Follow me to my genetic potential - Cgcgraded's road to epicness

[cgcgraded]

Been on the forums for awhile but never really posted much. Always wanted to do a log of sorts. I competed for the first time in August, placed 3rd as a lightweight. I'm counting down the weeks to my next show with weekly videos of workouts, posing, anything interesting. I'm two weeks in trying to post a new video every Thurs. I know how I can look and I'm doing everything possible to make that vision a reality.
Should be cool to see the progress over the weeks. Come on this ride with me!

[NaturalPursuit]

Awesome man!

I would ask a mod to move it to the journal section though

[cgcgraded]

Awesome man!

I would ask a mod to move it to the journal section though

Thanks, man! Sorry about that got excited and posted in main forum. If a mod could help me out with that I would be extremely grateful!

[flexbro3]

good job bro. you have some good work to show, especially ur quads (y)

[cgcgraded]

good job bro. you have some good work to show, especially ur quads (y)

Thanks man, I definitely feel like legs are one of my strengths.

[cgcgraded]

Best week so far and I feel like the best video so far.

DB Rows 150x15: Two working sets, video of 1st set, right side. These felt pretty good, lighter than I thought. Was pretty happy with form, super strict and I only feel it in my shoulder and bicep. These are the heaviest DB's a the gym so I'm going to keep pyramiding up in reps. Goal is ~30 reps with the same form.

Deadlift 405x10: These felt really good! First time hitting 10 reps at 405. Felt strong of the floor but the lockout was getting tough on the last 2 reps. Each week I will alternate "touch and go" reps with dead stop reps. After this set I dropped the weight and pulled conventional off a 2" deficit.

Squat 315x20: This was a bucket list set. I always wanted to try 20 reps with 315, finally did. The first rep blew up and I really thought I could get ~25 or so. It started to really heavy, really quick. Pants started falling after the first rep, left nostril started to bleed @ rep 15, and coming up on rep 20, I started to get light headed. I thought I might pass out so I had to semi dump the weight into the rack. I'll take it, though. Had to rest for about 10mins before moving on to leg press. One of my favorite sets ever.

[glound123]

Wow that squatting was amazing. Good luck on the journey bud!

[cgcgraded]

Wow that squatting was amazing. Good luck on the journey bud!

I appreciate that man, thanks!

[cgcgraded]

37 Weeks Out

Dips BW+90lbs

Love doing dips for triceps and chest. Usually just use a 45lb plate but I was feeling good so I threw on another plate. Moved pretty well. Trying to stay fairly upright.

Heavy Skullcrushers

Not sure how much the bar weighs but I have a 45 on each side. These kill my elbows but I LOVE doing them. Really feel like they are a great mass builders and they translate well to all my pressing movements.

Squats 405-315-225-135

First time touching 405 in the squat. First rep moved fast but then I lost my form on the 2 and 3 (forgot to push my knees out). I know when I dial my form in I can eventually get 10+ reps with it. EVENTUALLY want to hit 405 for 20 on the squat.
In contrast to last week, I wanted to stay well shy of failure on all the drops and just focus on being fast and explosive with each weight. In a few week I will repeat this drop set but push every weight to failure, should be fun.

Picture was taken after cardio on Mon. Currently weighing 40lbs more than I did at my show. A little fluffy, no doubt, but not bad for 40lbs. Strengths have gotten stronger, weakness have improved. Legs will be wacky looking.

[cgcgraded]

Its not Thursday, but here's an interesting moment from today.
Posing Fail.
Enjoy.

[cgcgraded]

36 Weeks Out


Tricep Pressdowns (The Stack + 30lbs band tension) Every 6 weeks, I cycle in 3 weeks of band work. Bands are great for a little extra overload and a different training stimulus. They are also great for adding additional weight when you can not add any more weight to a machine or weight stack. I love these for pressdowns, get a really strong contraction in my triceps without any elbow pain. Will try these again in the future with even more band tension.

Weighted Leg Raise (20lbs) Leg raises are great but they can get get easy with just BW. A good way to load these is either with bands or with a DB between your legs. Just be careful to squeeze the DB with your feet or you may end up tossing it towards your face! Great ab exercise.

Deficit DL w/short bands (405+60lbs) I love deadlifts. You can do a ton an variations with them and get whatever stimulus you are looking for. Strength, mass, speed, power, hams, glutes, back, abs, whatever you want. I went back to conv. for the first time in a few weeks after pulling sumo for awhile. These were done with a dead stop between each rep, off a 2" deficit. Deficit's increase the ROM, increasing the time under tension and making the lift harder overall. I also have some EltiteFTS short bands on there (each adds ~30lbs). At the floor the weight is 405 at lockout it is ~465. These are for improving lockout strength as well as overall speed.

Front Squat 315lb was always a sticking point for me on Front Squats. More mental then physical. My lifetime PR was 315lbs for 1. Smoked it this week for a set of 5 and still had another rep or 2 in the tank. Front squats are an amazing leg builder as well as being great for core and back thickness. Excited to move towards my next goal of a 405lb front squat.

[cgcgraded]

35 Weeks Out

EZ Bar Curls

Started with a weight I would fail at around the 6 mark. Strip 15-20% off. Go to failure. Strip another 15-20%. Go to failure. I use to always use the straight bar but have started doing some EZ bar recently, and actually like it. Great finisher. A little swing on the last rep is OK.

Bench Dips w/135lbs

Probably my favorite all time tricep exercise, although I don't do it as much as I would like. I train shoulders the day before arms so I worry about the overlap with compound triceps movements. I keep the reps pretty high on these never going below 10. Great pump, great feel. Love these. 135lbs felt pretty easy (this was my 4th set) but it gets cumbersome with more plates.

Front Squat: 365lbs

Continuing on my quest for a 405lb front squat. This was one of those moments where as soon as I unracked it I knew I was going to get it. Just felt light. It moved ok. Wanted it to move faster. I'm always explosive right out of the bottom and then I tend to slow down mid way through. A few form tweaks and some more muscle and strength and 405 is easily attainable.

Kind of a rough week, not in the gym but outside it. Everything effects everything though.

[cgcgraded]

37 Weeks Out (I miscalculated on previous videos and actually have 3 extra weeks!)

Deadlift (405lbs, Conventional)

- The goal here was to get a pretty easy 10 with 405lbs. I felt good but form was a little off. My grip was too narrow, so I couldn't force my knees out like I wanted to, making the lift harder then it should have been. Still happy with it for the most part. Look out for 405 x20 reps in the next few weeks.

Squat (405lbs)

-Anytime I put squat 405, my adrenaline kicks in and its hard to remember all my form cues. I'm getting better though. The first 3 moved fast (so fast I thought I could get 8-10). #4 felt OK. #5 felt good going down but I just got stuck. I lost my tightness through my upper back. With more practice, more time, and better form, 405x10 is easily attainable in the near future. I was happy this set in hindsight though.

Squat (110lbs - No Belt, No Wraps)

-This was the first time Mio had squatted in awhile. Form was on point so the weights will climb pretty fast in the next few weeks. Rep # 1 blew up fast. Reps 2 and 3 stalled, but with a little grit, got moving again. Excited to see where she'll be in the coming weeks and months!

[chrismac365]

Certainly look like you know about conditioning...

[cgcgraded]

Certainly look like you know about conditioning...

I appreciate that! Lot of room for improvement though!

[cgcgraded]

Physique Update: 180.5lbs, a little over 36 weeks out. I competed last @ 142lbs.

[cgcgraded]

[cgcgraded]

[cgcgraded]

[cgcgraded]

[cgcgraded]