ma70's AL Hydra Head 6 Log

[ma70]

Hello everyone. I'm back from a hiatus from the forums (and a one week vacation in Vegas, whew!). I am going to be logging Antaeus Labs Hydra Head 6 for 3 months during an interesting cut. I will be using the Doug Hepburn method for working out (not really much different from what I have always done) and I will be doing Alternate Day Fasting (ADF). I will alternate between absolute maintenance macros, and 800 calorie PSMF style days (that's the limit done in the ADF studies). With Hydra Head 6, I am hoping muscle loss will be minimal while losing 2 lbs a week. The ADF style seems to lean itself towards muscle preservation anyway, but I don't think it has been extensively tested in people who are "relatively lean". I was around 12-13% before vacation, and I am probably more towards 13-14% right now. Or maybe not, because I have to figure out my normal weight again since my diet was pretty much relatively unmanaged during vacation (regarding protein/carb/fat macro distribution), but it was not a bingefest (calories were around 2700-3000 via fatsecret/eyeing portions, which is my normal maintenance). I did a heavy overreaching week before vacation, then I didn't workout at all so I think I'm in the same area I was before vacation, maybe slightly fatter, with slightly more muscle.

The supplements I will be using:
Antaeus Labs Hydra Head 6 (standard dosing)
EvoMuse Gut Health
Vitamin D3 (5000 IU)
ZMA
Fish Oil (3g)

Thanks for tuning in! The log will mostly focus on using strength as my main metric of determining muscle loss, and obviously other anecdotal tidbits like feeling of "power" (bar velocity/speed), etc. The macro split on maintenance days is my usual 1g/lb bodyweight protein, 0.4g/lb bodyweight fat, and I fill the rest in with carbs (white rice usually)
JakeAntaeus

EDIT: After about a week of trying ADF, I have decided to go with a normal 700-750 kcal deficit because the fasting days were mentally brutal and it would probably create inconsistent workout performance in the future once I was deep into the cut.

 

[ma70]

Today was my first workout. Nothing to report of course. It also happens to be the first "low calorie/fasting style" day.

 

[ELROCK]

Subbed. Interested in this product. Good luck on the run!

 

[ma70]

Subbed. Interested in this product. Good luck on the run!

Yeah, I'm doing a pretty risky strategy here. I am going to lose about 2-3 lbs per week, but hopefully this interesting style of IF helps me preserve LBM (along with HH6). It's the ultimate test of HH6 for me. I'm still doing the same routine I usually do so the variables shouldn't be too different. It'll be unfortunate if I lose a crapload of LBM, but that's the way it goes when you wanna experiment. If my strength drops way too much then I'll probably chicken out and go with a normal style deficit of around 500-700.

 

[ma70]

Another workout today. Nothing too interesting to report. Getting used to the alternate day fasting pretty quickly. I weighed in at around 200 lbs at the start of the log. I will do a weekly weigh in.

 

[ma70]

Good workout today. My weight will fluctuate, and possibly my performance because of the nature of ADF but I gotta say, it's strange seeing myself get a decent pump on what is essentially a diet that will make me lose 2-3 lbs a week. Completed the workout with no problems.

 

[ma70]

I think I'm going to cave in and do a normal 700 cal deficit. These fasting days are brutal!

 

[FireTitan]

In to watch and research the product

 

[ma70]

Today's workout went pretty well. It's strange that on a deficit and a workout routine that uses submaximal sets for doubles/triples, I am actually getting a pump during these workouts. I normally don't care to note pumps, but it's worth noticing because it never happens to me.

 

[ma70]

Also strange note, due to possible fluctuations in glycogen/water, it's hard to see what's going on, but this week has had at least a deficit of around 1-1.5 lbs yet I am still the same weight as last week. It's not like I came off a diet where my metabolism was slowed down. Weight gain/maintenance could be due to HH6, but we will see now that I am going to do a constant deficit.

 

[ma70]

Good workout today. Progressing as normal. Super constant pump and weight hasn't changed over the week even in an ok deficit. Now that I am resuming a normal 750 kcal every day deficit, results should be more consistent or at least easier to figure out.

 

[MidwestBeast]

sub'd

 

[ma70]

Another good workout today. It's interesting. My weight is the same (well, I won't know for sure until next Monday when I weigh in), but I am constantly pumped and body composition looks ever so slightly better, but maybe it's just in my head. It's only been a week after all.

 

[BANE44]

Subbed

 

[Alex281]

In !

 

[ma70]

Another good workout today. Making progression at a deficit that should have me losing 1.5 lbs a week is great.

 

[ma70]

Interesting. Even though I have today and tomorrrow to be in a 700 cal deficit, my weigh in today was 198.6 and my weigh in on Monday was 200. I seem to have already lost the 1.5 lbs I was aiming for. Looking pumped/leaner as well (obviously leaner cause I lost weight). I do believe HH6 may help with fat loss as well because I remember one of the ingredients having PPAR activation properties. I will still continue this deficit either way cause I'm doing fine.

 

[ma70]

Just finished my workout. This will probably be one of the best posts I put in this thread because of how surprised I am. My lifts felt VERY easy today. On a deficit, and at a lighter weight, while still progressing, I felt stronger on all of my lifts and less fatigued at the end of the workout (but I manage fatigue well anyway). Strength is definitely up. Considering most of my training has remained constant, and I've mostly used the compound lifts (Press, Bench Press, Front Squat, Squat, Deadlift, Rows) as a staple and majority of my workouts for years, this is not a "strength-skill" gain I believe, especially on a deficit where my pressing movements drop and my lower body movements become a struggle/grind.

This is day 13 of my "cycle".

 

[ma70]

Workout was okay today. I was extremely exhausted from yesterday's activities, as well as the fact that my diet wasn't 100% optimal since it's not normally what I eat. Body composition improvements seem to be better every 2-3 days though.

 

[mattikus]

Good to hear ma70 keep it going

 

[ma70]

Another great workout. The weights feel easy as hell. As per the "program" progression, I will be increasing my weight on the bar for all the exercises in 2 workouts. I'm also around 3 lbs down from the beginning of the log, but I will see what I get during my weigh in next Monday.

 

[Danes]

Another great workout. The weights feel easy as hell. As per the "program" progression, I will be increasing my weight on the bar for all the exercises in 2 workouts. I'm also around 3 lbs down from the beginning of the log, but I will see what I get during my weigh in next Monday.

I hope HH6 treats you as good as it treated me vut you are cutting while I was maintaining

 

[ma70]

I hope HH6 treats you as good as it treated me vut you are cutting while I was maintaining

It's treating me very well.

Anyways, today was another easy workout. The progression is slow on this kind of training, but it's okay because it lets me master the weight and adapt to it. The best part of this is that I feel my bar speed/effort is much less then when I first started.

 

[ma70]

Another great workout, but an also weird phenomenon. I actually haven't lost any weight even though I've been in a 700-750 kcal deficit. I am guessing this comes from the extreme glycogen retention I seem to be having. To be continued....

 

[ma70]

Since there is a blizzard here, my workout will be delayed by 1 day but that changes nothing as the schedule itself is pretty flexible. So basically, I am down 3 lbs from the beginning of the log, then my weight loss stalled (which normally doesn't happen because I took a full diet break before hand). Glycogen retention is very apparent bceause I looked pumped all the time. This week I did not lose weight, but my body comp looks slightly better. Either way, strength is up, body comp looks ok, but weight loss stopped. I will stay at the same deficit regardless of what is happening cause the recomp results are good anyway.

 

[ma70]

Great workout today. Still maintaining weight even though I'm in a deficit. This is some weird stuff....

 

[Danes]

Great workout today. Still maintaining weight even though I'm in a deficit. This is some weird stuff....

Well, i gained weight while maintaining

 

[ma70]

If I eat any less, it'll just be weird. I'm gonna continue in the "deficit" that I am currently in. Body comp looks better at the same weight and I'm constantly pumped. Strength in workouts feels good.

 

[ma70]

Another great workout. I'm 197 right now (down 3 lbs) and I can't seem to lose weight, but my body comp looks favorable, I'm constantly pumped, and these workouts are no longer challenging. I know people are opposed to building muscle in a recomp/deficit, but studies have shown this is possible (even in lean/trained people) and it makes me wonder if I am too. I won't make any assumptions, because maybe I am just holding onto glycogen that would normally be lost as glycogen/water weight during a duration of a cut.

I'm pretty stumped as to why I am not losing weight to be honest, but all I can do is report my findings.

 

[ma70]

Today's workout was good. People who see me say I lost weight but my shirts feel tighter, I'm stronger and my weight on the scale is the same. Interesting stuff indeed. I'm eating at 2300 calories and I can't see myself eating any less than this. If I'm not losing weight, I'll just settle for a recomp.

 

[mattikus]

Sounds like its doing it's job well to me

 

[ma70]

I haven't posted in awhile because I got tired of posting the same thing. Odd little development...I finally broke through the weight "plateau" and I lost 1 lb within the last week. This puts me at 3-4 lbs down from the start. Raw weight loss isn't really on track as I was supposed to be down by 6-8 lbs by today, but I don't really mind because as I've said, I feel stronger. Today's workout (as well as yesterday's workout) went well, but not as well as they did in the past. I blame this on VERY poor sleep habits, but things are turning out well anyway. Life gets in the way sometimes but even on a deep cut, I'm still getting through my workouts better than I ever did in the past.

 

[ma70]

Well everyone, to sound redundant, this is treating me well. Still progressing through workouts and excellent body recomposition. I have decided for the last 6 weeks of this run, I am going to eat the same amount of food, do the normal workout with normal progression, but I'll add some walking on my 3 off days. (45 mins to 1 hour, BPM around 120-130)

 

[ma70]

Updates got boring so I'm just gonna do a brief one. Workouts are still going well, weight is still staying the same-ish/slightly dropping and body comp is getting much better. Every week my abs pop out ever so slightly more as I get stronger. The gym lighting is pretty good for showing this.

 

[Danes]

Updates got boring so I'm just gonna do a brief one. Workouts are still going well, weight is still staying the same-ish/slightly dropping and body comp is getting much better. Every week my abs pop out ever so slightly more as I get stronger. The gym lighting is pretty good for showing this.

Nice stuff!

 

[ma70]

So anyways, my diet is very consistent (literally the same weighed food EVERY DAY) and I gained 1 lb which puts me at a net weight loss from the start of the log of 2-3 lbs. You know, I would be disappointed but the body comp effects are amazing. Let's just call this an accidental recomp. I have 3-4 weeks left of this stuff and honestly, I just feel like I am not going to lose weight. Not necessarily a bad thing as my lifts at this weight feel stronger than they ever have (as well as "more consistent").

 

[ma70]

Man, this is log is going to be so boring. I am sure a lot of you have tuned out, which is fine, because all I am doing is repeating myself. The biggest thing I think will be meaningful is when I get off this stuff, stay on the same diet/routine, and see how the weight/strength trend is. Good body recomp, strength still progressing, and body weight is stagnating even though I'm in a 750 kcal deficit.

 

[ma70]

Alright, I haven't actually posted some of the emotional details lately, but even though my weight is not going down, I've repeatedly said my body comp is getting better and so is my strength. I am starting to get those cravings and temptations to binge, which usually happens as I've hit around 10-12% BF. I know this feeling mostly because I get this way during basketball season, except I don't get fat during basketball season because of all the cardio I get in from playing. I'm a little sad that my weight has only dropped about 3 lbs from the beginning of this log when it was supposed to drop at LEAST 10-11 lbs by now. I know in my head that body comp is better and I'm stronger, but the number on the scale seems to matter way too much to me.

Anyways starting today, I will be "reverse dieting". The calorie increase will strictly come from carbs (white rice). I don't want to go on some nutty binge and screw up the consistency of the log. I will only be in a 200kcal deficit, although judging by the way this log is going, I will probably gain weight. Or maybe I'll maintain weight since my metabolism should start ramping up again. I'll report back. I am about 7-8 weeks in, and after a 2 week reverse diet, I will switch my routine completely to something density based.

Side note: Maybe I need some EvoMuse Epitome. I've never gotten to use Epitome at around this body fat. I only managed to test it out when I was fatter because I was sloppy with my diet. Well, that'll come after this log if anything.

 

[ma70]

Back up to starting weight after 5 days of "reverse dieting". I'm stronger and look better though. Not the "-11 lbs" I was looking for but hey, I got a good recomp effect. One more week of reverse dieting, then back to maintenance and I'll see how things go from there

 

[ma70]

Gotta say. Even though a lot of people think that this is a good supplement for a cut because it's anti catabolic, I think it could benefit during times of intended recomp and even bulking. Catabolism is never good, period, and I think working "harder" on a bulking diet could lead to some awesome gains. Good workout today. Same old stuff to report....pretty boring (in a good way).

 

[alvin1]

Keep it up

 

[ma70]

Workouts still going well as planned. These workouts are a real confidence builder. I'll be peaking next week then switching to something else. I may post back from time to time but honestly, I'm just going to say I definitely recommend this. If you could double dose it I'm sure it would be nuts, but that's too much $$$ for me.

 

[ma70]

Alright guys. Just peaked last week with great results (all lifts 15-30 lbs stronger at slightly lower body weight), and I took most of this week off and got a deep tissue massage and some accupuncture. My mind/body are fresh for the last 3-4 weeks of HH6. Still determining what I should do at this point. I'm thinking about getting my conditioning back up so I might do a two "lifting" days a week strategy, with some sprints during the week. Also thinking of carb cycling. Decisions decisions....I still want to test this stuff out and see how "risky" i can go either with volume or low calories.

 

[ablaman]

I'd like to know, when are you taking the HH6?

 

[AdelV]

Good log, thank you for taking the time.