akboom87
Well-known member
Only thing missing is pico on there! Looks yummy!!
The Biggest Smont ever! 🤔 Lets find out
- Thread starter Smont
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Smont
Legend
Quick work today.
Flat bench* 95x20, 145x15, 195x10, 235x6, 255x6, 275x6
20° DB fly 25x20, 30x20, 35x20, 45x12,12,12
Machine cable chest for a couple sets of 15 to 20
Farmers walks (total weight)
220lbs for 50 yards
320lbs for 30 yards
420lbs for 15 yards, another 20 steps, and then I just deadlifted it and hold till grip fails.
Flat bench* 95x20, 145x15, 195x10, 235x6, 255x6, 275x6
20° DB fly 25x20, 30x20, 35x20, 45x12,12,12
Machine cable chest for a couple sets of 15 to 20
Farmers walks (total weight)
220lbs for 50 yards
320lbs for 30 yards
420lbs for 15 yards, another 20 steps, and then I just deadlifted it and hold till grip fails.
Smont
Legend
I'm thinking out loud and taking notes. .....
Im looking at where I'm at now vs January, and I'm a little bigger at similar bf and my strength is up but I still feel like I haven't made any real progress this year. I'm just slowly creeping back to #'s I've previously attained. And the speed is slower than usual. I know my typical rate of progress when I'm heading back to something I've already done and it's slow this year.
Here are some things to make note of looking at my notes and comparing them to previous years.
1. My volume is down this year. I've been doing only about 40-50% of my normal total training volume. This is weight training, conditioning work, cardio via my normal bag work and running.
2. Gear use was more frequent this year, I've been "on more then off". But my total gear load was very low compared to last years peaks. I keep backing off or run into a problem before the dose gets up to anything significant.
3. Diet has been pretty much the same. I did more experimenting with food last year but my overall total calories and food selection for the majority of the year was standard for me.
4. More stress, been dealing with significantly more stress and anxiety this year. At least earlier in the year. Now I'm much better on #4. Now I'm managing stress well.
Let's reverse out of this funk.
#4 fix- this has been well managed lately, nebivolol has brought a little peace into my life and the lower resting heart rate lets me relax a little better and not feel so tuned up all the time. I need to use this to my benifits more by taking advantage of the night time calmness and get a little bit more sleep.
#3 fix- I know I said diet has been pretty much as good as any other year, but I'm paying for my food choices much more this year. My gut has not tolerated some foods very well and I've always just delt with it, but it's getting hard to deal. I need to remove more foods and stick close to the low fodmap list. Improving my gut health and removing some inflammatory foods should also help with everything.
#2 fix- take way more gear, like 3cc a day. No more pussy ****!!!!!
, j/k. I'm leaving this variable alone. There's a good reason why I haven't really ramped up or started the GH yet. I'm training to little to reap the benefits. I don't need a gram + GH if I'm not putting in that kind of work.
#1. Time to step up the training. I'm not adding in a set amount of anything yet. I'm just going to start stepping it up and within a week or 2 the scale will tell me what's going on.
Il add X amount of food for every 30min of cardio I add. But I'm not going to know exactly what that is yet.
I also use to do the full workout with my classes but lately I only do a few things to warm up. Il be doing those 45min conditioning classes with low weight as my warm ups again and il throw a extra 100gm of carbs into my intra for that. Tuesday is pull focused. But not pull only
Im looking at where I'm at now vs January, and I'm a little bigger at similar bf and my strength is up but I still feel like I haven't made any real progress this year. I'm just slowly creeping back to #'s I've previously attained. And the speed is slower than usual. I know my typical rate of progress when I'm heading back to something I've already done and it's slow this year.
Here are some things to make note of looking at my notes and comparing them to previous years.
1. My volume is down this year. I've been doing only about 40-50% of my normal total training volume. This is weight training, conditioning work, cardio via my normal bag work and running.
2. Gear use was more frequent this year, I've been "on more then off". But my total gear load was very low compared to last years peaks. I keep backing off or run into a problem before the dose gets up to anything significant.
3. Diet has been pretty much the same. I did more experimenting with food last year but my overall total calories and food selection for the majority of the year was standard for me.
4. More stress, been dealing with significantly more stress and anxiety this year. At least earlier in the year. Now I'm much better on #4. Now I'm managing stress well.
Let's reverse out of this funk.
#4 fix- this has been well managed lately, nebivolol has brought a little peace into my life and the lower resting heart rate lets me relax a little better and not feel so tuned up all the time. I need to use this to my benifits more by taking advantage of the night time calmness and get a little bit more sleep.
#3 fix- I know I said diet has been pretty much as good as any other year, but I'm paying for my food choices much more this year. My gut has not tolerated some foods very well and I've always just delt with it, but it's getting hard to deal. I need to remove more foods and stick close to the low fodmap list. Improving my gut health and removing some inflammatory foods should also help with everything.
#2 fix- take way more gear, like 3cc a day. No more pussy ****!!!!!
, j/k. I'm leaving this variable alone. There's a good reason why I haven't really ramped up or started the GH yet. I'm training to little to reap the benefits. I don't need a gram + GH if I'm not putting in that kind of work. #1. Time to step up the training. I'm not adding in a set amount of anything yet. I'm just going to start stepping it up and within a week or 2 the scale will tell me what's going on.
Il add X amount of food for every 30min of cardio I add. But I'm not going to know exactly what that is yet.
I also use to do the full workout with my classes but lately I only do a few things to warm up. Il be doing those 45min conditioning classes with low weight as my warm ups again and il throw a extra 100gm of carbs into my intra for that. Tuesday is pull focused. But not pull only
Dustin07
Legend
I thought you had increased cals a fair amount the first part of the year attempting the bulk? you're up like 10lbs or so since new years?
Smont
Legend
Calories are up, that wasn't what I was talking about. I was comparing previous years and previous bulks and cuts. My calories change according to my goals year round. But I've not consistently stayed above 3500 which is why there is a standstill on the scale but that's been intentional.
When I look at previous years and previous cycles I'm comparing what I was eating vs what I'm taking vs the bodyweight and strength at that time. Then in comparing it to other scenarios and seeing what is or isn't different.
Hyde
Legend
I think you need bigger spikes of gear for shorter periods. You don’t have 16-24 weeks to ramp up very slowly - it doesn’t jive with your lifestyle. It also makes more sense for NEW muscle growth. Hitting it hard for 10 weeks is more manageable and tends to be the thing that breaks the plateau into new muscle.
My cycles are usually longer because I’m just enhancing my strength training, trying to get back up and beyond previous weights used. It’s all about coaxing numbers up without getting hurt. But for sheer tissue growing, it really is more of a shock to the system thing.
Add the GH, get serious on training, and bump the intake of safer drug & food choices.
My cycles are usually longer because I’m just enhancing my strength training, trying to get back up and beyond previous weights used. It’s all about coaxing numbers up without getting hurt. But for sheer tissue growing, it really is more of a shock to the system thing.
Add the GH, get serious on training, and bump the intake of safer drug & food choices.
Smont
Legend
Ya I know, it's the opposite of what I want to do, I like being on and building up the doses as needed. But it's not jiving with my lifestyle for sure. Get in , go hard and get out.
akboom87
Well-known member
That is always a solid win!
Hyde
Legend
Normally I tell people less mg is more, but you really do struggle to keep a longer phase together for one reason or another - that’s not a knock, just an observation from a friend who wants you to be successful in what you’re after.
I’m not saying do a Paul Borreson SHIC cycle of 5+gfor 3 weeks, but bigger doses than usual for you for a couple months followed by a more modest solidification period may be more ideal.
Smont
Legend
I agree, and I won't lie, seeing the cosmetic effects of the dbol after a few days made me see a big change and then I had to let it go
. That made me think, it's been a minute since I made any dramatic changes. Even the slow and steady train seems to have slowed down.CroLifter
Well-known member
I think gh is always a good idea regardless. At your age definitely and even at mine i get benefits from 2 iu a day.I'm thinking out loud and taking notes. .....
Im looking at where I'm at now vs January, and I'm a little bigger at similar bf and my strength is up but I still feel like I haven't made any real progress this year. I'm just slowly creeping back to #'s I've previously attained. And the speed is slower than usual. I know my typical rate of progress when I'm heading back to something I've already done and it's slow this year.
Here are some things to make note of looking at my notes and comparing them to previous years.
1. My volume is down this year. I've been doing only about 40-50% of my normal total training volume. This is weight training, conditioning work, cardio via my normal bag work and running.
2. Gear use was more frequent this year, I've been "on more then off". But my total gear load was very low compared to last years peaks. I keep backing off or run into a problem before the dose gets up to anything significant.
3. Diet has been pretty much the same. I did more experimenting with food last year but my overall total calories and food selection for the majority of the year was standard for me.
4. More stress, been dealing with significantly more stress and anxiety this year. At least earlier in the year. Now I'm much better on #4. Now I'm managing stress well.
Let's reverse out of this funk.
#4 fix- this has been well managed lately, nebivolol has brought a little peace into my life and the lower resting heart rate lets me relax a little better and not feel so tuned up all the time. I need to use this to my benifits more by taking advantage of the night time calmness and get a little bit more sleep.
#3 fix- I know I said diet has been pretty much as good as any other year, but I'm paying for my food choices much more this year. My gut has not tolerated some foods very well and I've always just delt with it, but it's getting hard to deal. I need to remove more foods and stick close to the low fodmap list. Improving my gut health and removing some inflammatory foods should also help with everything.
#2 fix- take way more gear, like 3cc a day. No more pussy ****!!!!!
#1. Time to step up the training. I'm not adding in a set amount of anything yet. I'm just going to start stepping it up and within a week or 2 the scale will tell me what's going on.
Il add X amount of food for every 30min of cardio I add. But I'm not going to know exactly what that is yet.
I also use to do the full workout with my classes but lately I only do a few things to warm up. Il be doing those 45min conditioning classes with low weight as my warm ups again and il throw a extra 100gm of carbs into my intra for that. Tuesday is pull focused. But not pull only
I am also low dosing. Primarily because i want to do it year after year without suffering something major that puts me back into hospital or in a hole.
Another young bodybuilder, 22yo from Brazil passed away from enlarged heart recently.
But also secondarily because i am at such a low point hormonally naturally that i really need little to start making progress again. And when i come off i am still able to keep a chunk of the gains as it seems my body is finding a new set point again. I dont like larger doses as it seems unnecessary for my goals as they should be attainable naturally for someone with average to good genetics but as i am nearing 30 and didnt hit those goals i want to hit them in a reasonable amount of time. Keep hearing "numbers attainable for healthy young men" well i am not gonna be a young man forever.
So i am keeping it around 300mg a week and adding an anavar bump in the last month. I have a tendency to prolong my "consolidation" cruise period which will this year be 125 test 40 primo and i figured lower total mg wont hurt.
As an example how effective this is for me, from last october up until mid april when i started gear again i increased my incline bench from 180x5 to 180x8 (3 friggin reps!) at my best days and to 200x3. And I gained weight and fat in the process,10lbs. That was off everything.
After 4 weeks on 300 (280 really) test in comparison I was at 225x4. I reckon i would hit those numbers on a trt dose of around 150mg by week 8 at the latest.
PS: I always like to refer to VigorousSteve's 1st cycle of 250mg test a week with winstrol finisher as an example of what can be acieved with a modest dose. His genetics are good obviously.
But his work ethic is next to none and shouldnt we all strive to be like that?
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yates84
Well-known member
I don't use many orals, just gonna hit some deca moderately with my trt. Went without anabolics for 5 years, my test was at 130 when I finally got it tested. Trt is putting my size right back on but I'm gonna be looking for a boost here soon. Having a dead hpta and no test in my system for so long sucked but I'm getting back to it.
gphagan1
Legend
That muscle memory + TRT will have you back in no time, and you’ll be really primed when you do run a cycle.
Smont
Legend
Picked up a new client yesterday, at least I think so. A guy joined the group workout I do with the youth fighters a few times and decided to stick around and train afterwards, asked about personal training ect. He is looking for some strength gains and he's interested in the conditioning stuff as well. Wants to get stronger and ripped but not huge. (I love when people tell me they don't want to get huge, I say don't worry I've been trying for a long time it's not that easy) Anyways, we did a quick lower body workout. So I just used the same weights as him to make it easy and I just did more reps. Turned out to be a really good workout for my honestly, legs was on the agenda as is. My legs were warmed up good from box jumps and bulgarians during the group work, couple sets of overhead press, battle ropes and medicine ball slams.
5 min break to put all the bars, boxes and ropes away
Deadlifts - 145x15, 195x15
Rock bottom squats (I sat in the hole for a good stretch - 145x20,20
Hack squats 185x15,15.
Couple notes
Was on ladders this week, mostly yesterday I was on one for about 6 to 8 hours with the exception of when I got down to move the ladder and climb right back up and again. Feet are killing me. It irritated that right knee that I just said was pain free lol. But minor irritation nothing serious. At least I know there's a correlation between the ladder work and my knees.
This coming weeks punch list
*Flat bench I need to get 265 for 3x8 and a back off set 205 AMRAP.
*OHP- 205 3x8 and 150 AMRAP
*Deadlift 425x3x3 back off 315x12
*Farmers walks (I'm backing the weight down to 200 per side=400) and going for distance of 30 steps and up to 440 total and hold it for time
*Weighted chins 45lbs for 10, 70x3x3
And the usual exercise I do for PPL mixed in to fill the gaps.
5 min break to put all the bars, boxes and ropes away
Deadlifts - 145x15, 195x15
Rock bottom squats (I sat in the hole for a good stretch - 145x20,20
Hack squats 185x15,15.
Couple notes
Was on ladders this week, mostly yesterday I was on one for about 6 to 8 hours with the exception of when I got down to move the ladder and climb right back up and again. Feet are killing me. It irritated that right knee that I just said was pain free lol. But minor irritation nothing serious. At least I know there's a correlation between the ladder work and my knees.
This coming weeks punch list
*Flat bench I need to get 265 for 3x8 and a back off set 205 AMRAP.
*OHP- 205 3x8 and 150 AMRAP
*Deadlift 425x3x3 back off 315x12
*Farmers walks (I'm backing the weight down to 200 per side=400) and going for distance of 30 steps and up to 440 total and hold it for time
*Weighted chins 45lbs for 10, 70x3x3
And the usual exercise I do for PPL mixed in to fill the gaps.
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gphagan1
Legend
Got a nice tan too.
yates84
Well-known member
Dbol+gummy bears=winning! #bestcomboeverI know that message was for Yates and not me, but I think I'm going to actually skip orals all together for this little whatever you want to call it competition. At least leading up to it. I'm just going to take a couple D ball that day after I weigh in while I'm loading up on white bread, gummy bears, and pickle juice
yates84
Well-known member
Agree completely bro! Excellent adviceThat muscle memory + TRT will have you back in no time, and you’ll be really primed when you do run a cycle.
Smont
Legend
It definitely be like that
Smont
Legend
I been working outside painting the past 2 weeks, my girls afraid ice is gonna rip me off the job siteGot a nice tan too.
Smont
Legend
I don't know if I'm more disappointed that I'm not going to reach these goals this year or more embarrassed that I'm giving up on them and feel like I wasted this year, but I'm now forced into a break. I tore something in my knee today, it's not my typical nagging aches and pains in the knee, something popped or tore or something today. I already got covered for the gym this week and told them I'm out for the rest of the month. Tomorrow I have to finish a job, gonna wrap this bitch up in a ace bandage and put a knee brace on and get the day finished but after that I'm going straight to the ER. I'm actually hoping it needs surgery but if it does, and it's not a right this minute type thing, I gotta put it off for about 6 weeks to get through some of these jobs while I look for someone willing to sub or just take them off my hands. Anywho, I'm gonna do my best to not get fat and keep doing some upper body but honestly, I haven't really been into training lately as is, I've been fighting myself to go to the gym, and now I got 1 more reason to tell myself it's ok to skip it today, I think this is going to end up being an actual break from everything. I don't even have the extra energy to keep up with the healing peptides that I stupidly stopped two days after my knee initially felt better and that's probably why Its all fucked up now. The false sense of the injury being healed made me jump back on it. Probably did more damage and being up and down the ladders today was the final straw.
The scary part is that I'm almost glad I don't have to go to the gym for a while.
Dropping to 200mg of test and hitting the reset button
The scary part is that I'm almost glad I don't have to go to the gym for a while.
Dropping to 200mg of test and hitting the reset button
gphagan1
Legend
Sorry to hear that brother….hopefully it’s not too bad, but you should definitely get it checked out when you can. I had a meniscus tear in my right knee earlier this year and it was rough. It took 2 months just to get where I could start to do some type of leg work. It’s been 3 months all together now and I just started a couple of weeks ago doing light leg press. I kept doing upper body work, but when I benched or set down for anything I had to just stick my leg out. It’s definitely not a 100%, but getting better. Of course I’m 61, so I’m sure you heal quicker than I do. But I get it man, that’s definitely a bummer.
Here is a video about what to do if you think you have a meniscus tear. It’s pretty good information.
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Hyde
Legend
Take the GH too. Also, you can take your reconstituted BPC and use it to recon your GH (then adding any extra water you like if necessary to get 1ml or whatever you like in a vial of GH). Then you can pin 2iu GH and your desired dose of BPC around the knee nightly.
If it can heal without surgery, this will get you going sooner, but if not (which is likely of course) it will still help with pain & inflammation for sure.
I’d also pop a vial of TB500 anywhere all at once ASAP. Not because you need to rush back to anything, but because it may help slightly big picture and you have it.
Sorry to hear this happened man.
If it can heal without surgery, this will get you going sooner, but if not (which is likely of course) it will still help with pain & inflammation for sure.
I’d also pop a vial of TB500 anywhere all at once ASAP. Not because you need to rush back to anything, but because it may help slightly big picture and you have it.
Sorry to hear this happened man.
Smont
Legend
I just reconstituted 5+5mg bpc 157 and KPV. I've never used the kpv before but it sounded like a great idea for the pain and inflammation. I just did 250iu of each in the inner side of my knee. (I did not shoot it into the joint) I just pulled the skin and injected it sub q right on top of where it hurts the most. I could use 1ml of that to reconstitute 10 units GH and it would give me 1unit GH + 250units bpc + 250units kpv, or I could reconstitute 20units with 1ml and get 2+250+250.
Took today off work, I'm gonna go to the boxing gym and talk to the boss and figure out a plan for my growing groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Smont
Legend
Ya know, if I try to look on the brite side, it is my "good leg" that's injured. My left leg is the smaller one. This could be a opportunity to catch the other leg up while I try to rehab the other one. Pre exhaust the left leg and then do whatever I can that doesn't make it worse. I think limited range of motion work with both feet together on the leg press and hack squat would be ok with my feet high and wide. I could probably still do RDL's too. Motivation is damn near zero thoSorry to hear that brother….hopefully it’s not too bad, but you should definitely get it checked out when you can. I had a meniscus tear in my right knee earlier this year and it was rough. It took 2 months just to get where I could start to do some type of leg work. It’s been 3 months all together now and I just started a couple of weeks ago doing light leg press. I kept doing upper body work, but when I benched or set down for anything I had to just stick my leg out. It’s definitely not a 100%, but getting better. Of course I’m 61, so I’m sure you heal quicker than I do. But I get it man, that’s definitely a bummer.
Here is a video about what to do if you think you have a meniscus tear. It’s pretty good information.
gphagan1
Legend
Yeah I get the lack of motivation part, but if you are able to do anything that would be best. The knees can be stubborn to rehab if you’re not consistent. So, yeah, anything you can do will help. Of course just go slow and test as you go with smaller ROM. And the Peptides are a great idea. BPC 157 helped me tremendously while recovering. I never looked into KPV, but it sounds really good and a perfect complement to BPC and TB 500.
Dustin07
Legend
Did you get imaging done yet? I saw you mentioned you were headed to the ER. how did it happen? I'm glad it wasn't something that would have made you fall off the ladder!!!
all my injuries are on my left side. if you look at me when I squat or deadlift, my right leg does more than 60% of the work on both lifts, Im slightly tilted, and when I feel squared up on a squat my left toes tend to be about a half inch to an inche behind my right tows. I think its my shorter leg IIRC, IDK, but 100% of my injuries except rotator cuff tears are my left side. ankle, acl, back etc.
Smont
Legend
I did fall off the ladder
, but it was s 2ft step.No ER, I don't know if I originally said I was going straight to the ER but Im giving it a few days to see what happens before I go. The ER has never been helpful when going, like ever in my life lol. They just charge you and tell you that you need a specialist. They don't do walk in imaging unless they deem it a medical emergency. But, I think urgent care will be a better choice anyway. Il know for certain within a day or two what I'm going to do.
Back to the fall lol. My knee was hurting more then usual, I initially just felt a pop or something weird and painful, mostly on the inner side of the knee, medial meniscus area. But after I sat for a while I went back to work. I just was hanging plastic and I needed a little 2ft step. And when I went to step down, I stepped off the wrong side so there was no step and came down on the bad knee. I didn't hit the floor tho. I just kinda cought myself, but it was a little too late. I sat on my ass and painted the foundation for the last 2 hours. Today I was supposed to go finish but I need a day
Dustin07
Legend
I agree on the ER, if its not life threatening its rarely worth it...
lol now that I think of it, my only right side injury is the nagging issue I have behind my right knee, which I think is a hamstring issue, from practicing take downs with the varsity wrestlers last December at a tourney lol
lol now that I think of it, my only right side injury is the nagging issue I have behind my right knee, which I think is a hamstring issue, from practicing take downs with the varsity wrestlers last December at a tourney lol
Smont
Legend
Wrestling was my thing from age 5 to 19-20. But now, I'm terrified of getting hurt. I don't even like doing the old man jiu jitsu anymore. If I roll or wrestle I look to work with low skill opponents just mainly so I can avoid them ripping out one of my kneecaps or taking a shoulder out the socket. I'm rarely weaker then anyone I wrestle with, but my mobility and reflexes are just not what they used to be. I'm very confident on the street still. But the 150lb brown belt will break me down pretty fast. I can normally hang with the newer purple belts but some of them will **** me up too lol
Hyde
Legend
Yeah mix the reconstituted peps you’d want daily into the GH so that you get the dose you want along with 2iu GH. Then administer every evening, and if you miss the dose take it upon waking (and then still take the nightly dose). Makes it a one-pin stop so it’s more realistic to execute daily. It will help pain and function regardless of where this goes (even when things are properly torn, surgery isn’t always helpful).
yates84
Well-known member
Might as well get everything in one shot!
AwakeningAlpha
Active member
Sounds like you have the right plan. Don't get down on yourself man!
Segansational
Well-known member
Dang brother, sorry to hear this. Hoping it's not actually serious - while I know you mentioned you'd actually rather for surgery - there's both time, cost, and rehab elements to that.
Was going to say this. If you have an urgent care around you that does imaging too (you can usually check their website online) that will probably be a lot faster, and depending on your insurance, marginally cheaper.
I did fall off the ladder, but it was s 2ft step.
No ER, I don't know if I originally said I was going straight to the ER but Im giving it a few days to see what happens before I go. The ER has never been helpful when going, like ever in my life lol. They just charge you and tell you that you need a specialist. They don't do walk in imaging unless they deem it a medical emergency. But, I think urgent care will be a better choice anyway. Il know for certain within a day or two what I'm going to do.
, but it was s 2ft step.Was going to say this. If you have an urgent care around you that does imaging too (you can usually check their website online) that will probably be a lot faster, and depending on your insurance, marginally cheaper.
jfigliuolo
Member
Also... at least in RI, we have walk in ortho clinics. I'd check for that too. Basically urgent care for ortho injuries.
Smont
Legend
My girl does medical billing for Hartford healthcare, I'm sure she can locate me a ortho clinic or something more appropriate.
Smont
Legend
I spent the whole day outside yesterday, I pretty much just smoked pot and played in my garden. Because I was babysitting my knee, it toke me the entire day to do something that should have took 3 hours but hey, I enjoyed the day.
My knee was throbbing last night all night long to the point where it kept waking me up but now that I'm awake in the morning it doesn't seem to hurt very much. At least not when sitting down or walking slowly. The integrity of this knee is pretty crappy feeling tho. It feels like one wrong move and something's going to snap
My knee was throbbing last night all night long to the point where it kept waking me up but now that I'm awake in the morning it doesn't seem to hurt very much. At least not when sitting down or walking slowly. The integrity of this knee is pretty crappy feeling tho. It feels like one wrong move and something's going to snap
Dustin07
Legend
no pun intended