Day 239: "It's a fine line between determination and obsession"

Training

HIIT Cardio:
a. 4 min easy
b. 8 x 20 sec effort/10 sec easy
c. 8 x 60 sec effort/30 sec easy

Gym - Full-Body (1 min recovery between exercises):
1. Crunches (hips at 90 degree flexion, legs fully extended, to touch toes) 1 x 20
2. Reverse Curl (on floor) 1 x 20
3. EZ-Bar Bicep Curls 1 x 20
4. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on DB under chest) 1 x 20
5. Lateral Raises 1 x 20
6. Supinated BB Bent Over Rows 1 x 20
7. Flat BB Bench Press 1 x 20
8. Single-Leg Deadlifts (with twist and lateral reach) 1 x 20 per leg

Post-Weights Cardio 20 min.

Posing Practice 5 min.

Stretch 20 min.

Comments

Mood/Aggression: I'm fairly calm. Could be called a good mood, I guess . . .

Energy: Took some time to get there, but I got there.

Stimulant Effects: None.

Mental Focus and Clarity: There all day.

Metabolism: Pretty good.

Appetite: I have noticed that if I dose Alpha-T2 and Shred Matrix together (pm), if I eat, I can only eat HALF as much as what I would normally be able to shovel down, and definitely not be able to shovel what I can eat down fast at all . . . But, given the way my tummy is after everything I eat, today it's going to be peanut butter/oils (I get in at least 60g of good fats daily) and BC+EAA (I'm using 50-60g a day of this) . . .

Stress: I am trying not to let it bother me until next week - then it can start knocking again, but right now, I can't be bothered.

Endurance: Good.

Strength: Fine - not about strength though.

Pump: Hard and fast and not as painful as they have been lately.

Vascularity: Stronger.

Quality of Training: HIIT was good - feeling it in my hips (tight) . . . Resistance session was short and intense and definitely effective . . . My arms are still smarting a bit from resistance training and posing practice . . .

Body Composition and Look: Got told that the "V" in my hips is starting to pop . . .

Other Effects: Still thirsty as . . . And burning up . . .

Other Notes: Got some more NeoVar Recomped and Lipotrophin-PM yesterday, so back to using them from then . . . . "It's a fine line between determination and obsession." - Jasper, Unnatural History: The Warrior's Heart. A fitting quote from an episode with a fitting title. Definitely true, though. I'm more OBSESSION than determination . . .

Day 235: Day Off

Training

Been looking forward to a day OFF for several days now!

Comments

Stimulant Effects: None felt.

Metabolism: Definitely works better when having 4 caps of NeoVar Recomped first thing and last thing.

Body Composition and Look: Made my comments yesterday - "118lb at 10.7% bodyfat. So, made surprising progress this week. I can see the fat loss in my upper body, but my lower body measurements have NOT changed from last week - which is odd, since my pants have been feeling LOOSER. At this weight and body composition, I am only 3-4 weeks away from my goal composition."

Other Effects: Thirsty as always - but then again, it HAS been unbearably HOT. Continuing to burn up as well (so maybe that has something to do with the thirst, too).

Other Notes: Will be using 6 caps of FREE TEST tomorrow to finish up the bottle.

Day 232: High Reps

Training

Cardio 20 min.

Gym - Full-Body (1 min recovery between exercises):
1. Crunches (hips at 90 degree flexion, legs fully extended, to touch toes) 1 x 40
2. Reverse Curl (on floor) 1 x 40
3. EZ-Bar Bicep Curls 1 x 40
4. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on DB under chest) 1 x 40
5. Lateral Raises 1 x 40
6. Supinated BB Bent Over Rows 1 x 40
7. Flat BB Bench Press 1 x 40
8. Single-Leg Deadlifts (with twist and lateral reach) 1 x 40 per leg

Post-Weights Cardio 20 min.

Stretch 20 min.

Comments

Sleep - Time and Quality: So, getting my sleep in the last few days - even if not falling asleep until the early hours of morning - and getting in ~8 hours. Maybe returning to intense Maintenance training levels is what I needed to do a long time ago!

Mood/Aggression: Flat.

Energy: It HAS to be there - I have no time for feeling like the walking dead today.

Stimulant Effects: None.

Mental Focus and Clarity: There.

Metabolism: Fine.

Stress: I wonder if this will actually go down somewhat even when I DO get a break?

Endurance: Excellent.

Strength: This session was NOT about strength - more about pain, LOL.

Pump: Swift, hard, and painful!

Vascularity: Ok.

Quality of Training: Decided to do a high rep 'Kyle' session, something I haven't done in a while, just because I felt like punishing myself and forcing myself to work through the scream. Every exercise burned, the pump making my arms feel huge (which is funny, considering how small they really are). My heart was beating rapidly, and when I started the Flat BB Bench Press, my body suddenly heated up like a fire. Bit wobbly with the Single-Leg Deadlifts, lower legs going painfully numb towards the end of each set, feeling my nerves. Definitely glad when it was over . . .

Other Notes: Finishing up my bottle of Drive today, as well as the one I have of NeoVar Recomped. I probably won't be using Drive again before this first competition, but will be using NeoVar Recomped when I get a new bottle.

The Next 4 Weeks: Train to FREE TEST

GOAL

My goal for this phase (will take 5-8 weeks to achieve) is to get back to my normal level of fitness, predominantly:
* Body Composition of 8% bodyfat
* Resting Pulse of 30-32 beats per minute

I'm starting at:
* Body Composition of 14.3% bodyfat
* Resting Pulse of 43 beats per minute

TRAINING

Training is going to be slightly different, considering the last 13 weeks, and how much I have been struggling over the last two weeks to start training properly again, as well as new working situations.

Sunday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes

Monday: 20-40 min Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Gym

Tuesday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes

Wednesday: 20-40 min Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Gym

Thursday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes

Friday: 20-40 min Cardio + Stretch 20-30 minutes + Gym

Saturday: V-Burn Challenge Circuit + Stretch 20-30 minutes

So, different to what I am used to - which is good; it will give my body a shock. Actually, re days, etc., it's more like I trained when I first started focusing on bodybuilding. So, it's pretty much a 'Back to Basics' time for me - with everything, including supplements.

SUPPLEMENTS

The only NEW supplement (i.e. supplement that I have not used before) that I am using is FREE TEST (although I was a beta tester for FREE TEST, the final version is nothing like the beta version I tested).

(in alphabetical order):

BC+EAA: 3-4 x 10.5g daily.

Bio-Mend: 2 caps post-breakfast.

BLACK CATS: 2 caps first thing and 2 caps 6-8 hours post-Dose 1.

Drive: 2 caps first thing and 2 caps 6-8 hours post-Dose 1.

FREE TEST: 4 caps first thing.

IGF-2: 2 caps first thing, 2 caps 40-60 min pre-gym, and 2 caps pre-bed (gym days); 3 caps first thing and 3 caps pre-bed (non-gym days).

LipoBURN: Application pre-bed.

Lipotrophin-PM: 2 caps first thing and 2 caps pre-bed.

MyoFusion: 1-2 scoops daily.

NeoVar Recomped: 2 caps 40-60 min pre-gym, 2 caps immediately post-gym, and 4 caps pre-bed (gym days); 2 caps pre-cardio, 2 caps immediately post-cardio, and 4 caps pre-bed (non-gym days).

Vitamin C: 1g first thing, 1g immediately post-training, and 1g pre-bed (gym days); 1g first thing, 1g post-dinner, and 1g pre-bed (non-gym days).

Back in the Saddle: One Week Down

Woke feeling sore, but refreshed, although my energy levels were waning (interesting) . . .



pm



HIT (no recovery between rounds):


2 rounds of -


1. Skip 1 min


2. Box - Straight Punches 1 min


3. Skip 1 min


4. Box - Uppercuts 1 min


5. Skip 1 min


6. Box - Hooks 1 min


7. Skip 1 min


8. Box - Pitter-patter 1 min


9. Skip 1 min


10. Plank 1 min



Stretch 20 min.



So, one week down on my journey to recovery (remembering that I am allowing 6 weeks to get back to where I was re fitness and physique). Even at Maintenance training levels, I have been struggling - which is to be expected, but MUST be done. And it must be built upon, and next week will see the addition of some post-weights cardio - got to get my body back on track as soon as possible.



Once these 6 weeks are up, I will be adding in RPM and Drive, to make up the four horses stack (i.e. RPM/Drive/IGF-2/NeoVar), using BLACK CATS as a staple again, to help with progress. I've had great success using this stack in the past, and look forward to using it again!