If It Fits In Your Macro-(Cycle) - GST Style!

[JayAllen20]

I've gone through the forums, read the E-book and am ready to go. This will be my LOG

Backround
Basically, I fall into the 'common' category of The Former Athlete who ended up putting on the weight. Grew up as a very active child. Played 3 sports in HS then went onto play 2 in college until I hurt my knee for the first time. Left school for a couple years and did the work& & party thing for awhile. Decided to return to school to play basketball one more time and had to get my ass back in shape. Joined a gym, started working out, started reading and researching everything I could on the subject and got myself in the best shape of my life upon returning to school. Got hurt again (always fun). Continued in school majoring in Exercise physiology and Nutrition, got a number of different PT ***** and specialty certifications. Got into the best shape of my life (again) at 6'3 and, about, 210lbs. Decided to do a natural bodybuilding competition (was too light after dieting down). Then decided to bulk up for another try. Got into a car accident (tore up shoulder/knee/and had minor knee/back injuries. Then basically, after physical therapy, found myself using my injuries as an excuse to be lazy as well as any other excuse you could think of. Got back into working out (inconsistently), saw some results, but never got back into the full swing of it (training/nutrition/etc.). Well now it's time to change. Made too many promises to myself, my friends, family, and even people I don't know. SO let's get on it!!!!!

PRESENT

Currently I weight 320+ lbs and stand at around 27% bf, give or take. I don't really concern myself with my bf% number because it's not going to make much of a difference at this point in time. When it gets to under 20% again I'll be taking it into account my often. By the end of the week I will have some Circumference measurement for people to follow and for me to judge my progress by as well.

Now I'm going to lay out my plan of attack for everyone to get an idea of how I do things.

SUPPLEMENTS

I'm currently using Controlled Lab supplements. I'm a big fan of theirs! They are extremely affordable, work really well, and to be a bit bias, they are a NJ based company, so I'm representing

I started using WHITE FLOOD awhile ago and recently added in GREEN MAGNITUDE and PURPLE WRATH If you have any questions regarding these supplements please feel free to ask or PM me.

DIET/NUTRITION

Now this is always a touchy subject among people. I will tell you this right now, I AM NOT following any one specific diet plan. I'm a big believer in doing things the right way and I will continue to do so. Over the past couple of years I used the injuries and lack of working out as an excuse to eat like crap, but that doesn't mean I don't understand proper nutrition. As time goes on I will be outlining what I eat on a daily basis and you will see for yourself. I have actually read over Ryan's nutrition logs and I do follow a lot of the same concepts. I tend to keep it simple and focus on getting my foods as primary protein, carbohydrate, and fat sources, so you may see a lot of the same concepts applied to my nutrition as well

Right now I will be taking in about 2500-3000 calories a day to start. I will continue to monitor everything from weight/fat loss, circumference measurements, progress and workouts to make adjustments as I see fit.


Protein sources come from meats (beef/chicken/turkey/fish), eggs/egg whites, Whey/Casein protein (used minimally as I try to get in as much whole food as possible)

Carbs are mainly complex carbs (oats/whole wheat/grains/fruits/vegetables) but I'm not a big believer in the GI bit, so you will see some of , what people may call, 'simple' carbohydrates in there as well

Fat comes from the 2 above as well as Peanut Butter, Almonds, Olive oil, and Fish Oil supplementation

WORK OUTS

Obviously, I will be training exclusively (for now) using the Growth Stimulus Training principles. I've gone through the forums, read the e-book, and am looking forward to applying these to my training. ONE THING I will assure you is that I will be sticking to the GST program 100% in terms of the principles are concerned (ex. reps/intensity schemes, progressions, core/supplement lifts, etc. etc.). I've gone over a lot of the GST journals lately and the one thing I have noticed is a big deviation from what the core of the program is set up for. I've seen a lot of changes to the rep schemes, intensity levels, the adding of unnecessary isolation movement, as well as other tactics such as super sets, drop sets. etc. etc. which ultimately means you're not training GST style. There are plenty of variable with this program to keep things progressing for a very long time without me trying to change the whole concept behind it


GOALS

Ah, the brass tax of it all~! Well, my first goal is to get back under 300 lbs. After that, my main weight goal is around 250 lbs, give or take. Ultimately I'm going to focus more on body composition than scale weight.

My main overall goal is to step back on stage in either late 2011 or mid 2012! I already have a number of Competitions lined up and in my sights. Which one I decide to do, obviously, depends on how hard I work to get where I need to be. I think it would be a great achievement to reach that goal using GST as my primary training method and I look forward to doing so

Finishing Thoughts

So that's the jist of it right there. I welcome all questions/comments/concerns and I look forward to taking this journey with you!!!!

[JayAllen20]

Today was Officially day one of my first Macro-Cycle. Over the past week and a half since purchasing the E-Book I've gone over it numerous times and have "messed" around with a few GST style workouts just to get some numbers set for the upcoming work.

Today I received my e-mail from Ryan (from my questionnaire) with his program layout and suggestions. For those of you who have yet to purchase the E-book I will tell you this much; The e-mail was very well written and all bases were covered in terms of program layout and the reasoning behind it based on the answers that were provided in the questionnaire. I was definitely not your typical 'template' that just gets sent to each individual.

It was an interesting layout. Possibly not the way I would have done it, but that's because we tend to make our own programs 'easier' than they should probably be. There were a lot of CORE and SUPPLEMENT exercise selections that will take me a bit out of my comfort zone, but that's a good thing. These exercises should provide new stimulus, which in term should provide new strength gains and overall growth.

I will be following his exact layout for the first Macro-cycle and probably continue to do so afterward for the ones following after that.

Today was Macro-Cycle 1 First Micro-Cycle

Press

WPT
DB Hammer Curls
17.5x20, 20x15, 20x15

Core Lift
Incline BB Press 60%
135x8, 135x8, 135x20 (by about 15 it was burning like a mother f**ker!)

Supplement 1
DB Shoulder Press
40x15, 40x15, 40x15

Supplement 2
Assisted Dips
-20x10, -20x8, -20x8

Supplement 2
Close Grip Bench Press
95x20, 115x15, 115x15

Overall a GREAT workout. I will be the first to admit that my muscular endurance isn't what it should be, so this was a good wake up call. I look forward to improving on that aspect in the weeks and months to come. For my Dips used in Supplement Lift 2, I went with the Assisted Dip. I'm still not up to par yet for full body weight dips, so I'll stick with these and just go 3 sets AMRAP until I get up to the desired amount of reps to start subtracting the assisted weight. They felt good though

Took a couple of measurement today as well just to keep track of. So here's some of the starting measurement for now:

Chest 52"
Shoulders 59"
Arms 18.5"
Quads 30"
Calves 18"

[JayAllen20]

Macro-Cycle 1 - Micro-cycle 1

Squat

Core Lift
Barbell Front Squats
135x8, 135x8, 135x13

Supplement 1
Stationary Lunges
BWx15, BWx15, BWx15

Supplement 2
Leg Press
350x20, 350x20, 350x20

Seated Calf Raise
135x20, 135x20, 135x20, 135,20, 135x16

Finished with 3 sets of Floor Sit-ups and Planks

Overall a great workout! This was my first time doing Front Squats and they felt great. I started out nice and light and had no problem with the weight whatsoever. On the AMRAP I only got 13, but that was due to the fact I'm not used to resting the weight on my shoulder and that's going to take some getting used to. I could have easily squeezed out another 5 reps, but the spot where I was resting the bar was on fire and had to stop! Nothing to complain about though

Stuck with Body Weight for the lunges. I'm 320+ LBS at the moment, so that's enough for now. I can't remember the last time I even did Lunges and they hurt like a MoFo! But in a good way. Legs were definitely wobbling through these!

Originally Ryan put in BB Back Squats as my 2nd Supplement lift. This was because I told him about a shoulder problem (old injury that has affected ROM making it hard to hold bar in back position right now) so we put it there instead of as a Core Lift. Still unable to hold the back bar in position without pain in the right shoulder from the stretch, so I switched them out for the good old fashioned Leg Press! I hit 350 for 20 on all 3 sets so I can definitely go heavier on that one, but my Legs were ON FIRE by the time I was finished.

Threw in Calves based on the Rep range recommendations from the GST Forum on top and hit them for 4 sets of 20 and only got 16 on the last set due to the fact my left calf cramped up like a mofo! No big deal.

Finished with the prescribed AB work from the program he recommended without any problems.

Great day in the gym and I felt every bit of it when trying to walk DOWN the stairs once finished. The inclusion of Front Squats and Lunges is a nice change being as I've kept them out of my workout for some time, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of stimulus these exercises produce over the next couple of months

[JayAllen20]

Legs were starting to get a little tight already, so went out for a good hour long session of LISS cardio to finish off my day. Basically just put on the IPod and hit the pavement for a nice walk. Felt good and got some of that blood flowing back into the quads. Expecting some soreness in the morning, but that's nothing unusual.

Hitting the store tomorrow for some intense food shopping. Going to start updating the log with my nutrition info and pictures to keep things rolling

[Sfinatic15]

Subbed. Can't wait to see how your progress goes! looks good so far. keep it up man

[JayAllen20]

Subbed. Can't wait to see how your progress goes! looks good so far. keep it up man

Thanks man. Appreciated

[JayAllen20]

LEGS are ON FIRE from yesterday's Squat session. Woke up this morning all jello legged and laughed as I almost lost my balance getting out of bed. It's a good feeling. One I haven't had in awhile. It's definitely from the Front Squats and Lunges being as I haven't had them in my routine before. Not to mention that, in the past 6 months or so, I'm so used to lifting in that 5-8 rep range that this High Rep week is something my body isn't used to. It's a good feeling though!

Got a nice sore spot on each of my Front delts from the Front Squats as well. As light as they were for me, my body definitely is not used to holding the weight that way and in that area, so that's something I'm looking forward to getting used to. Honestly, the soreness just makes me want to conquer this exercise that much more! I have to say, if Ryan didn't throw it in his program recommendation, I probably wouldn't have even went with them. Good job sir!!!!

Hitting the gym this morning, then it's a day filled with Laundry, food shopping and planning. Going to get the Diet into effect full force today. It hasn't been bad this week, but hasn't been great either. Been keeping in a caloric deficit, but not with ideal food choices since I was broke until I got paid today. I'll start updating the log with caloric/macro breakdown and food choices/pics, etc. soon enough

No excuses! Just Results!

[JayAllen20]

Macro-Cycle 1 - Micro-Cycle 1

PULL

WPT
Triceps Ext. w/ V-Bar Handle
150x20, 150x20, 150x20

Core Lift
Cybex Lat Pull Down
100x8, 100x8, 100x18

Supplement 1
T-Bar Rows
3 plates x 20, 3 plates x 15, 3 plates x 15

Supplement 2
DB Rows on Flat Bench
50x15, 50x15, 50x15

Supplement 3
Barbell Curls
50x15, 50x15, 50x15

Notes First of all, this will be the first and only time you'll see me performing 3 GST workouts on consecutive days. I got my custom program from Ryan on Tuesday and have limited time this week, so I got them in back to back to back. I expect to feel it plenty for the next couple of days until my LIFT session. After that, another rest day and then it will be a 2 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, repeat schedule for the most part with changes to days made as necessary. This will make it a 7 day rotation and if I feel like I'm not recovering as needed I will move it to an 8 day rotation to add another rest day.

I had to switch my core lift from the Chin Ups that were recommended. I gave them a try, but due to my shoulder still fully recovering (and the fact that I'm 320 lbs) the dead hang (even assisted) puts and incredible strain on my right shoulder and it's a painful, uncomfortable feeling. So for right now I put in Lat Pulls for this Macro-cycle so I can continue to work on my pulling power and as soon as I feel comfortable enough to work on pull ups (assisted) and also drop a bit back under 300 they will be my main focus!

You'll notice that on certain back workouts from here on out I will put in when I use the Cybex stations. The reason for this is because their equipment uses a 'single' pulley system, as opposed to the double pulley system most stations use. This makes the weight a bit trickier, and obviously looks like a lot less than what I'm usually pulling at the other gym. The stack apparently only goes up to 200 lbs, but when I free hang from the bar (at 320 lbs) the thing doesn't even move an inch. HAHA

For my WPT I may switch out Triceps Extensions for something else due to the fact the pulley system on those extensions only goes up to 150 and I banged out 3 sets of 20 on those like I was nothing. So obviously, I'll have to find a different station (possibly the Lat Pull station) to work on those, or switch it out for another exercise.

I wanted to get out for some LISS cardio today, but the weather here sucks and it's been pouring all day! Tomorrow is definitely a rest day where I'll be stretching, foam rolling, and possibly throwing in a light cardio session to keep the blood pumping in the quads, which by the way are still ON FIRE! The Front Squats and [/b]Lunges[/b] are having a noticeable effect. I've one crazy high volume leg workouts before and it usually takes 2 days to even feel the slightest DOMS, but with the new exercises added in, it's just the change I needed to get the QUADS fired up

[JayAllen20]

Today was a Rest day. Woke up this morning and hit the gym for 60 minutes of LISS cardio and then it was a pretty easy day after that. My Legs are still hurting from this week's squat workout. The DOMS has officially kicked in. Did a bit of stretching and foam rolling earlier and that helped a bit. Was planning on hitting my Lift workout tomorrow, but depending on how the quads are feeling I may take one more extra rest day and hit them Sunday. I'll make the call on that early in the morning

[Sfinatic15]

Today was a Rest day. Woke up this morning and hit the gym for 60 minutes of LISS cardio and then it was a pretty easy day after that. My Legs are still hurting from this week's squat workout. The DOMS has officially kicked in. Did a bit of stretching and foam rolling earlier and that helped a bit. Was planning on hitting my Lift workout tomorrow, but depending on how the quads are feeling I may take one more extra rest day and hit them Sunday. I'll make the call on that early in the morning

Gotta love it when leg days make it hard to walk. do you like foam rolling?

[JayAllen20]

Gotta love it when leg days make it hard to walk. do you like foam rolling?

Definitely Love it! I was actually killing a lot of High Volume leg workouts previous to this, but I was staying in a "comfort" zone with my exercises. Had that 'recurring injury' of the knee fear in the back of my mind and that held me back. So throwing in the Front Squats and Lunges is a big welcomed, and long overdue, change. They just killed me! I will admit though, just one run through Front Squats and I'm loving them! I still can't Back Squat yet until I get my shoulder all worked out so my focus is to get my Front squats up to where I'm moving some weight! Today's Lift session should take care of the Hamstrings pretty good

Today they feel better. A bit sore, but nothing I'm not used to pushing through. It doesn't hurt to actually walk today. HAHA

I hate foam rolling with a passion! However, I'm extremely tight. I was that HS and College athlete that just didn't stretch when he was told and it carried over since then. While everyone else was stretching I was off listening to my walk-man (yea, that's right. When I played we had walk-mans, not I-pods. HAHA) and mentally preparing for the game. Now my flexibility is something I need to work on and foam rolling has been helping. Every time I hit my IT-Band I have to hold in the pain or else I'll scream like a little girl!! LOL

[JayAllen20]

I got to the gym today and used my better judgment. I decided to make today a LISS Cardio day instead of the Lift day I had intended. On the way to the gym I noticed my LEGS were still a bit sore (although not too bad) and since I had worked out 3 days straight prior to yesterday's day off, another day's rest would be a good idea. That way I can go in early tomorrow and hit my Lift workout well rested and just KILL IT!

I busted out 45 minutes of LISS and did some light stretching to finish myself off. Felt good and I'm definitely fired up now and looking forward to tomorrow's workout. Then starting next week I will be back on a routine schedule.

Next week I'm also going to start updating this log with my daily nutrition info, and possibly a few pictures to accompany, depending on how the day's go. Looking forward to keeping it up

[JayAllen20]

Macro-Cycle 1 - Micro-Cycle 1

LIFT

Core Lift
Dead Lift 60%
180x8, 180x8, 180x13

Supplement 1
Hyper-Extension
BWx10

Cable Pull Through
50x15, 60x15

Supplement 2
Plate Loaded Lying Leg Curl
45x20, 55x15, 55x15

Notes

Finally got in and got in my Lift day. Taking yesterday off to hit it today was definitely a good idea! This is going to be the most challenging of my days due to the fact my Hamstrings and Lower back are 2 of my biggest weak points. Especially lower back!

Dead Lifts felt good. Could have had more than 13 reps on my AMRAP but my grip gave out. I could have used straps, but I'm trying to avoid them for these low intensity days. On my heavier days I will incorporate them.

Ryan had initially put in a 3rd Supplement lift for this day with the RDL's/Shrugs, but honestly, there was no way in hell I was pulling that off right now. Kudos to those of you that can do that at this moment! So I went with 2 supplement lifts instead of 3, which is good for now due to the fact that my lower back is on FIRE! Adding in another dead lift move would have just been too much and I'm trying to avoid injury. However, it has made me determined to add them in eventually! This is going to be my weakest day for awhile, but I want to work up to where my LIFT days look like pure torture to those reading this log!

The first set of hyper-extensions felt OK, but at my weight (for now) they felt a bit more uncomfortable than anything else so I switched over the the cable pull through. Now this is an exercise I never really threw in the mix before and after just 2 sets I honestly like it! I felt it right where it needed to be felt, and although people were looking at me like I was dry humping an imaginary blow up doll it felt great!

Finished with Lying Leg Curls. They use a plate loaded machine here, so depending on the gym I'm working out at the weight you see in my logs may differ by a bit, but I'll keep that noted.

Overall, it was a great workout. Posterior chain is fried and that's what I need to work on. As time goes on and macro-cycles get completed I WILL destroy this day!!!!

[JayAllen20]

So today marked the end of my First Micro-cycle and first week on the GST program. All in all it was a great week, but these are my closing notes as I move onto Micro-Cycle 2

1) I will never do 3 days in a row again! That was brutal and it destroyed me. Even with this 'low' intensity week it was a killer. Starting this next micro-cycle I will start allowing for the recommended 50/50 work/rest ratio. Whether it's 1 on, 1 off, or if I have to do 2 on at some point I'll make sure to take 2 off as well. I have to mentally start thinking in terms of micro/macro cycles instead of 'weeks'

2) Foam rolling is a painful as I remember it used to be! Just means I need it more than I thought I did and I will make sure to get in more rolling/stretching sessions from here on out. If you hear someone screaming, it just means I'm foam rolling my IT band

3) WPT for my Triceps on Pull day this week was v-bar triceps extensions. The only problem was the cable stack only goes to 150 and I used that this week for my rep scheme of 15-20 reps with ease. I will attempt to do them on the Lat Pull Station for more weight, but since they are always in use, I may just switch this out for Skull Crushers instead.

4) PULL day was originally designed (by Ryan) to incorporate Chin Ups as my Core Lift. However, due to my weight, and my shoulder giving me problems on the exercise, it's not a possibility as of now. This past week I did Lat Pulls, but don't feel that is an acceptable substitution as a core lift, so I will change that out. I will put Barbell Rows back in as my Core Lift and Lat Pulls as my supplement lift, while working on adding chin ups/pull ups in as soon as possible for future macro-cycles

5) As of now, Lift is going to be my toughest obstacle, as far as workouts are concerned, due to the weakness in the lower back/hamstrings area. I'm going to keep it with 2 supplement lifts, instead of the 3 that were originally put in and work my way up to adding the 3rd lift in slowly but surely. I will work my way up to literally beat the sh*t out of my Lift day in future macro-cycles!

That was about it for this week. Overall it was a great week and a great learning experience. I really enjoy the workouts and look forward to kicking ass in future macro-cycles

[JayAllen20]

Macro-Cycle 1 - Mirco-Cycle 2

Press

WPT
DB Hammer Curls
30x10, 35x8, 35x8

Core Lift
Incline BB Press (70%)
160x6, 160x6, 160x15

Supp 1
DB Shoulder Press
65x8, 65x8, 65x8

Supp 2
Assisted Dips
-20x10, -20x10 ,-20x10

Supp 3
135x10, 155x10, 165x10

Great workout today! Went in feeling good and energized and ready to go! Got 4 more reps total on Dips than last time so that's moving in the right directions. Wasn't sure of the weight on CGBP so I started out light and finished off with a pretty easy set of 165 for 10 reps on the last set, so that weight will definitely have to be jumped up, but that won't be a problem

Didn't do any cardio after wards. The weather is getting a lot nicer now that Spring time is upon us, so I'm going to start taking advantage of it and getting outside for my cardio a lot more. I plan on throwing in some LISS tonight by hitting the pavement. I just can't justify spending any time on a piece of machine in the gym when it's a perfectly fine day outside. I'd much rather go for a walk/run a hike, a swim (weather permitting) play a game of basketball or softball, or just take the kids out to the park for some running around

I'm going to take tomorrow off for some foam rolling, stretching and cardio and then it's SQUAT on Wednesday. That gives me 2 days to mentally prepare to kill it!!!

[JayAllen20]

Woke up today ready to get my cardio in and once I left the house I decided that I was NOT going to go to the gym! It's was 50+ degrees out today and it's getting nicer as the days go on, and honestly, I just can't justify driving 30 minutes to the gym JUST to use a treadmill or elliptical. So, instead, I drove 5 minutes down the road to the giant and empty park! We have a park in town called 'The Oval". It's called this because... wait for it... it's in the shape of a giant oval! It's exactly 1/2 a mile around. Perfect for doing LISS cardio. Not to mention the massive amounts of soccer, football, and baseball fields, and basketball park, and jungle gyms. No reason to go to the gym when I have this right down the block!

Today was the day I realized how out of shape I really am. I've hit 3-5 miles on the treadmill and the elliptical in the past few weeks with ease, but hitting the pavement is a different story! I only made it 2 times around today (1 mile) and my lower back, hamstrings, calves, basically my entire core, was on fire! It was a great wake up call! Cardiovascular wise it wasn't a problem. I could have kept going as far as my breathing and heart rate was concerned, but the muscles in my core and lower body were feeling it. It was a great feeling though. Shows me that I need to b doing my business outside of the gym and not on the treadmill. I plan on working my way up to 5 miles very soon and can't wait for it. I will only use the treadmill/elliptical as needed. Basically crappy weather. The gym will be for the weights and mother nature will take care of the rest

Tomorrow morning I'm hitting the weights. Looking forward to it. Hope everyone is working hard! Keep it up!!!

[JayAllen20]

Haven't updated in a few days, but I haven't been slacking! Just been running around and haven't had much 'computer time'. So it's time to update my last 2 workouts

Macro 1 - Micro 2

SQUAT

Core Lift
BB Front Squat
135x6, 135x6, 135x15

Supplement 1
DB Alternating Lunges
15LBx8, 20LBx8

Supplement 2
Leg Press
440x10, 530x10, 620x8, 620x8

Leg Press Calf Extensions
440x12, 490x12, 490x12, 490x12

This Squat day was pretty good. I still don't know what my 1RM is for Front Squat, because I've never really done it, but I'm hoping to have a good idea by the end of this Macro-Cycle. Last week I just used 115 to get the feeling for it, so today I jumped it up to 135. Still felt really light, but I'm still working on my form and bar placement. The good news is, my shoulders do not hurt the way they did the first week where the bar was rested, and my quads are not so sore after the workout. So that leaves me looking forward to turning this one up!

I opted to only do 2 sets of lunges and threw in an extra set of Leg Presses instead. Right now I'm really not comfortable enough to do lunges. That, and at 300+ lbs it's not helping my knee any. I find my form pretty shaky after the first few, so I'm going to replace these next week and work down the road

[JayAllen20]

Macro 1 - Micro 2

PULL

WPT
Triceps Extensions (used the Cybex Lat Pull station this time around)
70x10, 80x8, 80x8, 80x8

Core Lift
BB Rows
210x6, 210x6, 210x15

Supplement 1
Cybex Lat Pull Down (Close Grip)
110x10, 120x8. 120x8, 120x8

Supplement 2
DB Rows
70x10, 75x10, 80x10

Supplement 3
BB Curls
80x8, 80x8, 80x8

PULL day is definitely one of my favorites. I just really enjoy working back and I look forward to being able to add Pull ups/Chin ups into the mix, hopefully soon!

[JayAllen20]

Macro 1 - Micro 2

LIFT

Core Lift
Dead Lift
210x6, 210x6, 210x12

Supplement 1
Cable Pull through
80x8, 80x8, 80x8

Supplement 2
Plate Loaded Lying Leg Curl
90x10, 90x8, 90x8

Supplement 3
Seated Leg Curls
110x10, 120x10, 120x8

Leg Press Calf Extensions
530x12, 530x12, 580x12, 580x10

Good Lift day today. Everything felt good and went smoothly. I added in a 3RD supplement lift in the form of Seated Leg Curls to get some more Hamstring work in. Originally Ryan had placed RDL's in as my 3RD lift, but I still don't think I can handle them after dead lifts as of yet, so last week I only did 2 supplements lifts and figured I'd ad that 3RD on this week. Felt good

Finished off with some Calf Work and that was it for the day!

[JayAllen20]

So it's been awhile since I've updated. Due to computer and internet problems it wasn't possible for me to get online long enough to update my journal at work. The good news is I have NOT missed my workouts. So I'm going to update them all at once now and get back on track now that I'm back to being internet-able again

Macro 1 - Micro 3

Press

Core Lift
Incline BB Press (80%)
190x10, 190x3, 190x3

Supp 1
DB Shoulder Press
65x10, 65x9, 65x8

Supp 2
Assisted Dips
-19x8, -19x8, -19x8

Supp 3
CG Bench Press
165x10, 170x8, 170x8

WPT
DB Hammer Curls
35x8, 35x8, 35x8

[JayAllen20]

Macro 1 - Micro 3

Squat

Core Lift
155x11, 155x3, 155x3

Supp 1
Leg Press
620x10, 620x8, 620x8

Supp 2
Plate Loaded Squat
360x8, 450x8, 40x8

Seated Calf Raise
160x10, 160x10, 160x10, 160x10

[JayAllen20]

Macro 1 - Macro 3

Core Lift
BB Row
240x10, 240x3, 240x3

Supp 1
Cybex Lat Pull (Close Grip)
120x10, 120x10, 120x8, 120x8

Supp 2
Cybex Seated Rows
160x8, 160x8, 160x8

Supp 3
BB Curls
80x8, 80x8, 80x8

WPT
Cybex Triceps Press down
80x8, 80x8, 80x8

[JayAllen20]

Macro 1 - Micro 3

Core Lift
Dead lift
245x10, 245x3, 245x3

Supp 1
Romanian Dead Lift
135x10, 155x10

Supp 2
Cable Pull through
90x8, 90x8

This was a good workout other than the fact I ran out of time and had to leave due to an emergency phone call, so it came up a bit short. Dead Lifts felt great and I decided to start throwing in those Romanian Deadlift/Shrugs in as a supplement lift. I only did 2 light sets, but they felt good and I think I'm going to keep working these in. My lower back is definitely getting stronger as the weeks go on, so I look forward to really killing my lift days!

I couldn't get in my 3rd Supplement lift of lying leg curls, but I'll make up for those next week

[JayAllen20]

Micro 3 has been great! Working this program I've come to the realization that I'm much stronger than what I originally estimated myself to be, so I'm looking forward to finishing this Macro to get a better estimate of what my 1 RM on each core lift is. It's definitely going to be more than I originally estimated.

Heading to the gym now for my Macro 1 - Micro 4 PRESS day!

[JayAllen20]

Macro 1 - Micro 4

Press

Core Lift
Incline BB Press (90%)
225x5, 225x1, 225x1

Supp 1
DB Shoulder Press
45x15, 50x15, 50x15

Supp 2
135x15, 135x15, 135x15

WPT
DB Hammer Curls
25x15, 25x15, 25x15

Great workout! Was Pressed on time so only got in 2 Supplement lifts instead of the normal 3, but I'm going to fit dips in later in the week to make up for that. Incline Presses felt great today!

I'm definitely noticing the increased strength in this program. No so much because of some miracle design that's making me stronger than I was, but because of the way the program is laid out and designed I'm realizing how strong I AM

It wasn't that long ago, maybe right before I started GST, that I performed Incline Presses and the most I ever had on the bar was 195 LBS. I had estimated, right when I was about to begin, that my 1 Rep Max for this exercise was around 225, but am now realizing, after going through all 4 micro-cycles that my 1 RM for incline press is 260! If I was just working out on my own, chances are I wouldn't even be attempting 200+ yet because I was taking the 'slow and safe' path, but now I'm excited! That's my new, and more accurate, number for my next Macro-cycle. Great day! Looking forward to the rest of this weeks workouts!!!

[JayAllen20]

So, I left my workout journal in the car, which is parked 2 blocks away, so I'll update the actual workouts tomorrow. I put in a PULL workout yesterday instead of my SQUAT workout, which would normally fall in that order. My knee was acting up on me and I figured it would be wiser to play it safe. I'll hit Squats tomorrow.

Since this is the last Micro of Macro 1, I'm getting a better estimate of what my actual strength is on certain lifts. For my PRESS and PULL days I've seen some quick improvements that I'll throw out there now.

My Estimated 1RM for Incline BB Press at the start of Macro 1 was 240 LBS

At the end of Macro 1 it is 265 LBS, so an Increase of 25 LBS which is the number I'll be working on in Macro 2

My Estimated 1RM for Bent Over BB Rows at the start of Macro 1 was 300 LBS

At the end of Macro 1, and the number I'll use in Macro 2, it was 340. An Increase of 40 LBS.

I'll update my SQUAT and LIFT numbers after the workouts, but so far so good

[JayAllen20]

Macro 1 - Micro 4

SQUAT

Core Lift
BB Front Squat
175x10, 170x1, 170x1

Supp 1
Leg Press
530x15, 530x15, 530x15

Supp 2
Plate Loaded Squat Machine
270x20, 270x15, 270x15

Today was a good Squat day for me! This was the end of my first Macro-cycle for SQUAT day and it felt good! I started GST never having done Front Squats, so having them as my CORE LIFT this time around was tricky due to the fact that I didn't know what my estimated 1 RM was. I started out light in the first micro and just added weight as the weeks have moved on. In the past few cycles, my form has gotten better and the sweet spot on my shoulder where you rest the bar no longer hurts like a mofo for days afterwards. 175LBS felt good today and I'm going to use today's numbers as an estimate for my numbers in my next macro-cycle

So that puts my estimated 1RM for Front Squat at 235. Looking forward to bumping that up this time around!

[JayAllen20]

SO I missed logging a couple of workouts at the end of Macro-1, but instead of updating with all those past updates, I'm just going to summarize.

Macro-1 was a great run through of the program. I got to know the program a bit better,and I was able to take what Ryan gave me (in terms of program design) and make the adjustments I felt were necessary. Ryan gave me an amazing program design and I tried to keep it as accurate as I possible could, however, I still have a problem with some exercises due to old injuries and range of motions problems, so adjustments had to be made. These adjustments were based around what I knew I could do, and also based on advice from Ryan through e-mail correlations. More or less, the only changes were made to my SQUAT day, so not a big deviation from the original program that was e-mailed to me

The run through this first Macro also gave me a better estimate of what my 1RM on each of the core exercises were. The one thing I noticed working GST is that I'm a lot stronger than I originally anticipated, and if I wasn't focusing on the correct rep/set/intensity schemes as well as pushing myself with my AMRAP sets it most likely would have taken me A LOT longer to even realize this

My numbers through the first Macro and going into the second are as follows

Incline Bench Press - 240 to 265
BB Rows - 300 - 340
Dead Lifts - 300 - 340 (not that I feel more comfortable with this, I expect this number to start shooting up!)

Front Squat - I didn't actually have an estimated 1RM for this, since I've never done a Front Squat before. I started out light, worked my way up each week, and now I have a good idea to start with. My estimated 1RM for Macro 2 is going to be 225LB.

Same as dead lifts, I expect that number to shoot up as I get more comfortable with the exercise.

So I will be updating more frequently again with my GST workouts now that I'm into Macro - 2 I'm ready to tear s**t up!!!!

[JayAllen20]

About to hit the gym for a SQUAT day! Will be updating my week's workouts when I get back later this afternoon. I've been out of commission the past couple of days with a cold that hit me out of nowhere, but I'm feeling good today so I'm going to cause my Legs some pain!

On a positive note, Workouts are going great! The start of Macro-2 has been awesome and I'll elaborate more when I update my workouts later...

On a negative note, my diet has been sh*t! So I'm putting it out there for everyone to know! Although I am now the strongest I've been in a long time (probably even stronger than pre-injuries) I'm also the biggest and heaviest I've ever been. I weighed myself in at the beginning of the week and I was at a whopping and disgusting 341 lbs!

Ironically enough, I am actually a big framed guy, so although I don't look it, I definitely feel it! I asked 10 people (1 of whom is a professional natural bodybuilder) to guestimate my weight just from looking at me at not one of them guessed over 280. So I guess that's a small positive. I don't actually LOOK like an overweight piece of garbage, I just feel it. HAHA

But that's just one of the many excuses I used to roll with! "I don't look like I'm 300+ lbs, so it's not that bad".... Sure it is! It's definitely bad! Another excuse I used to love to use was the fact that I actually KNOW what it is I have to do. It's not like I don't have the education for it. I mean, I actually went to school for this stuff!!!! So, no more excuses!!!!

Yesterday and last night I went and made my goals public, not just on here. I told family, friends, blasted it on my social networks, etc. etc. and told everyone to call me out if they don't see me following through and putting in 100%!

After that I went food shopping

I bought:

Beef
Chicken Breast
Eggs
Canned Tuna
Skim Milk
Oats
Brown Rice
Vegetables (plenty of greens!)
Fruits
Peanut Butter
Almonds
Martin's Whole Wheat Bread (Love this stuff! 4 Grams of Fiber and 5 grams of protein per slice)

and a few other misc. stuff such as Pam cooking spray, Ms. Dash seasonings, etc. etc.

Yesterday was a great day diet wise and I'll post the macros when I get home later and keep it up for the rest of the time here.

It's time to stop f**ing around and making excuses and to actually do the work outside of the gym, not just in the gym

No Excuses! Just results!

[JayAllen20]

At my work computer, so I'll check in later when I'm home to update my workouts for Macro 2 - Micro 1. It's been a good week workout wise!!!

The diet is off to a great start. I log all my food, just like I used to, so I'll update later with the caloric totals for the past few days. Basically I've been keeping it around 2000 calories, which is on the LOW end for me. Depending on the workouts I put in and the rest of my daily activity I burn anywhere between 4500-5000 calories on a daily basis, so I could probably keep it around 3000 and see some results, but I haven't had any problems as of late keeping it lower. I have a lot of stored energy to use up, so the bigger deficit isn't a problem as of now

I was going through the stuff I was eating on a daily basis, and based on just the EXTRA junk food I was eating, just by taking it out, I'm cutting roughly 2400+ calories out of what I was taking in. It's amazing how we don't realize how much we're taking in. Actually, I did realize how much I was taking in, I just chose to ignore it and then make excuses to justify it. Not cool.

So, I'll get a more updated version for you later, but basically my day, Meal wise, looks like this:

Pre-Workout (upon waking)
1 scoop of whey protein - half cup of oats

post-workout
2 scoops of whey protein - 2 slices Martin's whole wheat bread or a banana, depending on the day

meal 1 - (I consider this breakfast because it's still about 9am at this point)
3-4 whole eggs, 2 slices Martin's whole wheat bread, 8oz skim milk

meal 2
3oz Canned Tuna, 1 tbsp Mayo, 2 slices of Martin's Whole wheat bread

meal 3
4oz Grilled Chicken breast, 1/2 cup brown rice, green beans or mixed veggies, touch of soy sauce mixed in for flavor

meal 4
4-6oz ground beef (85/15 because I'm not afraid of some fat in my diet), 1/2 cup brown rice, green beans or mixed veggies, 1/4 cup of tomato and basil sauce, all mixed up and it's nutritious and delicious!

meal 5
It varies. It's usually either the same as meal 3 or 4 or if it's late or I'm in a rush I just have a whey protein shake

The totals usually come out (by the end of the day and depending on meal frequency and portion sizes) to around 200-250 grams of protein, 150-175 grams of carbs and 50-90 grams of fat and roughly 2000 or so calories

As the weeks go by, I will throw in some cheats in there, but still keeping it within my caloric intake and under 3000 calories.

My diet tends to be on the boring side, but it never really bothers me. I like to keep it simple and easy and every once in awhile, when time allows, I'll treat myself with a nice night or day of cooking something a little more exciting. HAHA