Daily Log to 2019 Show Season

[Mac11wildcat]

Hello all,

As always, appreciate yall having followed to date and apologize for the absence.

I mentioned above my mothers health issues and my absence has been related to her passing in November, all the logistical nightmares of owning two homes (after the sale of hers with the intent of us all moving to warmer weather and near her next treatment), managing her estate, etc.

We officially moved in early January and have settled in. This location would’ve been <90’ from 1 of 14 hospitals in the country who had my moms next treatment option but is also better for my wife’s depression/anxiety/mood and places me down the street from my coach and an elite gym with a dozen other pros.

Below is 3 weeks of work from 211 to 221.

 

[Jaxino]

Great job as always!

 

[BrunoES]

Hello all,

As always, appreciate yall having followed to date and apologize for the absence.

I mentioned above my mothers health issues and my absence has been related to her passing in November, all the logistical nightmares of owning two homes (after the sale of hers with the intent of us all moving to warmer weather and near her next treatment), managing her estate, etc.

We officially moved in early January and have settled in. This location would’ve been <90’ from 1 of 14 hospitals in the country who had my moms next treatment option but is also better for my wife’s depression/anxiety/mood and places me down the street from my coach and an elite gym with a dozen other pros.

Below is 3 weeks of work from 211 to 221.

Welcome back!

 

[Mac11wildcat]

Little update on the current plan:

The stuff everyone asks about first:
Test - 700
Mast - 420
Deca - 315
(Odd doses are from the EOD math of 200mg/ml and 300mg/ml products)

Training is still being ironed out now that I’m at the new gym and that almost as soon as I got here a fellow pro and training partner decided to take a step back due to a chronic skin condition made worse by bodybuilding size and diet. But it’s the typical PPL I do with one top set and one backdown to failure.

Split is fairly set at:
Legs
Chest/Delts/Tris/Bis
Off
Back/Bis/Tris
Legs
Tris/Bis/Chest/Delts
Off
(The order here denotes priority in the session with the later groups getting as little as one movement)

Food is relatively low for me but appropriate for where I’m at in the process: 375/450/100 or so macros.

 

[Ninjarello1]

Sraight set without intensity tecnique?

I saw years ago you did all straight set and once a session only on a big compound you did:

Week 1 top set
Week 2 top set + 1Rest pause
Week 3 top set +2RP
Weel 4 top set +3RP

Did you like It?

 

[Mac11wildcat]

Sraight set without intensity tecnique?

I saw years ago you did all straight set and once a session only on a big compound you did:

Week 1 top set
Week 2 top set + 1Rest pause
Week 3 top set +2RP
Weel 4 top set +3RP

Did you like It?

I think it’s the single most effective intensity technique, yes. But I reserve those for when 2 straight sets doesn’t seem to be all the stimulus I can handle. Delicate balance between maximizing the stimulus inside of minimum effective and maximum recoverable volume.

The progressively more sets per week resetting after 4 can be great but for my use is too non-linear an approach. I don’t believe that much change week to week is necessary when I am capable of pushing myself as hard as I am.

 

[Ninjarello1]

so can we say that it is a useful thing when we are no longer progressing linearly for a few weeks?

 

[Mac11wildcat]

so can we say that it is a useful thing when we are no longer progressing linearly for a few weeks?

Two kinds of progression at hand; physique progression and training progression. Not always knitted together. But yes a change to training that way can impact both and might be a decent first knob to turn.

I tend to not overreact when a single movement stalls so long as the rest of the day still moves. When that happens it’s typically a food or fatigue problem and adding work usually isn’t a great idea

I’ve found very few people who need more volume instead of needing to drive deeper toward what failure actually is, but, a little added volume can also substitute for small shortcomings in intensity.

 

[Mac11wildcat]

Missed my update last week with yall but I’ll fix that with tomorrows checkin.

I took a lot of pride in the past in getting where I had gotten to despite the “poor” environment. Objectively, living here where I do now is a cheat code.

Warm weather elevates mood. Life is slower. The gym is one of the best in the country. I have a training partner who’s also a pro, is as experienced as I am, and is just about equal on every lift give or take. Being surrounded by bodybuilding here, bumping elbows with other pros, just completely different.

Post workout this week:

 

[malfeasance]

That's awesome. I am glad you are in a better environment for your goals now.

 

[Jaxino]

Missed my update last week with yall but I’ll fix that with tomorrows checkin.

I took a lot of pride in the past in getting where I had gotten to despite the “poor” environment. Objectively, living here where I do now is a cheat code.

Warm weather elevates mood. Life is slower. The gym is one of the best in the country. I have a training partner who’s also a pro, is as experienced as I am, and is just about equal on every lift give or take. Being surrounded by bodybuilding here, bumping elbows with other pros, just completely different.

Post workout this week:

View attachment 318532

Sounds like you're in the perfect environment to thrive. Surrounding yourself with like-minded athletes, top-tier facilities, and the right atmosphere is definitely a cheat code for progress. The combination of a solid training partner, warm weather, and a slower-paced lifestyle sounds like it’s setting you up for next-level results.

Looking forward to hearing how this setup translates into your progress—how’s training feeling compared to before?

 

[Mac11wildcat]

Sounds like you're in the perfect environment to thrive. Surrounding yourself with like-minded athletes, top-tier facilities, and the right atmosphere is definitely a cheat code for progress. The combination of a solid training partner, warm weather, and a slower-paced lifestyle sounds like it’s setting you up for next-level results.

Looking forward to hearing how this setup translates into your progress—how’s training feeling compared to before?

I’m only now back in the gym for 4 weeks after legit months off and it is bananas. I’m stronger than ever. Log book is flying.

This is 8 weeks out last year vs last weeks check in. Different lighting and camera but as close as I could get. Things are just clicking at a level I’ve never experienced before.

 

[Mac11wildcat]

To be clear the left (last year) is still better. But the fact that I’m within inches of it so soon has me very hopeful for salvaging 2025.

 

[Palifter]

Great to see you back in the saddle.

I’m definitely jelly of your new setup in the sunshine; things look a little different in the northeast this time of year. Also digging your current split, might have to give that a go.

 

[BrunoES]

Hey Mac, can I get your opinion on something?
Based on your experience with yourself and your clients, what would you say is the minimum effective dose for GH for an off-season scenario? Do you think 2-3iu may be worth it?
The goal is to aid in lean tissue accrual without ramping up AAS.

 

[Avarice911]

Hey Mac, can I get your opinion on something?
Based on your experience with yourself and your clients, what would you say is the minimum effective dose for GH for an off-season scenario? Do you think 2-3iu may be worth it?
The goal is to aid in lean tissue accrual without ramping up AAS.

Not Mac obviously but I can tell you from recently going from 2-3iu for 1.5 years to 6iu for the past 3 weeks, I already notice even more fullness and capacity to keep weight gain on the lean side. With that said, even at 2-3iu, I still noticed fullness and better sleep quality. Also get compliments on my hair as it looks healthier even in just 2-3iu

 

[Mac11wildcat]

Hey Mac, can I get your opinion on something?
Based on your experience with yourself and your clients, what would you say is the minimum effective dose for GH for an off-season scenario? Do you think 2-3iu may be worth it?
The goal is to aid in lean tissue accrual without ramping up AAS.

I noticed 2-3iu the first time I used it. I believe it was a major factor in my ~20 stage lbs I added into 2019.

GH will always be an “as much as you can afford for as long as you can tolerate” kind of discussion, but 2/3iu is a fine starting point. With this low a dose, though, I’d probably say AM 94 pre-training. Not sure if science is confident in interrupting the normal sleep pulse but I kept it away to be sure. Now that it’s higher it’s all before bed for me.

 

[AlexDavis43]

Hey Mac, can I get your opinion on something?
Based on your experience with yourself and your clients, what would you say is the minimum effective dose for GH for an off-season scenario? Do you think 2-3iu may be worth it?
The goal is to aid in lean tissue accrual without ramping up AAS.

I noticed 2-3iu the first time I used it. I believe it was a major factor in my ~20 stage lbs I added into 2019.

GH will always be an “as much as you can afford for as long as you can tolerate” kind of discussion, but 2/3iu is a fine starting point. With this low a dose, though, I’d probably say AM 94 pre-training. Not sure if science is confident in interrupting the normal sleep pulse but I kept it away to be sure. Now that it’s higher it’s all before bed for me.

^agree with the above: 2-3 IU/d is a good starting point

And the GH adage.