# Riots Journal August 2019



## Riot (Aug 12, 2019)

Start of my journal
I'm 36, 6'1", 90.6kg (after two weeks holiday) 

Holiday picture after my last cut. 



Current measurements and weight. Body fat is based on a cheap set of scales so not sure how accurate it is. Might look to get a caliper test as they do them at my gym. 



My bloods as of today are
Test 20n mol/L
Oestradiol 46.9 pmol/L
Which puts me average test and low estrogen 





I am running Dunning Test E 500mg per week, 16 weeks split 2x 250 Mon and Thu

Aromasin 12.5 EOD for AI and bloods being done after 4 weeks to check what's going on.

Having nolvadex for PCT starting two weeks after last pin. 

I'm training a shoulders Chest and triceps on day 1, legs back and biceps day two and rest one day and repeat. I'll be doing cardio and core throughout with my rest day including a longer run (I used to run a lot so keeping a run in there for my general overall fitness)

I'm running my calories at 2350 right now as just finished a big deficit while cutting. When I'm sure I'm not just gaining fat ill start to increase this.


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## Trump (Aug 12, 2019)

You seem to have everything planned, few things I see is I would hold off on the Aromasin until your 4 week bloods but thats a personal choice. I would eat more as well TDEE plus 500 if bulking is the plan. Would also re consider legs and back same day I couldn't do them both on the same day not a chance. You could also get what you want with better training and diet but your already starting so your going to do it anyway


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## Jin (Aug 12, 2019)

Trump said:


> You seem to have everything planned, few things I see is I would hold off on the Aromasin until your 4 week bloods but thats a personal choice. I would eat more as well TDEE plus 500 if bulking is the plan. Would also re consider legs and back same day I couldn't do them both on the same day not a chance. You could also get what you want with better training and diet but your already starting so your going to do it anyway




Solid advice. Either go upper/lower or push/pull/legs IMO. 

Legs deserve their own day.


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## Riot (Aug 12, 2019)

Cheers for the advice. I could move legs to day three, I just find I'm ready to train arms again after 2 days resting but I could remove one rest day to do it, do push pull leg push pull leg rest. Nice easy 1 week rotation too


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## Gibsonator (Aug 12, 2019)

x3 on legs having thier own day. 
may the gainz be with you.


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## Trump (Aug 12, 2019)

Nothing wrong with push pull legs day off repeat, if you hit legs hard enough you will need that rest.



Riot said:


> Cheers for the advice. I could move legs to day three, I just find I'm ready to train arms again after 2 days resting but I could remove one rest day to do it, do push pull leg push pull leg rest. Nice easy 1 week rotation too


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## andy (Aug 12, 2019)

cool stuff. agree with the guys. Legs on seperate day is a must.


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## Riot (Aug 19, 2019)

1 week in and here are my updated measurements




1kg increase in weight and some small gains size, but hey, one week long time to go yet. 

1st pin was like going in butter with a warm knife. Honestly could not believe how easy it was! I have zero pain at all (right cheek) Thursday, left cheek, similar pain free going in but next day it was sore like I'd been kicked in my ass this lasted a couple of days and didn't get in the way of anything.

Training has gone well. Not sure if it's psychological or gear but I've been stronger and upped my weights on all lifts! I kept legs on my back day but my set lasted ****ing ages so looking to move it to its own dya. But on this, my chest was ready to train again so don't really want to push it back as it didn't need it? Not sure how best to do this. Pushed chest shoulders and tri hard and training it again after two day break was fine adding legs makes it three days between. 

I have been eating 2350 cals, haha it was harder than I thought upping my cals to this. I'm eating loads compared to my diet, well obviously.. I do find I end the day needing to eat more cals and only fat and protein so I need to not use all my carbs up in breakfast and lunch. 

All in all things going OK.


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## DNW (Aug 19, 2019)

Riot said:


> Not sure if it's psychological or gear but I've been stronger and upped my weights on all lifts!
> 
> All in all things going OK.



Psychological with what you're running.  Your increased calories will play a part tho.  As for the pinning...butt is easy. Go pin your quad now.


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## CJ (Aug 19, 2019)

As you gain weight, you'll need to up your Cals to continue gaining. Try adding 100 every week, or 500 when the scale stops moving.

You have an initial jump in weight in the beginning from the increased food, but it'll level off quick. It's carb/water, so don't get nervous if you jump 3-5 pounds the first week.


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## Riot (Aug 19, 2019)

What macros do you guys run. I guess it's quite person specific but I'm aiming for 30C 30F 40P I find I get through my carbs soooo easy, love carbs hardest thing to lose when I was dieting, I mourned them 

Now I'm building muscle should I up carbs higher


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## CJ (Aug 19, 2019)

Yes, carbs are fuel for training and for muscle building.


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## Riot (Aug 19, 2019)

CJ275 said:


> Yes, carbs are fuel for training and for muscle building.



How would you suggest adjusting? Dropping fats to say 40C 20F 40P? I could manage that maybe kill off some of my yolks and ill be there now I think


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## DNW (Aug 19, 2019)

Riot said:


> How would you suggest adjusting? Dropping fats to say 40C 20F 40P? I could manage that maybe kill off some of my yolks and ill be there now I think



This is what I'm doing. I'd recommend the same.  I don't like going over 20f ever, but the other two change...usually to 50p


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## CJ (Aug 19, 2019)

Riot said:


> How would you suggest adjusting? Dropping fats to say 40C 20F 40P? I could manage that maybe kill off some of my yolks and ill be there now I think



All I meant was don't be scared of carbohydrate, and don't overthink things. 

Set you protein target, try to stay within a reasonable range of it. Split the rest of your Cals up between carbs and fats, however you like, just try not to swing too far in either direction. Get in at least enough carbs to support your training, and at least enough fats to hit a daily minimum, the rest is what you like. 

If you're 40/40/20, 40/30/30, 35/35/30, 50/30/20 doesn't matter at this point. Hit your calories, hit your protein, hit the weights.


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## Riot (Aug 26, 2019)

Week 3 update.



On Saturday I was really ill, throwing up and didn't eat anything all day till around 8pm. Needless to say not on track by bed time! Sunday was also off as not able to stomach food correctly. Monday was back on track again. In total I lost two days of diet and two what should be gym days. Also Monday I did chest day but was quite weak and fatigued early. 
This has set me back 2kg! I think this will come back really quick as I'm guessing water will be most of that. 

Both pins (and this weeks Monday) have been pain free too! 

The week was going well and was still increasing weights here and there.

I upped my carbs and it has been quite nice to eat and also did feel more capable in the gym. Note to myself that my water intake was shit. Didn't realise but was not loading the fridge with water and was having coffee all week, need to monitor my water intake better.


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## Riot (Sep 8, 2019)

Update at the end of week 4.



So since I started that's 2kg weight increase and 1%BF
+4cm chest
+1.5cm biceps 
+2cm shoulders (both not each, measured around body) 
+1.5cm neck 
-1cm hips
+1.5cm thigh
+1cm calves

I'm lifting heavier weight across all movements and feeling really good. I'm struggling with forearm pain with some excersises now and think this is holding me back. I've never used straps before but got some for next week so I can keep pushing on with weight increases. I felt like I was going to drop my weight on shrugs and then at the end during ez bar curls I was feeling my forearms giving way before my biceps were tired. Managed to tire them out by mixing up excersises and using some machines to take pressure off of forearms. 

Still getting no pain with pins or after. No headaches spots libido issues or any other signs to worry about. 

Bloods being done tomorrow but feel like everything should be fine. 

Eating nearly all the time, stopped worrying about outti g weight on now as I can see my chest arms and shoulders have put muscle on so I'm going to run this out and any weight I do put on I can focus on getting rid after this cycle. Just loving the strength, endurance and recovery I'm seeing right now so want to make the most of eat. 

Bottom line, loving this shit!!!


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## simplesteve (Sep 8, 2019)

I use straps often, for shrugs, lat pulls, any type of pulling movememt basically. 
My thought is that im not trying to increase my grip, im trying to load as much weight as i can manage to hit whatever muscle group it is im aiming for. 
Right now im using sheik, they lasted about 6 months but the metal strap piece use to dig in my wrist, im gonna check out versa grip here next.
Keep up the log man, enjoy  reading it.


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## Long (Sep 9, 2019)

Riot said:


> Update at the end of week 4.
> View attachment 8471
> 
> 
> ...



Forearm pain can be due to a biceps/tendon injury. Your forearms giving out on EZ bar curls does not sound like a weak muscle group, it sounds like a bicep/tendon injury to me. That shit just doesn't get better without taking a break. 

I just ordered straps myself, I have never used them. I am having trouble holding on during heavy shrugs after deadlifts and legs. I would suggest you only use straps after your grip is failing or close to it and not before.


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## Riot (Sep 10, 2019)

Long said:


> Forearm pain can be due to a biceps/tendon injury. Your forearms giving out on EZ bar curls does not sound like a weak muscle group, it sounds like a bicep/tendon injury to me. That shit just doesn't get better without taking a break.
> 
> I just ordered straps myself, I have never used them. I am having trouble holding on during heavy shrugs after deadlifts and legs. I would suggest you only use straps after your grip is failing or close to it and not before.



Did a session today with arms and didn't feel as bad on the forearm, maybe I had twinges something. But I also changed my shrugs from the lunge squat machine to dumbbells so it could be the angle I was pulling on was causing the pain. I see a lot of people use this for shrugs though, but hey. Plus feels nice holding those big boy weight, even though I can only shrug with them! One day I'll be able to move them a bit further...


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## Riot (Sep 14, 2019)

End of week 5.



Small size gains but some nice weight lifting gains in the gym. Started getting a much better muscle contraction in my back now too when performing my lifts. Also moving shrugs to dB seems to have fixed my forearm issue so glad about that. 

I've now had my bloods back and think it's all OK just got a couple of questions I'll post on the other room. But here are my bloods. Looks like Dunning Test Enanthate is ok


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## Riot (Feb 8, 2020)

So I realised I never finished updating this journal!

Basically the cycle went really well. Loved the strength I had and also managed to get used to eating way more calories and wasn't afraid of adding in carbs. 

I've put on some great gains and only a bit of fat. I'm now trying to loose some of the fat whole keeping my gains. Here is the after pic for comparison 



Looking forward to doing another cycle later in the year. This shit is fun!


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## Riot (Feb 8, 2020)

And the before


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## Riot (Feb 8, 2020)

Most impressed with shoulders then, you can't see it but back, then chest. Got a bit of nipple fat but don't think it's gyno just fat I think.

Need to focus on arms and legs more next time. Don't think I have been hitting them from enough angles or amount of weight.


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## transcend2007 (Feb 8, 2020)

Riot said:


> So I realised I never finished updating this journal!
> 
> Basically the cycle went really well. Loved the strength I had and also managed to get used to eating way more calories and wasn't afraid of adding in carbs.
> 
> ...



Congrats .. you got some substantial gains  ...!

Next I will just say DANG ... the metric system .. I didn't understand most of your numbers .... but that pic shows major progress ...!


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## Jin (Feb 9, 2020)

Solid work riot.


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## simplesteve (Feb 9, 2020)

Very nice, great to hear from again, you
Should stick around more often.


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## Riot (Feb 10, 2020)

Thanks guys. Biggest thing I learned is that diet and training makes the most impact. When I raised the calories and pushed harder I started seeing improvements this was like a trigger and just kept going. It really pushed me as I could literally see the gains almost week to week.

Getting my bloods done again soon to make sure I'm all A-OK back to normal and looking at trying another cycle at the end or March.


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