Settling in and ready for progress

[Rockslide]

I’ve decided to make a log, it will keep me accountable and I’ve been on a nice little run with some positives in my training the last few months so hoping I can continue that .

37 yo
6’, 194. Traditionally have been 195-220. I’m the leanest I’ve been in few years though. I suspect I’m sitting at about 15% BF. Down from 206 in past 10 weeks or so.

Had some ups and downs since 2018. I took about 10 years off from serious weight training prior to 2018. I’ve lifted relatively consistently since then but haven’t ever quite had the time to get the real results I wanted. Typically get in a good run then crazy life or work things happen, serious injury, death of family member, moved multiple times etc.

Life has finally settled down some though. In some ways it’s crazier than ever in regards to work and family commitments but I am hopefully in my last house ever, I’m only a couple of minutes to work, financially stable, and working on a nice home gym. I’ve lost some access to speciality machines but I’m getting multiple hours a day back and flexibility which is well worth it and things seem to be going well.

I would say cardio is the one thing my training is lacking. I just have to do better on this regard. Over the past 5 years or so it seems like I’ve had trouble getting both in. Sacrifice the strength training and get 10-15 miles a week in (I really enjoy 5-10k slow runs) . Do good in the gym, find no time for cardio…. I just have to do better

 

[Rockslide]

Wish I had done a body comp before changing my program , losing weight etc. I could go do one now but I hate to do just a single one in a peaking phase because I know it will slide back some on just TRT alone.

Went to a total body split. I’m finding it’s easier to stick with the program rather than 4-5 day a week push/pull/ legs or bro split. Seems like when work gets busy the legs get sacrificed , things get cut short etc. I’m finding hitting everything 3-4 x a week but not murdering once muscle group every 5-8 days (depending on how crazy work got) is treating me much better

Currently TRT- 100 mg (33 MWF) , hCG 400 iu 2x weekly, LGD 20 mg daily IM.

25 mg trest oral PWO 1-2 x weekly

Squats - As stated in another thread due to my wrist injury I have to unrack, walk out then slide my hands out to the collars and get the bar positioned , do my set and carefully rerack without smashing my hands

135x8
225 x 6
275 x 2
275 x2
Had more left in the tank as far as reps and weight but really just added these back in the last 8 weeks

Hamstring curls - plate loaded, prone
45 x 10, 10, 8

Lever arm pull downs
115 x 12, 10, 10

Rear delt reverse flies
20 x 12, 12, 12

Lever arm flat bench (iso lateral)
70 per arm- 20 reps
115 per arm - 4 reps (too heavy to be comfortable , was sliding down the bench sweaty trying to unrack)
70 x15
70 x 12

Landmine close grip rows
90 x6,6,6

Dumbbell lateral raises
20 x 10,10,10

Tricep pushdowns (plate loaded with chain attached to lever arms)
50x 10,10,10

Preachers curls (plate loaded)
30 x 12,15, 12, 10

Was happy with today. Strength is up while weight is down 12 lbs . Wife says I look bigger, which I’m not, just leaner.

This was supposed to be yesterday’s workout but I got a day behind last week with work, pushed Fridays workout to Saturday and Sunday (split it into two). Wasn’t recovered well Monday and got killed at work. Was worth waiting a day. At least with this program if I get busy I will split the workout into two days, or push it back to the off day and make it back up through the week. Will figure out tomorrow if I want to do the full workout , split it in half with Thursday or push the full workout to Thursday.

 

[Segansational]

Good on you for making the log to commit! That's some interesting stack stuff. Have you used the injectable LGD and oral trest before?

 

[Rockslide]

First time with both.

Enjoying the LGD. It’s pretty subtle at least for me at this dose . Will find out what it’s really doing when I hop off in a few weeks. Feel confident it’s doing something though since it’s a little harder to sleep and digestion and appetite is down a bit but nothing terrible like it is with methylated compounds. The trest is a nice little pwo boost. I suspect I would get a lot more out of it at 50-100 mg PWO but trying to be careful with it and not get injured. It also definitely messes up my sleep. Took it at 3 pm yesterday and I was laying in bed at 1030 with my HR up and restless legs trying to wind down.

 

[Dblock]

Question…. Do you take the trest on an empty stomach or with coffee ? I am sitting on a bottle from VL and want to run it like you are but am worried about stomach issues……

 

[Dustin07]

Squats - As stated in another thread due to my wrist injury I have to unrack, walk out then slide my hands out to the collars and get the bar positioned , do my set and carefully rerack without smashing my hands

Holding a narrow grip on the barbell puts the wrist in a bad position for you?
Have you tried wraps? I wear my wrist wraps not only on bench but also heavy squat for the extra support.

 

[Hyde]

Subbed

If you have been hitting squats for 8 weeks, you can start to push the RPE a bit harder.

You could also take a bit of load off too if concerned about pushing too hard too soon - something like 250x5 is 10% less load and should let you push a bit more volume overall. I’m not a big volume guy, but for general training you’d be hard pressed to go wrong with a few sets of 5s on squats for overall size & strength development.