Emerald Cup Prep ALL DETAILS

[pdt414]

I've gotten the green flag to start cutting for the Emerald Cup coming at the end of April. So I figured I would try to keep myself accountable by logging everything from macros, food choices, program, and measurements that I use. I will post photos, videos, and anything else y'all want to see form me. I'll try to do this daily depending on time because school and military take up a lot of time.

To start, this was my past 8 weeks of recomp because I was in that little window where I didn't know if I should bulk or cut. (70F/250P/400C)



Lifting for the day




Food for the day. Not complete as I saved room for sushi tonight and will more thank likely have a 2 scoop shake before bed just as a safety to ensure I hit protein. (Current macros 70F/250P/325C)







At the end of each week, I will post my weekly average of weight and body fat based on waist and neck measurements. Please don't take these numbers as gospel as measurements and formulas are not the most accurate, but they are just another method of accuracy to gauge progress.

Will post pictures soon. Took some this morning but I look like a schmuck because it was way too early.

[pdt414]

Leg day and photos today. Weight in at 216 this morning from sushi binge last night. Back on track today though.

Front, Side, and Back





350x5 squat



295x5 RDl


Rest of todays programming



Also, since it was leg day, I'll post some good squat info that I've come across this week. Mostly thanks to Jez Carter at Alpha Training Protocols for compiling this.

If you’re feeling squats in your quads, that’s because you are squatting! Squats are a quad dominate exercise as demonstrated by Isear JA Jr et al, 1997 showing increased quadriceps activity in both the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis. This is pretty common knowledge an available in the majority of the literature covering squatting. Let’s further look at her recommendation on stance width. McCaw ST et al, 1999 research and Smith TO et al, 2009 both suggest that stance width does not cause isolation within the quadriceps. I’m not certain what resource she is using to give out such advice but so far she is wrong. To take it one step further Paoli A et al, 2009 found no significant difference when measuring 8 different thigh muscles for emg activity at 3 different stance widths.


Donnelly DV et al, 2006 found that the direction of gaze on the kinematics of the squat exercise made no difference. Instead it would be better practice to work on maintaining proper trunk, hip and knee flexion while learning how to create intra-abdominal pressure and proper bracing of the core. Performing daily mobility drills on how to externally and internally rotate your hips and improving dorsiflexion for deeper squats Kim SH et al, 2015.


Squatting to parallel not only limits the amount of glute activation as demonstrated by Caterisano A et al, 2002; where he found that glute activation increased from 16% in the partial squats to a significant difference of 35% during the full depth squats. When you squat to full flexion of the knee your glutes are going to be involved in helping your hips extended out of the movement with more maximum effort. If you are doing partial squats you are limiting the activation of your glutes, adding more shear force to your knees and not properly overloading your glutes. Bryanton MA et al, 2012 found that both greater squat depth and barbell load increased hip extensor relative muscular effort. Consequently half and quarter squat training with comparatively supra-maximal loads will favor degenerative changes in the knee joints and spinal joints in the long term as shown by Hartmann H et al, 2013. So squat heavy and deep if you want to get maximum glute development out of your squats; science says so.


Hartmann H et al, 2012 showed in their research that deep front and back squats guarantee performance-enhancing transfer effects of dynamic maximal strength to dynamic speed-strength capacity of hip and knee extensors compared with quarter squats. This study was conducted on both women and men with a direct increase in their athleticism. This is not an empty claim either as Bloomquist K et al, 2013 also showed deeps squats to outperform shallow squats for training purposes.


Bazyler CD et al, 2014 found that partial squats may be beneficial for strength and power athletes during a strength-speed mesocycle while peaking for competition.

[pdt414]

Daily macros and food log






Tonights dinner
7 servings egg whites
6oz thin steak
3 tortillas
Diet Dr. Pepper and water
assorted veggies

[pdt414]

Yesterday was an off day for training. I'll post my nutrition below




I chugged some egg whites to meet protein before bed, but didn't include it in MFP

Today's nutrition





I have some fat left over. However, I ate a cookie and didn't track it lol

[pdt414]

Couldn't include this in the last post because max photos are 8

Today's training



Feeling strong today. Strength is doing going up. I probably won't feel any hits to my progression until later down the road. I would post a picture of dinner tonight but it's just going to be chicken, potatoes, and carrots.

[pdt414]

Jan 14th

Lower body hypertrophy



Food for the day

[pdt414]

Friday 15th - Pull day




Food for the day






And a little double bi action for ya

[deltpecx]

In and subbed!

I can hardly see the graphics.
Try typing the info out.

[pdt414]

In and subbed!

I can hardly see the graphics.
Try typing the info out.

It's a lot to type but I can try to make it bigger. But if that doesn't work I'll just type it lol

[pdt414]

Trying two new thumbnail upload sizes to see if they work better

Training for Saturday - Push day




Nutrition






I NEED to get a hold on my fiber intake. I have the food to do it, I have just been lazy about it

[pdt414]

The end of the first week comes today. I'll have my nutrition posted later. Today is an off day in the gym, but I may go running because I have a PT test in February

Recap to 8 weeks pre-cut


Week 1

[pdt414]

Didn't lift or track much yesterday. I hate a large protein and fiber breakfast and made sure to eat protein throughout the day just to turn around and have a sushi lunch and pizza dinner



Today's lifting was heavy squat day.




Hit a 5-rep squat pr of 385 after dropping 3lbs last week

[pdt414]

Monday's nutrition






Was it worth it?

[pdt414]

Tuesdays food log. Today was an off day in the gym because of class.

[pdt414]

Wednesday Lifting - Upper hypertrohpy




Nutrition for today





Guess I did well on fiber. Yum

[pdt414]

Didn't track much the past two days besides getting a good start on fiber and hitting protein, but it was worth it

German and Polish and some hofbrau


and some mexican yass


my 9 rep squat is creeping up to 315. Not excited

[pdt414]

Today was a pull day. Only had to PR rows at 255x5


Wanted to see my tap and go form at 410x5


Didn't like how I lost for so I did my last set completely resetting after each rep.

Training numbers for the day



Diet for the day

[pdt414]

3 weeks into my cut and hit a 450x5 PR





However my cut isn't going super great




But my clients is going just dandy... ****er

[NaturalPursuit]

Putting in work in here man! How many weeks out are you sitting at now?

[fitmaloriek]

Subbed in on this! Looking forward to seeing your progress. Best of luck