Resolve10
Well-known member
Background:
-I took a serious vacation for the first time in years in which I didn't train or take anything for nearly two weeks.
-Decided to extend this break for longer with my supplements on return to give myself a chance a break then a chance to see how much adding them back in really helped.
-I am in my "change of pace" training time, meaning lots of stuff I don't do all the time, breaks from things like typical squats, bench, deadlift, etc. So some of the "improvements" are due from time off, some from re-acquisition of performance as I get used to these movements again, but some is definitely from the products.
-I am in a heavy endurance emphasis right now too, so "strength" improvements may not be ideal.
Training:
M: Upper + 45 minutes (building to 60 over the course of this) running @6 rpe
T: Lower + 20(+) minutes Rowing Intervals
W: 45 minutes (building to 60) Echo Bike
Th: Upper + 45 minutes (building to 60 over the course of this) running @6 rpe
F: Lower + 30(+) minute Echo Bike Intervals
Sat+Sun: off
Supplements:
SNS MCC: 3g on training days
SNS Betaine: 3g pre (AM on weekends) then 1.5g pre + 2g in Nutrabio Intrablast the last 4 weeks
SNS CM: 9g pre (3g AM on weekends)
SNS Theracurmin: 1 cap PM
25g Carb, 500mg Sodium, 10g EAA pre + 25g Carb, 500mg Sodium, 10g EAA intra (or one of these pre lifting and one pre endurance on days I split training)
210mg Magnesium Gluycinate PM (400mg+ total in combo with MCC)
2g+ EPA+DHA daily
*
Added 1 cap SNS Sabroxy XT AM about 4 weeks in
Also added 4-6g Beta Alanine daily 4 weeks in (aiming for 6g but honestly I hate the tingles first couple weeks and for whatever reason also struggle to remember to take this since it’s just a powder)
Results:
-Weight Gain: 4.2lbs (absolute lowest weight compared to absolute highest, I weigh daily) over ~8 weeks
Similar to amount I lost on vacation/dropping creatine. Very modest caloric surplus, faster rate of gain than expected without creatine.
-Strength gain: increases in every lift, highlights below, with the changes not accounting for first 2-3 workouts since they were obviously “light” as I got back into things. Everything done currently with emphasis on rom, control, and trying to emphasize particular muscles used. Nothing below 3 rir, except only occasionally when I overshot or by final sets on some days.
SLDL (no belt): 275lbs x 10 -> 330lbs x 8
Single Arm Bent Over Row: 80lbs x 12 -> 100lbs x 12
RFE Split Squat (short stance): 20lbs vest + 70lbs DBs x 10-> 20lbs vest + 100lbs DBs x 10
Deadlift and split squat limited a little, especially at the start by how much DOMS they were eliciting. Exercises I have less experience with all up at least 30lbs from the start.
Did a deload week 5, then 3 more weeks building to the numbers above. Also consider that endurance volume increased weekly as well.
-Subjective feelings:
Honestly despite feeling improvements first few weeks I did kind of feel a little flat(?) outside the gym. Pumps in the gym were pretty crazy, but I thought for a bit that maybe I wouldn’t see much boost other than that. Around my deload tho I suddenly started to “fill out”. Now nothing massive I don’t want to overstate things here, but considering I was only doing 3g creatine on training days I should have known to be patient. Now at around 8 weeks I feel I’ve started to top off the creatine levels and muscle fullness outside the gym is pretty solid too. Recovery between sessions is solid, but DOMS still has been pretty high at times.
Overall I’m pretty happy. It’s nice to know I can make good progress with more minimal set up and good to know basics are still pretty helpful, even after all this time of training (especially during a time with a lot of concurrent training). I don’t want to overstate and act like they are world changing, but I also think it’s important to remember that many of these tried and true things are still worthwhile.
TLDR:
-Regained weight as creatine loaded.
-Pumps were pretty crazy during lifting.
-Continual strength and endurance gains, higher weights each week and better retention of reps on subsequent sets each week.
-Endurance improvements in conjunction with the strength gains.
-I took a serious vacation for the first time in years in which I didn't train or take anything for nearly two weeks.
-Decided to extend this break for longer with my supplements on return to give myself a chance a break then a chance to see how much adding them back in really helped.
-I am in my "change of pace" training time, meaning lots of stuff I don't do all the time, breaks from things like typical squats, bench, deadlift, etc. So some of the "improvements" are due from time off, some from re-acquisition of performance as I get used to these movements again, but some is definitely from the products.
-I am in a heavy endurance emphasis right now too, so "strength" improvements may not be ideal.
Training:
M: Upper + 45 minutes (building to 60 over the course of this) running @6 rpe
T: Lower + 20(+) minutes Rowing Intervals
W: 45 minutes (building to 60) Echo Bike
Th: Upper + 45 minutes (building to 60 over the course of this) running @6 rpe
F: Lower + 30(+) minute Echo Bike Intervals
Sat+Sun: off
Supplements:
SNS MCC: 3g on training days
SNS Betaine: 3g pre (AM on weekends) then 1.5g pre + 2g in Nutrabio Intrablast the last 4 weeks
SNS CM: 9g pre (3g AM on weekends)
SNS Theracurmin: 1 cap PM
25g Carb, 500mg Sodium, 10g EAA pre + 25g Carb, 500mg Sodium, 10g EAA intra (or one of these pre lifting and one pre endurance on days I split training)
210mg Magnesium Gluycinate PM (400mg+ total in combo with MCC)
2g+ EPA+DHA daily
*
Added 1 cap SNS Sabroxy XT AM about 4 weeks in
Also added 4-6g Beta Alanine daily 4 weeks in (aiming for 6g but honestly I hate the tingles first couple weeks and for whatever reason also struggle to remember to take this since it’s just a powder)
Results:
-Weight Gain: 4.2lbs (absolute lowest weight compared to absolute highest, I weigh daily) over ~8 weeks
Similar to amount I lost on vacation/dropping creatine. Very modest caloric surplus, faster rate of gain than expected without creatine.
-Strength gain: increases in every lift, highlights below, with the changes not accounting for first 2-3 workouts since they were obviously “light” as I got back into things. Everything done currently with emphasis on rom, control, and trying to emphasize particular muscles used. Nothing below 3 rir, except only occasionally when I overshot or by final sets on some days.
SLDL (no belt): 275lbs x 10 -> 330lbs x 8
Single Arm Bent Over Row: 80lbs x 12 -> 100lbs x 12
RFE Split Squat (short stance): 20lbs vest + 70lbs DBs x 10-> 20lbs vest + 100lbs DBs x 10
Deadlift and split squat limited a little, especially at the start by how much DOMS they were eliciting. Exercises I have less experience with all up at least 30lbs from the start.
Did a deload week 5, then 3 more weeks building to the numbers above. Also consider that endurance volume increased weekly as well.
-Subjective feelings:
Honestly despite feeling improvements first few weeks I did kind of feel a little flat(?) outside the gym. Pumps in the gym were pretty crazy, but I thought for a bit that maybe I wouldn’t see much boost other than that. Around my deload tho I suddenly started to “fill out”. Now nothing massive I don’t want to overstate things here, but considering I was only doing 3g creatine on training days I should have known to be patient. Now at around 8 weeks I feel I’ve started to top off the creatine levels and muscle fullness outside the gym is pretty solid too. Recovery between sessions is solid, but DOMS still has been pretty high at times.
Overall I’m pretty happy. It’s nice to know I can make good progress with more minimal set up and good to know basics are still pretty helpful, even after all this time of training (especially during a time with a lot of concurrent training). I don’t want to overstate and act like they are world changing, but I also think it’s important to remember that many of these tried and true things are still worthwhile.
TLDR:
-Regained weight as creatine loaded.
-Pumps were pretty crazy during lifting.
-Continual strength and endurance gains, higher weights each week and better retention of reps on subsequent sets each week.
-Endurance improvements in conjunction with the strength gains.