19NorFan’s Unsponsored Log

[19NorFan]

Here is a side by side comparison of what I look like coming out of a health phase into a growth phase. This first photo is from August 15th 2025. Weight is at about 215 pounds. The second photo is from March 15th 2026, near the conclusion of a 24 week growth phase. Weight is between 250 and 255LBS, I don't recall exactly.

Notice, I still have abs even when bulking. As a measure of good health, particularly cardiovascular and metabolic health, I believe all enhanced physique athletes should have visible abs year round, as a rule of thumb. There's other metrics too. Like your cardio really shouldn't decline much in the offseason. You should have an RHR in the 60s. Fasting blood sugar in the 80s - 90s. All of these things need to be tracked and maintained.

I had some requests to go into the specifics of what I did for this growth phase. I wrote about my cycle experience during this growth phase here:

Post in thread 'The 19-Nor Series – Part 1 – An Introduction to Nandrolone Decanoate and Phenylpropionate'

Aug 14, 2026

1 Gram of Test vs. 1 Gram of Nandrolone - Continued

My most recent test based blast was during this winter growth phase. I was on 1,200mg of Test E and 600mg of Boldenone U per week. For a period of about 10 days somewhere in there, I bumped the test dose up to 1,800mg but decided to hold off on that and dropped back to 1,200. Minor detail, but I like to be thorough. Additionally, with this cycle I did anadrol and trenbolone pulses on and off, which I've written about in other threads. That's where for a few days to a week, maybe 10 days max you use 50mg/day of injectable...

• 19NorFan

• 

For the remainder of this post, I'll address the training, nutrition and other details of this growth phase. For anything AAS related, refer to the above post.

Intro
Considering the length of this growth phase, a couple of things were of top priority from start to finish. I planned for it to last 24+ weeks and had to make sure that every controllable variable contributed towards maintaining that runway length. This meant a slower ramp up in calories to prolong insulin sensitivity, a greater emphasis on form and volume rather than intensity to avoid overexertion/stress injuries, prioritizing sleep and taking naps throughout the day to reduce long term stress, doing regular cardio to maintain conditioning and so on. You can think of it as a slow burn approach to bulking.

Nutrition
My diet primarily revolved around 2 types of days - moderate carb and high carb. MWF were high carb days (sample high carb day attached below), while T, Th, Sat were moderate carb days. Sundays were low carb, low overall calorie days. Usually higher in fiber. This would act as a once a week digestive reset day. Sundays would also be my days to occasionally eat off plan. My goal would be to average about 4,500 - 5,000 calories per day over the course of the week, between the high and moderate carb days and Sunday.

Alternating very high carb days with moderate carb days allows me to maximize total weekly calorie/nutrient intake without overwhelming digestion on a daily basis. For example, if I eat about 6,200 calories on my 3 high carb days and 4,200 calories on my moderate carb days, followed by about 3,200 calories on Sundays, that takes my average daily caloric intake for the week to 4,900 calories per day. This is something that I can accomplish taking a staggered carb/calorie intake approach, whereas I would not be able to simply eat a static 4,900 calories per day for extended periods of time.

Why not? Mainly because of how I would need to utilize insulin. With the staggered approach, I can use short acting insulin on the high carb days 3-4 times per day and then take off the other 4 days of the week. Berberine and other herbal glucose disposal supplements can compensate for the lack of exogenous insulin on a 4,200 calorie moderate carb day. But if I did 4,900 calories every day, I would either go insulin resistant naturally or I would need to use insulin daily and go resistant that way instead. Secondly, eating a static 4,900 calories per day vs staggered approach to 4,900 cal/day is harder on digestion. The moderate carb days and especially the break on Sunday, really help on the digestive side. And that includes everything from appetite, to gastric emptying, to distension and so on.

Another component of nutrition during this growth phase was the use of fast digesting carbs as filler. I'd use high carb days to front load easily digestible carbs, such as rice, dextrose, gummy candy - in conjunction with insulin - to maximize glycogen and nutrient uptake. During these periods, I would also take large doses of certain supplements and amino acids, such as citrulline, l-tyrosine, carnitine, creatine, EAAs and so on. These are also higher sodium days as sodium is important for the restoration of glycogen. Moderate carb days on the other hand, still provide a surplus but also provide a break from high volume eating and reintroduce more fibrous foods to help clear out the stomach. You may ask, "why not always eat clean?"

I really don't think clean eating in the off season matters past a certain threshold and in fact can be a detriment. Meaning, if you already get substantial nutrition from whole food and supplements, it is acceptable that additional calories beyond that are on the empty side, in exchange for easier digestion. The one consideration there is, the empty calorie foods should not cause inflammation or some other adverse health effect. With gummy candy for example, it's pretty straightforward, you're just getting carbs and a little bit of protein from the gelatin. This would not be an excuse to say you're going to McDonalds daily... because that food will most certainly affect your bloodwork (lipids, inflammatory markers) down the line or at least would for me.

Supplements
I am a huge believer in using supplements to fortify your diet and obtain specific nutrients that you might need, without having to consume whole food versions that would be required to get those nutrients. For example, I find l-citrulline to be a very useful supplement and take 6-8 grams per day. If you're not familiar, citrulline is the arginine precursor commonly found in pre-workout. You can get it from pre-workouts or buy it in bulk - usually it's quite cheap - $20 or so per pound. I would need to consume about 4 pounds of watermelon to get 8 grams of citrulline from food sources. Creatine is the same, you would need to consume such quantities of beef that you wouldn't be able to fit it into your macros.

I will hold off from listing my full supplement combo for this growth phase, as it did change over time and it's a good bit of content. But it went something along these lines and in general this is usually how I set up my growth phase supplement intake (daily) along with explanations:

Pure Encapsulations Nutrient 950 MegaVitamin - Foundational supplement
1 Multi Mineral - Foundational Supplement
400mg Ubiquinol - Counters statin side effects, Mitochondrial Health
6g Omega Fish Oil - Lipid Management/Cardiac Health
1,200mg Elemental Magnesium Glycinate - High Dose Magensium for Neural Recovery and Sleep, Multiple other uses
10 Grams L-Tyrosine - High Dose taken as dopamine precursor
8 Grams L-Citrulline - Performance enhancer, great for pumps and high volume training. Slightly lowers BP.
10,000iu D3 + 200mcg K2 - I don't care to go out in the sun much
1 Gram TUDCA - Although this is typically taken for liver support, I take it for biliary support, to enhance bile flow and as a preventative measure against gallstones.
6 Grams NAC EOD - Antioxidant support although this is a mental health dose, to dampen glutamate. I will go into this more in my 19nor thread.
10g Creatine - A lot to list
30g Bovine Collagen - I take 15 to 30 grams per day year round. It is helpful alongside certain peptides to enhance connective tissue recovery for prolonged high volume training periods.
4g Vitamin C + 2g Quercetin - This gives me coverage for the high carb days where vitamin c intake from food may be lower.
1,500mg Berberine - Glucose management support, some lipid support. This is useful for the moderate carb days when insulin is not used.
1,000mg Citrus Bergamot - Lipid support; allows me to use less statin
Various Quantities of Pre Workouts and EAAs - Performance enhancement

This is roughly the foundation of a bulk phase supplement stack. I may add or deduct things depending on what happened prior, the length of the upcoming phase and other variables. This list does not include ancillary medications that I take, which will be a separate topic.

I've also included a tally list below of all the supplements I've bought in the last year, to give you an idea of what I prioritize. This list includes all of the supplements I will use for the next 9 months as well. So to emphasize, I don't spend $3,500 per year on supplements. More like $3,500 per 16-18 months.

In the next sections I'll cover training and other details.

 

[19NorFan]

Leaning into size and fullness is definitely the way to go at local and regional shows.

Yeah for sure, looking at the prior years pics, it seems like everyone just comes in a bit flat or at least has the appearance that they were going for a conditioned look. So for contrast I'd want to come in large and full. And it's the only way to give my upper back a more 3d look.

 

[19NorFan]

Day 2 of Carb Depletion. Macros are at 20-30g net carbs, 90-100g fat, 200g protein. I do a fairly aggressive carb deplete. Tomorrow will be my last weight training session. Nothing crazy, these are 20 minute pump workouts.

This back pose shot is from this morning, upon waking. I have a little bit of left shoulder/trap tightness, so my pose and contraction is slightly asymmetric but this is resolvable with foam rolling.

I will continue the post on my growth phase program later on.

 

[19NorFan]

Day 3 of 4 of carb depletion - Correction to earlier post that said it would be 3 days total. Today's meals/macros posted below. Not listed below is also 30 grams of psyllium husk fiber. Tomorrow will be the last day of depletion and also a very low day, only about 1,600 calories.

A few points about how I plan to carb load, no particular order:

- I will not be sodium or water depleting

- Day 1 of carb load will be heavily carb focused and I will use insulin. Day 2 will be more fat focused and insulin use will be more limited. Day 3 will also be more fat focused or just a maintenance day, no insulin will be used on day 3. The higher fat days also help with gastric emptying, which is especially helpful since the carbs on day 1 will be lower in fiber.

- I plan to also use citrulline, carnitine and glycerol, which I find to be very effective in conjunction with carbs and insulin for a pump.

- Leading into the show, I will be using 20mg tadalafil per day Wednesday to Saturday, also for enhanced vascularity.

- Cycle Adjustment: Previously I said that I would be using 50mg/day of inj winstrol 10 days lead up to the show. I did not have a good experience with this particular product and switched to oral. Last 8 days I use 150mg/day of oral winstrol. I might throw in 20mg/day of superdrol and/or 50-100mg anadrol for the carb load days. I took 10mg of superdrol today to see if it will give me any digestive response and will decide based on how that feels tomorrow. Although these are high end dosages, I find that they do not move my liver enzymes much when used acutely; <2 weeks.

- In general, I think people use orals incorrectly for contest prep. They are usually used for too long of periods IMO. The bulk of the gains you see from orals in a contest prep peak in about 10-14 days. Me personally at least, whether I use 100mg/day of winstrol for 10 days or 20 days, it's roughly same appearance at the end. So I would rather use more for a shorter period before toxicity has time to accrue. I really don't see much benefit to using orals for weeks and weeks in contest prep.

- Friday evening after 6, I will reduce water intake but continue eating some carbs and sodium

- The next morning, I might have some light snacks just to keep fullness. I won't look to dehydrate myself but water intake again, will be limited, to reduce sweating

 

[19NorFan]

edit: Disregard, posted in wrong thread

 

[19NorFan]

A quick change up to things: I will continue to update this log and future logs as outlined in my first post in this thread, however I have decided not to proceed with Syngenix and will be doing these solo.

Today is day 4 and last day of my carb deplete, today:

- Just a light 20 minute walk, no more weights. I have been ketogenic since yesterday morning and at this point just need to maintain this depleted state + reduce inflammation.

- Today will be primarily a high fat, low protein day. Although it's debated, I do think that intramuscular triglycerides and replenishing them prior to a carb load enhances the appearance. I can actually feel it in my contraction. The pump on a high carb + high fat load is just a little bit fuller than carbs only.

- The superdrol did not give me any digestive upset from yesterday. I will try 20mg today and see what happens tomorrow morning. If it's the same as today, then I'll go ahead and use it for the carb load.

 

[19NorFan]

A couple arm shots to show off the conditioning. I’m going to hold off on full physique updates until I return home on Saturday.

 

[19NorFan]

I’ve prepared a large portion of day 1’s carb load. I will be primarily using pasta and gummy candy, along with rice cakes.

Each portion below provides 250 grams of carbs. 180 grams of which are simple and 70 complex. In addition, about 10 grams of fat from olive oil and butter. I experimented with a few combinations and found the 2:3 complex to simple carb ratio + a small amount of fat to provide the most optimal digestion. The food doesn’t digest so quickly that the carbs won’t stick and on the other side of it, it all fully digests and clears within about 16-20 hours.

I will use novolin for insulin. When carb loading with insulin, I stick to microdosing ~5 units at a time, even if it has to be done more frequently. The frequency of the dosing is correlated to blood sugar levels. Through experimentation, Ive noticed this approach causes less water bloat and still results in a similar net benefit as a larger dose done less frequently.

I will have other food too - cod will be the main source of protein. Although protein will stay relatively low.

Macros for tomorrow will be ~1,700g carbs, 150g protein, 75g fat, 8,075 calories

 

[WED]

I will use novolin for insulin

Use this out of preference or bc you can get it without a prescription?

 

[19NorFan]

For this specific use, I prefer Novolin R because of its slower onset and longer tail, not necessarily because it’s easier to obtain. Although I can access any type of insulin, straight from the pharmacy. Humalog/Novolog does have its use. During growth phases, where I'm in an extended surplus, I prefer to use Lantus. And then during acute high feeding periods or high carb days, I'll use a small amount of Humalog on top of it as an additional layer. This is for like 750, maybe 1,000 gram carb days. With this use, I don't necessarily need an insulin with a long tail; I have Lantus to provide that coverage. Instead, I just need something to handle one or two large meals that day and that's where Humalog/Novolog come in.

Ironically, this slower onset/delayed tail of Novolin R was considered a pharmacological limitation and it was the major reason the next generation of fast acting insulins was developed. So what's considered a limitation with regular insulin use can be useful in a bodybuilding context. With something like Humalog, I get a very fast peak followed by a relatively fast drop off. The problem is that the insulin can be fading while food from a large mixed meal is still digesting and continuing to release glucose into the bloodstream.

For example, if my last dose is at 4pm and my last meal is at 7pm, Humalog is already largely out of the picture before that meal is fully processed, so my glucose will start climbing again later in the evening. Novolin R overlaps and correlates better with digestion, so the insulin curve better matches the prolonged glucose release from the meal. In comparison, if my last dose of Novolin R is at 4pm, it's still strong enough by 7pm to handle that meal but not so strong that it will make me go hypo by 9 or 10pm.

In my experience, that means my blood sugar is more likely to be back around baseline by bedtime rather than elevated because digestion outlasted the insulin. So for me, the longer “tail” of Novolin isn’t an inconvenience or limitation, it’s one of the main reasons I prefer it. To proactively address an obvious question someone have: "Why not just take another does of Humalog with the 7pm meal?" This would greatly disrupt my sleep, particularly in a surplus and especially on a high androgen load. By 9 or 10pm, I want low basal insulin with stable glucose.

 

[WED]

For this specific use, I prefer Novolin R because of its slower onset and longer tail, not necessarily because it’s easier to obtain. Although I can access any type of insulin, straight from the pharmacy. Humalog/Novolog does have its use. During growth phases, where I'm in an extended surplus, I prefer to use Lantus. And then during acute high feeding periods or high carb days, I'll use a small amount of Humalog on top of it as an additional layer. This is for like 750, maybe 1,000 gram carb days. With this use, I don't necessarily need an insulin with a long tail; I have Lantus to provide that coverage. Instead, I just need something to handle one or two large meals that day and that's where Humalog/Novolog come in.

Ironically, this slower onset/delayed tail of Novolin R was considered a pharmacological limitation and it was the major reason the next generation of fast acting insulins was developed. So what's considered a limitation with regular insulin use can be useful in a bodybuilding context. With something like Humalog, I get a very fast peak followed by a relatively fast drop off. The problem is that the insulin can be fading while food from a large mixed meal is still digesting and continuing to release glucose into the bloodstream.

For example, if my last dose is at 4pm and my last meal is at 7pm, Humalog is already largely out of the picture before that meal is fully processed, so my glucose will start climbing again later in the evening. Novolin R overlaps and correlates better with digestion, so the insulin curve better matches the prolonged glucose release from the meal. In comparison, if my last dose of Novolin R is at 4pm, it's still strong enough by 7pm to handle that meal but not so strong that it will make me go hypo by 9 or 10pm.

In my experience, that means my blood sugar is more likely to be back around baseline by bedtime rather than elevated because digestion outlasted the insulin. So for me, the longer “tail” of Novolin isn’t an inconvenience or limitation, it’s one of the main reasons I prefer it. To proactively address an obvious question someone have: "Why not just take another does of Humalog with the 7pm meal?" This would greatly disrupt my sleep, particularly in a surplus and especially on a high androgen load. By 9 or 10pm, I want low basal insulin with stable glucose.

Appreciate the response.

 

[19NorFan]

A couple arm shots to show off the conditioning. I’m going to hold off on full physique updates until I return home on Saturday.

This is 6 hours into the carb reload for comparison from yesterday.

 

[Slowsol]

I’m rooting for you man!

 

[SharpTack]

Front pose from earlier today. This is a video still, forgive the quality.

I work with a posing coach 1-2x a week, otherwise this is self coached. I intend to win my IFBB pro qualification solo coached as well, after which I expect to need to hire a coach.

For reference I am 226 pounds here at 6’2”. The IFBB men’s physique weight cap at 6’2” is 232lbs. I am slightly over 6’2” and have stretched myself to 6’3” in the past. If I’m able to successfully repeat this before measuring, it would take me to a hypothetical weight cap of 239. Which would give me about 10-15 pounds of weight in to add to my upper back and shoulders, which I’ll emphasize in rhe offseason.

Ok i gotta know how you stretch your height! I compete in classic and Im 5’-8 3/4”. I don’t need much! Great info on here. Great log. Appreciate you putting the detail in.

 

[19NorFan]

Ok i gotta know how you stretch your height! I compete in classic and Im 5’-8 3/4”. I don’t need much! Great info on here. Great log. Appreciate you putting the detail in.

Yeah that’s only 1/4 of an inch.

- Do the measurement as early in the morning as possible

- Lay flat on your back for 60-90 min to temporarily decompress the spine that way

- Do inversion table, in like 3-4 min intervals. I use one of these just to decompress from leg day

- Avoid heavy spinal loading weeks leading up

I can reliably add half an inch doing this, however it’s possible that my hypothetical pro level conditioning will be such that this will not work - leaning out makes you slightly shorter and I don’t know to what degree that will happen when I’m measured.

 

[19NorFan]

Today is a higher fat refeed day. I stick to very energy dense food options, that will contribute the least to distention. The fat lets the carbs settle in better and in terms of digestion, helps clear out yesterday’s pasta.

I stick to cupcakes and high fat desserts, like walnut chocolate cake. A few things to note about the food selection:

- The cupcakes are made locally at a bakery. I know that they only use the highest quality ingredients and real butter. I would not attempt this with your generic supermarket bakery, they use all kinds of hydrogenated oils and ingredients that could contribute to inflammation.

- If you need pre-packed high calorie dessert options for the road, you can get desserts made for the European market. For example, Nutella made for the Italian market, only has 7 ingredients. Foods made for the Scandinavian market are often even more restrictive.

 

[Wardamn]

Yeah that’s only 1/4 of an inch.

- Do the measurement as early in the morning as possible

- Lay flat on your back for 60-90 min to temporarily decompress the spine that way

- Do inversion table, in like 3-4 min intervals. I use one of these just to decompress from leg day

- Avoid heavy spinal loading weeks leading up

I can reliably add half an inch doing this, however it’s possible that my hypothetical pro level conditioning will be such that this will not work - leaning out makes you slightly shorter and I don’t know to what degree that will happen when I’m measured.

The typical NPC check in and height measurements are done mid afternoon.

 

[Wardamn]

Today is a higher fat refeed day. I stick to very energy dense food options, that will contribute the least to distention. The fat lets the carbs settle in better and in terms of digestion, helps clear out yesterday’s pasta.

I stick to cupcakes and high fat desserts, like walnut chocolate cake. A few things to note about the food selection:

- The cupcakes are made locally at a bakery. I know that they only use the highest quality ingredients and real butter. I would not attempt this with your generic supermarket bakery, they use all kinds of hydrogenated oils and ingredients that could contribute to inflammation.

- If you need pre-packed high calorie dessert options for the road, you can get desserts made for the European market. For example, Nutella made for the Italian market, only has 7 ingredients. Foods made for the Scandinavian market are often even more restrictive.

What's your training like on your carb up days?

 

[19NorFan]

The typical NPC check in and height measurements are done mid afternoon.

This would matter more so for a professional show. It’s about a 7 pound weight cap increase for a professional at IFBB.

 

[19NorFan]

What's your training like on your carb up days?

30 min pump workout yesterday around noon (a variety of supersets) and today just 10-15 min walks after meals to help digest.

 

[19NorFan]

A couple of digestive aids I find useful:

Sports Research Digestive Enzymes product - This helps marginally with some of the higher fat meals.

TUDCA - Works as a direct digestive aid, as well as for liver/systemic health benefits. Currently I take 3 grams of TUDCA per day in 6 500mg doses.

ACV - I don’t believe in any of the long term health claims for ACV but it helps acutely with indigestion or stomach irritability

Psyllium Husk - I will take this throughout the day today to help clear out tomorrow. This is a very underrated product. It is not the same as just increasing fiber, it behaves differently.

 

[WED]

Psyllium Husk - I will take this throughout the day today to help clear out tomorrow. This is a very underrated product. It is not the same as just increasing fiber, it behaves differently

Started taking it this week and lord does it clear you out

 

[ERock5]

Today is a higher fat refeed day. I stick to very energy dense food options, that will contribute the least to distention. The fat lets the carbs settle in better and in terms of digestion, helps clear out yesterday’s pasta.

I stick to cupcakes and high fat desserts, like walnut chocolate cake. A few things to note about the food selection:

- The cupcakes are made locally at a bakery. I know that they only use the highest quality ingredients and real butter. I would not attempt this with your generic supermarket bakery, they use all kinds of hydrogenated oils and ingredients that could contribute to inflammation.

- If you need pre-packed high calorie dessert options for the road, you can get desserts made for the European market. For example, Nutella made for the Italian market, only has 7 ingredients. Foods made for the Scandinavian market are often even more restrictive.

Now this is my kind of diet lol

 

[19NorFan]

8/21 Update:

- I'm content with my fullness and so today will be a maintenance day to let the physique settle.

- Meals today will be rice, cod and olive oil. Just very light.

- Tomorrow, I'll keep it light too, maybe 300-400 dry carbs throughout the morning. Unless for some reason I'm very flat.

- Tan's later today

Started taking it this week and lord does it clear you out

A few other things worth mentioning about psyllium:

- This is the type of fiber most closely studied for LDL reduction. The gel it forms in your digestive system, stimulates bile flow, which is requires cholesterol to be extracted from blood stream.

- It's very useful when bulking because it clears you out in such a way that you have a clean slate every morning. There isn't really an opportunity for you to get backed up.

- Also useful if taken with a cheat meal because it binds to the food, particularly fat, reducing its absorption and in effect reducing the "damage" of the cheat meal

- Normally I space it away from meals for this reason. It's usually an end of day thing. Yesterday was the exception, the goal there was to increase the binding for that one situation. But if you have psyllium husk with meals or with supplements, it will bind, so you want to space it apart.

 

[WED]

Also useful if taken with a cheat meal because it binds to the food, particularly fat, reducing its absorption and in effect reducing the "damage" of the cheat meal

Lol don't tell me this. "Oh I can eat this entire pizza, I'll just swallow some husk"

- This is the type of fiber most closely studied for LDL reduction. The gel it forms in your digestive system, stimulates bile flow, which is requires cholesterol to be extracted from blood stream

Read a bit about this yesterday. Good benefit.

 

[19NorFan]

8/23 Update:

The show was yesterday and I did not win.

This post will provide a full breakdown of the lead up to the show, the day of and so forth.

Placement
I am not certain of my exact placement. The judges only announced first place, they don't announce the further down positions. Immediately after the finish, we were all told to exit the building and I'd assumed by now we'd have results online, but I'll make sure to update when it occurs. I will also have stage photos when the promotor posts them.

Judge's Feedback

I received the following feedback from 2 IFBB Judges:

"You don't need to make any drastic changes to your physique. Just work on your posing and peak properly."

"You get an A+ for a first show and being self coached. Bring your waist in more, work on your presentation & posing."

Additionally, there were some well know coaches and industry pros present who gave varying feedback (we talked, I asked). Most of the feedback was consistent with that of the judges, some of the other feedback I received:

- That my frame would be better suited for Classic Physique, even at a professional level and that I will struggle to fill out my upper body with IFBB Men's Physique weight cap due to how much mass is already on my legs.

- That based on my recent years progress, I should just continue to put size on and do open class. Also, that I will likely struggle to fill out in either Men's Physique or Classic Physique due to their weight caps not accommodating my frame.

My Own Feedback & Observations

To preface, when it comes to competitions, I take a very binary view on placements. It's very simple, there are only 2: There's first place and then there's everyone else. This is also why I didn't really bother to inquire about my exact placement. I knew that I didn't win and that leaves me in the "everyone else" placement. This is at any level of competition. If I was in the Olympics and I won the silver or bronze, I'd probably come home, toss that thing into the attic and never look at it again.

I also don't believe in entering handicapped competitions. For example, some have said, enter the Master's 35+, there's a smaller turnout. That to me, is a handicapped event, it's exclusionary. I wouldn't want to obtain an IFBB pro card through any type of event that excluded any potential competitor. Or that I should have picked an NPC event that wasn't so closely spaced to an NPC National event (apparently this can make the competition tougher). That is also something that I don't consider honorable. It just feels wrong to pick events based on the anticipation that the competition will be weak.

The purpose of sharing that is so that you can get a better idea of my mindset on this part of bodybuilding. You have to have some kind of code when it comes to how you compete, how you handle wins and loses, your ethics as a competitor, the adjustments you make and so forth. I also don't believe in making deflections or excuses as to why you did not win. At the end of the day, it does not matter. So with that said, I don't want this section to be interpreted in that way. The judging was fair, no complaints. It's more of a list of adjustments I'll need to make next time:

- I will need to go into every show extremely well conditioned. Like there can't be any fat on my waist, it's got to be peeled dry or Men's Physique is not for me. These guys have very tiny waists and the only way I can match or beat that particular genetic advantage that they have, is to come in leaner. At this time, I don't have a peaking formula to consistently achieve a dry conditioned look. Due to the number of new variables - many of them stacking - that I have encountered at my first show, it may be better to proceed with a coach. Because even if I handle all of these variables perfectly for the next show, there will surely be a set of new variables at the next show that may not have occurred at this first show. The point is, the show and everything surrounding it has a whole new set of completely unique variables, unrelated to anything that I've done up to this point in the gym or kitchen, that may take years to trial and error solo.

- In terms of the carb/fat loading period, in retrospect, I think that I stopped the feeding too early. One of the factors that were difficult to account for is the energy expenditure/stress that the trip and everything around it would consume. By the time I arrived on Friday around 4, I started to lose some fullness. I did continue to consume carbs throughout that evening but by that next morning, I flattened out some. In comparison, I did not have any of the vascularity or shape from post 72. To accommodate for this, for future events, I will arrive a day or two earlier to settle in and let some of the stress of the trip settle. I'll also rent a house on airbnb, so that I have a proper kitchen and don't have to deal with neighbors.

- Additionally, the music, sounds, lights, yelling and atmosphere were highly stimulating. As mentioned in other threads, I have mental health issues which include the propensity towards overstimulation. I often speak ambiguously about this part of my life due to the ways in which this information can be used against you and because people downplay it, but the topic cannot be avoided. So that is why I just stick to speaking about its effects on my life instead of disclosing diagnoses. The stimulation in this case, after about half an hour of waiting backstage, put my heart rate into zone 1, for varying periods, I was also in zone 2, just sitting there. This contributed to the flatness and made it hard to get a pump. During periods of overstimulation, my breathing also tends to get shallow and whatever I'm doing, my mind just wants it to be over with so I can leave. I did account for some noise and lights and brought my sunglasses and Bose headset, but the bass of the music protruded all of that. That said, this will be easy to accommodate. I'm fine in an highly stimulatory environment for shorter periods. So I can wait in a separate area outside of the location until my division is being called up and have someone notify me. There was free movement between back stage and the hotel rooms for example.

- This has also taught me that in bodybuilding, there are two sides. There's everything you do in the gym and kitchen and that is one side. On the other, you have a whole separate side and that's the bodybuilding competition side; it's the posing, the logistics, peaking protocol, knowing when to start pumping up and the intangibles. And you can be the best at the first side, you can look really good in the gym and under ideal conditions, but that will never be enough to compensate for the other side. You need to segregate those two aspects of this sport into two completely separate categories. You also have to develop these two sides in equaling proportions. Personally, I don't enjoy the posing part of bodybuilding or the pageantry. I enjoy the process, the bean counting, the structuring, the trial/error, my time in the gym, those things. However, as we determined earlier, that does not win shows. So my mindset adjustment needs to be that I put an equal amount of effort and intent into the things that I don't necessarily enjoy about bodybuilding.

- Most of the feedback before the show that I received was that I should anticipate winning. I got a lot of hype from people leading up to this but in my mind, until you do something, it has not been done. Simple as that. You need to go through the same motions regardless to who you think will show up. Based on the promoter's comments, it was a large event. And I knew well in advance, that you never know who can show up to these things. This is also why in coaching or teacher/student type engagements, I request no emotional feedback. I want no hype, no compliments and no filter in receiving criticism. Meaning, because I cannot quantify compliments, they just confuse me. If you tell me that I'm doing an excellent job, in my mind, that means that my effort is sufficient when in reality my effort might need to be higher. People also tend to water down criticism or feedback or apply an emotional filter. This also leads to confusion and distrust.

Next
There is another NPC Nationals qualifier on November 14th, in exactly 12 weeks. I very much want to jump right into it, however I'll need to take a few days to consider if that's the best option or if I should go into a rebound, followed by a health phase.

Overall, it was a great first experience that provided an overview of what can be expected at these competitions and I certainly look forward to the next one. It would have been nice to be first place, but this experience opened up a whole new set of challenges that I look forward to working on. The rabbit hole of bodybuilding is truly never ending, the further you go down, the more intense and more granular it gets. And there's just so many different paths it can take you on. Until the next one!

 

[Meetketchup]

I appreciate your full transparency throughout this and the amount of work you put in as the first show is extremely hard and very challenging not really knowing what to expect.

You have a sick foundation. know how to train and eat which is literally 90% of what's needed in this sport. Thus, I would recommend drastically cutting back on the minutia as it was detail and changes overload that weren't necessarily needed. Not a criticism at all as I and almost every competitor gets in trouble with until they learn. Less is sometimes more. You would have come in almost exactly the same or better with 1/2 the changes/detail. A coach will pair things down to only what is needed, making things extremely efficient while being objective with what they see. We get caught up in being too subjective with ourselves in most cases leading that overthinking and it usually goes South. I am 100% guilty of that in the past.

With your physique I'm sure plenty of high-level coaches would love to get their hands on you. You have so many options and a ton of guys in here would like to be in your situation. So your show was a learning experience and win regardless of placing. The placings will come later so it's all up from here. Just need to give up trying to control hundreds of factors when there is only a hand full that truly matter. Overthinking is one of the worst traits a competitor can possess.

Whether you go at it alone or hire a coach, I wish you nothing but the best man.

 

[19NorFan]

I appreciate your full transparency throughout this and the amount of work you put in as the first show is extremely hard and very challenging not really knowing what to expect.

You have a sick foundation. know how to train and eat which is literally 90% of what's needed in this sport. Thus, I would recommend drastically cutting back on the minutia as it was detail and changes overload that weren't necessarily needed. Not a criticism at all as I and almost every competitor gets in trouble with until they learn. Less is sometimes more. You would have come in almost exactly the same or better with 1/2 the changes/detail. A coach will pair things down to only what is needed, making things extremely efficient while being objective with what they see. We get caught up in being too subjective with ourselves in most cases leading that overthinking and it usually goes South. I am 100% guilty of that in the past.

With your physique I'm sure plenty of high-level coaches would love to get their hands on you. You have so many options and a ton of guys in here would like to be in your situation. So your show was a learning experience and win regardless of placing. The placings will come later so it's all up from here. Just need to give up trying to control hundreds of factors when there is only a hand full that truly matter. Overthinking is one of the worst traits a competitor can possess.

Whether you go at it alone or hire a coach, I wish you nothing but the best man.

This is a fair assessment and recurring theme in my life. As I've grown older and have looked back, I've realized, most of the success I've had in life was driven by talent and then I attributed that success to the other things that I was doing. I often pause and ask myself, "how much of this is talent and how much of it is my work?" Because if talent is mainly driving it, there's a potential that the work part isn't truly being optimized.

So the cycle is usually:

Take On New Activity -> Trial and Error -> Develop Some Type of Basic Foundation of Fundamentals -> Apply Repetition To/Of The Fundamentals -> Apply Nuance and Complexity To the Fundamentals -> Success Happens

And then I attribute the success to the nuance and complexity due to chronology when it was really the continued repetition of the fundamentals that drove the success in the first place.

Thank you for your feedback, always appreciated.

 

[BigManT]

A quick change up to things: I will continue to update this log and future logs as outlined in my first post in this thread, however I have decided not to proceed with Syngenix and will be doing these solo.

Can I ask why you decided not to work with them anymore?

 

[19NorFan]

Potential Rebound Phase

In my initial post, I'd mentioned a potential post show rebound phase. If I decide not to do the November 14th show, my 6 week rebound phase would be as follows:

Nutrition

• Lean bulk macros: 350g protein, 450g carbs, 70g fat per day - linear through 6 weeks
• Whole food sources only, no powders, helps with satiety
• Be conscientious about not overeating or splurging post show

Training

• High Intensity, low volume, multiple 1RIR and 0RIR sets per workout
• This is a shorter training phase followed by a health phase, so exertion/recovery is a non-factor, hence HIT
• Daily fasted cardio will be included, about 45 minutes of LISS, 6 times per week
• Upper Back & Shoulder focused

Gear

• Daily: 75mg NPP, 25mg MENT, 25mg YK-11 from USP
• 6iu HGH, 10-20mg SLU-PP-915 daily
• During these shorter cycles, I'll test out a compound that I might want to use a later period. This one will allow me to see how well the more orally bio available SLU works. SLU-PP-332 worked okay at 10+mgs per day, particularly on the deep deficit days. It's not a stimulatory kind of energy. It's more so the difference between being able to hold an hour or two long conversation and zoning out 15 minutes into it. And that makes a difference.
• Also, I'll get to see if the YK-11 makes the MENT more tolerable at >20mg/day dosages. Tolerable in the water retention sense as it's noted to do that.

This would be a very drastic rebound considering my current deficit. Probably crazy gains. In terms of blood work, this is the mildest cycle I could put together under 1 gram. In fact, my HDL will probably be in the high 30s by the end of it.