Long Off-Season to Classic D Class Weight Cap

[Slowww]

I am currently 93kg/205lbs, and need to add another 12.2kg to get to the Classic weight cap which is 105.2kg/232lbs for a 6 foot 2 inches/ 188cm person.

Since December I have added over 6kg stage weight, going from 87 to 93 but ending up leaner than I was previously and with less water, so probably more muscle. That being said I am 4 weeks out with this condition so I probably need to gain something like 14kg muscle mass. I have worked with one coach since that time and will continue through this period with the same coach which will take well over a year.

Today my second rebound and off season push starts.

My cycle is 250 test per week, 250 eq per week and 5iu gh.
My coach will give me a new split tomorrow for the off season, since right now it had adjustments made to be appropriate for cutting. All training is done to or past failure with intensifiers. High volume, high intensity.

I lost a decent amount of strength during this cut because I was at 108.8kg/240lbs, so I lost 35lbs.

For example (with 8 rep range)
I lost 10kg off my RDLs went from 180kg to 170kg.
-15kg from my incline bench 140kg to 125kg
-20kg flat press 160kg to 140kg
-15kg overhead pressing (150kg to 130kg machine)
-40kg leg press (300kg to 260kg)
-20kg tBar Rows- (4 plates to 3 plates)
-40 hip thrust (260kg down to 220kg)

Some of these were also influenced by the fact that I herniated a disc. I still can train every body part correctly but I wasn’t able to hinge and leg press, RDL, or hip thrust for several weeks while my spine healed. So for some time I replaced them with similar movements.

Here are current photos before my rebound and where I start this process before I make my way to the stage

Some different lighting (will take back updates today)

 

[Slowww]

Back: rear relaxed

 

[malfeasance]

That's a lot of weight to add. Where does your coach want to add it?

 

[Slowww]

That's a lot of weight to add. Where does your coach want to add it?

Well, everywhere needs to be bigger. Especially Arms, front upper body and . Rear of lower body still need a lot of work.
My hamstrings are not in how I would want at this level of body fat, and my arms really are bad especially in rear double bicep.

I will see what he wants to focus on this off season specifically if he gives me a new split this check in or if my current split will address this as is. (arms, chest, shoulders, hamstrings, 2x a week. Quads and back 1x a week)

 

[Ryu82]

Get after it. Cant wait to see the progress.

 

[Slowww]

1st week rebound will finish tomorrow
95.7kg/211lbs. Gained 6lbs in the last 6 days.

I always feel like I am a bit watery on my leg day, and look best on ham/arm day. Doesn’t really matter just a note.

I’m setting PRs again though within this week.

I flat pressed 180kg/395 for 8, so I had to add an entire plate since last Monday. My press maxed out on bulk with a body weight of 108.8kg/240lbs at 180kg x 7/8 so this is really big for me on 250 test and 250 eq per week. adductors I needed to add a 20kg on to the full stack for 83kgs/183 for 10 after sets of 20 from 36/73kg. FST7 on hamstring curls I added 3 reps for all 7 sets, and will be stronger than ever next week im assuming. I was doing 300kg/660 x10 tempo hack squats wrapped last bulk without pre-fatigue (1st quad exercise), but now I’m down to 200kg x12 for my fifth exercise, without failing raw, no sleeves or anything with closer foot placement. Next week I need to add like 40-50kg to the movement so I can fail at the correct range. I think I will get 300kg raw this time without using glutes and hamstrings and after leg press, leg extensions, adductors, and ham curls.
I held strength really well, so I really want to focus hard on building some huge lifts that meet my coach’s technical requirements.
This week I also get to RDL again so I’m hoping I can crack 4 plates again since I herniated my spine. 2 weeks ago I hit 170kgx8, and my max on bulk was 180kgx7. So I’m feeling very optimistic about strength at this point.

 

[malfeasance]

Setting your PRs on "250 test and 250 eq per week".

 

[Slowww]

Setting your PRs on "250 test and 250 eq per week".

Haha I suppose it’s not a small amount of gear but my point is I’m surprised how far it goes. After losing 30+lbs and straight out of the cut I am beating my previous lifts at my heaviest body weight

 

[malfeasance]

Excellent stuff in a good thread.

 

[Slowww]

Weight: 96.4kg
Today for hamstrings and arms I was able to beat my all time PR for RDLs. Got 180kg/400lbs x8 reps. This is a lot less than my conventional, but with 0 lower back engagement, so I’m very happy with this outcome today since it is my first time doing this movement on my rebound.

Here are back photos from last Thursday (95.8), stills from posing practice videos.

Check ins changing to Monday

 

[Slowww]

Weight: 96.8/213.4kg
Training continues to go well. Arms are at full strength from last bulk, incline press basically there, chest flies, etc are all just about better than last time now. Moving forward will be new strength gains for many body parts. Actually I’m surprised just how fast it all came back. I was expecting I would need to work back up to my previous maxes. Hopefully this means I held on to a lot of new muscle.
Found a gym near my work with many leg machines that are more exotic so I will try a leg day there tomorrow over my lunch break, and see how things like pendulum or belt squats are if i can work them into my program.

My blood glucose and blood pressure, heart rate are very good.

I may need Accutane for the small amount of EQ. I forgot that this makes me break out.

Condition is holding pretty well considering weight gain.

 

[Slowww]

Check in: 97kg
added carbs

training 300/520/10 +insulin
Rest 200/180/70

New split. 2 on, 1 off. Or can take 3 days off total depending on level of fatigue. I will probably not take the extra day off the majority of the time, but under rare cases of extreme fatigue then I will. Or if I note some stagnation in my lifting log that indicate improper recovery.

I did my first leg session yesterday, and matched my leg press PR with ramping sets starting at 140kg x12, then up to 260kg x12 without failure, and finally ending at 300kg/660lbs x 6. No criticism about form from coach so I am going to keep pushing the weights up.
By the end of my workout I had pretty intense cramps in my quads and couldn’t walk for a bit, until the blood left them, because I was running the rack up and down the leg extension.

 

[Ryu82]

Assuming that's 10g of added fat vs. total including trace lol.

Best part of a good leg day is the stairs to get to the locker room after.

 

[Slowww]

Assuming that's 10g of added fat vs. total including trace lol.

Best part of a good leg day is the stairs to get to the locker room after.

Yeah haha it’s 10g fat preworkout.
the stairs are lovely after. I have to go up 8 flights to my office after the workout, absolutely a treat hahaha

 

[Slowww]

Weight:96.8kg/213lbs
6 day micro-cycle for training is totally fine.
Now back is with hamstrings together. Pretty tough first workout, but 6 days for hamstrings is perfect. I added 40kg back to my hip thrusts (220kg/485lbs x8) and I was able to do 260kg/575lbs for two reps (my final set to failure) I will go a little lighter next time so I can at least hit 6 reps for my highest load. That being said, I might just be strong enough by then to get a 6 at 260kg… i usually just add plates at a time for leg exercises so I’ll just see how the 400lbs feels. I didn’t expect to get it so easily this time since last time I hit a nasty grind for 8 with a measly 4 PPS.

My hamstring curls also blew up like crazy. I’m back at the full stack for 12 without failure, and then immediately into a drop set so I can make sure I get the volume on the last set. Next time however I will overload and use my pin to add weight to the machine. I didn’t think it would be this fast.

My back strength is very hard to gauge for the first session since the order is completely different and it opens up with a nasty 3 supersets. This is easily one of my favorite work out days now since I love back sessions and my hamstring strength develops comparatively quickly so I really enjoy tossing plates on my main compound and working.

My coach is giving me optional cheat meals again, but I will not take them for the time being. I will save one next month for thanksgiving, and one for my wife’s birthday (which is on Christmas week, so I will only choose one). Then that’s it.

Unposed back after opening my training with plate loaded pullover and pull-down superset

I used to think I had very high/bad insertions but I just had tiny ass muscles. Seems like insertions aren’t that high.


Not much to report for my shoulder and Tricep day. It’s totally different than before. So I cannot accurately make considerations regarding my strength.

 

[Slowww]

Found a picture of last year October, so one year difference. This is my first cut after I stopped power lifting.

Only 2kg body weight difference…

 

[iris]

Wow, the difference in only a year is quite something.
Looks like a completely different person.
And you kept that waist small, too.
You must be pleased with your progress.
Awesome.

 

[Slowww]

Wow, the difference in only a year is quite something.
Looks like a completely different person.
And you kept that waist small, too.
You must be pleased with your progress.
Awesome.

Thanks, actually I was surprised when I saw it. One of the criticisms I originally got when I decided I wanted to compete in BB was my upper back and lats, so I am glad I’ve made up some ground with it. after overdoing deadlifts during hypertrophy training and while powerlifting I can see I had not been organizing back training for aesthetics correctly. What I’m more excited about is that I know I am finally training my back properly so, if I expect a similar rate of development in 2025 I will really start making some good steps forward towards my long term goal.