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Pre-juice 5x5: Darkness on the Horizon

What happened, if you don't mind me asking that is.
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After deciding to return to college (which was a monumental decision given my past - basically dropped out two years ago as a raging alcoholic) I scrambled like mad to get accepted, get financing, choose a major, etc. all in the course of about two months. I'm also about to be sentenced in my second DUI case. Since I thought I was going to be without a license for several years (facing revokation if convicted) I figured I could have a decent life at school where a car is nice but not mandatory.

So last week in court I find out that they're not even going to charge me w/ DUI - I didn't blow and got a good (and expensive :rolleyes: ) lawyer. So no revokation. By this time I was about to start school so I went about it as planned. I went the first day (BTW it was awesome to be a little older than everyone [I'm 25] - definitely got more appreciative glances from girls in class than before). When I get home there's a message on my answering machine from my employer saying that my assignment had ended. I was doing a temp job that was supposed to last til late feb, which was perfect b/c that's when my loans were supposed to kick in.

So with no job and no loans I had no way to go to school. But I got an interview with another company right away. It went well, so I decided to see about going to the local community college. They had exact equivalents of almost all the classes I was taking at University, so I signed up in hopes that I'd get the job I interviewd for. I got the job today so I'm employed full time again (with more money and full benefits eventually) and taking classes online (which are no joke BTW - TONS more reading than lecture classes).

This all happened Tues. and Weds., except for court which happened last week.

I've been sober for 14 months (yes my case is dragging along SLOWLY) and am an apprentice leader of an AA group, so don't get too mad at the justice system for letting me off :)
 
ah ok.. 26 is a nice age to stop drinking i'm still 23 but i've never really had a peroid of time where i was drinking heavily more than twice a week.. i'm assuming you were drinking heavily almost 5 nights a week ?
 
Brother, it sounds like you've come a long way in life in a very short time. You should be very proud of yourself. And yes, those online classes are for real! Keep at it brother, you are doing great all around.
 
Phaded said:
ah ok.. 26 is a nice age to stop drinking i'm still 23 but i've never really had a peroid of time where i was drinking heavily more than twice a week.. i'm assuming you were drinking heavily almost 5 nights a week ?
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More like seven. I got to the point where I was getting drunk on the way home from work every day. On Sundays I basically drank all day - generally woke up hungover and just started off with some Jim Beam.

It's odd, but quitting was and has been easy as hell - I just had to realize how bad things were getting. It took two DUIs in seven months to set me straight. FWIW I was conflicted about using AAS for a while, but I drank to escape reality. AAS is not an escape as i see it, so I don't feel like it is in the same category. But I need to be really careful not to let it become something that I gauge my happiness on. So far I think I've got it in perspective.
 
Brother I feel you on that, I was addicted to pain killers for a length of time. It's easy to stay away once you realise how bad it's gotten.
 
Guinness5.0 said:
More like seven. I got to the point where I was getting drunk on the way home from work every day. On Sundays I basically drank all day - generally woke up hungover and just started off with some Jim Beam.

It's odd, but quitting was and has been easy as hell - I just had to realize how bad things were getting. It took two DUIs in seven months to set me straight. FWIW I was conflicted about using AAS for a while, but I drank to escape reality. AAS is not an escape as i see it, so I don't feel like it is in the same category. But I need to be really careful not to let it become something that I gauge my happiness on. So far I think I've got it in perspective.
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you should have involved some drugs and you wouldn't have been so heavily drinking.. :evil:
 
Nice progress G. Not sure which is more impressive, your weights in gym or getting to where you are outside the gym.

Keep 'em both going /Tony Robbins
 
Congrats all around, G5. A lot of people are prone to obsessions and addictions. You're probably aware that it's necessary to focus those drives onto positive obsessions and away from destructive and negative addictions. I expect that most of us reading your log that hit the gym 3x or more per week are potential or past alcoholics and drug-users.

I think you'll be fine with your juice use so long as you keep your eye on the training and the long-term plan rather than any feel-good from the gear itself. I'm also sure that your studies will be a breeze as you apply yourself to them and that's not just pep-talk. Good luck on all fronts, man.
 
G5.0, thanks for sharing, bud. There really isn't much more I can add that hasn't been said, so I'm just here for the "high 5". Keep it up!
 
Guinness5.0 said:
AAS is not an escape as i see it, so I don't feel like it is in the same category. But I need to be really careful not to let it become something that I gauge my happiness on. So far I think I've got it in perspective.
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Never turn your back to them. They can tie themselves somewhat insidiously into your positive goals and warp your enjoyment of natural progression. Think about the anabolic board and how many people were only going to do one cycle or how many people were going to run a cycle for 8 weeks and wound up buying more around week 6 so they could run it for 12-16 (or just started taking more and increasing the dosage). I kind of see a lot of people rationalize making a larger long term commitment to drugs with the 'I'm a bodybuilder' thing. It can cloud the mind and decision making. Knowing that and keeping perspective is important. Ensuring your decisions are your own and that they are uninfluencable is key. I have seen this happen to people, use your experience with alcohol to your advantage. Don't turn your back or let your guard down with anything and a non-addictive substance that is so close to and can facilitate your personal goals and desires can be especially insidious and subversive.
 
This really is one of the best threads ever. From the slow start and the frustrations whilst waiting for the gear to kick in, to the crazy workouts once it did, all backed by what appears to be a massive turn-around in your personal life.

You must be incredibly relieved that the court case is finally out of the way, no longer clouding your way forward. With 14 months dry, your AA involvement and getting yourself back into schooling, it sounds like you didn't need the lesson of a conviction. Like others have said, just keep the AAS in perspective.

It's a pleasure to share the board with you.

G5.0. Good bro.
 
Week 9 -- MONDAY

Good day at the gym

Squat 1x5warmups, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5, 365x5, 385x1, 405x1, 405x5(PR)
-Thrilled. Buried 'em all. They were all nice 'n purty except for the last one, which wasn't awful but I did lean forward just a bit. I don't think it's anything to worry about. I asked my spotter and he said he didn't notice it - probably more of a shift in emphasis rather than a visually noticeable lean. The really cool thing is that I didn't get stuck in the slightest. It helped that 3-4 people were watching and I could see 'em in the mirror ( :rainbow: ). Sittng back more is getting to be natural. Perhaps this means that I'll retain/improve strength post-cycle, esp. when I concentrate on triples and singles (doing WSB after this). Also, I'm finally starting to see why MC2 is always saying that squat improvements carry over to the dead - now I'm using my posterior chain SO much more than previously

Bench warmups, 225x5, 275x3, 315x1, 335x2, 345x2, 355x2(PR), 365x1(PR), 225x23(PR) :shocked:
-Since this is a quasi-deload day, I decided to slash workload and up intensity on bench. Good times. The 5-rep PR with 225 is the most surprising thing of all IMO (did 225x18 last week).

Rows 225x5, 285x3x3
-Standard deload protocol here. I tweaked form a little - after viewing my vid of these (it's linked in AB's new journal if you want to see it) I saw that these need some work. I was extra careful to arch my back hard and tried to get a little lower.

So I went for the squat PR b/c I really wanted 405x5. I'm pretty content w/ bench 5x5 for now, so I figured a littel stagger in the deload won't really hurt. Besides, I've got two weeks worth of gear left, so I don't have to get radical w/ deloading just yet. I may try 375x5x5 for squats on thurs. - not sure yet. Also, it's time to start putting together my WSB program. My new job starts in a week so I've got some time to bug the hell out of you guys and get it squared away before I become a stranger to the board :)
 
Week 9 --THURSDAY

Did some singles today. Pretty happy with 'em

Deads warmups (light RDLs), 235x5, 285x3, 325x2, 375x1, 415x1, 435x1, 465x1(PR), 485xfail
-Pretty happy, mostly b/c I had a minor breakthrough in my approach. Instead of my usual neurotic, think-about-every-facet-of-the-lift-before-starting approach, I just sucked a bunch of air into my gut and pulled that bitch as fast as possible. The only thing I treid to be concious of was maintaining my arch. The rest I just kinda let happen. 465 was a grind but it did go up fairly quickly. Maybe I shoulda just tried 475 afterward. So hopefully this new 'technique' will lead to more improvements. Juice or no, there's still room here - I'm sure of it. I think speed work is gonna pay off as I usually seem to 'squeeze' the weight off the floor rather than rip it like my life depended on it.

Push press warmups, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2, 195x2, 225x1, 235x1, 245x1, 265x1, 275xfail EDIT: 235 on on were PR's :)
-This surprised me quite a bit (in a good way). I may have gotten 275 had I thought it was realistic earlier in the progression. All these were locked out and held for at least a two-count, so no 'pop and drops' :D. I got 275 to about my nose and it just wouldn't go any higher. I cramped up my quads pretty hard on 265 and the failed rep.

Pullups BWx6x3

CGBP 225x8, 275x5, 315x6+forced rep
-Just wanted to rep out w/ 315. Definitely coulda done more if I hadn't maxed on push press earlier.

So now it's on to WSB. I'm going to hit my ME and DE movements pretty hard but keep the accessory work low through PCT (I still have gear for the rest of this week and next) which is in keeping with madcow's advice to keep intensity high but lower volume/workload overall. I'm pretty happy with the juicing overall despite the fact that I had to fix my squat and dead mid-cycle. Honestly, I think I'll end up moving both lifts up even while nattty due to technique improvemets and WSB speed work. I'm not counting on bench taking huge jumps natty seeing as it went nuts during this run, and that's fine by me.
 
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Nice deads G5.0, very nice. Congrats on the PR. I don't know, seems like dead PR's are the most satisfying.

Also, your push press is out of this world, I can't even fathom it in my training.
 
blut wump said:
Did you find any changes to your workouts from switching to every day dosing? Looking from here it didn't seem to make any difference.

Congrats on the PR.
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Not really, but it's hard to say for sure. I was expecting it to be obvious though.

And thanks bud (you too Jim)
 
Congrats on the deadlift PR. And belated congratulations on your "real life" and school, uh, PRs.

Any noticeable changes in body composition (or weight, although that'd be a consequence of food, not gear) during the cycle?
 
Cynical Simian said:
Congrats on the deadlift PR. And belated congratulations on your "real life" and school, uh, PRs.

Any noticeable changes in body composition (or weight, although that'd be a consequence of food, not gear) during the cycle?
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Thanks.

That's another surprise - no real fat loss. Gut still measures 39" on the dot, but I'm around 255 pounds as of today (starting weight was 240). So technically I've recomped a little, but not much.

I've been eating more lately and I can see it in my arms and chest, and not at all in my gut. I'll post 'after' pics/measurements soon. I wish I would have just eaten how I wanted throughout - probably would have gotten stronger.

I never seem to stick to a fat loss attempt for long. My HST run yielded the most significant fat loss I've experienced in years. But at least I don't care that much :) Given a choice I'd have a sixpack, but the reality is that I don't particulary care about my appearance other than wanting to be pretty big (no problem) and not being a tub of goo (something that may be an issue with age). But who knows. I seem to waiver and get the notion that I should lean out every so often, so maybe I'll try again some day.
 
You'll be saying the same as 50 looms and still not caring.

Anyway, don't start to think this is over yet. You still have another week to go and then there's the job of holding onto everything you've gained.

I expect I'm not the only one looking forward to the pics.
 
G5.0, for the love, man! I've been gone for 2 days and missed all these PRs...congrats! Your numbers are just amazing, man, especially for your pressing exercises. I'm ignorant on the gear side, but I wish you the best in keeping all of this!
 
Wrap up post

BEFORE

Weight: 240
Neck: 18"
Shoulders: 53.25"
Chest (lats flexed): 48.75"
Belly (abs flexed): 39" (up from ~38.5 - got a bit sloppy on diet - too many huge burritos :))
Waist: 38.1"
Right arm flexed: A hair over 16.75"
Left arm flexed: a hair under 16.75"
R and L forearm: 13.75"
R thigh flexed: 27"
L thigh flexed: 26"

http://img315.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dcp0411004ky.jpg

http://img315.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dcp0415007cf.jpg

http://img315.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dcp0410005jb.jpg

http://img315.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dcp0416000fm.jpg

AFTER
Stats/pics from 2-4-06
Weight: 247 (got to the mid 250's but pissed out tons of water last week)
Neck: 18.5"
Shoulders: 55'
Chest: 50.5" (BTW this is really a lat measurement - measured under armpits w/ lats flexed - normal chest measurement across nips is 48")
R arm: 17.25"
L arm: 17"
R forearm: 14.125"
L forearm: 14.125"
Gut: 39"
Waist: 38.5"
R thigh:28.25"
L thigh: 27.25

http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cropped32mc.jpg

http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cropped41gb.jpg

http://img63.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cropped26di.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hpim00699fg.jpg

http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hpim00689cp.jpg

http://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hpim0067a9bm.jpg

I still can't get a pic that does my legs justice - they look a ton bigger in the mirror than in the pics. Oh well.
 
It's been an educational and interesting ride. You look very different across the board in the 'after' pics. This pic of the leg shows some impressive musculature.
http://img69.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hpim00699fg.jpg

Your lifts have climbed in such an extraordinary fashion that I'm still rocked by your progress. One often hears of people mentioning that their strength 'went through the roof' and you kind of think they mean they added fifteen or twenty to their bench. You've added more than a hundred to your squat and the previous PR had been with belt and wraps rather than fully raw and I think the changes to your physique reflect your lifting progress.

How do your joints feel? Does the tren offer the joint protection that deca reputedly offers?

I'm looking forward to the results of the next month as the dust clears and your hormones return to normal. Thanks for these great logs and congrats on an astounding cycle.
 
Aw shucks, you're making me blush :)

My joints feel fantastic. My back has never felt better, my knees are great as usual (for a littel bit front squats made 'em hurt, but when I watched my vid I realized I wasn't bottoming 'em out, so since I've been going deeper they've felt fine after fronts). My elbows gave me just the slightest hint of pain last week but I'm gonna wear a long sleeve shirt and warm up longer to see if it goes away (it was very minor and I only mention it to be as forthcoming as possible). I had a minor twinge in my right shoulder last week but I think it was b/c I slept on it in a funny position, so I'm not concerned about ti either.

I think my back feels so good b/c I've been very careful to pull a belly-full of air on pretty much anything that requires core stability, esp. squats, deads, and overheads. That's the only change I've made to my lifting that should have any effect on my back.
 
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