Two Dudes Getting Stronger Than Dbone with MN X-Factor and Other Goodies

[Marshall28]

I didn't want to make a whole thread about this, so I'll just ask the distinguished gentlemen in this thread. Have any of you noticed the quality of Quest Bars absolutely tanking over the last few months? I don't mean the new dessert line, but both the original and natural lines of bars have been terrible lately.

I know, the original line bars were always a little "harder," but I just opened a new box of PB Supreme yesterday and the bar was basically "crackable." There's no bend to it at all. And I won't even buy the natural line any more. The last box of Coconut Cashew I tried were basically the color and consistency of hard caramel. I complained to Quest about the CC box and to their credit, they sent me a replacement box of PB Supreme which were fine. In fact, they were so good that I bought another box of PBS - but this time not directly from Quest - and that's the box that I opened yesterday with the bad bars in it. I wonder if Quest had like a 3 month period where quality fell and those bars are still being sold on the secondary market? However, the boxes bought directly from Quest are newer and the quality is now better?

I'm not trying to rag on Quest here. AFAIK, they're a stand up company with stand up reps. They've been very generous with me in allowing me to try out the new dessert line. However, the original and natural lines are just not up to the same standards as when I originally reviewed them (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...=raining+quest) in Dec, 2011.

Anyone else noticing similar? I wish I had taken pics of the first Coconut Cashew bars I had to compare them with what I've got now

You know how I feel on this issue. Sadly, my coconut bars are very difficult to eat. If you look at pics of peoples old reviews of when the natural line came out vs. what the bars look like now there is a difference for sure.

[KenshinH]

Video of 425...My buddy says 420 during the video but it's 425




Hopefully my form was decent. It felt pretty good so I don't know.

Now that I've seen it ... great job! You had more

[BenW22]

Noticed as well, and others have commented on this. I have been getting the Choc Brownie and the last 3-4 boxes the bar was very hard and dry (i.e. crackable). However, the last box I got it was back to the original consistency. Not sure if there was a bad batch out there? I have another box of Choc Brownie on its was in the next few days, so I will let you know if the issue is still present

Well, I guess I'm glad I'm not the only one. I don't want to compare Quest to TruNutrition and the whole O-ring fiasco, but it just seems odd that they'd possibly knowingly release quite a few sub-par batches. I guess they're not actually dangerous or anything, they're just not tasty.

[Marshall28]

Wow, yeah, form looked pretty good, especially for a PR pull. Well done!

Like I said I think I could have pulled a bit more. Next time

Noticed as well, and others have commented on this. I have been getting the Choc Brownie and the last 3-4 boxes the bar was very hard and dry (i.e. crackable). However, the last box I got it was back to the original consistency. Not sure if there was a bad batch out there? I have another box of Choc Brownie on its was in the next few days, so I will let you know if the issue is still present

I love the profile of the bars and the taste is/was great. The texture has just been a huge turnoff. I too have rec'd a replacement box a while back and those were a bit softer. Still not like the OG natural bars.

420?


420?




420?

No smoking here 100% clean.

[Marshall28]

New goals for the end of this log.

Squat - 340
Deads - 450
Bench - 275

Let's go!

[dbone1026]

New goals for the end of this log.

Squat - 340
Deads - 450
Bench - 275

Let's go!

Sweet!!!

[Valhallabound86]

New goals for the end of this log.

Squat - 340
Deads - 450
Bench - 275

Let's go!

Dooo it.

[BenW22]

New goals for the end of this log.

Squat - 340
Deads - 450
Bench - 275

Let's go!

My goal is to do 80% of whatever Marshall does.

Squat: 272
Deads: 360
Bench: 220

Sweet, I'm already there. Log complete.

90% would be:
306
405
248

Actually...those last figures would pretty decent for me.

[KenshinH]

New goals for the end of this log.

Squat - 340
Deads - 450
Bench - 275

Let's go!

Very nice!

Current = 315 + 260 (est) + 425 = 1000 (coincidence? )

Goal = 340 + 275 + 450 = 1065

+65 is very doable. Leggo!

My goal is to do 80% of whatever Marshall does.

Squat: 272
Deads: 360
Bench: 220

Sweet, I'm already there. Log complete.

90% would be:
306
405
248

Actually...those last figures would pretty decent for me.

Total = 305 + 250 + 405 = 960 ... That would be an awesome goal for this log Ben. Do eeeeetttt

[BenW22]

Very nice!

Current = 315 + 260 (est) + 425 = 1000 (coincidence? )

Goal = 340 + 275 + 450 = 1065

+65 is very doable. Leggo!



LOL

Seriously, Ben, put a set of goals down here in this log and we'll hold you up to it

^^Yeah, that's exactly why I won't do it. I'd rather fail in private thank you very much.

My eventual goals are 315, 405, 275. I just don't think I'm going to do it in the next couple months on this Log.

[Marshall28]

Very nice!

Current = 315 + 260 (est) + 425 = 1000 (coincidence? )

Goal = 340 + 275 + 450 = 1065

+65 is very doable. Leggo!

Yeah I am hovering right at the 1000lb mark. I am doing chest on Saturday and need to do 260 to be in the club. I will be excited if I do all 3 lifts in one week

^^Yeah, that's exactly why I won't do it. I'd rather fail in private thank you very much.

My eventual goals are 315, 405, 275. I just don't think I'm going to do it in the next couple months on this Log.

I think it's a good goal. You have all of using cheering for you. You can do it!!!!

[BenW22]

^^That guy has better form than I do.

Nevertheless, thank you for the support. I won't let you guys down.

[Marshall28]

^^That guy has better form than I do.

Nevertheless, thank you for the support. I won't let you guys down.

All we ask is that you try. You are special Ben.

[BenW22]

All we ask is that you try. You are special Ben.

Srs, this is the last dual Log I'm doing with you.

[jeezyreezy]

Solid goal updates guys! I'm confident that you’ll both be able to achieve them by the end of the log!

[Marshall28]

Solid goal updates guys! I'm confident that you’ll both be able to achieve them by the end of the log!

If Nutrabolics wants some ad space in this log just let us know

[jeezyreezy]

If Nutrabolics wants some ad space in this log just let us know

You're doing it up big in here!

[BenW22]

Workout #7: Gettin' heavier

Took my usual 6 caps XFO pre-workout and a total of 7 caps Beast SuperTest today. I drank 2 scoops of Protocol V2 intra.

Jogged 1/2 mile to warm up

Incline Bench
115x10, 135x8, 155x5, 160x5, 175x2, 185x1, 190x1, 165x5, 170x5 (w/a tiny little bit of help on the 5th rep)

Inspired by Marshall's deadlift PR, I decided to incorporate some heavy singles into my sets tonight. I was quite happy to get 190 up.

DB Flat Bench
60x10, 80x5, 85x5, 70x10, 70x10

Standing Cable Fly
20x12, 25x12, 30x10, 35x8, 25x12

CGBP
95x10, 135x5, 155x5, 165x4, 135x7

And that was it. I had myself a nice little workout tonight. No PRs, but I was happy with the few heavy singles on Incline.

Thoughts on the stack so far:
Everything is coming along smoothly. I haven't noticed any more hunger than usual. DOMS have been present for sure, but I'm not sure it's so much worse than usual. What I have noticed...and maybe this weird...but I have been VERY regular since starting this stack. I used to be a basically every-other-day kinda guy, but in the last 2 weeks I've had quality...movements...nearly every day. Feelsgoodman.

[Marshall28]

Nice job Ben. Strength numbers are looking good. Also, thank you for the bathroom update.

[Anthony21]

Awesome workout guys. Loving the alphaness going on in this room. Stay strong.

[sloop]

Nice work on the incline, Ben.

Do you guys ever do reverse grip bench press?

[BenW22]

Nice job Ben. Strength numbers are looking good. Also, thank you for the bathroom update.

I feel my readers want to know every little detail of this stack its effects.

Awesome workout guys. Loving the alphaness going on in this room. Stay strong.

Alphaness was strong at the gym today....

Nice work on the incline, Ben.

Do you guys ever do reverse grip bench press?

Thanks. Definitely got some better numbers when doing it first in the routine.

I do occasionally do reverse grip bench...but more often do close grip. Both torch the tris nicely.

[KenshinH]

Strong work on the inclines Ben! 190x1 is not easy.

[BenW22]

Workout #8: OUT THE WAY! I'M HERE TO SQUAT

Took my usual 6 caps XFO pre-workout and a total of 7 caps Beast SuperTest today. However, I drank 3 scoops of Protocol V2 intra for no particular reason. I guess I wanted to make the taste a bit stronger.

Jogged 1.5 miles to warm up

Squat
135x10
175x5
195x5
225x5
235x3
245x3 (Rep PR)
255x1
275x1....eh, kinda. See vid.
210x5
210x5

So here's the 275 rep. I'll be the first to admit it ain't perfect. Actually, upon watching it, it looks a lot better than it felt. I thought I completely "good morning-ed" it up. I probably didn't get exactly to parallel, but I think I'm fairly close. 275 is definitely still a work in progress, but considering this is the first time I've even attempted 275, I was pretty happy.

Edit, sorry, I can't seem to start the vid at the actual lift. It keeps telling me there's an error. Anyway, fast forward to about 55 seconds to see the lift. Otherwise you can watch my long, weird warm up



Leg Extension
145x10
160x10
160x10

Wednesdays are my short day in the gym, so this was all I did. I was very happy with the Squat sets and seemed to have good progress over just last week

I also don't normally jog 1.5 miles to warm up, but I DL'd some new music and just kept on going. I'm a big fan of Florence and the Machine...not the typical workout music I guess, but it works for me.

[dbone1026]

275lbs is definitely a solid number, who gives a $hit about form, you got the weight down and brought it back up

[KenshinH]

PR attempts are not supposed to win beauty pageants

You got pretty close to parallel, if not actually parallel. The "good morning" happened on the descent - I think you were bending forward to try to get deeper - rather than the ascent, but it didn't look that bad. Overall, great job on the PR! Count it

[Marshall28]

Congrats Ben ! Looks like my lifting is pushing you!!!

[dbone1026]

KenshinH is supposed to win beauty pageants

Fixed

[BenW22]

275lbs is definitely a solid number, who gives a $hit about form, you got the weight down and brought it back up

Thanks for the ego boost

PR attempts are not supposed to win beauty pageants

You got pretty close to parallel, if not actually parallel. The "good morning" happened on the descent - I think you were bending forward to try to get deeper - rather than the ascent, but it didn't look that bad. Overall, great job on the PR! Count it

Totally. I remember thinking when I unracked it...okay...control it...control it...and then about halfway down the weight just pushed me down faster than I expected, lol.

[Valhallabound86]

Looks like a good rep to me. Congrats.

Might be time to do some heavy abs if that weight is handcuffing you. Depth might have been just shy, but I wouldn't micromanage those things on a PR performance. What's good is good.