Shredded, Strong, Muscled - A Quest

Brief background, this is my second log. I decided I owe it to myself to get into the best shape ever. That was always the goal, but I finally have the tools and knowledge to do so.

I care about aesthetics first and foremost, so getting as lean and muscular as possible is my focus. However, I am strong, deadlifting 585 for reps and bench pressing over 400 pounds numerous times as a natural, so I will be lifting heavy.

Current routine is something I designed. First exercise I go heavy and worry about strength progression. Remaining exercises range from 8-20 reps, 30-60 seconds rest, good form, just worrying about the pump and working the muscle being trained.

I am cutting right now.

I’m looking to drop 30 pounds or so and get down to 190-195. I already lost 8-10 pounds just from adding cardio, cutting out a meal and not drinking a lot of alcohol.

I also am beginning to blog on youtube hopefully making a fitness series.

Check it out and subscribe at Austin S - YouTube

Here are some recent videos. It’s comedic and useful, so the whole douchebaggery is there for entertainment purposes.

This is the latest get fit video.

And some recent/kinda recent training footage.

So I will post last weeks workouts and some diet stuff and let us get to it!


Here is me at the start of my diet…

So I will just begin with yesterdays workout and then divulge into tonight’s leg session later.

2.5 miles FMC 35-40 mins

Bench Press

45 x 8
45 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 8
225 x 8
315 x 3
385 x 3…Well 3rd rep just missed lockout it came up 1.5 feet couldnt squeeze out that last inch — 225 x 20 drop set

Flys

20s x 20
50s x 15
50s x 15
20s x 20

Incline Press to Neck

155 x 10
155 x 8
155 x 8

DB Bench including Partial Reps

20s x 20
85s x 10
85s x 10
20s x20


Dips

x50
x20
x20

1 Arm DB Skull

20 x 8
30 x 8
40 x 8

1 Arm OH Ext

20 x 12
20 x 12
20 x 12

Delts

Strict side laterals including partials

10s x 20
20s x 20
30s x 20
40s x 20
40s x 20
30s x 20
20s x 20
10s x 20

Meadows Rear Delt Swing

40s x 40
30s x 40
20s x 40
10s x 40

I like to make sure I feel the muscle working and feel that short rest periods really work well for growth (30-60 seconds). The compound move like the bench I rest anywhere from (1-3 minutes).


Today, Friday, I began my day with a fast until 2 PM. I usually do FMC, but I had to get a hiarcut and some chores done so I’ll do cardio tonight after working out.

Began my day with no carbs and 6 eggs and 6 slices of bacon, yum.

I’ll be followin. I’m tryin to get to this kinda level.


Quads/Hams

Squats (Beltless, wrapless, ATG)

45 x 5
45 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5

325 x 5
325 x 5
325 x 5
325 x 5
325 x 5

Split Squat - First time, weight was very easy, but had some trouble with balance. Will keep these in the rotation.

BW x 8
45 x 8
95 x 8
95 x 8

Goblet Squat

20 x 15
40 x 15
60 x 15
85 x 15

GHRs out of the powerrack, kinda of partial rep, but hits the ham and glute well

BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10

Now I only ate twice today, small breakfast, kinda just pigged out on the pre workout meal. Post meal tonight will be very light, tuna with mustard, some carbs, haven’t decided yet.

I train legs a little different. I take a lower rep approach. I don’t need 30 inch quads. I just want very strong, powerful and lean legs. Better for wearing good pant :).

With legs unlike upper bod, I keep reps mostly lower and take longer rest periods.

I rotate squat and front squat each workout and do 5 x 5 for my working sets upping 10 poounds a week. When I can’t do 5 x 5, I either switch the rep scheme or drop back down and build back up.


I do this for barbell row, bench press and incline press. All other exercises I care far less about weight and more about from, low rest and just getting a sick pump.

No lifting today. I’ve been doing 3 on, 1 off.

But, 40 minutes FMC. Probably another 30 of cardio tonight.

So 3 mile walk fasted ~45 minutes

Then 6 eggs, 3 slices bacon and a bowl of shredded wheat. I am only eating 2-3 meals per day which tends to be 2 small-moderate size meals and one big meal. I find that someone like myself with a huge appetite does better with less meals that are bigger. Reason is, when I start eating I just want to devour food, when I am not eating, I am set, not hungry can go a while with no food. So it’s easier to diet with less meals because there is less room to overeat.


Update pic, good to know you can still see your abs even with the flash on.

Get on that intermittent fasting !!

[quote]Mike T. wrote:
Get on that intermittent fasting !![/quote]

Yea buddy. I also have cut out a lot of alcohol consumption. I was a big drinker for a while, like really big drinker. Anyways once every two weeks I go out and drink. My body just can’t handle it. I went out last night, had a blast crazy fucking night. Well I ate like a dog, drank like a fish, am bloated today and have a hangover, it sucks. Back in my drinking prime hangovers were unheard of.

It was a great time though so I can’t complain too much, one night won’t kill two weeks of progress. Next shitshow will be the 25th, one of my best friends 21st birthdays.

Sick workout today. Best part about getting leaner is daily progress. I look a lot different then a month ago.

Back

DB Pullover John Meadows Style

20 x 15
40 x 15
60 x 15
85 x 15
85 x 15

Sternum Chins

x 10
x 6
x 7
x 6

Meadows Row

Bar x 12
25 x 8
50 x 8
60 x 8

Strict Wide Grip Overhand Rows

45 x 12
95 x 12
135 x 12
185 x 12
225 x 12
225 x 12
225 x 12

Behind The Back Shrug

225 x 20
275 x 20
315 x 8
315 x 8
315 x 8
225 x 20
135 x 50

Biceps

Meadows Hammers

20s x 8
40s x 8
60s x 8

EZ Bar Curl

60 x 20
100 x 15
100 x 15

Concentration Curl

30 x 12
30 x 12
30 x 12


Cardio for 45-60 minutes later tonight.

Glad you are back. Did you ever do a meet?

[quote]ajweins wrote:
Glad you are back. Did you ever do a meet?[/quote]

Yea man I did. 585 dead, 445 squat, bombed on bench because my head kept coming off when I was unracking…bad habit…Was USAPL.

Really shitty day, got no sleep, came too early, didn’t realize all the rules. My glute had been injured and was really hurting and still is injured. Hate to sound like a bag of excuses but it wasn’t my day and I definitely didn’t do my best lifting…

Anyways, good experience.

Focusing on aesthetics now, no strength goals in particular just to maintain and get stronger, but being shredded and muscled is priority. I will say the glute injury is helping lead me into this direction. It’ll give me good time off to heal. I miss deadlifts.

Tonights cardio -

1 hour walk ~ 4.5 miles outdoors. Love me a good walk.

Food today has been two large meals…Gunna have a no carb snack later before bed.

[quote]austin_bicep wrote:

[quote]ajweins wrote:
Glad you are back. Did you ever do a meet?[/quote]

Yea man I did. 585 dead, 445 squat, bombed on bench because my head kept coming off when I was unracking…bad habit…Was USAPL.

Really shitty day, got no sleep, came too early, didn’t realize all the rules. My glute had been injured and was really hurting and still is injured. Hate to sound like a bag of excuses but it wasn’t my day and I definitely didn’t do my best lifting…

Anyways, good experience.

Focusing on aesthetics now, no strength goals in particular just to maintain and get stronger, but being shredded and muscled is priority. I will say the glute injury is helping lead me into this direction. It’ll give me good time off to heal. I miss deadlifts.[/quote]

Its hard to have a great day your first meet. Its just a learning experience. And yeah, those usapl rules are tough if you don’t have much experience with them. I lift usapl and helped a buddy do a meet and his biggest issue was keeping his head down to get a lift in too. Everyone agrees its a stupid rule that makes no difference but thats just how they are. Good luck with the diet. Your baseline is already pretty dang lean.

[quote]ajweins wrote:

[quote]austin_bicep wrote:

[quote]ajweins wrote:
Glad you are back. Did you ever do a meet?[/quote]

Yea man I did. 585 dead, 445 squat, bombed on bench because my head kept coming off when I was unracking…bad habit…Was USAPL.

Really shitty day, got no sleep, came too early, didn’t realize all the rules. My glute had been injured and was really hurting and still is injured. Hate to sound like a bag of excuses but it wasn’t my day and I definitely didn’t do my best lifting…

Anyways, good experience.

Focusing on aesthetics now, no strength goals in particular just to maintain and get stronger, but being shredded and muscled is priority. I will say the glute injury is helping lead me into this direction. It’ll give me good time off to heal. I miss deadlifts.[/quote]

Its hard to have a great day your first meet. Its just a learning experience. And yeah, those usapl rules are tough if you don’t have much experience with them. I lift usapl and helped a buddy do a meet and his biggest issue was keeping his head down to get a lift in too. Everyone agrees its a stupid rule that makes no difference but thats just how they are. Good luck with the diet. Your baseline is already pretty dang lean.
[/quote]

I appreciate it man and it was good to hear from you. I will probably revert back into powerlifting at some point, I’d definitely like a few more meets under the belt, I just know what to expect now.

2 cups black coffee and 40 minutes FMC…chest/tris/delts today.

sup

[quote]spar4tee wrote:
sup[/quote]

Whaddup Bruddah

Quick yet effective chest and tricep session.

I am easing off on the volume of my chest workouts. My back needs to catch up and I have an overpowering chest. So right now it’s refine and stay strong.

Quick rest periods today, a medium amount of volume. Went for the pump on most stuff.

I am doing a double today training shoulders tonight. Reason being I want them to be fresh when I train them and want to add a press in there.


Incline Press

45 x 12
45 x 12
135 x 8
135 x 8
205 x 6
245 x 6
315 x 3 —> 225 x 12

The 315 was easy, not taken to failure today. I am not sure if I want to shoot for 4 or 5 next time or bump 5-10 pounds and keep at the triples.

Flat Bench To The Nexk, Some Paused Reps

185 x 15
225 x 6
135 x 13

Flat Fly

40s x 20
40s x 20
20s x 20 - Then 10 reps DB Bench

Tricep Dips, better form and squeeze then usual

x 25
x 10
x 10

Skulls, same, focus was controlled reps

60 x 12
60 x 12
60 x 12

1 Arm OH Ext

20 x 15
20 x 15
20 x 15