*_ Lynks8 is Getting Shredded with XTEND PERFORM _*

Lynks8

Lynks8

Well-known member
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Allright Allright Allright!

I was one of the lucky AM members selected to log Scivation's newest Xtend product: Xtend Perform. So without further ado, let's get started.

Current Stats:
6'0"
195lbs
~15% bf

My Background:
I've been lifting on and off for ~7 years now. At the start of this spring, I got down to ~9% body fat and was feeling great, and then some unfortunate events occurred in my life and I let my diet and workout regimen go pretty badly. I shot up to ~15% bf in just a couple months, but that chapter is over. Now, it's time to get back to being sliced and diced. To do so, I'm going to be running a fairly aggressive caloric deficit and working out 6 days per week. My workouts will include HIIT cardio and a modified PPL program that will incorporate PHAT ideologies.

I am looking forward to see what Xtend Perform can do for me in a couple key areas:
1. Strength
In previous cuts of this magnitude, I have noticed decreased strength. We will see if Xtend Perform can help maintain or even increase my strength.
2. Muscle Preservation
Being in an aggressive cut, we will observe how well Xtend Perform assists in staving off catabolism.
3. Recovery
We will see what effect Xtend Perform has on my overall recovery and how well it allows me to progressively overload and push my limits both in my resistance training and my cardio.

I will be dosing Xtend Perform per the instructions: 2 scoops per day, consumed before and during my workouts.

Let's get to it!
 
Day 1:
Today was my first workout with Xtend Perform. I took one scoop before/during ~20 minutes of HIIT and immediately followed that with one scoop before/during my lifting session.

Initial thoughts
Wow does this taste amazing. I have the Mango flavor and it could not be more spot-on. It's very heavily flavored, allowing me to dilute one scoop into ~14oz of water while still tasting great. Compared to normal Xtend, you do get just a hint of the peakO2, but overall it's delicious and refreshing. There is no nasty aftertaste. It was difficult not to drink each serving too fast; that's how good it is.

It's too early to note any performance benefits, but I will say that my cardio in particular went great. My peak heart rate was slightly lower than normal, but it's hard to say if that's due to the Xtend Perform or not.

My lifting session was Pull: Hypertrophy, with all sets in the 12-15 rep range. It may have been placebo, but I did feel as if I had more in the tank than normal. I could get an extra rep or two at the end of each set and I was slightly less out-of-breath. We will see if these effects continue throughout the log.

So far: it's looking good!
 
Day 1 and already seeing effects. After a full week this will kick in hardcore. You are going to love this run my man. Can't wait to see your honesty and detail
 
Yesterday was an off day.

Day 3

Weight: 194lbs
Bodyfat: ~15%

Todays workout was 20min HIIT followed by Heavy Chest/Tris:
Cardio went well. Again, heart rate seemed a little lower than normal. I can't imagine this is the Xtend Perform working already, but I felt great.

Flat Bench
Bar x 10
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 5
295 x 4
(felt like I had more in the tank, but no PR's on flat bench today)

Incline Bench
185 x 5
225 x 5
235 x 5
245 x 4
(Again, felt great but no PR's or extra reps)

Decline Bench
225 x 4
275 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 3
(My left shoulder started giving me some grief, so I cut my last set a bit short. No PR's/extra reps)

Machine Dip
for future reference, this is the machine to which I'm referring
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180 x 5
270 x 5
295 x 6
300 x 6
(no PR's/extra reps, but the reps went a little smoother than normal)

Flat Bench EZ Bar Skull Crushers
90x 8
100 x 6
100 x 7
100 x 6
(missed a couple reps on this one, last week I hit 100 for 7 on 2 sets and 8 on 1 set)

Short and sweet. Overall, workout went well. No progression on weights/reps, but I felt strong and perhaps a little less out-of-breath, and I'm now 1 week into a 750kcal deficit, so I'm happy with where I'm at.

I should also mention that the taste of Xtend Perform Mango is just insanely good. No mixing problems whatsoever with 1 scoop-per-14oz water. This is the best tasting amino drink I think I've ever tasted. Props to Scivation on dat flavoring system.

Looking forward to tomorrow's workout!
 
The Solution said:
Day 1 and already seeing effects. After a full week this will kick in hardcore. You are going to love this run my man. Can't wait to see your honesty and detail
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Thanks! I'm really looking forward to what this starts to do after a week. I'm really hoping for strength preservation and good recovery. We shall see.
 
Lynks8 said:
I should also mention that the taste of Xtend Perform Mango is just insanely good. No mixing problems whatsoever with 1 scoop-per-14oz water. This is the best tasting amino drink I think I've ever tasted. Props to Scivation on dat flavoring system.

Looking forward to tomorrow's workout!
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That mango is unique brother. Have to agree . I have not had the xtend perform mango yet just the regular xtend and its wonderful.

If you jumped right to a 750 kcal deficit I would up the kcals a bit. take it slower and steady and give yourself flexibility to drop kcals and add more cardio as you hit roadblocks.

Ive been dieting almost 3-4 months now and have hit a few PR's the last few weeks while on a very low carb diet. Just got to muster that mind game and keep yourself focused.
 
Also, for reference, here are the other supps I'm currently taking:

-Orange Triad + Greens
-Oximega Fish Oil
-IFN Maxout pre-workout
-NOW Lecithin Granules (3 tbsp pre-workout on training days)
-EC stack (12.5mg HCL + 1 scoop Alphamine in the mornings, 12.5mg HCL added in with my pre-workout)
-USPLabs MaxReps (1 scoop taken PWO on hypertrophy days)

Prior to this I was using PES Amino IV as my amino drink (the last version with HICA/etc). Thus, the only change has been swapping Amino IV for Xtend Perform. I have been using this mild version of the EC stack for ~3 weeks prior to this run, and the rest of my supps are staples, so I should have solid baseline upon which to measure any changes/benefits caused by Xtend Perform.

As for diet, I am following a cyclical ketogenic diet. I take in ~50g carbs after my workouts, otherwise it's predominantly fat/protein for my other meals. As mentioned I am at a 750kcal deficit and will hold steady there until my weight loss plateaus.
 
The Solution said:
That mango is unique brother. Have to agree . I have not had the xtend perform mango yet just the regular xtend and its wonderful.

If you jumped right to a 750 kcal deficit I would up the kcals a bit. take it slower and steady and give yourself flexibility to drop kcals and add more cardio as you hit roadblocks.

Ive been dieting almost 3-4 months now and have hit a few PR's the last few weeks while on a very low carb diet. Just got to muster that mind game and keep yourself focused.
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The Mango is so good. It tastes like legit mango juice. I am seriously in love with the flavoring of this stuff already.

Yea, I may up the kcals a touch. I've never started this low; in previous cuts I've always favored slow-and-steady, but I put this most recent weight on so fast and it's the middle of summer, so I'm trying a slightly more aggressive approach to get back to where I want to be ASAP. If I notice strength or energy dip tremendously, I'll make a change, but I typically start at a ~500kcal deficit, so this isn't a massive change. Plus, if it continues to go well at this rate, it would be a heck of a testament to Xtend Perform. Also, for the record, I have a pretty decent metabolism, so even with a 750kcal deficit, I'm still at ~2350 kcal/day.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. It may very well come in handy.
 
We are running very similar diets but I am full Keto 6 days a week and one refeed on Sunday . Eager to see how you like the CKD approach. Any refeeds ?
 
The Solution said:
We are running very similar diets but I am full Keto 6 days a week and one refeed on Sunday . Eager to see how you like the CKD approach. Any refeeds ?
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Nice. I used to run a diet just like yours, but I found I maintained strength/energy better with this particular CKD method while still being able to get shredded. I have not used regularly scheduled refeeds with this approach; however, I do tend to have a cheat meal once every ~2 weeks, (I can't go too long without having some good beers and a burger, lol). I may go 2 weeks before giving in. I may go 4. I try not to be so dogmatic in my approach that it completely hinders my dietary freedom. So, there's that.
 
Day 4

Weight: 194lbs
Bodyfat: ~15%

Today's workout was 19min HIIT followed by Heavy Lower + Shoulders
Cardio went super well today. I have a recumbent stationary bike that gives me all the standard details, e.g. distance, mph, heart rate, calories burned, etc. I generally shoot for 20 min of full HIIT, but to have a standardized goal to work towards, I always shoot for, at the very least, an extra .2 miles and/or 10 calories burned each session. This may seem small, but it adds up over the course of a scheduled block of progression. Today, I hit my goal under the allotted time. I have done this before, so I won't give credit to Xtend Perform yet, but I can't deny I had a great session.

Now, onto the gym.

High Back Thrusters
I know this is similar to a crossfit move. Please don't take my head off, lol. I find this to be a spectacular, explosive warm-up movement for the rest of my workout. I start with a clean and press, then set the bar in the high-back position on my shoulders. I then perform a squat and press the bar up at the top of the movement, behind my back.
Bar x10
135 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
180 x 4
(no PR's, but I felt like I could have gone for 5 reps on the last set. Decided to keep it in the tank.)

High Bar Squat
225 x 5
250 x 5
260 x 5
260 x 5
(The squat is my worst lift. I have messed up hip mobility I need to fix or something. No PR's. This is a little lower than I normally go, but I haven't squatted in a while, so I'm coming back into it carefully so I can keep trying to progress.)

Deadlift
225 x 6
315 x 5
340 x 5
405 x 3
(No PR's, but I haven't hit 405 for 3 in months! It's likely placebo, but I really feel like I'm catching my breath sooner and it's giving me more confidence to go after the weight.)

Seated DB Shoulder Press
70's x 6
80's x 5
85's x 3
85's x 3
(No PR's, but felt strong. Probably could have gone for 1 more rep on the 85's, but decided to keep it here for now.)

Seated Calf Raise Machine
135 x 6
180 x 5
225 x 5
270 x 1 + 20 second negative
225 x 4
(No PR's. Could have held the negative longer. Wussed out.)

Standing DB Calf Raise
120's x 10
120's x 12
120's x 12
(I do 4 reps parallel, 4 reps toes out, 4 reps toes in. My energy level was great today, so I went into the first set a little too fast after the seated raises, which caused me to burn out too fast).

Overall, solid workout. Still at a 750kcal deficit. Mango Xtend Perform is still mixing well and tasting delicious. I'll be interested to see if I notice any change in recovery over the next couple days.
 
georgetown said:
Good luck on getting back down in bf, 9% must have been great, in to follow.
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Thanks man. This was me at ~10-11%, no pump:
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I'll be happy if I can at least get back to that. I hate the way I look right now. It's funny, only a few years ago, 15%bf would have been awesome. Now I've seen what I can achieve and I never want to go back.
 
The Solution said:
Hitting 405 again is confidence.
Just stop wussing out and push your limits :)
it is time to PERFORM :)
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Haha, word! I think this log is really going to help my motivation. I can't wait to see what next week brings once dat peakO2 really kicks in. I'm skeptical of all supplement claims, but this stuff has really seemed to make a difference in almost every log I've read.
 
Lynks8 said:
Haha, word! I think this log is really going to help my motivation. I can't wait to see what next week brings once dat peakO2 really kicks in. I'm skeptical of all supplement claims, but this stuff has really seemed to make a difference in almost every log I've read.
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The supp itself wont do the work. You got to perform and push your limits as well.
Hell I popped a blood vessel in my eye the other day squatting 405 for reps. Almost felt like I was going to pass out until I squeezed out a few more reps and my right side of my face was bloodshot red.
 
Day 5

Weight: 193.5lbs
Bodyfat: ~15%

Xtend Perform Thoughts: Is it having an affect already?I swear I am noticing that I do not get out of breath as quickly and when I do eventually get out of breath, I catch it faster. Could this be real this early, or placebo? I have to look into peakO2's onset and MOA more. After a youth spent playing sports and 8 years of varying degrees of fitness activities, I'd like to think I know my body pretty well...that I'm well attuned to what homeostasis is and, as such, that I'd notice even small changes in performance.

Today's workout was 20 minutes of HIIT followed by Heavy Pull

I hit my cardio goal right at 20 minutes. Felt very energized and ready to LIFT.

T-Bar Row Machine w/pad
(for future reference, this one)
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45 x8
90 x6
135 x 6
160 x 6
180 x 5
225 x 1 + 10 second negative
(I have never gone for 225 before. It wasn't pretty. Had to use a little body english getting it up, but I held that bitch for 10 full seconds on the way down after this heavy set. That's technically a PR for me!)

Bent Over Row. Strict 90* angle, no body english
225 x 5
225 x 5
235 x 5
(No PR's, but again I was surprised how fast I felt recovered between sets. I actually got a pretty good pump going at this point, which indicates my rest periods really were shorter)

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown Machine. Thumbs on top of bar.
205 x 6
250 x 5
265 x 4
280 x 1 + 12 second negative
(Never went for 280 before. Another "PR" even if it was just one rep. The negative felt strong. Probably could have held it just a touch longer.)

Ez Bar Cable Curls
85 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 3
130 x 3
(No PR's, but I really got a great squeeze at the top and made the eccentric portion of the lift nice and slow. Biceps were in pain after this.)

Flat Bar Curls
105 x 5
115 x 4
115 x 5
125 x 1 + 8 second negative
(This is not a super strong lift for me, but I am very strict with my form. No PR's, but I haven't gone for 125 in months, so there's that.)

Shrugs
225 x 8
315 x 6
325 x 5
325 x 5
(No PR's here, but again, I got a better squeeze than normal at the top. Felt strong.)

This was a solid workout. I am surprised with how strong I'm feeling despite the big caloric deficit. The only major performance benefit I can possibly attribute to the Xtend Perform thus far is feeling somewhat less out of breath, but I am having pretty great workouts. Looking forward to tomorrow!

p.s. I really can't over-emphasize how amazing the flavoring on this stuff is. I was genuinely tempted to mix up a little more when I got home. I wanted it more than I wanted my protein shake, ha.
 
The Solution said:
The supp itself wont do the work. You got to perform and push your limits as well.
Hell I popped a blood vessel in my eye the other day squatting 405 for reps. Almost felt like I was going to pass out until I squeezed out a few more reps and my right side of my face was bloodshot red.
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Hell yea man. I typically am pretty intense in the gym, but popping blood vessels and pushing through is on another level. I am going to try and channel some of that killer instinct into my workouts and push myself more than ever before. No excuses. No tapping out.
 
Day 6

Weight: 194lbs
Bodyfat: ~15%

Today's workout was 20 minutes of HIIT cardio followed by Hypertrophy Push

I hit my cardio goal (extra .2 miles, extra 11 calories burned) in 20 min. My heart rate is not peaking as high as normal and I feel like I have more breath. I think I can say with certainty at this point that Xtend Perform is unquestionably having a positive affect on my cardio.

Incline DB Flyes
20's x 15
30's x 15
35's x 15
40's x 15
45's x 15
50's x 10 -> Drop set 40's x 6, going for constant tension and extreme contraction
(No PR's here, but rest times between sets were shorter than normal)

Pec Deck Machine (gripping the actual arms behind the handlebars, thumbs out)
190 x 15
205 x 15
205 x 14
190 x 15
(I literally halved my rest times here compared to normal. Part of this is surely mental, but it's undeniable that the Xtend Perform is helping me catch my breath)

Downward Cable Flyes Supersetted with pushups
80 x 8, still holding the grips -> 5 pushups, back up for 6 more flyes, back down for 5 more pushups
100 x 8, 5 pushups, 130 x 5, 4 pushups
100 x 8, 5 pushups, 140 x 4, 4 pushups
80 x 16
(I love this. It is pretty intense and gives a ridiculous pump. I would normally stop after the 3rd set here, but even though I was panting and out of breath, I felt like I could keep going, so I did with the final 80x16.)

Low Cable Chest Flyes
70 x 15
80 x 15
90 x 8, 70 x 5
(No PR's, and I really struggled with the last set, but I am focusing on the squeeze at the top more than before, so I'm happy.)

Flat Bar Cable Tricep Pushdowns
120 x 15
130 x 15
140 x 15
100 x 18 (reverse grip)
(No PR's, but again, I am squeezing harder than ever at the end of the concentric portion of the lift, not just banging the reps out.)

Seated DB Behind-The-Neck Tricep Extensions
It's this exercise:
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But I've modified it by using two DB's and pressing them together. The gym I go to has hexagonal weights, so it's easy to keep the weights together.
35's x 15
40's x 12 + 3
45's x 10 + 2
35's x 15
(No PR's, but I kept my form more strict than normal, with almost zero elbow flaring. My triceps were on FIRE after this)

Another solid workout. I am definitely feeling like I have more in the tank. I don't feel stronger per se, but endurance is apparently improving, and is doing so while in a pretty decent cut!
 
The Solution said:
The perform is shining already. I told you this would hit you right away and it is showing.
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I really wanted to be wary of placebo with this, both because I consider myself a skeptic and because I read such a wealth of positive reviews before I even started....BUT, it's readily apparent at this point that it is indeed eliciting positive effects on endurance. Color me impressed.
 
Lynks8 said:
I really wanted to be wary of placebo with this, both because I consider myself a skeptic and because I read such a wealth of positive reviews before I even started....BUT, it's readily apparent at this point that it is indeed eliciting positive effects on endurance. Color me impressed.
Click to expand...

I would not let you down man. Just trying to enlighten you to research and science mike puts into his products.
 
Day 8

Weight: 193llbs
Bodyfat: ~15%

Yesterday was just cardio. I put 2 scoops Xtend Perform in my polar bottle and did some MISS on my road bike, roughly 30 miles. I sweat my ass off and felt amazing. I haven't done 30 miles in a while, so this was good to get back to. Fridays in general will be a longer cardio session. I wasn't intending to do anything much more than my usual 20 min HIIT, but I've decided to explore how Xtend Perform affects longer cardio bouts.

Today was 20 min HIIT and Pull Hypertrophy + Shoulders Hypertrophy

Cardio went well. Hit my goal of an extra .2miles and 10 calories burned in the same 20 min, then it was on to the gym.

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns, thumbs on top of bar
145 x 15
175 x 15
190 x 12
175 x 15
(no PR's, but went for 190x15 for the first time in awhile. I'm happy with 12. Haven't hit that in months. Keep in mind when I do lat pulldowns I keep my back arched and rigid. No body english. I really try to feel it in my lats and squeeze hard at the bottom.)

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns Behind Back, thumbs on top of bar
160 x 14
160 x 13
145 x 15
(Again, no PR's, but my form is stricter than ever: rigid neck/back, hard squeeze, nice slow eccentric.)

Underhand Mid-Narrow Grip Pulldowns
190 x 14
190 x 12
175 x 15
(My rep range for this workout was 12-15. I usually don't get 190 for 2 sets since I keep my rest times to 60 seconds or less. I am catching my breath sooner than usual, so I decided to go for it. I'm pleased I hit my range for the second set @190)

DB Side Lateral Raises
20 x 15
30 x 15
35 x 15
35 x 15
(No PR's, but I'm taking it easy on my left shoulder for a bit. Felt strong, like I could have done more, but wanted to stay safe. Form was on point, no swinging at all.)

DB Front Raises, mixed grip
30 x 7 overhand, 30 x 7 underhand
35 x 8 overhand, 35 x 8 underhand
40 x 7 overhand, 40 x 7 underhand
(I haven't gone for 40's in months. I'm actually pretty surprised I hit this. Had a tiny bit of body english towards the last reps, but still kept the mind-muscle connection.)

Preacher Curl Machine
155 x 12
170 x 12
155 x 15
(No PR's, but I haven't hit 170 in this range in quite awhile. I am surprised with how confident I'm feeling in the gym. My energy levels really are improved, as is my recovery time between sets.)

DB Hammer Curls
40's x 15
45's x 14
45's x 13
(I usually go back to 40's for the 3rd set, so I was pleased with this. The confidence from catching my breath sooner is definitely translating into a desire to try going a little heavier in later sets.)

Modified Deep Swimmers Press
For those unfamiliar, the Deep Swimmers Press is traditionally a curl which then turns into a press, as seen below
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I change it up by opening my arms up and curling to the outside of my body before pressing. Once fully pressed, I keep my elbows wide open during the eccentric portion as my hands come back down the sides of my body. I find this better focuses on my biceps brachialis and side delts, which are two weak points for me.
30 x 14
25 x 15
25 x 15
20 x 15 (super slow, squeezing hard)
(I typically don't go for 30's with this exercise, and with my left shoulder hurting a bit on side-delt focused exercises, I probablyshouldn't have, but I was still feeling really strong at this point in the workout, so I said "F it!" and went for it.)

This was a great workout. I can confidently say I am less short-of-breath and recovering faster between sets. I can't wait to see what next week holds....
 
WTF is in this stuff?

Day 10

Yesterday was an off day.

Today's workout was 20 minutes HIIT followed by Heavy Chest/Tris

Once again, I hit my cardio goals, increasing my distance .3 miles and calories burned by 11, all in the same 20 minutes, all with lower-than-expected heart rate averages.

On to the gym...

Due to poor scheduling on my part, I only had 40 minutes to get my Heavy Chest/Tris workout in which I normally like to do in about 1 hour. This was not good, but I was determined to get as much done as possible. I was extremely surprised by how much I was able to accomplish. My rest times were ~30 seconds at best. I usually go for 2+ minutes on heavy days. Despite this, I got 90% of my workout done AND hit a PR!

Flat Bench
Bar x 6
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 5
315 x 2!
(I haven't gone for 315 since last winter, and I only got 1 rep. Somehow, despite having significantly smaller rest periods today, I was feeling strong/confident, so I went for it and got 2 CLEAN reps! I probably could have gone for a 3rd with help, but I didn't have a spotter.)

Incline Bench
185 x 5
225 x 5
235 x 5
245 x 5
(Increased my final set by 1 rep. Not a PR, but progression nonetheless!)

Decline Bench
225 x 4
275 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 4
(My shoulder was feeling better today, so I decided to push the last set and got an extra rep!)

Machine Dip
180 x 5
270 x 5
295 x 6
320 x 5
(No PR's here, but increased the weight on my last set and got all 5 with clean reps, no bouncing.)

This is where I had to cut it short. No skull crushers today. Still, I'm very happy with my overall performance and bench PR, even if it was minor.

I am sure that I could have pushed myself to achieve what I did in such a short period of time without Xtend Perform. We all have more potential in us than we regularly access. However, the fact remains that my recovery times between sets are unquestionably better and it's giving me the confidence to push myself. For the potential physiological benefits, and the indisputable confidence benefits of feeling like you have a little more gas in the tank, I am very happy with this stuff so far.
 
Day 11

Weight: 192.5lbs
Bodyfat: ~14.5%

Finally, a good dent in the scale. I am starting to see a tiny bit more lower ab definition, too.

Today's workout was ~21 minutes HIIT followed by Heavy Lower + Shoulders

Didn't sleep super well last night. Only got ~4 hours. Not good. Didn't quite have the energy I wanted. I still got my cardio goals in, but it took an extra minute. I'm ok with that once-in-awhile.

Now, to the gym...

High Back Thrusters
Bar x10
135 x 5
170 x 5
175 x 5
185 x 4
(no PR's, but I increased my weight on the last two sets.)

High Bar Squat
225 x 5
250 x 5
260 x 5
270 x 4
(Despite feeling a little low during cardio, I was raring to go at this point. No PR's, but again, increased the weight on my last set.)

Deadlift
225 x 6
315 x 5
350 x 5
405 x 1
(The Deadlift just wasn't happening today. I think I psyched myself out a bit. I went up 10lbs on my 3rd set, but only got 1 rep on 405. I could have grinded, but I am very form-conscious at high weights, so I decided not to push it and potentially round my back and/or injure myself. I am glad I touched 405 again, though.)

Seated DB Shoulder Press
70's x 6
80's x 5
85's x 3
85's x 3
(No PR's, and felt a little dejected from deads, so I wasn't able to go up in weight here. Still, I maintained my weights on bad sleep and in a cut. That's definitely something, I suppose.)

Seated Calf Raise Machine
135 x 6
180 x 5
225 x 5
295 x 1 + 12 second negative
250 x 4
(Still pissed about the deadlifts, I worked up the courage to go for 295 on my negative. While I only held it for 12 seconds, it's a PR! Went up 25lbs on my last set, too.)

Standing DB Calf Raise
120's x 12
120's x 12
120's x 12
(Added 2 reps to my first set.)

While I struggled a bit today, I'm very pleased all things considered. I'm still in a cut, and despite the lack of quality sleep, I maintained pretty well and even increased weights/reps in a couple areas. Also, I added some ice cubes to my Mango Perform and the flavor is even sharper ice-cold. It's so got dayumn tasty this way! I'm never going back to just cold tap water!
 
Solid work man
 
Thanks bros. I'm very excited to be a demi-demigod. I gotta work to achieve full Demigod status. ;)

But back to the log...

Day 12

Weight: 193lbs
Bodyfat: 14.5%

I only got ~6 hours of sleep last night. Stayed up a little later than I should have due to all the excitement. Still, felt much better.

Today's workout was 19 minutes cardio and Heavy Pull

Cardio went spectacularly well. I hit an extra .4 miles and 16 calories burned in just 19 minutes!! AND my heart rate was still lower than normal. This has got to be the Xtend Perform doing its thing.

Gym time.

T-Bar Row Machine w/pad
45 x8
90 x5
135 x 6
170 x 6
190 x 5.5
225 x 1 + 15 second negative
(With a renewed sense of purpose, I decided to up the weight in several sets, and hit a 15 second negative @225. Felt very strong.)

Bent Over Row. Strict 90* angle, no body english
225 x 5
235 x 5
245 x 4
(No PR's. I friggin' hate this exercise, lol. Doing it super strict makes a huge difference in how much I feel it in my lats, but I feel so weak. Anyway, I upped the weight on the last two sets, even if I lost a rep on the 3rd. Happy with that.)

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown Machine. Thumbs on top of bar.
205 x 2
250 x 2
265 x 5
280 x 2
295 x 1 + 15 second negative
295 x 1 + 17 second negative
(Several PR's! I took a slightly different approach and kept my warm-up reps low. That, plus my ever-increasing rate of recovery between sets allowed me to go for higher weights. Hit 280x2 and 295 for two individual reps with very strong negatives!! I should note, I did cheat a bit to get the 295 pulled down. I don't think I could do it strict...yet)

Ez Bar Cable Curls
85 x 3
115 x 3
130 x 3
155 x 3
(No PR's, but took the same lower warm-up rep approach and hit higher weight and more reps, nearly tieing my previous max.)

Flat Bar Curls
105 x 3
115 x 3
125 x 3
135 x 1 + 7 second negative
(Stuck with the lower rep approach and hit 125x3 and even got 135 up for 1 without much of a cheat swing! That equals my previous max when I wasn't cutting. Definitely pleased with that.)

Shrugs
225 x 5
325 x 5
345 x 5
365 x 3
(PR! 365 is the highest I've ever gone and I got 3 reps to boot!)

Finished up with some mobility work and stretching. Very happy with this workout. I also got done ~10 minutes earlier than normal. I don't feel like my peak strength is the best it's ever been, but my endurance/recovery is increasing faster than I'm used to, and this is in a ~600-750kcal cut.
 
The Solution said:
More PR's and plenty more to come.
The perform is going to take off the deeper you get
Hows your dosing looking?
Click to expand...

I look forward to it. Since its MOA is not purely acute, how long would you say it takes to reach full saturation? And not that I plan to, but would exceeding the standard dose potentially have a cumulative/additive effect?

I am drinking half a scoop ~15 minutes pre-cardio, then sipping a half scoop during cardio. After that I sip on a full scoop during my gym workout, generally trying to finish it before I'm 3/4 done.

I know many prefer to do cardio after lifting, but I personally find a brief bout of HIIT warms me up and energizes me for the gym.
 
Lynks8 said:
I look forward to it. Since its MOA is not purely acute, how long would you say it takes to reach full saturation? And not that I plan to, but would exceeding the standard dose potentially have a cumulative/additive effect?

I am drinking half a scoop ~15 minutes pre-cardio, then sipping a half scoop during cardio. After that I sip on a full scoop during my gym workout, generally trying to finish it before I'm 3/4 done.

I know many prefer to do cardio after lifting, but I personally find a brief bout of HIIT warms me up and energizes me for the gym.
Click to expand...

Dont exceed 2 scoops a workout day
take 1 scoop before you workout, then take another scoop during your training. Easiest way to dose it.
 
Day 13

Weight: 193lbs
Bodyfat: ~14.5%

Today's workout was 20 minutes HIIT followed by Hypertrophy Chest/Tris

Cardio was a snap. Hit my goals in the 20 minutes, adding .2 miles and 12 calories burned. I actually felt like I could have pushed even harder, but I don't want to push too hard and stall my progression in future HIIT sessions.

Let's go to the gym...

Incline DB Flyes
20's x 15
30's x 15
35's x 15
45's x 15
50's x 12
50's x 10 -> Drop set 40's x 8, going for constant tension and extreme contraction
(No PR's here, but I jumped to 45's on my 4th set and hit two good sets with 50's. I wasn't gassed when I went for my drop set, so I put in two more reps with the 40's. :thumbsup:)

Pec Deck Machine (gripping the actual arms behind the handlebars, thumbs out)
190 x 15
205 x 15
205 x 14
205 x 14
(While I'm getting out of breath like normal, I am catching my breath so much faster. It's allowing me to push harder. I upped the weight on my 4th set, hitting 205 for 3 in a row!)

Downward Cable Flyes Supersetted with pushups
100 x 8, still holding the grips -> 5 pushups, back up for 6 more flyes, back down for 5 more pushups
110 x 8, 5 pushups, 130 x 5, 4 pushups
110 x 8, 5 pushups, 140 x 4, 5 pushups
80 x 18
(Matched my previous best! I upped the weight and hit more reps!)

Low Cable Chest Flyes
70 x 15
80 x 15
90 x 10, 70 x 6
(No PR's, but I hit a few more reps. Feeling good about that especially after my prior 3 exercises having some nice progression.)

Flat Bar Cable Tricep Pushdowns
120 x 15
130 x 15
150 x 13
100 x 18 (reverse grip)
(No PR's, but a couple more reps and squeezing HARD on each contraction. I'm pretty surprised. My triceps are usually the first muscle to lose strength when I'm cutting like this. )

Seated DB Behind-The-Neck Tricep Extensions
35's x 15
40's x 12 + 3
45's x 10 + 3
40's x 15
(Again, really feeling good about pushing myself and progressing nicely, upping the weight a bit and getting a few more reps)

I was still feeling energized so I ended with a bunch of pushups in different variations. Pump was out of this world. Great workout.

The endurance boost so far is real. I'm really liking this stuff.
 
Day 16

Weight: 192lbs
Bodyfat: ~14%

Weight is coming off nicely and abs are really starting to show. I dare say I may even be down to ~13.5%, but I haven't done my measurements in a couple days, just going off how my abs look in the mirror.

Friday
Cardio day. Did yoga for the first time in ages. I really hate yoga, but I feel so unbelievably amazing afterwards and when I do it regularly it helps me in all areas: cardio, flexibility, recovery, mental well-being, even strength. I'm going to start adding it in again. I drank one scoop ~20 minutes prior to starting and sipped another scoop throughout. I follow the p90x yoga which is ~1.5 hours long if you do the whole workout. For those that haven't tried it, it's actually pretty tough. I didn't perform very well, but it's been months since I tried it and my flexibility and strength in holding poses has drastically deteriorated. All that said, it went better than expected and I completed the workout, which is more than I expected to accomplish.

Saturday
This was an interesting one. I was not able to workout in the morning and ended up busy all day until ~7pm. As soon as I was free, I got my HIIT in. Hit my goals in 20 minutes (nice), and proceeded to head to the gym. That's when I decided I should check my gym's hours, as I never work out this late. Turns out they close at 8pm.

F*CK.

I had already taken my pre-workout and 1 scoop of Xtend Perform. I knew I wouldn't have time to even get 1 set in, and I was pissed. My workout was supposed to be Pull + Shoulders Hypertrophy. I started to think, can I make this work with what I have available to me? I remembered there's a playground with a jungle gym down the street...and I have DB's in 10, 20, 30, and 40lbs...so I said F' IT, let's do this!

I threw the DB's in the car and headed down to the playground. Thankfully, no kids were present, so I began my old-fashioned street workout.

Shoulder-Width Pullups
Did these on the monkey bars
BW x 15
BW x 15
BW x 18
BW x 12 + 8
(I rushed the **** out of myself, barely taking 20-30 second rests between sets. I am pretty happy with how many I got, but no PR's.)

Australian Pushups
Or whatever you call these:
Invalid Link Removed
BW x 25
20lb DB on chest x 20
40lb DB on chest x 18
40lb DB on chest x 17

Ring Pullups
The jungle gym had two hanging rings, so I did 4 sets with varying grips:
neutral grip x 13
pronated x 12
supinated x 15
neutral behind back x 10 + 4

Bent Over DB Row
Full 90* angle, holding a DB in each hand:
40's x 28 + 10
40's x 26 + 10
40's x 30 + 10
30's x 38 + 14
(I've never done such high reps, but I only had these light DB's, so I went for it. Holy **** was I pumped. I have never felt a pump like that in my life. I should add that I didn't just pull with my elbows close to my torso, I also did some reps wide with my elbows flaring out to hit the lats differently.)

Wide-Grip Pullups
BW x 12
20lb DB between feet x 10
20lb DB between feet x 12
BW x 11 + 4
(My back was done at this point, so the rep counts weren't that great, but one thing I noticed was I was able to really psych myself into going for more reps in subsequent sets. That is not normal for me. My performance normally degrades in a linear fashion.)

Standing DB Curls
40's x 16
40's x 17
40's x 15 -> dropset 30's x 8

Concentration Curls
40's x 12
40's x 13
40's x 12 ->dropset 30's x 6
(Reallllly went slow and focused hard on the contraction here. Biceps burned out nicely)

DB Side Lateral Raises
20 x 15
30 x 15
40 x 12
30 x 16


DB Front Raises, mixed grip
30 x 8 overhand, 30 x 8 underhand
40 x 7 overhand, 40 x 7 underhand
30 x 7 overhand, 30 x 7 underhand

Modified Deep Swimmers Press
(see prior workout for description. This hits my bicep brachialis and side delts)
30's x 15
30's x 14
20's x 16 -> dropset 10's x 20


This was a strange one, to be sure, but I performed better than I hoped. Still catching my breath faster than normal, and still feeling like I have more gas in the tank during my workouts.


Sunday
off-day
 
It has been about a week now.
Can you share some insight on how you feel the perform has really impacted your performance, endurance, recovery, and gym efforts on cardio and weights?
 
Day 17

Weight: 191.5lbs
Bodyfat: 13.5-14%

Fat is just falling off. I have been unintentionally getting in a lot of LISS as part of a job I'm doing. I'm going to have to up my cals a touch. Nevertheless, strength seems to be holding steady, and endurance is still up! Xtend Perform is absolutely helping me in this cut. It's not a miracle, but it IS working...which in the world of supplements, kinda is a miracle...

Day 17's workout was was 20 minutes HIIT followed by Heavy Chest/Tris

Once again, I hit my cardio goals, increasing my distance .2 miles and calories burned by 10. Heart rate average is still lower than normal. I'm going to start REALLY going ape**** on the high-intensity portion just to see if I can even reach my old peak heart rate.

On to the gym...

Flat Bench
Bar x 6
135 x 6
225 x 5
275 x 4
295 x 3
315 x 2 + 1 + 1!
(Couldn't quite hit 315 for 3, but I didn't have a spotter. Waited 10 seconds, put up 1 more rep...waited 10 more seconds, put up another. I am definitely regaining my strength faster. I have a feeling 315x3 is coming next week.)

Incline Bench
185 x 5
225 x 5
235 x 5
245 x 5
275 x fail
(Found a spotter and went for 275. He said he barely helped, but I didn't feel like I did it all myself, so it doesn't count. Still, strength is not dropping despite my ~700kcal deficit.)

Decline Bench
225 x 4
275 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 5
(Got a 5th rep on 295!)

Machine Dip
180 x 5
270 x 5
295 x 6
320 x 4
330 x 3
(Held back on 320, only going for 4 reps, because I knew I was going to try 330. Hit 3. All smooth. No bouncing, no cheating. Not a PR, but I don't think I've ever done 330 for more than 3. Stoked about that.)

Flat Bench EZ Bar Skull Crushers
90x 5
100 x 6
110 x 5
120 x 4
(As I've previously mentioned, my tris are the first place I notice strength start to go when in a cut. After pushing hard on the bench and dip exercises, I still managed to put up more weight here! Granted, reps were lower, but I'm still in my rep range, so I'm pleased with this.)

Great workout. I'm surprised I'm still hitting my goals 2+ weeks into my cut. Xtend Perform is def doing something.
 
Lynks8 said:
Day 18

Weight: 191.5lbs
Bodyfat: ~13.5-14%

Today's workout was ~20 minutes HIIT followed by Heavy Lower + Shoulders

Hit my cardio goals and headed to the gym feeling great.

High Back Thrusters
Bar x10
135 x 5
170 x 5
175 x 5
190 x 4
(no PR's, but I increased my weight on the last set.)

High Bar Squat
225 x 5
250 x 5
260 x 5
275 x 5
(Added 5 pounds to my last set AND got an extra rep! Getting close to my old PR. Again, high-bar squat is my worst lift.)

Deadlift
225 x 6
315 x 5
350 x 5
405 x 5
(Boom. Matched my PR of 405 for 5. I think my lower back may have rounded a bit on the last rep, but I was super motivated to go for it. Recovery between sets is really helping me here.)

Seated DB Shoulder Press
70's x 6
80's x 5
85's x 3
85's x 3
90's x 1
(Matched my previous best weight of 90lbs, but only got one rep. Still, it's progression since I lost a good bit of strength after my slip up this spring.)

Seated Calf Raise Machine
135 x 6
180 x 5
225 x 5
295 x 1 + 18 second negative
250 x 5
(No PR's, but I think one may be coming next week. I held 295 for 18 seconds. That's only 2 seconds below my prior best!)

Standing DB Calf Raise
120's x 12
120's x 12
120's x 14
(Added 2 reps to my last set.)

Another great workout.
Click to expand...
 
The Solution said:
It has been about a week now.
Can you share some insight on how you feel the perform has really impacted your performance, endurance, recovery, and gym efforts on cardio and weights?
Click to expand...

It's been over 2 weeks now.

Xtend Perform Thoughts Thus Far

I went into this cut very aggressively. I am still working back up to my previous strength levels due to losing some muscle in the couple months I didn't work out preceding this. To continue progressing in weight as I regain my strength WHILE being in the biggest deficit of my life feels awesome.

I can not attribute any acute strength gains to Xtend Perform, yet. However, my cardiovascular endurance is undoubtedly the best it has ever been. My recovery time between sets in the gym is the best it's ever been. My overall recovery is no better or worse than before.

I can't wait to see how this continues to treat me as I continue this cut. I am surprised at how well Xtend Perform has impacted my endurance.
 
I told you. Your hitting or matching PR's while losing weight. The product is doing exactly as stated man.
I would not lie this is a great product, and all the logs show the same thing across the board. Just consistent improvements.
NOW your detail is really starting to shine.
That last paragraph was money 1Fast400 another believer.
 
Day 24

Weight: 188.5lbs
Bodyfat: ~12.5-13%

My apologies for the hiccup in reporting. Things have been a little hectic lately with my vocational situation. That said, I have been getting my workouts in and Xtend Perform is honestly only getting better. I have hit rep PR's on at least half my lifts and my cardio is the best it has ever been. I feel like I could run a 4 minute mile. It's pretty nuts.

We will return to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow. Just know that for now, 3 weeks in:

Endurance: THROUGH. THE. ROOF. I am 33 and I don't think I've ever felt this good when it comes to cardiovascular endurance. I can exert myself harder, for longer. My heart rate is lower than normal, and I catch my breath much faster.

Strength: While I have not noticed any major, acute strength bumps, I am very happy that I haven't lost any strength in such a strong deficit. I have made strength gains in deficits before, but I've never cut this hard/fast, so it's hard to say, but I'm fairly certain Xtend Perform is helping.

Recovery: Recovery is no worse than what I'm used to from before with Amino IV (one of the best intra supps, or rather, was). To get the same level of recovery in a deficit like this, and have the insane endurance benefits to boot, Xtend Perform is proving to be very impressive.

I am going to add basketball and sparring (boxing) to my cardio regime to see how Xtend Perform copes with two of the most cardiovascularly-taxing sports out there. I'll be sure to update with my thoughts soon.
 
The Solution said:
I told you. Your hitting or matching PR's while losing weight. The product is doing exactly as stated man.
I would not lie this is a great product, and all the logs show the same thing across the board. Just consistent improvements.
NOW your detail is really starting to shine.
That last paragraph was money 1Fast400 another believer.
Click to expand...

Never thought you were lying, lol. I am just a skeptic and wanted to be very careful not to let placebo/hyperbole come into play too much, like it often can in sponsored logs. I can say that there is zero doubt in my mind that Xtend Perform works, and works well. PeakO2 will almost certainly be a staple for me from here on out.
 
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