Back From the Brink of Death - BennyMagoo's Log

Saturday 10th Feb

Food Thurs:3174cal 240p 329c 106f
Food Fri: 4056cal 300p 411c 132f
Diet went to **** this week. Need to pull it up.

Today at The Cartel:

Squat 70kg 3x10
GM 70kg 3x10
Sissy squat 3x7
Horizontal jump 3x6

20min jog
10min cycle
 
Monday 12th Feb w9d1 De-load

Food Saturday: 2345cal 153p 307c 56f
Food Sunday: 3127cal 148p 385c 106f

Ate crap food on the weekend and it’s reflected in my nutrient count.

At the Cartel today:

Incline press: 60kg 3x15 - surprised by how comfortable these felt

Rear delt flyes unsupported 12.5kg 5x10

Side lateral delt raise 8kg (had to use the chicks’ dbs) 3x10

Low to high chest cable fly 5th plate x8, 4th plate 3x8

Nice pump.

Cardio: 7min jog (bloody leg seized up virtually making me lame) 17min x trainer level 10. Cardio sucked.
 
Wed 14th Feb

Food Monday: 3471cal 173p 550c 66f
Food Tuesday: 2955cal 198p 330c 97f

This morning at the Cartel:

BB row: worked up to 100kg 3x10
BB OHP: worked up to 50kg 3x15
BW pull up x8; +10kg for 5,5,5
HS Plate row 140kg 10,8,8

Cardio: 10min stair master lever 12, 10min incline walk 10% incline.
 
Steadily putting in the work!
 
Thursday 15th Jan.

Food yesterday: 3123cal 198p 393c 97f

Afternoon sesh at The Cartel:

Rev Zottman curl 15kg db for: 8,10,12,15,16

Tri cable push down angle bar: ‘35’x10, ‘40’ x10, ‘45’ x 14

Strict db curl 15kg for 5,8,8,10,9

Moved over to functional training area as thi gs getting crowded:

BW dip 3x20 - dips havent felt this good in many years!

BW pull up 3x8

Cardio:

60 pushups, 15 chin-ups, 45 pushups, 10 chin-ups, 40 pushups, 8 chins to get HR up into the 140s
Treadmill 15min @7km/hr (HR slow recovery back to 120s)
Stairmaster L10x10min (HR 140s last 3min)
X-trainer 5min level 10

I can definitely see new muscle in the mirror today. Triceps and forearms have really thickened up and 45 with the bent bar really felt like a walk in the park. Not sure if Tri’s are just pulling the skin back a little tighter but biceps also have thickened at the elbow.
 
Saturday 17th Feb W10D1

Food Thurs: 3657cal 258p 430c 100f
Food yesterday: 4331cal 250p 548c 124f
Feel like my appetite has recovered.

Leg Day is my new Day 1. Della’s is over, I’ve come to The Cartel this morning to fuk myself up:

Squat shoes today - forgot my tootsie gloves.

Skwaaaats: 110kgx5; 140kgx5; 160kgx5 - these were comfortable and I considered racking up 170 but my adductor is still lighting up from 160 so maybe next week - 140kgx5. These felt great in squat shoes!

GM: 80kg x20, 20, 20 - drop sets next week

Belt squat: 160kg for 10,10, 10; 180kg for 8,8

Leg press 160kg 3x20

Lying leg curl 45:30 drop sets for 10:8; 10:6; 8:6
 
Sunday 18th Feb Rest day

Food yesterday: 3826cal 177p 598c 78f

BW this morning: 114kg

Skins: 20mm ab 8mm chest 10mm thigh

Putting on weight faster than expected, but still going to maintain a surplus for final 3 weeks of this program.

Starting to think very hard about what I want to get out of my next macro cycle and how to achieve it. Ultimately I would like to lose fat, improve cardiac health and general functionality without losing any muscle and without taking any PEDs. I think to achieve this within available time I will need to split cardio and resistance sessions, reduce resistance session volume, taper energy intake with carb cycling. The science seems to indicate best time for carbs is pre and post work out but I feel like
carbs before bed leads me to better recover and growth. I think I am going to test the science on myself and cut pm carbs for the first month of energy transition. This may require more self discipline than I possess but it’s worth a crack.
 
BennyMagoo79 said:
Sunday 18th Feb Rest day

Food yesterday: 3826cal 177p 598c 78f

BW this morning: 114kg

Skins: 20mm ab 8mm chest 10mm thigh

Putting on weight faster than expected, but still going to maintain a surplus for final 3 weeks of this program.

Starting to think very hard about what I want to get out of my next macro cycle and how to achieve it. Ultimately I would like to lose fat, improve cardiac health and general functionality without losing any muscle and without taking any PEDs. I think to achieve this within available time I will need to split cardio and resistance sessions, reduce resistance session volume, taper energy intake with carb cycling. The science seems to indicate best time for carbs is pre and post work out but I feel like
carbs before bed leads me to better recover and growth. I think I am going to test the science on myself and cut pm carbs for the first month of energy transition. This may require more self discipline than I possess but it’s worth a crack.
Click to expand...

Consider some intermittent fasting (which pairs perfectly with carb & calorie cycling as well). And understand overall recovery will go down, and obviously max recoverable volume as you already alluded to.

But you could partially compensate for the slower recovery also by running longer microcycles (like 9-day training ‘weeks’ before repeating sessions).
 
Hyde said:
Consider some intermittent fasting (which pairs perfectly with carb & calorie cycling as well). And understand overall recovery will go down, and obviously max recoverable volume as you already alluded to.

But you could partially compensate for the slower recovery also by running longer microcycles (like 9-day training ‘weeks’ before repeating sessions).
Click to expand...

Was thinking of employing IF but I wonder how much glycogen we use up on a 24hr fast? I wouldn’t want to fast on a RT day nor before it, but it might be a great option for the first day of two rest days, so long as I can replenish glycogen stores in time.
 
BennyMagoo79 said:
Was thinking of employing IF but I wonder how much glycogen we use up on a 24hr fast? I wouldn’t want to fast on a RT day nor before it, but it might be a great option for the first day of two rest days, so long as I can replenish glycogen stores in time.
Click to expand...

That’s the only time I’d consider a full day fast, like you said where there’s time to adequately replenish before the next effort.

I just meant, you can consider cutting out a morning or evening meal on off-days if cutting is the goal - this cycles calories down, generally cycles down carbs, and keeps insulin lower for a longer period so overall insulin sensitivity improves more over the cut (compared to having meals more spread out over a wider feeding window of same total cals & macros).
 
Monday 19th

Drove 11 hrs north today for a job we are kicking off this week. Staying in an awesome little self contained cabin 3min away from a World Gym. With my fridge full of healthy high protein microwave dinners and fruit I’m feeling well positioned to execute week 10!

Food yesterday: 2919cal 160p 252c 140f

Afternoon sesh at Worlds:

Lat pull down - worked up to ‘90’ for 3x8

Incline Bench press: worked up to 85kgx5, 95kgx5, 100kg x5 (lifetime PR), 5, 4, 90kgx6 - lots of strength today, stoked with the 3 100kg sets!

BW pull up wide grip 8,6, 6

Chest supported rear delt fly 10kg+6.5kg band for 12, 12, 16 + 6 no band - epic pumps!

Chest supported side lateral delt raise 7.5kg 3x8

Low to high cable fly drop sets 5th plate:4th plate for 10:9, 10:9, 8:9

High to low cable chest flyes slow & focused with emphasis on static shoulder position, 4th plate x12; 5th plate x8; 5th x8, 4th x12

BW Chins 3x6

Great sesh, completely shattered
 
BennyMagoo79 said:
Was thinking of employing IF but I wonder how much glycogen we use up on a 24hr fast? I wouldn’t want to fast on a RT day nor before it, but it might be a great option for the first day of two rest days, so long as I can replenish glycogen stores in time.
Click to expand...

From Jan 1 to Feb 8th I had I think 15 or 16 fasted days. 2 of them were 60hr+ fasts, the rest 36hr fasts. I dropped from 202lbs to 186lbs. My bench dropped from 300 to 275 ish. My slingshot from 325 to 300. My waist dropped like 2"+

For casual fasts to control my weight gain during my strength cycle I liked to run 20:4 IF on rest days , this allowed me to eat freely at dinner, and carb load well for lifting the next day.

When cutting, I only fast on rest days, but on the tail end of that 6 week cut it got harder and harder to get enough carbs into me on my lifting days to keep up my strength.

Today I'm at like 192. so I'm still down a full 10lbs, up a few from my low, but in the mirror I feel YUGE.

What I have grown to love about fasting over the past 14 months is the flexibility it gives you with your goals. I can be miserably compliant 7 days a week with a 500 calorie a day deficit, or I can fast one full day per week and eat pretty freely the rest of the week for similar or better results.
 
Some great sessions in here.
 
Tuesday 20th Feb

Monday food: 3266cal 206p 391c 92f

BB Row: worked up to 100kgx5, (straps) 140kg x5,5,4.5 120kg x5,5

BW wide grip pull up 3x5

DB OHP 30kg 5x5 2x8

HS plate isolateral row 80kg each side for 10,10,9


20min run @8km/hr with a 3min interval at 9.5km/hr (HR up to 169)
 
BennyMagoo79 said:
Monday 19th

Drove 11 hrs north today for a job we are kicking off this week. Staying in an awesome little self contained cabin 3min away from a World Gym. With my fridge full of healthy high protein microwave dinners and fruit I’m feeling well positioned to execute week 10!

Food yesterday: 2919cal 160p 252c 140f

Afternoon sesh at Worlds:

Lat pull down - worked up to ‘90’ for 3x8

Incline Bench press: worked up to 85kgx5, 95kgx5, 100kg x5 (lifetime PR), 5, 4, 90kgx6 - lots of strength today, stoked with the 3 100kg sets!

BW pull up wide grip 8,6, 6

Chest supported rear delt fly 10kg+6.5kg band for 12, 12, 16 + 6 no band - epic pumps!

Chest supported side lateral delt raise 7.5kg 3x8

Low to high cable fly drop sets 5th plate:4th plate for 10:9, 10:9, 8:9

High to low cable chest flyes slow & focused with emphasis on static shoulder position, 4th plate x12; 5th plate x8; 5th x8, 4th x12

BW Chins 3x6

Great sesh, completely shattered
Click to expand...
Sounds like a nice little place to hold over a few days! Good looking session too!
 
Thursday 22nd Feb

Food Wed: 4170cal 319p 455c 119f

W10 D4 Arms at worlds:

Rev zott curls 22.5kg:17.5kg drop sets for 5:5; 5:4; 5:4; 5:3; 6:3

Single arm overhead tri cable extension using rope: 5th plate for 10,11,12,12,12,11

Cable rope tri push down drop sets 32.5:17.5:10 for 10:10:12; 10:10:12; 10:10:11

BW pull up 3x10

Cable bar push down drop sets 42.5:25:15 for 10:10:16; 10:10:12; 10:10:11 - last rep on all 3 of these sets was on the brink of failure

Strict db curl drop sets 22.5kg:17.5kg for 6:5; 6:4; 6:5; 6:4; 6:3

BW push up for 50,40,45

Overhand grip bb curl 30kg for 10,10,8

Prone bar dip 3x5


This session had my hands and arms in such a state I couldn’t finish this log on my phone last night. Even 10hrs later I still have a pump.
 
BennyMagoo79 said:
This session had my hands and arms in such a state I couldn’t finish this log on my phone last night. Even 10hrs later I still have a pump.
Click to expand...

Please call your doctor the next time you experience a pump lasting more than 4 hours. Nothing wrong with it, just to brag!
 
MrKleen73 said:
Crushing these workouts lately @BennyMagoo79
Click to expand...
Thank you sir!

SkRaw85 said:
Nice gym/hotel setup! You can see the output going up already.
Click to expand...
It’s awesome. Get back to my cabin, rest and eat lightly for an hr, hit the gym with loads of time to just focus on each set, back to cabin shower eat sleep work repeat.

Hyde said:
Please call your doctor the next time you experience a pump lasting more than 4 hours. Nothing wrong with it, just to brag!
Click to expand...
Hehe I reckon my doc would freak out!
 
Sunday 25th Feb W11D1

Food yesterday:3820cal 250p 374c 144f

Times day at Worlds:
Skwaaaats: squat shoes, sleeves & belt, worked up to 140kgx5, 170kgx5, 150kgx5.

GM: 90kg for 20,20 then 90:60kg drop set for 18:7 - this was at the brink of absolute failure

BW pull up 3x5 - this didn’t quite cure me of back pump issues this week

Belt squat 160kg for 8,10,10

Lying hamstring curl drop sets 45:25 for 10:6, 10:5, 8:5

Leg press 200kg 3x20

Completely cooked.
 
Monday 26th Feb

Food yesterday: 4472 cal 198p 559c 161f

Still up north, will be here til end of week.

W11D2 @ Worlds:

BW wide grip pull up 3x6

Incline Bench press: worked up to 100kg for 5x5 - achievement unlocked. Felt pretty comfortable too - I’ve found my form.

Chest supported rear delt fly 12.5:10kg drop sets for 10:6, 10:5, 9:5

Chest supported side lateral delt raise 7.5kg 3x8

Db fly hands down position 12.5kg 3x10

BB OHP 60kgx5, 70kgx5, 80kgx4, 60kgx5

BW Chins 3x6

There were a LOT of beautiful women at this gym tonight. Honestly, I was a little shocked, but the local women are smoking hot.
 
Dustin07 said:
life is full of nice surprises
Click to expand...

It’s always great when you get that “new” sensation, before you are a regular somewhere they can seem so magical.

The truth is, for every beautiful women you show me I can show you a man tired of dealing with her ****, but it can be fun to put them on a pedestal from a distance.

Muses, as the Greeks called them. Benny has muses for his incline benching
 
Hyde said:
It’s always great when you get that “new” sensation, before you are a regular somewhere they can seem so magical.

The truth is, for every beautiful women you show me I can show you a man tired of dealing with her ****, but it can be fun to put them on a pedestal from a distance.

Muses, as the Greeks called them. Benny has muses for his incline benching Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

You guys are my muses. They just scenery.
 
Hyde said:
It’s always great when you get that “new” sensation, before you are a regular somewhere they can seem so magical.

The truth is, for every beautiful women you show me I can show you a man tired of dealing with her ****, but it can be fun to put them on a pedestal from a distance.

Muses, as the Greeks called them. Benny has muses for his incline benching
Click to expand...

amen!!
I count my blessings every day for the fact that my wife gets my motor cranking. no need to learn how to navigate all this **** again with someone new 😂
 
Wed 28th Feb

Food yesterday: 3209cal 216p 342c 111f

W11D3 at Worlds:

BB Row: worked up to 100kgx5, (straps) 120kg 5x5 - hand is injured from work and don’t 140 was going to happen today

BW wide grip pull up 10,10,8,8,8

DB OHP 30kg 5x5 2x8

Bent over pos delt fly 12.5kg for 12,12,12,10,12


Seated side lateral db raise drop sets 10:7.5kg for 10:8, 10:8, 10:10

Dips BW 20,15,16

Gassed!
 
Keep crushing it man, I am impressed with the work every time I come in here.
 
BennyMagoo79 said:
Wed 28th Feb

Food yesterday: 3209cal 216p 342c 111f

W11D3 at Worlds:

BB Row: worked up to 100kgx5, (straps) 120kg 5x5 - hand is injured from work and don’t 140 was going to happen today

BW wide grip pull up 10,10,8,8,8

DB OHP 30kg 5x5 2x8

Bent over pos delt fly 12.5kg for 12,12,12,10,12


Seated side lateral db raise drop sets 10:7.5kg for 10:8, 10:8, 10:10

Dips BW 20,15,16

Gassed!
Click to expand...

Annnnd nice fuggin session!
 
SkRaw85 said:
Same. Can you even imagine just dating in this new world?!?!
Click to expand...

When you ask for someone’s phone number and they think you’re crazy, because you don’t have Snapstagrambooktok to tell other people all your daily business they really don’t care about anyway.
 
Hyde said:
When you ask for someone’s phone number and they think you’re crazy, because you don’t have Snapstagrambooktok to tell other people all your daily business they really don’t care about anyway.
Click to expand...

I take pride in this lol
 
SkRaw85 said:
Same. Can you even imagine just dating in this new world?!?!
Click to expand...

FUUUUUUK no dude. my wife and I talk about that all the time. Luckily she doesn't realize that as the boob owning half of our union all she needs to do is simply exist for men to reach out. I have no idea how a single man dates right now.

**** I live in the grunge founding city of the world and I still don't even really see people out mingling anywhere anymore. they're all at home on tinder and OF I guess.
 
Dustin07 said:
FUUUUUUK no dude. my wife and I talk about that all the time. Luckily she doesn't realize that as the boob owning half of our union all she needs to do is simply exist for men to reach out. I have no idea how a single man dates right now.

**** I live in the grunge founding city of the world and I still don't even really see people out mingling anywhere anymore. they're all at home on tinder and OF I guess.
Click to expand...

Too busy rubbing their phones and subsequently rubbing one out??? And paying for it you say?!?!?!
 
Thursday 29th Feb

Food yesterday: 2424cal 115p 346c 46f. Had trouble eating all day - too hot!

W11D4 Worlds:

Cable overhead unilateral tri extension - lightsabre bar 5th plate for 10, 8 then 5th:4th plate drop sets for 8:6; 8:6: 8:5

Cable unilateral push down lightsabre bar 17.5 (7th plate) for 10,8,8,8,8

Rev zott curl drop sets 22.5:17.5kg for 5:5; 5:4; 5:4;5:4; 5:3

Db strict curl 20kg for 10,10,10,8,8

Skull crushers 40kg for 10,8,6,6,5
 
Saturday Mar 2

Food yesterday: 3008cal 154p 263c 135f

Drove back from up north yesterday, it took 90min longer than it should have thanks to having to turn around to get fuel where our first fuel stop had no servos with working pumps. 12.5hrs in the car had my back inflamed this morning, but worked through it.

W12D1 at the Cartel:

Long warm up today - hips and lower back tight after yesterday’s long drive.

Skwaats: worked up to 140kgx5, 160kgx5, 180kgx5 - felt great until adductor let go on the last rep with a nice pop sensation but no significant pain. As soon as I sat on the bench I realised further squatting was out of the question.

GM 90kg x20, 20, 17 - worst back pumps I have ever experienced at this point.

BW pull up 3x8

Pulled the pin. Groin is throbbing and I’m experiencing significant systemic inhibition. Going home to a bath.
 
BennyMagoo79 said:
Saturday Mar 2

Food yesterday: 3008cal 154p 263c 135f

Drove back from up north yesterday, it took 90min longer than it should have thanks to having to turn around to get fuel where our first fuel stop had no servos with working pumps. 12.5hrs in the car had my back inflamed this morning, but worked through it.

W12D1 at the Cartel:

Long warm up today - hips and lower back tight after yesterday’s long drive.

Skwaats: worked up to 140kgx5, 160kgx5, 180kgx5 - felt great until adductor let go on the last rep with a nice pop sensation but no significant pain. As soon as I sat on the bench I realised further squatting was out of the question.

GM 90kg x20, 20, 17 - worst back pumps I have ever experienced at this point.

BW pull up 3x8

Pulled the pin. Groin is throbbing and I’m experiencing significant systemic inhibition. Going home to a bath.
Click to expand...

 
Sunday 3rd Mar

Food yesterday: 2992cal 359p 192c 82f. Ate 250g of premium quality Biltong - it was unbelievably delicious and far more edible than any jerky I’ve had. Really couldn’t eat much else afterward and enjoyed a four hr nap with my belly full of it.

BW 112kg Skins: 18mm ab 8mm chest 10mm thigh. Two weeks of ladder work and intense gym session has yielded some unexpected fat loss.

Body is sore today, all over but especially that right adductor. Internal rotation of my right thigh triggers a mild pain that extends along the entire length of my thigh from the groin to the posterior-medial aspect of my knee. Curiously, my right glute is also very sore and stiff - I think it was overloaded when my adductor failed because at the same time as it letting go I watched (in the mirror) my right knee shoot inwards and my hips kind of torque anti-clockwise to get the bar back up.

Not as worried about my adductor as I am excited about my squat progress. 180kg for 5 wasn’t really pushing too hard and I’m slowly gaining depth to the point where I think my squats are even hitting parallel now (really need to record a set for verification though).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top