web’s quest

88.5Kg and 9.5% bf.

The weird thing is that according to my stats history I’ve been heavier before although I’m clearly more muscular now. So I’m guessing my bathroom scale isn’t off and my tape measurement isn’t malfunctioning either. So I’m blaming my skinfold caliper. Not that it’s not working properly but I haven’t been reading and taking measurements properly. The last few months measurements probably have been ok, they seem to stroke with reality and other pointers show the same trend.

Suppose I’m reasonably accurate while performing a Jackson Pollack calculation (3 folds) and make a 1mm error on each fold. At my age this totals to a maximum of 0.9% which means 2 results can differ up to 1.8% or 1.58Kg. A 1mm error might be possible for a tool related error but it’s reasonably safe to assume larger fold will yield larger errors. If I would make a 1mm error on the smallest fold and use this percentage on the larger folds an error in lean mass might run up to 2.3Kg! Ofcourse, this assumes you make all errors on day 1 on the negative side and on day 2 on the positive side, in reality errors will level off more then this but still… Maybe taking an occasional reading is good to gage progress but making exact predictions based on lean mass and fat mass is really pushing it.

The new year has just took off and I’m proud to present a few victories.

No weight increase because of those holidays! Sure I got a little overboard on New Years eve but some well planned cardio and jumping straight into my regular schedule maintained my weight. Actually, with a 2 weeks difference between measurements and those 2 weeks including Christmas AND New Year I still managed to shed a little fat. I’m now at about 88.7kg and about 10%-ish.

The holidays also included a 3 days mandatory rest because the gym closed. That sort of ticked all the regulars off but I managed to shift some workouts around and didn’t have to skip one. The rest however did reveal the fact that I felt better, fresher and stronger by taking some more time off. I always give 100% each workout and try to lift heavy 2x week for each body part except legs (I like some days of regular walking with non-sore legs). Maybe I was overdoing it. I always felt I needed to train each body part twice a week to keep a high volume and maximum stimulation but this has led me to think I should consider training once a week (each muscle) and allow for more recuperation. At this point I’m going to make up two new schedules: one based on twice/week training with light and heavy days and one based on once a week training. I’m going to give both a try.

Another victory would be towards a lagging body part: shoulders. I’ve always had a square shoulder look and no matter how much I targeted side delts I never improved that round look. This was pretty annoying and for a while I just thought it was genetics. Maybe I just didn’t have round delts, after all some people have ski-slope traps and some have great developed traps but not as "sloping". Another point was bothering me: my chest strength hasn’t been improving in a while. I’m not complaining about lack of progress in mass, I do still notice development but strength wise it has been meager. So with my bench press at a sticky point and my shoulders lagging I took a good long look at those delts until it hit me. I had been neglecting front delts. I never gave it much thought because front delts get used by all sort of presses and I don’t avoid heavy compounds so why would I need to train my front delts separately? Oh was I wrong. That round front look is good part front delt. I started incorporating front raised in various forms as a pre exhaustion exercise followed by a heavy compound and sure enough… my delts are slowly rounding up and my bench press is making progress for the first in a long time.

Nobody asks for it (well I don’t) but it’s there for you to love or hate anyway, Christmas eve, Christmas, New year… Everybody has to visit relatives and these festivities are then sealed by eating, drinking, more eating and more drinking. Not that I’ve started to loath food or alcohol. I still like delicacies and fine beers and liquors but you have to choose in life. I’ve had all the delicacies and drinks I wanted for years on end but at this point there’s no food worth setting aside my goals and that’s achieving a certain image. Hey it’s Bodybuilding.com isn’t it? Not everybody wants cannonball delts but almost everyone here will aspire a certain body image and most actively try to attain it.

So for me the first obstacle consisted of Christmas eve and Christmas day. Her family, my family, two dinners. Christmas eve, I prepared for: I went out for a two hour ride that afternoon and I skipped my usual tablespoon of flaxseed oil. Dinner was salmon (so I got my fats after all) followed by a little soup (I could handle that) and then the main course: deer stew and deep fried potatoes with an assortment of veggies. I had a little taste at the potatoes but I skipped most, the stew was well boiled and thus the meat contained little fat. I skipped dessert (an ice cream thingy). Now that’s damage control at it’s best.

Christmas day was another story and I must have made some damage here. I guess the cookies finally got to me. Oh well. I’m back on track I had a 45min interval spin on my bike yesterday. This evening I’m back at the gym (which was closed for 3 days).

Meanwhile my suprailliacal fold has gone from 11mm to about 8-9mm, my weight started out at at about 93 and I weighed in at 88.5 just 2 days ago. Smooth sailing indeed until we hit Newyear’s eve that is. I predict a horrible iceberg ahead.

Time for an update, my cut’s working amazing. I’ve dropped 2kg and lost about 1-2%bf. I’m very well adjusted to this cut and I don’t have any difficulty following it. The results are great! That bulk really slapped on some mass which is just seeing daylight about now. I had no idea this would work out so nicely.

My strength has dropped though. I went through a week where recovery took a bit longer but my strength didn’t drop just jet. As a result I could train just as hard but didn’t recover from it like in my bulk. Never been so sore in my life. After a week my strength dropped and as a result, although I keep pushing as hard as I can, my intensity and recovery are matched again.

My cardio hasn’t increased really, I still take a 45min interval spin on Thursday, a one hour ride at brisk pace on saturday and a longer medium intensity ride on Sunday. That is, if the weather permits, else I’m just doing some inside climbing or sprint intervals. I usually don’t use any sports drinks except for my longer ride where I need a little extra to keep pushing the pedals.

The new cut has started and we’re already at day 3 of it. I’m starting to get adjusted to it. The first day was amazingly difficult. I never realized how much different a bulking diet could be. It’s not that can’t eat anything anymore but it generally feels different. It’s generally a relief as well, I do feel lighter and a little less bloated (with all the Massive eating and all).

Another effect manifests itself too. This Monday I performed what I figure was my last sets of heavy squats. It was my first day of cutting and of course I couldn’t feel anything yet of a difference. I assume I’ll be loosing some strength soon but right now that seems to be something of the near future. What is immediately obvious: extended recovery time. I know when I train on Mondays almost all soreness should be gone by Wednesday and at this point it isn’t really reduced by a substantial amount.

When I started my first cut I didn’t even know that this kind of diet was called (in certain circles) a cut. I wasn’t into the whole lifting thing either or at least not so dedicated. It’s fairly safe to say that this is the first time I’m starting a caloric deficit regime while being fully active so it’s equally safe to say that this is the first time I’m able to judge and experience the results.

I’m glad I find the time to make another entry. It’s been rather hectic in my personal life and I almost forgot about this place. That doesn’t mean I forgot about eating and training, I don’t often forget to breathe either. Let’s get down to busyness, how is the bulk going!

I’ve continued tracking my progress and I’ve noticed that I’ve put on a decent amount of size and weight. I’ve also lost definition and I’m starting to feel fat. At 13% this is nearly a crime to say it out loud but I can’t help it. When I weighed in at 82kg I almost felt light and I could sprint on hills like a breeze (cycling). I genuinely miss it. I’ll also miss granola bars and loads of other things. No point in trying to cheat myself: it’s time to cut.

I remember this fellow from a Layne Norton episode that said "you can’t keep riding that wave of strength" and it’s true. I’ve gained an enormous amount of strength. I’m squatting 260 pounds, that pretty impressive for me. I’m looking forward to spending more time on my bike though. For some obscene reason I do like veins popping out when I move weight, I’m awaiting those also. One last leg workout though, a few "cheat meals" and it’s off to war. I hope I can keep a lot of my gains. Let’s see where this goes.

Measurements!

At this point I gained about 5kg and my bodyfat percentage (altough different measurement methods differ somewhat) is around 8%. My early calculations indicate that I gained about 2.5kg of lean mass and about the same of fat! So give or take a few 100grams this means I’m reasonably happy with my current diet: about 350g protein/day and an equal amount of carbs. This totals up to about 3300Kcal/day. I do need to notice that I never count in my post workout shake of about 350kcals: being post workout I assume about 75min of weight lifting burns about 400kcals and my shake just replenishes this.

I’m also in the progress of constructing a new split/workout routine with some more attention towards strength gains. More comming!

It took a while to get reorganised after my trip from the Canaries but I’m here for a while to come. My bulk is coming along nicely and I’ve added some mass, definitely. I’ll get some stats in here the moment my body’s stabilised again. One thing I never thought I’d run into, it’s hard to get my protein in by means of natural food. I aim for abour 300 to 350g/day and that’s a lot of chicken, meat and dairy in 1 day. It’s easy to grab a cookie and head out but bringing a can of tuna along isn’t that obvious.

In two days I’ll be off to the Canaries for some R&R. I kept my eye open for a hotel with gym and a large pool, my weight and cardio training is safe. As for food, I’ve been scaling up my calories and carbs the last few days and boy what a difference that makes. I’m increasing in strength: more sets and reps, higher weight. This isn’t a vague impression, I keep a training log mind you. As for definition, I smoothened out just a whee bit but hello Mr Glycogen, welcome back. Everything is inflated and full again and it really shows. On top of that, I can eat some more and have a little treat sometimes, a clean one but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Heck, this is vacation already, a welcome breeze. As for the real bulk, I’m looking into some sups to make the most out of it but aside from that: bring it on!

That’s it! Today is the last day of cutting! After about 17 months of cutting I’m down 141 pounds. I took my stats today, took some calliper readings, tape measurements and noted everything down. Based on the 1 site Accumeasure and the 3 site Jackson Pollack measurement I should be <6% bodyfat, I think around 6% is a realistic number too judging on my progress and such so let’s keep it at that.
Today:

~6%, 185pounds, waist : 29.9", 13.85" arms, 22.8" thighs, neck: 15.55".

As of tomorow I’m easing off, slowly bringing calories up to about maintenance and slowly increasing my carbs again. The low carbs are annoying me to death.  Next friday I’m off for a 10 day vacation (sun, pool and a gym!) which will be the start for a slow clean bulk. If my bf% is up to 10% again I’m starting another cut and I sure hope it’s going to take a while. Anyhow, time for a little bike time, 38 miles ahead !