual accessories volume, just so I would feel like I got a halfway decent workout in. Hyde got me to thinking about Spoto bench in Smont’s workout, so it felt like the perfect addition to bench work.
I plan on upper back/ biceps tomorrow, legs Wednesday, and Overhead Press 5-3-1 with more upper body work either Thursday or Friday.
As the weights go up on the 5-3-1 days I will adjust my accessory work accordingly and just get a feel for what to do, so I don’t overwork my shoulders mainly.
I’ve actually mainly been doing a version of Boring But Big in my workouts since starting back last year. And that is of course one that Wendler added to 5/3/1, but I really liked the volume so that’s why I just did it as my main workout over the last year. Of course since it was my main workout that’s why I used higher percentages than Wendler recommends with 5/3/1. Last year was mainly about getting back in shape, and getting some size back, I also enjoyed some strength returning. But the rest of this year I really want to get my bench at least back to 315, and then we’ll see after that.

 

[akboom87]

4/20/2026
Monday
Stretches
Warmups
Rotator Cuff
McLeod Flys

Bench 5-3-1
165 x 5
185 x 5
215 x 10 (only because it felt too light to stop at 5)
Spoto Bench
215 x 5, 5

HS Incline Bench Machine
205 x 10
210 x 10, 10

CG Bench
175 x 10
185 x 10, 10
205 x 10

Side Laterals
30s x 10, 10, 10

Cybex Tri Extension Machine
3 x 10

Started 5-3-1 today, and man those weights are extremely light. I think I figured my max too light at 275, but I’m going to trust the process. I know as the weights go up this slow progression will be beneficial, especially to prevent injury, and as it progresses it will get more challenging. But I’ve done 5/3/1 numerous times, and it always feels light in the beginning. I did add a couple of sets of Spoto bench which did help, and I also did my usual accessories volume, just so I would feel like I got a halfway decent workout in. Hyde got me to thinking about Spoto bench in Smont’s workout, so it felt like the perfect addition to bench work.
I plan on upper back/ biceps tomorrow, legs Wednesday, and Overhead Press 5-3-1 with more upper body work either Thursday or Friday.
As the weights go up on the 5-3-1 days I will adjust my accessory work accordingly and just get a feel for what to do, so I don’t overwork my shoulders mainly.
I’ve actually mainly been doing a version of Boring But Big in my workouts since starting back last year. And that is of course one that Wendler added to 5/3/1, but I really liked the volume so that’s why I just did it as my main workout over the last year. Of course since it was my main workout that’s why I used higher percentages than Wendler recommends with 5/3/1. Last year was mainly about getting back in shape, and getting some size back, I also enjoyed some strength returning. But the rest of this year I really want to get my bench at least back to 315, and then we’ll see after that.

Awesome session and excited to see the progress on 5/3/1!!

 

[Segansational]

Oh wow, I didn’t know that….yeah won’t be doing that one, because I really wouldn’t want to be off TRT for months. Man I’m glad you told me. Well I wouldn’t have set that high of a bench as a goal this year anyway. I had thought late next year, but yeah it’s not important enough to me to get off TRT for. Honestly I don’t think I could bench that much without being on TRT anyway. But I still have my goal of 315 by the end of the year.

Can you remind me, have you mentioned what dose of TRT you're on and have you done bloodwork lately? Curious at what test levels, etc. you're keeping hormones at if you're willing to share.

 

[Dustin07]

Started 5-3-1 today, and man those weights are extremely light. I think I figured my max too light at 275

I could see arguments in both directions, you won't be applying 5-3-1 to deadlifts or squats right? A 225 x 10 bench probably does put you around 300lbs (so 275 TM seems approriate on paper?) but I think with practice you probably have a higher 1rm to 10 rep ratio than me. For instance, I hit 225 for 11 last week, but I have not practiced pauses or heavy work so I don't think I had 300lbs in me that day, probably my usual peak around 285-290. I think by not applying deads and squats you're recovery is going to be higher, but in my experience 531 would carry me through PR's usually in the second cycle and finishing the 3rd cycle was where I started to really struggle with recovery. But back then I over did everything. I'd be running joker sets on all three big lifts, and likely still doing a lot of my xfit style cardio etc. I stayed lean and held strength, but left a lot on the table and would hit a hard wall every 3rd cycle or so.

I think I've done 6 or 7 different programs in a very serious way. Starting strength obviously anytime I started over, (sets across), texas method, conjugate, 531, smolov jr, Cube, and I recall madcow but I don't remember the details. Smolov and 531 wrecked me the most, Cube was the best.

I mean I think i hit 385 for like 13 reps on a deadlift AMRAP with 531, but I sure as hell never pulled 500+ that cycle. That was like 8-10 years ago and I think I'm still recovering from that AMRAP lol

 

[gphagan1]

Can you remind me, have you mentioned what dose of TRT you're on and have you done bloodwork lately? Curious at what test levels, etc. you're keeping hormones at if you're willing to share.

I’m on 125 mg a week and that keeps me right around 850 when I do my bloodwork.

 

[gphagan1]

I could see arguments in both directions, you won't be applying 5-3-1 to deadlifts or squats right? A 225 x 10 bench probably does put you around 300lbs (so 275 TM seems approriate on paper?) but I think with practice you probably have a higher 1rm to 10 rep ratio than me. For instance, I hit 225 for 11 last week, but I have not practiced pauses or heavy work so I don't think I had 300lbs in me that day, probably my usual peak around 285-290. I think by not applying deads and squats you're recovery is going to be higher, but in my experience 531 would carry me through PR's usually in the second cycle and finishing the 3rd cycle was where I started to really struggle with recovery. But back then I over did everything. I'd be running joker sets on all three big lifts, and likely still doing a lot of my xfit style cardio etc. I stayed lean and held strength, but left a lot on the table and would hit a hard wall every 3rd cycle or so.

I think I've done 6 or 7 different programs in a very serious way. Starting strength obviously anytime I started over, (sets across), texas method, conjugate, 531, smolov jr, Cube, and I recall madcow but I don't remember the details. Smolov and 531 wrecked me the most, Cube was the best.

I mean I think i hit 385 for like 13 reps on a deadlift AMRAP with 531, but I sure as hell never pulled 500+ that cycle. That was like 8-10 years ago and I think I'm still recovering from that AMRAP lol

No I’m not doing 5/3/1 on squats and deadlifts, just bench and overhead press. I’ll stick with the numbers, because eventually I know it will get more challenging as the workouts progress, and truthfully it’s probably better for me to progress slowly anyway to prevent injuries.
As far as the TM goes I actually figured my max at 275, which is 247.5 TM, so I figured that was going to be light, but I knew as it progressed it would get more challenging.

 

[Hyde]

Yeah I’d run it the next 2 weeks first and then decide if you need to raise the TM more than 5lbs.

 

[Dustin07]

I'd be surprised if your true max was 275 considering how well your 10 rep sets have been going, but building a base never hurts. I suspect you'll recover really well on this with it being a bench focused cycle...

 

[gphagan1]

Yeah I’d run it the next 2 weeks first and then decide if you need to raise the TM more than 5lbs.

Yep that was my thought too…. I liked adding the Spoto bench too. I think as I get into the heavier weights that will pay dividends.

 

[gphagan1]

I'd be surprised if your true max was 275 considering how well your 10 rep sets have been going, but building a base never hurts. I suspect you'll recover really well on this with it being a bench focused cycle...

Yeah I thought that as well, but I figured I would rather be under than over. I actually benched 230 x 10 a couple weeks ago, so I was sure 275 was definitely light on max, but since I had not benched any heavy low reps in a while I wanted to start lighter just to be safe.

 

[Hyde]

Can you remind me, have you mentioned what dose of TRT you're on and have you done bloodwork lately? Curious at what test levels, etc. you're keeping hormones at if you're willing to share.

For awareness, his weekly dosage doesn’t remotely indicate what yours would be at a given protocol, because people metabolize drugs at different speeds. Nor does a given total or free test level indicate how much muscle he can support, because again how you even use X levels is genetically unique.

The only thing you can be sure of is if YOU take a larger dose vs a smaller, it would raise levels and support even more muscle. But there are guys who take 300mg from their doctor just for 750mg/dl total test levels, and those who are over 1,000 off 100mg/wk. Both are outliers, but you see the discrepancy.

The dose you would need would be based off your blood tests and how you feel.

I was over 1,000ng/dl on 150 test e/wk with a bunch of carnitine and eod injections some years back. I was 1,500 on 300mg test c split into every day shots last year, on gear I roidtested at 200mg/ml so I know it wasn’t underdosed. So I’d have been ~750 on 150/wk. My body had learned to more efficiently process test, I was administering twice as often later which eliminates the drug faster, and I had built more muscle to soak it up as well so less floating free in the blood.

Yeah I thought that as well, but I figured I would rather be under than over. I actually benched 230 x 10 a couple weeks ago, so I was sure 275 was definitely light on max, but since I had not benched any heavy low reps in a while I wanted to start lighter just to be safe.

Yeah the limiting factor is shoulder integrity & preparedness to handle bigger weights, not muscle capacity. Lifters over 50 need to play the game as if they were on oral steroids - connective tissue is going to lag behind muscle strength. You need to keep reps in reserve and progress absolute weights you handle more carefully.

Not unlike your legs being much stronger than your knee is ready really, just to less dramatic degree. But horsepower isn’t your governing factor at the moment at all.

 

[gphagan1]

For awareness, his weekly dosage doesn’t remotely indicate what yours would be at a given protocol, because people metabolize drugs at different speeds. Nor does a given total or free test level indicate how much muscle he can support, because again how you even use X levels is genetically unique.

The only thing you can be sure of is if YOU take a larger dose vs a smaller, it would raise levels and support even more muscle. But there are guys who take 300mg from their doctor just for 750mg/dl total test levels, and those who are over 1,000 off 100mg/wk. Both are outliers, but you see the discrepancy.

The dose you would need would be based off your blood tests and how you feel.

I was over 1,000ng/dl on 150 test e/wk with a bunch of carnitine and eod injections some years back. I was 1,500 on 300mg test c split into every day shots last year, on gear I roidtested at 200mg/ml so I know it wasn’t underdosed. So I’d have been ~750 on 150/wk. My body had learned to more efficiently process test, I was administering twice as often later which eliminates the drug faster, and I had built more muscle to soak it up as well so less floating free in the blood.



Yeah the limiting factor is shoulder integrity & preparedness to handle bigger weights, not muscle capacity. Lifters over 50 need to play the game as if they were on oral steroids - connective tissue is going to lag behind muscle strength. You need to keep reps in reserve and progress absolute weights you handle more carefully.

Not unlike your legs being much stronger than your knee is ready really, just to less dramatic degree. But horsepower isn’t your governing factor at the moment at all.

Man that is so true, and I definitely would rather go slower than have another injury.

 

[Dustin07]

Not totally relevant, but not irrelevant... I remember some years ago I think before I owned that gym, that I realized how many achilles tears actually happen after age 40. It's substantial, and in the fitness world box jumps are a big culprit. Its smart to be careful! I'd rather delay the next PR by a cycle then force a injury recovery based delay.

 

[gphagan1]

4/21/2026
Tuesday
Stretches
Warmups

Wide Mag Grip Pulldowns
145 x 10
160 x 10, 10

Pull-ups
8, 8

HS Iso Lateral High Row
230 x 8
290 x 8
320 x 8, 8
330 x 7

Standing Barbell Curl
105 x 10
110 x 10, 10, 10

DB Concentration Curls
45 x 12, 12, 12, 10

DB Rear Laterals
35 x 10, 10, 10

Felt really good today….decided to add in some rear delt work after curls. Think I’m gonna keep doing them for a little while. My wife made some homemade chili with the last of our venison, and man was it good. Looked in our big freezer in the garage and looks like I’m going to have to hit up the meat store Friday after work.

 

[akboom87]

4/21/2026
Tuesday
Stretches
Warmups

Wide Mag Grip Pulldowns
145 x 10
160 x 10, 10

Pull-ups
8, 8

HS Iso Lateral High Row
230 x 8
290 x 8
320 x 8, 8
330 x 7

Standing Barbell Curl
105 x 10
110 x 10, 10, 10

DB Concentration Curls
45 x 12, 12, 12, 10

DB Rear Laterals
35 x 10, 10, 10

Felt really good today….decided to add in some rear delt work after curls. Think I’m gonna keep doing them for a little while. My wife made some homemade chili with the last of our venison, and man was it good. Looked in our big freezer in the garage and looks like I’m going to have to hit up the meat store Friday after work.

Great session and I’m so pumped to load up on venison this fall!!!

 

[gphagan1]

Great session and I’m so pumped to load up on venison this fall!!!

Yeah man I get all I can in the fall. I don’t really hunt much anymore, but I’ve got a buddy anytime he kills more than one deer, he gives me one. I got him hooked up with the Meat Store (Processor) up the road a few years ago and after that he’s always done me right. The cool thing with the owner of the store is you can check in with him in the fall through winter, and if he’s got a deer he processed that is unclaimed, he’ll sell it for just the processing fee. It’s also great because they are a local processor for some of the cattle farms, so their beef is usually Black Angus and fresh.

 

[Segansational]

For awareness, his weekly dosage doesn’t remotely indicate what yours would be at a given protocol, because people metabolize drugs at different speeds. Nor does a given total or free test level indicate how much muscle he can support, because again how you even use X levels is genetically unique.

The only thing you can be sure of is if YOU take a larger dose vs a smaller, it would raise levels and support even more muscle. But there are guys who take 300mg from their doctor just for 750mg/dl total test levels, and those who are over 1,000 off 100mg/wk. Both are outliers, but you see the discrepancy.

The dose you would need would be based off your blood tests and how you feel.

I was over 1,000ng/dl on 150 test e/wk with a bunch of carnitine and eod injections some years back. I was 1,500 on 300mg test c split into every day shots last year, on gear I roidtested at 200mg/ml so I know it wasn’t underdosed. So I’d have been ~750 on 150/wk. My body had learned to more efficiently process test, I was administering twice as often later which eliminates the drug faster, and I had built more muscle to soak it up as well so less floating free in the blood.

That's helpful context. Good point about individual metabolism, effects, etc. It's hard to really tell what is a good starting point vs "too much" right out of the gate though with all of these numbers floating around on podcasts, internet, etc. And I probably am biasing my judgement from the BB world since that's what I listen to. So 750 to a gram of test is sort of the rule vs the exception, but of course that's not TRT doses. But my goal would be to go for minimum effective dose with balancing for improvement in hormones, body comp, mood, etc. while mitigating most of the negative side effects.

 

[Dustin07]

Great session and I’m so pumped to load up on venison this fall!!!

Yeah man I get all I can in the fall. I don’t really hunt much anymore, but I’ve got a buddy anytime he kills more than one deer, he gives me one. I got him hooked up with the Meat Store (Processor) up the road a few years ago and after that he’s always done me right. The cool thing with the owner of the store is you can check in with him in the fall through winter, and if he’s got a deer he processed that is unclaimed, he’ll sell it for just the processing fee. It’s also great because they are a local processor for some of the cattle farms, so their beef is usually Black Angus and fresh.

I need to get out and hunt with you guys. "more than one deer". lol its harder and harder to get to public land out here and a "multi deer" tag is a lottery that you have to buy into early like Feb/Mar

 

[Dustin07]

That said, our mule deer are beasts. and if you want to chase them, Elk are phenomenal. we have both the Roosevelts (HUGE) and Rocky Mtn Elk out here.

 

[gphagan1]

Yeah around here we have Whitetail, and I see deer on my land about every couple of weeks, but at night you see them all the time around town. We don’t have any Mule Deer here, so I’m jealous of that because they are a beast. We do have Elk up in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and they are massive. It would be cool to get one of those.

 

[Dustin07]

Yeah around here we have Whitetail, and I see deer on my land about every couple of weeks, but at night you see them all the time around town. We don’t have any Mule Deer here, so I’m jealous of that because they are a beast. We do have Elk up in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and they are massive. It would be cool to get one of those.

I had bought a compound bow a few years back with the idea of taking blacktail off our property, I felt pretty proficient with the bow, but I never hunted any of our deer because I had this fear that living in the liberal area that we do, if a shot didn't land well and the deer got off our land with an arrow in it, it would become a nightmare dealing with the locals. We are rural but in an area considered a "no shooting zone" so I can legally hunt, but archery only...

 

[MrKleen73]

I had bought a compound bow a few years back with the idea of taking blacktail off our property, I felt pretty proficient with the bow, but I never hunted any of our deer because I had this fear that living in the liberal area that we do, if a shot didn't land well and the deer got off our land with an arrow in it, it would become a nightmare dealing with the locals. We are rural but in an area considered a "no shooting zone" so I can legally hunt, but archery only...

Sounds like you have the law on your side, go for it. I mean, you don't have your name an address printed on your arrows do you?

 

[Dustin07]

Sounds like you have the law on your side, go for it. I mean, you don't have your name an address printed on your arrows do you?

no and you're absolutely right, thats why I have actually pulled my stuff out and started practicing a bit again recently lol. The other day I caught one of the deer on our camera at 3am walking through the back yard which meant she had to jump fences and I was bout ready to finisher her then lol. they do make gardening a real struggle!

 

[Hyde]

That's helpful context. Good point about individual metabolism, effects, etc. It's hard to really tell what is a good starting point vs "too much" right out of the gate though with all of these numbers floating around on podcasts, internet, etc. And I probably am biasing my judgement from the BB world since that's what I listen to. So 750 to a gram of test is sort of the rule vs the exception, but of course that's not TRT doses. But my goal would be to go for minimum effective dose with balancing for improvement in hormones, body comp, mood, etc. while mitigating most of the negative side effects.

Most men would probably do well to start with ~120mg test c, or e - ideally split over 2 little slinpin shots, as opposed to a single weekly bolus dose. Or possibly something like 100mg e5d (which is 140/wk). Many will experience a trough going 7 days between shots (not terrible, just noticeable differences between day 2 and 6). Plus less frequent shots produce more aromatization to estrogen. Daily shots are decidedly niche, but that does feel best for me overall. I usually never do less than 3x/wk.

Then get bloods in 6-8 weeks checking total, free t, and e2 (estradiol). Weigh those numbers against how you’re feeling, what is your CBC looking like, side effects. Generally the more you take, more chance for various issues. Needing to go down to 100/wk is probably more common than needing to go up higher than 150.

I’m not a doctor. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

 

[MrKleen73]

Most men would probably do well to start with ~120mg test c, or e - ideally split over 2 little slinpin shots, as opposed to a single weekly bolus dose. Or possibly something like 100mg e5d (which is 140/wk). Many will experience a trough going 7 days between shots (not terrible, just noticeable differences between day 2 and 6). Plus less frequent shots produce more aromatization to estrogen. Daily shots are decidedly niche, but that does feel best for me overall. I usually never do less than 3x/wk.

Then get bloods in 6-8 weeks checking total, free t, and e2 (estradiol). Weigh those numbers against how you’re feeling, what is your CBC looking like, side effects. Generally the more you take, more chance for various issues. Needing to go down to 100/wk is probably more common than needing to go up higher than 150.

I’m not a doctor. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

I just went back to 20mg daily, but I was on 120/wk 3x40 before. I just kept forgetting and the spacing would be off and I felt like i was probably messing estrogen up. However the 120 treated me well as far as libido, and drive.

 

[Dustin07]

I just went back to 20mg daily, but I was on 120/wk 3x40 before. I just kept forgetting and the spacing would be off and I felt like i was probably messing estrogen up. However the 120 treated me well as far as libido, and drive.

so you felt better on the 3x40 even though technically 20mg x 7 daily is a higher overall weekly dose?

 

[Hyde]

so you felt better on the 3x40 even though technically 20mg x 7 daily is a higher overall weekly dose?

Sounds like he actually went to daily to help prevent fluctuations from forgetting & mistiming his shots.

 

[MrKleen73]

so you felt better on the 3x40 even though technically 20mg x 7 daily is a higher overall weekly dose?

I literally started this this week, I had no complaints about 120/week. This gets me to 140 if I don't forget a day which is pretty likely to happen with me.

Sounds like he actually went to daily to help prevent fluctuations from forgetting & mistiming his shots.

Exactly, if something in my usual routine fluctuates I tend to forget the little things and while that isn't a huge deal, I already have bad enough gyno, I don't need to be risking fluctuations in E2/Test balance due to forgetfullness.

 

[Dustin07]

that makes sense. yeah 3 x 40 given our 7 day calendar could be easy to mix-up. even with my supps I take half every morning when brushing teeth and sometimes forget to take evening doses (except on particularly big lift days) and those aren't nearly as crucial I'd think.

 

[gphagan1]

4/22/2026
Wednesday
Stretches
Warmups
Band Work

Leg Extensions
3 x 10

Leg Curls
3 x 10

Calf Raises
3 x 10

Not much to write home about, but my knee feels better and better each week. Actually it felt really good today, and no crackling and popping. I wanted so bad to jump on Leg Press, but my ART guy got me to promise to only do leg extensions and leg curls, along with my stretching and band work, for at least 4 weeks and then we would re-evaluate adding in some heavier work. So I’m a man of my word, and will stick with the plan. Truthfully I know it’s best. And after the last couple of months of pain, I have no desire for any setbacks.

 

[Segansational]

I’m not a doctor. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

You fancy!

It is actually interesting as I've been researching the kinetics of different forms & administrations of test and how fast the curve peaks and the trail off, which can lead to peaks and valleys depending on timing of your shots

 

[MrKleen73]

If you want to up the anti a little bit, do some BFR when you do your leg curls and extensions. If you have knee wraps you have the required equipment, and it will be more hypertrophic with less weight being used.

 

[gphagan1]

You know what you’re right…. I actually did that before when you had suggested when I had broke my toe, and I just forgot about it. Definitely a good idea that I’ll implement next leg day.

 

[gphagan1]

2/23/2026
Thursday
Stretches
Warmups

Overhead Press 5-3-1
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5

Arnold Press
40s x 10
45s x 10, 10

HS Iso Decline Machine
190 x 10
210 x 10, 10

Skull Crushers
90 x 10
100 x 10
110 x 10

Low Cable Row
145 x 10
160 x 10, 10

Hammer Curls
45 x 10, 10, 10

First OHP with 5-3-1….I wasn’t sure of my max so I just went with 175 which gave me a 158 TM. That may be light, but I would much rather be light on shoulders starting out than heavy. Really got a nice upper body pump from this workout. And I’ve done the shoulder press machine since starting back last year, but these are the first OHP I have done since 2024, so to be honest it felt pretty good and was really smooth. This has felt like a productive week in the gym, and I’m actually pretty fired up about hitting a 315 bench by the end of the year.

 

[akboom87]

2/23/2026
Thursday
Stretches
Warmups

Overhead Press 5-3-1
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5

Arnold Press
40s x 10
45s x 10, 10

HS Iso Decline Machine
190 x 10
210 x 10, 10

Skull Crushers
90 x 10
100 x 10
110 x 10

Low Cable Row
145 x 10
160 x 10, 10

Hammer Curls
45 x 10, 10, 10

First OHP with 5-3-1….I wasn’t sure of my max so I just went with 175 which gave me a 158 TM. That may be light, but I would much rather be light on shoulders starting out than heavy. Really got a nice upper body pump from this workout. And I’ve done the shoulder press machine since starting back last year, but these are the first OHP I have done since 2024, so to be honest it felt pretty good and was really smooth. This has felt like a productive week in the gym, and I’m actually pretty fired up about hitting a 315 bench by the end of the year.

Solid work on the OHP . 315 going down

 

[MrKleen73]

OHP is a fun lift I hope i can return to at some point. I feel pretty confident I will be able to as things strengthen back up.

 

[gphagan1]

OHP is a fun lift I hope i can return to at some point. I feel pretty confident I will be able to as things strengthen back up.

It really is a fun lift, and it really helps increase explosiveness. I had not done ithem since 2024, because of shoulder issues, but since starting back on Steve’s CEL BASIS this last two months this is the best my shoulders have felt since early 2024. The way you’ve been progressing, I’m sure you’ll be able to get back to them.

 

[MrKleen73]

It really is a fun lift, and it really helps increase explosiveness. I had not done ithem since 2024, because of shoulder issues, but since starting back on Steve’s CEL BASIS this last two months this is the best my shoulders have felt since early 2024. The way you’ve been progressing, I’m sure you’ll be able to get back to them.

I should probably look into BASIS and some other supplements out there that I haven't looked into in a few years. I keep hearing about stuff Steve has put out that I just have no idea about any longer.

 

[Hyde]

Awesome! Good idea taking them slow; you have a big base of muscle and strength but haven’t been doing the free weights, so good to take time on the barbell progression.

 

[Hyde]

I should probably look into BASIS and some other supplements out there that I haven't looked into in a few years. I keep hearing about stuff Steve has put out that I just have no idea about any longer.

BASIS seemed to support my joints and improve erections the half year I took it. Some of the compounds increase growth hormone or have PDE5 inhibition properties, in addition to the main musclebuilding angles.

Honestly, if money was no object, I’d always take it. It’s subtle but does purelt improve health. It’s got good stuff like Apigenin in it as well.

 

[Dustin07]

Honestly, if money was no object

in that scenario I'd probably just add Steve to my list of auto payroll deposits and have a monthly subscription going lol

 

[gphagan1]

Yeah, BASIS is one of my staples now, as long as it’s in stock. Steve definitely has some excellent cutting edge supplements that work. I like all his Health Line supplements too, but like you said it does get pricey. Ha, but I think Segansational has me beat on what his monthly supplements bill is.

 

[Jimbabwe]

I just ordered some to give a try based on all these rave reviews.

Got some X-Gels coming just for fun because I've always wanted to try those, so will see how that goes too I guess.

 

[gphagan1]

I just ordered some to give a try based on all these rave reviews.

Got some X-Gels coming just for fun because I've always wanted to try those, so will see how that goes too I guess.

SNS Anabolic XT and CEL Anabolic Effect are a couple of good ones too. Actually I think Dustin has ran a stack of those two and really enjoyed them.

 

[Dustin07]

SNS Anabolic XT and CEL Anabolic Effect are a couple of good ones too. Actually I think Dustin has ran a stack of those two and really enjoyed them.

currently running

anabolic effect
phosphatidic acid xt
m-test (solid boner pill)
300mg epiandrolean
with xpg carnitine

I also have in stock
xpg alpha gel
xpg epiandro

and a few extra bottles of epiandro via epiandrolean and stanoplex. the extra xpg epiandro and xpg alpha gel I only use either on a real big lifting session (epiandro) or if I'm other wise needing a little boost (alpha gel). but generally speaking only using the carnitine td right now.

alpha one is really good too. but by week 3 of anablic effect + phosphatidic acid xt I'm always impressed by the pumps I get even when depleted. alpha one if I recall right gave me more vascularity even when bodyfat was higher.

 

[Jimbabwe]

SNS Anabolic XT and CEL Anabolic Effect are a couple of good ones too. Actually I think Dustin has ran a stack of those two and really enjoyed them.

I'll take a look further into the year. I just added some EvoMuse fat burners into the plan, so don't want to mix too many things together that are new because then it's hard to tell what's doing what.

X-Gels I just got while I could find them, but won't add that in until I get out of this diet phase because it seems they are most effective when cals are a bit higher.

 

[Jimbabwe]

Also bouncing around some ideas for something a little stronger than SNS or EvoMuse for the building phase (have historically only used in cuts for anti-catabolism, so this would be the first real "build" while enhanced), so don't want to spend too much money on stuff that will be dwarfed in its effectiveness by other things I'll be doing lol.

 

[Segansational]

Yeah, BASIS is one of my staples now, as long as it’s in stock. Steve definitely has some excellent cutting edge supplements that work. I like all his Health Line supplements too, but like you said it does get pricey. Ha, but I think Segansational has me beat on what his monthly supplements bill is.

It's an addiction. Only half joking. I've actually reduced down my impulse buys quite a bit, but given I run so many staples year round now - a lot from SNS - it can get up there.

But no lie, I have probably over 35-40 tubs of pre in my cabinets. Maybe a quarter unopened. I will literally never be able to finish them all in my life time.