It's a Marathon - Contest Prep Log

[Wardamn]

The first 4-6 weeks of a cut are the worst. It can really get to in your head. I just stay out of the mirror, off the scale and trust the process. You been there so many times, you know the deal.

Rice chex are my go to on carb up days. Blend up a scoop of protein powder with a few pieces of ice, pour it over top and throw some bananas on. Straight fire! It's become of my favorite things to eat.

For sure, you get flat and soft to start. But after that you get into a good rhythm and start clicking.

 

[Theotherone55]

BACK
Straight arm pulldown - 3x12
CG pulldown - 3x12
High row -RP set
SA low row - MR
Cable neutral upright now - 3x20

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Incline hammer - 3x10
Machine press - MR set
Fly machine -3x15
Decline hammer - top set back off
SA side raises -4x15
Cable rear delts -3x20
dB side raises - 4x12
Rear delt wings - 3x20

311.9.
Weight falling off of me. Only 1 change of the diet the scale is just moving. That fluff weight has left and upper body is a bit leaner. Right around 300lbs is gonna be a really good look. Nothing contest like, will still be way too big, but I’m a much more impressive gym BBer than I am a contest one. That’s the truth lol im fine with it. This is a reminder that fat loss isn’t linear. It’ll go fast, then deathly slow, then another whoosh. The trick is to know which lever to play with (food/activity). To a certain extent, they all work, but the look changes based on these…as well as what your genetics allow,

For my work, I make commercials/campaigns/all the above, and right at this moment we are pitching to work on one of those new non-diabetic CGMs that will be the new oura rings/whoops. So because I’m creating all the work/messaging, they love having a fitness guy/BBer on the creative side. They gave me one to wear for 2 weeks. I have a patch on the back of my arm and get constant glucose reading as I input my own data meals/wornouts. Very interesting shit and they love hearing about my own knowledge and experiments. Once in awhile I work on something I personally like, this being one of them. Haven’t use it while using slin on a high day tho, that’ll be interesting.

 

[Theotherone55]

LEGS
Seated leg curls - 3x10
Adductor machine - 4x20
Leg extensions - 4x15
Hack squat - 2x12, 1x25
Leg press - 3x15
Abductor machine - 3x12

Bread and butter leg day today. Lots of super sets, short rest periods, all the good stuff.
Weight is still falling. I was 310 today. Its coming off fast but im not hungry, still force feeding, no drop in strength. Just shows me that this is fluff and water and finally getting into some body fat. My wife made a comment yesterday as we were getting ready for bed that my upper body looked smaller...soul crushing lol but it just means im flat. Today is a high day so 1000+ of carbs. Other days are around 600g when i lift. 400-500g protein. Alot i know. But its going. We'll probably ride this until it stops. As a reminder to people, you dont need weekly changes when shit is working. Let the change run its course....then, when it slowws do a small adjustment. Cardio is 3x a week HIIT, easy.

One interesting piece of data that ive been watching, my insulin timing has been way off using insulin R. I DID use log for a good amount this offseason, but i would run out of it so quick and R is cheap and a 10 min drive away at walmart. So i had been using that and kinda just using it to cover 2 meals. But as i mentioned above, im doing some work for a well known CGM company and have been using a monitor for a week now and seeing my readings. Today, a high day and the only day i use insulin, showed me howww off i was. Its either that or im just shooting not quite enough. What i HAD Been doing was about 18iu premeal to cover 2 meals of say 150g of carbs each. I haddd noticed that my biggest spike is PWO because i am not eating any fat in that meal. Just rice crispies with whey. But man...today my glucose was 180mg/dL about 30 mins post meal....wayyy high. Personally, i wouldve assumed my shot of R would've covered that and brought that shit down quickly but nope. Although it seems to have no impact on my fat loss or tissue gain, just interesting data to look at. Everything else is good. Usually about 80-100 an hour or so post meal (non high days) and 80-90 in the morning.

Nothing new as far as gear or drug wise. No fat burners yet or anything, but im sure thatll change ina bit. As its a high day, majority of food will be rice, maybe some pasta and potatoes later. Very low fat. And probably a big free meal at the end of the night. For right now, free meal consistency doesnt matter to me. I'm losing weight relatively quick and im flat even eating 600g of carbs on all other workout days. As i get leaner and closer to the show, i try to shift into a specific free meal...maybe making my own burger and fries or tacos. Something like that. But at this far out, no reason to be a strict hard ass.

 

[Montego]

LEGS
My wife made a comment yesterday as we were getting ready for bed that my upper body looked smaller...soul crushing lol

UGGGGHHHH it hurts doesn't it?

A couple weeks ago before I started being able to train again my daughter bought me a shirt. I've been wearing 3x normally and have a few 2x shirts I can wear but they're pretty uncomfortable.

She got me a 2x because that's all they had, it's an athletic fit so there's no chance it'll fit, and her and my wife are standing there and say "well try it on at least, you're smaller" first a kick in the nuts. So I tried it on and it fucking fit a bit big, fucking gut punch.

I'm gonna make sure I rip the fucking seams out of this damn thing next time I put it on lol.

 

[Theotherone55]

ARMS
SA cable curls - 3x12
Rope pushdown - 3x15
Rope hammer curls - 4x12
Rope skullcrushers - 4x12
OH tri ext cables - RP set
DB incline curls - RP set
crossbody cable ext - MR
spider curls - MR

BACK (2nd day)
Lat activsation work
Straight arm pulldowns - 3x15
CG pulldowns - top set back off
Seated high rows - 3x12
Low row machine - RP set
Chest supp t-bar - triple drop set
DB shrugs - 2 top sets, 1 drop set

Arms are pissing me off a bit. The L tricep has atrophied a bit. Noticeable. Arm days are alll about hitting your bis/tris in different positions...OH, leaned over, extended, cross body. But the L tricep onlyyy fires in certain position. My STRONGEST position is the skullcrusher to be hones...maybe a completely vertical pushdown too. But it dies quickly. I basically do almost all single arm work because of this. Again, all tied to this L shoulder. Very frustrating. My side chest is probably my best pose and i hit it from the L side. My bicep peak and rear delt is shown the best there...but the tricep and overall arm thickness is getting more noticeable. Trying to see what the R side might look like if i switch it up. I gotta explain this to my PT and see why or what we can do about this. My hand numbness is gone...which he fixed through stretching but this might have to be a body work thing rather than a PT thing. I feel like im constantly using patch work to hide shit lol Very annoying.

Again, weight falling off. I'm like 308 right now which is pretty nuts. Wife made a comment like, "wow, you have reallly lost some weight the past 2-3 weeks." And its juust been through cutting my high days back. Medium days (which are basically alll my workout days except legs) are still 600g of carbs and very high protein. No cardio increase, no fat burners. No nothing. Im almost losing weight a lil tooo fast. But who am i to complain. I always see some impressive guys post shit where they look fuckin killler at like 12-8 weeks out and i think to myself, "jesus, wtf are you doing for those last 2 months if you look this great already." I've neverrr had that problem but it would be nice to have it. I dooo think i am someone who looks better after backing off a lil and filling out. The constant push of being flat and depleted all the way up to the show doesnt give MY PHYSIQUE the best look. So it would be nice to fuckin readyyy 5 weeks out and back off cardio and food and slowly fill myself back out. Kind of a blessing in disguise. But again, fat loss is not linear. So we'll just have to weight.

As far as my CGM experiment. COR peaked at 120mg/dL. So that has:
Rice Crispie cereal - ~180
White rice - ~105
COR - ~120
Maybe its just too obvious that the MORE PROCESSED the rice or rice-based carb, the higher the spike.

 

[Theotherone55]

GLUTES/HAMS
Seated ham curl - 4x12
Abduction machine - 4x20 squeeze hard
Standing SL leg curl - 3x10
SS
Glute extensions - 3x12
Glute ham raises - 3x10
Glute bridge w/ smith machine - 3x12

308.1 today. Kinda settling on this weight the past couple days. Crazy ham/glute pump this workout.
Everything firing which is good. Again, hunger not bad. No tiredness, fatigue. Food still sky high.
SHOULD get a change in diet today but we'll see, Justin had a crazy busy weekend.

I had 2 phone consultations this week that were all similar. 2 guys struggling with the same problem....why am i not big and lean.
what can i do? is it drugs? is it GH? wtf is it and why am i not that already? The crazy thing is that both were pretty knowledgable, understood the drugs and training aspect of it...but just couldnt get past the needing patience part. Its like the number 1 question i field allll the time.
I wanna be big....but i also wanna be lean....and how long until i can be both? I WISH there was a simple answer for this other than, "keep following the plan and stop thinking about it."

And the crazy part is, EVERYONE feels this way for a bit. EVERYONE sees an ideal physique and says, "i want that." I remember seeing Kuclo when he turned pro and thoughts, "wow, holy fuck...i want that! Wait, why am i not that?!" But now...its years later and i AM big and lean. So how the fuck did I do it? Well, i put in a fuckin decade of just telling myself, "well im no Kuclo, so i guess i gotta do this instead." Eat big, train hard, get big, diet it off, rinse, repeat. And i did that enoughhh that low and behold I hit that area. I am in no way saying im Steve Kuclo like...but i'm 6'0 308lbs and I have abs and veins on my quads and by anyyy ones own POV, i'm lean. Maybe not what WE think is BBing lean sub 9%...but i'm probably 12 maybe 11 right now. Anyways, it always a tough thing to talk to someone early on in their pursuit and tell them to put their head down and keep going. Both were relatively young guys who didnt have the $$$ for monthly coaching but just wanted some pointers to get them in the right direction. I get it. Coaching can be expensive monthly thing and a quick Zoom call every 2-3 months to help push toward your goal is beneficial. Both of them told me their put their heads down, keep pushing and schedule another call come end of April.

On another note, i slept through my damn 4am alarm this morning so i missed my Chest/Shoulders/Cardio so i'll have to sneak that in after i pick up my kid from school. Nothing like the sheer panic that hits you when you grab your phone and see its an hour past when you shouldve been awake ugh

 

[Theotherone55]

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Cable flies - 4x15
Incline hammer - RP set (something is up here, ill discuss below)
Chest press machine - 3x10-12
Decline hammer - MR set
Deep chest stretch on a dip machine - i need to do this more often.
Side lateral machine - 4x15
BO on same machine (rear delt) - 4x20
SA cable side raise - 3x15
Chest supp rear flies - 3x20
DB side raises - 2x20

BACK
Lat activation stuff
Straight arm pulldown - 4x15
Prime handle neutral pulldown - 3x10
Seated row prime handle - Top set back off
Chest supp t-bar - triple drop set
SA hammer row - 2x12
DB shrugs - 3x15-20

Weight is hanging on at 307-308. Not budged in 6ish days. But at just about 16 weeks out i know Justin is about to bring it up a notch.
Still 3 days a week cardio, no fat burners, no nothing. Very easy. Still A LOT of food for me. My check-in will come in the next couple days and i bet its a cardio and food move. All good, i'm mentally ready. It doesnt feeeel like a prep yet which i think is good. Do i want it to feel like one? lol im not sure. Its not like I have a lot of free time right now and i know when shit gets going, my schedule will be nuts. My last prep (almost 2 years ago) was so easy with my daughter being such a baby. So easy to dip out for extra cardio and a lift. It is NOT the same now LOL she has an attttitude. Terrible 2's are a reallll thing. But i can do it. She sits around and eats ground beef and rice with me....watching Moana 2. We DID watch the Arnold Finals together though. She was into it lol.

The Chest/Shoulders day was off. Not that it was a bad workout but this L shoulder thing is showing its true colors. This physical therapist im going to is great. He's really fixed my sleep issue I was having as i was unable to sleep on my side. And that trigger point in my teres minor is all but gone because he's released a bunch of tension in the shoulder joint. BUT...what is happening is some nerve stuff around the lat and scapula. Something in the past 6 months or so really killed my tricep. Just unable to press down with strenght and power. I noticed it awhile back, my L tricep just dying very early on arm day. Not even close to the same weight as my R tricep. It has now really affected my pressing power. LIke i could baaarely get 3 plates on Incline Hammer for this. Not that i really give a fuck about what I press...i'm not a PLer anymore. But its very noticeable. I pointed it out to my PT and we've started to kinda play around with it. When i row my elbows back and try to press, its very weak. But if i roll my shoulders forward, it gets stronger. Its weird. I've straight up asked him, "will more work around here 'turn' the tricep back on? like will this come back?" and his short answer is yes. But its a work in progress.
I feel like half of my updates are like, "hey guys?! guess how fucked up i am?!" So i apologize lol

On a more optimistic note, cardio feels like a breeze right now. Just the difference from huffing and puffing at 320+ to 307ish is amazing. I can catch my breath so fast compared to what i was able to before.

 

[Theotherone55]

LEGS (QUADS)
Lying leg curl - top set back off
Adductor machine - 3x15
Leg extensions - 4x15 (hard flex at the top)
Hack Squat - 10-12 reps starting at 1 plate and adding a plate until I hit 7
Linear hack press - 3x15-20 (deep and piston-like reps)
Walking lunges - 3xfailure

307.5 weight staying the same.
Good pump all workout, rest periods pretty short so i'm huffing and puffing a little bit. But everything felt good.
You know those days where everything feels light? That was today. Adding plate after plate felt easy. Knees were good. Everything clicking.
I hadn't had one of those "strong" days in awhile so it was nice. But got through it in about an hour-ish.
My leg days can be long a fuck if i dont do this. And with the baby waking up at like 6am, i gotttta be done so this quick pace is helpful.
But today is a high day so i'll get to fill up some. Not that feel flat but i look it at 7 days of hard training. And overall, my food choices have been much better. I finally ripped that CGM off my tricep yesterday lol that shit is great...IF you eat a variety of foods and different meals aka you're a regular person. But i eat the same shit every day. Same pro/fat/carb sources, just diff volumes. So i basically got allll my relevant data within 7-8 days. Ok, done lol. But like i mentioned, better choices as offseason gets in my rear view mirror. In the offseason i had kind of a list of shit i would be down to eat for high days. Some gummy candy, some pasta, cereals, lots of fruit. I'm trying to keep shit even more regular now so its basically rice + fruit, maybe a bagel here and there. That's it. Right now i'm eating 25g of carbs from mixed berries, 150g of carbs from rice and 70g shake of whey iso + egg whites. That shit sounds boring as fuck but i find it necessary. I honestly think this NEXT offseason (i dont wanna think too far ahead) i wanna eat even more strict. Not that i indulge in that much crap but I think i wanna stay a tad leaner this offseason. I got as high as 13% (dexa) at 327 but i would rather stay closer to 310ish and put on a quality 3-5lbs if i can.

Other than that, all good so far. Still rollin with @Marathon's Sust + EQ and will for awhile. No need for anything else this early. Probably decreaase the EQ a bit when i add in Mast E. GH is at 10iu right now and will keep it there for awhile. I would expect some clen to get thrown in sometime soon. Or at least thats what weve done in the past.

 

[Theotherone55]

ARMS + ODDS&ENDS
SA press down - 3x12
SA cable curl - 3x15
Rope hammer curl - RP set
Rope skullcrusher - 4x12
Behind curls (not idea what to call it, basically arms way behind my body to mimic an incline curl) 3x15
OH tri extension - 3x12
EZ bar cable curl - RP set
Tricep crossbody ext - RP set
DB side raises - 4x20
SA hammer press (L side only) RP set

BACK
Lat activation work
Straight arm pulldowns - 3x15
Seated mid row - RP set
Dual handle neutral pulldown - 3x12
DY row machine - top set back off + drop set
Dante rows - RP set

307 stillll, changes will come soon though.
16 weeks out todayyy. Everything feelin good though.
One thing ive noticed is that im runnnin through carbs at a high rate. I'm hoping that its because im just a bigger, more muscled person compared to a year or so ago. A high day at 1000g of carbs and multiple medium days at 500-600 used to kinda keep me full the whole week. Right now, im full maybe 1-2 days post high day and then lookin pretty flat. BUT...you need to be flat to burn the fat. If you are full as a house the entire prep, chances are fat loss will be slower than what you are hoping for. I dont think im doing much more volume than before though. I do feel very light and athletic (for lack of a better word at this mid 300 range). I'm not gassed. I feel like i could walk around like this all the time. Then again, even at 320+ im not draggin ass. Probably because ive been 300+ for several years in a row now.

One thing i have been paying attention to is my BP (i always do) but i ran out of my normal telmisartan/htz/nebivolol about two weeks ago and alldaychemist takes their sweet fucking time. I doo have some liquid telmi on hand but that only keeps me in an ok range of 132/70. So ive been experimenting with how much MORE telmi i need OR if i need to add cialis. Again the 40 telmi/htz + 5-10 nebivolol keeps me 115/80ish so im just playing around right now finding that sweet spot. The combo of that stuff + 5mg of Rosuvastatin (couple times a week) keeps my bloodwork and health alll good regardless of wtf I run year round.

Food wise ive been incredibly boring lately. Egg whites, 96/4 ground beef, Team Skip blend protein, calrose rice, maybe a bagel here and there as well as some red potatoes, COR, almonds/almond butter and guacamole. THAT'S IT. Only difference on high days is I add some frozen berries to my meals. That's it. Pretty robotic. Right now i'm watching the new season of Reacher and eating COR lol

 

[Theotherone55]

LEGS
Seated leg curl - 3x12
Adductor machine - 4x15
Leg Extension - 4x15-20
Abductor machine - 3x12
Linear hack press - reps of 12 until i get to a heavy top set
Hack squat - 2x25
SS
Glute ham raise - 2x15

Weight moving. 305.1 the past 2 days.
Just some small food changes on all days - high, medium, and low. Nothing crazy but enough to keep the scale moving. No increase in cardio or anything. I was gassed after this leg workout though. It usually takes me between 60-75 mins to get through all this. Keeping the pace pretty fast and not fucking around with long rest periods. I'm technically around 16 weeks out of this first show right now. I'm definitely LEANER at 16 weeks out than i've ever been too. So we'll see if this keeps progressing and how we look 4 weeks from now. At 20 weeks out, i was bloated and soft, a month later its a massive difference. 12 weeks out, who knows.

Apologies for the delay on here guys. Had some tough news about a buddy of mine (BBer) passing away and have just been crazy with coaching stuff. Couple clients doing shows and a bunch of lifestyle check-ins. It's so weird. When my regular 9 to 5 slows down, coaching stuff and consultations go up. I think most guys are just kinda prepping for summer already (we're about 15 weeks away) so i get it.

 

[Theotherone55]

BACK (2nd day)
Lots of lat activation work
Straight arm pulldown - 3x15
Prime neutral grip pulldown - top set back off
Chest supp t-bar - Top set back off then drop set
Seated row neutral prime bar - 3x12
DB chest supp row incline - 2x12
SS
Machine low row - 2x12
DB shrugs - 3x15

302.1 today.
Good whoosh of fat loss this week. Saw a buddy of mine whom I hadnt seen in 3 or so weeks. His kid and my kid go to the same pre-pre-pre school. First thing he said was, "jesus dude, youre fuckin jacked right now. how the hell.." It was mostly because i wear GASP 4XL shirts and i wore something a bit tighter today, but it was nice hearing someone comment on the look. Told him i still got 25 more lbs to go and he was shocked. I looked back at some pics from my 2023 prep. I'm about the same leanness i was at 10 weeks out and im 15-20lbs heavier. I do admit that I didnt get that first whooosh of good fat loss until i was around 9 weeks out. From 16-9 was slow and steady, from 9-5 was rapid fire loss and crazy changes. But again, 15-20lbs heavier is a good thing. The only shit im a lil noticed about is my L tricep is atrophied from some nerve problems. Its even more frustrating because thats my side chest shot. My rear delt and my L bicep is much more pronounced, so i hit that and it looks good. But the overall ARM thickness is down which is probably once noticable on my end.

In terms of how the week goes, im flat basically alll week. Maybe the day after a high day im full...but after that, im flat. My body is just runnning through carbs right now. A furnace. Other than that, im all good. Work is stressful right now and im basically going gig to gig. I have a lil bit of a break soon but im trying to manage the stress of work and not let it get into prep stuff. I know that is easier said that done, but i think fat loss and peak stress is not a good mix. I WISH i was just a chill trainer and could only think about BBing but that aint the case. LA is fuckin expensive lol

Btw, the amount of guys i see who have blown up my IG or DM's with questions because THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE DOING...and then 3 months later are posting that they are taking on clients is insane lol. I havent competed 1000 times, but ive at least lived this life for over a decade. Ive dieted others, myself, family members, everyone. Ive experimented with keto, high carb, low protein, high fat, and everything in between. And when i see someone who truly barely knows wtf is going on suddenly pretend like they do, it makes me roll my eyes.

 

[Theotherone55]

GLUTES/HAMS
lying ham curls - 3x12
SS
Abductor machine - 4x15
Glute ham raise - 4x12
SS
Seated ham curls - 4x15
RDL - 3x12
Glute thrust w/ barbell - 3x10

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Pec activation work
Fly machine - 3x15
Decline hammer -RP set
Flat machine press - 3x12
Wide dips - 2x10
Cable flies - 3x12
Machine press - 3x12
Cable rear delt flies - 4x20
Side raise machine - 4x15
BO rear delt cable flies - 3x12
SS
Cuffed cable side raise - 3x15

302.1
Weight is flying off right now. Light speed. Visibly leaner. A little under 15 weeks out right now and I look much closer to 10. Even in the checkins gave a, “we’re gonna be ready way early which is a good thing.” Like I mentioned before, each prep is way different. My overall body mass is so much higher that it has changed a lot of variables. Cardio is still unchanged. 12 mins of hiit 3x a week. I make sure I take a 10 mins walk after that, and that’s it. No fat burners. Just food moving.

As far as workouts, I’ve changed my chest/shoulders a bit as I need more volume. My ability to really hit intensity and weight just isn’t there, so what lever can I play? The volume one. If I can’t take everything to 110% and feel the shit out of, I can take it to 85% and do it more times. Keep it full and pumped. Just another way to tackling it. We’ll see how that goes as the weeks go on.

Food is all good. Only small change I’ve made is I’ve switched out some rice for some berries at the end of the day. I had lots of fruit in my offseason plan, I love it and just good source of vitamins and micronutrients. But had kinda cut it all out for basic rice and potatoes. And I missed it lol but 25g of carbs from berries is still A LOT of berries. So worked that back in as part of my last meal. Good way to end a night.

A couple pics here from 20 weeks out side chest to 15 weeks out side chest. This is just 5 weeks of fat loss. 322 to 303 in this last pic.

 

[Theotherone55]

QUADS/ADDUCTORS
Seated leg curl - 3x15
Adductor machine - 4x15 + drop
Leg extension (hard flex at top, slow down) - feeders sets until i get to a hard 15, then stay for 2-3 sets
Hack Squat - feeder sets up to a hard 12, 7 plates here
Linear hack - 4x20

This looks short but it wasn't. Still takes me around hour + with all the feeders. But another week of feeling strong on the gym on hacks. Knees are a-ok right now. I gotta give a shoutout to @Marathon becaue i am feeling lean and strong and just overall good right now running Sust + EQ. Shit is smooth as hell and dude always has great products. Everything ive tried from proviron to tren to mast is top notch and I highly suggest everyone check out his sales. The test cyp one is a great time to stock the hell up. But overall, feeling great.

300.9 today. Weight is moving. I'm in that groove where one change in the diet can be stretched for 3-4 weeks easy. I had multiple runs lke that last prep. Justin makes a change and then i can ride it for quite a while without anyyy more tweaks. Again, no hunger yet but defnitely at a point where i AM ready to eat every 2 hours. The only real change i have made so far is from some rice meals to red potatoes as its just more filling. But thats it.

In terms of issues, the L shoulder is an ongoing thing but its getting there. I had a discussion with some of the PM guys yesterday where I am going to kind of reevaluate my goals after this show and USAs. I love bodybuilding, it gives me a purpose and a passion and its something im good at. I dont have great genetics, but i have good genetics. I can groww fucking tissue. I can eat. And i can lay down slabs of new muscle. And i also have learned from my own mistakes and have been able to help guys do that as well. I know how to make it sound simple and to give a good plan to get big. I DO NOT have a small waist, i do not have great insertions and I have some injuries that severely hurt my ability to showcase my physique. IF...I did not have these decade old injuries, I am confident that I could maybe fandangle my way to a Masters Pro Card eventually. With them (and they wont go away) it just wont happen. And im a realistist. With no injuries peak me is maybe a top 10 national level guy, very good regional guy. But that aint the case. And as I look at myself and I realize that the greatest peak of BBing is out of reach....i ask myself IS THE DRUG PUSHING and probable health ramifications worth it? I am lucky in that my bloodwork has been bulletproof — I have no outstanding issue from getting to a 300+lb guy. And we know that IS a thing. There are lots of guys here that COULD be huge...but they also have a problem where something as simple as 600mg of test + EQ wreeecks there bloodwork. Or they can't eat. Or they get in their own way. Me? I'm a guy where 3g of shit doesnt do much to my health. I talk to LOTS of big guys and its about 50/50. Some are fighting tooth and nail to keep their bloodwork ok...they need cruises, they need breaks. And the other 50% can push it and take some telmisartan, some berberine and shit, they are ok. Its a mixed bag. I say all this because I love doing this and I think people need to hear someone whose been in the game 10+ years say it. Obviously this is an ongoing thing in my head and it wont be a set decision for a bit. But im stewing on it. A part of me says, "dude, for your family's sake, EVEN IF YOU ARE HEALTHY NOW, you should end it sooner than later." And i udnerstand that. Im 37 now and the goal has been to make it to 40 or 41 and hang it up. Another part of me says, "guys never reach their peak...there are 10000s of guys who have NBA dreams who get cut...they dont STOP playing basketball." That might not be the best analogy lol but u get it. Honestly, this shit comes into my head because i get so frustrated with my shoulder and not being able to show what COULD BE. It's a kick in the nuts....but enough about whining about things i cannot change. Regardless of these things, i work fucking hard and i present THE BEST VERSION of myself every time i step on stage. That's what i remind myself. I didnt get into this because I wanted a card, a trophy, anything....i got into this because i loved the process and I loved disappearing for a year only to show back up bigger and better and leaner.

 

[Bamm-bamm]

QUADS/ADDUCTORS
Seated leg curl - 3x15
Adductor machine - 4x15 + drop
Leg extension (hard flex at top, slow down) - feeders sets until i get to a hard 15, then stay for 2-3 sets
Hack Squat - feeder sets up to a hard 12, 7 plates here
Linear hack - 4x20

This looks short but it wasn't. Still takes me around hour + with all the feeders. But another week of feeling strong on the gym on hacks. Knees are a-ok right now. I gotta give a shoutout to @Marathon becaue i am feeling lean and strong and just overall good right now running Sust + EQ. Shit is smooth as hell and dude always has great products. Everything ive tried from proviron to tren to mast is top notch and I highly suggest everyone check out his sales. The test cyp one is a great time to stock the hell up. But overall, feeling great.

300.9 today. Weight is moving. I'm in that groove where one change in the diet can be stretched for 3-4 weeks easy. I had multiple runs lke that last prep. Justin makes a change and then i can ride it for quite a while without anyyy more tweaks. Again, no hunger yet but defnitely at a point where i AM ready to eat every 2 hours. The only real change i have made so far is from some rice meals to red potatoes as its just more filling. But thats it.

In terms of issues, the L shoulder is an ongoing thing but its getting there. I had a discussion with some of the PM guys yesterday where I am going to kind of reevaluate my goals after this show and USAs. I love bodybuilding, it gives me a purpose and a passion and its something im good at. I dont have great genetics, but i have good genetics. I can groww fucking tissue. I can eat. And i can lay down slabs of new muscle. And i also have learned from my own mistakes and have been able to help guys do that as well. I know how to make it sound simple and to give a good plan to get big. I DO NOT have a small waist, i do not have great insertions and I have some injuries that severely hurt my ability to showcase my physique. IF...I did not have these decade old injuries, I am confident that I could maybe fandangle my way to a Masters Pro Card eventually. With them (and they wont go away) it just wont happen. And im a realistist. With no injuries peak me is maybe a top 10 national level guy, very good regional guy. But that aint the case. And as I look at myself and I realize that the greatest peak of BBing is out of reach....i ask myself IS THE DRUG PUSHING and probable health ramifications worth it? I am lucky in that my bloodwork has been bulletproof — I have no outstanding issue from getting to a 300+lb guy. And we know that IS a thing. There are lots of guys here that COULD be huge...but they also have a problem where something as simple as 600mg of test + EQ wreeecks there bloodwork. Or they can't eat. Or they get in their own way. Me? I'm a guy where 3g of shit doesnt do much to my health. I talk to LOTS of big guys and its about 50/50. Some are fighting tooth and nail to keep their bloodwork ok...they need cruises, they need breaks. And the other 50% can push it and take some telmisartan, some berberine and shit, they are ok. Its a mixed bag. I say all this because I love doing this and I think people need to hear someone whose been in the game 10+ years say it. Obviously this is an ongoing thing in my head and it wont be a set decision for a bit. But im stewing on it. A part of me says, "dude, for your family's sake, EVEN IF YOU ARE HEALTHY NOW, you should end it sooner than later." And i udnerstand that. Im 37 now and the goal has been to make it to 40 or 41 and hang it up. Another part of me says, "guys never reach their peak...there are 10000s of guys who have NBA dreams who get cut...they dont STOP playing basketball." That might not be the best analogy lol but u get it. Honestly, this shit comes into my head because i get so frustrated with my shoulder and not being able to show what COULD BE. It's a kick in the nuts....but enough about whining about things i cannot change. Regardless of these things, i work fucking hard and i present THE BEST VERSION of myself every time i step on stage. That's what i remind myself. I didnt get into this because I wanted a card, a trophy, anything....i got into this because i loved the process and I loved disappearing for a year only to show back up bigger and better and leaner.

Love that you aim for the best version of yourself that’s something I’m working on currently so I stop comparing myself to others.

 

[Meetketchup]

A part of me says, "dude, for your family's sake, EVEN IF YOU ARE HEALTHY NOW, you should end it sooner than later." And i udnerstand that. Im 37 now and the goal has been to make it to 40 or 41 and hang it up. Another part of me says, "guys never reach their peak...there are 10000s of guys who have NBA dreams who get cut...they dont STOP playing basketball." That might not be the best analogy lol but u get it. Honestly, this shit comes into my head because i get so frustrated with my shoulder and not being able to show what COULD BE. It's a kick in the nuts....but enough about whining about things i cannot change. Regardless of these things, i work fucking hard and i present THE BEST VERSION of myself every time i step on stage. That's what i remind myself. I didnt get into this because I wanted a card, a trophy, anything....i got into this because i loved the process and I loved disappearing for a year only to show back up bigger and better and leaner.

The fact that you are contemplating this now at 37 is awesome. The earlier guys/girls put things in perspective and really weigh priorities is super important. Regardless of the decision afterwards at least you put the time and effort evaluating the risks vs rewards. I personally went through this after I turned 40. I was super healthy despite running gear and such but knew there is a price to be paid down the road. I'm no 48 and run safe, effective cycles while getting bloodwork done constantly and limiting the harsh stuff to very short low dose windows before prep. I've managed to do that for years now. At some point unfortunately I will stop. Now, I'm not a 300lb dude like you so you carry that extra issue of just extra muscle which puts pressure on the organs more so than someone like me so that in itself is a tough call. I will never try to get big again because of that added stress.

You are super smart dude and know you will do what's right for you and your family. Love the prep log btw. Guys can really learn from this.

 

[Theotherone55]

The fact that you are contemplating this now at 37 is awesome. The earlier guys/girls put things in perspective and really weigh priorities is super important. Regardless of the decision afterwards at least you put the time and effort evaluating the risks vs rewards. I personally went through this after I turned 40. I was super healthy despite running gear and such but knew there is a price to be paid down the road. I'm no 48 and run safe, effective cycles while getting bloodwork done constantly and limiting the harsh stuff to very short low dose windows before prep. I've managed to do that for years now. At some point unfortunately I will stop. Now, I'm not a 300lb dude like you so you carry that extra issue of just extra muscle which puts pressure on the organs more so than someone like me so that in itself is a tough call. I will never try to get big again because of that added stress.

You are super smart dude and know you will do what's right for you and your family. Love the prep log btw. Guys can really learn from this.

I appreciate that dude.
Yeah, its going through my head. Its a bunch of things. My body cannot show itself the way i want it to, i have a family that might grow....but i love this and i love being passionate about something outside of just a job. I feel sorry for guys who THE ONLY thing they can talk about is work...or the only thing they like or push toward. I always loved being multi-faceted. My 9 to 5 is NOTHING like my BBing life. Huge different in terms of culture and what im asked to do. So ive just been Kev (my name), "oh he's also a competitive BBer" and people are kinda blown away that i can do both or have something i can fully dive into. So i holllddd onto this hard. And i think it will be a mind fuck IF i decide to, not stop, but slow down. I will have to mentally take some time to work through that. I will always have some foot in it...i do love coaching. I have enough thought about maybe gettng into the judgeing side if possible. But i always kinda thought i had a longer runway...but we'll see. Ive mentally accepted that i need to be closer to 250 than 300 in the next 5 years. Again, it will work itself out.

 

[Theotherone55]

BACK
Lat activation work
Straight arm pulldown - 3x15
CG pulldown - 3x12
DY low row machine - RP set
Seated high row - 3x12
Chest supp midline row - RP set
lots of stretching

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Pec activation stuff (this has really helped honestly)
Fly machine - 3x15
Incline hammer - 2 top sets, back off
Flat hammer press - RP set
Cable flies - 3x15-20
Deep chest stretch
Rear delt cable flies - 3x20
Cuffed side lateral raises - 4x15
Incline bench rear delt swings - 3x20
Seated side raises - 4x15
L tricep cable exte - 4x15-20

298 today. First time UNDER 300 in over a year lol insane.
I'm still not impressed (nor should i ever be) with the look. Im wearing baggy shirts all day, dont wanna see the small soft look lol
Im leaner, still not lean lean. I know im LEAN when even at the end of the day post last meal, i look good. And still not that point yet. I'm sure its in the next 10-12lbs i think. And shit has been moving very fast. I'm just under 14 weeks out right now.

One thing im kiiinda dealing with and I regret not just fuckin biting the bullet this offseason is some gyno thats annoyingly flaring up. I remember beginning of offseason this past year B-boy DM'd me to tell me to not put that shit off and to get it done. And honestly, money was just a liil tight at the moment and i just didnt have the extra 6k to drop on something cosmetic. I do now. The wife is about to go back to work (daughter is old enough and pre-pre-pre school day care is great) and im about to take a new job. It will be a nice boost financially. Whats crazy is its not a big lump at all, but when i hit certain poses, its kinda pushes down and is more visible. UGH. Im going to have to reallly watch it this prep and hide it a bit. I obviously want to bring a better package every year and THIS YEAR wILLL be a better package, but its one thing that i need to get done post show so i never have to worry again. My only thought right now is to try and blast is it with some Ralox maybe? I dont wanna dial up the AIs, wayyy too far out. At this point, running Marathon's EQ and Sust, my estrogren is kinda contained by the EQ. I dont have to use any at the moment.

Btw, still havent seen the movie Magazine Dreams lately. But I willl see that shit soon. Ive had so many discussions with BBers saying, "bro, i refused to see this shit. It makes us look like fuckin psychopaths and junkies." And i get that, but i dont think we're giving enough credit to an audience if they want one movie and then make a broad generalization about an entire subculture because of it. I loved The Wrestler...i didnt leave thnking that the WWE is full of emotional freaks past their prime. I loved Tor...i didnt leave the theater thinking that symphony conductors were narcissists and abusers. I thought American Sniper was good and did leave thinking all NAVY SEALS were bat shit crazy. But...i also love movies and understand flawed character story. So who knows. I can tell from the trailer that that character is lost and flawed as hell...but i stilll wanna get sucked in and see the arc. Anyways. Just my thoughts.

 

[Meetketchup]

I appreciate that dude.
Yeah, its going through my head. Its a bunch of things. My body cannot show itself the way i want it to, i have a family that might grow....but i love this and i love being passionate about something outside of just a job. I feel sorry for guys who THE ONLY thing they can talk about is work...or the only thing they like or push toward. I always loved being multi-faceted. My 9 to 5 is NOTHING like my BBing life. Huge different in terms of culture and what im asked to do. So ive just been Kev (my name), "oh he's also a competitive BBer" and people are kinda blown away that i can do both or have something i can fully dive into. So i holllddd onto this hard. And i think it will be a mind fuck IF i decide to, not stop, but slow down. I will have to mentally take some time to work through that. I will always have some foot in it...i do love coaching. I have enough thought about maybe gettng into the judgeing side if possible. But i always kinda thought i had a longer runway...but we'll see. Ive mentally accepted that i need to be closer to 250 than 300 in the next 5 years. Again, it will work itself out.

Your comment about loving to coach is a huge help in dealing with the reality we can't do what we used do or things are slowing down. Over the last decade I've found almost the same amount if not more in coaching and seeing others results over my own. It's almost like a way to pass the torch on to help others on my years of mistakes and successes. Nothing beats helping someone become the best they can be in something THEY love.

You'll figure it out and have time you young bastard. lol BUT for now f'ing rock this show!!!

 

[Theotherone55]

LEGS
Lying leg curl - 4x12
SS
Adductor machine - 4x20
Leg extension - 4x15 hard flex at top
SS
Abductor machine - 4x15
Hack squat - feeder sets up to hard 12, then back off set
Linear hack press - 3x15
SS
Glute ham raise - 3x12
Standing calf raises - 3x15
Donkey calf raises - 3x12

296.9 today so weight is moving. Had a high day yesterday and got to add 25g of carbs per meal just because i was looking extra flat.
But feel good. Pump was nuts today.

Again, this is the 3rd week with no changes and the weight is just mooovin. My body is in a groove. The minimal cardio i am doing feeels easy as shit. I am making sure i am just moving, no NEAT requirements but i dont sit around all day and try to run some errands even if its just a walk with the family in the afternoon. No fat burners. I'll post some pics on Saturday again to show you the more changes. Sat will be 13 weeks out. So still ALOT of time.

In terms of other life shit, my wife is about to go back to work and im deeep in interviews for a new job as well. Somewhat stressful time to be prepping but it is what it is. I am not a trainer nor am I a full-time coach or gym owner. That means bodybuilding is software...it just runs in the background. I wish i could say that quote was my own but its Ron Partlow's. He was just explaining that BBing in life should just be there, barely noticeable as you do other shit. Its not the MAIN thing, its the background...but its ALWAYS on. I felt that quote rang so true for those of us who have a regular family, a regular 9 to 5 and still do this thing at 100%. But hopefully this new gig works out. It will require me to go back into an office a bit but honestly, i want that. Being at home is easier for the BBing lifestyle, but it doesnt suite my professional talents. I need a team and i need to socialize with clients and coworkers. Little do they know my size and that im going to be eating 24/7 lol.

 

[Theotherone55]

GLUTES/HAMS
Seated leg curls 3x15
Abductor machine 4x15-20 hard squeeze
SL leg curl 3x12
Back ext glutes 3x10
Glute ham raise 3x12
Barbell glute bridge 3x10

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Pec activation work + shoulder mobility work
Fly Machine - 4x12
Incline hammer - top set back off
Decline hammer - RP set
Wide grip deep pushups - 3xAMRAP
Incline bench rear delt swings - 3x20
SS
Band pull aparts - 3x15
Cuffed side raises - 4x12
Cable rear delts - 3x15
DB side raises - 4x15
L tricep pushdowns - 4x15
Shoulder mobility work

295.1
Again...weight falling off. fassst. Shot some checkins to Justin on saturday and hiis response was, "man this is moving fast."
This week he told me to have a CHEAT DAYY on my high day to fill the hell up. Again, no fat burners, no increse in cardio. Body is just feeling everythnig and in the groove. Clothes fit great. No hunger. No fatigue. The ONE THING i still need to get in check is my stomach. Toward the end of offseason, i added visceral fat. I noticed it, i called it out to Justin. My diet wasnt horribly off like i had mad some weird addition or i was eating shit, but my A1c was high. I was just in the insulin resistant zone and i added some on my lower abs. WHen i pointed it out to him he wasnt overly concerned, told my subq fat was low and that his biggest dudes usually gained more visceral than subq at their peak weight. Still freaked me out a bit. Like i am lean...but i need to try to vacuum hard to pull that shit in. I know this shit will go away as i get leaner but now i am gettin a good look at it lol Realistically, I think can lose an additional 20lbs and be shreddddeddd. Maybe 275ish stage lean. And thattt last bit will probably be the visceral. Annoying but thats how it goes. Also, i knew it was true visceral as i got a dexa and it said i was 14% but it said my subq was low as fuck and it was an indeed and increase in visceral from last time.

But feel strong, the little cardio i am doing is a freakin breeze. Seen a couple of friends lately who hadnt seen me in 4-5 weeks and they immediately said, "jesus christ, you are a monster right now." Its nice to actually look like a large BBer right now lol My body dysmorphia is usually so high i never believe it.
You know the crazy thing too is that my sleep is great...ive NEVER been a big sleeper. 5-6hrs and im good. Nothing long. It only gets worse. But for whatever reason sleep is deeeep and great right now. One main thing is that i stopped smoking before bed (crazy i know). My REM immmmediately shot up.

In other news, i'm hardcore dadding the next couple days. Wife iis on a work trip so i'm manning the fort with the 2 year old who is in the THICK of terrible twos. Like everythng is a battle. Puttinig on a shirt for her pre-pre-pre school. Making dinner, doing anything lol. BUT..she loves going on "adventures" with dad to the grocery store or the park or costco. She's easy with me as long as i make shit a game and do some fun stuff. Today i'll kill her second wake window with a Costco run, maybe getting her some frozen yogurt and then watching Moana 2 lol easy shit.

 

[Bamm-bamm]

GLUTES/HAMS
Seated leg curls 3x15
Abductor machine 4x15-20 hard squeeze
SL leg curl 3x12
Back ext glutes 3x10
Glute ham raise 3x12
Barbell glute bridge 3x10

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Pec activation work + shoulder mobility work
Fly Machine - 4x12
Incline hammer - top set back off
Decline hammer - RP set
Wide grip deep pushups - 3xAMRAP
Incline bench rear delt swings - 3x20
SS
Band pull aparts - 3x15
Cuffed side raises - 4x12
Cable rear delts - 3x15
DB side raises - 4x15
L tricep pushdowns - 4x15
Shoulder mobility work

295.1
Again...weight falling off. fassst. Shot some checkins to Justin on saturday and hiis response was, "man this is moving fast."
This week he told me to have a CHEAT DAYY on my high day to fill the hell up. Again, no fat burners, no increse in cardio. Body is just feeling everythnig and in the groove. Clothes fit great. No hunger. No fatigue. The ONE THING i still need to get in check is my stomach. Toward the end of offseason, i added visceral fat. I noticed it, i called it out to Justin. My diet wasnt horribly off like i had mad some weird addition or i was eating shit, but my A1c was high. I was just in the insulin resistant zone and i added some on my lower abs. WHen i pointed it out to him he wasnt overly concerned, told my subq fat was low and that his biggest dudes usually gained more visceral than subq at their peak weight. Still freaked me out a bit. Like i am lean...but i need to try to vacuum hard to pull that shit in. I know this shit will go away as i get leaner but now i am gettin a good look at it lol Realistically, I think can lose an additional 20lbs and be shreddddeddd. Maybe 275ish stage lean. And thattt last bit will probably be the visceral. Annoying but thats how it goes. Also, i knew it was true visceral as i got a dexa and it said i was 14% but it said my subq was low as fuck and it was an indeed and increase in visceral from last time.

But feel strong, the little cardio i am doing is a freakin breeze. Seen a couple of friends lately who hadnt seen me in 4-5 weeks and they immediately said, "jesus christ, you are a monster right now." Its nice to actually look like a large BBer right now lol My body dysmorphia is usually so high i never believe it.
You know the crazy thing too is that my sleep is great...ive NEVER been a big sleeper. 5-6hrs and im good. Nothing long. It only gets worse. But for whatever reason sleep is deeeep and great right now. One main thing is that i stopped smoking before bed (crazy i know). My REM immmmediately shot up.

In other news, i'm hardcore dadding the next couple days. Wife iis on a work trip so i'm manning the fort with the 2 year old who is in the THICK of terrible twos. Like everythng is a battle. Puttinig on a shirt for her pre-pre-pre school. Making dinner, doing anything lol. BUT..she loves going on "adventures" with dad to the grocery store or the park or costco. She's easy with me as long as i make shit a game and do some fun stuff. Today i'll kill her second wake window with a Costco run, maybe getting her some frozen yogurt and then watching Moana 2 lol easy shit.

Curious what your cheat day consisted of ?

 

[Theotherone55]

Curious what your cheat day consisted of ?

Haven’t had it yet man. My check in is Saturday and my high day isn’t till Thursday actually.

I also was another like 1.5lbs down today which is concerning to me. I was a little hesitant to have a full day of kinda winging it but with weight continuing to fall and fall fast, I think I need to dive in and not give a fuck on that day lol

 

[Theotherone55]

LEGS
Lying leg curl - 4x12 + partials
Adductor machine - 4x15
Leg extensions - 4x15 hard flex
Hack squats - feeder sets up till i cant hit 12 reps anymore.
Linear hack squats - 3x15
Walking lunges - 3 AMRAP

291.0
Again, weight falling. Making me a little nervous but we got time. Justin suggested i take a full cheat day but honestly, i dont think my digestion can handle a day of shit anddd trying to fill me up with that. Slightly pivoting to a higher carb high day and ill make maybe a dessert at the end of the night along with my free meal. My digestion has been good, not great. And if i just throw high fat and high carb in, i know i will pay for it for a week. I understand he is just trying to stop the avalanche that is happening, but i think we can slow it down. The truth is, my performance is not falling...so its not lke im losing so fast that Im thinking its real tissue. I also LOOK lean. Slightly taking a bit longer to get my stomach and chest (compared to last prep) but im lean for sure. I look 8 weeks out maybe. Not almost 12. But i'd rather be ahead that behind.

I was thinking about this yesterday. Someone at the gym said I was a professional bodybuilder and i corrected him saying, "if you think this is a pro, you'd be blown away by the real guys. I'm not a pro man." But he corrected me and said that yes I was a pro. Look at me. Look what i'm always doing. Look what i've done for years on years. And i get it. The IFBB is in its own fucking class. THAT is the definition of PROS. You won a pro card. But i also catch myself trying to motivate clients about their own behaviors and how they approach the game. Suppose i did become a pro tomorrow....what would change? If you ask yourself that and you have a laundry list of things, you are doing yourself a disservice. Because honestly, if i got a pro card tomorrow, nothing would change. I would weigh my meals the same. I would schedule my day the same. I would still be as disciplined as humanly possible. Robin Strand said something similar in a recent podcast. If you are running around telling people you're a pro BBer, thats one thing. But if you are living the lifestyle, training like a maniac, doing what needs to be done, being as dedicated as humanly possible. Hell, you're a pro in my eyes. And we all probably have different definitions of "doing what needs to be done," but youuuu knowww wtf that means. Are you skipping meals? Are you dedicated to this process, the craft? Are you lowkey a monk during 80% of the year? LOL yeah man, you're a pro bodybuilder without a card. And good for you for being obsessed with something. BBing is the only sport...or passion...or hobby...that requires you living the life 24/7 365. You can be in the NFL and fuck around in the offseason. Hell...i played with guys who did this! You can be a professional golfer and kinda turn it on an hour a day and then flip it off. That shit doesnt work with BBing. Or if it does, you dont make any good progress thats for sure. No do this, year in year out, for like 10 years...you're a freak, you're a monster, you're a big boy, you're the guy that people stop to watch at the gym. You are a pro...at least i think lol and i say that being completely cognisant that i dont haveee it. I was not meant to get that card. i was meant to do EVERYTHING but that. And i'm cool with it.

Time to eat. Think i'll get some sushi with the wife and kid tonight then maybe have a past and meat meal. Nothing insane. Stll low fat, high carb. By the way, 2 year old has some molars coming in the back...she's a terror right now. Just pissed at the world lol This log is 30% training, 30% BBing thought process and 30% dad life LOL

 

[dcdogz]

LEGS
Lying leg curl - 4x12 + partials
Adductor machine - 4x15
Leg extensions - 4x15 hard flex
Hack squats - feeder sets up till i cant hit 12 reps anymore.
Linear hack squats - 3x15
Walking lunges - 3 AMRAP

291.0
Again, weight falling. Making me a little nervous but we got time. Justin suggested i take a full cheat day but honestly, i dont think my digestion can handle a day of shit anddd trying to fill me up with that. Slightly pivoting to a higher carb high day and ill make maybe a dessert at the end of the night along with my free meal. My digestion has been good, not great. And if i just throw high fat and high carb in, i know i will pay for it for a week. I understand he is just trying to stop the avalanche that is happening, but i think we can slow it down. The truth is, my performance is not falling...so its not lke im losing so fast that Im thinking its real tissue. I also LOOK lean. Slightly taking a bit longer to get my stomach and chest (compared to last prep) but im lean for sure. I look 8 weeks out maybe. Not almost 12. But i'd rather be ahead that behind.

I was thinking about this yesterday. Someone at the gym said I was a professional bodybuilder and i corrected him saying, "if you think this is a pro, you'd be blown away by the real guys. I'm not a pro man." But he corrected me and said that yes I was a pro. Look at me. Look what i'm always doing. Look what i've done for years on years. And i get it. The IFBB is in its own fucking class. THAT is the definition of PROS. You won a pro card. But i also catch myself trying to motivate clients about their own behaviors and how they approach the game. Suppose i did become a pro tomorrow....what would change? If you ask yourself that and you have a laundry list of things, you are doing yourself a disservice. Because honestly, if i got a pro card tomorrow, nothing would change. I would weigh my meals the same. I would schedule my day the same. I would still be as disciplined as humanly possible. Robin Strand said something similar in a recent podcast. If you are running around telling people you're a pro BBer, thats one thing. But if you are living the lifestyle, training like a maniac, doing what needs to be done, being as dedicated as humanly possible. Hell, you're a pro in my eyes. And we all probably have different definitions of "doing what needs to be done," but youuuu knowww wtf that means. Are you skipping meals? Are you dedicated to this process, the craft? Are you lowkey a monk during 80% of the year? LOL yeah man, you're a pro bodybuilder without a card. And good for you for being obsessed with something. BBing is the only sport...or passion...or hobby...that requires you living the life 24/7 365. You can be in the NFL and fuck around in the offseason. Hell...i played with guys who did this! You can be a professional golfer and kinda turn it on an hour a day and then flip it off. That shit doesnt work with BBing. Or if it does, you dont make any good progress thats for sure. No do this, year in year out, for like 10 years...you're a freak, you're a monster, you're a big boy, you're the guy that people stop to watch at the gym. You are a pro...at least i think lol and i say that being completely cognisant that i dont haveee it. I was not meant to get that card. i was meant to do EVERYTHING but that. And i'm cool with it.

Time to eat. Think i'll get some sushi with the wife and kid tonight then maybe have a past and meat meal. Nothing insane. Stll low fat, high carb. By the way, 2 year old has some molars coming in the back...she's a terror right now. Just pissed at the world lol This log is 30% training, 30% BBing thought process and 30% dad life LOL

Missed opportunity to name this log " my 300lb life"

 

[Fat Mike01]

Big motherfucker

 

[CompoundLifts31]

It's been long enough. Time to get this shit into gear.
BUT...it isn't a sprint. It's a fuckin Marathon.

I spent the past month liiivin. Not like i was going crazy, but this was the "pre prep mode." Fixing my body, fixing my mind, mentally preparing to get into it for 6 months or so. And this after a full 17 months of offseason. I basically took all of 2024 off to come back a better BB. And that's what this is. This is the "did it work?" transition right now.

And realistically, the goal isnt to flip the switch now. We are a little under 20 weeks out right now. I dont think its necessary nor a good idea to drop the fuckin hammer at 19 weeks out. This is slow switch. Take the junk out a bit. Make sure i'm hitting all my meals to a T...no added treats or being lazy on cardio. And honestly, just with that i've lost 4-5lbs of fluid this first week. Stuff will love.

But i've been holding 320ish and plus for over 8 months now and now its time to strip it off. It was a hell of a push and an experiment of an offseason. I got about 65ish pounds above my last show weight. That's a chuuunk. And i held that shit as best i could. It definitely changed on me though. At certain drug doses, i held 325-330 very well...and stayed lean. But i could not hold that type of look for a super long period of time. For health reasons and all the above. Toward the end, i was backed off on drugs and just trying best i could to hold that 325. NOW...we get it into gear.

Health wise, i did some bloodwork last week. I've mentioned before, but i'm fairly blessed and lucky in that territory to always have decently good bloods.
Never have bad BP, never have skewed kidney numbers, my lipids look immaculate on Ezetimibe and Crestor. Semi higher end RBC, highish potassium (blame telmisartan) A1c is high...i'm a fatty. The only thing ive everrr had wonky numbers on has been lipids but the Ezetimibe/Crestor literally resolved it completely. My ApoB is great.

19.5 WEEKS OUT
BW: 318.4
DRUGS: Sustanon + EQ + GH
I wanna stay in the 3gish territory here. For the past 4-6 weeks, ive been on less. Mostly just test and some masteron. I handle EQ really well and its always been one of my go-tos. Shout out to @Marathon always having amazing stuff. Shit is alllways top notch and legit fastest T/A on PM. It's also nice to have a litttle bit higher concentration stuff so i dont have to pin as much. Not tooo much that can lead to PIP, but just enough. The 300mg Sust and 300mg EQ are clutch. I'll post a pic because the packaging is fuckin dope as shit too.

LEGS
Seated leg curl - Top set + 2 backoff sets
Adductor machine - Top set + 2 backoff sets
Leg extension - 4x15
Donkey calf raises - 5x20
Leg Press - Pyramid up to 3x15, deep as possible controlled
Hack - 3x12 deep
Glute ham raise - 2x10

FOOD
Not bad right now. My coach's first cut was losing some high refeed days and going attt my medium day. I was actually hungry the past two days...which kinda made me nervous if day fuckin 1 im hungry LOL. But its nice. Just losing the bloat and water from last week feels and looks better. I was 324 end of last week.

THE LOOK
It's time to get un-fat right now lol I'll update as the weeks go by so we can see how everything is coming together. But i'm soft and watery and have been waiiiting for this for quite awhile. The goal was always to compete in 2024, but me and the fam went to multiple weddings, did a Greek vacation, etc. I dont get to just chilll and be a hermit like i'm paid to do this lol i'm not a pro. I'm a guy, with a normal 9 to 5, and wife and a 2 year old daughter, who is 320lbs and trying to compete as a SHW BBer. My work has nothing to do with fitness, i just make it work. So the year got away but the goal was to just extend the offseason, holdddd (albiet a bit too long) and get ready for this.

Hell yeah bro!!

Let's go!!!!

I just received my first Marathon stuff. Very professional looking. I thought the look of Bio was super cool and unique, but I do like the boxes and presentation of Marathon very much.

I'm subbed and rooting for ya...

Sent from my moto g 5G (2022) using Tapatalk

 

[Theotherone55]

BACK
Lat activation
Straight arm pull down - 3x15
High row - top set back off
DY low row - 3x12
Neutral pulldown - 3x12
SA seated row - 1x12
Barbell shrugs - 4x15

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Pec activation - 100% necessary now
Fly machine - 3x12
SS
Banded presses (really helps the squeeze and activation feel for me)
Incline Hammer - top set back off
Decline hammer - RP set
Press machine - MR set
Rear delt fly machine - 4x12
SS
Band pull aparts - 3x15-20
Cuffed side delt cables - 4x12
Standing side raises - 4x20

Weight is holding at 290 right now. I think i'm right on track. After discussin it with Justin, i think it makes sense.
I also dont think i've been trullly truly peeled out of my mind. And thats the goal. I've been BBing cut...but ive never been, "wow, great conditioning dude." Some guys can do this, some guys cant. I think it takes multiple years of competing (which is probably why i have never gotten to it before) and genetics. But this is a thing you only find out after multiple shows. And i myself, havent competed that much. I spent much of my 20s working, doing powerlifting meets, staying big and lean, but not BBer big and lean. And when PLing injuries caught up with me, i decided at north of 30ish to push the BBing card. So as far as the, "body has been there multiple times," mine just hasnt. But it IS a reality that when you get lean...the NEXT TIME you do it, is easier, you get to that shape much quicker and easier and lots of times the condition is just better. So i do feel that this time around. And Justin pointed that out. His message was more of a, "You arent ahead, you're kinda where you need to be when your goal is to look like a top SHW competitor." And I agree. Every prep is a learning experience. So i just make mental notes and keep pushing.

And i do know we will have to play with the look. The LARGER OF A BBER YOU ARE, the more you can manipulate a look. When you're 170lb shredded....you're shredded, thats what you are. The full version vs the flat version is real. But its not massively noticeable. But when you're over 250, the look is very noticeable. Me flat vs me full is a different looking BBer. I think a fantastic real world example of that (and i would never compare myself to him) is James Hollingshead. At the Arnold he weighed in at 253. Shredded but not huge on stage. Not a pop to his physique. And for HIM, that's not a top placing look. At the Detroit Pro he said he was a bit under 270. Yes...a different looooking BBer. Full as a house. But i think us playing with carbs and having these refeeds is helpful and keeps the ball rolling. To be honest, I wanna be dick skin peeled as THAT is what wins shows...but i also know I personally look my best full as a fucking house. So it will be a discussion. And we have 2 shows to kinda decide which one works.

In other notes, hunger is finally here. Nothing bad but at 2 hours, i want my next meal. The only small change this week was a very minor decrease in food. Nothing else. Not irritable yet or tired. But trying to make sure i can sleep as much as I can right now knowing it will allll go away soon enough. As for other life shit...my daughter is in the worst stretch of terrible 2s ever. Its insanely frustrating lol. I swear my wife is gonna kill her. Just fights everything, literally does the opposite of whatever you tell her. Its nuts. I'm also multiple interviews deeep for a new job, which is stressful. Ive had people give me the, "dude, starting a new job in the thiiick of prep will be a challenge of all challenges." And yes, it probably will lol But i also hate excuses. Im not a personal trainer, im not a full time coach. I'm a Creative Director. That's what pays the bills and allows me to live in expensive fuckin LA. So i build my BBing life (which is always 100% on) around it.

 

[Theotherone55]

BACK (2nd)
Lat activation work
Straight arm pulldowns - 3x12
Prime neutral grip pulldown - 3x10
Hammer high row - top set back off
Wide grip pulldowns - MR set
Prime neutral grip row - top set back off
DB shrugs - 4x12

290. Weight is chillin. Goes down on some low days, goes up on the medium days. I have a feeling the gas will be stepped on this week.
But workouts have been great. 0 drop off in strength, energy or anything. Hunger is lightly there but nothing bad. THIS particular workout was great. Fantastic pump compared to what I normally get. The LAT activation stuff is working wonders. Gotta give my PT guy credit because he's working his ass off trying to get my L shoulder/back working. The most evident problem right now is the obvious imbalance visually, but it is what it is. I'm not a pretty physique lol but i'm big and dense. It might win a show, it might get me 4th. All i can do is bring a better package than what i brought 18 months ago. The most glaring just "yep, that pose is bad" is my Front Lat Spread. That internal rotation on the shoulder and my frozen scapula just fuck it all up. I cannot get that lat to "wing itself out" for lack of a better term. So its basically my right lat looking huge and L let hidden behind my back. Ugly. I look at it as "win 4-5 poses with sheer muscle and mass and conditioning" and let another guy take that a a couple others and you're still in a good spot.

Another plus this week, my grimey Golds Gym North Hollywood just got revamped with new equipment. Like nothng badass like Arsenal or Prime, but allll new Hammer stuff. The old stuff had been there for no joke 20 years. The hack was cybex (which im mad we lost) and all it was beat the fuck uppp. THe smith machines were so old they actually needed weight to drop...like unhook them, they stayed in place lol soo much friction. But it was nice. Got me excited to hit it this morning.

Food wise im switching some stuff out. Adding some potatoes from rice, adding some metamucil for added fiber. Went from a shake to chicken breast. Regular stuff that happens when macros are slowly brought down over time. I think as my gym time goes up, with added cardio, lll really have to mess with my schedule. LAST PREP, it was always cardio in the morning, work for a bit and then find time early afternoon to go lift. But i was fully remote then and my schedule was easy. Im chillin now, but with new job stuff, i mght have to travel in La a bit more. And I actually enjoy doing my lifting early right now. Might have to be lift early, cardio after....2nd bout of cardio end of day maybe. I cant predict where we'll be in a month or so so it will allll evolve over time.

 

[Theotherone55]

HAMS/GLUTES
Lying ham curl - 3x12
Abductor machine - 4x20
Standing SL leg curl - 3x12
Glute ham raise - 3x12
Glute curlups on hyper - 3x20
Machine kick back - 2x15 hardd squeeze
Barbell Glute bridge - 3x10

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Pec activation work
Fly machine - 3x12
SS
Banded hard flex press - 3x20
Decline hammer - deeep stretch 3x12
Incline hammer - top set back off + drop
Regular press - 2x20
SS
Dips - 2x20
Rear delt fly - 4x20
Rear delt swing - 3x15
Cuffed side delt - 4x15
Side delt machine raise - 4x15

289. Weight starting to dip down again. A little under 11 weeks out.
Major change was added cardio. I was at on 3 days a week of minimal HIIT stuff. Basically, the same shit i did alll offseason. He upped the time and added it to 4 days per week. Its gonna move my schedule a lil bit, just to make time for this (or add another session EOD) but it works. No fat burners added or anything. Justin did say that will come next week so shit will move. His main comment was that I dont have 25lbs to lose. And if anything more than 2ish lbs is coming off, then its tissue so we just watch that.

Pec and lat are feeling good. The leaner i get the proportions are changing so my ability to twist and/or stretch is better. Like i can finalllly hit a side tricep lol its not that pretty YET...but its getting there. At 320, shit looks bad. Hell NO BBer hits a side tri in the offseason. But moblity is getting better. Even this declne hammer on this chest day, i get into a deep stretch and that opens everything a bit more and my shoulder suddenly feels and connects better.

Gear wise @Marathon is the best. Running his Sust + EQ right now and will throw in some Masteron in the next week or two. I'll kinda have to play around with when Tren and Var go in. Basically any time under 9 weeks out works, but i also want to watch my sleep and not fuck that train up tooo early. The gear is smooth, no knots but as I increase injections, feeling like a pin cushion sucks. Eventually, ill drop the EQ entirely and up the Mast and Tren at a certain point.

This week ive been on my feet all day. My wife just got a cushy new job in finance (she's a baller, much more than me) BUT...my daughter's daycare/preschool is out on spring break. So its been daddy/daughter adventures all day. That's why my updates have been sporadic. Im only able to write this now as she's down for her midday nap. But yesterday we went down to the Santa Monica pier, the beach, went to an arcade to play some games, then a park. Today was the Kidspace Museum of LA. They have a sensory exhibit which was pretty cool. Im sitting there eating tupperware rice and ground beef, she's eating a slice of pizza lol. But its also nice to go out there and show the other parents what the fuck is uppp sometimes lol. Bunch of 35-50 year old dumpy looking dads, give em a shock to their system haha. Im at the point now where no matter what i wear i look huge and muscular. I mostlyyy stay covered up at the gym, still wearing 4-5XL shirts. People will an eye can tell im dieting because my face...but i went from huuuuge to huge. If i wore a tank or a stringer, people would definitely know. But i just like staying covered now. Its easier, less convo. Leave me be.

 

[Bamm-bamm]

HAMS/GLUTES
Lying ham curl - 3x12
Abductor machine - 4x20
Standing SL leg curl - 3x12
Glute ham raise - 3x12
Glute curlups on hyper - 3x20
Machine kick back - 2x15 hardd squeeze
Barbell Glute bridge - 3x10

CHEST/SHOULDERS
Pec activation work
Fly machine - 3x12
SS
Banded hard flex press - 3x20
Decline hammer - deeep stretch 3x12
Incline hammer - top set back off + drop
Regular press - 2x20
SS
Dips - 2x20
Rear delt fly - 4x20
Rear delt swing - 3x15
Cuffed side delt - 4x15
Side delt machine raise - 4x15

289. Weight starting to dip down again. A little under 11 weeks out.
Major change was added cardio. I was at on 3 days a week of minimal HIIT stuff. Basically, the same shit i did alll offseason. He upped the time and added it to 4 days per week. Its gonna move my schedule a lil bit, just to make time for this (or add another session EOD) but it works. No fat burners added or anything. Justin did say that will come next week so shit will move. His main comment was that I dont have 25lbs to lose. And if anything more than 2ish lbs is coming off, then its tissue so we just watch that.

Pec and lat are feeling good. The leaner i get the proportions are changing so my ability to twist and/or stretch is better. Like i can finalllly hit a side tricep lol its not that pretty YET...but its getting there. At 320, shit looks bad. Hell NO BBer hits a side tri in the offseason. But moblity is getting better. Even this declne hammer on this chest day, i get into a deep stretch and that opens everything a bit more and my shoulder suddenly feels and connects better.

Gear wise @Marathon is the best. Running his Sust + EQ right now and will throw in some Masteron in the next week or two. I'll kinda have to play around with when Tren and Var go in. Basically any time under 9 weeks out works, but i also want to watch my sleep and not fuck that train up tooo early. The gear is smooth, no knots but as I increase injections, feeling like a pin cushion sucks. Eventually, ill drop the EQ entirely and up the Mast and Tren at a certain point.

This week ive been on my feet all day. My wife just got a cushy new job in finance (she's a baller, much more than me) BUT...my daughter's daycare/preschool is out on spring break. So it’s been daddy/daughter adventures all day. That's why my updates have been sporadic. Im only able to write this now as she's down for her midday nap. But yesterday we went down to the Santa Monica pier, the beach, went to an arcade to play some games, then a park. Today was the Kidspace Museum of LA. They have a sensory exhibit which was pretty cool. Im sitting there eating tupperware rice and ground beef, she's eating a slice of pizza lol. But it’s also nice to go out there and show the other parents what the fuck is uppp sometimes lol. Bunch of 35-50 year old dumpy looking dads, give em a shock to their system haha. Im at the point now where no matter what i wear i look huge and muscular. I mostlyyy stay covered up at the gym, still wearing 4-5XL shirts. People will an eye can tell im dieting because my face...but i went from huuuuge to huge. If i wore a tank or a stringer, people would definitely know. But i just like staying covered now. Its easier, less convo. Leave me be.

Every time I read or see how large you are I’m amazed. Especially having a family. Out of curiosity how much did you weigh when you were 18ish?