...and She Screamed Claudio!

Original log can be found here: SSC's Log - Training Logs - Forums - T Nation

Definitely crazy looking back on that. I had no idea what I was doing and was blindly following advice given by C_C… not that that’s a bad thing by any means. I was still, however, discovering my body - as I still am today. I can say a lot of things at that time weren’t for me, or I wasn’t advanced enough to be able to do things correctly, like close-grip bench pressing. Was more of a bastardized bench than anything, haha.

Since the log then, a few things have happened…

1.) Lower back injuries (bone bruising) had been re-aggravated due to deadlifting + squatting consistently. Haven’t bee doing hardly any of each over the last 2 years. Some hack squats, some rack pulls, leg presses, etc. But once it was time to actually hone in on the real deal, my body just wouldn’t have it. Today I can squat without an issues, and can deadlift about once a month (lolz, not joking,) but yeah.

2.) I have very bad carpal tunnel in both of my wrists, but more so my left. This has to be operated on to get fixed. This means I use straps or wraps on almost every movement. Yes, that means wearing wrist wraps when doing preacher curls, hahaha. Ah well, just gotta truck through it.

3.) I am dieting right now. Was doing Mountain Dog Dieting like many of the old BOIs, but a recent financial situation has stopped this from happening. Currently I’m just basically being smart with my macros, focusing on consistent and progressive weight loss and rolling with any other punches that get thrown my way.

4.) Was recently on 5/3/1, but due to DL issues affecting my recovery I’ve switched it up for a (!somewhat!) MAX-OT-inspired thing. As many times as I’ve tried to be proficient with high-volume training… it doesn’t work for me, lol. I don’t know if it’s a recovery issue or a sandy vagina issue, but I’ve tried using good volume numerous times but end up burning hard, quickly.

Best lifts, so far… (this is where it gets embarrassing…)

  • Decline bench 315 x 2 (only BB exercise I feel in my chest) This was during a high-volume phase about a half year ago. Like I mentioned, it was yielding good results but I actually started regressing quite quickly. I was also 25 lbs heavier than I am now.

  • Back Squats 335 x 5 / WM 235 x 20 (I know, terrible, but considering I hadn’t been able to squat for like 2 years before this… I’ll take it.)

  • DL 435 x 5 I think? Weak, years ago I was rack pulling low-mid 5’s pretty well. That was the start of the back issues again.

  • BB OHP - 200 x 3 or something. Only started doing these within the last few months when I started 5/3/1, I’m liking them though.

So, yeah. I’m going to work out soon, but know I won’t feel like typing this shit out after my lifting.

Sup homie

Oh hai Rock. =)

Today was a very poor leg day, surprisingly. I felt great going in but as soon as I got to my “acclimation set” right before my first work set, my lower back and hammies really started yelling at me. Being the bull-headed idiot that I am, I trudged forward regardless.

I did also forget to mention that I work out in my basement currently, due to the financial issue I’m facing. I have a barbell, two adjustable DB handles, an adjustable rack and an adjustable bench. No safety catch, though, so when I squat I really can’t push true failure or I could be really, really fucked.

That being said… BLAH.

Back Squats
Warm-ups and foam rolling galore
305 x 3 (Bad)
275 x 6 (Worse)
240 x 10 (Horrendous, have done 245 x 18 like three weeks ago, lolz)

Front Squats (Haven’t done in 1+ years, messing around… Usually lunges at this point and LB was shot)
185 x 4 (lolz)
165 x 6 (lolzzz)

Was going to try lunges / top 1/2 squats but my lower back simply couldn’t take it today.

Then played about 15-20 minutes of DDR for PWO cardio… and that sucked too.

A few notes, body was just not having a good day today for some reason. No matter how bad a lifting session is my cardio is never affected, and I felt like shit the whole time. Oh well, there’s always next time.

Also, definitely won’t be front squatting, just wanted to mess with them a bit today. Very apprehensive not having a safety catch.

I hate only being able to do this much volume, and not necessarily voluntarily, haha.

Decent fucking chest day for sure. Now that I’m off 5/3/1 I can finally switch back to decline benching, which is the exercise I feel best in my chest, niiiice. Second time back, weight is going back up but it’s not anywhere close to where it was, haha. I’ll give it some time. Chest was warm and felt money the whole time, though.

Plus, I used the single best pre-workout stack ever conceived.

[u]Chest[/u]

Decline BB
Warm-ups
235 x 5 (Possibly could have gotten sixth - but in basement with no one home, no spotter obvi)
225 x 6
215 x 7

Low-Incline BB (New narrower grip)
190 x 7
180 x 6
165 x 7?

Flat DB Flye (Tucked shoulders, 2 second pause at bottom and big squeeze)
~65 x 7
~50 x 11

25 minutes of kickass DDR

Pretty good day. I’ll need to adjust a few things slightly. The first set of flyes should have theoretically been more reps. I’d like my inclines to be more like x6, x8-9, x10-12 or so. Only second week tinkering with things my way, but it’s smooth so far.

Okay day. Haven’t lifted since then ^, had one of my semi-regular neck tweaks which side tracks me for a couple days. Happens what it seems every 3-4 months… last time it happened was when I visited Colorado in May, so it’s perfect that it would happen now, haha.

Was supposed to make it to the GYM the day I screwed up my neck, and that was back day. So instead today I consolidated shoulders and back. Started to realize like halfway through I had definitely underestimated how long this would take (working out at home means you have to multi-task a lot of shit at the same time with equipment) so I had to rush a bit at the end and only got to do like 10-15 minutes cardio.

Also, I should mention the OHPs are lighter than I’d normally go, but the neck thing left me with no other choice really. Good shoulder session despite lighter weights, but I had a pretty bad “back” workout, if I can even call it that. Blech

Seated BB Military
170 x 8
160 x 8
145 x 8 (haha, wow)
85 x 21 (time to get blood flowing for realz)

Heavy DB Lateral Holds (what Bug did) / Seated vertical flyes (“reaching” while flying) / front raises
65 x 14
15 x 13
25 x 11

55 x 16
15 x 8
25 x 8

Rack Chins
(EZ Bar + 35 ps) x 7
(EZ Bar + 25 ps) x 8
25 x 10
None x 12? Can’t remember

*** and queue me realizing what time it was, time for power workout ***

DB Strict Row from floor (first time, lil too light, didn’t have time to screw around more)
80 x 13

Rear Flyes - face pressed against angled bench, very little rest
25 x 20
25 x 18
25 x 14

DB Shrugs with 5 second hold, very little rest
65 x 16
65 x 10

And then quick cardio.

Fine little workout today. Had been watching the Bros vs Pros squat-off on a different website and got inspired to do some leg stuff. I decided, however, like yesterday, to keep the weights slightly higher and change up a couple variables.

As a note, I had never used my adjustable benchs’ leg extension thing before. It doesn’t quite go up high enough to be able to squeeze the quads well, but just today I found out if you angle the seat back it works pretty damn well.

Legs

After a shit load of stretching / mobility / foam rolling, and stuff for lower back (didn’t matter, lol)

Leg Extension
25 x 100 (damn, nice, more weight next week, 1st time ever)

Legit A2G Back squats (only way I do squat, ftr, parallel doesn’t feel great to me)
265 x 12
245 x 10 (went upstairs after this set to get water, legs felt like jello going down, haha)
225 x 8

Leg Extensions (Legs got blood flowing and loose as I went on)
75 x 25
75 x 27
75 x 32

Went to go do some Good Mornings aaaaannnndddd… lower back death. I had to call it there.

Then a surprisingly kickass 25 mniutes of DDR.

So, not the greatest numbers, but in May when I moved home at one point my lower back allowed me to only BOX squat 185 x 5, lolz. Loving this instinctual low-volume training.

I will also compensate some hammie work to make up for lack of it today on my arm day / possibly next back day, we’ll see. Though I’m sure they were hit fairly adequately with squats, as I am very posterior dominant.

Arm day! Felt great. Second time doing arms “my way,” so my body is still acclimating a bit, but it’s going well. Cut the bicep work a little short because they were still kinda sore from “back” day (iknowrite)

TRICEPS + BICEPS

EZ Skull-Crushers (2nd time in routine… lol)
120 x 9
120 x 8
115 x 10

Close-Grips (Slow, huge squeeze)
190 x 7
185 x 8
175 x 7

L-Extensions
25 x 14
15 x 25

Strict Preacher Hammer Curls
45 x 8
40 x 10
40 x 9

EZ Preacher Curls (for some reason my left arm felt really “off” during these)
95 x 6
85 x 10
65 x 15

K-Pipe (instead of reverse curls)
25 x 13 (got a weird pain in brachi area, called it)

Then I had an uber-sick DDR session, even dominated this 10-footer (hardest classification:)

Doesn’t start getting too brutal until after the 1:15 mark, but at that point you’re already a little fatigued anyway. Then it just. Gets. Hard. haha… and it’s definitely MUCH worse when actually playing with your feet, unlike the douche in the vid.

Nice little chest day. Two important things to note, however…

1.) Training chest the day after arm day wasn’t the best idea. Everything felt great coming off the chest but there was seriously like no lock-out strength at ALL, lol. I’m a full-ROM bencher, too. Feels better to me, personally.

2.) STOP FUCKING DECLINE BENCHING WITHOUT A SPOTTER. 1st and 2nd sets were grinders. Dad was outside mowing, mom is quite incapable of helping or hearing me if I fuck up… got music blasting too loud. I will say, though, for real, this “life-or-death” training makes your CNS do some interesting things, haha!

CHEST (2nd time doing workout on new routine)

Decline BB
245 x 4 (+10 lbs, -1 rep)
225 x 8 (+2 reps, but still disappointing. If done 225 x 12 I think as a third set before. :/)
215 x 6 (wtf? lol, -1 rep)

Incline BB
200 x 4 (blah!)
185 x 6 (+0)
175 x 7 (+10 lbs, +0 reps, only locked out last rep bc I was pissed at lack of lockout strength, lol)

Flat Flyes (tucked shoulders, 2 second count at bottom, HUGE squeeze)
~65 x 9
~55 x 11 DROP SET to 25s x 8 or something, haha

Then a nice little 15-20 minute DDR sesh. Didn’t go crazy because I did 35-40 minutes mostly FMC this morning with my asshole dog.

If I can get (new) phone to stop being a fucking bitch I plan on uploading a pic or two onto here, just so I can look back on this log and see. I’ll take criticism, but I’m mostly already aware of what’s all wrong with me, lolz.


I honestly have no idea why this is so washed out. Shitty phone + bad lighting, I guess. Oh well. This is somewhere right around 230, maybe slightly north. I was down to mid/low 220’s before a nice binge late last week.

2

Throw up a before pic to emphasize the transformatilon dogg.

[quote]hlss09 wrote:
Throw up a before pic to emphasize the transformatilon dogg. [/quote]

Haha, ok. This is one of the better “befores” I have.

Word up man. AWESOME stuff. What was your training history like? Meaning, when did you decide to stop being huge and get into shape, then where did yoru training go from there? And, just out of curiosity, what did you eat when you looked like ^ that? It’s always interesting to hear about transformations, you know? Damn impressive.

I also must say that the few people I know who have gone from obese to ‘in shape’ usually strive for the anorexic look. Probably psychological. But you’re a big, muscular dude putting up some good numbers, so that’s cool to see that you’re not a “I NEED to have abs or the world will stop on its axis” kind of guys.

Great job dude, plz continue to KILL IT :slight_smile:

Edit: I used to be an “I NEED ABS” kind of guy and got absolutely NOWHERE in my training.

[quote]hlss09 wrote:
Word up man. AWESOME stuff. What was your training history like? Meaning, when did you decide to stop being huge and get into shape, then where did yoru training go from there? [/quote]

Haha, thanks dude. I’m really glad I made it happen, who knows where I’d be today.

Training history - nothing until senior year in HS. That picture was taken my sophomore year I think, around 320 lbs or so. My heaviest was 348 or so my freshman year in college. Anyway, I had gotten really into Dance Dance Revolution in high school so I at least gained a bit of “athleticism” by doing that. I played some football in eighth grade / freshman year, but got some bone bruising in my lower back which made me have to stop playing football.

Senior year I started doing some bullshit weight lifting. Got a bench for Christmas, started benching 3-5 times a week or something, retarded. I went from bench 115 x 5 to like high hundred’s or so for a few reps (really can’t remember,) but thinking back I was also eating a SHIT load of food every day so it was easy to get strong, chest grew a lot too. Unfortunately, that’s seriously like all I did. I didn’t really like curls or anything else so eventually I just started spinning my wheels, obviously.

Fast forward to college, and I go through every retarded fucking work out routine I’ll reach in a certain Muscular-inspired Fitness magazine (ahem.) The New Years’ of my freshman year I weighed in at 348 and said “holy fuck.” Getting out of breath as hell walking to a class 5 minutes away, not being able to climb a flight of stairs without being piss out of breath, etc. It was horrible.

Lucky for me I stayed in a really nice dorm complex that had a shit load of stuff inside, including a cardio room (not full-on-gym, though.) Started riding a bike a couple nights a week listening to Rocky music. Stopped eating so many pop-tarts and 1/2 Hot Pockets before bed, lolz. I’ll get more to that later though.

Anyway, found T-Nation around this point and started reading way too much and getting super confused about everything. Blah blah blah fall year of my Freshman year I made it down to 245 or so. That was zawesome, losing over 100. I was content with this for too long.

Switched schools that summer, and moved home. Lost even more weight and by February of '08 I weighed like 197 or so, and I was really goddamn weak. At that point I had gotten a program from C_C to try, and did my first real bulk. Then, things have slowly evolved from there. (Sorry for the lengthy response on this one.)

Lemme give you a hypothetical high school day, and a hypothetical college day:

HIGH SCHOOL
7:00 am - 3-5 bowls of cereal (skim milk) OR nothing
~1 pm - French fries, “main course” (pizza, burritos, etc) gigantic cup of some kind of cream soup / spagetthios, milk, sometimes a desert-type food
3-4 pm - anything in the house. Frozen pizzas, hot pockets, ice cream, etc.
6-7 pm - dinner. not unleathy, usually meat + carbs (noodles, etc) + veggies
anytime after that - whatever I felt like. Sour gummy worms, frozen pizzas, dessert foods, leftovers from dinner.

COLLEGE
Wake up (fuck 8 am classes) - nothing
12ish - BIG FUCKING MEAL. “Main courses” (pizza, burgers, awesome actual foods like prime rib and mashed potatoes and gravy, deluxe paninis and stuff, etc) fries + nacho cheese, big glass of pop (diet!) or juice (boo,) a huge bowl of creamy soup, and then usually an ice cream cone or two.
5-6ish - Same as 12ish, except usually bigger
(We’d go work out soon after that)
At night - 1/2 hot pockets, pop-tarts, lots of cream corn (We had a little store in our dorm complex that you could buy foods with “flex” dollars from tuition. Was basically like free money, awesome.)

So, you can see why things got bad.

[quote]I also must say that the few people I know who have gone from obese to ‘in shape’ usually strive for the anorexic look. Probably psychological. But you’re a big, muscular dude putting up some good numbers, so that’s cool to see that you’re not a “I NEED to have abs or the world will stop on its axis” kind of guys.

Great job dude, plz continue to KILL IT :slight_smile:

Edit: I used to be an “I NEED ABS” kind of guy and got absolutely NOWHERE in my training. [/quote]

Haha, thanks dude, but I regret not staying in better shape. That’s why I’m getting legitimately lean now and re-doing things. I’m not going to get ultra-conservative but I’ve learned my body a lot better so I won’t be so soft all the time, lol. Live and learn I guess.

Well, good stuff. Your college diet reminds me of Johnnie Jackson’s diet lol. You look good man, whatever you do, you must be proud to have accomplished so much.

You should do a Jared from Subway ‘fat pants’ picture where you’re holding the pants and looking like, “What? That was me!?” lol

for your health

[quote]hlss09 wrote:
Well, good stuff. Your college diet reminds me of Johnnie Jackson’s diet lol. You look good man, whatever you do, you must be proud to have accomplished so much.

You should do a Jared from Subway ‘fat pants’ picture where you’re holding the pants and looking like, “What? That was me!?” lol [/quote]

Lol, I wish I got the same kind of result that Johnnie Jackson did. :stuck_out_tongue: In all seriousness, I do wish I would have started lifting the right way earlier, still while eating all that bullshit. Would have yielded some good results, ya dangus. :stuck_out_tongue:

And no on the Subway pics, lol. I don’t really like to dwell on the “use-to-be-fat” thing, as little as I can. Everyone’s got some kind of fat-loss success story these days in the age of Biggest Loser, haha.

THAT BEING SAID…

Have not lifted since above post^. Circumstances outside my control… sux. Oh well. Got it in today, decided to go slightly heavier on some shoulder movements.

SHOULDERS + BACK

BB OHP (touch chest, full lockout fwiw)
185 x 6 (goddammit Bug)
175 x 5 (something was all fucked up on here, bar sitting incorrectly in left hand, boo)
155 x 10

Delt tri-set (standing too-heavy DB laterals, seated “real” laterals, front raises)
~70 lbs x 11 / 25 x 9 (grip limited, carpal tunnel) / ~70 x 6 (lol obvi sloppy form)
~55 lbs x 15 / 15 x 15 / ~55 x 5 (GRIP LIMITED FUUUUCK)

Rack Chins (focusing a LOT on lat width right now, this has been lost recent)
95 lbs (EZ bar) x 9
65 lbs (EZ bar) x 9.5
25 lbs x 12
BW x 10 (pretty damn close-gripped)

Strict DB Rows from floor (lower back wasn’t having it fucking poopdick)
~95 lbs x 12 (easy)

Extremely strict BB row (because whatever)
135 x 22

Reverse DB Flyes (from 2nd lowest incline angle, very little rest)
~35 lbs x 18
~35 lbs x 14?
25 x 14
15 x 16 (hold at top for 2 secs of every rep)

And then after I went full retard on cardio for like 5-10 minutes before I called it. Not sure what happened but w/e, I’ll try to take a walk or maybe even do some sprints tonight… but that will mean no legs for like 4-5 days, haha. Choices, choices.

Pretty nice shoulder strength you’ve got there. More impressive is the transformation and I’ll be following to see you take it to the next level. Good work.

damn man thats a serious transformation! Great job.

you dont have a curly red afro IRL? Disappointing lol :slight_smile:

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
Pretty nice shoulder strength you’ve got there. More impressive is the transformation and I’ll be following to see you take it to the next level. Good work.[/quote]

Haha, thanks man, I appreciate it. Hoping not to disappoint taking it to the next level. :slight_smile: And yeah, over the last year I really had to start getting my shit together which shoulders, and it seems that the hard work is starting to pay off, so that’s nice.

[quote]gregron wrote:
damn man thats a serious transformation! Great job.

you dont have a curly red afro IRL? Disappointing lol :)[/quote]

Thanks as well sir! And lol… god, life would be pretty amazing if I had those beautiful locks. Guess you can’t win 'em all, lolz.