The Syla5 Files

Start of prep day 6 down to 11st 3.5lb (71.45kg 157.5lb)

Confident I moved in to the final stage of the prep phase overnight from day 4 to 5 so looks like I am on course for my first backload tomorrow.

Recovery this last week has been, well, dire haha. Mobility, core work, and soft tissue work will be done today and tomorrow.
 
Back up to 11st 4.5lb this morning, but in need of a bathroom break. My body is screaming out for carbs now, so I am going to go for my first backload tonight and follow CBL for the next few weeks and see how things go.

Also a nice 8 hours uninterrupted sleep last night, plus another 2 hours after a morning pee :) the joys of grandparents living just round the corner.
 
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My first backload all ready to go. I also have an optional sandwich if I need it.
 
That's Tuesday, I have a list of alternatives so I don't get bored. 150g Pre cooked white rice = 400g pots and 300g beans. Also sweet and sour chicken doesn't quite go with pots and beans :p
 
There high gi from what I gathered and so are perfect as I need the highest gi I can get. Baked beans if that makes a difference?
 
ok quick review and made changes to the diet, now as follows:

Backload day (day before training for AM training):
wake up: Coffee, 10g Whey, 3g coconut oil
Lunch (14:00): Chicken Salad, Good oil
snack: 25g nuts
Shake (16:00) 25g Whey, 50g Dextrose, 5g Creatine, 3g Leucine
Dinner (18:00) Meat, 150g White Rice
2nd Dinner (19:00) 50g Branflakes, 25g Dextrose, 200ml milk topped with water
Before bed (20:30ish) Croissant with butter, Banana
Optional meal: Peanut Butter choc spread sandwich on white bread

Macros:
non optional: 152g Protein / 283g Carbs / 92g fat / 2575cals
with optional: 165g Protein/ 325g carbs / 108g fat / 2945 cals

Non Backload low carb days (training days):
Upon waking: Coffee + more coffee! (pre workout)
Post workout: 25g Whey, 30g Dextrose, 5g creatine, 4g leucine, 2 cups of coffee
Lunch: Chicken Salad with good oil
Snack: 25g nuts
Shake: 25g Whey, 25g Dextrose, 5g creatine, 3g Leucine
Snack: 2 Eggs hardboiled
Dinner: Meat, Salad, Olive oil dressing
Snack (optional): 25g Nuts

Macros:
non optional: 150g Protein / 62g Carbs / 107g Fat / 1850 cals
including optional: 155g Protein / 63g Carbs / 122g Fat / 2017 cals
 
Captain Planet said:
Alrighty?

Had a good read and some good results in here mate. I was interested to see you having no footwear on for the squats, am I right? Is this preferable to footwear? Your gym looks big and busy too. That would annoy the hell out of me. I should take a photo of our little set up tomorrow, it's basic but bliss :D

Starting my 1st cycle tomorrow. I have rallied 2 other guys on to the HST programme too. They had no choice really, I've been taking them to the gym the past few weeks and today I turned up with a HST workout log printed off for each of them and the simple statement that they're all starting a new routine :cool: I think I'm finding it quite motivational to have guys to help and instruct (I don't think they quite realise that I actually don't know what I'm doing, I'm just going off what I learn from youtube, reading endless forum discussions and scouring the plethora of bodybuilding web pages).
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Hey CP, thanks firstly :). Yeap no shoes for squatting or deadlifting, makes me able to really feel the floor and get some decent positioning with my feet.
I normally train at 6:30am so its not overly busy which is great, and even though it is busy in the afternoons, hardly anyone ever squats or deadlifts except me or LiE so its never a problem getting rack. Bench however now thats another story.

Really pleased you have a couple of training partners, this is a point where i am really hampered with my training. The impact isnt huge, but i feel if i had another copy of me training the same at the same time it would make a massive difference :)
 
Week 2 of the new strength cycle this morning, and my first backload yesterday evening. 290g of carbs last night, weight this morning only 11st 5.5lb so net gain after 2.7k cals only 1lb. Lower back doms from first deadlifting in 2 weeks on friday, and no carbs for decent recovery plagued my session today :(.

Squats
bar x 10 60x5 80x3 100x1
115x5/5/5
Third set of squats below, much slower then the 110 last week, but focusing on knees out and depth.

Inclined DB Bench
32.5x6/6/6

Pull ups
10x6/6/6

RDL
70x8/8/9
first 2 sets were really stretching at my hamstrings and getting the movement comfortable with my lower back doms, 3rd set nailed it! really need straps for these soon.

DB Row (light)
15x10 17.5x10 20x10
still finding the right weight for these at light weight.

roll on a few carbs later on to hopefully aid recovery, my back gets a rest now until friday which is a good thing.
 
LiE said:
Are you able to keep the knees out at the bottom? Looks like they going out on the way down, in when you push, then back out as you force to correct.

1lbs gain is pretty small? I'm gaining ~1kg the day after my back loads :)
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They were coming in just a little at the bottom, much less then before at this weight, and this was more to do with my lower back fatigue today.

Re weight gain its kinda hard to be accurate that it was only a 1lb gain as i was 11st 4.5lb yesterday morning, but after a bathroom break, and lunch in the afternoon i was down to 11st 4lb, so lossing weight throughout the day!

Dont forget i am also 10kg lighter then you and my backloads are smaller so its understandable i will put less weight back on due to less water retention due to less muscle mass etc. 1kg is only 2.2lb, and if you take my lowest weight from yesterday i am actually up 1.5lb, but i was comparing morning with morning, so skews things a little.
 
Yeah Mrthingyx they were coming in, still screwing but thats still not second nature yet so some reps are lacking a little. This was my third set as well so not covering anything up as this is the most fatigued set. The "knees in" issue is one of the main focuses of my squatting, and LiE i think you might be right, lady exercises could be the order of the day.

Last weeks 110's were much better, and this weeks 115's were still better as far as before screwing was concerned, but not my best work :D
 
I always warmed up before my big compound lifts, depending on the weight depended on how much warm up, but i didnt warmup for the assistance stuff
 
Don't forget your first session is only supposed to be 75% of your 15 rep max as each workout in the 2 week block you increase by 5% to be doing your 15rm on the last workout of the mesocycle. Yes it feels light at first, especially the first cycle but don't let that fool you, you will still be benefitting from the lifting.

Start a log, it's a useful tool for yourself, as well as interesting for others :)
 
Bit of mobility and soft tissue work tonight, along with some core work, and lady exercises, as LiE, Dom and ice call them :)

Weight this morning 11st 4.5lb, 2nd backload was done this evening, roll on tomorrows training.
 
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Chest session this morning, training was good :) back is close to back to normal as well after insania doms from last friday!

Bench barx15 40x5 60x4
80x5/5/5 (supposed to be 77.5 but was feeling strong, happy i pushed it)
60x5 paused
Heavy DB Row 20x5
37.5x6/6/6 didnt feel these in my back as much as the 35's last week. Will stick with this weight till i feel it nicely in my back.
OHP bar x5 40x3
50x5/5/5 (5 sec rest/rerack between resp 4 and 5 on the last set)
DB BSS (weight and reps per hand/leg)
15x10/10/10
Box Squats (changed from reverse offset lunges)
50x10/10
60x10
My main focus for the box squats is keeping my knees out from the bottom of the lift and improving explosiveness out of the hole. It feels like i might be going slightly to low on these, thoughts welcome from more experienced box squatters please.

weight this morning was at 11st 4.5lb still after a decent 300g carb back load last night, feeling and looking leaner in the mirror, however i want to put on good muscle mass so may have to up the carbs, or go with some carbs at dinner on my off days.
 
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I finished HST after my 2nd cycle to focus on a more strength focus 3 day full body/push/pull routine.

I will most likely go back to HST when i want to put on some decent mass again, but for now i want to unlock the benefits of the extra mass i put on doing HST :)

Also its good to keep the body on its toes and changes things up every few months. HST for me was 8-9 weeks a cycle so 16-18 weeks and then changing to something else is quite ideal.
 
Deadlift Day, i have found a new fondness for deadlifts again which is good. My back doms from last week were still making there presence known but not to a great extent. Also with my weightloss over the last week i am kind of between holes on my belt which means things are not as tight as i would like.

Deadlifts
Goodmorning Bar x 5 RDL bar x 5 DL bar x10
60x5
100x3
120x2
135x5/5/5 - 2nd set i went in a hole on my belt and my strain came to say hello, little twinge and so this time instantly loosened up the belt. Still healing i guess, but good sign is no discomfort post workout like before, and non for the rest of the workout either.
vid of my 3rd working set as i feel its best to see how fatigue hampers form, overall quite pleased with my back, but bar humping needs to be improved, and oh lawd my head position is a real weakness for me.

Dips
bwx5
20x6
22.5x6
25x6

Standing cable row
12.5x12/12/12 per arm, good focus on feeling the movement in my back.

Seated DB press
17.5x10/10
last set i decided to try standing for some extra core blasting, first i did 7.5x5 to see how they are, then
17.5x5 and another 5 seated again.

Face pulls
17.5x10/10/10

Planks x some

going to do a mini backload tonight due to training at the meet tomorrow.
 
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LiE said:
You should do a full backload, it's gonna be a beasty session tomorrow ;)
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I might just do that! Energy for the win.

Delvis said:
Why standing rows instead of the seated machine? :)

Also linky no worky :(
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Standing rows because i can do each arm seperatly and focus more on the movement. I have never been a fan of seated machine rows, i just didnt feel a great benefit from them, to light and no feeling, to heavy and its more of a whole back movement, and it just never felt right for me.

MoNkeE said:
Strong deadlifts bro, still ahead of me :)
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Your pulling some nice volume on yours though mate! i remember doing like 120 for 8 and its killer lol
 
wedgie said:
Same, since I stopped trying to do them in my typical 3/4 sets of 8, I've started to enjoy deadlifts.

An attribute we don't seem to share however is that I lose strength like nobody's business when on any kind of cutting diet/routine :(.
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I have a weird thing when i cut, i start of getting stronger and then plateau and then lose a little bit.

I am currently not cutting though, my cals total for the week is the same as it was before i am just eating at different times, and by some different rules. I would say check back in 4 weeks for diet/weight/strength progress :)
 
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