Zalex999's Logbook

[zalex999]

Hey guys and gals,

I am starting this online logbook as a means not only to keep my own progress records and record my thoughts/actions in order to be able to review but also for the additional accountability brought by the community.

A little background about me, i am a 21 year old formerly very fat guy who managed to come down to at least a healthy weight through way too much running and practically starvation. I then discovered the iron, fell in love and have been lifting ever since. I have been training intelligently and consistently for a bit under two years now.

To be honest at the moment i am EXTREMELY sick of looking fairly similar month to month and feel like i have not made anywhere near the strength or size gains i could because i have been so afraid of my former fat self. Additionally about 6-7 months ago i found out my endocrine system for whatever reason has been very messed up and i tested extremely low on testosterone levels. I have since begun HRT and have been feeling alot better. I am now ready to focus on adding a high amount of quality mass and upping my strength levels which ill be tracking here.

Ill be running an 18 week cycle of the OTS Big Beyond Belief program on the 6 day, 1 workout per day version.

Additionally in the interest of gaining quality weight im going to preform 5x35 min low-moderate intensity cardio sessions.

Diet wise the plan is as follows but may be modified as time goes forward depending on recovery and strength levels and scale movement:

Meal 1: 8 whole eggs, 1 serving fruit
Meal 2: Pro-carb, veggies
Pre w/o: 30g waxy maize, 30g whey, 5g creatine, 5g BCAA
During: 5g BCAA
Post w/o: 30g waxy maize, 30g whey, 5g creatine, 5g BCAA
Meal 4: Pro-carb, veggies (30-60 mins after the workout)
Meal 5: Pro-fat
Meal 6: Pro-fat

I intend to use as close to 100% clean foods as i am able for all meals as these are the foods i both feel best when eating, preform best and will prevent overly large fatgains.

Comments, questions, and Bull-shitting are all more than welcome!

[zalex999]

Week 1, Day 1: 3x13-15 120 seconds rest
Rack Chins - 15lbx12, 10lbx8, bwx8
-Like this movement but shit am i weak...hopefully by week two ill be able to bust into the target rep ranges

BB flat Bench: 185x15, 185x12, 170x12

Fat Gripz BB curl: 70x15, 15, 15
- Last form got a bit sloppy, heavier weight next time for me!

Seated calf raise: 4x45 plate x 15, 15, 16
-Need to actually focus on better form next time on these.

Cross choppers 2x12 - just to loosen up the core/back
40 mins on the elliptical post workout

Food got messed up a bit today as a result of traveling home, this also resulted in 3 hours total of sleep (thank god for coffee )

Meals:
1: chicken breast + celery
2: 8 eggs, spinach, 1 apple
3: peri workout shakes
4: chicken breast, spinach, 1 cup of oatmeal with cinnamon and splenda (DELICIOUS)
5: ground turkey, 5 fish oil, 1/2 tbsp EVOO, 2 glasses green tea
6: 3 whole eggs, ground turkey, spinach (pre-bed swoledom omellete)

[zalex999]

40 mins fasted cardio on elliptical

Week 1, day2: 3x13-15 120 seconds rest
Push-press: 105x22 (oops), 125x14, 115x13
-Great shoulder movement, one of my favs way underestimated the weight on the first set and so just pushed more reps till failure, think ill go for 135 on that for the first set next time.

Reverse Grip in Smith: 205x14, 195x12, 185x14
-LOVE these, gonna be hitting them hard in hopes of horse-shoes!

Low-Bar BB squat: 275x17, 275x14, 275x12
-Filmed the first set of these for the ISOM felt like i was tearing my hamstrings haha

Ab wheel: 15, 15, 15

Meals:
1: 8 eggs w/ spinach, 1cup mixed strawberries and grapes
2: Bcaas, glutamine, and creatine intra workout (don't have my stuff here at home)
3: 2cups egg whites, 1cup oatmeal
4: chicken breast, mini carrots (reducing a bit pre-thanksgiving feast)
5: MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF THANKSGIVING FOOD
6: Little more turkey and some fish oil

Not gonna lie, i did nothing for my body composition with my intake this evening but i had an awesome evening with my brothers and family. The next time i eat anything off the plan will be December 25th. And hey maybe my squatz will be insanely over-recovered from.

[Stakabol]

Nice log bromosexual. So glad to see that you are giving Big Beyond Belief a try.

[Stakabol]

You should have tried Vincent Dizenzo's Thanksgiving bloatathon challenge today...I bet you could have gained some serious bloat over they day if you had gorged yourself from the time you woke up to when you went to bed :preggers:

[zalex999]

Cardio today was non-fasted but a bit more intense than necessary, which is probably good as my calorie intake yesterday was far more than necessary. Went on my favorite hike with my two brothers, about 4.2 miles...vertical, little over an hour and a half and man the legs and lungs were burning but the view is to die for.

Week 1, Day 3: 3x10-12, 120 seconds rest
Dips: 45lbs added weight x 11, 11, 10
-Nice, i love dips, all i can really say about that

BB Rows: 225x12, 225x10, 205x13
-added belt for the last set and i feel like they hit the back way better with a bit less focus on the low back stabilization

Pinwheel curls (with straps): 80x12, 80x9, 70x12
-Not gonna lie i used too much body English here, gonna have to work on tightening up the form. Pounded the Broceps though.

Toes-Elevated calf raises in the smith machine: 225x 12, 11, 10

Hit a few sets of hanging leg raises, 45degree back raises and a bit of plank for the core.

Food:
1: 8eggs, 1cup grapes
2: Egg-whites, turkey, mashed sweet potato
3: Turkey, 1cup oatmeal with PB2 (yum)
sipped some BCAAs, and creatine during workout
4: Turkey, brown rice, spinach
5: Turkey, celery, 1/2tbsp EVOO, 5 fish oil
6: 2cups egg whites, 2tbp PB

LOTs of turkey! Go go gadget thanksgiving leftovers.

[zalex999]

No cardio today, just took about a 25 minute light walk to loosen up this morning.

Week 1, day 4: 3x10-12, 120 seconds rest

Close Grip Floor Press: 205x10, 185x10, 165x11.5 (11+1 spotted rep)
-Good movement for the triceps, and also the reduced shoulder rotation will be nice with how much pressing im doing (thanks Stak)

Seated Military Press: 95x11, 80x10, 70x11.5
-My GOD im weak on this movement, i have incredibly weak shoulders and lame pressing numbers all around but this TORCHED the delts, i think progressing hard here will result in some nice growth and stronger presses all around.

Front Squat: 225x8, 185x12, 185x12
-Really the shoulders limited that first set, my legs had 12, pisses me off, will need to do shoulders -> tris -> front squats in the future so the shoulders recoup a bit

Deadlift: 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, 275x3, 315x3, 365x3, 405x3
- I love deadlifts. Also, the last set was touch and go cheater style cause the gym i lifted in today had only hexagon plates so i did't fully reset.

Hanging leg raise: 40x 12, 40x12, 40x10
-Dumbell between the feet

Food:
1: 8 eggs, 1 pear
2: Egg whites, spinach, oatmeal
Sipped BCAAs, Creatine and some Glutamine during the workout
3: Brown rice, steam veggies, chicken (Dear god whole foods shit is pricey, next time a friend wants to meet for lunch and its a post workout meal i am choosing someplace cheap....like golden corral or some shit)
4: Salmon, asparagus
5: Chicken, Spinach, 1/2tbsp EVOO, 5 fish oil
6: Eggwhites, salmon

Carb cutoff a bit earlier today simply because the workout was a bit earlier and also i wanted to load up on salmon. I think its one of the best foods in the world and a huge plate of salmon and asparagus to me = GROWTH.

[odiE]

glad to see you finally got i going on here man. Ill be following along. Good luck!

[zalex999]

glad to see you finally got i going on here man. Ill be following along. Good luck!

Thank you sir!! Hope to make some great gains. How is training going for you my man?!?


Today's work:
Fasted 40 mins on the elliptical cardiovasculation

Week 1, Day 5: 3x8-10 ,120 seconds rest
Rack chin: 25x9, 12.5x8, bwx9

Bench: 215x8.5, 195x8.5, 185x8
-Amazing how much heavier 185 feels after two heavy sets failing and hitting a partially spotted forced rep. Aiming for 225x8-10 next week!

Fat grip BB curl: 105x7, 85x11, 85x9
-I am such a fuckin dumb-ass, i intended to use 95, put the extra 5 on each side not even thinking about it, in my mind thinking that would bring me to 95...and ya missed my rep range and used some seriously crap form. However al told i smoked the broceps so i am happy.

Seated calf raise:
4.1 Plates (4x45 +10) x10, 10, 10
-For some reason on calf exercises my performance seems to dip less.

I dunno if i noted earlier, but after the final set of each exercise i am hitting a 20 second contraction in essentially the BB pose that shows that muscle the best to help with blood flow and mind muscle connection. Feels awesome to be honest.

Food:
1: 8 eggs, 1cup strawberries
2: 2/3 cups coaches oats (Because im such a Dusty Hanshaw fan/stalker), apple, chicken breast
3: 2/3 cups coaches oats, chicken breast, spinach
BCAA, Creatine and Glutamine during the workout in water
4: Hearty ass steak, pile of mashed sweet potatoes, mushrooms
5: Chicken breast, 1/2tbsp EVOO, spinach, 5 fish oil
6: Steak and eggs

Meal 4, swoledomsville here i come!

[zalex999]

Quick two-day update here as a study break.

Week 1, Day 6: 3x8-10, 120 seconds rest
Push press: 145x8, 130x9 120x9.75
-So pissed off on the 120 set, i got the right arm locked out and the left was almost there, stood for about 5 seconds trying to lockout before it almost decapitated me coming down.

Reverse-grip bench in smith:225x10, 225x10, 225x8
-Second set i wont lie the form got a bit ugly to get those reps

Squat: 315x11, 315x9, 295x8
-As always, squats to as near as possible to failure just destroy me, I was very please to hit the 11 on that first set though.

Dragon flags: 10, 9, 7
-very difficult exercise

Food:
1: 8eggs, 1 apple, salsa
2: Salad, deli turkey, rice, 1 apple
Pre w/o: 30g waxy maize, 30g whey, 5g creatine, 5g BCAA
During: 5g BCAA
Post w/o: 30g waxy maize, 30g whey, 5g creatine, 5g BCAA
4: Chicken, Salad, rice, 1 apple
5: 2 scoops whey, 15 fish oil (portable meal for night class)
6: 1egg, 2 scoops protein, 2tbsp PB

Week 1, day 7: off Weight 221.5
First time weighing myself in a while, i am really just using it as a tracking method i wanna see the scale moving up 1-1.5lbs each week. Really focused on adding size and strength right now with the goal of hitting 250 within the year and then leveling out, holding that size for a while/recomposing a bit and then reevaluating where i stand. With my 6'1" frame in order to look even remotely impressive i gotta add alot more mass and be moving alot more weight!!

Just hit 35 mins on the step-mill at level 10this morning, always leaves me huffing and dripping sweat I honestly think its the greatest cardio machine in the world and its hard as hell, thus i never have to worry about other people using it!! like what Dante says when he says eat like a 300lber, cardio like your ripped to shreds.

Food: As today is a non-lifting day i cut the carbs out earlier in the day.
1: 8 eggs, 1 apple, green tea
2: Turkey, Rice, 1 apple, Salad
3: 2 scoops whey, mixed nuts
4: Chicken, green salad, 18 almonds
5: 2 cans tuna, 1/2tbsp EVOO, 5 fish oil
6: 1egg, 2 scoops protein, 2tbsp PB

Now that i am back at school the school cafeteria is where i get most of my meals up till meal 4. breakfast will pretty much always be steady with hard-boiled eggs and some salsa, pro-carb meals will be chicken or deli turkey with a HUGE salad normally containing greens, carrots, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower and celery. Steamed rice and a piece of fruit as these are the clean carbs. Pro-fat meals are either in my room or at the caf and if they are at the caf will be meat and a green only salad with some nuts.

[zalex999]

Good day in the gym today, week two has begun which means:
Volume increases
Rest times go down
The battle with the log is ON!

Week 2, Day 1: 4x13-15, 90 seconds rest
Rack Chin: 15lbx 14.5, 5lbx11, Bwx9, 7.5
-These are just plain hard on the high volume day, seeking to continually improve on em for some wings!

Bench: 200x13.5, 185x9, 165x11, 135x13
-Great first set, the 14th rep was spotted up and was probably a 10 second grinder, underestimated how badly that plus the reduced rest time would smash my energy on the following sets.

Fatgrip BB curl: 80x15, 80x 13, 70x15, 70x12
-Good improvement here, feel the broceps growing.

Seated Calf raise: 4.1plates x15, 4.1x 14, 4x 15, 4x13
Followed the workout up with 40 mins on the elliptical cause i couldn't get it in this morning.

Food: Wednesdays are a busy morning for me so the breakfast is on the run generally.
1: 2 scoops whey, 20 almonds, 1 orange
2:Chicken, Salad, rice, apple
Pre w/o: 30g waxy maize, 30g whey, 5g creatine, 5g BCAA
During: 5g BCAA
Post w/o: 30g waxy maize, 30g whey, 5g creatine, 5g BCAA (after cardio)
4: Salad, Chicken, turkey, little bit of egg, brown rice, apple
5: 2 cans tuna, 1/2tbsp evoo, 5 fish oil
6: 1egg, 2 scoops protein, 2tbsp PB

Excited to squat tomorrow!!

[zalex999]

Yesterday:
Cardio: 35 mins fasted on stepmill

Week 2 day 2: 4x13-15, 90 seconds rest
Push-press: 135x13, 115x 14, 105x14.5 105x12.5
-Good progress here, much more accurate on my weights and jesus these smoke my shoulders

Reverse Grip Bench in Smith: 215x 14, 205x 14, 185x 14, 185x 12

Squats: 295x14, 275x 13, 245x 11, 245x 11
-Really getting frustrated with the pain in my Hipflexor on squats, i feel like its hurting my depth, contributing to me falling forward and taxing my lower back. Last two sets were limited by lower back not by legs.

Ab wheel: 4x15

Squats today reminded me of two things: 1 i need more active mobility work, 2 i need more lowerback/core work in order to make any appreciable gains in squatting. As such, Defranco's Agile 8 will be making a regular appearance in my log as well as addition of more of the exercises i know i need to do to progress.

Today:
Cardio: 45 mins fasted P90x workout (Stupid, but mandated by a class im taking at the moment)
30 mins on stepmill after breakfast followed by Agile 8

Week 2 day 3: 4x10-12 90 seconds rest
Warmup: Agile 8

Dips: 50x13.5, 50x10, 40x10, 25x11
-Destroyed the chest, and great progress here, really felt good on this movement

BB Bent rows: 235x12, 235x10, 205x13, 185x14
- Considering changing my form to focus more on contracting and squeezing as i dunno if im just heaving the weight up, will see how i feel next week.

Pinwheel curl: 85x10, 80x12, 70x11, 70x10
-same setiment as the BB row.

Calf raise in the smith (elevated): 235x 13, 235x 12, 235x11, 235x10
- I find i lose much less performance on calf exercises than some others, not sure why this is, maybe they just recover fast?

Core circuit:
Single Leg 45 degree back extenstion x 21 per leg
Hanging knee raise x20
Pillar Db lateral 15x15 per side
2 min plank cycle

Performed 2 rounds and done!

Foods been on point, it becomes basically same food day in day out at school, however ill log meals every now and then to track and to keep myself honest. Should be on point to make gains!

[zalex999]

Couple days to log here, neither day had cardio as i had to do cardio today though i normally wouldn't have due to it being squat day. For the P.E. class i had to do an Insanity cardio workout this morning and of course off day tomorrow so ill be doing step mill.

Week 2 day 4: 4x10-12 90 seconds rest
Warmup: Agile 8, broomstick stretch

Seated Military stretch: 105x14.5 105x11, 100x11.5 95x12
-Huge improvement on this exercise and i felt way stronger today on it as well. I had actually planned on hitting 100 as my first working set but the weight felt light as i warmed up so i upped the weight, glad i did cause i still bumped out of my rep range before crashing.

Close Grip Floor press: 210x10, 195x9 175x10, 165x12
-Good movement for leaving the shoulders alone, not sure if its hitting my triceps with as much focus as i would like, will continue to push it for this ramp and supergrowth but will try to focus more on the tris.

Front Squat: 225x9, 205x10, 185x11, 185x10
-Wow do short rests make this shit hard, glad to beat last weak but i felt like it destroyed my upper back almost more than my legs.

Deadlift: LT: 405x3 TT: 415x4 Doing these in ramping sets of three after front squats, touch and go on the last set all out failure aiming for the 3-5 rep range, feels fucking awesome.

Abcore: 70x12, 12, 25x20, 20
-I was doing these and got some advice from a much larger much stronger dude to lighten up the weight and change my technique and hit a bit higher reps. Felt much better and i think ill stay with this, my only complaint with BBB is the ab work as i feel i need more due to ab and low back weakness from herniating two discs in my back a couple summers back.

Week 2 Day 5: 4x8-10, 90 seconds rest
Warmup: Broomstick stretch, 5 mins on treadmill walk, Agile 8
Rack Chin: 30x10.5, 20x7.5, 5x8, bwx8

Bench: 225x8 +1, 205x8, 185x8.5 185x9 +1
-Pr for me on the 225 reps, never gotten over 5 good reps there, had a good spotter today so the +1's are grinding reps where he would help me through the sticking points and let me completely hit failure.

Fatgripz BB curl: 100x8.5, 95x10, 95x8, 85x8
-As always these pump the broceps to high hell.

Calf raise: 4.25platesx8, 4.1px9, 4px 9.5, 4px9

This food i bumped up the calories a bit, i woke up feeling like i got hit by a bus, went in for breakfast and they didnt have my normal hard-boiled eggs. Mentally got a bit off track and ate some shit i should not have. All day focused on protein but ate some shit as i was just starving. Won't lie the pump and strength in the gym was great and i don't regret it as i had an awesome bench session. But back on point today with eating, meal one is in the books and i know i can't eat anything unclean on squat day or it will be coming back out! Ready to squat this afternoon!!

[zalex999]

Today:

Cardio: Fasted insanity interval cardio. While not exactly my cup of tea the program was pretty decent, and i pushed myself during the class period to the point where it was a real interval training session.

Week 2, Day 6: 4x8-10 90 seconds rest
Warmup: Tredmil walk, Agile 8, broomstick stretch

Push-Press: 150x10, 140x9, 135x8, 105x10
-Really smashed the shoulders, on the last set i got a bit of a rhythm going and then about rep 7 my rhythm came crashing down as i reverted to grinder mode to get a few more reps.

Reverse Bench in smith: 235x 11, 225x9, 205x10, 205x8

Squats: 325x12, 315x10, 315x8, 295x10
-These felt great, i felt like i was staying upright more, keeping tighter and i also felt like the legs got pummeled far more than the lower back. Very encouraging to keep hitting the Agile 8 and some extra core work. Only thing now is to pray my hip-flexor eventually stops hurting.

Dragon-flag: 10, 9, 8, 8

A1) DB side bend: 50x12x2
A2) 45 Degree back raise: 15x2

Would have liked to get more accessory core work in, but had to get out of the gym for Night class. Tomorrow is just cardio so ill do that before breakfast, then later ill get to the gym for agile 8, some extra foam rolling on the back and legs and some core work.

fuckin great way to wrap up week 2, can't wait to up the volume again next week, fight the weights and try to push right to the brink of over-training before the supergrowth phase.

[zalex999]

Week 2, day 7: Off

No lifting today just did:
35 mins fasted on the stepmill

Later that day: Agile 8, extra foam rolling

2 round through: 21 decline situps, 21 45 degree backraises, 21 side raises per side, 2 minute plank circuit.

21xlandmines with the empty bar

Great little mobility and core session, should be prepped for a phenomenal week three on the ramp.