Maintenance Week before Cut

Macros

This week

• 1900-2300 calories (40/30/30 split)

Stats

Last weeks weight: 65.4 kg

Current weight: 64.5 kg
Weight Lost: 0.9kg (2lbs)

Supplements

• Quadralean Fat Burner 3 tablets 2x per day
• Creatine 5g per day mixed in pre/post workout shake
• Cellucor C4 Pre Workout before training
• Glutamine 2 tablets post workout
• Probiotics 1x per day
• Multivitamin 1x per day
• Fish Oil/Cod Liver Oil 1x per day

Workouts

Sunday 28th Dec: Lower Body

1. Deep Squats

20kg warm up sets

50kg x 4

60kg x 3

70kg x 2

50kg x 12

2. Sumo Deadlifts
3. Barbell Step Ups

4. Cable Kickbacks 4 x 10-12 at 7kg

5. Lying Leg Curl 4 x 10 at 15kg

6. Seated Leg Extension 3 x 10 at 40kg

Monday 29th Dec: Upper Body
1. Assisted Pull Ups 4 x 8

2. Overhead Barbell Press

12 x 20kg

10 x 23kg

8 x 25kg

3. Reverse Grip Lat Pull Down 4 x 12 at 32kg

4. Shoulder Bombs 3 x 8 at 7.5lbs

5. Straight Bar Triceps Push Down 4 x 12-15 at 12kg

6. Hammer Curl 4 x 10-12 at 12kg

Tuesday 30th Dec: Abs & Cardio
4x10-12
1. Upside Down Hanging Crunch
2. Hanging Leg Raise
3. Stability Ball Knee Tucks/Pike
4. Bottoms Up
30 minute low intensity treadmill walk

Wednesday 31st Dec: Rest

Thursday 1st Jan: Lower Body
1a. Pulse Squats 3 x 10
1b. Step Ups 3 x 20
2. Lying Leg Curl 3 x 15
3. Leg Extensions 3 x 15

Friday 2nd Jan: Rest

Saturday 3rd Jan: Back & Shoulders
3 x 8
1. Wide Grip Lat Pull Down
2. Barbell Overhead Press
3. Reverse Grip Lat Pull Down
4. Shoulder Bombs
5. Standing High Pulley Row

Sunday 4th Jan: Rest

How am I feeling?

S.T.A.R.V.I.N.G… I am not going to lie, decreasing my calories from around 2400 per day (bulking) to around 2000 has been HARD. The first few days I was still taking Halotropin (testosterone booster) and ended up eating well over 2300 calories as I was just so hungry. I stopped the Halotropin on New Years Day which helped with the hunger.

I also decided to take a week off exercising last week due to fatigue and it did seem to help. I do see the most improvement in muscle gain when using an upper body/lower body/core 5 day split working each body part twice per week, but I don’t think I will be able to continue to lift this way while cutting. This type of split requires a lot of energy on my behalf making me constantly hungry and a bit tired – throw in a lower calorie intake and I can see I will get burnt out pretty quickly.



I have done about 60 minutes cardio all up the past 6 weeks. I am currently doing around 20-30 minutes per week if I feel like it. If not, it doesn’t matter. I am keeping cardio to a minimum as I want to retain as much muscle as possible. Cardio is only used to help increase your calorie deficit and since I already have a calorie deficit with food and high intensity weight training, cardio isn’t necessary. It all comes down to calories in vs calories out. So long as you are eating less calories than you are consuming then cardio isn’t necessary. Over the next 12 weeks I will only be doing cardio if I feel like it, not because I have to. 

Plan for next week

I think I will probably start back next week with a 5 day split (Shoulders / Back / Arms & Abs / Legs x 2). I plan to keep my calories at 1900-2000. For reference my maintenance is around 2200 calories. I plan to cut calories slowly and will be keeping my calories as high as possible while cutting. Once I finish cutting in April, I will reverse diet to maintenance and into another bulk for 3 months. I always struggle with cutting as I HATE being hungry all the time. The next 12 weeks will definitely be a struggle!

Bulk - Week 2

Macros

This week

• 2300 calories
• 258g carbs
• 146g protein
• 76g fat

Stats

Starting weight: 63kg

Current weight: 64.1kg

Supplements

• Halotropin Testosterone Booster 1 tablet 2-3x per day
• Creatine 5g per day mixed in pre/post workout shake
• Cellucor C4 Pre Workout before training
• Glutamine 2 tablets post workout
• Probiotics 1x per day
• Multivitamin 1x per day
• Fish Oil/Cod Liver Oil 1x per day

Workouts

Monday 10th Dec: Rest

Tuesday 9th Dec: Upper Body

All exercises are 4 x 8-10 reps with 90 seconds rest between sets.

1. Assisted Band Pull Ups (2 x 6) *

2. Wide Grip Lat Pull Down

3. Barbell Overhead Press

4. T Bar Row
5. Single Arm Linear Jammer
6a. Triceps Push Down
6b. Cable Rope Hammer Curl

* I injured my elbow badly two years ago doing chin ups and I haven't done them since. I still suffer with pain in my elbow if I lift over 45kg with my arms. Due to this I am easing slowly back into pull ups.

Wednesday 10th Dec: Rest - Sick

Thursday 11th Dec: Rest - Sick

Friday 12th Dec: Sick

Saturday 13th Dec: Lower Body
All exercises are 3 sets of 8-10 reps
1. Squats
2. Romanian Deadlift
3. Walking Lunges
4. Leg Extension
5. Lying Leg Curl
6. Seated Calf Raise

Sunday 14th Dec: Upper Body
1. Band Assisted Pull Ups  3 x 6
2. Reverse Grip Lat Pull Down  4 x 12
3. Barbell Overhead Press  4 x 12
4a. Single Arm Dumbbell Lateral Raise  4 x 8
4b. Single Arm Dumbbell Front Raise  4 x 8
5. Straight Arm Pull Down  3 x 10
6a. Triceps Push Down
6b. Cable Biceps Curl

How am I feeling?

I am still feeling great. I think I may have overdone it a bit last week and I wasn't feeling very good half way through my Monday upper body workout, so I decided to take a few days off until the muscle soreness, aches and sore chest/cough went away.

My weight is up 1kg since I started increasing calories 4 weeks ago, which is about on schedule.
I have 3 weeks left of my mini bulk until I start cutting for my friends wedding at the end of March.   My cutting phase will last 10 weeks. Then I will ease into a 3 month bulk starting the beginning of April.

I definitely feel like the testosterone booster [Halotropin] is making a difference. I have been sleeping like a baby and I am seeing some gains being made. Creatine on the other hand is going to take some getting used to. The 'pump' that it gives you feels very strange - like your muscles are going to burst. Definitely not a feeling I'm used to.

I love bulking, but the further into my bulk I go, I can see why people can struggle with it. It's definitely not fun feeling 'fluffier' than usual. You feel a bit chubby and your clothes don't fit as well as they used to. It's not something that bothers me enough to struggle with it - but I can definitely see why girls would.

Plan for next week

• Keep my calories and macros the same
• Do two upper body, two lower body and one ab workout with reps between 8-12.
• Drink 3+ litres of water per day
• Add more vegetables to my diet