Becoming the Iron Lion

[Montego]

Went for my last Dr visit today and everything looks good. The fusion is solid, none of the staples have moved (surprised honestly with the beating I've given them lol) and all the bones are still lined up right. Got cleared to go back to work on the first I've enjoyed my vacation a bit too much lol

Push today was great and I had zero pain after training for the first time since surgery.

The pain has been improving each session but still had aches after. Today it's feeling normal.

Progressed every lift again. Some are back to where they were before surgery, laterals, shoulder press (I rarely pressed for Delts though), triceps mostly. Pressing for chest is still a bit off though.

I've worked back up to the full stack on the nautilus press but I was pinning 70lbs to it before injury.

The wide hammer chest press I've worked up to 3.5pps and I was at 4.5 before injury. This is a grip issue though. The angle of the right handle just doesn't sit well anymore so my hand starts to slip after a few reps. The movement feels so good they I hate to ditch it but if I can't load it, it's gotta go. I'll see how this works next session when I "lash it to me arm" (if anyone gets that quote without googling it I'll be surprised) and strap my fucking hand in place

Gear is flowing good. No pip. I'll have bloods drawn in a few weeks time to see how I'm getting along.

Pull tomorrow! Deadlift party

 

[Meetketchup]

Sounds like it's all coming together. F'ing awesome!

 

[Montego]

Sounds like it's all coming together. F'ing awesome!

It's definitely getting better.

Strength has been my main focus for a long time because for myself, it directly results in growth. The lagging moments are the most frustrating (even though it's relatively early) because they were the hardest to progress in the past.......I guess it only makes sense that they will be the hardest to get back to previous strength on lol. It's stupid.

Overall I'm content with the progress and, I just added in some test and Deca so, after like 5 months off, things will pick up.

Hopefully this time next year I'm in my final prep before I hang up the trunks.

 

[Hbody]

You should look up Coach Cujo. He’ll get you dialed in.

Coach cujo is this a joke

 

[Montego]

Pull yesterday was not a great session.

It rained here all day so there were extra people during the normal time I went. I assume it's construction workers because every time it's raining the gym is busier then normal.

The gym was also getting an entire set of new DB, ez and straight bars. So while the 2 guys hauled out all the old equipment and racks and brought the new stuff in, everyone was limited to machines, racks and platforms.

I didn't do a single exercise I have programmed on this pull day sadly. I also couldn't deadlift because both platforms were taken over by the time I was getting to it and they both just started their work there. One was a lady who's was doing stiff legs and the other was a guy doing regular deads. He told me I could work in but the weights being used was pretty far apart and I didn't want to go through the entire ordeal.

Probably a good thing because I've had a little pain running from the glute to the low back on my left side that started yesterday morning when I woke up. Not really sure what it's from..... Best I can guess is I might have strained it on push day doing hammer strength Shoulder Press.....I was trying to grind out a 2 rep progression and my butt did come up and forward on the last rep, that probably did it.

Today was a rest day. Slept pretty late and I was lazy all day which is unlike me. Since the yard is soaked I couldn't do anything outside and cleaning inside didn't sound appealing.

Last few days my appetite has been absurd. I'm never full and the junk food cravings have been strong so, yesterday I went to one of those chain Philly Cheese steak places after I took the wife to her follow up from surgery. I was due a free meal, especially with weight being stuck so, I just had a sandwich and fries. Not bad, not great.

I found out a place that's very close has all you can eat sushi...... They're fucked. $17 until 3pm then $25 after 3. It got great reviews and a couple guys from the gym said they love it so, I'll be putting them out of business on training days post workout.

I need a food increase so I'll go over the diet here after I figure out what I'm gonna do but, post training I'll be giving myself the option to sub the post training shake and meal for all you can eat sushi if time permits.

When I was my biggest, post training burger and fries was a staple but, I'm cheap and, it could really fuck with my eating the rest of the day. I'll try the sushi out a few times and see how it goes. I typically don't crave food outside of my normal diet but, it will be a good change possibly.

 

[Syntha Claus]

Just be glad it wasn't "booty day". There isn't a day here where anything remotely (or completely not going to work) for glutes, where there is anything not being used, and of course, by being used, I mean 90% as a "texting station" and 10% (maybe) as a workout machine.
I have become the master of alternates to everything. I am about to make up some magnetic signs that say "This is a texting station! No exercise allowed!" and slap them on machines that people are just sitting on and pecking away at their fucking phones.

You and the wife should pop down for a few days and we can bully everyone at the gym. Wear a MAGA hat. Just not coming through immigration...I hear. You can get a direct flight.

 

[Montego]

Just be glad it wasn't "booty day". There isn't a day here where anything remotely (or completely not going to work) for glutes, where there is anything not being used, and of course, by being used, I mean 90% as a "texting station" and 10% (maybe) as a workout machine.
I have become the master of alternates to everything. I am about to make up some magnetic signs that say "This is a texting station! No exercise allowed!" and slap them on machines that people are just sitting on and pecking away at their fucking phones.

You and the wife should pop down for a few days and we can bully everyone at the gym. Wear a MAGA hat. Just not coming through immigration...I hear. You can get a direct flight.

Lol we were talking a few weeks ago about taking a trip this year other then family vacation.

Just gotta see how the planning for the future homestead is going.

Might hit you up in a couple months about that.

 

[Montego]

Legs today, kinda strange.

Started the day going back out to my mom's land to burn a brush pile and fix her lawn mower. There was a huge forest fire in this area a week ago so we were waiting for some rain to burn stuff. Got a bunch of rain the past 2 days so it was safe enough to light it up.

She ran over a string of barbed wire on the mower and it was all fucking wound up in the deck. Had to get it lifted up and fought with that shit and a pair of snips for 30 minutes. Greased all the fittings and changed the oil since I was already messing with it.

Came home and showered then went to the gym. I'm not positive that I went hypo immediately upon walking in but it sure as hell felt like it. Vision was all fucked up seeing stars, shaky, clamy all my usual signs. I had eaten 3 whole foods meals at this point so I'm not convinced it was low sugar, especially given what the meals are.

I have been waiting to add carbs to my intra so, since that wasn't going to help, I caved and bought a cookie from the local cookie lady that they have at the gym. They're "healthy"......10g p, 5g f, 49g c....... It's just a fucking cookie but, it did solve the issue. Ate half, stretched and did active warm ups, ate the other half and trained.

Went through an entirely new set of exercises. I had planned on switching some things but, today affirms my reservations on a couple movements that killed my knees.

Mega mass hip press - this thing kinda sucks..... The seat is some fucking wonky spring loaded shit that you have to put weights on to keep it from moving every time you get up and, it's a bitch to get into position and have it stay without weighing it down. The ROM isn't forgiving at all either. From the hole until about half way, it's like you're pressing the foot plate down and the machines travel is fighting you. From half way to the top of the rep it overloads big time and gets heavy very fast. It's uncomfortable, I can't get it in and have enough range to get full depth but, it crushes the quads at the top.

Mega mass Tru squat - if you've used an OG tru squat you know how hard that fucking thing is to move.
Well the mega mass version is twice as hard/heavy. For reference , I counter balanced it with 4 plates today to grind out sets of 10. It's a fucking knee killer and the travel is just sooooo challenging so I know I'll be hurting tomorrow. Feet a little farther behind my torso then directly under me (the machine back pad travels back and down for those who haven't used one) and, I set the stop at parallel to make sure I wasn't getting to much torque on the knee. Another quad fryer.

I super set these with a single leg extension for only my left leg. This is the quad that's atrophied a bit from all the knee issues so, I threw these in for a bit more focus there since I can't really feel that quad fire (it gets a pump but I can't feel it contract like the right) and for ISO holds after the set to help the knee.

Smith machine split squat - these are really good. I do these standing sideways in the machine with the bar on the shoulder of the leg I'm training and the back leg up on a bench. It takes all the balance issues out of DB Split squats, makes me stay more upright and keeps the torso and knee in line. I really like these but we only have one Smith at the gym so it's hard to work them in regularly.

Finished with standing single leg hamstring curls. Cramped up on my second set so after I laid ass up on the hyper for 5 minutes I was done.

This session was actually painful due to the hip press and the tru squat so it won't be happening again unless, the knees are fine tomorrow. Can't be hard headed anymore.

 

[Montego]

Push today was good.

Switched out a couple movements to see how the wrist felt. Not terrible, not great.

Subbed out the matrix incline press for a Smith incline. Worked up to 3pps*10. Felt good movement wise but racking the bar will be an issue with heavier loads. I'll keep it in as long as it's free when I go and see how it progresses.

The body master vertical chest press and shoulder press stayed in but they moved in order. I used the chest press first and the shoulder press after. Progressed both lifts. Pinned a 45 onto the shoulder press instead of 35 and used the full stack on the chest press. I'll have to band the chest press because the weight plates on the stack don't have a hole all the way through and I can't get a weight inside.

Did some DB presses to feel them out. Only worked up to 75s and man it felt wonky. Since the right wrist can't really bend at all, at the bottom it felt like my forearm was out of line. It could just be strength in that forearm, or not using a DB much in the past 3 years though and not the slight bend of the wrist towards the body at the bottom. Dunno, like everything, work in progress.

Went hypo again after my post training shake like I had been doing previously. Just waited too long. Anything more then 45 minutes I'm asking for trouble.

The second blood sugar reading is 2 hours after 300g cooked rice, 280g cooked chicken breast, 10g olive oil and 5 cutie oranges.

 

[Montego]

Pull y'day and legs today. Solid sessions both days.

I went back to my previous pull day and did what I missed the session before with the whole gym overhaul issue.

Legs today was excellent. Getting hot here in the South so I was back to my sweaty self.

The lower half has thickened up a good bit from behind. This was a big focus in the past year and it's paid off some.

First pic after active warm up without weights.

Second pic after training my wife got me this shirt and I think it's neat. Only the yellow letters show up until it gets sweaty. My way of knowing if I need to keep going

 

[erichuff1994]

Pull y'day and legs today. Solid sessions both days.

I went back to my previous pull day and did what I missed the session before with the whole gym overhaul issue.

Legs today was excellent. Getting hot here in the South so I was back to my sweaty self.

The lower half has thickened up a good bit from behind. This was a big focus in the past year and it's paid off some.

First pic after active warm up without weights.

Second pic after training my wife got me this shirt and I think it's neat. Only the yellow letters show up until it gets sweaty. My way of knowing if I need to keep going

If you can’t read it you ain’t going hard enough

 

[Montego]

If you can’t read it you ain’t going hard enough

That's right.

My wife requested I send her a picture every time I wear it so she can approve of workload

 

[erichuff1994]

That's right.

My wife requested I send her a picture every time I wear it so she can approve of workload

Hell yeah sounds like a good one! Stay on that ass

 

[Montego]

Getting closer

 

[Montego]

I did something I haven't done in like 5 years yesterday.....I did an arm day. It felt so dirty....

I've never needed to have arms on their own day because they usually grow from just a couple sets thrown in on push and pull. Since the wrist injury though, the right arm (the bad wrist) hasn't progressed like I feel it should have. In turn, doing bi lateral work is off with the strength difference.

It was just as boring and stupid as it always has been. My arms got blown up but, it's still not enjoyable training for me..... By that I mean, Nothing is "hard".... It hurts but it's not "hard" to do preacher curls or whatever type of press it is until failure.

Pretty basic -

3 sets of Single arm extensions super set with straight BB curls

3 sets of JM press SS strive preacher curl

2 sets of Close Grip diverging press SS ez cable curl

4 sets of reverse Pec Deck

This will be pretty standard for volume however long I keep doing it. The rear delt work will be side delts on rotations where my push day focus on rear more then side and vice versa.

Aside from pushing the issue with the arms getting back to normal, this will take some time and energy spent in the gym during my push and pull sessions away. Since I'll be going back to work soon that will help shorten the sessions a bit and, even though I'll lose a full rest day, it'll be a short training session.

Woke up at 257 this morning. The diet changes made the weight spike so I'll be looking for that to slow down a touch and probably come down a few lbs over the next week.

Currently the diet is -


Non training days -

80g oats
14g peanut butter
500g liquid egg whites

280g chicken breast
250g jasmine rice
10g olive oil

200g 85/15 beef
200g potato
100g pineapple

260g chicken breast
1 whole egg
200g rice

220g strip steak
200g potato
2c spinach
5g olive oil
50g banana

Training days -

Pre training
120g oats
50g protein from Whey
50g banana
14g peanut butter

Post training (leg days sushi post training)
75g carbs from karbolyn or COR
70g protein from Whey
50g banana

280g chicken breast
300g Jasmine Rice
100g pineapple

500g liquid egg whites
140g cream of rice

200g 85/15 beef
400g potato
100g apples

250g strip steak
3 whole eggs
250g jasmine rice

 

[Montego]

Push was good. Progressed and shaved a bit of time off the session only doing a couple sets for triceps.

Getting back strength wise but the right side is noticeably behind still. Part of it is how tight everything is on my right side, delts and traps need some tissue work but, it's still down. The pressing for shoulders will help.

 

[Montego]

Pull today had a nice surprise.

Dy rows to start this day, progressed a rep on both top sets.

Smith rows. I'm probably taking these out but I'm on the fence..... I don't feel them like I should but they are good for spinal loading which is good..... I would put the t bar back in here But, after the next point the spinal loading might be elsewhere.

I was walking to the pull-down station but stumbled across this thing that wasn't there yesterday. It's a 45° linear row. Basically a Smith machine style bent over rows with a butt support that's adjustable and adjustable foot plate.

This thing is SOOOOOO smooth but, I feel like I'm in-between on the adjustments. Back pad too high and my quads hit the bar. Back pad too low and it's too upright. Close Grip handles feel like they're in a good spot, the normal grip might be a bit too high and MAYBE too wide? They're at a slight angle. There's a place to grab it straight on below, not intended, but it might be too low..... I'll have to play with it.

Anyways, 3 plates per side today was where I decided to stay. I went up to 4 but the DY and Smith rows took a lot out of the tank. I got 5 decent reps and then the low back went so I backed it off. Next session I will start with this exercise when I'm fresh since I'm close to maxing out the DY already. I tinkered with the adjustments a lot but never really found something I fell in love with. Fresher will be better.

Finished with 2 sets of plate loaded pulldowns since both cable stations were occupied.

My lats are cramping up so, the new piece provided some new stimulus for sure.

Didn't go hypo after my post training shake, body decided to go hypo after the meal following it. Got a little cyclic dextrin in with some electrolytes to hold me over till the next meal about an hour after.

Just want a thick upper back, is that too much to ask?

 

[Battousai]

Has your weight gone back up? You're looking full.

 

[Montego]

Has your weight gone back up? You're looking full.

254-257 depending on the day

 

[Montego]

Rest today.

Been on the phone all day with DR and PT trying to get all the records I need to get back to work. Fucking ridiculous amount of shit this company wants .

Mowed the yard, did some cleaning around the house and went to the grocery store.

Went to a different store then I usually go to.... It's always dangerous doing this because I see a lot of shit I want that's not at the other store

Sauces are my vice, especially in the off-season. I don't touch those shitty sugar free sauces for my meals because they fucking suck. Today I stumbled on these and they're damn good. Definitely recommend.

Also decided to make some protein pancakes for dinner because I was starving and they're a lot of volume. I DO use sugar free syrup on these. Easy recipe -

10oz egg whites
1 scoop whey
1 individual cup Greek yogurt
1/2 banana
1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla extract
10v grinds Pink salt

They're solid. I mean it's a shitty pancake but it's still a pancake.

 

[Montego]

Had a good leg day today.

Hard headed, used the same exercises (mostly) as the previous time on this day. Little tweaks with some of them helped

The hip press - I did these one leg at a time. I can get in and out of the damn thing and still have a good ROM this way. It also made the pattern feel better? I guess having a slight turn on my hips didn't make it feel so "downward" for the entire rep.

Tru squat - used a seat belt. I know my hips and glutes are weak and using the belt takes them out of the equation more. Since I'm focused on the quad here I'm not worried about it. Anyways, the seat belt forces my hips to stay against the back pad and they're not drifting forward at the bottom so, tension is going directly into the quads as it should be and, not getting the hips and glutes limit my loading. For comparison, last time I counter balanced with 4 plates for sets of 10, today I did 4 for 17 then 3 for 15. Knees handled it better too maybe . This was super set with knee extension.

I didn't do the Smith split squat since the one I can use for that was taken so I tried just regular Smith squats..... No go. The one I got on is a little more narrow then the other so between the wrist and my awful shoulder mobility, I couldn't get the damn thing unracked without fucking around for a minute each time.

I did the hip hack single leg instead, which I do on my other leg day. I super set this with the Single leg curls and they both progressed.

Dats it. We cross our fingers and hope the knees will let us walk tomorrow.

 

[Montego]

Legs are sore AF today but the knees feel good. Win.

My wrist is sore from trying to get into those Smith squats though.

Did the stupid arm day again. In and out in 40b minutes. Be glad when this isn't a thing anymore.

I treat today as a non training day diet wise mostly. Only thing different is I have a shake with 50p, 40c after. The rest is the same as my non training days.

 

[Montego]

Rest day.

Woke up at 257.8, almost back to thick boi status.

Weight started coming back on after the last diet increase which is good to see. There's been some fat accrued but, I expected it given the approach.

When I ended prep I think I was around 240lbs. When I got back to training I think I was close to 235 but had gotten a good bit softer from not training aside from legs and trt doses for about 5-6 months. (Can't remember when I fully came off but it was at the end of October)

I'll continue to keep pushing the weight up but, the rate will be slower now. Hopefully, mid/end of May I'll be where I feel good with the progress and I'll tighten things up a touch and pull off some fat. We have family vacation in June so pulling a few pounds off would be fine with me. Less surface area to get sunburnt.

After vacation and the "mini diet" before, it's back to improving and packing on the size. Lord willing by the end of the year I'm injury free, have improved from my previous prep starting point and can start to look for the show next year.

 

[Montego]

Last 2 training sessions were really good.

Push y'day was solid. Progressed everything.

The Smith incline got me. My top set was 3pps*10, previous session was 3*8, and this set was markedly better tempo wise.

My rep range is 8 so I added a ten to each side and bombed lol. Only got 4. I like 6-8 reps on my "heavy" movements so I gotta adjust next session. Probably 3 plates and a 10 for the first set and judge from there.

The vertical chest press went up. I mentioned not being able to use the gym pin and having to use bands last time but, I was able to stack some DBs on there instead. I can fit the 15s/10s/5s so, a little weight to play with until I need to band or ditch it. Added 20lbs for a set of 7 and 6.

Machine SP was ok. Pinned 55 on and did the same as the first press for reps. Progressed weights, is good herebi just have to make sure I don't outrun the shoulder.

Today was pull.

Played around with the new row machine a lot, it was over half of my session. Went to 3.5 plates a side and my legs just gave out at rep 4, reset for 3 more then again for 2. The reps were moving nice and smooth, no jerking, had more in terms of what I could pull, just this weak ass posterior chain holding me back.

This is something I was really improving before the wrist but, I lost a lot of progress during the time I couldn't use the hand. I'll hip hinge until it's better and for that reason, the deads will be sparse. Static holds with the row will do more of what I currently need then pulling deads I believe.

2 sets on the hard handle with 3pps for 12/9, 2 sets with the neutral handle then moving to the "easy handle" for the drop and 1 set at 1 plate with a more upright posture getting the upper back smoked.

1 arm pulldowns to start this session and progression on the right side but not the left...... The wrist isn't holding the dominant side back. I only did 2 sets here and no backoff since it's 2 straight weeks with no improvement on the left.

Cable pull-down with the regular bar. My grip was shot after all the rows, even with the versas, so I couldn't hold the mag attachment without a good bit of pain. 2 sets here with a drop on the last. This is just an upper back movement for me, especially now since it's impossible to get a full ROM with the wrist, and it was rough.

That's it. Rest tomorrow, my low back needs it, and hopefully a lazy day.

Still waiting to hear back from work on when I can return...... Getting annoyed at this point and even though I don't want to go back and just eat and train and do whatever I want, I got savings accounts to keep stacking up

 

[Battousai]

Sounds like everything is moving good man

 

[Montego]

Sounds like everything is moving good man

It's been going pretty well. Just gotta keep grinding away

 

[Montego]

Guts are a mess today for some reason.

Going to do a mini fast and see if it clears up.

Haven't had a colitis flare up in a LONG time so I'm hoping that's not the issue. If so, it's gonna be a boring ass week.

 

[Montego]

Legs today was awesome.

I've progressed to the point where every rep is a grind and I absolutely love it. The knees are holding strong with the new approach as well which is about the best news I could get.

I adjusted my band on the Rodgers squat press. Moved it up to the top weight horn and doubled it over which was the ticket. It's got more tension at extension and farther through the rep but still deloads completely in the hole. It takes away room for the weights but, I don't plan on having to use much more here.

Hamstring curls, single leg hacks and adductors were really good. Just grinding out reps on those and adding in some forced reps this week.

My legs feel look they've gotten better the last couple months but I still haven't measured them to check. Kinda don't want to in case they've gotten worse lol. This is pretty much the only way I can train them without debilitating knee pain so it's gotta work

 

[Montego]

Got damn my glutes are sore as fuck today........I have no fucking idea why either. Y'day had no direct glute work so the only thing I can figure was the band moving on the single leg press. Either way, they're in pain lol.

Arm day.....wooptey. Nothing special but my right arm did see an increase in strength so that's a plus. Good pump, quick session.

Rest!

 

[Montego]

Grocery shopping today landed me two scores.

First, they mismarked some NY strips to 2.99lb instead of 12.99. Got 2 packs (all they had), about 15lbs.

Second score were these fuckers below. My lord they're good. I'm glad I only got one bag because I could eat 5 bags without batting an eye.