Deadlift Scars and Pr's. Franks Quest. to Success!!

[Frankdaddy]

This journal will be my contest prep grow season leading all the way until my next pre contest diet. No set date, just personal records, a lot of food, and good times. I plan to rekindle with my long lost strength levels quickly as possible while maintaining body ccomp/weight. I will also focus on endurance my entire off-season, I will not stop some form of cardio at any point except for an injury.

Weight room goals are scarce at this point until I reach my previous bests, which shooting for first of the year on the majority of my lifts.

Physique goals are to make an extreme change in bicep/triceps/forearms, add/abductors, and pecs. The first time it 2.5 years I will work all bodyparts year round, even abdominals.

Follow my journey to see me bust balls everyday, deadlift a lot of weight, eat a bunch of junkcfood and get fat , and do a few powerlifting meets around the country. Leggo my eggos, no slacking!!!!



The first routine is sheiko 29 with focus on front squats, incline BB, and sumo pulling 90% of the time. I was extremely conservative these 4 weeks to adapt well. I feel strength will blast up by doing this, let's see!

BB INCLINE
135X10,10
155X10,10
175X3,3,3,3,3



FRONT SQUATS
135X10,10
185X10,10
225X5,5,5,5,5

Sums stance Good morning's
185x5,5,5,5,5
SS
LEG EXTENSIONS
5X10

BB INCLINE
135X10,10
145X10
165X4,4,4,4

Flat DB PRESS
45x10,10,10,10,10

Alt DB CURLS
20x10,10,10,10

Hammer curls
30x12,12,12,12

Incline DB CURLS
15x15,15,15

OVERHEAD DBA EXT.
20X10,10,10,10

UNDERHAND PRESSDOWNS
70X12,12,12,12

SINGLE ARM CABLE EXT.
30X15,15


Pics to cap off from day 1 til now coming soon + my last stage shots for a longg time. I hope everyone is ready for major progress!

[antevans007]

Im IN for this dude. really looking forward to seeing your progress

[rakan92]

IN...hope everything turns out gr8 !

[fltallpaul]

Always lots of quality in here Brandon! Looking forward to it.

[jpfaherty]

Love the title!

In on this. Love the idea of Sheiko with Incline and Front squat. I mentioned something like that earlier in my log but never went through with it! Can't wait to follow along.

[NaturalPursuit]

IN brotha!

[Bnizzle163]

In for this!

[Rypt1]

In!

[Frankdaddy]

Off day today. Here are some quick shots from the show the photographer took, hopefully get the high quality prints in a few weeks. I was shocked at how I looked on stage. I determined I was stupidly depleted, conditioning was better than most at this show, about the only one with signs of striated glutes and split hamstrings, and by evening I was a lot fuller but potential was wasted by that time. Peak Week was jacked up.

Im IN for this dude. really looking forward to seeing your progress

I will do what it takes to progress, regardless of what is fun is not always optimal for constant progression IMO.

IN...hope everything turns out gr8 !

It feels great. The progress I made in 2.5 years was great, but I feel I have better understanding of what I need to do even more. I will just have to wait and see if my thoughts will yield better results.

Always lots of quality in here Brandon! Looking forward to it.

Thanks my dude, lets see what our offseason can bring...I know you will be right behind me for progression as well

Love the title!

In on this. Love the idea of Sheiko with Incline and Front squat. I mentioned something like that earlier in my log but never went through with it! Can't wait to follow along.

Gotta keep it real brah

I have done it before. When my hip was injured I ran sheiko with Front Squats for the entire run, it got me up to a deep 450 front squat. I also ran it for incline BB once before, getting me to 320lbs in 4 weeks after NEVER doing incline BB in that time frame. I am excited to see what it does for a sumo stance because 1. I never progressed well from conventional on sheiko 2. Sumo seems to be my stance of true maximal benefit. I think I will blow 600 out of the water in competion in no time by making this switch.

IN brotha!

Yes sir, leggo

In for this!

In!

Glad to have you guys. It won't be a quick journey until it's all said and done. The past 3 years has went QUICK, and my goals were not met, but lets set some more back in stone and shoot for the stars!!!

[jpfaherty]

I think I asked you this before but did you have any shoulder issues running Sheiko with incline BB?

[Frankdaddy]

I think I asked you this before but did you have any shoulder issues running Sheiko with incline BB?

Never once. I even replaced then and now the flies with light Dumbell presses +light accessory work added in. I thought it done just as much wonders for incline as flat. I only wish my dumbbells at my gym were heavy enough to try it.

[Bnizzle163]

Those professional shots look awesome, dude!

[Frankdaddy]

Happy Halloween BROS



Feeling very sore from the Monday massacre. The workout this evening was killer as well, but I am only adapting to the training protocol at this point. All of my warm ups are consisting of hyper rep ranges, and then following sheiko repitition during the main sets. I am hoping this will help my stamina during training during the lighter/warm up reps. I think this will not only rid them as being warm up sets, but help grow some as well as I can still stimulate muscle fibers with this weight and rep range. HEre my 40+ set evening, HIIT PWO, and all done in less than 2 hours. DO WORK!!!

BB Lunges
95x5,5,5,5,5

Sumo Deadlifts
135x10
225x10
315x8
375x3,3,3,3

Conventional Rack Pull Deadlifts
315x8
365x8
425x4,4,4,4
(was only suppose to do 4 sets of 3 reps...I dun Goof'd)

Lat Pulldowns
100x12,12,12,12

BB Bench Press
135x10,10,10
155x6,6,6,6

(Really just put my feet up on the bench and focused on slow negatives,pause, and press...Really makes light weight rough)

DB FLies
20x10,10,10,10,10

BW DIPS
5x5

Hanging Leg Raises
BWx10,10,10

Next week I want to add in some type of row and/or shrug movement to add into the mix, this week I am much too sore from the Monday workout using front squats. I've got to slowly accustome myself to the volume + adding more to sheiko is not always easy, but I want to add cals in slowly and training volume/intensity slowly. Patience is key at this point, and sticking to the plan

Sorry for my lack of Food Pron, but macros will raise eventually and will be able to throw in variety on the meal by meal basis rather than daily. I gotta pick up some baking supplies and I will have some new stufff posted

Oreo Cake Pop...Macros counted then SMASHED


Pumpkin Pudding Bowl


Homemade Pumpkin Reeses Blizzard. Macros 7g fat, 50g carbs, 23g protein


Banana Cookie Butter Loaf. Charbroiled MarshMallow/ccookie butter Fluff on top


Pumpkin Spice Cupcake...SRS one of these i've had and it was homemade. I wish I could gorge an entire box of these without care, but my appetite is WAY better than my metabolism


Cinnabon French Toast from IHOP

Those professional shots look awesome, dude!

Yea I may order these. I have always refrained from ordering stage shots because I was never happy with how I appeared in them. These might be pretty good to keep.

[Bnizzle163]

Best set of food pics you've posted yet. This is going to be one epic offseason!

[MKW]

I was wondering why your other log hadn't been bumped in a couple days. In!

[Frankdaddy]

I am going to go over some points so far now that I am almost 2 weeks post show. Post show I tried sticking with my low macros to stay tight for my next weekend vacation, and it was a bust. I could not maintain control and I ate everything in sight, and I personally felt if I did not raise them I would just have major up and down macros, so I figured some structure with higher macros would be better than eating everything like a fat kid with low self esteem. I raised carbs 200g and lowered fat some, and I have kept with those macros for over 1 week now. I am starting to get that feeling again of being extremely hungry, and unable to control eating certain items that have been presented to me on the daily basis, my self control is about 50%. I am thinking of going ahead and raise my calories on workout days for 4 semi higher days, because I feel yet AGAIN that it would just be smart to eat structured higher intake rather than grabbing a donut when I see it laying in the box, and nobody is around so I grab it and eat. I feel if I raise my intake maybe the sensations will go away for a while like they have the last week until now, being they are starting to return. Anybody else have this issue post show, and did you do similar judging when to add back in macros as well? I know sometimes it should be based on how you look and weight gain whe nto add macros back but I feel it is mentally hurting me as well, like a strong eating disorder.

My current counted Macros are 40/200/270... F/C/P

I would like to raise them on Workout days to 55/350/245 and keep them at the above macros 3 days per week on "OFF DAYS"

Any suggestions and ideas to keep me on the white line?

Best set of food pics you've posted yet. This is going to be one epic offseason!

It will only get better. I feel the epicness of food and PR's coming very soon, but I am trying to be patient doing this myself.

I was wondering why your other log hadn't been bumped in a couple days. In!

Yes Sir. I believe I forgot to even post a link inside of it, LOL.

[Bnizzle163]

So what you have outlined is basically caloric cycling. I don't see anything wrong with it. Give it a shot and see how it affects you!

[NaturalPursuit]

So what you have outlined is basically caloric cycling. I don't see anything wrong with it. Give it a shot and see how it affects you!

Agreed!

having a game plan = SUCCESS

[Mundungus]

Definitely in on this. Stage pics look pretty damn awesome, no doubt worth buying a set to look back on.

[Frankdaddy]

Food Porn will be pretty much better this week, food went up...Ideas are coming to play. I am normally a guy who enjoy eating the same type of foods on the daily because they are normally foods that satisfy me so I do not change often. Right now since my food intake will be moving up, I want to try new things baking and cooking that I never have. I owe a lot of credit to ideas from my bros following and journals I follow a long, but I do a lot myself and have made for years since I started as I always followed a IIFYM kind of guy before it ever existed. I will take some weekly pics tomorrow to check out my body composition is and weigh in. I actually do not care what my weight is as long as body composition is good. I am a big believer in being at the set point of gaining much quicker rather than taking 6 months post show to reach. I do feel though once you reach that set point it is best to maintain is a lot slower once you are in a surplus, and get stronger. I feel my set point for my strongest is around 190, and I will probably compete at this weight and grow into it without going much past 190 at any point if I can help it....

Tomorrow is the second half of this session, the lower half, LISS, a lot of good home cooking, painting my house I am renovating, and of course chillaxin.

All Movements are with a 2 count pause at the bottom portion of each rep

Incline BB Bench
115x12,12,12
135x10,10
155x5,5
175x4
185x3,3
195x2,2
185x3,3
175x4
155x10,10

DB Press
45x15,15,15

Pec Dec
100x15,15,15,15,15

Cable Skull Crushers
60x12,12,12,12
SS
BB Curls
55x10,10,10,10

Rope PRessdowns
60x12,12,12,12
SS
Reverse BB Curls
35x15,15,15,15

Nautlus Tricep Ext.
70x15,15,15
SS
Cable Curls
50x15,15,15

I have always had high intensity focus on arm training, during prep I staretd going for a mind muscle connection, speed, and major pumps. I am going to give this routine a try for the first time this offseason. I am going to focus on high frequency and high volume 2x per week but wit hdiff exercises focused on each day, but similar rep/set ranges. I cannot wait until week 4 is over of sheiko. I am going to test a Max Effort Phase and then start the main compounds of flat Bench, Regular Squats, and stick with 90% of the time Sumo Pulls. After this cycle is finished my main focus will be to GROW at all costs.

So what you have outlined is basically caloric cycling. I don't see anything wrong with it. Give it a shot and see how it affects you!

Yes sir, I feel as though it would be a good idea to raise calories by the workout day and a bit slower on non workout days. A bit more structure of eating more rather than gorging on snacks when given the opportunity and not counting will be a much better idea. Atleast if I gain to fast this way I can pull back because I will have known what macro amount caused it.

Agreed!

having a game plan = SUCCESS

Yes sir, I can agree to this. This reverse is much harder to grasp than in 2009 where I smoked my reverse as perfect as my contest prep. I have a disorder to where I am rarely ever full, or satisfied more or less so I just want to keep eating. During contest prep I am so focused in that I can work past it.

Definitely in on this. Stage pics look pretty damn awesome, no doubt worth buying a set to look back on.

Thanks man, I was pretty happy with how I looked in the evening show, fullness finally made its way through. I do think I could have been fuller earlier if I would have ate some more Friday evening or woke up earlier to get a bit more carbs in. I was playing catch up by mid day of the show and started getting nauseous from so much food, low energy from being on stage, and really restless. I just could not get in enough food at a quick enough rate. I actually had to quit eating and drink gatorade to get carbs in because I could get eat anymore.

[Frankdaddy]

Woke up and took progress pics, pretty pleased with them. I thought I had done more damage. THe scale said this morning that I am only up 4lbs from my lowest weigh in during prep, and that is not bad considering I am getting on track now with things. Not that I never really got off my game plan, I would just eat extra things when they were presented to me, I always stuck to my macro plan, but sometimes additional snacks would be entered. I will say that is how I am, I only live once, and I LOVE food. I love trying diff foods, and if I am not prepping, and get presented food ive never had, I will devour it. I just don't enjoy that I feel like I am cheating myself by doing so, since I wanted to start my reverse slow, but if the food is prsented and I feel I may never try it again, I will try it as I said. WEight was 184.0 on the dot this morning, workout was great, and food was epic so far.

Front Squats
135x10,10
185x10,10
225x10,10
255x3,3,3,3,3

Good Mornings
5x5

Leg Press
5x8

Leg Extensions
4 sets of 12-15

Glute/Ham Raise
3 sets of 8-10

Reverse Hyper
2 sets of 12-15

Leg Curls
2 sets of 12-15

Hip Add/Abbductor superset
3 sets of 15-20


Seated Calves
4 sets of 12-15






Peak Week Vs. NOW





I feel as though my glutes and hammies are still good, front side has mostly put on the most access fat, especially lower stomach

Morning PIcs 184.0

[Frankdaddy]

Pumpkin Pie Loaf


Blueberry Pizza Slice


2 PB&J Fried Banana Dogs, 1 Pumpkin Pie Fried Banana Dog...Idea from ROb Sardinia


2, 2lb LArge Brownies/Loafs top with Cookie Butter and Reese Cups...shh was delic


6 cups of HOMEMADE Pumpkin Ice cream/Blizzard. W/Graham Crackers


REAL homemade Red Velvet Pancakes, legit!!!

[The Solution]

Told ya cookie butter was awesome. Must of been a blessing when you left it in your bag accidentally eh ?

Glad to be at your show man, was an honor. Look forward to meeting back up in march @ The arnold.

[Frankdaddy]

Epic food the last two days, macros were tracked great, and feeling much fuller now. My performance in the gym is already on the rise and its only the first week, I know strength is about to get real up in here. Here are some pictures from tonight at a delayed Halloween party because of Hurrican Sandy causing storms and power outages locally all week.

Told ya cookie butter was awesome. Must of been a blessing when you left it in your bag accidentally eh ?

Glad to be at your show man, was an honor. Look forward to meeting back up in march @ The arnold.

I did feel bad about not getting it out, but I thought I would wake up that morning to help you head out so it slipped my mind. On that note it is awesome to top with things occasionally, I wish I could eat the entire jar by itself though..You know whatsup

Thanks again for the trip to my show brother. I can't wait for the Arnold because now I can actually go workout with you during our offseason training, and we can have an epic cheat meal somehwere in Columbus with every food option available

[The Solution]

LOL.. by how fast i am gaining right now ill have to do a mini before the Arnold. Almost my all time offsesaon high almost 4 months post-show! Ahh!

Keep killing it man, looking good in the pics above.

[Frankdaddy]

WOrkout Week 2 is going amazing. I had a bit of a shoulder tweak all last week from sleeping on it wrong, so I have been utilizing the very light dumbell flies post pressing to stretch the pec/delt tie in. The real thing that hurts my shoulder is holding the front squat bar after so many sets. Front squats are feeling like butter, incline press with a pause each rep, easy...Deadlifts will be ripped off of the floor. Like I said, I do believe strength is going to blow up when the time to test it comes. I am excited to really push that envelope, especially since food is moving up pretty decent and in 3-4 more weeks I will have raised it a bit more if body composition approves.

I took some post workout pictures. I have concluded I am still getting super flat post workout, muscle memory has not kicked back in, but I am hoping it will soon that food is going back up. I hit some back squats post front squats as program called for, felt good, cannot wait to smash!!!!



Front Squats 75%
135x10,10
185x8
225x5,5
265x3,3,3,3,3

2 second Pause Back Squats
135x10.10
185x10
225x5
275x3
325x2,2,2,2

Leg Extensions, 2 second pause at contraction
110x12,12,12,12,12

BB Incline Press, 2 second pause
135x10,10,10
155x5
165x4,4
185x3,3,3,3,3

Db Press
45x15,15,15,15,15

Db FLies
25x15,15,15,15,15

DB SKullcrushers
25x10,10,10,10,10

Reverse Pressdowns
70x15,15,15,15

Single ARm Cable Extensions
30x15,15,15

Alt DB Curls
15x10,10,10,10
20x10

Hammer Curls
30x12,12,12,12

INcline Db Curls
15x15,15,15,15


One of the best workouts I have had in a while..Felt strong, form tight on all counts. Intensity is not high, but I feel these workouts better, and will be incorporating more volume in my accessory training in the future with slightly less intensity. It will be a huge change for me from what I have done before.






Chocolate Load topped with Peanut butter and PB cookie



Red Velvet Cake topped with cookie butter and a homemade BBQ Calzone



My 2lb Brownie I made



Delicious

LOL.. by how fast i am gaining right now ill have to do a mini before the Arnold. Almost my all time offsesaon high almost 4 months post-show! Ahh!

Keep killing it man, looking good in the pics above.

I hope I don't need to. If I did not eat some of the foods that I did I probably would be in even cleaner shape than I am now, and all things aside. I did eat 600 some carbs on show day and 350+ on Friday before not invluding our cheat meal post show, and my Sunday food massacre LOL. So like 700g of carbs easy. I do wish I would've spread things out, but my mind was really pushing me, but I will be sticking to the plan and aiming to get large by the Arnold so I can walk around big in my t-shirt and lift some massive weights when we hit up the gym.

[Frankdaddy]

Fantastic workout today, got in a good bit earlier to the gym with nobody in the place to bother me for once. Music loud, and in the zone. THis week felt 10x more smoother with the pulling variations, PR's will come, but for now it's just scars




BB Lunges 2 second pause at bottom, 30 seconds rest between sets
95x5,5,5,5,5

Sumo Deadlifts
135x20
225x10
315x5
365x2,2,2,2

COnventional Rack Pulls
135x10
225x10
315x6
405x4,4,4,4

Incline BB
115x10,10,10
135x10
155x6,6,6,6

Db Flies
25x10,10,10,10,10

Lat Pulldowns
110x12,12,12,12

Leg Raises
BWx10,10,10

1lb red taters, 12 seasoned scrambled eggs w/pita bread


Pumpkin Spice French Toast W/ Grilled Banana



Legit cookies


Ginggerbread oreo blizzard




Homemade Deep Dish Chicken Pizza

[NaturalPursuit]

Doing GREAT in here and still lookin SHREDDDED!!!

[Ccm644]

Certainly some great food pictures

Workouts are looking solid

IN for PR's

[Bnizzle163]

Simply... cannot.... take.... the FOOD PICS!!

Awesome fricking work! In the gym, and the kitchen.