Day 19
I like today. It was good. I woke up still tired as hell from toting around my 3-year-old brother-in-law on my shoulders all night. Lemme tell ya, he may only weigh 30-40lb, but after back squats yesterday morning and front squats last night, he felt like a truck on my neck. Good thing he's cute, or I might have left him there.
Anyways, I woke up tired, but once I got moving about I was fine. Really enjoyed both workouts - pushed myself hard and now I'm kicking back and enjoying that well-earned fatigue.
T-911: I believe I am acclimating to this. It's effects are still as present as ever (appetite, libido, strength, recovery), but not as pronounced. The bottle is also beginning to look a little bare. Good thing I ordered another one to run in February, huh (along with some Anadraulic State!)? :head:
BC+EAA: I have been having practically no soreness. I mean sure, I was stiff, tired and weak as hell last night, but my muscles didn't hurt, they just no longer worked.
I realize that amino acids only partially attribute to recovery and that they contribute heavily to triggering and sustaining protein synthesis, delaying cortisol secretion and even activating some nootropic effects, but dammit, the soreness thing I can immediately feel and make note of! The cortisol suppression I can comment on as well, I suppose, as I have been gaining steadily, but that is much harder to judge quantifiably.
Protein: Too many darn calories in my diet for it too be lipotropic, but I am going to be doing a little tweaking to both my diet and training plan this weekend. BW and I have made a huge dent in both containers of protein and I'd have ordered more already, but there isn't supposed to be anymore until next year :jaw:. That batch sold out quick!
I-GH-1: This was a life-saver last night. With how tired I was, I know that my performance in the gym this morning would have suffered if not without a little help while I slumbered. In conjunction with ZMA, this stuff provides great sleep. I know it's supposed to be used pre-workout as well, but let's face it, I too much of a carb-whore for that to be realistic.
AM Workout: 5x4 Supersets
Flat Bench: 315
Narrow-Grip Supinated Cable Rows: 290
RDLs: 455
Reverse Cable Curs: 170
Wide-Angle Seated Calf Raises: 280 (6sec eccentric)
Cable Straight-Arm External Rotations: 70
It was FREEZING out this morning and that meant that I had to warm up a LOT for this workout. Even with 3 good warmup sets of both bench and rows and some jump-jacks, my first set of each was rough. But as the workout progressed, I loosened up and my last bench set was actually better than my first.
RDLs were hard, but getting easier - my grip is growing more accustomed to the heavier weights, methinks. And that makes a world of difference.
PM Workout: 3x12 Supersets
Cable Bench Press: 100lb per side
Wide-Grip Supinated Cable Rows: 225
Sumo Deadlifts: 225, 315, 315
Seated Incline Curls: 50lb DBs
Seated Calf Raises: 225 (3sec eccentric)
Lateral Raise: 30, 30, 40
I actually had a good time at the gym for a change. Usually, it's me surrounded by a hoard of soccer moms with boob-jobs and metrosexuals doing DB continentals while standing on one foot on a bosu ball (I wish that weren't true...). Tonight, however, it was a bunch of middle-aged to older guys in there who knew what they were doing!!
I started chatting with one guy who was probably in his 40s (he was MASSIVE, kinda guy you know has cycled some serious stuff) and he was telling me about his time as a powerlifter. I also got a tip for loading/unloading the bar for DLs: throw a 45 on either side and then roll the side your loading onto a 2.5lb plate. It raises the bar just that much more so all the rest of the plates slide on nice and smooth. Very handy.
Those Sumo DLs are weird; put a lot of stress on my hip muscles, I could feel it. Grip is different too. I went with lighter weight to accustom myself to it. Definitely like OlyDLs better, but I'll probably use Sumos here and there to change things up.
