Gainer getting his glory days back

[VayneZ]

Sleep... I need more of that also.

I've been away from BB bench for a bit over 2 years... Now I'm picking back up with it and it's such a hassle. I think BB helps a lot with balance though, if you go a bit lighter and focus on a level that both arms would be able to handle.

[hardestgainer]

Thanks for the advice, tonight is the night I do bench. Maybe I'll switch back to BB and drop the weight some, the problem is I just never feel even on the bench, I always feel like Im laying down kinda crooked

[h2s]

Thanks for the advice, tonight is the night I do bench. Maybe I'll switch back to BB and drop the weight some, the problem is I just never feel even on the bench, I always feel like Im laying down kinda crooked

It takes awhile to find your good spot. I tend to have a routine when I lay down on the bench of aligning my back my preferred way before even touching the bar.

[Sorrow]

Yeah man, rest up! IT's important. Take the time when you set up and sit down on the bench, check to make sure your feet are even. Lay back and get under the bar. Probably the two things that would help you the most is foot placement, and grip variation on the bar. DB work is a great idea but dont give up completely on the bb bench. Use it as a warm up and just stay really light with high reps to you develop some feel for it again.

[hardestgainer]

It takes awhile to find your good spot. I tend to have a routine when I lay down on the bench of aligning my back my preferred way before even touching the bar.

Yeah man, rest up! IT's important. Take the time when you set up and sit down on the bench, check to make sure your feet are even. Lay back and get under the bar. Probably the two things that would help you the most is foot placement, and grip variation on the bar. DB work is a great idea but dont give up completely on the bb bench. Use it as a warm up and just stay really light with high reps to you develop some feel for it again.

Thanks guys for all the input, I lurked(and rarely posted) a lot back on the PP forum so I know a lot of guys have a ton of experience. My problem with the flat bench is my right hip is rotated, so when I start to lower the bar I feel my body start to shift on the bench to my left a little. But I havent given up on it, I dropped the weight 20lbs and put a lot of focus on keeping my body tight on the bench, feet planted firmly, and bring my shoulder blades back. I also widened my grip a little bit which seemed to help.


I dont know if any of you guys have checked out the contest pics lately, but I did upload mine to the aesthetics thread. Earlier I was unsure which route I should go in terms of cutting my cals down or increasing. If anyone wanted to chime in on which route you guys think would be best now that you actually know what my body looks like and now that im not just a former injury prone athlete haha. Since I started this journal Ive just been focusing on getting my strength back, which has started to plateau just about everywhere. I will say my quads have really bounced back in terms of actual muscle(everything else not so much), Ive probably added an inch or so already from all the squats.

[hardestgainer]

Going back to the doc tomorrow morning for my shoulder and Im gonna ask him to take a look at my hip and how it feels like my whole equilibrium is off. Because my back right next to my left shoulder blade is pinching when I bring me shoulders back and it feels like a massive knot is there.

Anyways here were my lifts from today, My rows havent gone up because I dropped the weight to make sure my form was good and now Im holding it at the top to get a good squeeze.

Squats- 140x5(5)
DB Flat Bench- 35x5, 45x5(4)
BB Row- 125x5(5)
Skull Crushers- 60x8, 60x8, 60x4
Straight BB Curl- 45x8, 45x8, 45x7
Cable Crunch- 110x15(3)

[hardestgainer]

Went to the doc today, he thinks after the torn rotator cuff I've developed some tendonitis so he gave me a cortisone shot, but now the area is just incredibly tender and I got the shot about 12 hours ago now. He also said there is was too much grinding and popping going on when he felt me rotate, so he's got me starting up physical therapy monday morning.


Maybe its time to add something to the mix to help reduce inflammation? I take fish oil everyday, but at a pretty low dose.

[hardestgainer]

Hit 145 for all 5 sets on squat today and 135 on the last 2 sets of BB rows. So I was pretty happy with my lifts, except for BB curl, I'm still stuck on the bar lol for two weeks now on the 3rd set I gas out about half way through and only get 6 reps instead of the 8.


My right knee was feeling like it was swelling up a little after the squats so when I got home I got an ice pack on it. If its still sore In the morning I might skip the squats for the rest of the week

[hardestgainer]

Do you guys feel this is an optimal training plan? I know it mostly comes down to diet but Im just trying to get everything dialed in.

Im in the contest on here, but also entering the big one on bb.com since its 50k and a couple of buddies work there. I've just been eating slightly over maintanence, but based on my pics Im starting to think theres only two options.
1- Increase cals and change routine for bulk util the final 3-4 weeks and cut
2- cut first and then bulk after at only 5% over maintenance to keep bf from increasing

Im not going to attempt the impossible by trying to add muscle and drop fat at the same time

[hardestgainer]

Just a quick update, Im still training and dieting like I planned.


My bf% when I started was 21% based off just the 1 point caliper test because all my fat basically sits on my lower abdomen, now my bf is at 17% based off this
At the beginning based off a 4-point test my bf was 17% because ,my arms and legs naturally are pretty lean and vascular. I wish I could find the exact site I used for this test to remeasure. As soon as I do, Ill retake the measurement


Next week is my last week of physical therapy, my back still has some issues from the rotator cuff injury, T5&T6 are "locked" and basically have no movement. This is what was causing my left arm to appear shorter, the muscles in my thorasic region were being over worked and had no flexibility. Its starting to get better