It was suggested by a few fellow members that I log my fitness and first cycle journey, so here we go. I hope this has enough information and in an approachable format. I will post some pictures maybe later today. I'm not proud of my body yet, with that being said I've come a long way since a year and a half ago.
Age: 35, will be 36 in May of this year.
Height: 5’9” (175.26cm)
Weight: 183.0lbs (83kg) – started lifting at 199lbs (90.26kg), shot up to 216lbs (97.98kg) on heavy surplus, and now cutting to between 170lbs(77.11kg) and 180lbs (81.65kg).
Reason for getting into fitness: I’m not a young father, have a three year old boy, and two more boys on the way due in June. I’d like to be physically able to enjoy doing the outdoor stuff I currently do with them as I and they get older. Canoeing, camping, paddle boarding, etc. I'd also like to be a positive physical role model for them when they hit their teens.
I lift in my home gym and have been slowly adding to it over the past two years. Current equipment is a cable tower, and power rack, MAG-style grips, dip bar attachment, adjustable dumbbells, barbells, landmine attachment, hamstring curl/quad extension attachment, resistance bands and adjustable bench. Finding time with my current workload, child, wife and commute to fit in time to visit a commercial gym just isn’t realistic for me at the moment.
My current routine is PPL-R-PPL, spent 6 months on Starting Strength and grew my numbers quickly on the big 3, but strength was fleeting. I also work a very physical trade 4-7 days per week, at 12-14+ hours per day including commute.
Starting Strength PR’s:
Flat bench – 225 x 3S x 5R, 245 1RM
Low Bar Squat – 315 x 3S x 5R, 345 1RM
OHP – 155 x 3S x 5R, 170 1RM
Deadlift – 385 x 3S x 5R, 405 1RM
I’ve lost a bunch of this strength since switching to a hypertrophy focused program but I realized strength was quick to gain, and quick to lose and I wanted muscle.
Push day:
Flat bench – 3 warm up sets, 3 working sets in the 6-10 rep range.
Incline bench – 3 working sets, in the 6-8 rep range.
Cable flies – 3 working sets in the 10-15 rep range.
Dumbbell shoulder press – 3 working sets in the 8-12 rep range.
Cable lateral raises - 3 working sets in the 12-16 rep range.
Triceps rope push down – 3 working sets in the 10-16 rep range.
Overhead triceps extension with flat bar – 3-4 working sets in the 10-16 rep range. These aggravate my right elbow injury but I really enjoy them.
Single arm triceps rope push down – 3 working sets per arm, short rest, too failure.
Pull day:
Pull ups – 3 sets AMRAP
Cable lat pull downs – close pronate MAG grip – 4 working sets in the 8-12 rep range. Controlled concentric and eccentric.
Seated cable rows – close supine MAG grip – 4 working sets in the 8-12 rep range. Controlled concentric and eccentric.
Shrugs – Cable, dumbbell, or barbell depending on how I’m feeling – 3 working sets in the 18-30 rep range. Previous injury issues with neck, and these aggravate my right elbow injury.
Cable straight arm lat pull down – Finisher – 3 working sets in the 8-12 rep range.
Cable single arm reverse fly – 3 working sets per arm in the 10-16 rep range.
Bayesian cable curls – 3-4 working sets per arm in the 10-18 rep range. Nursing a right elbow injury at the moment, so some days 3 sets, other days 4 sets. Really enjoy these.
Bicep cable curl – Flat bar, 3-4 working sets in the 8-10 rep range.
Dumbbell hammer curls – 3 working sets in the 8 – 12 rep range. Usually wrecked by the time I hit these but I enjoy them.
Leg day:
High bar squats – 3 warm up sets, 3 working sets in the 6-10 rep range. Switched from low bar as I have less right knee pain.
RDL – 3 working sets in the 8-12 rep range.
Hamstring curls – 3-4 working sets per leg, in the 8-12 rep range.
Quad extensions – 3-4 working sets per leg in the 12-16 rep range. Controlled eccentric/concentric.
Bulgarian split squats – 3 working sets – I skip these frequently depending on how hard of a work day I had/how my legs feel after previous exercises/workload for the next day.
Standing barbell calf raises – 3-4 working sets in the 20-30 rep range. Controlled eccentric and concentric.
Diet:
Currently on a cut, and using Retatrutide to aid. Currently 2.25mg dosed every 3.5 days.
Breakfast (04:00) – 2 scoop whey protein shake with water and a scoop of creatine. Coffee with small amount of milk.
First snack: 2 greek yogurt cups, 1 banana. Second coffee with small amount of milk.
Lunch: Roast beef sandwich or leftovers, typically 2 x chicken thighs, and white rice. Either option always with a small greek salad. I love greek salad.
Second snack: 1 apple, 1 banana.
Dinner: Typically 2 x chicken thighs, white rice, steamed carrots or broccoli. Once per week ground beef with honey garlic sauce and veggies, on white rice. Every couple weeks, penne pasta with meat sauce. Small side of greek salad.
Third snack: 2 scoops whey protein shake with water.
May throw in some tortilla chips and salsa once or twice per week, but the reta doesn’t allow me to overeat things anymore.
Supplements:
Retatrutide – 2.25mg E3.5D
BPC-157 – 500mcg injected daily into right elbow tendon
TB-500 – 500mcg injected EOD into right elbow tendon.
Vitamin D with K2
Fish oils
Magnesium
Zinc
Multi-vitamin
Whey isolate
Creatine
Pre-workout drinks
Pentacarb drink during workout
Sugar free electrolytes as required
Cycle plans:
Blood work on March 10, 2026.
Hit 180lbs bodyweight (81.64kg)
Start pinning March 13 or March 16, 2026.
4-6 weeks of 150-200mg Test E to see how my body handles AAS, split into 3 doses M-W-F
Blood work at 4-6 weeks.
16-20 weeks of 500mg Test E.
Blood work at 12 weeks.
Cycle off, plan to come off completely, and then decide if I enjoyed it enough to blast and cruise and get a little more complicated on my second cycle.
Blood work post cycle.
I have AI on hand, and everything for PCT as well.
Open to all suggestions, advice, and words of wisdom. Still very new to this but enjoying every facet of lifting. Listening to podcasts, reading, and trying to absorb as much information as possible.
Age: 35, will be 36 in May of this year.
Height: 5’9” (175.26cm)
Weight: 183.0lbs (83kg) – started lifting at 199lbs (90.26kg), shot up to 216lbs (97.98kg) on heavy surplus, and now cutting to between 170lbs(77.11kg) and 180lbs (81.65kg).
Reason for getting into fitness: I’m not a young father, have a three year old boy, and two more boys on the way due in June. I’d like to be physically able to enjoy doing the outdoor stuff I currently do with them as I and they get older. Canoeing, camping, paddle boarding, etc. I'd also like to be a positive physical role model for them when they hit their teens.
I lift in my home gym and have been slowly adding to it over the past two years. Current equipment is a cable tower, and power rack, MAG-style grips, dip bar attachment, adjustable dumbbells, barbells, landmine attachment, hamstring curl/quad extension attachment, resistance bands and adjustable bench. Finding time with my current workload, child, wife and commute to fit in time to visit a commercial gym just isn’t realistic for me at the moment.
My current routine is PPL-R-PPL, spent 6 months on Starting Strength and grew my numbers quickly on the big 3, but strength was fleeting. I also work a very physical trade 4-7 days per week, at 12-14+ hours per day including commute.
Starting Strength PR’s:
Flat bench – 225 x 3S x 5R, 245 1RM
Low Bar Squat – 315 x 3S x 5R, 345 1RM
OHP – 155 x 3S x 5R, 170 1RM
Deadlift – 385 x 3S x 5R, 405 1RM
I’ve lost a bunch of this strength since switching to a hypertrophy focused program but I realized strength was quick to gain, and quick to lose and I wanted muscle.
Push day:
Flat bench – 3 warm up sets, 3 working sets in the 6-10 rep range.
Incline bench – 3 working sets, in the 6-8 rep range.
Cable flies – 3 working sets in the 10-15 rep range.
Dumbbell shoulder press – 3 working sets in the 8-12 rep range.
Cable lateral raises - 3 working sets in the 12-16 rep range.
Triceps rope push down – 3 working sets in the 10-16 rep range.
Overhead triceps extension with flat bar – 3-4 working sets in the 10-16 rep range. These aggravate my right elbow injury but I really enjoy them.
Single arm triceps rope push down – 3 working sets per arm, short rest, too failure.
Pull day:
Pull ups – 3 sets AMRAP
Cable lat pull downs – close pronate MAG grip – 4 working sets in the 8-12 rep range. Controlled concentric and eccentric.
Seated cable rows – close supine MAG grip – 4 working sets in the 8-12 rep range. Controlled concentric and eccentric.
Shrugs – Cable, dumbbell, or barbell depending on how I’m feeling – 3 working sets in the 18-30 rep range. Previous injury issues with neck, and these aggravate my right elbow injury.
Cable straight arm lat pull down – Finisher – 3 working sets in the 8-12 rep range.
Cable single arm reverse fly – 3 working sets per arm in the 10-16 rep range.
Bayesian cable curls – 3-4 working sets per arm in the 10-18 rep range. Nursing a right elbow injury at the moment, so some days 3 sets, other days 4 sets. Really enjoy these.
Bicep cable curl – Flat bar, 3-4 working sets in the 8-10 rep range.
Dumbbell hammer curls – 3 working sets in the 8 – 12 rep range. Usually wrecked by the time I hit these but I enjoy them.
Leg day:
High bar squats – 3 warm up sets, 3 working sets in the 6-10 rep range. Switched from low bar as I have less right knee pain.
RDL – 3 working sets in the 8-12 rep range.
Hamstring curls – 3-4 working sets per leg, in the 8-12 rep range.
Quad extensions – 3-4 working sets per leg in the 12-16 rep range. Controlled eccentric/concentric.
Bulgarian split squats – 3 working sets – I skip these frequently depending on how hard of a work day I had/how my legs feel after previous exercises/workload for the next day.
Standing barbell calf raises – 3-4 working sets in the 20-30 rep range. Controlled eccentric and concentric.
Diet:
Currently on a cut, and using Retatrutide to aid. Currently 2.25mg dosed every 3.5 days.
Breakfast (04:00) – 2 scoop whey protein shake with water and a scoop of creatine. Coffee with small amount of milk.
First snack: 2 greek yogurt cups, 1 banana. Second coffee with small amount of milk.
Lunch: Roast beef sandwich or leftovers, typically 2 x chicken thighs, and white rice. Either option always with a small greek salad. I love greek salad.
Second snack: 1 apple, 1 banana.
Dinner: Typically 2 x chicken thighs, white rice, steamed carrots or broccoli. Once per week ground beef with honey garlic sauce and veggies, on white rice. Every couple weeks, penne pasta with meat sauce. Small side of greek salad.
Third snack: 2 scoops whey protein shake with water.
May throw in some tortilla chips and salsa once or twice per week, but the reta doesn’t allow me to overeat things anymore.
Supplements:
Retatrutide – 2.25mg E3.5D
BPC-157 – 500mcg injected daily into right elbow tendon
TB-500 – 500mcg injected EOD into right elbow tendon.
Vitamin D with K2
Fish oils
Magnesium
Zinc
Multi-vitamin
Whey isolate
Creatine
Pre-workout drinks
Pentacarb drink during workout
Sugar free electrolytes as required
Cycle plans:
Blood work on March 10, 2026.
Hit 180lbs bodyweight (81.64kg)
Start pinning March 13 or March 16, 2026.
4-6 weeks of 150-200mg Test E to see how my body handles AAS, split into 3 doses M-W-F
Blood work at 4-6 weeks.
16-20 weeks of 500mg Test E.
Blood work at 12 weeks.
Cycle off, plan to come off completely, and then decide if I enjoyed it enough to blast and cruise and get a little more complicated on my second cycle.
Blood work post cycle.
I have AI on hand, and everything for PCT as well.
Open to all suggestions, advice, and words of wisdom. Still very new to this but enjoying every facet of lifting. Listening to podcasts, reading, and trying to absorb as much information as possible.
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