Back again...

[strumpusplunket]

Still plugging away. Trying to cut more bodyfat and wring every bit I can from my newbie/muscle memory gains.

19/10/18
Pull-ups +5kg 8, 8, 8
DL (sumo) 80kg 6, 6, 6, 6
Inc DB bench 25kg 8, 8, 8
BB row 62.5kg 8, 7, 7
Decline flyes 15kg 8, 8, 8
DB OHP 20kg 8, 5, 4
DB squats 20kg 8, 8... and had to run off to shower and change to get to work in time.

21/10/18
Hack squat 75kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 33.5kg 8, 8, 7
One-arm DB row 37.5kg 8, 8, 6
RDL 67.5kg 8, 8, 6
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 20kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls 15kg 8, 8, 8

If my dodgy caliper readings can be trusted, I've dropped around 10lbs of fat in 7.5 weeks, and gained 11lbs of muscle. That seems a bit more than I'd expect was feasible, even accounting for muscle memory and the newb gains of someone who's not lifted for three years. Quite probable I messed up some readings with the calipers, tbh. I do find them a bit tricky to get consistent readings even with practice.

Anyway, as of now I estimate/guesstimate that losing another 10-12lbs should take me to 10-12% bodyfat territory, which to be honest I've not been in since I was about 15. That's what I'm gunning for before a slow clean bulk attempt, though.

At least another 6-8 weeks of this cutting diet, then. I've shaved another 200Kcals off my daily intake as it feels like the fat is getting harder to shift now. I don't feel this has impacted my gains too much as of yet, although of course as expected everything is starting to slow down.

All good so far, but going to be a tougher couple of months to come, I think...

 

[strumpusplunket]

Yesterday:
23/10/18
Pull-ups +7.5kg 8, 8, 6 +1
DL (sumo) 85kg 6, 6, 6, 6
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 6, 5, 2
BB row 62.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB OHP 20kg 8, 7, 5
DB squats 20kg 8, 8, 8

Feeling good still, but I did feel I just didn't have much in the tank when it came to my pushing movements. A real effort, and the weights just felt overly heavy in my hands. I do find that my pushes are the first thing to give out when I restrict calories, so I'm guessing that my diet might be playing a part.

I'm down to 1250Kcal on rest days and then training fasted the next morning, so likely quite depleted. Will see how flat bench goes tomorrow.

(It's a rest day today and I am feeling fiercely hungry right now!)

It does feel, though, that fat is dropping off me everyday. Very pleased with the fat loss, so if I can just keep my strength and lean mass stable for another month I can see where I am in terms of being ready to increase nutrient intake. I may be due a re-feed day as well, though, as I've not had one since I started this cut and even on training days I'm a couple of hundred of calories below maintenance.

 

[strumpusplunket]

So I made a bit of a change this morning based on my experiences and thoughts the other day.

Basically, I got up earlier to have some carbs and amino acids an hour before working out. I don't know to what extent this made a difference, but I did feel I had more "in the tank" today. I'm thinking it's quite possible that my very low calorie and carb intake on rest days is not really optimal for fasted workouts the next morning. I had pretty much zero carbs yesterday and woke up feeling very flat in my muscles and not workout-ready at all. A quick oat, banana, linseed and BCAA shake sorted me right out...

I did get a little bit of nausea towards the end of my workout, which I did always used to get when carbing-up pre-workout I now remember.

Anyway:

25/10/18
Hack squat 80kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 33.5kg 8, 8, 9 [this is where I really felt that "more in the tank" sensation compared to my previous workout]
DB row 37.5kg 8, 8, 8
RDL 70kg 8, 8, 6 [nausea rising on the last set, which interrupted my rhythm]
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 22.5kg 8, 8, (8)
DB face pulls 17.5kg 8, 8, 8

Weight is finally going down! Down 2.5lbs in the last week - and I can really see it in my mid-section. LBM I don't know about - I think I look/feel flatter in my chest and arms, but I guess I have lower glycogen stores right now due to heavy carb-cycling. Strength is going up still, so I guess that's a good sign. 2.5lbs for a week probably a bit on the high side, so may up daily calories by 100 or so.

 

[strumpusplunket]

27/10/18
Pull-ups +6kgDB 8, 8, 6 +1
DL 90kg 6, 6, 6
Inc DB bench 26kg 8, 7, 5
BB row 65kg 8, 7, 7
Lat raise 10kg 8, 7, 8
DB squats 22.5kg 8, 10, 10 (super-set with BW lunges)

Realised that the reason my incline bench felt unreasonably heavy these past two sessions was because I'd set it too steep. It was closer to an OHP than what I'd normally consider an incline press angle. Will try it on the normal setting I use next time...

29/10/18
Hack squat 85kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 35kg 8, 8, 6
One-arm DB row 40kg 7, 6, 5
RDL 72.5kg 8, 8, 6
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 25kg 7, 6, 6
DB face pulls 20kg 7, 6, 6

Still finding fat loss is getting harder. I still want another 7 or 8 pounds of fat gone, but it feels slow and arduous going now. Strength is going up still (slowly), but I'm tired of seeing this smooth look in the mirror - want definition!

Although: these two workouts straddled the day that's exactly two months after my first workout in over three years, and I started out at this point with a lot of flab and a horrible body shape - so horrible I couldn't even bear to catch sight of myself in the mirror and I was embarrassed to take my top off to go swimming. I need to keep focus on progress made and not let my impatience for reaching my goals get the better of me, which I know I'm liable to do and which I know won't have good consequences...

 

[strumpusplunket]

Good to keep updating this to keep my logs backed up and my motivation going, so...

1/11/18
Pull-ups +8kg 8, 8, 6 +1
DL 95kg 6, 6, 5
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 8, 6, 4
BB row 65kg 8, 8, 7+1
DB OHP 20kg 5, (8), 6
DB squats 22.5kg 10, 10, 10 (super-set with BW lunges)

3/11/18
Hack squat 87.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 35kg 8, 7, 7
DB row 40kg 7, 7, 7
RDL 75kg 8, 8, 8
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 25kg 8, 8, 5/6
DB face pulls 20kg 6, 6, 6

5/11/18
Pull-ups +9kg 8, 8, 6½ +1
DL 97.5kg 6, 5, 5, 5
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 8, 7, 6
BB row 66kg 8, 8, 7
DB OHP 20kg 4, 8, 8
DB squats 20kg - ran out of time before having to leave for work.

Don't know what's happening with the first set of the OHP. Two workouts in a row now it's just felt too heavy, but then the next sets are much easier - sets two and three felt very straightforward today and I'd normally be upping the weight after sets like that, but I couldn't hoist the DBs up for the first set. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Feeling good, but so want this excess fat gone asap so I can eat more!

 

[strumpusplunket]

Got in another workout before work this morning. Feel pleased with myself every time I manage it!

7/11/18
BB Hack squat 90kg 8, 8, 8
DB Bench 35kg 8, 8, 9
DB row 40kg 8, 8, 7
RDL 77.5kg 8, 8, 8
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 25kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls 20kg 7, 7, 7

The last set of hack squats felt difficult this morning, and I had to grind the reps out a bit towards the end. Going to take willpower to keep pushing through these with heavier weights (I've always had this issue with compound leg lifts)...

Still on a calorie deficit so can't complain I suppose!

 

[strumpusplunket]

Really didn't feel like starting my early morning workout this morning, but glad I pushed through it.

9/11/18
Pull-ups +10kg 8, 8, 7 +1
DL 100kg 6, 5, 5, 5
Inc DB bench 27.5kg 8, 8, 5
BB row 67.5kg 8, 7, 6
DB OHP 20kg 8, 8, 5
DB lunges 20kg 10, half a set ... and had to run (well, stumble) upstairs and shower before work.

I keep running out of time before work on this routine. I think it might be because of the four sets of DLs (and I tend to take longer doing DLs overall) for this workout plus the fact that lunges mean me working each leg on its own, so twice as long to get through. Must start earlier, or find an alternative leg exercise for the end.

 

[strumpusplunket]

I missed a planned workout for the first time since I started up again yesterday. Just felt full of aches and stiffness and my body seemed to be telling me it needed another day's rest. Wonder if I need a deloading week soon. Back to normal this morning and another workout before work:

12/11/18
Hack squat 92.5kg 8, 8, 6
DB Bench 36kg 8, 8, 5
DB row 42.5kg 7, 6, 5
RDL 80kg 8, 7, 6
One-arm landmines (kneeling) 27.5kg 6, 6, 6
DB face pulls 20kg 8, 8, 7
One arm tri ext 12.5kg 8, 7, 6 (added this in as I feel my triceps are a lagging bodypart a bit right now)

It seems like my steady progress hit a bit of a wall this workout across most lifts (the extra 1kg cost me 4 reps on set three of my bench!), but not too concerned about that given my calorie intake at the moment. Still getting impatient to get to a point I feel happy about finishing this cut, though.

 

[strumpusplunket]

Bit slack with log-keeping, and a dose of lurgy also had me miss a workout, but still going.

25/11/18
Pull-ups +12.5kg 8, 8, 5½ +1
Sumo DL 100kg 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 [trying something different here - went back down 5kg and did this rep scheme with shortening rest periods. felt a bit too easy though. can't remember where I got the idea from now.]
Inc DB bench 28.5kg 8, 8, 5
BB row 67.5kg 8, 8, 6+1
DB OHP 21kg 8, 8, 7
DB lunges 12.5kg 10, 10, 10

Too much travelling for work right now, so split today's workout into push/pull this evening and legs tomorrow morning:

27/11/18
DB bench 37.5kg 8, 6, 4
DB row 42.5kg 8, 8, 8
Arnold press 18.5kg 8, 8, 8
DB face pulls 21kg 6, 6, 6
One arm tricep extension 13.5kg 8, 7, 6
Cross curls 16kg 6, 6, 6

 

[strumpusplunket]

Still slack, with logging workouts, but not with workouts themselves, thankfully.

This morning:
Hack squat 105kg 8, 8, 7
DB Bench 37.5kg 8, 8, 5
DB row 45kg (8), 6, 6
RDL 85kg 8, 8, 8
Lat raise 10kg 7, 7, 6

Felt a bit lethargic this morning, couldn't face pushing the last rep on the hack squat, and stalled a bit on the DB bench for now. Need more sleep!

 

[strumpusplunket]

Well, still been lifting without updating.

Working around golfer's elbow, but still feel my routine is okay. I've been trying out HST recently. Just finished my second cycle of it. Quite liking it overall, though the 5RM phase for the last three weeks or so feels a bit brutal by the end.

Two days ago:
Inc DB bench 35kg 5, 5, 3, 2, 2
Hack squat 115kg 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
BB row 80kg 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
DB tri ext 15kg 5, 5, 4, 3, 2
Bent-over lat raise 12.5kg 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Today:
DB Bench 43.5kg 5, 3, 2, 1, 1
Chest-supported DB row 42.5kg 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Seated DB OHP 27.5kg 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Seated incline DB curl 20kg 5, 3, 1, 1
RDL 90kg 8, 8, 8
DB lunges 27.5kg 8, 8, 8 (don't do 5RM for these last two, moslty just out of caution for my back and knees, but I should probably just step to it!)