A New Oppurtunity: The Athlete Stack

[DavidHill76]

I'm excited to start this stack! This will be the first time I have ever tried a Muscle Pharm product. I Couldn't be more happy to have my first time with a brand New product from Muscle Pharm.

From everything I have read, Muscle Pharm is a very reputable company that's definitely a notable challenger for the #1 spot in the supplement market.



What Products will I be trying?

Recon:

A unique, high-performance POST-WORKOUT REFUEL, REPLENISH, REBUILDING formula. RECON™ was designed to maximize the most important phase of the athletes total training program - the post-workout phase, what those in our game call the "anabolic window". RECON was designed to provide hard training athletes with everything necessary to nourish recovery and growth from all angles. Every facet of reconstruction nutrition is accounted for in this, the most comprehensive recovery formulation. There is nothing like Muscle Pharms RECON™.

The brutal truth is, the harder you push your body, the better your results will be, given the proper tools to fuel recovery and growth. Your training program is only as good as your post-workout protocol. RECON™ Reconstruction Matrix leaves no stone unturned in the name of recovery and growth.

RECON™ allows hard working athletes to push harder, and recover quicker from the rigors of high-intensity training by supporting the bodys internal environment.


Assault:

was born after years of painstaking research and contains a meticulously engineered matrix of synergistic performance enhancing compounds formulated to ignite muscle growth, increase power output, maximize concentration, and super charge your energy and stamina. By combining such ingredients Muscle Pharm has provided bodybuilders, power lifters, and athletes with a potent pre-workout formula! Within just minutes after consuming your very first serving you will begin to feel the freakish effects of ASSAULT, and experience a level of focus and drive you have never known before.

Battle Fuel:

The researchers at Muscle Pharm spent years carefully studying every ingredient known to science in order to discover the most effective combination and ratio for enhancing an athlete's performance.
Battle Fuel is scientifically developed to drive your natural testosterone levels through the roof, and supercharge your workouts like never before. From day 1 Battle Fuel will have your training aggression levels RAGING like a Monster!

Needless to say, I am super excited to start this stack. I just recently came off a cycle of creatine. It will be amazing to see the results from this stack.

I will post pictures of myself before I begin the stack and keep you guys updated almost daily!

As of right now, my workout schedule looks as follows:

Mon- Chest/Tri's
Tues- Bi's/Back
Wed- Shoulder's/Lower Body
Thurs- Chest/Tri's
Fri- Bi's/Back
Sat- Shoulders/Lower Body

However, I am thinking of starting a new routine, the Arnold Schwarzenegger routine.

And since it's all with tri-sets it will be a high intensity workout. With this Athlete stack, I'm sure I'll see great results!

[little rambo]

Subbed brotha! Lookin forward to the logs!

[DavidHill76]

So, that stacks are on the way and I'm pumped!

Since I recieved news I was picked for the stack, I went off all my other supplements to give time for my system to recover and clean out. Training intensity did not change and I still saw some great results toward my goal!

Unfortuneately, Tuesday Mar. 16 I pulled a muscle in my back which caused me to take a few days off. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't get a sore throat + a head cold at the same time! So I've been out of the gym for a while, getting all the extra sleep I could!

It's sunday evening now and I can tell my throat is clearing up and my back still has a little twinge in it, but I will be in the gym Monday night taking it light and preparing for my cycle with the Athlete's stack!

Right now, I plan on stacking the Athlete's Stack with some Kre-Alkalyn and some Beta Alanine powder since I got some laying around. If that sounds like a bad idea, you guys should let me know before I get the stack

Anyway, I will take a progress picture the day I get the stack and keep you guys updated with my diet and workout routine daily!

[little rambo]

So, that stacks are on the way and I'm pumped!

Since I recieved news I was picked for the stack, I went off all my other supplements to give time for my system to recover and clean out. Training intensity did not change and I still saw some great results toward my goal!

Unfortuneately, Tuesday Mar. 16 I pulled a muscle in my back which caused me to take a few days off. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't get a sore throat + a head cold at the same time! So I've been out of the gym for a while, getting all the extra sleep I could!

It's sunday evening now and I can tell my throat is clearing up and my back still has a little twinge in it, but I will be in the gym Monday night taking it light and preparing for my cycle with the Athlete's stack!

Right now, I plan on stacking the Athlete's Stack with some Kre-Alkalyn and some Beta Alanine powder since I got some laying around. If that sounds like a bad idea, you guys should let me know before I get the stack

Anyway, I will take a progress picture the day I get the stack and keep you guys updated with my diet and workout routine daily!

Rest up brotha! You'll be good and ready by the time the stack arrives...and as for the extra supplementation of kre-alkalyn and beta alanine I would hold off and just see how the stack works for you since there is already, I feel, an ample dose of both those in the stack...meaning you can save those for the end and keep the gains coming

[DavidHill76]

Alright! I just got home to find a box containing my Recon and Assault along with a water bottle and a mixer! There's one thing that definitely impressed me: Both Recon and Assault are filled to the brim. I mean none of that "filled a little over halfway" bull****.

Now, I don't know if they want us to wait on the Battle Fuel, or go ahead and start. So I think on Monday, I will go ahead and start my Assault and Recon, and if the Battle Fuel arrives mid-week, I will take a trip home to pick it up.

Now, I'm thinking of a few different workout plans to start:

A) Stick with what I have been doing. A 6-day a week Mon-Sat. Muscle grouping as follows, respectively: Chest/tris, bi's/back, shoulders/lower body, repeat thurs-sat.

I have gotten some amazing results but I don't know if I should change it up in fear of "plateauing"

B) The Arnold Shwarzenegger workout. It seems interesting, but I would need to add some stuff to it. Also, It would call for a major change in my schedule, which may interfere with the results.

C) Follow A, except work one muscle group a day, and hit it harder, but give it longer to rest up. Only Lower body would be done at the start of the week, with Chest, or do a workout split that day and do Lower body in the morning and chest at night.


Let me know ya'lls opinion!

[Greek_Elite]

Start with the Assault and Recon since those have a bit more than 3 weeks worth in them, then start Battle Fuel when it comes. Thats what I did, plus I have the OBF timeline to fit it into so soon as BF is done I gotta transition to cut mode.

I like Plan A or C (its kind of like DoggCrapp routine I been doing). You dont want to change up your routine wholly because you want to show your results are due to the only change, the MP supps.

[DavidHill76]

Start with the Assault and Recon since those have a bit more than 3 weeks worth in them, then start Battle Fuel when it comes. Thats what I did, plus I have the OBF timeline to fit it into so soon as BF is done I gotta transition to cut mode.

I like Plan A or C (its kind of like DoggCrapp routine I been doing). You dont want to change up your routine wholly because you want to show your results are due to the only change, the MP supps.

Thanks man, I'll keep my cycle the same and let you guys know how Assault makes a difference in my routines.

I'm starting tomorrow, so you guys will be getting the first real post in my log on Monday.

[dirtydean12]

You dont want to change up your routine wholly because you want to show your results are due to the only change, the MP supps.

I would have to agree with this, hit it hard!

[Greek_Elite]

I would have to agree with this, hit it hard!

yea thats usually in most apps too, to agree not to make any other drastic changes in routine/diet/supps (other than sponsored one) to more accurately show results are from the only change

good luck wit it DH

[DavidHill76]

Alright! tried out the Assault and Recon today. Gotta say I am impressed.

Before we get into anything, here's my first picture:


Starting weight: 232

I had one I took pre-workout, but I don't like it, so this one is taken post-workout.


When I mixed the blue raspberry Assault I was impressed at how easily it mixed in the shaker bottle provided.


Taste: 10/10 it's excellent, I love it. I let my girlfriend try a sip, and it was almost impossible to get my bottle back! She loved it. I also let a friend take a sip at the gym, he enjoyed the flavor also.

Performance: I noticed a definite difference in performance. I was able to focus a lot better and I wanted to get everything done.

Here's what my workout looked like:

I do all my reps in a 4020 rhythm. as in, I exhale, or contract the muscle in 2 seconds and return to starting position in 4 seconds.
Workout start time: 7:35p

Bench (Slighty Narrow grip): 185x8 205x6 205x6 225x6
Smith Machine Incline (same narrow grip): Repeat weight and reps above
Incline Cable Crossover (weight represents per arm): 50x8 70x6 70x6 80x6
Superset:
Incline push ups (feet on wall): 8 6 4
& narrow grip box push ups: 8 6 4
Overhead Extension: 65x6 65x6 65x6
Dips (bodyweight): 6 6 6

Triceps:
Reverse iso tricep pulldown: 40x8 50x8 70x6 70x6
Cable bent over iso cable row: 30x8 40x6 40x6 50x6
tricep rope ext: 80x8 90x8 100x6

Ended workout with some abs, about 100.
End Time: 9:30


After the workout I enjoyed fruit punch Recon.

Taste: 7/10. It's not terrible, but it's not the most wonderful drink to mix with a chicken wrap. But, it made me feel good, must be the "anti-stress matrix."


Overall, this is great stuff and I couldn't be happier!


EDIT: I just wanted to add that I thought the scoops in this stuff ARE HUGE! they are the same size as the scoops I use for a protein shake. However, the good thing I noticed is that both Assault and Recon came filled to the brim, not like that half assed "a little over half-way" that other companies do.

[davidl351]

got the girl's approval stamp, that's always a plus. i agree about both Assault and Recon -- the Assault was a hit for my taste buds, but Recon was a miss. perhaps it takes some getting used to.

[dirtydean12]

I hear ya on the Recon, it's hard getting amino powders to taste that good, and after you try the beauty of Assault it's hard to live up to that good taste! But I enjoy Recon's taste, and definitely agree it has a good feeling afterwards whether it be from the adaptogens or just a good refreshing effect.

[DavidHill76]

Almost missed my workout today because I fell asleep with my girlfriend after my pre-workout meal. Luckily I woke up at 7:35 and got my butt to the gym.

Today was bi's and back. I started at 7:55 and went to weigh myself. However, it seemed the scale was off, because it said I was 10 lbs lighter, so I just didn't record it today.

I normally do deadlifts, but wasn't feeling up to it today, so I started with bent over rows on the smith machine:

Bent over Row: 95x8 135x8 135x8 155x8
Seated Cable Row: 130x12 130x14 150x8 150x8
Lat Pulldown: 120x8 160x8 180x6 140x12

My back was sore from the day before, and there was an opening on the preacher curl rack, so I moved on.
I did my preacher's ultra slow today.
Preacher Curl: 65x8 65x8 70x6 70x5 - failure
I was feeling sluggish halfway through my set of Zottman's so I went and drank some more of my Assault, finishing off the mix.
Zottman Curls: (per arm)30x8 30x7(struggled) -Drank assault- 30x8 35x6
Concentration curls: 25x8 25x8 25x7
Controlled Hammer Curls: 20x12 20x12 20x12
Reverse Grip BB curl(the curl bars were taken up so I used the squat rack, since no one was in it): 65x8 65x8 70x6 70x6


Following my bi's/back workout I did some misc. forearm workouts until I was ready to hit the road.

End Time: 9:35pm

Overall, not the greatest workout for me, but I can definitely feel the pump from the assault and the boost it gives me when I drink it. Still lovin' the taste!


I've noticed that there are some white "chunks" that gather in the bottom, probably the kre-alkalyn or something.

[DavidHill76]

Today was lower body and Shoulders.
Start time: 7:45p

I decided to do all my reps realllllllly slow today, so the weight is a little lower than usual.
Started out with lower body:

Leg Press (slow reps): 225x8 275x8 315x6 385x4
One leg extension: 65(ea. leg)x8 65x6 70x6 70x6 - held in extended position until failure on last rep
One leg curl: repeat above.


I moved on to shoulders:
Handstand pushups: bodyweight x8 x8 x6
DB Military press: [weight is per arm] 65x6 65x6 70x6 70x6
I do the one arm side raises where I grip something and lean out.
One arm side raises: 20x8 20x8 25x6 25x6
Rear Delts: repeat above
Cable Rear Delts(variation lawnmower pull): 30x8 30x8 37.5x6 37.5x6

Did some Neck and calves, finished up with abs.


End Time: 10:30p

[DavidHill76]

Another late workout tonight. I had registration for my classes next year which I had to take care of first.

Today was Chest and tri's again except I tried to use DB's on everything.

Start time: 8:20p

Still loving the Assault! Tastes amazing and I'm getting some great results already.
Weight for DBs represents per arm and I took the reps nice and slow today.
DB Bench: 80x8 90x8 90x8 95x5
DB Incline Bench: 70x8 80x8 80x6 80x8
DB Fly:40x8 40x8 45x6 35x7 (ultra slow)
Cable Incline Crossover(for some reason, I felt like taking these ultra slow today, so I lowered the weight): 30x8 40x8 60x8 60x8
I felt a little struggle on the last one while taking the x-over super slow.
Overhead Extension: 65x8 65x8 70x6 70x6

Dips (again, I try to take these slow): BWx8 BWx6 BWx6 BWx6

Cable tricep with rope: 80x10 100x8 100x8 110x8
Reverse grip tricep cable pulldown: 40x8 60x8 60x6 60x6 - I kept doing these slower and slower to feel the burn.

The gym was about to close so I did some quick abs and got outta there at about 10:30p

[DavidHill76]

4/9 Start Time: 7:30p

I had a headache today, probably from driving home from College, so the start of my workout was a little sluggish.

Smith Machine Bent over row: 90x8 140x6 140x6
1-armed rear back cable row: 45x8 45x10 52.5x10 52.5x15
lat pulldowns: 150x8 150x8 150x8 150x8

After lats my head started feeling better and I decided to do a superset of lats and back row. The lat workout involves the rope extension and I kneel down on one knee and spread the rope as wide as I can and make contact with my other leg, which is extended in front of me. I try to switch the knee placement up halfway through the set.

Mid-row: 100x15 100x15 100x15
lat workout: 60x8 60x16 60x16

All my bicep workouts I try to extend slowly.
BB curls: 80x8 80x8 80x8
DB Preacher Zottmans: 25x8 25x8 30x5 30x5
Reverse Grip BB Curls: 60x8 60x7 60x6
I started concentration Curls, but the gym closed down on me after my first set, they kicked me out.

[DavidHill76]

4/10 Start Time: 5:00p @ the YMCA again

DB workouts, the weight indicated is per arm.
I worked all my workouts slow and indicated where I went slower or faster.
Handstand pushups: 8 8 6
DB Military: 60x8 65x7 70x6 70x6
Iso side raises: 22.5x8 25x8 30x6 30x6
Rear Delt, on a fly machine: 60x8 65x8 75x8 90x8
Super slow standing side raises: 10x10 10x8 12x8
Rear Delt - Cable: 30x8 30x8 slower 30x8 fast 50x6

[DavidHill76]

Gonna update you guys with some progress pics I took today, 4/12/2010




I'm starting to see my second two abs, and more chest development.

What is so amazing is that I haven't been doing any cardio, and I've been able to see noticeable fat loss.



In my biceps, I'm able to see a little growth and definitely a lot more definition.

I have a Bicep flexed picture I took before I started the stack that I need to attach. It's on my girlfriend's camera.

[DavidHill76]

Alright! Second week in and I know I should hopefully have Battle Fuel by Wednesday!

I've been feeling great in the gym and I love Assault!

Today was chest and triceps. I tried something new today that I heard about over on the MP forums. I mixed my recon towards the end of the workout. HOLY CRAP. I think it was a great idea.

Started my workout around 7:00 pm. Looks like they got the scale fixed too. I came today at 227 lbs. Also, I was back at the fitness center on campus.


The gym was packed today so I used the smith machines (which were both open) to do Incline and Bench. I decided to annotate my weight, so subtract the 45 pounds of no bar for the following two.

SM Bench: 185x8 225x6 225x6 275x4
SM Incline: 185x8 225x6 225x5 225x4

I'm going to start totalling the weight instead of doing per arm.
Cable Crossover, lying down flys on bench: 80x8 `120x6 120x6 140x6
Cable Incline Crossover: Repeat above weights and reps.
Overhead Extension: 65x8 65x8 65x8 75x6
Dips, (bodyweight): x8 x8 x8 x8

Triceps were hell today, by the time I started, around 8p, the gym was getting even more packed.

Reverse Cable Tri ext.: 60x8 70x6 70x6 80x6
Tricep rope ext. (w/ wrist flare): 100x12 120x10 120x10

Freaking cable crossover machines got full, so I did "concentration triceps" where you lay on a bench and bring the weight to your chest and extend, keeping the upper arm still.

Conc. triceps: 25x8 25x8 30x5 30x6


I started drinking the recon very slowly around the time I started Dips, and I finished it off immediately as I left the gym. Dunno what it is, but the taste is growing on me and it makes me feel great.

[little rambo]

Good stuff man, I always like to see a fellow college student puttin in work at the rec haha

[DavidHill76]

Good stuff man, I always like to see a fellow college student puttin in work at the rec haha

Heck yeah man.

I'm gonna look back and say, "those were the good ol' days" after I graduate. Our center is filled with a bunch of old equip from like the 70s too. It's great.



Update on log: I will be getting my Battle Fuel on thursday, so until I receive it, I will be halving my scoops of assault and recon so that I have enough to last throughout the whole stack.

[DavidHill76]

Today, I halved the scoops and I didnt even notice a difference in my performance, in fact I felt a lot more pumped.

Today, 4/13 was back and biceps. I weighed in at 228.

Started out with Deadlifts today.
Deadlifts: 225x8 265x6 295x6 315x6
Cable back row, widegrip: 80x15 100x12 120x12 140x10
Lat pulldown: 150x8 150x10 150x10 120x15
Cable back row, close-grip: 140x12 120x12 100x15 100x15

Spider Curls: 40x10 50x8 70x6 70x4
Iso DB preacher Zottmans: 25x8 25x8 30x6 30x5
Hammer Curls: 20sx8 20sx10 20sx10 25sx8
Elbows out, palms down cable curls: 70x10 80x10 100x8 120x8

Finished the workout with some Grip and abs.

It was a great workout! My biceps are already sore and so are all the spots I hit on back, too.

[DavidHill76]

Today was pretty crazy in regards to school. It was busy. I'm taking an Astronomy class which had to meet at 9pm for a viewing session where we looked through telescopes. It was awesome, but it cut into my workout time.


So today, I just got some shoulders done.

4/14 at 7:15p

Power Cleans (these are with the overhead press): 115x8 135x6 165x5 185x4
DB Military: 130x8 140x6 140x6 150x5
iso leaning side raises: 20x10 25x6 25x6 30x6
rear delt fly: 15sx8 20sx8 20sx8 25sx8
Cable rear shoulder raises (iso workout): 40x8 40x8 50x6 50x6



I knew I wasn't going to have much time, so I really pushed myself on some heavier weight today. I'm beat.

[DavidHill76]

Let me start out by saying, DEAN, I FRIKKIN LOVE YA.

Got my Battle Fuel today and it came with two MP car stickers, two cinnamon roll muscle gels, 2 samples of Bullet proof (fuk yeah!), and a fitness magazine.


I'm so pumped to take my first serving of battle Fuel tomorrow.

Anyway on to my workout on 4/15. My buddy wanted me to work legs with him today and since I missed them yesterday, I thought it was a good idea. He works chest and does a few leg exercises as an auxiliary. So I will include them with a brief explanation.
Start time: 7p

DB Bench: 140x8 160x8 180x6 180x6
Leg Ext. (8 0 8 0 rhythm): 80x12
Leg Curl (same rhythm): 80x12
Leg Press (30 0 30 0 rhythm - this was excruciating): 145x4 (four reps with a 30 second each way rep was INTENSE)
DB Incline: 140x8 160x8 180x6 180x6
Slow Chest flys: 60x6 60x6 60x6
DB Incline Fly: 60x8 60x8 70x6 70x6
Dips: x8 x8 x8 x8
Iso Cable Tricep bent over ext.: 30x8 40x8 40x6 40x6

Ended at 10p on the dot.


The workout felt a little lacking, even though I was doing weight that should've been hard for me. So I guess the Assault is really working. I should probably push myself a little bit harder next time.

[DavidHill76]

Today was the first day I took Battle Fuel. Man, the pump I got from it is AMAZING. I felt like a million bucks working out today. It was amazing.

I hit bi's and back today at the YMCA in my hometown. Started at about 7:15p on 4/16

Lat Pulldown: 150x8 155x8 160x8 160x8
Back Row: 130x10 130x8 145x8 145x6
Lat. Cable(w/ rope): 85x8 100x10 100x10 115x8
Back Row (on machine):130x8 130x8 100x12


Alt. DB Curls: 40sx8 40sx6 42.5sx6
BB Spider Curls: 60x8 60x8 60x6 60x6
Zimmerman Curls: 60x8 60x6 60x6 70x5
Hammer Curls: 20sx10 20sx10 25sx8
Standing Conc. Curls: 35x5 25x6 25x6
(weight is per arm)


Misc. Grip as well

Weekly progress pics coming soon as well.

[Greek_Elite]

log looks good man, definitely gotta up it if u felt your old weights were easy! i love this stack cuz im able to push it harder every workout

[DavidHill76]

log looks good man, definitely gotta up it if u felt your old weights were easy! i love this stack cuz im able to push it harder every workout

Hell yeah man.

On my way to work shoulders in a few minutes. Gonna hit it hard!

[DavidHill76]

Man. What a terrible workout.


I got to the gym and started at around 6:15 or 6:30.

I get my Military done and I supersetted them with one legged leg curls.

I get to my second shoulder workout and they start to turn the lights off.


I WAS LIVID.

So I was in a rush, freaking out, doing any kind of shoulder exercise I could think of. I did some power partials for shoulders with 45s right before I left.

Here's what I got:

DB Military: 140x8 150x6 150x6 160x6
I really pushed myself on military today. The last set was a struggle.

Leg curls: (ea. leg) 50x8 60x6 60x6 60x6
I did my leg curls alternating and slowly.

Cable Rear delt: 40x8 40x8 45x6 45x6
These are the ones where you stand sideways on the cross-cable with it at my belly-button area and pull it, arm-straight out front, up to my ear. This is like an accentuated lawn-mower pull. This is the workout I always do for "rear delt cable pull" you see in my log.


Anyway, the gym closed and I was mad. After I ran around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get in anything I could.
After I left I tried calling around to other YMCAs with no luck. I even thought about booking it at 110 mph back to school turning an hour and half drive to 30 minutes so I could workout at the fitness center on campus.

After I was driving back to my g/fs house and some ingenuitive thinking (we all think pretty well when we drive) so I went to a sporting goods store (I will not disclose the name) and did some more misc. shoulder workouts to help me feel better about the workout.

Basically, I just did some really heavy weight as side raise and rear delt flys.

I felt like an idiot, but I did what I had to do.

[DavidHill76]

Fresh out the shower:
















Yeah, ok I need to work on my posing. And it's super hard to take a picture of yourself while you're doin' them.

[DavidHill76]

I gotta say, I LOVE THIS STACK. I hit a new max on bench. The results are astounding! Last time I maxed, around the end of Jan.- beginning of Feb. I couldn't break 300 lbs. Today I hit 345!


Got in the gym around 7 and waited on my buddy who wanted to work out with me today.

I went and weighed myself, I came in at 232. I'll say I started my workout around 7:30.

BB Bench: 135x10 - warmup; 225x8 275x6 295x3 315x2 335x1 345x1 (with a little assist) 185x15 135x15

Took an hour between me and my buddy to do bench.

I did some leg press at about 400x8 then 500x3 (I failed)

Moved to Incline on the smith machine, I didn't subtract the weight of a bar:
Incline bench: 135x8 185x8 225x5 225x6w/assist 245x2
Cable chest fly crossover: 80x8 120x8 140x6 160x6
Cable incline crossover: 80x8 120x8 120x6 160x5
Dips: x8 x8 x8 x8

It was an intense workout, I walked out at 9:30pm dog tired. It was probably due to the fact that I had an accounting test earlier today that I was up late sunday night, studying for.