Don’t call it a comeback

[Btcowboy]

View attachment 123686

So I’m hopping on the cutting train. Anyone else using an app to count macros? This one’s pretty badass, and was only like $3. It tracks macros, weight, workouts, pretty much everything.

Inside my fitness pal to track mine. Since I eat the same thing everyday I build my diet and track once knowing what they are every day

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Inside my fitness pal to track mine. Since I eat the same thing everyday I build my diet and track once knowing what they are every day

Same here. Figure it up with Myfitnesspal and then eat the same things every day.

 

[NovaFlex]

I can’t eat the same thing consistently. I can for 2-3 weeks, the. I need to change it up. Plus I like going out to eat lol

 

[Btcowboy]

I can’t eat the same thing consistently. I can for 2-3 weeks, the. I need to change it up. Plus I like going out to eat lol

Haha I sometimes miss the change if food. But look at food these days as an ends to means and it dont bother me none.

Currently ground Turkey and quinoa 5x a day everyday for months lol.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Had some form of peanut butter sandwich for lunch almost every day for years now. Change brands, jellies, and breads every now and then. Other stuff I change after a few months depending how long I can tolerate it.

 

[NovaFlex]

Haha I sometimes miss the change if food. But look at food these days as an ends to means and it dont bother me none.

Currently ground Turkey and quinoa 5x a day everyday for months lol.

See, I’ve never eaten sweets or soda or things like that, but I love some good food. Lately I’ve been tracking my protein and stopping my daily intake once I meet it... but I’m trying to be a little more responsible with this cut, lol.

 

[Btcowboy]

See, I’ve never eaten sweets or soda or things like that, but I love some good food. Lately I’ve been tracking my protein and stopping my daily intake once I meet it... but I’m trying to be a little more responsible with this cut, lol.

Well we will cut together then brother...Christmas wreaked havoc on my slow cut so gonna be a little more rapid going forward

 

[NovaFlex]

Well we will cut together then brother...Christmas wreaked havoc on my slow cut so gonna be a little more rapid going forward

Cheers to that!

 

[Worf]

Fat secret, free app

increase your protein

 

[NovaFlex]

Fat secret, free app

increase your protein

I downloaded a few free apps and didn’t care for them. I used to use MFP, but I think they changed it over the years.

increase my protein over 200?

 

[Worf]

I downloaded a few free apps and didn’t care for them. I used to use MFP, but I think they changed it over the years.

increase my protein over 200?

Yes, it will help maintain. Possibly increase muscle and allow you to lower fat and carb intake

 

[NovaFlex]

Yes, it will help maintain. Possibly increase muscle and allow you to lower fat and carb intake

Didn’t realize more protein was needed while cutting. It makes sense, I just never thought about it. Maybe I should up it to .9, about 250 grams.

 

[Worf]

Didn’t realize more protein was needed while cutting. It makes sense, I just never thought about it. Maybe I should up it to .9, about 250 grams.

It may not be needed but it sure as hell helped me. I cut from a little over 220 down to 205 at the beginning of summer. I was stuck around 215 and increased my protein to 1.2-1.5 g per pound, was able to drop carbs lower and get the other 10 lbs off. Not too much of a drop in strength but I was definitely tired and energy suffered.

 

[NovaFlex]

It may not be needed but it sure as hell helped me. I cut from a little over 220 down to 205 at the beginning of summer. I was stuck around 215 and increased my protein to 1.2-1.5 g per pound, was able to drop carbs lower and get the other 10 lbs off. Not too much of a drop in strength but I was definitely tired and energy suffered.

Good info bro. I was thinking of carb cycling too.

 

[NovaFlex]

ME upper

I wasn’t impressed with my bench performance today, and that kinda ruined the flow for the rest of the session—still got shit done though.


Comp Bench

135 x8

185 x5

225 x4

245 x2

265 x2

285 x1

295 -Missed


-Everything felt light in the beginning, all the way up to 245 felt like the bar was almost empty...but I can’t seem to get past 285, even though I can do it for a double—weird. It may be a mental thing, or I need more dynamic work to get past my sticking point. I’m not totally sure.


Strict BB row

135 x10

185 x8

225 5x5


Trap Bar Shrugs

315 x20

415 x12, 10, 10


-Amazingly enough, I’ve never done shrugs with a trap bar. I like these much better than a Barbell or DBs.


Fly Press

50 3x10


Tricep Press down

SS Cable Curls


140 x10 / 100 x8

AMRAP - 140 x18 / 100 x16

 

[Worf]

Have you tried more volume above say 75%. You’re doin the standard ME , DE stuff. So the ME work is a hill climb, jumps of weight increase and rep decrease. So your basically going 45%,62%,74,81.5%88,93, etc. DE is pretty much flat 60-70% but waved over the weeks.
Try to knock out some volume above 75%, right now you only have 3 sets above 75 for one week, then the next week it’s a variation and you’re not coming around to comp bench for a couple weeks. You could do this on DE day. Not everyone responds well to DE work.
Percentage are estimated:
Try something like this
135x5 -45%
205x3 -68%
225x3-75%
245 3x2 -81%
265 2x2- 88%

or do a 5x5 at 220-240

Thats 5-6 sets above 75%

 

[Silentlemon1011]

Have you tried more volume above say 75%. You’re doin the standard ME , DE stuff. So the ME work is a hill climb, jumps of weight increase and rep decrease. So your basically going 45%,62%,74,81.5%88,93, etc. DE is pretty much flat 60-70% but waved over the weeks.
Try to knock out some volume above 75%, right now you only have 3 sets above 75 for one week, then the next week it’s a variation and you’re not coming around to comp bench for a couple weeks. You could do this on DE day. Not everyone responds well to DE work.
Percentage are estimated:
Try something like this
135x5 -45%
205x3 -68%
225x3-75%
245 3x2 -81%
265 2x2- 88%

or do a 5x5 at 220-240

Thats 5-6 sets above 75%

I would assume the same advice would apply for other lifts like Squat?

EDIT
My routine and lifting looks eerily similar to @NovaFlex
I typically pyramid up and dont spend a lot of time above 75%

 

[Btcowboy]

I would assume the same advice would apply for other lifts like Squat?

EDIT
My routine and lifting looks eerily similar to @NovaFlex
I typically pyramid up and dont spend a lot of time above 75%

I know we are doing different programs and this conversation about 75% had me take a look at mine.

Every week I am above 75%
Week 1 3 rep week 4 sets of triples at or above 75%
Week 2 5 rep week 1 set of 5 at 75%
Week 3 53amrap week 1x5@80%, 1x3@90%, and and amrap @100% TM

May be because my % is of TM I may be slightly less sets at or above 75% of 1RM

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Have you tried more volume above say 75%. You’re doin the standard ME , DE stuff. So the ME work is a hill climb, jumps of weight increase and rep decrease. So your basically going 45%,62%,74,81.5%88,93, etc. DE is pretty much flat 60-70% but waved over the weeks.
Try to knock out some volume above 75%, right now you only have 3 sets above 75 for one week, then the next week it’s a variation and you’re not coming around to comp bench for a couple weeks. You could do this on DE day. Not everyone responds well to DE work.
Percentage are estimated:
Try something like this
135x5 -45%
205x3 -68%
225x3-75%
245 3x2 -81%
265 2x2- 88%

or do a 5x5 at 220-240

Thats 5-6 sets above 75%

I was gonna say more volume too. Need a lot of weekly reps in the 70-80% range. Just a handful in the 90%+ range just isn't enough to drive progress. Bench typically responds well to volume, better than squat by some and deadlift by a lot.

 

[NovaFlex]

Have you tried more volume above say 75%. You’re doin the standard ME , DE stuff. So the ME work is a hill climb, jumps of weight increase and rep decrease. So your basically going 45%,62%,74,81.5%88,93, etc. DE is pretty much flat 60-70% but waved over the weeks.
Try to knock out some volume above 75%, right now you only have 3 sets above 75 for one week, then the next week it’s a variation and you’re not coming around to comp bench for a couple weeks. You could do this on DE day. Not everyone responds well to DE work.
Percentage are estimated:
Try something like this
135x5 -45%
205x3 -68%
225x3-75%
245 3x2 -81%
265 2x2- 88%

or do a 5x5 at 220-240

Thats 5-6 sets above 75%

That’s why I added the 3 week blocks of 8x3 / 10x3 at 75% (225) on DE days, then go back to speed work for 3 weeks... But I think you guys are right, I STILL need more volume than that. I’m thinking possibly doing 3 week volume blocks in place of ME, and just keep alternating them between ME and DE.

I know that overall it’s just a small sticking point, but I think I got too caught up in the ME work and have done Comp bench for too many weeks in a row.