Brandon2743 - The Journey to My First Real Six-Pack

[brandon2743]

[brandon2743]

Starting Weight: 180.4
Goal Weight: 160lbs

Starting Bench: 295
Starting MP: 165
Starting Squat: 355
Starting Deadlift: 430

[brandon2743]

Background Information: To start off, I have always been heavy set. I reached my max weight when I was around 13 years old, at about 200 lbs. I then started lifting, and dropped down to a very skinny 145lbs. From there I have lifted heavy, and have always hovered from around 15 to 25% bodyfat.

Over the last year, after bulking to 197lbs, I cut down to 162. Upon reaching this weight I bulked wayyyyy too quickly, and ballooned back up to around 175-180 where I set right now. My goal is to cut slowly, and properly to 160lbs, and reverse diet into an extended lean gain phase.

Diet: In general I follow IIFYM, however I tend to eat what most would call "Bro Foods". For the most part, my diet revolves around sweet potato, chicken, oatmeal, green beans. I also throw cereal in there to help hit carbs, as well as peanut butter/coconut oil to hit fats, and protein powder to hit my protein.

At the beginning of this fat loss phase, I will be starting my calories at 2200 per day.
Ideally I will be aiming for about 180 protein, 60 fat, and filling the rest with carbs.

Refeed days will come later, but for those I will be keeping protein/fat the same, while upping carbs until I hit 2600 calories.

[brandon2743]

Supplements:For supplements, I won't be using too much. The typical fish oil, creatine, multi, and pre-workout. Nothing too crazy.
Favourite Protein: Trutein
Favourite PreWorkout: C4 or Craze

[brandon2743]

Workout Routine

For my log, I will be running 5/3/1.
I am currently on my 9th or so week I am pretty sure, and strength went up fairly well throughout my bulk.
Now that I am cutting I hope that my strength will at least remain the same, and perhaps edge up a bit.

One thing I will be changing however, will be my assistance work.

Previously I had combined 5/3/1 with PHAT which will be wayyyyy too much volume for a cut.

I am now going to go with 5/3/1 with a combination of boring but big, joker sets, and bodyweight exercises.

[brandon2743]

Workout Routine Layout:

Monday
HIIT (15-20 minutes on bike or elliptical)
Abs (Some form of ab circuit/weighted ab work)

Tuesday
Military Press (5/3/1)
Military Press Joker Sets
Pullups
Dips

Wednesday
Squats (5/3/1)
One Leg Squats/Lunges
Hyperextensions

Thursday
HIIT
Ab Work

Friday
REST DAY

Saturday (Refeed Day Later in Diet)
Bench Press (5/3/1)
Pull-Ups
Push-Ups/Handstand Push-Ups

Sunday
Deadlifts (5/3/1)
One Leg Squats/Lunges
Hyper Extensions



Overall my goal is to keep strength up, while increasing athleticism

[mrdot]

good luck brah

[brandon2743]

good luck brah

appreciate it!

[brandon2743]

btw since today is the last day of my bulk, decided to try out my 1 rep max for deadlifts.

pulled 430 which i'm pretty happy with.
failed 450

[brandon2743]

Day 1
Weigh-In: 180.4 lbs
Total Loss: N/A
Weekly Average: 180.4

Today's Workout: HIIT/Abs

[brandon2743]

Just finished my HIIT/Abs workout.

On Elliptical:
5 minutes warm up
10 cycles of 45 seconds slow/15 seconds full on sprint (high resistance)
5 minutes cool down

Followed by assorted ab work (hanging leg raises mostly)

[brandon2743]

Day 2
Weigh-In: 177.6 lbs
Total Loss: 2.8 lbs
Weekly Average: 179.0

Today's Workout: Military Press

[brandon2743]

Day 2
Weigh-In: 177.6 lbs
Total Loss: 2.8 lbs
Weekly Average: 179.0

Today's Workout: Military Press

Workout:
Military Press (50lb bar)

50x5
70x5
90x3

105x5
125x5
140x5 (upset I didnt get any more)

105x7

Pullups
40 total
Dips
30 Total

[brandon2743]

Day 3
Weigh-In: 176.8 lbs
Total Loss: 3.6 lbs
Weekly Average: 178.27

Today's Workout: Squats

[brandon2743]

Day 3
Weigh-In: 176.8 lbs
Total Loss: 3.6 lbs
Weekly Average: 178.27

Today's Workout: Squats

Squat Workout was not very good.
Another day of just hitting 5 reps on my 5+ set. Might have to lower the weight after this cycle. we will see.


Squats
50x5
140x5
170x5
200x3
230x5
265x3 (Lost my balance here)
300x5

Finished off with trying to learn how to do pistol squats. Damn they are hard.

[brandon2743]

Day 4
Weigh-In: 175.6 lbs
Total Loss: 4.8 lbs
Weekly Average: 177.6

Today's Workout: Cardio/Abs

[brandon2743]

Day 5
Weigh-In: 175.8 lbs
Total Loss: 4.6 lbs
Weekly Average: 177.24

Today's Workout: OFF

[brandon2743]

Day 6
Weigh-In: 175.6 lbs
Total Loss: 4.8 lbs
Weekly Average: 176.97

Today's Workout:
Bench
140x5
160x5
170x3
200x3
230x3
260x3

Pullups
BWx5
25x5
45x5

Assorted other bodyweight exercises thrown in