Z's Optimum Anabolic Journey!

Great to see you back!

Eat...Lift....Sleep......Repeat

Enjoy the process.. but crave the goal.

just stopping by to see how everything is going for you gzinkl....hope your happy with any progress you've made...i've havent been on myself lately, due to being out of state for my sister's wedding...keep up the good work...

Let the pain come over you, but never overcome you.
If you don't live for something, you'll die for nothing.
Start: 04/05
5'9"
135#
25% BF
Now: 04/06
6'0"
180#
12% BF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbvP7dT3Dx0

Ok, gang, I've been around, and training.

I am listening to my body.  I have to alter this program.  If it throws me out of the competition, oh well.

I cannot lift 5 days a week--physically.  My body is screaming "no no no".  I have to listen to it.  I know every day is a different body part, but the stress of recovery is systemic.

This is my plan for now--please critique it.  I will still use OA's five day split, but each workout will be separated by at least a day of rest.  However, the diet phase will not be altered.  What I will alter is the workouts, which will match the intensity that they are supposed to be at during each diet phase (so I'll still be working up/down the intensity over 3 workouts, instead of 5), regardless of what body part I'm on.  I hope I made some sense there in what I'm thinking of doing.

My reasoning is (1) to give my body the breaks it seems to demand, while (2) keeping progress going on OA, and (3) adopting the principles of OA as far as the synergy between diet, exercise intensity, and rest.

The final nails in the coffin were my workouts on Wednesday (legs), Friday (back) and chest and abs (yesterday).  (I'll be posting them!).  ARGH!  I guess I'm not a young man anymore--or maybe I've always been like this, but the intensity of this program just makes it more obvious than I've wanted to admit.

Let me know what you think.

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

sounds like a great idea to me, if you need rest, give your body rest, you wont do yourself any favors pushing it over the edge...however as far as the diet goes, you are now spreading out the time over which you would perform the amount of exercise as before but are still taking in the same amount of calories...thus without the physical exercise each day, your calorie requirements drop...which may lead to unwanted gains...im not sure as to the effects over time, but i doubt you will see any trouble, just voicing my concern on a possible issue...you know your metabolism much more than i. best of luck G-man.

Let the pain come over you, but never overcome you.
If you don't live for something, you'll die for nothing.
Start: 04/05
5'9"
135#
25% BF
Now: 04/06
6'0"
180#
12% BF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbvP7dT3Dx0

That's a good concern.  I don't think (time will tell) that the difference is that big from on day to off day, calorie wise.  But something to keep in mind, because an extra 100 calories here or there ends up as a pound of fat over time 

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

Well, I guess I should close this thread officially.

I gave up modifying Jeff's program and dropped out of the contest.  First time ever I've dropped out of a contest.  It sucks.

On the other hand, I've been doing hypertrophy-specific training (HST) with some decent results for a change.  I'm on week 5 of it and up about 5 lbs (little/no fat gain).

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

So why don't you stay on the program and do it for your own personal gains and not for the competition and keep the thread open?

5'6" 125/ Bench: 115 / Front squat: 90 / Deadlift: 205 / Pullups: 10

ORIGINAL: rippedchick

So why don't you stay on the program and do it for your own personal gains and not for the competition and keep the thread open?

Oh, I'm all about personal gains.  I started the contest to be able to pay of those pesky tax guys (j/k).

I'm on a bulking cycle through the Spring, when I'll start cutting and training for a short race (5K-yeah yeah yeah, it's not much, but I personally do have to train for it).  I've already chosen the programs I want to do for this bulking cycle.  I also think they will help me be ready for something like OA.  So, I might try OA during the cut--I need to re-review Jeff's book, but I think you can manipulate your calories for a cut with the routine. 

Anyway, for the curious, here's a current pic.  Sorry it's so fuzzy.  (I might be sucking my gut in a little, I don't remember--taken 09/23/2006).


[image]local://4037/9C012537C3914A549E747DF358452430.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

Woah Greg!
 
Talk about packing on some meat!
 
Youve put on some mass! You look a fair bit wider and those shoulders are coming along nicely.

Sure the definition might be there but when you are bulking, you can expect that.

I dont see any reason you should quit when your making nice progress such as this!

ORIGINAL: Lynx100

Woah Greg!

Talk about packing on some meat!

Youve put on some mass! You look a fair bit wider and those shoulders are coming along nicely.

Sure the definition might be there but when you are bulking, you can expect that.

I dont see any reason you should quit when your making nice progress such as this!

That's from hypertrophy-specific training (HST), my reduced version.

The program is set up on 2 week cycles, with a total of 3-4 cycles.  1st cycle--15 reps, working up to your 15-rep max by the end of the cycle; 2nd--10 reps, working up to your 10 rep max; and 3rd cycle--5 reps, working up to your 5 rep max.  Alternative 4th cycle is 5 reps with negatives.  The number of sets/body part is 1-3, lifting frequency is 3X/week.  (or 6X if you do an a.m. and p.m. session).  I modified it to 2X/week, with only one set for each body part (full body routine each time) for the first three weeks, and then in the last week of the 2nd cycle, I would alternate doing two sets for each body part for half the routine.  I'm in the 5-rep stage, and am alternating 2 sets with 3 sets.  It's all about building up ability for me right now--OA taught me that.  My legs have grown 0.5", even my stubborn calve (my right one with the goofy birth "defect" has put on 0.25", while my left leg has shot up 0.5"), my chest has put on probably around 0.5", and my guns maybe 0.2".  I'm not losing any fat, although I was lax on my diet for a couple of weeks--I've also been going through some adjustment there.

Diet--I was reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, and dang, it made me want to repudiate the products of industrial agriculture.  So, as best I can, I'm now selecting products that result from sustainable agricultural practices--grass-fed, free range beef (which coincides with antibiotic-free, hormone-free), pastured chickens (not so-called "free-range" which turns out *sigh* to be a scam), pastured chicken eggs (man, are those yolks YELLOW, and much more viscous all over), pastured lamb (MUCH tastier than the usual stuff in the market), humane pork (I don't think a pig cares what the hell it eats, but it does mind how it croaks), grass-fed milk products (amazing), raw milk cheeses (yum yum yum) etc.  The upside is that it turns out these foods are much better for us health-wise (especially the beef, which fat content begins to look more like fish than commercial beef), and quite tasty.  The downside is it's more expensive, and being a city dweller, gotta order it through the mail (although where I order from has a $7.50 flat fee for shipping)--oh yeah, and I can get eggs only 6 dozen at once!!

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

ORIGINAL: gzinkl

ORIGINAL: rippedchick

So why don't you stay on the program and do it for your own personal gains and not for the competition and keep the thread open?

Oh, I'm all about personal gains.  I started the contest to be able to pay of those pesky tax guys (j/k).

I'm on a bulking cycle through the Spring, when I'll start cutting and training for a short race (5K-yeah yeah yeah, it's not much, but I personally do have to train for it).  I've already chosen the programs I want to do for this bulking cycle.  I also think they will help me be ready for something like OA.  So, I might try OA during the cut--I need to re-review Jeff's book, but I think you can manipulate your calories for a cut with the routine. 

Anyway, for the curious, here's a current pic.  Sorry it's so fuzzy.  (I might be sucking my gut in a little, I don't remember--taken 09/23/2006).


[image]local://4037/9C012537C3914A549E747DF358452430.jpg[/image]

HOLY SHAZBOT Z, looking very very good! Is that some major abbage I see there?
 
Your Sig other must be getting nervous of your improvments and you having to beat people off with a stick!

Eat...Lift....Sleep......Repeat

Enjoy the process.. but crave the goal.

Dude.  Holy shazbot is RIGHT!
 
You have no idea how close you are to beefcakitude.  I see you took the kitty's advice RE the complexion (or maybe it's just the lighting -not sure).  Either way, keep it up.  Tanning is to physique-improvement as reduction is to graphic illustration.  It conceals distractions, and "tightens everything up".
 
I'm seeing some significant pec definition piling on there.  It looks, from this photo, like there's already enough mass lurking there to make a sick presentation as you continue to dial in the BF%
 
I better not hear anymore of this Bravo Sierra about "quitting" from you!  Not when you're THIS close.  Trust me, you are standing on the brink of an event horizon -incremental progress does slow down over time, but the cumulative effects can accellerate in ways that may surprise you.

Yes, that's me in my avatar, and NO, I don't look like that today. That was taken back in Jan '07, and I lost most of that progress when I slacked off last year. I'm on my way back, tho, and I'm using that photo for inspiration.

You guys are hysterical.  It's a combination of a good angle and soft lighting (and yes, I've been tanning, per the naughty (and relatively scarce) kitty).  Thanks for the positive comments!  It will get my ass in the gym today!
 
BTW, no abs, sorry coop.  They are quite a bit stronger, so I imagine there's actually something under there now (crunching 45#'ers--woof! woof!).  But there's a good layer of blubber there.  Rats.

"If there's nothing else that's relevant, I'll be leaving now"

"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground"

That's ok that your abs don't show. You're on a bulk, they're not supposed to. Nice delts though and good luck with that 5k. Don't get down on yourself because I couldn't run a 3 miles in my current shape either. There's a really cool program for beginners running a 5k called couch to 5k if you haven't heard about it.

5'6" 125/ Bench: 115 / Front squat: 90 / Deadlift: 205 / Pullups: 10

Here we go again...  Don't even TRY that humility crap on me, Bub!  You know I have no reason to B.S. you.  You're talking to a photog.

There is obvious improvement there -lighting or no.

I'm actually quite amped up about this now.  I wanna see you bust the fat burning engine wide open and melt off that so-called "blubber".  You have almost the exact same build as my brother.  I watched him go from 270-something down to 210, and the difference is mind-boggling.  If I could just convince him to ditch his lame-brained starvation tactics and get serious about a strategic approach, he's be ripped as all get out.

Right now, you and he are at almost exactly the same level of buffitism.  I wanna see you take this all the way.  I want to see you crank up that tan, dial in the BF%, and SHAVE!

You have a mandate to be a hottie.  Get on it!

Yes, that's me in my avatar, and NO, I don't look like that today. That was taken back in Jan '07, and I lost most of that progress when I slacked off last year. I'm on my way back, tho, and I'm using that photo for inspiration.