Budda's weight gain log...

[quote]dre1986 wrote:
Good stuff. Sounds like you’re making good progress and making adjustments when needed. Listening to the guys on here can really help too, as long as it’s the right guys lol.
Interesting what you said about the chocolate bars pre work out. I take it this is to ensure you’re using the fast absorbing glucose from them to avoid any glycogen depletion. I’m definitely going to try that out on my next bulk, especially considering you’re not seeing any significant fat gain. I went really high carb on my last bulk and didn’t like the results at all, lots of fat gain and almost no muscle so I’m going to try going higher fat, and carba peri workout like you.
Where in London you from? I’m just near putney. [/quote]

Dre: The chocolate bars pre workout (on an ‘empty carb stomach’ serve a twofold purpose (I believe LOL, BBB told me to do it and I didn’t really question him/understand exactly what I was doing) i) increase insulin sensitivity ii) protect muscle glycogen stores.

I can tell ‘FO SHO’ that this protocol, helped me gain muscle AND burn fat! From now on, irrespective of my goals I intend to incorporate this little trick.

I’m in Rohampton mate, not far from you.

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Just curious man, what are some of your numbers on the big lifts?? If you don’t wanna say, I totally understand, just I’ve bulked up to 230 previously, but didn’t make the strength gains to validate it (aka got too fat), so I like to see where guys with your size are strength wise.[/quote]

Spidey: The reason I didn’t state numbers is because I’m not very strong, I’m at the stage where, with my ectomorphic leverages I need to build muscle to gain further strength. Lately strength gains are in conjunction with weight gains. I also don’t want this log to become contaminated with some big polemic about what I should and shouldn’t be able to lift and ‘if you can’t lift this you’re not trying hard enough’ etc.

The only lift I seem to be suited to is the dead lift. Unfortunately I’ve had a ton of back problems which I try to train around and do not wish to aggravate any more than necessary. So my intention is to train as hard and productively as possible without injuring myself, so I’m very conservative in the deadlift and good morning.

Years ago when I was 23 (I’m 32 now) I set a PR deadlift of 170kg when I was 230LB at 20% BF, my back began playing up again, I got on top of it but was in a very serious car accident and got whiplashed up like Tina Turner got smacked up and didn’t beat that PR until last year when I hit 180KG, I missed 200kg a few weeks back. I can also deadlift 180KG on the 2" handled trap bar, and have deadlifted 200kg from my knees and locked out (like a 6" range of motion) 230KG. I’ve also done 175KG for 5 reps. This is all with no straps or belt or anything.

My squat is awful, I can, on any good day front squat 100KG for 5 reps, with a harness or normally. My best back squat is 115KG for 5 reps, I try to protect my back hence the 5 rep max. I can good morning 90kg for 6 reps but I don’t do them regularly. I have done bottom position squats from the bottom of my sternum in a power rack for 4 sets of 3 with 180KG and a conservative single with 230KG, again no belt etc.
I use the belt squat a lot and worked up to a set of 3 or 5 an inch or so above parallel with about 150kG. I can belt squat more than I can barbell squat or front squat. All bar squats are well below parallel. I also safety bar squat and have worked up to a set of 100KG x 5 deep ad sets of 10 with 130KG squatting down to a bench, so just above parallel. I feel like deep squatting is much more beneficial than squatting high with more weight, its also less strain on the back :wink:

Bench is awful, as my arms are so long and are only about 15 inches flexed! I’m working on them now! Best bench is 110KG x1 and 100KG x3 best seated overhead press only 60KG x5 I think.

Didn’t mean to put you on the spot or anything. Your before pic is VERY similar to mine, and the situation of the DL being your only ‘good’ lift is exactly the same problem I deal with! Was just curious where you were strength wise, because you seem like a WAY more advanced version of me, so I feel I can learn a lot from you.

Any idea how many calories you eat everyday, and macro breakdown?? You seem very lean, and it seems like you carry no fat on the love handle area, you lucky SOB

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Didn’t mean to put you on the spot or anything. Your before pic is VERY similar to mine, and the situation of the DL being your only ‘good’ lift is exactly the same problem I deal with! Was just curious where you were strength wise, because you seem like a WAY more advanced version of me, so I feel I can learn a lot from you.

Any idea how many calories you eat everyday, and macro breakdown?? You seem very lean, and it seems like you carry no fat on the love handle area, you lucky SOB

[/quote]

You didn’t put me on the spot, and you gave me a ‘get out clause’ so there is certainly no need to apologize. My lifts are nothing to brag about: simple, thats life.

Up until about two years ago I was chubbier, but dieted down and began to gain weight on a cleaner diet. I also use steroids so that helps. I’ve NEVER (and still am not) counting calories, this is the first food log I’ve ever kept! What I’ll do soon is plug one of my dietary days (one good and one bad) into a calorie counter and get some approximate numbers and breakdowns. I can’t stress enough how much of a boon this 2 chocolate bars pre workout has made a difference. We talk a lot about it in TX Hawkeyes thread in the steroid forum called ‘newbie and GHRP-6’. This adjustment alone caused a 5kg or so weight gain along with simultaneous fat loss earlier this year.

With regard to my bench pressing, that is also the lift I’ve worked the least on. I prefer dips and inclines, and also I used to do lots of kettle bell press’s. When I first started training I (like many) didn’t train my legs so was top heavy. Also not being good at benching and having wide-ish shoulders from the deadlifting I needed to focus much more on my legs to try and catch up (I’ve always been very conscious of trying to stay proportional) I’ve also only just started training my arms directly. I’ve only just started benching again to give my body a different stimulus.

I started off using full body workouts usually consisting of three big exercises and a couple of small, I did this for a long time (varying the exercises slightly and manipulating the rep ranges) A workout would be similar to this: Belt squat supersetted with calf raises (gives you a good rest between sets of squats) incline bench press superseted between chin ups or rows then abs. Simple.

I know use an alternate upper lower body program, I used 5/3/1 most of last year (with good results) but got terrible elbow/forearm problems about this tim last year and didn’t manage to rid myself of them until this February. The change of stimulus (full body to 5/3/1)did me the world of good, I do a kind of mixture now of 5/3/1 and Westside (I know, not Westside then) where I’ve started using bands, which feels great.
Again, I’m doing this for the change in stimulus, so I can incorporate the same, compound and productive exercises without letting my body get too used to one or the other. I hope that makes sense?

LOL at that before picture, the best thing about being that skinny is your dick looks SO MUCH bigger in proportion when you’re NEKKID!

0800: protein shake with 2 eggs and fiber, so prolly over 60g protein in total.

0900: RSE drink with sugar and 2 snack size mars bars pre workout. Gonna be a quick chest and arms workout today. I’m glad I’ve got these lagging as I’m sure it will be more ‘fun’ bringing up lagging arms and chest than thighs (although I still need to work hard on those, too).

Chest and arms workout: Flat bench working up to heavy sets of 5-6, superstted with band face pulls, close rip bench presses for sets of 10, band triceps exercises supersetted with hammer curls. (standing extensions, laying extensions and pushdowns) pushed the reps rather the the weights.
Took about 45 minutes.

[quote]buddaboy wrote:
0800: protein shake with 2 eggs and fiber, so prolly over 60g protein in total.

0900: RSE drink with sugar and 2 snack size mars bars pre workout. Gonna be a quick chest and arms workout today. I’m glad I’ve got these lagging as I’m sure it will be more ‘fun’ bringing up lagging arms and chest than thighs (although I still need to work hard on those, too).[/quote]

1100 protein shake with MCT oil and fiber

1230 largish chicken, bacon and avocado salad from pret.

1240 bought a lottery ticket, I didn’t eat that but ate a sneaky tube of win gums before I went into the library-shhh.

1550: 2 tangerines and a tub of radberries

1605 I’m in London at college so I go to M&S and get a large chocolate milk and a chicken and bacon sandwich

2200 4 cheeseburgers from mcdonalds on the way home

Ha your lifts sound a lot like a mine, bit better though, I’ve got the same leverage problems! Had to give up standard deadlifts recently (even thouh they’re my best lift) due to lower back problems. I just can’t seem to be able to squat and deadliift in the same week. I’m thinking of starting to do some sumo’s instead and I’m doing sldl on leg day. I cant bring myself to completely get rid of them!
What gym do you train at? I’m at putney leisure if you ever fancy getting together for a session.

[quote]dre1986 wrote:
Ha your lifts sound a lot like a mine, bit better though, I’ve got the same leverage problems! Had to give up standard deadlifts recently (even thouh they’re my best lift) due to lower back problems. I just can’t seem to be able to squat and deadliift in the same week. I’m thinking of starting to do some sumo’s instead and I’m doing sldl on leg day. I cant bring myself to completely get rid of them!
What gym do you train at? I’m at putney leisure if you ever fancy getting together for a session. [/quote]

Hi Dre, I either train in my home gym (which is actually in my friends garden but its still a home gym and its my equipment) or I sometimes drive to physique warehouse in Molesy, you don’t have to join I just pay per session when I get the time to go. I know Putney leisure centre, I’ll let you know when I’m around the area!

Have you tried front squats and trap bar dead lifts? Sumo probably will work better for you, it does for me, Hungry4more has posted lots of sumo deadlifting advice around the forums. If you have back problems front squats and belt squats will be your friends. Remember you can’t train if you’re injured, and you may well need to gain weight to improve leverages and make further strength gains. Good luck, thanks for stopping by.

0800: Protein shake plus 2 eggs and fiber

0900: 4 bacon, 2 eggs, 2 large sausages fried in coconut oil

1130: protein shake with fiber and MCT

1600: 3 quarter pounder, 2 with whole meal buns and no cheese, one on its own (that last pizza is in the oven, didn’t see the point of throwing it away)

1610: pizza, as mentioned above

No training today, its 2020 and I’m not really hungry-which isn’t surprising really! I’ll go and make a protein shake now…

2050: Protein shake with MCT oil and flax

Thanks for the advice man. As far as trap bar deads, would love to but putney doesn’t have one. Front equate I started about 5 weeks ago but struggle with the form. I lean forward too much in the bottom position. It’s something I’m working on. Any tips?

As for gaining weight, you’re absolutely right, I was on a bulk but then went on holiday to Argentina so it hasn’t been easy eatin enough. I’m back on Monday though and I think I’ll start a log and really nail it down. Currently 71 kg @ about 13-14bf, want to get up to 80-82 and cut, although if I’m still at a reasonable bf level I’ll prob just continue.

One thing. Hate to keep harping on but I like to exactly why I’m doing something. As far as the chocolate pre workout and improving insulin sensitivity, do you know how it works. I always thought anything high gi no matter what the timing would decrease sensitivity. I’m going to start doing it as you said it was so effective. Would just be nice to know why it works. Thanks

Dre: Re front squats: you need to stretch your hips and hamstrings so you can squat down in the upright position with a neutral spine. I can front squat below parallel in flat shoes or weightlifting shoes (just not much LOL) search on here for the ‘agile eight’ mobility exercises by, I think, Joe Defranco.

To increase hip flexibility Louie Simmons in one of his articles suggested body weight squats for high reps with one foot elevated (I think between) 3-12 inches. I’ve tried this and it works. I would suggest not going to deep but I feel like front squats only work if you go to parallel or below, use weightlifting shoes but I wouldn’t use plates as they MIGHT fuck your knees up.

Re the chocolate bars I don’t know, but I’m certainly bigger and leaner so to be honest I don’t really care! I used to be exactly like you in that I like to know what I’m doing but dietary science is of no real interest to me, and this goes WAY above my level of understanding. Why not try it and if it doesn’t work, ditch it?

I can also tell you for sure my recovery time is less, which is great. I know BBB said you can do it with an energy drink and one chocolate bar, so maybe have a red bull and a snickers? If that makes you feel more comfortable? (in that you’re eating less chocolate).

[quote]buddaboy wrote:

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
quote]

The only lift I seem to be suited to is the dead lift. Unfortunately I’ve had a ton of back problems which I try to train around and do not wish to aggravate any more than necessary. So my intention is to train as hard and productively as possible without injuring myself, so I’m very conservative in the deadlift and good morning.

Bench is awful, as my arms are so long and are only about 15 inches flexed! I’m working on them now! Best bench is 110KG x1 and 100KG x3 best seated overhead press only 60KG x5 I think.

[/quote]

You English folks… I am reading this post, and can only figure 2.2 lbs = 1 kg. And if so, you don’t bench very much? Is that 110kg Dumbells? Please square me away in pounds if you can.

I looked, and at 6’1" 203 today, my arms flexed are only 16, most likey 15.5 or so…

But for some reason, I think it is HIT, I can bench 105 Dumbells, one in each hand, 2 sets of 8…and that is after 4-5 other chest lifts. Going for 110 this week, then gonna put up 115’s the following week. All in pounds, btw. But still, if you look at me, you would most likely say I am pretty thin.

This morning I did better Budda…

Did my GHRP 2 (doubled the dose to 200 mcg) at waking, coffee, 30 min later two instant oatmeal packets. (Finally saw each one had like 15 g sugar, so I combine one with sugar, with one that is sugar free) Then 90 min later, 4 eggs and a chic breast. Grabbed a Peabut butter choc breakfast bar on the way to work.

I did Shoulders yesterday with a guy, did upside down pushups…where you pull two benches together, then do arm extended handstand from benches, and buddy puts your feet/legs up against wall. I did 3 sets of 10…but weighing 203, I only bent my arms and went down prob 6 - 8 inches…not a full drop. Then we went to Standing Shoulder press, had 140 on bar, did 3 sets of 10. That 140 is in pounds too…not bragging, you know me. I still see a stinkin skinny kid in the mirror.

But you are right, makes my Pecker look HOOOOOGE !!!

Hey TX! I have just downloaded a unit conversion app just for you! Right: Yes, my bench press is lame, and because its lame, and my legs were even more lame (I have very long legs so I looked way out of proportion once I’d added some upper body mass, plus any fat gets stored on my upper body too) I tended not to work that lift. Also, and primarily, I had gyno surgery a couple of years ago, so I didn’t work my chest very much because once the muscles were pumped my pecs would push the lumps out making them more visible through my clothes.

So TX: 100kg x 2.2= a bench press of 220LB for a whopping 3 reps as my 3 rep max! Or one rep max of 110kg x 2.2 = 242.5LB! Your 100LB dumbbell presses are impressive for 6.1" IMHO, I certainly can’t do that (yet). Those reverse push ups look hard, I don’t think I could do that. I can just about do a seated press for 3 - 5 reps on a good day with 140LB, but I’ve worked much harder on inclines and presses than I have on bench.

The three rep max I set a few weeks ago and was conservative enough for me to do training alone with no spotter, the one rep max is over six months old. I’m working HARD on bringing up my chest and triceps now. I know I’ll never be a monster bencher but I need to surpass this awful excuse for a PR! The only other point I’d like to raise in my defense is that I use very strict form - no bouncing or back arch, especially no back arch with my lower back.

[quote]buddaboy wrote:

You didn’t put me on the spot, and you gave me a ‘get out clause’ so there is certainly no need to apologize. My lifts are nothing to brag about: simple, thats life.

Up until about two years ago I was chubbier, but dieted down and began to gain weight on a cleaner diet. I also use steroids so that helps. I’ve NEVER (and still am not) counting calories, this is the first food log I’ve ever kept! What I’ll do soon is plug one of my dietary days (one good and one bad) into a calorie counter and get some approximate numbers and breakdowns. I can’t stress enough how much of a boon this 2 chocolate bars pre workout has made a difference. We talk a lot about it in TX Hawkeyes thread in the steroid forum called ‘newbie and GHRP-6’. This adjustment alone caused a 5kg or so weight gain along with simultaneous fat loss earlier this year.

With regard to my bench pressing, that is also the lift I’ve worked the least on. I prefer dips and inclines, and also I used to do lots of kettle bell press’s. When I first started training I (like many) didn’t train my legs so was top heavy. Also not being good at benching and having wide-ish shoulders from the deadlifting I needed to focus much more on my legs to try and catch up (I’ve always been very conscious of trying to stay proportional) I’ve also only just started training my arms directly. I’ve only just started benching again to give my body a different stimulus.

I started off using full body workouts usually consisting of three big exercises and a couple of small, I did this for a long time (varying the exercises slightly and manipulating the rep ranges) A workout would be similar to this: Belt squat supersetted with calf raises (gives you a good rest between sets of squats) incline bench press superseted between chin ups or rows then abs. Simple.

I know use an alternate upper lower body program, I used 5/3/1 most of last year (with good results) but got terrible elbow/forearm problems about this tim last year and didn’t manage to rid myself of them until this February. The change of stimulus (full body to 5/3/1)did me the world of good, I do a kind of mixture now of 5/3/1 and Westside (I know, not Westside then) where I’ve started using bands, which feels great.
Again, I’m doing this for the change in stimulus, so I can incorporate the same, compound and productive exercises without letting my body get too used to one or the other. I hope that makes sense?[/quote]

Thanks for writing all that out for me, man, I really appreciate it. I’m doing a version of CT’s High Frequency Strength Training, which has me doing multiple, large, compounds movements in one workout. It’s helping a lot with strength and ‘explosion’, but I guess is more metabolically demanding, and I’ve stalled on weight gain. I was going to add just add in more healthy fats to boost the calories but do you think I should maybe try the 2 chocolate bar method?

Thanks for the reply budda, Im going to try and hip mobility exercises you mentioned, Ive had issues with hip mobility for ages and although I’ve been doing hip flexor stretches and they don’t seem to be doing the trick.
As for the chocolate, I’m just going to try and it like you said, I like to know why usually but in this case I’ll just do it and see what happens.

[quote]dre1986 wrote:
Thanks for the reply budda, Im going to try and hip mobility exercises you mentioned, Ive had issues with hip mobility for ages and although I’ve been doing hip flexor stretches and they don’t seem to be doing the trick.
As for the chocolate, I’m just going to try and it like you said, I like to know why usually but in this case I’ll just do it and see what happens. [/quote]

Bulgarian split squats with no weight for high reps are good for stretching the hips and hip flexors, work on depth and increasing the level of elevation of the raised leg. That along with the uneven squats’ I mentioned should help. Don’t forget to stretch the hamstrings either, you can’t push ‘backwards’ properly without that flexibility. Watch the top olympic lifters on Youtube front squatting and their calves hardly move and their backs stay upright-endeavor to emulate this :wink:

I don’t think BBB has gone into too much depth about explaining/justifying/defending this method, but TX Hawkeyes is using it and he is happy.

Spidey and Dre* Just remember: If you’re diet is decent/in tune (I know mine included a lot of crap but the addition of so much shit, especially over the last three years is quite unusual, I’m trying to gain weight hard and resorted to eating like that to get max calories) nearly a entire days carbs, derived from 2 chocolate bars, both pre workout isn’t a horrific deviation from your diet. You get an extra 500 cals, you get a couple of legitimate cheat meals and you protect glycogen stores, boost insulin sensitivity and if your like me, gained 5kg and lost some fat without making any other alterations… sounds too good and simple to be true, doesn’t it?

Spidey, I’ll try and find the before picture of me when I was fat, it was taken when I was 23 and 230LB at 20%BF! Just to show you I’ve been fat, skinny and skinny fat!

I took this picture a few months back, I think I was about 215 in it and i think t was the end of August; I can’t remember exactly when I took it, but it was taken BEFORE I was using the 2 chocolate bars pre workout. I think you can see I’ve got more fat around my waist. Sorry its gay, like I said I’ve only got these pictures because my GF asks me to send her pictures when I get out of the gym. I know its not much of a basis for comparison but better than nothing.