Ben Pollock and Justin Harris Train Back

[tr46]

 

[thethinker48]

Prob one of the crazier transformations in a year period

I think he was held back quite a bit trying to make weight for PL, and his body grew like a weed once unrestricted (not to take away anything from JH and his methods)

 

[USMuscle9403]

Prob one of the crazier transformations in a year period

I think he was held back quite a bit trying to make weight for PL, and his body grew like a weed once unrestricted (not to take away anything from JH and his methods)

Even Justin said with Ben being chronically dieted, it was really an ideal time to just explode. Kind of a Colorado Experiment type deal.

 

[Ben Pollack]

Thank you guys for sharing. It's really been an incredible honor to work with Justin. He's always been one of my heroes... and is a genius too, for sure.

I virtually starved myself to stay in the 181 class so I do think that that contributed a lot to the growth. Also I saw in the related thread section someone said I only take 300 nandrolone... that was for powerlifting at 181 alongside 500 test and 40 anavar. I believe drugs play less of a role in terms of strength vs size but I am definitely on a bigger cycle now.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

Thanks your input Ben. Glad to have you on the board.
Lots of strong guys on here that I'm sure would LOVE to hear your training philosophies.

Thank you guys for sharing. It's really been an incredible honor to work with Justin. He's always been one of my heroes... and is a genius too, for sure.

I virtually starved myself to stay in the 181 class so I do think that that contributed a lot to the growth. Also I saw in the related thread section someone said I only take 300 nandrolone... that was for powerlifting at 181 alongside 500 test and 40 anavar. I believe drugs play less of a role in terms of strength vs size but I am definitely on a bigger cycle now.

 

[Millineum Man]

Thank you guys for sharing. It's really been an incredible honor to work with Justin. He's always been one of my heroes... and is a genius too, for sure.

I virtually starved myself to stay in the 181 class so I do think that that contributed a lot to the growth. Also I saw in the related thread section someone said I only take 300 nandrolone... that was for powerlifting at 181 alongside 500 test and 40 anavar. I believe drugs play less of a role in terms of strength vs size but I am definitely on a bigger cycle now.

It’s an AMAZING one year transformation on so little!

 

[madg]

Thank you guys for sharing. It's really been an incredible honor to work with Justin. He's always been one of my heroes... and is a genius too, for sure.

I virtually starved myself to stay in the 181 class so I do think that that contributed a lot to the growth. Also I saw in the related thread section someone said I only take 300 nandrolone... that was for powerlifting at 181 alongside 500 test and 40 anavar. I believe drugs play less of a role in terms of strength vs size but I am definitely on a bigger cycle now.

Amazing transformation brother !

Its an honor talking to you

Welcome to PM

Respect

 

[USMuscle9403]

Welcome, Beast... Err, Ben.

 

[Ben Pollack]

Thanks your input Ben. Glad to have you on the board.
Lots of strong guys on here that I'm sure would LOVE to hear your training philosophies.

Thank you, man, I really appreciate that. Most of my training philosophies are based around Mike Tuchscherer's approach, so I'd probably have to defer to him and his site. I do think bodybuilders in general would benefit from including more autoregulation in their programming, especially with regard to volume.

 

[Ben Pollack]

Amazing transformation brother !

Its an honor talking to you

Welcome to PM

Respect

Welcome, Beast... Err, Ben.

Thanks guys. I have a lot to learn about bodybuilding still, so I'm grateful for this site.

 

[zacharykane]

Glad to see you on here!

Been following you on IG for awhile and your transformation and lifts are nothing short of insane. I always just kind of shake my head in disbelief at the amount of weight you move. Damn impressive!

Thanks guys. I have a lot to learn about bodybuilding still, so I'm grateful for this site.

 

[FK86]

I virtually starved myself to stay in the 181 class

And still crushed the weights. I would definitely be interested in hearing how you continually got stronger in a deficit for such a long time. Even if just a point in the right direction.

 

[Ben Pollack]

And still crushed the weights. I would definitely be interested in hearing how you continually got stronger in a deficit for such a long time. Even if just a point in the right direction.

Well, keep in mind that in powerlifting, it's almost more common to get stronger by ways that DON'T involve getting bigger: improved technique, better neuromuscular efficiency, even confidence under heavy weights can all make a huge impact. That's a big part of why you'll often see guys train the competition lifts with very high frequency but do almost no assistance work.

Personally, I think there's also a lot to be said for intelligent cycle design. A lot of guys will go with test, deca, and dbol and call it a day — and if your goal is to get huge, that's a solid plan. But when you're trying to stay in a weight class, your tools are really limited in that regard; even a moderate dose of test can make it difficult to make weight. So learning to use the exact amounts of different compounds that you can tolerate well, gain strength from, and avoid adding much tissue or glycogen retention from is really helpful during meet prep.

Lastly, I think you HAVE to be good at autoregulation. This is where I really failed because my ego would get in the way too often and I'd push through on a scheduled weight when I should've saved it for another day. Any bodybuilder knows how much your energy levels can fluctuate day to day or even hour to hour when in a harsh deficit... so being able to work with those ups and downs is essential when your performance in the gym is all that counts.

(Incidentally, that's also why I don't like tren for strength. If you feel like shit and can't sleep, you're rarely going to have a killer training day with near-max weights, and the drier you get, the more your joints are gonna hurt.)

 

[thethinker48]

Well, keep in mind that in powerlifting, it's almost more common to get stronger by ways that DON'T involve getting bigger: improved technique, better neuromuscular efficiency, even confidence under heavy weights can all make a huge impact. That's a big part of why you'll often see guys train the competition lifts with very high frequency but do almost no assistance work.

Personally, I think there's also a lot to be said for intelligent cycle design. A lot of guys will go with test, deca, and dbol and call it a day — and if your goal is to get huge, that's a solid plan. But when you're trying to stay in a weight class, your tools are really limited in that regard; even a moderate dose of test can make it difficult to make weight. So learning to use the exact amounts of different compounds that you can tolerate well, gain strength from, and avoid adding much tissue or glycogen retention from is really helpful during meet prep.

Lastly, I think you HAVE to be good at autoregulation. This is where I really failed because my ego would get in the way too often and I'd push through on a scheduled weight when I should've saved it for another day. Any bodybuilder knows how much your energy levels can fluctuate day to day or even hour to hour when in a harsh deficit... so being able to work with those ups and downs is essential when your performance in the gym is all that counts.

(Incidentally, that's also why I don't like tren for strength. If you feel like shit and can't sleep, you're rarely going to have a killer training day with near-max weights, and the drier you get, the more your joints are gonna hurt.)

Did you deal with any of the drawbacks of getting bigger at such a rapid rate (sleep apnea, high bp?) ?

I imagine being as lean as you are helped immensely in combating against the water retention, and BP issues guys run into at SHWs.

 

[Ben Pollack]

Did you deal with any of the drawbacks of getting bigger at such a rapid rate (sleep apnea, high bp?) ?

I imagine being as lean as you are helped immensely in combating against the water retention, and BP issues guys run into at SHWs.

BP stayed GREAT which was a relief because high BP does run in my family. Everything else was a rude awakening. Terrible sleep apnea has been the worst one, which I can't really treat because even with specialist docs re-open after quarantine in my state, the wait lists are still a mile long. I've just been using Afrin at night in the meantime to deal.

I also have some mild/moderate anxiety and that's gotten worse because I get out of breath so much easier (although that's my fault for not doing enough cardio).

Had some stomach/digestion issues while I adjusted to the food volume — my appetite stayed high but I got a lot of stomachaches. Again, my fault for not being more careful with food choices.

Literally had to throw away 90% of my clothes, too. They were all meds and larges and now I'm 2 and 3X.

 

[danieltx]

Terrible sleep apnea has been the worst one, which I can't really treat because even with specialist docs re-open after quarantine in my state, the wait lists are still a mile long. I've just been using Afrin at night in the meantime to deal.

You can always pick up quality CPAP off Craigslist. Whether you go that way or wait for a doctor, get one ASAP - it will make a night and day difference in sleep, daily energy levels, gains, strength, etc.

 

[tr46]

Filmed another workout yesterday will be posting early next week. Ben enjoys doing the videos and is very impressive to work with will have lots of content with Ben in the off-season and Nationals prep. I will be posting on here and can subscribe to my YouTube Channel also https://m.youtube.com/user/jeffsymi

 

[Joshua82]

you can order a sleep study online, theyll send the machine and you jsut send back with the data and get a prescription for a cpap. i used the site 1800cpap. Made a world of difference to my sleep

 

[TheOtherOne55]

I took a sleep study test and it told me what i already knew. Sleep was shit and I had apnea.
Turned out my medical insurance was fucked for whatever reason.
Me and the wife went to a CPAP store, bullshitted with the dude and walked out of there with a machine, mask, all the essentials without any prescription. LIke someone said, craigslist has a ton of great equipment for purchase too.

 

[qbkilla]

Good video. With trap bar deads I feel this mostly in my legs and use it as my main quad exercise, but I see you do it on back day rather than rack deads. Just a preference or do you consider trap bar deads more of a back exercise? Maybe most do and I'm out of touch lol