Training Log: Bodybuilder in China

[VaginaBoob89]

Legs

Deadlift: 60kgx5x2, 100kgx3, 140kgx3, 180kgx1, 200kgx1, 220kgx1, 240kgx1, 220x4
Box squat: up to 100kgx7x3
Leg press//Single leg atg squat: 20/13 4 rounds
hamstring curls: 4x12

Lifetime DL PRs. Previous best was 500lb/227.5kg even, but I had done 455lbx9 years before that on a lotta tren stimulants and orals. I will now be moving DLs to back day. I have no idea how I want to handle programming my DLs, maybe use a fairly generic powerlifting program and don't worry that it's mostly heavier weights/lower reps because I'll still get something out of the exercise. I had some success starting with 3 sets of 6 week 1 then going up to 6 sets of 6 over the course of 4 weeks, then backing down volume while raising intensity going down to 5x5,4x4,3x3,2x2,1x1 over the following weeks. That sounds good because then I feel like I have a lot of energy to train lats harder in the later weeks and don't feel as fried not doing sets to absolute failure.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Chest+tricep
Incline db press: 40kgx17, 9, 7
flat db press: 35kgx11, 8
Machine flies: 7x10-12 45 second rests
straight pushdowns: 4 sets

Finally got over that 40kgx16 hill. Took me what... 5 weeks and 4kgs of bw to add a rep to that top set? I mean I stil made progress on downsets and other exercises so it wasn't all stagnation. Hope I can get 18 right away next week.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Back+biceps
Pullups: bwx11, 13, 10, 7, 6, 7 First set I tried to do chins without straps.... bad idea. Searing pain in forearms from rep 5 onward. Switched grips but couldn't continue much because of pain. Set 2 onward were strapped double overhand pullups

Barbell rows: 60kgx10, 70x10, 80x13, 70x8+2
Pulldowns: 130x16, 12, 9
DB CSR: 20kgx10,11

Curls: 20kgx21, 12, 8

I did NOT feel good today. I still managed to perform pretty okay though thankfully. I think a deload needs to come soon to dissipate some of this elbow/forearm stuff.


I did not log it but I did a solid 15 minutes of forearm training after chest day and that probably contributed to my pain doing chinups.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

OKay I think I mentioned it a few posts ago but my periactin/orals experiment has "failed". I got the stomach issues from 3 doses of dbol. I guess the only solution is to wait many months and use them only during preparation. I'm still glad I checked out periactin as it's allowed me to nasally breath laying down on my back at night. My sleep quality greatly and appetite still greatly improved on it, even if it didn't fix issues with orals. The workout today was very bad but I think I basically needed a deload regardless of how I was feeling.

DB ohp: sets of 15 pyramiding up to 30kg dbs
hammercurls: 10s up to 20kg, 22.5kgx6
v bar pushdowns: 5 sets
ez curls: 4 sets
Straight pushdowns: 4 sets
seated hammer curls: 10kgx3 sets
db skullcurhsers: 10kgx3 sets

I had already planned to deload tomorrow regardless after 3 weeks of max effort deadlifts. I'm not sure if I'll realistically be able to train conventional deadlifts as I come back to squatting. I'm thinking my best bet is to avoid them and just do sldls/train hamstrings as first lift on leg day.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

deloaded legs, not going to log it

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Forgot to even post it but about 3 weeks ago stack has been modified to 600 test, 500 deca, 300 tren e. 2 19 nors but with moderate/low test seems to be working okay for me. re-adding gh soon after deload ends.

Chest semi-deload
Flies: 4x15
Incline cable flies: 3x16
Incline db press: 20kgx12x3


Back deload
Deadlift: up to 180kgx2
Rows: up to 80kgx10
Pullups: bwx5x3
Pulldowns: 2x10


My split is gonna be shifting around days and a bit disorganzied for the next few days as I begin work and as I move apartments on the 10th. But this week thursday delts+arms and then friday deadlift attempt 250kg and then legs.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

I'm still alive. I got a minor strain/tear in my lat trying to deadlift my 250kg. I broke it off the floor super fast though and we ain't doing any powerlifting here so I ain't mad.

Chest+tri
Incline db: 40kgx15, 10, 8
flat db: 32.5kgx13, 9
flies: 12x7
tricep rope pushdowns: 12x7

I'm moving apartments ostensibly thursday and then got a friend visiting over the weekend. training is gonna be sporadic at best. I started my fat loss phase though. Hopefully logging/training will get back to "normal" around a week from today.

 

[NPCclassicphysique champ]

Looking solid champ Keep it pushing

 

[VaginaBoob89]

thanks man! I'm loving reading your log too.

I'm returning to meadows mountain dog 1.0 split 4x/wk. It just makes no sense for me to do shoulders on their own day and do both overhead pressing and incline pressing heavy when my delts are such a strong point. take more recover and more time on arms. Chest+shoulder+tris/Back+bis/off/legs/arms. I will switch back and chest days if I decide to deadlift on back day. Legs and arms pretty much purely the mountain dog way. Chest shoulders tris and back a bit higher intensity and lower volume than the mountain dog way with much less exercise variety as well.

Started dieting after getting food poisoning and being unable to eat anyway. Dropped a massive 4.5kg this week so my strength on pressing movements was way down.

Chest+shoulders+tris
Incline db press: 40kgx16,12,7
Flat db press: 32.5kgx10, 8
Machine flie: 50x12x7 40 second rests
Side delt cable raises: 3 sets
rear delt db raises: 5kgx3 sets
Machine shoulder press: 50x23, 14, 10
Straight pushdowns: 4 sets

Legs
Calves: 4 sets on leg press
HAmstring curls seated: 140x13, 110x13, 8
HBBS: 60kgx10x3
ATG split squat: 10kg dbsx10, 15kg dbsx10x2
Hyperextensions: bwx10x3 wanted to do sldl but my lat is not having it still

I'm gonna hang out at 1 plate on the squats for at least another 3 weeks just to make sure my knees are fully rehabed and ready to do real work later.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

I don't understand why I'm able to add reps/volume, but seemingly hit a wall and completely unable to add reps to the top set of incline presses for what feels like months now, and am even experiencing regression there. Furthermore, I'm able to progress on flat sporadically, but basically never on that stupid fuckign top set of incline presses. This is getting quite frustrating and makes me wanna just inject a bunch of drugs. I think perhaps some form of periodization is going to be necessary; maybe this is just adaptive resistance since i'm giving my body essentially the same stimulus week in week out by using the exact same rep range. I am going to go straight up to 45 next week and see what happens to weekly progress when I lower my rep range and up my weights.

Oh well, I should stop being emo about this, realize that I just incline pressed 3 days ago, and just try again once more next week.

I'm also suspecting I might have some health problems. My bloodwork was normal, but my appetite is still incredibly low despite the fact that I recently started cutting. Now granted i'm eating very satiating foods all of the sudden when I'm really not used to it and I'm not that lean yet, but I feel like normally at this stage I should be much hungrier. Maybe just some general gut dysbiosis from eating a lot of unsanitary chinese food over the past 1.5 months or so. here's all I ate today:

M1 200g chicken, buncha vegatables, 1 cup rice
M2 2 scoops whey 12 oz milk frozen banana in a blende
m3 Same as M1
M4 same as M2

...yeah that's it... m4 was pre-workout and I biked 4km each way to the gym, did a heavy workout, and still yet I have no hunger. Periactin was the only thing that cleared it up earlier this summer and made me ravenous; mk677 is doing nothing for my appetite. Maybe it's all in my head and I'm just not hungry because I'm busy/stressed/distracted starting a new job and still settling into a new environment. Maybe the previous lack of appetite over summer was just because of slamming so much food. I'll give myself a cheat meal on Sunday because we have a weird schedule of working this saturday but then havig monday and tuesday both off for a holiday.

Incline db: 40kgx15, 12, 9
Flat db: 32.5kgx13, 9
Machine flies: 4 sets heavier weights
DB rear delts: 3 sets
Cable side delts: 3 sets
Tricep pushdowns: 5 sets

 

[Ferenor]

I don't understand why I'm able to add reps/volume, but seemingly hit a wall and completely unable to add reps to the top set of incline presses for what feels like months now, and am even experiencing regression there. Furthermore, I'm able to progress on flat sporadically, but basically never on that stupid fuckign top set of incline presses. This is getting quite frustrating and makes me wanna just inject a bunch of drugs. I think perhaps some form of periodization is going to be necessary; maybe this is just adaptive resistance since i'm giving my body essentially the same stimulus week in week out by using the exact same rep range. I am going to go straight up to 45 next week and see what happens to weekly progress when I lower my rep range and up my weights.

Oh well, I should stop being emo about this, realize that I just incline pressed 3 days ago, and just try again once more next week.

I'm also suspecting I might have some health problems. My bloodwork was normal, but my appetite is still incredibly low despite the fact that I recently started cutting. Now granted i'm eating very satiating foods all of the sudden when I'm really not used to it and I'm not that lean yet, but I feel like normally at this stage I should be much hungrier. Maybe just some general gut dysbiosis from eating a lot of unsanitary chinese food over the past 1.5 months or so. here's all I ate today:

M1 200g chicken, buncha vegatables, 1 cup rice
M2 2 scoops whey 12 oz milk frozen banana in a blende
m3 Same as M1
M4 same as M2

...yeah that's it... m4 was pre-workout and I biked 4km each way to the gym, did a heavy workout, and still yet I have no hunger. Periactin was the only thing that cleared it up earlier this summer and made me ravenous; mk677 is doing nothing for my appetite. Maybe it's all in my head and I'm just not hungry because I'm busy/stressed/distracted starting a new job and still settling into a new environment. Maybe the previous lack of appetite over summer was just because of slamming so much food. I'll give myself a cheat meal on Sunday because we have a weird schedule of working this saturday but then havig monday and tuesday both off for a holiday.

Incline db: 40kgx15, 12, 9
Flat db: 32.5kgx13, 9
Machine flies: 4 sets heavier weights
DB rear delts: 3 sets
Cable side delts: 3 sets
Tricep pushdowns: 5 sets

Are all your sets to failure? Btw if you stall on an exercise for a long time (3 months?) Try to deload first and then if nothing changes change it with another incline variation as you already said if i read it correctly

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Are all your sets to failure? Btw if you stall on an exercise for a long time (3 months?) Try to deload first and then if nothing changes change it with another incline variation as you already said if i read it correctly

For presses, yes sets are to failure. It took me about 6 weeks to go from 40kg dbs for a set of 16 to a set of 17 on the top set, but then I got injured on the lat + got my gut messed up from eating food with good macros but prepared by Chinese peasants and had some sort of mild but long duration food poisoning and decided it was a good time to do a mini-cut while my gut heals and gets back to normal. At this time my top set of 17 regressed a bit. But the mysterious thing is that my backoff sets somehow managed to get better. I'm sure this is because of improved cardiovascular conditioning from all the bicycling and high activity level I'm doing.

so basically I did dumb stuff that caused me to lose weight, I stopped getting stronger, and now I'm complaining/upset about it LOL. But even while I was bulking the progress on these incline presses seems slow. Changing variations or rep ranges seems like a smart idea regardless.

My lat is still too messed up to justify going in for a back day today. Just gonna stick to my normal schedule and hit legs saturday, which is unfortunately a working day, and then arms sunday.

Appetite is much better today which is a huge relief; I was getting very worried about that.

 

[Ferenor]

For presses, yes sets are to failure. It took me about 6 weeks to go from 40kg dbs for a set of 16 to a set of 17 on the top set, but then I got injured on the lat + got my gut messed up from eating food with good macros but prepared by Chinese peasants and had some sort of mild but long duration food poisoning and decided it was a good time to do a mini-cut while my gut heals and gets back to normal. At this time my top set of 17 regressed a bit. But the mysterious thing is that my backoff sets somehow managed to get better. I'm sure this is because of improved cardiovascular conditioning from all the bicycling and high activity level I'm doing.

so basically I did dumb stuff that caused me to lose weight, I stopped getting stronger, and now I'm complaining/upset about it LOL. But even while I was bulking the progress on these incline presses seems slow. Changing variations or rep ranges seems like a smart idea regardless.

My lat is still too messed up to justify going in for a back day today. Just gonna stick to my normal schedule and hit legs saturday, which is unfortunately a working day, and then arms sunday.

Appetite is much better today which is a huge relief; I was getting very worried about that.

Thanks for the answer! Are your 2 back off sets on the incline db with the same weight of the top set ? May sound a dumb question but I'm new to high intensity low volume training and I really like it and would like to learn how people do it differently.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Thanks for the answer! Are your 2 back off sets on the incline db with the same weight of the top set ? May sound a dumb question but I'm new to high intensity low volume training and I really like it and would like to learn how people do it differently.

That's how I'm doing it now. I was doing backoff sets with lower weights, but since my top set is already very high rep, I just use the same weight and I am technically progressing on reps over the course of 3 sets, even if the top set is kind of stuck. I was doing conventional back-off with lower weight before and if I start doing lower reps on the first set, I will go back to lowering weights for backoff sets.

 

[Ferenor]

That's how I'm doing it now. I was doing backoff sets with lower weights, but since my top set is already very high rep, I just use the same weight and I am technically progressing on reps over the course of 3 sets, even if the top set is kind of stuck. I was doing conventional back-off with lower weight before and if I start doing lower reps on the first set, I will go back to lowering weights for backoff sets.

Thanks for your explanation!

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Arms

Smith CGBP: 10s up to 95kgx9 (didnt get 10th), backoff of 70x13
Hammer curls: 10s up to 20kgsx8, backoff at 12.5kgx18

Superset 1:
EZ curls: 15kgx9-15 repsx5 sets
Straight pushdowns: various weightsx12-20 reps

Superset 2:
Rope pushdowns: 10x12-25x5
db curls: 7.5kgx12x5


Decided I'm gonna do something a bit different on my big compounds and do pyramid sets. I always trained with warmup+sets across before. Since I was thinking of lowering my reps for most exercises I'm gonna try it this way. The exception will be back; I've always felt better with the warmup + sets across approach and back seems to have the most consistent progress of all body parts with chest having the least.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Did chest instead of back today b/c my biceps were still sore from arm day. I hadn't trained bis for almost 3 weeks until last time. I'll swap them back and have back before chest after my lat heals enough to do deadlifts again.

Chest+shoulders+light tris
Incline db: 40kgx17, 12, 7.5
Flat db: 32.5kgx14, 9
Flies: 90x13, 10 70x11

Cable side delt raises: 3 sets
Rear delt raises: 5kg dbsx3 sets
Machine ohp: 3 sets

V bar pushdowns: 21.5kgx18, 15kgx16, 13

I decided to NOT do the pyramid training thing and just do what I normally do. I realized that my last chest training session had very few rest days leading up to it which excuses the poor performance. My nutrition was also poor in the ~5 days before that with protein+cals both being too low. These past 7 days I've had much better protein and sodium intake, with marginally higher calories as well. A lot of my digestive issues have been fixed up simply by having a kitchen to cook my own food in, hugely upping my fiber intake, and not eating except one clean mexican place.

I was rewarded with a big pr,matching my 17 reps but weighing a full 4kg less than last time I did it and also lifting more on the downsets. Then I set a 1 rep pr on my flat db press afterword. Decided not to do the pump thing with flies and just try to do low volume/set prs on that as well.


Super awesome training session; I needed that after the last week depressing the fuck out of me.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Todays diet:
M1 7oz chicken 1 cup rice zucchini+bell pepper
M2 Sirloin steak+fajita veggies+potatoes wrapped in a tortilla (??? amount of steak, I ordered extra meat)
M3 8oz chicken 2 cups rice making an improvised fried rice with peanut oil and soy sauce
M4 PHD smart protein bar
M5 3 scoops whey+1.5 bananas+10oz milk in a blender.

I was reading the training journals of @Swiper he has on various forums. Man that guy was a bodybuilding god... Super interesting and unique approach to pharmacology running clen+t3 even while bulking. I'm tempted to try that but with t4 instead. This is largely because clen is such a good PED for my job and for leveling up my Chinese language skills rather than for fat loss. Feels like I could probably run 40-80mcg 2 weeks on 2 weeks off nearly indefinitely without any serious consequences....

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Back+biceps
Pullovers: 5 ramping sets 10-15 reps
Row machine: 70x12, 55x14
DB rows: 45kgx12, 35kgx12
Pulldowns: buncha tens ramping up
EZ curls: 4 sets pyramiding up

I can't believe this is a 'normal' back workout. Just feels totally incomplete without either barbell rows, t-bar rows, deadlift variation, or pullups. Need at least one of those to make back actually challenging imo. Maybe I could get something more out of db rows if I went heavier and rested longer, though. My rests were less than 2 minutes between top set and backoff set and I didn't really hit full on failure. Either way felt good to be back to training this muscle group; my lat is not fully healed so I will keep the big stuff out for now.

 

[VaginaBoob89]

Legs
Decided I'm gonna not squat for a while. maybe 4-6 more weeks.

Seated hamstring curl: 4 sets to failure but weight was whatever. this hamstring curl machine is unique and it was hard to figure out how to even use it correctly to get a pump
Leg press: 20s from 1 pps up to 4ppsx24, 16, 13
Single leg atg squat: bwx10, 15kgdbsx10x2
Hip thrust machine: ???x10x3 machine is very strange but felt good. I've never trained this lift at all so no idea if this is really better or worse than barbell, so I should at least try barbell next week
Hyperextensions: bwx10,12,12 felt great

Great fucking gym. Excited to train arms there tomorrow. Tomorrow is a sunday but it's a working day. Every time there's a national holiday in China, they start adding work days on weekends such that you end up with only 2 extra days off for what was ostensibly a 7 day holiday haha.