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Volcom's Optimus PRIME Log

i've never been able to keep my strength on a cut. even if it's a slow cut.
if you guys know of any secrets to prevent this, please share.
 
thundergod said:
You have to choose what you want the most, cuts or strength. I think you can have both in a slow cut, but these fast cuts are devastating to strength levels. Look at Maruizs, he's cut and the Strongest Man in the World!! But he eats a lot of clean calories during the day. These drastically reduced calorie cuts are what kills the strength!!
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I know... I was aware and ready to lose some strength during this cut, which I will gain back shortly. Losing strength isn't that frightening to me, just frustrating at the time. I put strength on WAAAAAY too easily, but I lose fat with WAAAAAY too much difficulty. It's a love hate. After my blitzderkrieg cut, I'll start to refocus on upping my intensity again but drastically slowing down the intentional cut process. I just need to get to where I need to be bodyfat wise, then I can start reinvesting in the infrastructure.

I have T-911 on hand and when I start the T-911, I'll be done with stims, but may still continue with Recreate and DCP, as I don't consider Recreate a stim. My nitrous activity level, as far as multiple lifting sessions and/or multiple cardio sessions will inevitably come to an end and once that candle has burned short, I'll be back in hypertrophy. I know you can have both, if done slowly, which I will reach that stage as mentioned, but for now, I'm in an all or nothing state, where my cut has the priority.

I may have my soap box rants about strength loss on occasion, but I think that's a natural reaction to anyone who's default setting is big strength and high intensity. We're in the same bloodline as far as intensity is concerned, so I'm sure you understand :firedevil:
 
You're still way stronger than most guys big V!!!
Just don't let a little loss in power mess with your head. I think some less volume/higher intensity training would help keep the mass on.
Manipulate the diet for the cuts. Ease up on cardio.....
But you know I would say that!! :biglaugh:
 
Hank Vangut said:
i've never been able to keep my strength on a cut. even if it's a slow cut.
if you guys have any secrets to prevent this, please share.
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The process may involve some scar tissue upon thy buttocks. I'm just kidding. I have, "once," when I was on the ever controversial 3-AD by AX (along with MassFX, Lean Xtreme and something else by AX, the pills were red), I cut, well, I called it a recomp, from 215 down to 198 and kept my bench and my dead lift strength, but my diet still consisted of lots 'o simple carbs, so go figure on how I managed to lose weight.

Wait, I lied, my deadlift strength remained the same, but I wasn't pushing heavy weight on my bench, but very high volume, I got my 225lbs up to 23 reps.
 
thundergod said:
You're still way stronger than most guys big V!!!
Just don't let a little loss in power mess with your head. I think some less volume/higher intensity training would help keep the mass on.
Manipulate the diet for the cuts. Ease up on cardio.....
But you know I would say that!! :biglaugh:
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I know, I really should ease up on the cardio, it's my cut OCD. I always, always, always become a carb and cardio nazi when I get into a full fledged cut, more then likely to most certainly, more cardio activity then I should for a "bodybuilder," HOWEVER, my level of cardio dedication psychologically reflects & affirms my cut dedication and it's what gives me peace about my efforts. OCD, I know.
 
Hank Vangut said:
hooollllyy cripes!!! 225lb x 23 bench at 198lbs!
i have a new goal to work towards.
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I was bragging to my roommate that I'd be worth millions at the football combine, minus my 5 second 40 time which could be ran by 300lbs linemen. Apart from that, money $$$.
 
Maybe I'm all genetically twisted, I respond to odd stuff and I don't respond to socially accepted "guarantee's"

I responded uber well to Junglewarfare
I responded very well to 3-AD
I respond great to X-factor
and I was a hyper-responder to PRIME.

However, DTHC does nothing for me and that seems to hold the most consistent positive reviews.
 
VolcomX311 said:
Maybe I'm all genetically twisted, I respond to odd stuff and I don't respond to socially accepted "guarantee's"

I responded uber well to Junglewarfare
I responded very well to 3-AD
I respond great to X-factor
and I was a hyper-responder to PRIME.

However, DTHC does nothing for me and that seems to hold the most consistent positive reviews.
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I've still yet to run some DTHC.
I want to soon and see what the buzz is about.
 
I liked JW a lot as well. Same with the original mass fx.

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:scared::scared::scared::scared:
:bandit::bandit::bandit::bandit:

:spam:

Just letting you know im still following boss. Great log, your strength is still impressive even if it has declined.

:burnout::burnout:
 
Hank Vangut said:
i've never been able to keep my strength on a cut. even if it's a slow cut.
if you guys know of any secrets to prevent this, please share.
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Well Hank, I have to plug Prime here. Seriously.
My contest last yr, 9 days out from a show (when I had cals at @1800 if I recall, might've even been lower at that time -- had to peel back intake immensely to complete a fast prep in less than 11 weeks time), I set a PR on incline BB bench for reps.. I was strong all the way thru that prep.
Altho my cals are nowhere near that low this time around, I have consistently been adding strength during this prep period, running Prime once again.
I'm convinced! ;)
 
snagency said:
Well Hank, I have to plug Prime here. Seriously.
My contest last yr, 9 days out from a show (when I had cals at @1800 if I recall, might've even been lower at that time -- had to peel back intake immensely to complete a fast prep in less than 11 weeks time), I set a PR on incline BB bench for reps.. I was strong all the way thru that prep.
Altho my cals are nowhere near that low this time around, I have consistently been adding strength during this prep period, running Prime once again.
I'm convinced! ;)
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I was just thinking to myself today how PRIME might have deserved even more credit then I was giving it.
 
Yeah, I try to be careful, lest I come off 'rep-like' :lol: but I was thinking about your strength feedback during the earlier part of this log, as compared to now..
 
I must admit, PRIME is probably bar none the most real strength gainer supplement I've used (or at least dramatically responded to), however, what else was real and to a dramatic extent was the lethargy I got. It's a rough trade off for me, I would have killed for that two PRIMES for $60 deal USP has going on if I could consider PRIME at the moment, but cardio and lethargy don't mix.
 
Cry for me Argentina :whiner:

I can't use Beta Alanine because I'm hypersensitive to parasthesia, even though I love BA and I'm hesitant to use PRIME because of the lethargy that seems to only happen to me, even though I responded to PRIME like a gangster.
 
That was an odd side effect for for you for sure. Stuff puts me on top of the world!
Alpha-male mentality in all aspects.. :bandit:
 
VolcomX311 said:
Cry for me Argentina :whiner:

I can't use Beta Alanine because I'm hypersensitive to parasthesia, even though I love BA and I'm hesitant to use PRIME because of the lethargy that seems to only happen to me, even though I responded to PRIME like a gangster.
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Going to have to special order you some PRIME with some Geranium and Caffeine added in:bandit:

PS It's $70 for 2, so $35 each, still hot.
 
I almost feel bad for scammers. These two individuals sold me a very-ill Bulldog Puppy who succumbed shortly after my purchase, due to Parvovirus. I am the wrong person to scam. If they only knew the flying shitstorm that is about to occur.
 
Mulletsoldier said:
I almost feel bad for scammers. These two individuals sold me a very-ill Bulldog Puppy who succumbed shortly after my purchase, due to Parvovirus. I am the wrong person to scam. If they only knew the flying shitstorm that is about to occur.
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WHAT!!! They sold you an ill puppy!?!? and on top of that the poor thing died. What a bunch of SOB's. I'd help you jump the guys but I can't afford the plane ticket right now.
 
Steveoph said:
Going to have to special order you some PRIME with some Geranium and Caffeine added in:bandit:

PS It's $70 for 2, so $35 each, still hot.
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I know, I saw that deal and peed myself a little. It'd be well worth it just to invest toward a later date of use.
 
Bad start ended well

VolcomX311 said:
This mornings fasted AM training felt horrifically homo....

Chest

Flat Bench
225lbs x 10 reps
225lbs x 8 reps
225lbs x 6 reps

Flat Db Press
80lbs Db's x 10 reps
80lbs Db's x 8 reps
80lbs Db's x 6 reps

Hammer Decline Press
180lbs x 12 reps
180lbs x 10 reps
180lbs x 10 reps

Hammer Dips (lower/outer pec style)
180lbs x 10 reps
180lbs x 8 reps
180lbs x 8 reps

My 225lbs bench was suppose to be a 10-12 rep scheme across the board, not declining in reps as if I were pyramiding high intensity style. Same went for the 80lbs Db's, my reps shouldn't have dropped in two rep intervals, one rep drops would have been acceptable, but oh well. I was able to fly the 80lbs Db's for 6 when I was 215lbs, so this morning was a bit disconcerting. However, I without a doubt, am looking better. I knew my traps had grown in the past year or so, it was simply bulkier and more peaked, but at 215 it was a mound. 15lbs later, my traps look pretty legit with some of that fat cut away. I look smaller with a long sleeve on, but I "look" waaaay bigger in a beater. A lot more lines, more prominent musculature and my traps are boarding on over-powering my delts, so I have some sculpting to do.

Apart from feeling like a pu$$y, I look and feel great about my overall aesthetic progression.


PM back and/or Cardio to come.
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PM Lift: BACK

BB Shrugs
315lbs x 12 reps x 4 sets

Smith-Barbell, Behind Rear Shrugs
315lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets

Incline Bench BB Rows (Mullet Rows; I have a tendency to dedicate the exercise name to a member from whom I learned it from. Viking grip is another one in honor of Thomas, now back to my Mullet Rows)
135lbs x 15 reps, pssshhhh
225lbs x 10 reps
225lbs x 10 reps
225lbs x 8 reps
225lbs x 7 reps

I don't think you can fully appreciate how heavy 225lbs for a row is until you've tried it leaning on an incline bench, it's a whole another world of isolation when it comes to BB rows

Lat Pull Downs, Wide-Behind The Neck
180lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets

Lat Pull Downs, Close-Neutral Grip
205lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets

Machine Lat Pull Downs, Behind The Neck
190lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Ever since my severe lumbar injury last May, I haven't done any bent over BB rows, which was my second favorite exercise behind Dead lifts. Though the incline bench version isn't quite as beastly in terms of the amount of weight I can throw on, I can definitely drive out the same kind of intensity. It feels damn good to row again. Terrific suggestion Mullet.


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VolcomX311 said:
WHAT!!! They sold you an ill puppy!?!? and on top of that the poor thing died. What a bunch of SOB's. I'd help you jump the guys but I can't afford the plane ticket right now.
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No jumping necessary here! Be sure, though, they will no they have been in a fight when pounds of legal-head paper crash their door.
 
I just finished cooking 8lbs of chicken with fat free Alfredo sauce (no pasta), well almost fat free, I did have to use a little bit of butter and low fat milk for the sauce. I finished off my bulk chili and after 2 straight weeks of ground meat and kidney beans, I needed a switch, so I'm onto chicken this week.
 
VolcomX311 said:
I just finished cooking 8lbs of chicken with fat free Alfredo sauce (no pasta), well almost fat free, I did have to use a little bit of butter and low fat milk for the sauce. I finished off my bulk chili and after 2 straight weeks of ground meat and kidney beans, I needed a switch, so I'm onto chicken this week.
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a good dish i used while on ckd.....

8oz turkey or chicken breast shredded
2 tbsp olive oil mayo or regular mayo
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
mixed veggies

mix it all up. pretty bomb if i do say so myself.
 
VolcomX311 said:
I just finished cooking 8lbs of chicken with fat free Alfredo sauce (no pasta), well almost fat free, I did have to use a little bit of butter and low fat milk for the sauce. I finished off my bulk chili and after 2 straight weeks of ground meat and kidney beans, I needed a switch, so I'm onto chicken this week.
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Big V.
You've got to jump on mine and Timber's roast fest!!!
A big beef roast, onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, red pepper flakes, and kraut. I season mine with some Weber's Kickin' Chicken seasoning!! Yum-Yum!!!
It's the food of the god's as Timber says!! :food::hail: Real power food.
 
Hank Vangut said:
i've never been able to keep my strength on a cut. even if it's a slow cut.
if you guys know of any secrets to prevent this, please share.
Click to expand...

That's why I don't cut... or one of the reasons. I do recomp, and eat around maintenance calories. With a combination of good herbals I can even gain strength and slowly get leaner. Prime is in another league when it comes to herbals though... my strength goes way up. Speaking of which my 9 week run starts Sunday.. can't wait.
 
DreamWeaver said:
That's why I don't cut... or one of the reasons. I do recomp, and eat around maintenance calories. With a combination of good herbals I can even gain strength and slowly get leaner. Prime is in another league when it comes to herbals though... my strength goes way up. Speaking of which my 9 week run starts Sunday.. can't wait.
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That's the TNT and PRIME combo, right?
You are gonna log that aren't you?
 
Hank Vangut said:
i've never been able to keep my strength on a cut. even if it's a slow cut.
if you guys know of any secrets to prevent this, please share.
Click to expand...
A crapload of BCAAs, high protein diet, and some creatine/beta alanine. That's always helped me out amazingly. I've never had trouble keeping strength on a cut; I usually tend to add strength, although my big lifts suffer a little sometimes. Isolation movements always increase in weight.
 
thundergod said:
Big V.
You've got to jump on mine and Timber's roast fest!!!
A big beef roast, onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, red pepper flakes, and kraut. I season mine with some Weber's Kickin' Chicken seasoning!! Yum-Yum!!!
It's the food of the god's as Timber says!! :food::hail: Real power food.
Click to expand...

I fricken love sour kruat.
 
thundergod said:
That's the TNT and PRIME combo, right?
You are gonna log that aren't you?
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No I just finished the TNT Neovar now I am going to do Prime/PhytoTest (testofen) and SuperSap. I will throw in sloppy seconds if I can get my hands on some soon. I will continue using Jacked Preworkout, love this with Supersap and really looking forward to some sloppy seconds in the mix...

Yah will log it .. 9 week run. This is where I break it open. A very cut 235-240. It's gonna be great.

TNT Neovar was pretty damn good by the way...that log is in my sig...
 
BI's: I had a mix of steady intensity and pyramiding sets.

Vertical Preacher, Barbell Curls
65lbs x 10 reps
65lbs x 8 reps
65lbs x 8 reps

Vertical Preacher, One Arm Db Curls
30lbs Db's x 10 reps
35lbs Db's x 8 reps
40lbs Db's x 6 reps

Incline Bench, Db Curls
25lbs Db's x 12 reps
30lbs Db's x 10 reps
35lbs Db's x 8 reps

One Arm Cable Curls, Bilaterally
50lbs x 10 reps
60lbs x 8 reps
60lbs x 8 reps

Lat Pull Down, Vertical Curls
50lbs x 12 reps
60lbs x 10 reps
75lbs x 10 reps
75lbs x 10 reps

This meant to be an off day, so I will probably only stick to this one session of activity.

I tried the steady weight across my sets thing, but I'm just not into it. I'm losing strength and I'm missing the intensity. I find that even when don't pyramid the weight, my rep range still takes a declining pattern, but only without the extra weight. Pyramiding felt a lot better, deeper hitting and it required the intensity that I like.
 
I seemed to have hit my wall. It's been almost two weeks that I've been at 201lbs. I was hoping for at least a 1lb drop this week, but I'm still at 201lbs and that's with the inclusion of my phase two fat attack stack. I look a bit leaner in the mornings, but it could be hopeful perceptions. I went from losing 2-3lbs every 4-5 days to nothing in two weeks. That's alright, if the major weight loss has ceased, then I can take this time to build my strength back up. Still, a bit discouraging, but que sera sera.
 
Sam - this is where a weekly lowering of caloric intake comes into play.
You can only lose so much weight for so long runniing the same intake.
I've been noting your food choices (and I like these), but really you have to get a bit anal when you're cooking these large batches for the week, figure out what your actual daily consumption is. Take into account how active you are; establish a baseline for maintenence; and start dropping cals slowly by the week.
Another option (and just as important imo) is cycling your macros. Every 3-4 days, you should consume more cals than usual, and skew the carbs higher/fat lower. Then you drop back into your regular daily intake until the next 'spike'.
We have to constantly be tricking the metabolism, keeping it off track, to continue to make progress. Then other hormones (like leptin levels) come into play as well; this is why we bump the carbs every so often (in addition to rattling the thyroid)..
It's not too complicated of a process, but it takes some experimentation to see what works for you..
 
Also - on the topic of your incresed 'fat-attack' supps: keep in mind, you could be swapping out fat for muscle here as well. So in this instance, weight would not change (and might even increase!), but fat is being eliminated..
Don't get discouraged brother!
 
snagency said:
Sam - this is where a weekly lowering of caloric intake comes into play.
You can only lose so much weight for so long runniing the same intake.
I've been noting your food choices (and I like these), but really you have to get a bit anal when you're cooking these large batches for the week, figure out what your actual daily consumption is. Take into account how active you are; establish a baseline for maintenence; and start dropping cals slowly by the week.
Another option (and just as important imo) is cycling your macros. Every 3-4 days, you should consume more cals than usual, and skew the carbs higher/fat lower. Then you drop back into your regular daily intake until the next 'spike'.
We have to constantly be tricking the metabolism, keeping it off track, to continue to make progress. Then other hormones (like leptin levels) come into play as well; this is why we bump the carbs every so often (in addition to rattling the thyroid)..
It's not too complicated of a process, but it takes some experimentation to see what works for you..
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Thanks Snag, cycling might be a good option. I'll have to look into that.
 
Up until this point, I'd been pretty much maintenance lifting or refine lifting as I call it, moderate weight, high reps, but my decision for this was primarily to allow my energy levels to catch up with the new activities levels. It's hard to jump right into 100% dedication to cardio and 100% dedication into lifting when I was so cardio-respiratorally out of shape, compound that with an introduction of a caloric deficit and major change in GI foods.

However, I'm 100% or at least almost completely adapted to my activity levels, so I'm back on the destruction train.

Fasted AM Lift: Delt Destruct

Behind The Neck Military Press
135lbs x 15 reps
155lbs x 12 reps
175lbs x 10 reps
185lbs x 8 reps

Hammer Shoulder Press
180lbs x 10 reps
200lbs x 10 reps
220lbs x 8 reps
240lbs x 5 reps, oops.

Db Side Laterals
40lbs Db's x 10 reps
45lbs Db's x 10 reps
45lbs Db's x 8 reps

Barbell Upright Rows
95lbs x 12 reps
115lbs x 10 reps
135lbs x 8 reps

Seated Shrugs
270lbs x 10 reps
320lbs x 8 reps
370lbs x 6 reps

Oh yeah.... feels good to lift big.

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For the record, the chicken I made is over cooked and dry, the only thing saving it is the fat free alfredo sauce, nonetheless, its making my feeds quite enduring. I looked forward to my chili meals, not so much with these dry @$$ chicken.
 
Chicken is teh suxorz. I'm digging on Ahi Tuna fillets and scallops, mixed with some chicken, and chopped peppers/onions/shrooms/tomatoes/almonds, add brown rice and some Mrs. Dash if you need carbs.
 
When it comes to high intensity or high volume lifting, I think what effects my lifting the most is my mentality. There's no adrenaline rush for me when I'm pressing 225lbs on the bench, there's no hyping needed, so my lifts then inherently lack intensity, rather then strength, so it would seem.

Last weeks Hammer Shoulder Press for 180lbs for 4 sets felt more difficult then my pyramiding up to 240 or whatever today. No change in food obviously, both were fasted AM and I highly doubt my bench went from 285 down to 225 and struggling due to a 10lbs loss, unless I was in a concentration camp being famished of all nutrients. I'm willing to bet I could hit 285 today, if I were sitting underneath the weight with my adrenaline flowing, intent hyper-ventilation and mental intensity hype. There's no need for a zone when I'm volume lifting, so whether or not volume lifting is greater for hypertrophy then higher intensity, "for me" what got me where I am today is my ability to reach a psychotic zone of intensity before a lift, which moderate weight does not bring me to. It just seems silly to me anyway to get hyped up for a light lift, I dunno. Personal issues I suppose.

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Irish Cannon said:
Chicken is teh suxorz. I'm digging on Ahi Tuna fillets and scallops, mixed with some chicken, and chopped peppers/onions/shrooms/tomatoes/almonds, add brown rice and some Mrs. Dash if you need carbs.
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I saw some Tilapia for cheap at my Albertson's, I don't know any good fish recipes other then the Asian marinade of soy sauce and vinegar (don't know it till you've tried it).
 
VolcomX311 said:
When it comes to high intensity or high volume lifting, I think what effects my lifting the most is my mentality. There's no adrenaline rush for me when I'm pressing 225lbs on the bench, there's no hyping needed, so my lifts then inherently lack intensity, rather then strength, so it would seem.

Last weeks Hammer Shoulder Press for 180lbs for 4 sets felt more difficult then my pyramiding up to 240 or whatever today. No change in food obviously, both were fasted AM and I highly doubt my bench went from 285 down to 225 and struggling due to a 10lbs loss, unless I was in a concentration camp being famished of all nutrients. I'm willing to bet I could hit 285 today, if I were sitting underneath the weight with my adrenaline flowing, intent hyper-ventilation and mental intensity hype. There's no need for a zone when I'm volume lifting, so whether or not volume lifting is greater for hypertrophy then higher intensity, "for me" what got me where I am today is my ability to reach a psychotic zone of intensity before a lift, which moderate weight does not bring me to. It just seems silly to me anyway to get hyped up for a light lift, I dunno. Personal issues I suppose.
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Soap box continued.

Shrugs are the most prevalent example. I've been pushing 315lbs for 3-4 sets, at a 12, 10, 9, 8 reps range, but when I pyramid lift from 315 up to 405, it's still a 12, 10, 8 range. I gain a couple extra reps with the moderate lift, but lose 90lbs of weight. The trade off doesn't sit right with me. Maybe I'm just too predominantly type II and IIx, I don't know. Bottom line, Samuel prefers, excels and responds best to higher intensity, as oppose to higher volume lifts.

I've been able to maintain my strength or at least keep 90%+ of it from a cut from 230lbs down to 211lbs, so this 211lbs down to 201 should not be no thang. I've got my mental game back. I think I may have also suffered from a self fulfilling prophecy of lack of strength from my innate instincts & thoughts about fasted training, but this morning I proved it has not effect over my strength as long as my mind is right.
 
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