BB'ing photo journal / log

[gr8whitetrukker]

The RPE scale is just some geniuses way to make them appear smart about some thing that we all have been doing instinctually since the BB dawn of time. I like to bump that RPE scale to as close to 10 as possible. I love the stimulus and the more days i can string together at RPE 10 on everything the better the immediate feedback my body gives me. The more fatigue i build up the better. Learned all this by trial and error.

 

[brutus79]

The RPE scale is just some geniuses way to make them appear smart about some thing that we all have been doing instinctually since the BB dawn of time. I like to bump that RPE scale to as close to 10 as possible. I love the stimulus and the more days i can string together at RPE 10 on everything the better the immediate feedback my body gives me. The more fatigue i build up the better. Learned all this by trial and error.

Why would a genius have to appear smart? You like to train close to a 10. Got it. That is not necessarily the way everyone needs or wants to train all the time. You have deloads, down sets- it's an incredibly easy way to approximate how hard you should push... and to the best of my knowledge it is a powerlifting training technique adopted by bbing. Is it rippetoe? Either way it is an easy way to convey something that did not previously have a unit of measure... not something to condescend the legions of bodybuilders who already inherently knew all this fancy stuff.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Why would a genius have to appear smart? You like to train close to a 10. Got it. That is not necessarily the way everyone needs or wants to train all the time. You have deloads, down sets- it's an incredibly easy way to approximate how hard you should push... and to the best of my knowledge it is a powerlifting training technique adopted by bbing. Is it rippetoe? Either way it is an easy way to convey something that did not previously have a unit of measure... not something to condescend the legions of bodybuilders who already inherently knew all this fancy stuff.

Just blowing off steam. Ever seen the comedian Lewis Black?
Just imagine my posts in his voice then itll add a layer of sarcasm that is pretty much lost thru text.
Meadows uses RPE's and i know he does it for the audience but otherwise i think the pace of the workout and the time between sets and the fatigue built up over the week, especially during a specialized block, where one bodypart gets hit 3x a week, really will dictate where you need to be on an RPE chart. Ferrigno foremost being my favorite and Arnold all did stuff like this instinctually. When there wasnt books and internet forums everywhere. So if Rippetoe or somebody later on in life managed to put a term to it its just that. But i understand and good point.

 

[weighted chinup]

Unrelated, but committing myself to posting pictures every training session has done absolute wonders to resolve my body dysmorphia issues. 100%, I could give a fuck less what I look like on any given day, and it feels great.

 

[jaymaximus]

Unrelated, but committing myself to posting pictures every training session has done absolute wonders to resolve my body dysmorphia issues. 100%, I could give a fuck less what I look like on any given day, and it feels great.

I may have to try that. The more I train the more critical I become about myself

 

[weighted chinup]

I may have to try that. The more I train the more critical I become about myself

It will help, seriously. Posting pics everyday regardless of if I'm feeling off or not has done wonders for this mental disease that inflicts almost all of us.

I'll be honest, I thought I would have abandoned this log after like 3 entries because I wouldn't be able to adhere to what I had promised due to crippling body dysmorphia.

Now, I just don't give a fuck. And, coincidence perhaps, but I haven't had a single bad day since I started this log.

 

[weighted chinup]

Entry 12

Today was chest.

Last weeks chest session consisted of an absurd amount of heavy pressing, and while heavy pressing was indicated today also, there was more esoteric work in place of the presses indicated in last weeks session.

The heavy pressing indicated for today was incline barbell bench, and the esoteric work included machine presses, hex presses, and pronated cable flys. Keep in mind, last week had 3 pressing movements indicated, hence this session deviating and with slightly more attention being given to contraction of the pecs (hex & machine presses are indicated for this purpose).

It's a good way to balance chest training to shift gears like this on a somewhat regular basis. When the previous week gets really hard because of the amount of pressing, you want a session like this that is just as / if not more challenging, but in a different way.

Next week starts the chest/shoulder specialization block and there will be plenty of pressing and variants (some reverse band benching on week 1!) and lots of esoteric work on the second and tertiary days...and lots of pressing too.

RPE becomes absurdly important on a high frequency chest block and unless you're in the final weeks, you usually keep it at 8-9 at the highest. I shouldn't have to mention why

But, this week is still the back block, and the remaining 2 sessions are going to be punishment, since it is the final week. I really love how the intensity and volume builds up as the weeks in the block progress, especially since the blocks are fairly short (4 weeks). Really really effective and sustainable too.

I should state, I have not had a single bad session on this entire program, and I have been making strides in strength, technique, performance, and aesthetics.

I attribute that to this being one of the best designed bodybuilding programs for advanced lifters I have ever had the privilege of running and partly due to being honest about what I'm capable of on any given day with regard to RPE.

• 10 ticks
• Weight is still going up
• 200 coming soon
• 200 at a leaner body comp coming soon after that
• I feel great

Pics:



Peaceoutbye

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Entry 12

Today was chest.

Last weeks chest session consisted of an absurd amount of heavy pressing, and while heavy pressing was indicated today also, there was more esoteric work in place of the presses indicated in last weeks session.

The heavy pressing indicated for today was incline barbell bench, and the esoteric work included machine presses, hex presses, and pronated cable flys. Keep in mind, last week had 3 pressing movements indicated, hence this session deviating and with slightly more attention being given to contraction of the pecs (hex & machine presses are indicated for this purpose).

It's a good way to balance chest training to shift gears like this on a somewhat regular basis. When the previous week gets really hard because of the amount of pressing, you want a session like this that is just as / if not more challenging, but in a different way.

Next week starts the chest/shoulder specialization block and there will be plenty of pressing and variants (some reverse band benching on week 1!) and lots of esoteric work on the second and tertiary days...and lots of pressing too.

RPE becomes absurdly important on a high frequency chest block and unless you're in the final weeks, you usually keep it at 8-9 at the highest. I shouldn't have to mention why

But, this week is still the back block, and the remaining 2 sessions are going to be punishment, since it is the final week. I really love how the intensity and volume builds up as the weeks in the block progress, especially since the blocks are fairly short (4 weeks). Really really effective and sustainable too.

I should state, I have not had a single bad session on this entire program, and I have been making strides in strength, technique, performance, and aesthetics.

I attribute that to this being one of the best designed bodybuilding programs for advanced lifters I have ever had the privilege of running and partly due to being honest about what I'm capable of on any given day with regard to RPE.

• 10 ticks
• Weight is still going up
• 200 coming soon
• 200 at a leaner body comp coming soon after that
• I feel great

Pics:

View attachment 71031

Peaceoutbye

Which program of meadows are you running? It is a meadows program i can tell by the splits.
I always hated his chest&shoulder days together. My least favorite block of the specialization periods

 

[weighted chinup]

Forgot to hit post on last nights entry before I fell asleep.

Last nights entry below VVVVVVVVV

Entry 13.

Tonight was the second back session of the week. Tonight's focus was primarily on width and some mild rowing volume added in where the goal was to just get elbows as far back as possible.

Really enjoying the fact that I am able to crush these very challenging high frequency sessions so smoothly, which I attribute to the fact that the volume and intensity was built up gradually towards the final week (which is the week we're in).

• 10 ticks
• Weight still going up
• Tightening up a little more but need to be a bit more strict now because the weight gain is basically a given at this point

Pics:

 

[weighted chinup]

Here is a pic from this morning post-piss, no water or calories consumed yet, upon waking.



I'm making some noticeable chest gains without having even employed the high frequency chest block yet (starts next week). I'm really starting to nail the cues so I'm excited to see what some specialization will do this time around.

Also, the pic gives a good idea of what I look like upon waking at these new bodyweights. In this pic I'm around 192lbs after taking a piss and not eating anything yet upon waking, and around training I'm normally around 195lbs. 200 will be forthcoming, and I feel I can come in at that weight with a slightly improved body comp than where I stand now, which is pretty dramatic imo.

Improvements are daily. I like this.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

What do you have on hand for simple sugars just incase?

 

[weighted chinup]

What do you have on hand for simple sugars just incase?

The dextrose in the shake does the job to the point this hasn't been a concern and is extremely efficient for bringing back blood sugar.

But I have a couple fail safes since the shake is a lot of fluid to consume (lasts the whole workout) :

The sugary drinks they sell at the gym (most gyms have these). Just tell the guy you're feeling hypo and you'll pay for it later after you drink it, they'll be cool with it.

And usually I have a cliff bar in my bag that I eat with my post-workout meal.

But, never had any issues.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

You buy powdered dextrose?
I believe gatorade has dextrose in it?

 

[weighted chinup]

You buy powdered dextrose?
I believe gatorade has dextrose in it?

Wouldn't recommend pure Gatorade, yeah it has dextrose but also other things that are less efficient and I don't know what the ratio is.

You can experiment with different carb sources but within reason and always using quality ingredients.

Lots of supplement companies will sell powdered dextrose, find one without any extra bullshit.

They sell it at Bulkbarn too.

Bulk Barn - Corn Sugar

(Corn sugar is dextrose btw).

 

[Mr.B66]

Wouldn't recommend pure Gatorade, yeah it has dextrose but also other things that are less efficient and I don't know what the ratio is.

You can experiment with different carb sources but within reason and always using quality ingredients.

Lots of supplement companies will sell powdered dextrose, find one without any extra bullshit.

They sell it at Bulkbarn too.

Bulk Barn - Corn Sugar

(Corn sugar is dextrose btw).

Hey WC, great log my friend, glad i stumbled into it. Just catching up on your log im able to see changes in your physique in a very short amount of time, pretty exciting stuff. Im a big fan of using as little aas as necessary to accomplish your goals. I prefer slow and steady with way fewer sides and less health risks, so im really digging your stack.
Im becoming increasingly interested in the use of slin but i have hypo attacks about 3-4 times a year without the use of slin so im thinking slin might be a bit of a risk for me.
Anyway sorry bout the book, but im subbed in this sumbitch!!!

 

[weighted chinup]

Hey WC, great log my friend, glad i stumbled into it. Just catching up on your log im able to see changes in your physique in a very short amount of time, pretty exciting stuff. Im a big fan of using as little aas as necessary to accomplish your goals. I prefer slow and steady with way fewer sides and less health risks, so im really digging your stack.
Im becoming increasingly interested in the use of slin but i have hypo attacks about 3-4 times a year without the use of slin so im thinking slin might be a bit of a risk for me.
Anyway sorry bout the book, but im subbed in this sumbitch!!!

Thanks man, glad to see you here.

And yeah, I think it's probably not the best idea, only because I never advocate a lifter using something that makes them feel like shit or will make certain tendencies they have worse. Same reason I will never touch Equipose ever again, I have horrible anxiety and that drug was giving me legit panic attacks 2-3x a day to the point I had to let people around me calm me down.

Incidentally, I am stupid sensitive to feeling like shit on AAS, so needless to say I had to be extra careful with insulin. I bought a glucometer and test strips and took about 10 measurements a day for the first few days to see what I normally run at. First few times I pinned I thought I wasn't keeping up adequate intake on carbs peri-workout (even though I was taking like 2x the amount I am now with like half the amount of slin).

A lot of it was just trying to be calm mentally so I wouldn't let anxiety symptoms convince me I was going to die, but I've been way calmer lately for whatever reason so everything has been good on that front.

 

[weighted chinup]

Once again, forgot to post last nights entry before fell asleep. That's some senior citizen shit right there.

Last nights entry.

Entry 14

Tonight was arms.

I was sweating like a whore in church towards the end of this session just due to the pace I was keeping and how painful the pump was at certain points. 2 movements really pushed things for me not even due to the RPE being used but rather the technique / cues.

Preacher curls were done with dumbbells single handed. I used about 25lb dumbbells here which was challenging for 10. The cue was a slow eccentric and pointing my pinky inward toward whatever side I was working upon bringing it up and squeezing hard. This is my standard dumbbell curl technique but this is the first time I employed it on dumbbell preachers and the pain was disgusting. Pinwheel curls were done after that, at this point I was gritting my teeth from the pump. Cue was just bring it down very controlled and squeeze as hard as possible at the top.

That's about it, direct tricep work is pretty simple. Only thing mildly interesting was pushdowns on the assisted dip machine pad (you push down on the pad). Probably one of the best movements I've used for tricep growth.

• 10 ticks
• Keeping things very controlled diet wise now
• Still growing

Pics:



(Bottom 2 were taken several hours after training in between meals)

 

[weighted chinup]

Training set for later tonight.

More back work.

Tonight's session will be the final back session in the high frequency back block, which will end / complete the back phase. It has been very productive so far, although on some level I feel specializing an already developed body part compared to the rest of ones physique is a bit redundant, but it does satisfy me seeing it improve every time I specialize.

 

[Marcus]

Once again, forgot to post last nights entry before fell asleep. That's some senior citizen shit right there.

Last nights entry.

Entry 14

Tonight was arms.

I was sweating like a whore in church towards the end of this session just due to the pace I was keeping and how painful the pump was at certain points. 2 movements really pushed things for me not even due to the RPE being used but rather the technique / cues.

Preacher curls were done with dumbbells single handed. I used about 25lb dumbbells here which was challenging for 10. The cue was a slow eccentric and pointing my pinky inward toward whatever side I was working upon bringing it up and squeezing hard. This is my standard dumbbell curl technique but this is the first time I employed it on dumbbell preachers and the pain was disgusting. Pinwheel curls were done after that, at this point I was gritting my teeth from the pump. Cue was just bring it down very controlled and squeeze as hard as possible at the top.

That's about it, direct tricep work is pretty simple. Only thing mildly interesting was pushdowns on the assisted dip machine pad (you push down on the pad). Probably one of the best movements I've used for tricep growth.

• 10 ticks
• Keeping things very controlled diet wise now
• Still growing

Pics:

View attachment 71206

(Bottom 2 were taken several hours after training in between meals)

Crazy the change in physique in such a short period of time man. Your chest is super full man

 

[Rigger622]

Thanks for posting this log. Learning some good info. from it and pics look amazing.