[size=+1]Final Review[/size]
Weight: 174.4
[+2.6lbs, +8.2 lbs overall]
I gained 8.2 pounds overall and I am happy with both the amount and quality of gains. The changes registered with calipers are as follows:
- Pectoral: +0.5mm
- Abdomen: +1.0mm
- Thigh: +0.5mm
- Subscapula: +0.5mm
- Triceps: no change
- Midaxillary: +0.5mm
- Suprailiac: +0.5mm
- Biceps: no change
- Medial Calf: no change
According to the
Body Fat Calculator , this translates into a fat gain of 1 lb and a lean body mass gain of 7.2 lbs. This is probably off, so here are the changes in body measurements:
- Waist: +1/2”
- Chest: —1/2”
- Right Arm: +1/8”
- Right Quad: +3/4”
- Right Calf: +1/8”
I probably didn’t take the chest measurement correctly but that’s not important. What’s important is that the changes in the mirror are profound: I’ve never made so much visual progress in 8 weeks. Quads, traps, delts/ rear delts, and chest look totally different. Triceps have also shown some improvement although arms [as well as calves] are my weakest parts. Abs do not show as well as they did but I still have the veins in the lower abs so that would be the true criteria for preserved leanness while I can see still them.
Strength & Endurance:
The strength increases on the stack were notable but the nature of my lifting routine should be considered as well. DC training requires an increase of weight/ reps every workout or else exercises must be switched out so that constant progress is made. Apparently, there is a sense of urgency that requires some good effort and continuously improving conditioning. On that stack, however, I was more likely to risk putting heavier weight and beating the log book for reps as well. More often than not, I was able to get away with it.
The numbers suggest an increase of an average of 20—40lbs on the core exercises and a significant increase of the number of reps, in one case over 100% [T-bar rows]. Again, not all of this could be attributed to the stack but these are best strength gains I have ever made. Also, one has to keep in mind the cadence of reps: the slow 3—6 second negative really makes a difference in how much weight could one push.
Endurance, however, did not improve at all. There was no “on” feeling or eagerness to fly through the sets. I got that from the old [yellow-label] DT but the circumstances then were different. For one thing, I was training HST, which is much more CNS-friendly than DC. One the other hand, there was some sense of relaxation during workouts which made me confident I will go through them just fine, which I did.
Subjective Effects:
I know people like to feel stuff when taking supplements but other than the relaxation, the increased appetite and quality of sleep, and the lethargy, I did not feel anything from Diesel Test 2010 or DT + RT when I added it. I started with a low dose and felt the effects on hunger, sleep, and mood. When I increased the dose, the lethargy kicked in. Recovery, of course, greatly improved but more on that in a moment. As I said in my first post, I am a non-responder to a lot of things and in general I need a higher dose to obtain the results. That also means I rarely feel stuff from supplements. I did not get a libido boost from DT although I did get it from the old DT, but that’s a separate issue since libido has been non-existent for months, mostly due to personal and work-related problems I alluded to in earlier posts. Responsiveness and semen volume increased at the very beginning of the cycle but then leveled off. The old DT did much better in that department but that’s another story.
One thing I have [unwillingly] accepted in the last weeks is that my recovery ability is below average. It becomes increasingly more difficult for me to recover from my workouts, especially leg days. By taking DT, however, I’ve been able to push my recovery ability closer to average. The effects cannot be felt but they are undeniable. When I started DC, my CNS was so fried after workouts I couldn’t fall asleep until 2 to 4 a.m. most nights. I was now being able to function normally even though the workload of my workouts has probably almost doubled. For some, supplements provide an extra edge, for me, they bring me closer to the mean, which is something I can live with.
Comparison to Similar Products:
Diesel Test 2010 is the best product in its class that I have taken although I said I liked the old version better but then things were different. ActivaTe did nothing for me, same for various tribulus products. ATD is probably in that class but I saw no ergogenic benefits from taking it. The one I liked a lot was Jungle Warfare but not until I upped it to 5 caps. Recovery was amazing but the effects didn’t last long; perhaps I need to keep bumping in order to reap the benefits. If I had to buy again, I would buy both and alternate the two because although in the same category they are indeed different.
I never really said anything about Diesel Fuel but I felt nothing from it and I can’t tell how much attributed to the results. I guess it helped somewhat in keeping me lean and the adapatogenic blend kept me closer to “normal.”
What’s Next?
I am now cruising for two weeks, which is basically a deloading phase. I am trying new exercises, pushing light weight for straight sets and no slow negatives, letting my CNS recover. I have decreased calories somewhat, mostly from cutting the carbs out.
After the end of the cruise, I will start a Halodrol Liquigels & X-Factor log.
That’s it.
