Round III

[Sperwer]

Today was the kick-off for Round III prep, commencing with an effort to start remedying my most glaring structural deficiency - lack of sufficient leg definition.

Warm-up Stretches

Ham Curls 20x20, 25, 32, 39, 46, 53 kg

Quad X 20x40, 47, 54, 61, 68 kg

Hack Squats 20x60, 80,100, 120 kg

Incline Press 20x160, 240, 280, 15x320 kg

Front Squats 20x60, 80, 100, 15x120 kg

I also need to work on posing technique in order to better express what's there. In fact that may be more of a problem than the actual lack of definition - although my standing around definition is no great shakes, because I seem to be carrying most of the last bits of stubborn unwanted fat in my thighs. Interestingly, I do have some visible vascularity there notwithstanding, so I'm going to work for the next 4-5 weeks to get the body fat down to below 4% to see what that looks like. I'm now at 6.5 in the post-contest rebound, but I've become a bit of a tyro with this contest fat cutting, so I don't think this is going to be much of a problem - but do ask me again late next week when I will have been in Bali for 10 days as corporate eye candy for she who must be obeyed. While I'm doing that, the plan is to adapt Duchaine's Body Opus/Lyle MacDonald's Ultimate Diet 2.0 to move things along cut wise while maintaining existing muscle mass, then adjust the 2.0 protocol to preserve the fat loss while doing a lean bulk for 4-5 weeks before the next contest, leaving 1-2 weeks for further cutting or lean bulking as the circumstances require. More later on how I plan to capture this Holy Grail.

In the meantime, in a bow to the reality that between the physical changes I've got to make, and the much harder body control I have to master for posing purposes, I've decided I'm not likely to be ready for Muscle Mania prime-time, where in the Korean iteration there is no Masters Division and I'd be going up against the 20-35 year-olds. So I won't register for MM, but instead will shoot for another Korean regional contest with a Masters Division in mid-September

Another factor in this decision, and one that speaks directly to my need for better body control, and the flexibility that is a prerequisite, is the latest news from my chiro. The hits just keep on coming. I managed to find some old full spinal x-rays and MRIs from back when I was treated for a coule of ruptured lumbar disks and frozen shoulder. So we did another run for comparative purposes. The report isn't good. Too many parachute jumps and too many motorcycle accidents, on top of what the doc surmises was a congenital disposition, has given me DISH - diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. This is a progressive form of degenerative osteoarthritis in which the soft connective tissues of the skeletal structure gradually calcify and may end by completely ossifying and locking up. In my case, it seems limited for the time being to my upper lumbar and lower thoracic spine. It's likely that left unchecked it will spread up and down. There is no treatment other than daily exercise to maintain skeletal, in my case, spinal flexibility and mobility to try to stave it off. The good news is that the Pilates stuff I've been doing is just the ticket - and I have seen a marked improvement over the past two months. And while it's not bad news, exactly, it looks like I'll be doing it for the duration. Anyway, I'm hoping that it will do for my posing even more of the same that it already has produced in terms of restored scapular and rotator cuff mobility.

[Sperwer]

Woke up feeling surprisingly well. I say "surprisingly" because MacDonald asserts that one will feel like crap the second day of UD2.0, after the combination of very low carbs and a glycogen-depletion workout, especially legs.

My diet yesterday was:

A. Pre-workout: I broke my nighttime and morning fast with 6 scoops of Pepto-pro (97 grams of protein) 15 minutes before heading into the gym for the leg workout described in the previous post

B: Post-workout: (1) 60 grams of crabs, in the form of (a) a cup of pomegranate juice (dual purpose here: high glycemic input to prime the muscles for protein and some other low glycemic carbs, and as prescribed by my doc as a heart health item) and (b) a medium size organic sweet potato (medium here is MUCH smaller than in the States); and (2) two scoops of PN Hydro whey and one scoop of their old original Aussie casein, for a total of 81 grams of protein

A. Dinner: (1) 224 grams of broiled chicken breast with red pepper flakes, for 46 grams of protein, and (2) 2 tablespoons of PN Coconut Oil, for 28 grams of fat (I also took 6 grams of fish oil in the AM). The coconut oil was quite good - very satisfying and I could see substituting it for butter as a dip for a good baquette, if I were to allow myself any bread.

Stopped eating @ 1900, fasted all night and will do some fasted cardio this morning before running some errands with my daughter and returning to the gym in the early afternoon for chest and shoulders.

Total calories was ~ 1380.
Protein: 234 g
Fat: 38 g
Carbs: 97 g

Haven't weighed myself yet, but look and feel noticeably leaner. No particular feelings of hunger, light-headedness, fuzziness, etc.; but I've been on a relatively low carb regimen for the past 20 weeks (with a bit of a break after the first contest and a couple of major <s>binges> cheat days from time to time), so I'm physically and psychologically fairly desensitized to carb deprivation.

[markam]

Great updates. Excelling as usual!

[Sperwer]

After an hour on the treadmill in the morning, I did some errands with my daughter and broke down the furniture in her room in preparation for a refurb and refurnish, then returned to the gym with her about 1300. While she did cardio, I did chest:

Bench Press 20x 20, 40, 60, 70, 80, 90, 15x100 kg

Pec Deck Flyes 20x 40, 47, 54, 61 kg

Incline Bench 20x 40, 50, 60, 70 kg

Cable X 20x 20, 25, 30 kg

Bench crunches 100x BW

Hanging Leg Raises 50x BW

MacDonald says this is supposed to be a tough day, and that pumps would be negligible because of the ongoing carb depletion; but while it was challenging, it was doable. And I had great chest pumps starting about the 3rd set of bench, which just kept getting stronger. Maybe a function of the combination PN All-In Pre-W/O and Pepto-pro/MCT.

Diet today following the nighttime and morning fast was:

Pre-W/O: All-In and 4 scoops of Pepto-Pro with 2 tsp of PN's MCT's - the mct's are a lot less messy than the coconut oil, but a bit lumpy in the blender bottle; probably would do better in the regular blender;

Post W/O: 1 cup of pomegranate juice, followed by a medium organic sweet potato, and a shake of 2 scoops of Hydro-Pro, 1 scoop of PN's old original Aussie casein, and 4 tsp of MCTs;

Dinner: 224 grams of braised cut-up chicken breast with sesame oil and fresh ground red pepper flakes; a few ounces of sheep's cheese that had either to go down my gullet or in the bin, as we leave for a 10 day holiday trip tomorrow.

Total calories: ~1377

protein: 205 g

carbs: 47 g

fat: 26 g

After the Post-W/O meal I started to fade a bit, but that was probably as much a function of having eaten more than the accumulated carb deficit. The MCTs really killed any lingering desire for more food.

So far I have not seen any diminution of strength as a result of the ultra-low carb intake (2 whole days LOL), although endurance started to fade toward the end of the chest workout. But that was likely more a function of the lingering effects of yesterday's low carb leg day (I did have some minor DOMS this morning), having done an hour of relatively intense morning cardio, and the heavy workload before I got to the cable cross-overs.

[burlyman30]

I'm assuming you are still on the Parabolan @ 300/wk. How long do you plan to stay on?

[Sperwer]

I'm assuming you are still on the Parabolan @ 300/wk. How long do you plan to stay on?

No, no, I finished a vial about 10 days ago. I have 3 more, but I didn't want to crack a new one, because we are leaving on a 2 week overseas trip today, and I don't want to be toting gear and para through international airports. When we get back I'll get blood work and assuming everything looks good, I'll probably do another 8-9 week run then.


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[Sperwer]

Day 3 in MacDonald's protocol is a rest day with continued card deprivation. My plan was to work out today anyway - arms, so not too taxing, and some cardio; but we are leaving for a ten day overseas trip @ 1430, and I spent the morning on Daddy-duty - continuing to prep my daughter's room for the paperhangers and floor tilers; so I won't have time. Just as well, since I am feeling a bit knackered after leg day and an intense chest day yesterday. Will pick it up again tomorrow with back. In the meantime, figuring out my strategy for avoiding food on the 8 hour plane flight this afternoon.

[Sperwer]

Nope, I didn't eat one; I was one. We arrived in Bali late Wednesday night. After a late wake-up, a morning work-out and lunch, we were shuttled off to a spa for a comped treatment. Two hours of foot bath, calf massage, full-body massage and full body scrub down with your choice of exfoliants. I went for the chocolate, to which some kind of grit was added. After a whirlpool bath and a shower, I was "shining like a new dime". I could get used to this corporate wife gig.

Meanwhile, the workout turned out all right, although the hotel has pretty limited facilities: a rack of dumb-bells, a flat bench, an adjustable bench and an old Life Fitness three station machine: bench press/shoulder press (in your dreams); lat pulldown/low cable row/cable curl; and quad x/ham curl. I managed to beat myself up pretty good on the pulldowns teamed up in giant sets with dumb-bell lat rows and hammer curls; supersets of quad extensions/ham curls; and giant sets of front, lateral and reverse delt dumb-bell work.

Still great pumps, despite the carb depletion - apparently a hold-over from the tren cycle I ended about 10 days ago. I also started my carb reload a day earlier than planned - couldn't pass up the goodies at the company garden party dinner last night - so I'm very curious to see what the effect is on today's workout.

[VayneZ]

You went to Indonesia?

Although I haven't followed the McDonald version, but I know what you mean about great pumps despite carb depletion. It's been quite an amazing experience for me personally, manipulating my insulin and glycogen upload in times of deep need for the muscle cells. Looking forward to how this will get you ready through round 3. As soon as you find that ''sweet spot'' you'll love it!

I've been off cycle this whole year, doing nothing but Carb manipulation routines... and man, I've transformed Sperwer! 2 more weeks and I'll be doing a CarbLoad on a 6.5 week mild cycle.

And I'll be following along through your progress as well. keep providing details of how it's working for ya!!!

[Sperwer]

You went to Indonesia?

Although I haven't followed the McDonald version, but I know what you mean about great pumps despite carb depletion. It's been quite an amazing experience for me personally, manipulating my insulin and glycogen upload in times of deep need for the muscle cells. Looking forward to how this will get you ready through round 3. As soon as you find that ''sweet spot'' you'll love it!

I've been off cycle this whole year, doing nothing but Carb manipulation routines... and man, I've transformed Sperwer! 2 more weeks and I'll be doing a CarbLoad on a 6.5 week mild cycle.

And I'll be following along through your progress as well. keep providing details of how it's working for ya!!!

Thanks VayneZ. Sorry for the late response. After the corporate boondoggle, we found a cheap time-share, so decided to stay in Bali an extra week to take advantage of my wife's accumulated vacation time. Net access was very spotty though, and since we got back I've been balls to the wall on a couple projects, besides trying to kill it in the gym.

I'd been following your adventures in carb cycling for some time, but since I was so focused on cutting for the first contest, I didn't try it out myself. What I did find from that exercise in extreme carb deprivation/ketosis is that as time goes on it gets harder and harder to keep losing fat. Also energy really drops off - not the energy just to get through the day, but the energy to do so and keep up an intense routine at the gym. It really becomes one or the other. Furthermore, while I didn't experience any diminution in strength - even gained a little - size was a problem. Without the glycogen, the muscles kept getting smaller, albeit well-defined. Hence the skinny-ass look in my pics from the first contest.

Now, because of the carb cycling, I'm finding that I'm able to retain and increase muscle body fullness and keep the fat fires burning, without any debilitating loss of energy. MacDonald says that by Thursday (if not Wednesday), assuming you end the carb-up Sunday midday, one will be dragging one's ass because of carb deprivation. Certainly energy starts to flag, but it's nothing like weeks 5-12 of a full-court ketogenic protocol; thus it seems easy to me to handle the carb cravings, and as long as I schedule easier work (e.g., arms, calves, abs) during the end of the week, and avoid cardio then, it's no problem really.

On the fat metabolism effect, I'll just say this: the last week in Bali I ate a LOT of carbs, and a lot of junk, while getting relatively little exercise because of the inaccessibility of a decent gym, and I put on 5 kg. When I got back, and back on track, doing a full week long carb deprivation and really ratcheting up the exercise intensity, I lost 5 kg in 7 days, without losing any strength or size.

So I'm a convert. Now I can't wait to marry this up with a cycle, and see what happens. Planning on getting bloods next week to see where I stand vis-a-vis my last run of Parabolan, then assuming I'm GTG it's away we go!