I never had bodybuilding as a specific goal until this year; sure, I toyed with the idea a couple years back, but was unwilling to invest the resources into actually accomplishing increased muscle mass. Then in early January of this year, during a conversation regarding lifting, nutrition, muscle, etc. somebody actually said, ‘well, if you know so much, how come you look the way you do?’
It’s not everyday that someone calls you out to your face like that; needless to say, I had no good answer. My stock answer to that point had been, ‘I’m a powerlifter, so my goals actually require me to keep as little mass as possible…blah, blah, blah.’ In hindsight, I was avoiding bodybuilding due to lack of money (really, just a lack of willingness to allocate funds towards lifting and away from books), a general insecurity about my true knowledge and a philosophy that was geared towards health and rehab (I was a C.H.E.K. coach/trainer).
January 23rd was my first day back from my usual winter hibernation. The week before I’d spent boning up on all of the newer techniques, program designs, etc. that would elicit hypertrophy as fast as possible. I stole from CT…I took from Poliquin…I thieved from Simmons, and I took what I could from Chek (among others). The only aspect that I overlooked, was supplementation, other than water during the session and a protein shake after (sometimes).
In 18 weeks, using a modified ‘The Beast’ program and absolutely basic supplementation (shit creatine, shakes), I was able to put 24lbs on (I started at 173lbs). I stagnated for a couple weeks at 199-202lbs before spraining my low back AND causing it to scolios to the left. This forced me to take a three week hiatus, before jumping back into the gym.
That’s when the I-BB teaser was released as well as after having the time and motivation to research newer and better ways of supplementing sessions. In that time, I came across a ton of information in the same vein as the I-BB supplemental protocol. I decided to start investing in high quality supplements and use them in a way that was consistent with all of the research. My wife was not exactly pleased that I would be spending 200 to 300 per month on powder…then I bought her a horse…so all was good.
During my injury vacation, I dropped weight to 192…mind you, it was only a three week vacation and not many weeks or months like the two other I-BB guinea pigs.
It’s been five weeks; all of my primary lifts are WAY up (Example: push press up from 155 X 3 to 225 X 2) and my body fat has actually dropped a percent or two (anyone who thinks that’s not accurate enough needs to remember that the most accurate method is during autopsy).
I weigh once per week.
Week 1: 198
Week 2: 201
Week 3: 204
Week 4: 208
Week 5: 212 (the fall before I’d gone into book hibernation, I weighed 165 to 170lbs)
In this time, I haven’t even directly trained my lower body (other than hang clean), due to the fact that I already have 36 inch thighs and a ghetto booty that would make J-Lo jealous as fuck. I am 5 foot 7 inches…I have zero natural ability at ANY athletic endeavor. I have no less than four congenital defects, two of which directly affect my ability to train (fused L5/S1 and shoulder malformations that lead to three shoulder surgeries) as well as another that should have killed me three separate times (co-arched aorta that led to two heart surgeries and two heart attacks).
So anyone who thinks only those with superior genetics can benefit from pre, peri and post session supplementation are mistaken…I shouldn’t even be able to lift period (let alone be sitting here typing this post). In fact, my entire life, I was told by societal ‘experts’ that I shouldn’t play sports (played baseball into college), couldn’t lift weights (well, that was obviously wrong) and would probably live a very sedentary life (worked mostly manual labor jobs, including hard rock mining, offshore drilling and carpentry). So much for societal ‘experts.’
My supps include:
Cod Liver Oil
Surge Recovery
Surge Workout Fuel
Creatine (Biotest)
Alpha-GPC
Crap-brand Whey Isolate
L-Leucine
FINiBARs, Cliff bars
Power Drive
HCL/Pepsin
Pancreatin
Spike pills and drink
Twin Lab Endurance Fuel (if I run out of Surge W.)
Melatonin, 5-HTP, Suntheanine, Valerian Root, Kava Kava
RAW, grass-fed, cow-share milk (1 liter a day)
Thank CT and Biotest for what they provide all of us for free; how many other companies are so forthcoming with the most important aspect of success (free training articles, some of which pitch their supplements)?
P.S. Yes, I am taking pics to document this newest phase (quad-weekly and will post them in December when my macro cycle is completed).