Palifter’s competition log

[Hightower]

Chest day yesterday:

Pec deck - 4x12-15
Incline smith bench - 4x 8-12
Flat standing press (custom piece) - 4x8-12
BW dips - 4 sets, last 2 to failure
Cable fly - 4x12

Nothing revolutionary here. I begin my chest days these days with a good isolation movement where I focus on form and TUT. If I go straight into a pressing movement, my delts will take over instead of my intended targeted muscle. This allows me to connect with my chest and fill it with blood - although pumps these days are far and few.

Feeling tired this week. Workouts are a chore as is cardio. Hopefully this push will shed a little more body fat. I send check in pics tomorrow am and go from there!

Let’s get it!

I, too, first pre-warm up and tire my chest a little before starting the main workout. I like it there more and feel it better.

 

[Callmedaddy]

Chest day yesterday:

Pec deck - 4x12-15
Incline smith bench - 4x 8-12
Flat standing press (custom piece) - 4x8-12
BW dips - 4 sets, last 2 to failure
Cable fly - 4x12

Nothing revolutionary here. I begin my chest days these days with a good isolation movement where I focus on form and TUT. If I go straight into a pressing movement, my delts will take over instead of my intended targeted muscle. This allows me to connect with my chest and fill it with blood - although pumps these days are far and few.

Feeling tired this week. Workouts are a chore as is cardio. Hopefully this push will shed a little more body fat. I send check in pics tomorrow am and go from there!

Let’s get it!

This is awesome man really appreciate you going into detail here and putting your routines for us to see. Wish you well.

 

[Palifter]

Recent changes:

Add Halo 30mg a day
Bump T3 to 62.5mcg

Carbs pulled from meals 2/3.

Sushi refeed tonight

Check back in Tuesday

 

[Callmedaddy]

Recent changes:

Add Halo 30mg a day
Bump T3 to 62.5mcg

Carbs pulled from meals 2/3.

Sushi refeed tonight

Check back in Tuesday

How long til comp?

 

[Palifter]

How long til comp?

Exactly 3 weeks from today, August 13th.

My coach said we’re 90% there as of this mornings pics. Ideally we want to be close to 100% next Saturday and be able to ease into the show nicely. My best showings have been when I was essentially stage ready 2 weeks before actually stepping on stage (minute water/sodium manipulation etc). Keeps cortisol and stress hormones low and my legs stay nice and full if we don’t have to dig deep closer to show.

I’ll lay out current diet shortly so people can compare to my diet outlined at the beginning of this log.

Forgot to mention: Adex increased to 0.5mg mon/wed/Friday

 

[lukiss96]

Exactly 3 weeks from today, August 13th.

My coach said we’re 90% there as of this mornings pics. Ideally we want to be close to 100% next Saturday and be able to ease into the show nicely. My best showings have been when I was essentially stage ready 2 weeks before actually stepping on stage (minute water/sodium manipulation etc). Keeps cortisol and stress hormones low and my legs stay nice and full if we don’t have to dig deep closer to show.

I’ll lay out current diet shortly so people can compare to my diet outlined at the beginning of this log.

Forgot to mention: Adex increased to 0.5mg mon/wed/Friday

All is going good for you as I see BIG MAN

the part in bold, oh man, this must suck... I mean near crashed estrogen sucks :/ but hey, it's what you gotta do, mentally hard things like that says a lot about your determination and personality!

I was always impressed by what competitors are willing to put themselves through to just step on stage.

 

[Palifter]

All is going good for you as I see BIG MAN

the part in bold, oh man, this must suck... I mean near crashed estrogen sucks :/ but hey, it's what you gotta do, mentally hard things like that says a lot about your determination and personality!

I was always impressed by what competitors are willing to put themselves through to just step on stage.

Yea that dose shouldn’t crash me too hard and it’ll be short lived. Sex is off the table at this point anyway and my GF knows what the tail end of contest prep entails so I don’t have to feel bad there lol. Joint pain and lethargy also suck but we’re so close to we keep pushing! Curious to see what the lowered estrogen does for my lower back - I hold a ton of water and my last bit of fat there.

 

[Palifter]

 

[lukiss96]

View attachment 169819

Holy hell, a man your size eating 2500cals... How insane is that.

But seriously shit like that takes a lot mental energy, but since you're the Iron Man it's ok for you I guess

You know your posts give me motivation, just watch out that I don't take too much! No, but I'm not greedy I know you will need it even more as your show is closing in

You gonna wreck everyone what else is there to add.

 

[Hightower]

Exactly 3 weeks from today, August 13th.

My coach said we’re 90% there as of this mornings pics. Ideally we want to be close to 100% next Saturday and be able to ease into the show nicely. My best showings have been when I was essentially stage ready 2 weeks before actually stepping on stage (minute water/sodium manipulation etc). Keeps cortisol and stress hormones low and my legs stay nice and full if we don’t have to dig deep closer to show.

I’ll lay out current diet shortly so people can compare to my diet outlined at the beginning of this log.

Forgot to mention: Adex increased to 0.5mg mon/wed/Friday

Great plan, better shape for you and victory!

 

[Callmedaddy]

Exactly 3 weeks from today, August 13th.

My coach said we’re 90% there as of this mornings pics. Ideally we want to be close to 100% next Saturday and be able to ease into the show nicely. My best showings have been when I was essentially stage ready 2 weeks before actually stepping on stage (minute water/sodium manipulation etc). Keeps cortisol and stress hormones low and my legs stay nice and full if we don’t have to dig deep closer to show.

I’ll lay out current diet shortly so people can compare to my diet outlined at the beginning of this log.

Forgot to mention: Adex increased to 0.5mg mon/wed/Friday

I agree on that . I think guys sometimes end up trying to do too much so close to the show and it can backfire. Good luck to you man. Also that meal plan below is looking good. You going to go completely carb free at the end?

 

[Hightower]

Holy hell, a man your size eating 2500cals... How insane is that.

But seriously shit like that takes a lot mental energy, but since you're the Iron Man it's ok for you I guess

You know your posts give me motivation, just watch out that I don't take too much! No, but I'm not greedy I know you will need it even more as your show is closing in

You gonna wreck everyone what else is there to add.

Yes, it looks cool and 2500 kcal. It can be seen that he knows what he is doing and I am sure that he will show the best form.

 

[Palifter]

I agree on that . I think guys sometimes end up trying to do too much so close to the show and it can backfire. Good luck to you man. Also that meal plan below is looking good. You going to go completely carb free at the end?

Not sure yet, first prep under this coach and I’m not sure how he operates. I check in tomorrow am and expect to be a little tighter and less watery but I think he’ll still push me and dig a little deeper.

Cardio has yet to exceed 45min a day which is nice.

 

[Type-IIx]

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CdY7S_dpqFh/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Funny that they refer to it as a chest exercise, given that you'd have to flip it on its axis for the line of pull to be with the pectoral and to press away from gravity for any significant mechanical disadvantage for the pectorals/chest.

As you said, this is essentially a hammer strength machine variation, shoulder flexion (front delt, pec) and extension (triceps long head, rear delt, latissmus dorsi). It's similar to musculature to what is worked in the bench press variations, but is configured suboptimally (i.e., pressing starting at a ~90° angle to gravity) to be a "chest" exercise.

 

[Palifter]

Funny that they refer to it as a chest exercise, given that you'd have to flip it on its axis for the line of pull to be with the pectoral and to press away from gravity for any significant mechanical disadvantage for the pectorals/chest.

As you said, this is essentially a hammer strength machine variation, shoulder flexion (front delt, pec) and extension (triceps long head, rear delt, latissmus dorsi). It's similar to musculature to what is worked in the bench press variations, but is configured suboptimally (i.e., pressing starting at a ~90° angle to gravity) to be a "chest" exercise.

The issue is ownership was inclined to be “edgy” and outsource a large majority of their incoming equipment to a smaller mom and pop fabrication company. The person pictured is a friend and co owner of the gym. Great guy, but he and his business partner are both 5’8 or so. I’m 6’2 and barely fit in anything they bring on. There’s a slight difference in R&D at Hammer Strength and Prime vs these smaller boutiques.

But I digress because the gym environment overall they have created is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and that should be celebrated lol

 

[Hightower]

Not sure yet, first prep under this coach and I’m not sure how he operates. I check in tomorrow am and expect to be a little tighter and less watery but I think he’ll still push me and dig a little deeper.

Cardio has yet to exceed 45min a day which is nice.

I am confident in your success.
Here's the fact that there is not a lot of cardio, which is excellent. usually it is very exhausting at the final stage, if there is a lot or a lot of it.

 

[Type-IIx]

The issue is ownership was inclined to be “edgy” and outsource a large majority of their incoming equipment to a smaller mom and pop fabrication company. The person pictured is a friend and co owner of the gym. Great guy, but he and his business partner are both 5’8 or so. I’m 6’2 and barely fit in anything they bring on. There’s a slight difference in R&D at Hammer Strength and Prime vs these smaller boutiques.

But I digress because the gym environment overall they have created is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and that should be celebrated lol

Gym environment is THE MOST important consideration in my view for training. If you're a competitive person by nature, then being surrounded by other motivated people working towards a similar goal is highly conducive to enhanced performance/outcomes.

 

[Palifter]

Small push worked. Down 3-4lbs this am compared to Saturday. Legs lost a little fullness with less food and more T3 but tomorrow I increase carbs 150g and reduce cardio to 35min a day.

Adex got bumped to .5mg 4x week. Water is shedding nicely.

I check in Saturday. Should fill out nicely and “pop”. Weight is 251lbs waking.

 

[Deleted member 123722]

Small push worked. Down 3-4lbs this am compared to Saturday. Legs lost a little fullness with less food and more T3 but tomorrow I increase carbs 150g and reduce cardio to 35min a day.

Adex got bumped to .5mg 4x week. Water is shedding nicely.

I check in Saturday. Should fill out nicely and “pop”. Weight is 251lbs waking.

View attachment 170035View attachment 170036View attachment 170037

100% huge diff...

 

[Hightower]

Small push worked. Down 3-4lbs this am compared to Saturday. Legs lost a little fullness with less food and more T3 but tomorrow I increase carbs 150g and reduce cardio to 35min a day.

Adex got bumped to .5mg 4x week. Water is shedding nicely.

I check in Saturday. Should fill out nicely and “pop”. Weight is 251lbs waking.

View attachment 170035View attachment 170036View attachment 170037

Great job, you can see the difference