Back From the Brink of Death - BennyMagoo's Log

[Dustin07]

Thanks man!

Your worlds are inspiring and much needed motivation as I move into the shitty part of this cut!

Happy for you dude, huge base to cut from! Embrace the suck it's gonna be awesome!

 

[Dustin07]

Saturday 20th April

Two sessions to log:

Friday 19th pm at Anytime:

Tried to pull off a quick shoulder session after once again fasting u til 11am. Didn’t work as well as We’d though - felt fatigue early on and really struggled to get to those valuable grinder reps!

Seated DB OHP: 15kgx10, 20kgx8, 25kgx8, 30kg x5,6,5

Bent over rear delt raise 12.5kg for 12,14,14,16,14.5

Klokov press 40kg 3x10 - trying to get a front delt pump but never felt great

Seated side lateral db raise 12.5kg for 8,7,7,6.5

Saturday (this morning)

Am sesh at Fitness Cartel:

Lightsaber triceps extension drop sets 5th:4th:3rd plate for 8:6:6, 8:6:6, 8:6:6.5

Reverse zot curl drop sets 25:17.5kg for 5:5, 5:4, 5:3, 5:4

Cable rope push down drop set 30:20:12.5 for 10:10:10, 10:10:10;, 8:8:10 (this set destroyed me, seriously felt like crying lol)

Db curl 25kg 6, 6, 6, 5.5, 4.5

Cable straight bar push down whole stack for 16,12,12.5

Bench press 100kg for 12,16,14.5 (had to get a bail out from a smoking hot lady behind me - was kind of embarrassed lol)

Lots of half reps today as I kept overestimating my ability to complete that extra rep. Absolutely destroyed now though and loving it!

Klokov presses are a sleeper, they're so much harder than they look....

 

[SkRaw85]

Lol okay that makes sense then!

I was thinking, is he trying to be one of those Fruitarians, or what?

Have you seen those people? Creepy.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Sunday 21st April

BW110 flat this morning, skins unchanged from last week. Started logging food again yesterday - 3407cal 189p 439c 98f.

Was hoping to deadlift today but wound up sleeping in and having “cuddles” with my wife. Went to the gym but it was a short fast session almost completed in a circuit:

Judd Lienhard loaded torsion movements 4th plate for 3x10

Good Morning 80kg 3x20

Seated calf raise 50kg for 16,14,14,12,14

Cable glute kick back 5th plate for 3x16 each side

Banded addiction with closed pause for 14,12,12,10 ea side (seeing some definite gains here!!)

Lying leg curl 57.5:35 drop sets for 10:8, 10:7.5, 10:4.5

Banded abduction (hip circle side steps) 3x12 ea way

Completed in 63min. HR was 110-130 the whole time.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Saturday 27th April

Feeling sore and very tired after a physically demanding week at work! Monday I broke my steps record with over 38k steps recorded, and while working on a high rise fire service! Tuesday I clocked over 34k steps finishing the same job. Monday and Tuesday nights I was in considerable pain with aching leg and back and didn’t train.

Wed night at Anytime was my first training sesh:

Incline benchpress worked up to 90kg 5 x 6
Seated side lateral db raise 12.5kg for 9,8,8,7,7.5
Bench supported rear delt fly drop sets 15kg+ 5kg band: 7.5kg+ 5kg band: 5kg band for 8:4:4; 8:4:4; 7:3:3.5
Cable lat pull down ‘40’ for 10,8,8

20min 8km/hr treadmill

Thursday night at Anytine:

BB row 120kg for 5x6
BW pull up 5x8
Bent over rear delt fly 15kg for 10,8,8,7.5
Judd Lienhard loaded torsion movements 4th plate for 3x10 ea side - this movement absolutely tears me up (even after getting nowhere near failure with this weigh) but as the soreness subsides I’m noticing much better posture and passive shoulder mobility. It’s also great for activating QL and I feel like my left QL really needs the exercise!

Friday evening Anytime:

Rope overhead tri extension 4th plate x 10 ea side, 5th plate:4th plate drop sets for 8:6; 8:6; 8:6 ea side
Rev Zottman curl 22.5kg for 6, 5, 6, 5, 5
Cable rope push down drop sets 30:20:12.5 for 10:10:16; 8:10:12; 8:10:12
Strict db curl drop sets with 25kg:17.5kg for 6:4; 5:5; 5:4; 5:3
Bench press 100kg for 12, 15, 10 (got a spot for this one but completely gassed out!)

This morning at FC:

Fighters lunges 3x40
Adductor slides slow as possible 3x8 ea side
Hyperextension super slow eccentric 3x5 (these were epic for glute and hamstring punishment! Contracted to fully arched back then very slowly lowered n each rep, by the fifth rep Ivwas shaking)
Standing abduction machine slow eccentric 130kg for 3x10
Lying hamstring curl drop sets 40:30 for 6:4; 6:4; 5.5:3.5

BW has oscillated wildly this week. I think I was quite inflamed from work and BW shot up to 112kg on Wed morning however it’s all gone this morning with weight back to 110. Avg cal intake last 7days 3040 with 217p, 353c, 80f.

 

[SkRaw85]

Impressive work man, especially following all that cardio lol. Mostly stairs?

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Impressive work man, especially following all that cardio lol. Mostly stairs?

Yep. 56 floors x 2 fire escapes, 6 basement levels x 3 fire escapes. Back is still sore this morning!

 

[Hyde]

Yep. 56 floors x 2 fire escapes, 6 basement levels x 3 fire escapes. Back is still sore this morning!

That’ll put hair on your chest (and bunions on your feet)!

 

[Dustin07]

Monday I broke my steps record with over 38k steps recorded, and while working on a high rise fire service! Tuesday I clocked over 34k steps finishing the same job. Monday and Tuesday nights I was in considerable pain with aching leg and back and didn’t train.

wtf that's like 15-20 miles for the average person?

 

[SkRaw85]

wtf that's like 15-20 miles for the average person?

Sir, we don’t do average persons in here.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Tuesday 30th April

Food yesterday: 2219cal 143p 283c 54f.

Yesterday I fasted until dinner - it was easier than I expected - then pigged out on 2 high protein prepped meals and a large salad with Jasmin rice,teriyaki sauce and Chimi sauce. Still had a decent albeit quick sesh this morning at Anytime:

Seated db OHP worked up to 30kg for 3x5
Chest supported rear delt raise drop sets 15:7.5kg for 8:12, 8:12, 7.5:12
Seated side lateral raise 10kg db for 16, 15, 15.5, 12
Judd Lienhard twisty pulls 4th plate for 16,13,10 ea side - these are really starting have positive effect on my back and posture!

20min treadmill 8.5km/hr - HR barely got to 140!!

Saw 109kg on the scales this morning (recorded 110 tho as I always round to the closest 0.5kg) which was awesome!

 

[BennyMagoo79]

wtf that's like 15-20 miles for the average person?

17.25 but a lot of those steps were stairs so probably much less really.

 

[Dustin07]

17.25 but a lot of those steps were stairs so probably much less really.

LOL!! Yeah, LESS as in , 1 mile straight up a mountain is less than 1.5 miles on a flat surface?! brutal work day !

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Sunday 5th May

It’s been a good week for this cut! After being stuck in the 110s for 2 weeks my body has adapted and the numbers have shifted down into 109s this week. This morning after carb re-load yesterday I was 109.0 so I’m looking forward to another downward shift next week!

Average calories for the last week: 2521 with 179p 289c 72f

Skinfolds today: 14mm ab 8mm thigh 6mm pec.

Starting to see some deltoid striation and separation at the lateral aspect of pecs. Biceps veins also visible on both sides but only when I’m really pushing myself to get a pump.

Pumps are very fleeting, and I feel small and weak and really have to summon my inner rage to get close to my peak numbers in the gym. Also teetering on the edge of hypoglycaemia thanks to the Forxiga (heart med). I’ve been cutting sessions short when vision starts to blur and avoiding urinating while working out (seems to bring it on earlier if I wee). All in all, it’s ve not enjoyed resistance training this week!

Cardio however, has become a pleasure! I’ve levelled up with treadmilll work and today was able to comfortably maintain an 8.5km/hr pace at around 128-132bpm for 20min. Resting HR has shifted down to float between 56-59. Mobility is also improving as I feel more space becoming available in my thoracic cavities. Not much change in BP but I am running ramipril which is an ACE inhibitor that likely keeps it low regardless of body weight fluctuations.

Friday pm work out at FC:

Lightsaber overhead unilateral tri extension drop sets 4th:3rd plate for 8:8, 8:6, 8:7

Rev Zottman curl drop sets 25kg:17.5kg for 5:4, 5:4, 4:3

Cable rope tri push down drop sets 40:20:12.5 for 8:8:10, 7:8:10, 7:7:10

Strict db curl 25kg for 5,5,5,4.5

Benchpress 100kg AMRAP x16reps - this depleted me completely.

20min treadmill 8km/hr.


Sunday am workout FC:

Incline BP 70kg for 8,8,8,8

Side db lateral raise 7.5kg for 15,15,15,14.5

Chest supported posterior delt fly drop sets 15:10kg for 10:8, 10:6, 8:6

30min treadmill, 10min @7km/hr 20min @8.5km/hr

 

[MrKleen73]

Always impressed with your work Benny! Hope things are going well for you now!

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Sunday 23rd June

Ling time between posts - been busy AF and also have lost the ability to focus eyes on phone lol. Apologies in advance for any autocorrect errors I don’t pick up!

Update: BW today 106.5kg after a heavy refresh yesterday. BW was consistently in 105s last week after 2 weeks in 106s. Skins haven’t changed much - still 12mm over belly on a skinny day - but my body has become ‘skinnier’ and definition and vascularity have significantly improved. I feel lighter, I can run run faster for longer, I ache less and my penis looks bigger at this body weight. I swear women are friendlier, more helpful and flirty too (even my wife!!!) Gym performance is definitely compromised however - I got the ampK blues lol.

My training has consisted of 4 am sessions per week, 3 exercises for 3 working sets dedicated to bis, tris, shoulders and back. Each session I also do 1 or 2 lower body exercises and 1 core exercise at the beginning - rotational movement (my Achilles heel). Sometimes I combine lower body with cardio (kb and skipping) but mostly I end the sesh with a 20min run. All done in 60-90min depending on available time.

My diet: I consume 60g carbs around training then with a protein shake afterwards (mix of casein and whey), eat a high protein prep meal about 11 and dinner by 6.30. On non-training days no carbs so fast til 11. Calories are low - around 2500 mark. Usually re-feed in Saturday afternoon but skipped a couple of these due to working til 6pm.

Going to keep my head down and keep cutting through winter. Goal is to get below 100kg maybe even hit 95 before I hit the mTOR switch again and go beast mode once more.

 

[Hyde]

Good to hear you’re still at it hard and the heart continues to strengthen!

 

[MrKleen73]

Good to hear from you, sounds like you are making some nice progress.

 

[Dustin07]

Going to keep my head down and keep cutting through winter. Goal is to get below 100kg maybe even hit 95 before I hit the mTOR switch again and go beast mode once more.

get it!

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Sunday 30th June

What a c#%t of a month - but I survived. Somebody mistakenly reported my company to a credit watchdog and all of my suppliers suspended my accounts on the 13th . This month has been my biggest revenue-wise and I almost completely exhausted my capital with a week to go and contractual commitments to make. Had to hire a lawyer to resolve the credit alerts and then still had to reapply for all my supplier accounts but one - who believed me and kept my line of credit active. This could have put me in a hole I could not recover from and I was selling stock and tools for cash to buy materials in the last week of June - something I’ve never had to do before.

But I survived. Not only that it led to me strengthening relationships with two of my clients who expressed concern for my business - one even forward paid me for plant items required on a job I’m doing for them. I’ve always been upfront and honest in my business dealings and it is a nice feeling to see that acknowledged and expressed with trust - this is how ai imagine success for my business, that is, clients who I work with rather than work for.

If that one supplier had shut their doors or if one of my clients had been less understanding there is no way I could have avoided bankruptcy. It’s crazy to think that, on one hand how unlucky I am for the mis-reporting on my credit file (it turns out a clerk entered one wrong digit to make this happen), while on the other hand I’m so lucky to have friends and the support I needed to survive. Contracting such a fucking rush.

For weeks I’ve been dealing with this alone. Many mornings I’ve forced myself out of bed to face the day, driven to work not knowing how I’m going to get to the end of the month, cried with frustration at suppliers that put more faith in an anonymous credit agency than my word despite dealing with some of these people for 20years. I’ve had to act like a loving husband and carefree father. All this while clocking a record month for revenue.

But it’s over now - officially last Monday. Accounts are being re-opened, caveats rescinded, I’m back in business and I know who my real friends are.

 

[Hyde]

That’s intense! Glad it worked out alright. You should think about developing some kind of way to insulate yourself from something like this should it ever happen again. Life is full of things outside your control, there is always risk in everything to a degree, but I mean it’s a worth while goal to ponder longterm.

 

[Segansational]

Wow! So sorry that was put on you. But at least in the end it got sorted. And as you mentioned you know where the strong relationships are and who to count on when the chips are down.

 

[Hyde]

Wow! So sorry that was put on you. But at least in the end it got sorted. And as you mentioned you know where the strong relationships are and who to count on when the chips are down.

Yeah seriously; shows what a standup guy he is and what his name is worth amongst his clients. If that’s not validating, I don’t know what is!

“All you have is your balls & your word.”
- Jay Z

 

[SkRaw85]

Damn that’s heavy Benny. Everything happens for a reason and maybe this somehow will save you an even more fakked up mess in the future? Absolutely ridiculous though how it went down. I’m glad you are a strong person.

 

[MrKleen73]

Well done Benny, you have gone through a forge and come out stronger on the other end. Sorry you had to go through that but it sounds like you developed a resilience. I also wonder if there is some way to get extra fraud protection on business accounts or something to avoid issue when stuff like this happens. I don;t know like a fraud insurance or something. Wouldn't surprise me if something like that is available for people who own businesses that something like this could pop up and ruin everything.

 

[Dustin07]

For weeks I’ve been dealing with this alone. Many mornings I’ve forced myself out of bed to face the day, driven to work not knowing how I’m going to get to the end of the month, cried with frustration at suppliers that put more faith in an anonymous credit agency than my word despite dealing with some of these people for 20years. I’ve had to act like a loving husband and carefree father. All this while clocking a record month for revenue.

Holy **** man, I feel for you. huge kudos for grinding it out brother. I hope you are doing things to help settle/balance the internal stress through all this. You sleeping OK? that's a rough fuckin' month!!!!