Hello everyone, I am excited to join this group and become a part of the community. Specially to learn right now and one day be knowledgeable like you where I can help someone else other then just encouragement. I started working out Sept. 23 due to my primary care putting me on Mounjaro for diabetes. He told me I needed to go to the gym. I thought he was going to tell me to do cardio but was surprised when he said I need to strength train. I told him I can do that. I started going that next day or so. At first I was just bumbling around the gym not knowing what to do and googling stuff and making up my own routines. Then I found Stronglifts 5x5 program and started using it basically starting with the bar on all my major lifts beginning of Nov. 2023. Then I left the box gym I was working out at and found a bodybuilder, powerlifter, strongman gym in my area. They have safety squat bars and i wanted to squat. I have 6 anchors in my right shoulder so I can't reach back to grab a standard bar for squats. Plus they have tons of other stuff to use that you don't find anywhere else. I been at this gym since. Through this experience I have fell in love with lifting again like in high school. I had set a goal of lifting a 1000 lbs between the 3 major lifts before I reach 50 this year on August 11th. I just test my 5 rep maxes 2 weeks ago and they were 230 lbs for 5 reps bench press, 365 lbs for 5 reps deadlift, and 335 lbs for 5 reps on squat. That 5 rep max total came to 930 lbs. I have adjusted my goal to reach before 50 my 5 rep max total to be 1000 lbs or above. When I switched gyms I ran Maps anabolic and then ran Maps powerlift programs. Then I started my own program.
My Informations:
- Age: 49
- Height: 5' 9"
- Weight: 242
- body fat % (estimated): I have no idea will add pictures.
- Training experience: 1.5 years
Training:
I built my program based on GZCLP doing a 4 day program with extra work on 2 days for parts I want to improve. I am working out 6 days a week. I just end a block of training and retested my 5 rep maxes last week. I deload to 85% of my 5 rep maxes on my heavy days and deload to 65% on my light days. I am also increasing all lifts by 5 lbs each week during this block. Last block I increased by 10lbs on squat and deadlift and only 5 lbs on bench and overhead press.
Monday:
Combat stretch: 5 on each leg
90/90: 5 on each leg
T1:
squat: 5x5 amrap on last set. 290lbs I only did the 5 reps on the amrap.
T2:
Bench press 4x8 155 lb 2-3 minute rest between sets
Arsenal Strength Plate Loaded Iso Incline Press 4x8 140 lb
T3:
Leg extension: 3x12 100 lbs last set amrap= 12
Leg curl: 3x12 120 lbs last set amrap= 12
hip thrust: 3x12 140 lbs last set amrap= 15
Foam Roll It 60 secs on each side
Foam Roll Piriformis 60 secs on each side.
Tuesday:
High 5's 5 on each arm
handcuff's with rotation x5
Wall press (slow reps) x5
T1:
Seated overhead press on the smith machine (due to anchors in shoulder this has worked best for me) 5x5 85 lb amrap on last set= 6
T2:
Deadlift: This week I did 2 second pause deadlifts. Last block I was doing sumo deadlifts on my light day. I prefer conventional deadlifts. 4x8 245 lbs
Flat Lying barbell Rows: 4x8 100 lbs
T3:
Upright Row: 3x12 70lb
Lat Pulldown: 3x12 125lb
Foam roll mid thoracic 60 secs.
Foam roll Teres major and minor both sides 60 secs each
Wednesday:
Reverse Fly: 3x25 20lb dumbbells
Partial heavy side raises: 3x25 35lb dumbbells
Single arm supported lateral raises on the cable machine: 3x15 20lb
Chin-ups on the assisted machine: 4x8 -85 lbs
Incline bench dumbbell curls: 4x8 25 lbs
Concentration Curl dumbbells: 4x10 35 lb
Reverse EZ bar curl: 4x12 40lb
Inverse Curl westside barbell machine: 3x12 170lb
Reverse Hypers: 4x12 110 lb
Hyperextensions: 4x12 body weight
Reverse Crunch: 4x15 body weight
Decline sit ups: 4x15 body weight
Thursday:
Shoulder dislocates with band: x 10
Scapular circles with band: x 10 each arm
Seated Cable Row: 1x20 75lb
Hip bridges (body weight): x 20
T1:
Bench Press: 5x5 200lb amrap on last set= 6
T2:
Squat: 4x8 220lb
Arsenal Strength Plate Loaded Iso Incline Press 4x8 95 lb
T3:
Dips on the assisted machine: 3x12 -135 lbs amraps on last set 12
Close grip bench press: 3x12 120 lb amraps on last set 12
Pec stretch on cage: 2x 30 secs
Foam roll teres major and minor both sides: x 60 secs
Friday: ( this is tomorrows workout)
Walking waiters bow x 20
Rifle Flips each side x 5
Body weight windmills each side x5
T1:
Deadlift (conventional): 5x5 310 lbs
T2:
Overhead Press Seated on the smith machine: 4x8 70 lbs
Seated Lever Row: 4x8 140
T3:
Chinups on the assisted machine: 3x10 -115 lbs
Barbell concentration curls: 3x10 60 lbs
Supine Scorpions each side: x5
Foam Roll Throaic: 60 secs.
Saturday:
Dumbbell slight decline bench press: 4x8 70lbs
Incline 30 degrees dumbbell press: 4x8 65lb
Pec Fly Machine: 4x8 160 lb
Dual Handle squishy grip triceps push downs: 4x8 70 lbs
Lying triceps extension with dumbbells: 4x8 35 lbs
Seated tricep extension cable machine: 4x8 90 lbs
Dumbbell Shrug: 4x8 105 lbs
Inverse curls westside barbell machine: 3x12 165 lbs
Reverse Hyper Machine: 4x12 110 lbs
Hyperextension machine: 4x12 body weight
Reverse crunch: 4x15 body weight
Decline sit ups: 4x15 body weight
10 minutes on step climber and 20 minutes on the treadmill incline 5 speed 3.2
T1 and T2 I will be increasing my weights by 5 lbs each week until i fail on my T1 exercises. Then I will drop to a 3x5 starting with the same weight i failed with then keep going back up until i fail that and i will drop to a 3x3. Once I fail 3x3 i retest my 5 rep maxs and deload and start back over doing 85% of my 5 rep max for T1 and 65% of my 5 rep max for T2's My T3 I increase the weight when ever i hit 10 extra reps on my amrap over the normal rep. T1 rest periods are 3-5+ minutes depending on how my CNS feels energized back up. T2 rest periods are 2-3 minutes. T3 rest periods are 1.5-2 minutes. I plan to use this program until the end of April. I will deload and test 5 rep maxes and then start MAPS powerlift to peak at the end of July going into August to test my 1 rep maxes before my 50th birthday.
Diet:
- Daily caloric intake: 3000- 4000 calories a day depending on if I eat something outside my normal eating routine.
- Macronutrient split: Only thing I track is my protein intake. I am shooting for 200-250 grams of protein a day.
- Meal Plan: This is my normal day in and day out routine. If something special comes up then it alters the plan but I have been consistent with this for the past year.
- Breakfast: 6 whole eggs, 12 ounces of beef and 6 ounces of white rice. 100 grams of protein.
- Dinner: usually somewhere around a lb of meat depending on what is being served. I figure out how much meat i need to eat to reach a 100 grams of protein for that meat and weigh it out. Then I eat whatever veggies are being served.
- snack: 50 gram protein shake if I am wanting something sweet or feel i want to be closer to that 250 grams for the day or if I feel i fell short somewhere along the way.
Supplements:
Preworkout drink first thing in the am on the way to the gym.
- Taurine 4 grams
- Bucked up woke AF prework out
- creatine 7.5 grams
- HMB 2.5 grams
- beta alanine 5 grams
- Liquid IV electrolytes
- EAA's 5 grams
Post work out drink on the way home from the gym
- Organic super greens supplement: vitamins, minerals, and probiotics
- creatine 7.5 grams
- HMB 2.5 grams
After I eat breakfast
- Omega -3 fish oil 3,600 mg
- magnesium Glycinate 500 mg
- zinc 15mg and copper 1mg
Medications:
- Valsartan HCTZ 320-12.5 1x daily My blood pressure runs in the 130's /80's
- Metformin 1,000 mg 1x daily
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) 7.5 1x weekly (Tuesdays)
- Testosterone Cypionate 200 mg 1x weekly (Tuesdays)
Blood Work:
I attached my full blood work from 9-17-24. I have full blood work on April 14th again. I included my original total testosterone test and the one 30 days later. Then my doctor started me on 200 mg testosterone cypionate every 10 days. After my first check up when I was reading just under 600 ng/DL he moved me to 200 mg every 7 days because I told him i could feel it drop off around day 7. I have another check up with the doctor next month concerning blood pressure he just recently changed my medication to get it lower. That April full blood work I am going to use as a pre and also ask him to include estrogen2 test in there. Then I may do a mid test that i pay out of pocket for then I will have a final blood work.
Cycle Plan:
- Cycle Goals: get stronger and continue to slowly lose fat. I have lost fat in the last year. I see if in my chin and stomach. I can feel my abs. I have not lost any weight on the scale really in the last year. Nov. 23 I weighed 239 and today i weighed 242. I am in a good place of losing fat and adding muscle. I know because I keep getting stronger and the weight progressively keeps going up each block of programming.
- Compounds planned for Use: Var 50 mg and Testosterone E 400 mg.
- Dosage and Frequency: I just started using the Anavar 25 mg a day prework out for 8 days. Then I am going to raise to 50 mg for 5-7 weeks while still taking my Testosterone Cypionate 200 mg. Then later on I want to do a 16 week cycle of the testosterone E either 400-500 mg a week with the last month using the 50 mg of Anavar. I also have Arimidex 1mg on hand for any estrogen problems.
- PCT: I plan to just go back on the 200 mg test. Cypionate that my doctor prescribed for TRT.
Additional Notes/Goals:
Goal to reach a total max on my 5 rep max to exceed 1000 lbs by the time I reach 50 August 11th 2025. Then I will look at what I want to do then and set my new goals. I have no plans of competing because I have to use a safety squat bar and at some point I am sure I wont be able to get any heavier with the 6 anchors in my shoulder. Doctor after surgery said I would never do construction again. I still work in the construction industry remodeling residential homes during the day and now I am lifting weights. I just enjoy lifting heavy weights and getting healthy
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