Diamondmaker's 2012 offseason log

[fltallpaul]

Thanks Paul, it's always striated for some reason. Took a photo today under stronger light...

Weights at 191lb now.

Be happy...it's taken me months to get my lower back lean.

[Crazyups]

Awesome to have you guys in on this!

Found a semi-relaxed photo from June (midway during diet) I never posted.

LOL, just noticed the difference in your quads you mentioned. Don't feel bad, my left arm is much bigger than my right due to a military injury.

[DiamondMaker]

LOL, just noticed the difference in your quads you mentioned. Don't feel bad, my left arm is much bigger than my right due to a military injury.

It's less noticeable straight on like in this photo



but I actually have terrible symmetry. None of my body parts outside of my lats and calves are symmetrical. My arms are the same size but completely different shape (right bicep peaks, left is longer and fuller). My right tricep is feathered (even in offseason) but my left tricep is fuller/thicker.
My chest is not symmetrically shaped, and my delts are also very different (left has more rear delt, right has more middle).
My left/right side poses look completely different.



Thankfully I do have some other good genetic traits that make up for it lol.

[DiamondMaker]

09-18-12
Hyper Back and Shoulders

Barbell close grip row 3x 245 for 6
Meadow Row, underhand grip 2x 100+bar for 9
Db rear delt row 3x 75 for 12
Latpull down 3x 250 for 8
Rear delt machine 2x 265 for 9

Db shoulder press with (constant tension) 3x 80's for 7
Standing db lateral raise (loose) 2x 50's for 6
Seated db lateral raises (constant tension/strict) 3x 25's for 15
One-arm incline db lateral raises (constant tension) 2x 20 for 10
Rotator cuff cable raises (upwards) 3x 12.5 for 10 (sideways) 2x 12.5 for 12

Reverse barbell curl 3x 80 for 12
Shrugs 3x 425 for 6
Behind the back shrugs 2x 315 for 12
Behind the back wrist curls 3x 185 for 13

Very long workout, tons and tons of volume, maybe too much lol. Working on using more back then rear delt/traps with my rows.

[DiamondMaker]

9-19-12
HIIT Cardio on transport

5 min warm up
5 sprint intervals with 3 minute moderate between
5 min cool down

Foam roll work on back and legs. Mobility work on shoulders and some non-failure neck movements.

Back feels absolutely trashed from yesterday. Hopefully I'll feel fresh tomorrow for power upper. Carbed up tonight instead of tomorrow since I'm lifting at 8am.

[NaturalPursuit]

lovin that volume on back/shoulder hyper day! puttin up some decent numbers and KILLIN it on the constant tension!

[DiamondMaker]

9-20-12
Power upper

Flat bench 245 4,3,3
Dips with added weight 90 7,5 (up in reps)

Shoulder press 155 5,4,5 (up in reps)
Lateral raise(constant tension) 30 8,8

Barbell row (new form) 275 5,5,5
Chinups with added weight 70 7,7,6 (broke pr)

Non-alt db curls (constant tension) 50's 6,6,5,5
Skull crushers 135 7,7,7 (up in reps)

lovin that volume on back/shoulder hyper day! puttin up some decent numbers and KILLIN it on the constant tension!

Thanks man! Gotta get dem big delts and back.

[DiamondMaker]

09-21-12
Power Lower

Squats
255 for 5 (90%)
285 for 5 (last week 100%)
295 for 3 (110%)

Hack Squats 145lb per side 7,7

Deadlift
425 for 3
405 for 3
(then did some sumo pulls with 315 just to stretch out the abductors)

Cable pull throughs 77.5 for 15,15
Hamstring occlusion 125lb cluster

Seated calve raises one-leg 3x 115lb for 8
Standing rope crunch 2x stack for 15

Little bit different style volume for squats and deads. Everything went up again today, might have even had 4 or 5 in the tank when I did 425.
My training partner and I started a little race competition, his goal is to try to get to 405 squat for 3 , mine is to get to 505 dead (for 3). First person that hits it gets a hat embroidered "Champ" (with the date of the lift on the back or something) and has to pay for all you can eat sushi post workout meal lol.

[DiamondMaker]

09-22-12
Cardio HIIT

Tried something new today did 6 sets of 30-60 second burpee's with 3 minute rest between. Then 10 minutes of elliptical for cool down. Was about to get about 16-18 reps for 30seconds and shy of 35 for 60, not sure if thats good or not but I was working up a sweat fo' sho'.

[DiamondMaker]

Arms hit 17 cold this morning and 17.5 post workout

[CutItUp9759]

Arms hit 17 cold this morning and 17.5 post workout
[g]http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4912143&d=1348434976[/img]

Looking swole dude! Thickness

[DiamondMaker]

9-23-12
Hyper Chest & Arms

Dynamic bench press 6x 185 for 3
Incline db press 3x 85's for 8 (up in reps)
Incline db fly 3x 60's for 10 (up in reps)
Incline machine press 2x 200 for 8 (new movement, smif bar wasn't available for wide press)

Incline db curl non-alternating (Constant Tension) 3x 40's for 8 ( up in reps)
Standing Hammer curl's db non-alternating 2x 75's for 6 (up in weight)
One-arm cable curl 3x 32.5 for 9 (got solid 9's on all 3, last week I recorded 9,8,7 in my book)
Occlusion ez-bar curl 60lb cluster

Db close grip press 3x 80's for 10 (up in reps)
One-arm db seated tricep ext. 2x 50's for 7 ( up in reps)
Incline JM press 3x 75lb for 20 reps (new movement, testing out weight)

Reverse db wrist curls 2x 30lb for 15 ( up in reps)
db wrist curls 3x 50lb for 20 (up in reps)

Nothing to failure, yet almost everything went up in reps. Expecting to hit some good numbers on bench come thursday.

Looking swole dude! Thickness

Thanks brah!

[DiamondMaker]

Hey guys I won amature bodybuilder of the week!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/amat...ed-detail.html

[DiamondMaker]

09-24-12
Hyper Lower

Dynamic pause squats 6x 215 for 3
Front squats 3x 215 for 7
Hack squats (constant tension) 2x 3pps for 8
Leg extension occlusion cluster with 170lb

RDL 3x 275 for 12
Glute and ham raises 2x bodyweight for 6
Hip occlusion cluster with 145lb

Standing Calve raises 3x 400 for 15
Hanging Ab raises 2x 10lb between feet for 8
Rope crunch kneeling 2x stack + 5lb for 12
Alternating rope crunch kneeling 1x half the stack for 30 reps total

09-25-12
Hyper Back and Shoulders

Everything with constant tension

BB close underhand grip rows 3x245 for 7
Meadow row underhand grip 3x 155 for 9
DB rear delt row 2x 80's for 12
Latpull down 3x 250 for 8
Machine rear delt 2x 265 for 9

Shoulder press 3x 80's for 7
Heavy db laterals 2x 50's for 7
Strict seated laterals 2x 25's for 15
Incline one-arm db lateral raise 20 for 11,10
Rotator cuff cable movements

Reverse curls 3x 80 for 12

Shrugs 3x 425 for 7
BTB shrugs 2x 315 for 15

BTB bb wrist curls 185 for 16,15,14

Reps and weight keep going up!! Weighed in today at 191.5lb (+0.5lb). Macros currently at 460c 250p 75f on normal days, 650c 225p 60f on power upper and 400c 250p 75f on cardio only days.
After watching some videos on different rowing techniques I have dropped the weight and began focusing more on engaging my lats and not letting my traps/rear delts take over. This image clearly illustrates the problem and solution with most peoples form:

[deltpecx]

Hey guys I won amature bodybuilder of the week!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/amat...ed-detail.html

Congratulations!

[Ccm644]

Hey guys I won amature bodybuilder of the week!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/amat...ed-detail.html

Well done, should be a good motivator for you

Keep up the work

[DiamondMaker]

09-26-12
Cardio-hiit

5min warm up
5x30 second intervals with 3 1/2 min moderate between
5 min cool down

30 minutes of soft-tissue work using the medicine ball. This week gave me some really intense DOMS so I took it up a notch.

Did some posing pratice today and while everything is looking better my Hamstrings and glutes have already made a noticeable size improvement since July. Happy with the way the offseasons going so far!

[DiamondMaker]

Hey guys, just got back from camping up at lake George. Weight is now at 192, as of yesterday I began doing my first mini cut of the offseason. Plan is to do 2 weeks and then another 8+12 weeks of surplus.
Mini-cut macros: 250c 250p 60f , once week Refeed of 375c 225p 55f

Will post up complete posing routine after the cut is finished.

Some highlight lifts from the last couple days were:
425lb deadlift for 4
215lb front squat for 8,8,8
165lb shoulder press for 4

Bench is still stalled at 245 for 4,3,3 if I stall again this week I'll probably try wave training or some other adjustment.

[DiamondMaker]

10-02-12
Hyper Back/Shoulders - Day 2 of 14 mini-cut

BB close grip under hand 3x 245 for 8
Meadow Rows under hand 3x 160lb for 7
Rear Delt Row db 2x 85's for 12

Lat pull down 3x 250 for 9
Rear Delt Machine 2x 265 for 9

DB Shoulder press 3x 85's for 5
Heavy db lateral raise 2x 50's for 8 Super set with straight arm lat pull down 2x 80lb for 15 (different machine then other lat pull, this amount of weight was difficult)
Seated strict db lateral raise (constant tension) 2x 25 for 16
Incline one-arm db lateral raise (constant tension) 2x 20 for 11
Rotator cuff work

Reverse EZ bar curl (constant tension) 3x 90lb for 9
Shrugs 2x 435 for 6
Behind the back shrugs 2x 335 for 12
Behind the back bb wrist curls 3x 195 for 12

Neck work with 15lb



10/03/12
Hiit cardio on transport - Day 3 of 14 of mini-cut

5 min warm up/ 5min cool down
5x 30 second sprints , 2 1/2 min between


Don't give a **** about calories, if my muscles don't get stronger my neural response will, keep climbing.

[DiamondMaker]

10-04-12
Power upper - day 4 out of 14 for mini-cut - carb-up day

Mead rows overhand grip, 225lb for 4,3,3
Medium grip chin up, 75lb on belt 6,5 55lb on belt for 10

Db Flat bench 100lb's 7,5,5 (gym only goes up to 100)
Dips, 90lb on belt 7,7

Barbell shoulder press 155lb 7,6,5
one-arm upright row 70lb 8,8

Standing db curl non-alternating with constant tension 50lb's 7,6,6,6
Skull crushers 135lb 7,6,6

Had to do this workout solo today since my training partner is on a birthday trip to Jamaica.
Decided that since my flat BB press has been stalled for 3 weeks it was time to change it up but since I didn't have anyone to spot me I swapped in Db flat press which I haven't ever done regularly. Felt pretty easy, would have liked to have done 105 or 110's but the gym I go to sucks.
Next week I will not bring back flat bench but instead transition over to incline barbell press (something else I've never done regularly) and once that stalls work my way back over to BB flat bench (and hit a pr).

I also took out barbell rows since I'm finding my lower back is just not recovering well enough from all the new leg work I've implemented. I don't have a supported t-bar at my gym (again my gym sucks) and the machine row they have is too light for me, so i'm trying to figure out a good row movement I can do that is lower back supported. For now I may just stick to meadow rows since I can somewhat support my lower back with my non-used arm/knee.

[DiamondMaker]

10-05-12
Power lower , day 5 of 14 mini-cut

Squats
245 for 5
285 for 5
295 for 5 (up 2 reps!)

Deadlifts
435 for 2 (up 10lb)
405 for 5

Hack squats 3pps for 7,7
Cable pull throughs 2x 82.5 for 15
Hamstring occlusion cluster 140lb
Standing abdominal rope crunch 2x stack

Awesome ****ing workout, I probably could have gotten a 3rd on the 435 dl's. Finally getting into 3 plate territory for squats.

I also wanted to note that I don't wear a belt for anything, but starting next week I will be for squats (although still completely raw for deads).

[DiamondMaker]

12 weeks and 17lb

[DiamondMaker]

10-07-12
Hyper chest/arms- day 7 of 14 mini-cut

dynamic bench press 6x 195 for 3
Db flat bench press (constant tension) 90's for 10,8,6,6
Db incline fly 60's for 8,7,7

Non-alternating incline db curls (constant tension) 40's for 10,8,7
Non-alternating hammer curls 75's for 5,5
One-arm cable curls 3x 32.5 for 10
Ez-bar occlusion curls 60lb (tries these today with my wrist bent down, little harder)

Db close grip press 3x 85 for 8
One-arm db seated tricep ext. 2x 50 for 7
Cable rope ext. 2x 80 (machine is weird not sure how much this really equals) for 15+

Db reverse wrist curls 2x 30's for 15
Db Wrist curls 50's for 15,15,12,10

Weight today was 189.5, so I lost about 2 pounds in the first week of the mini-cut. Expect to be about 187-188 by next week and then hopefully I can hit a clean 200 by the next mini-cut. As you can see in the photo above, my back has responded extremely well to the new variation of PHAT that i've been running. I also have adjusted my posing a little, but the size difference is the reason I can only wear xl now lol.

[mikemillertime]

nice work in the back shots there! up 17 pounds and an hardly any fat gain thats intense brother great work

[DiamondMaker]

nice work in the back shots there! up 17 pounds and an hardly any fat gain thats intense brother great work

Hahaha I wish It was all muscle but I for sure have put on fat. I'm just lucky/unlucky (depending on how you look at it) and do not store fat on my back as easily as my front. It's good for dieting for a show since most people can not get the level of separation as easily from the rear (and also tend to associate the guy with lowerback/glutes as being the leaner) but my full on shredded abs come in last and fade much quicker in the offseason.

[DiamondMaker]

I seem to be holding less fat this year in my quads, legs are up about 1 inch since july. Still have to get my hamstrings to catch up to my calves.

[CutItUp9759]

nice wheels dude
tall guys have it tough in that department

[DiamondMaker]

10-08-12
Hyper Lower - day 8/14 of mini-cut

Dynamic squats 6x 225 for 3
Front squats 3x 215 for 8
Hack sqauts 3pps 2x 6
leg ext. occlusion 170lb cluster 30-15-15-15

RDL 3x 295 for 10
Ham glute rasies 7,6
Hip occlusion 170lb cluster 30-15-15-15 (finally at the right weight for these, damn that burns)

Leg raises 3x 10lb for 8
Kneeling rope crunch 2x stack for 12 (ab felt a little strained by this point may have over done it a little)

one-legged calve raises 3x 100lb for 20

nice wheels dude
tall guys have it tough in that department

Thanks man, still got a long way to go. My goal is to take my lats/hamstrings/glutes and turn them from my weaker points to my strongest. I want to step on stage next year knowing I will have the best legs and back in the show!

[DiamondMaker]

10-09-12
Hyper Back and Shoulders - day 9 of 14 mini-cut-

Machine medium row 3x 240 for 8
Incline supported db row 2x 70's for 5 (first time doing these, was surprisingly hard even with 70s)
Machine low row 2x 180lb for 8
Lat pull down 255 for 6,5 190 for 8,8
Machine rear delt 265 for 11,8,6

Db shoulder press (constant tension) 85 for 6,3 then 80 for 6
Db lateral raise seated strict (constant tension) 25 for 15,15,12,12
Rotator cuff work , 4 sets

Reverse curls 90lb 9,8,5
ez bar wrist curl on bench 70lb 20,20,15,15
Some neck work, 4 sets

Part of my right abdominal wall is bit tweaked (not really a pull or pain, but certainly a little more then soreness) so I basically did all stomach/lower back support movements today. I probably could have just done my normal routine but I didn't want to aggravate anything.

Couple things I've already learned since I started this offseason 3 months ago:
1) upper forearms respond very well to basically everything but lower forearms do not and I need to do even more volume for them
2) my core is my weak point in my squats and my glutes are my weak point in deads
3) biceps and chest respond very well to constant tension, but for everything else it's a wash
4) my rotator cuffs hate upright rows and anything to do with the smith machine
5) rowing with a "sweep" motion is MUCH more effective at hitting the lats (also straight arm pulldowns seem promising)
6) my hamstrings respond to volume

[Nexxus]

hey man, been lurking your log since you started. Seems like you're very smart about your approach to training and diet so I wish you luck this offseason and hope you do some good growing.

May I ask you what ''dynamic'' lifts are and why you're doing it and what you feel it is useful for? Feel free to go into detail on dynamic squats or bench press if you wish as I noticed you're doing them.