Giraffe's MuscleTech Clear Muscle 12 Week Journey

[giraffe123]

About me: I've been lifting solid for the past 10 months. Before that I would lift for 6 months and make gains, then something would come up and I'd take a few weeks off and that would absolutely kill it for me.... Well not anymore. While this Christmas vacation wasn't too pleasant for my gym stats, I must say I'm glad to be back and I'm ready to hit the gym and start the fire back up.

I'm 6'1'', currently weigh 230. Estimated bf% is probably around...25% or so. I'm betting some of that is xmas weight from eating like a pig while at home and I'm expecting a good bit of that to come off. Planning on measuring myself tomorrow night and also taking pics to post up here in the log. Will measure arms, chest, waist, and legs.

Goals: Increase the size of my arms, chest, legs and decrease the size of my midsection.

Workout routine: I'm going to be doing push/pull/legs on a 3 day split. Would like to get 6 days in per week, but with school, work, and a girlfriend that might not be possible. It's consistently 4 to 5 days a week though - never less than 4. I'll be doing a 3 week hypertrophy/strength split as well. First 2 weeks will be hypertrophy training in the 8-12 rep range/3rd week in the cycle will be strength in a 5/3/1.

Diet: I'm going to try a recomp for the 12 weeks. I'll eat at +200 calories above BMR per day - and I'm watching my diet strictly as well. Trying to eat at a 40/40/20 protein/carb/fat ratio as best as I can, but the calories are strict at 2800 (apart from a couple cheat days). I refuse to go over. I am also cutting out all alcohol from my diet for 12 weeks apart from maybe 1 or 2 cheat days.

Supps and dosing of CM: I will be taking Clear Muscle three times daily. At 2 capsules per serving, that puts me at 6 capsules per day. 2 in the morning, 2 capsules 30 minutes before training, and 2 capsules in the evening. Other supps I'm currently taking include preworkout, Phase8 protein (breakfast, post workout, and before bed), creatine (5g post workout), fish oil and a multi (at breakfast). I also have some betaine provided by MuscleTech left that I will be taking.

[giraffe123]

I took the full dose of 6 capsules today (divided into 3 doses of 2 capsules of course).... Let the journey begin!

[giraffe123]

Also, tested maxes yesterday and today during my workout so I can assess at the end of the 12 week program as well. I am a bit disappointed at what I lost over break, but that'll fuel my drive to get those numbers back up.

1RM Bench: 270

1RM Squat: 305

1RM DeadLift: 365

1 mile run: 8 minutes

[DrJekyIIMrHyde]

Subbed

[llahhsoj]

Glad to see you got this up and running. As far as the added weight, those holliday meals can creep up on you. Looking forward to following man.

[emergency]

good stuff in here, subbed

[giraffe123]

Alright so I dropped the ball yesterday on getting measured (it was my 3 year anniversary with the girlfriend and it was my "Last Supper" per say....) before I strictly count calories for the remainder of the program.

She's coming to visit tomorrow though so I'll get those up this weekend, y'all have my word. My 'before' pics may be a bit embarrassing ha

Today was the 3rd day of taking Clear Muscle and it was also hypertrophy leg day!

Squats
Warmup with bar x 8
Warmup with 135 x 8
225 x 9
225 x 8
225 x 8
205 x 12

Deadlift
135 x 12
225 x 12
225 x 10
225 x 9
185 x 13

Leg Press
3 plates each side x 8 warmup
5 plates each side x 12 (6 slow, 6 fast)
6 plates each side x 12 (6 slow, 6 fast)
7 plates each side x 9

Leg extension at 205 pounds
3 sets of 9

Neglected my hamstrings today

Calf raises on leg press machine with 3 plates each side
2 sets of 12

Calf raises with 50 pound dumbbells in each hand
2 sets of 12 going below parallel

[giraffe123]

Chest day yesterday

Flat bench
225 x 8
235 x 8
245 x 8

Incline bench
135 x 12
185 x 8
195 x 8
205 x 6

Decline bench
135 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8
225 x 8

Cable Chest flies w/ 35's
3 sets of 12

Incline chest flies w/ 30s
3 sets of 10

Triceps pushdowns
80 x 12
80 x 12
75 x 12

Triceps extensions with 75 pound dumbbell
12
12
10

[giraffe123]

Also will have measurements/pics up by the end of the weekend... staying at the girlfriend's place

[NEBinAK]

In.

[llahhsoj]

Couple of solid training sessions since I have been in last. Looking forward to the pictures.

[emergency]

nice couple of sessions

[IlliniTrack800m]

Nice log you have here...

[giraffe123]

Did a little cardio this weekend and have been taking the CM as well. Back in town now and I'm ready to hit the weights tomorrow afternoon!

Got my measurements and pics as well, soon to follow.

Waist @ belly button = 41 in

Chest = 46 in

Right biceps flexed = 16

Left biceps flexed = 17

Right thigh at midpoint flexed = 26

Left thigh at midpoint flexed = 25

Right Calf = 16.5

Left Calf = 16

[giraffe123]

[giraffe123]

Chest today as well. Week 2 of hypertrophy before next week's strength

Flat barbell
135 x 8
225 x 8
235 x 9
245 x 9
225 x 12

Incline barbell
135 x 8
155 x 8
175 x 8

Decline barbell
225 x 8
245 x 8
225 x 10

Close grip bench press with slow reps
135 x 10
155 x 10

Chest flies w/ 25 on each side
3 sets of 15

Triceps overhead 2 arm extension w/ 75 pound dumbbell
3 sets of 10

Skullcrushers w/ EZ bar and 25's on each side
3 sets of 9

Also ran for 20 minutes at a nice easy pace

Looking forward to a nice back/biceps day tomorrow!

[giraffe123]

Had a solid back biceps day today!

Deadlift
225 x 8
275 x 5
315 x 5

Lat pull down
120 x 10
140 x 10
160 x 8
120 x 12

Lawn mower pull w/ 70 dumbbell
8
10
10

Seated row
140 x 8
160 x 10
160 x 9

Biceps curl w/ 80 pound bar
10
10
10

Hammer curl with 40's
10
10
9

Zottman curl with 25's
12
12
10

[llahhsoj]

Had a solid back biceps day today!

Deadlift
225 x 8
275 x 5
315 x 5

Lat pull down
120 x 10
140 x 10
160 x 8
120 x 12

Lawn mower pull w/ 70 dumbbell
8
10
10

Seated row
140 x 8
160 x 10
160 x 9

Biceps curl w/ 80 pound bar
10
10
10

Hammer curl with 40's
10
10
9

Zottman curl with 25's
12
12
10

What is a lawnmower pull?

[NEBinAK]

What is a lawnmower pull?

It's like a bent over one arm DB row just with cables

Edit

I see he is doing them with DB, still same thing, just a bent over one arm DB row

[emergency]

It's like a bent over one arm DB row just with cables

Edit

I see he is doing them with DB, still same thing, just a bent over one arm DB row

these are one of my fav back training exercises, you can really focus on forum and some solid negatives doing these with cables.

[giraffe123]

Yeah, lawnmower pulls = 1 arm dumbbell rows. I've always just called them lawnmowers I guess.. haha

Today I decided to do a heavy leg day because I was a bit fatigued and didn't feel like squatting for reps!

Squat
225 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 5
295 x 3

Leg Press
5 plates each side x 8
6 plates each side x 6
7 plates each side x 6
8 plates each side x 4

Calf Raises
3 plates on leg press machine x 12
x 12
x 10

Leg Extensions
130 x 12
175 x 6
190 x 5
Switched to 1 leg extensions
85 x 6 for each leg

[emergency]

impressive wheelz work bro even with it being low rep .

[giraffe123]

impressive wheelz work bro even with it being low rep .

DOMS today are unreal.... suffering as I walk up and down the stairs to and from my room. Haha

[llahhsoj]

It's like a bent over one arm DB row just with cables

Edit

I see he is doing them with DB, still same thing, just a bent over one arm DB row

Ahh, I see. Thanks!

[giraffe123]

I apologize for being missing for a few days. Back on the school grind

Friday was chest and the last of the hypertrophy sets for the week

Flat dumbbell
50's for 10
80's for 10
85's for 10
90's for 10
60's burnout til failure

Incline dumbbell
50's for 12
65 for 9
65's for 10
70's for 8 (does anyone ever have a tougher time with the initial set if you aren't warmed up properly - then your second set goes way more smoothly?)

Decline dumbbell
80's for 10
85's for 9
80's for 9

Close grip bench press with slow reps
135 x 10
135 x 15
135 x 14

Chest flies w/ 25 on each side
3 sets of 15

Skullcrushers w/ EZ bar and 25's on each side
3 sets of 9

Dips for 3 sets of 12

[giraffe123]

Took it easy over the weekend while I was traveling... but Monday I hit my first 5/3/1 of Legs

Squat
Warmup x 8 with 135

275 x 5
285 x 3
300 x 1 (with spot)

Leg Press
Warmup with 3 plates each side
8 plates + a 25 on each side x 5
9 plates x 3
9 plates + a 25 on each side x 1

Deads
135 x 8 slow
275 x 5
300 x 3
325 x 1

Leg Extension
165 x 5
185 x 3
195 x 2 (didn't feel like doing just 1)

Calf Raises I did hypertrophy for 2 sets and then my final set I did heavy weight (5 plates on each side leg press) for 5 reps

[NEBinAK]

Thanks for the updates

Edit

Lol whoops, thought I was in your primaforce log, my bad

[llahhsoj]

Thanks for the updates

Edit

Lol whoops, thought I was in your primaforce log, my bad

That is okay. You can still hang around.

[giraffe123]

Weight is also still steady at 230.6

[emergency]

Weight is also still steady at 230.6

just wait til the gainz train hits you brother