First Time Prohormone Use - Halo Extreme Log

[crawfBigG]

Day 15

Weight: 189.8

Taking today off. I feel I need it. Upper body pretty sore all over and I need to recoup some. This will be an extra day off for me.

Thanks for the input s2h. The reinforcement helps me to go ahead and take the day off. Sometimes left to your own devices your mind always chooses train over not train. Eating a Laura's Lean Beef, hormone free, vegetarian fed steak right now and watching bros vs pros 12. I took my dog on a long walk and will put in my 8 hours at work and see how I feel tomorrow.

Diet update: In upping my calories I have added carbs to my first meal (based on the diet listed above) in the form of oat bran or ezekiel toast. I have added in red meat in the form of Laura's steaks and Bison Burgers. And just increased amounts at most of the everyday meals. I should and plan to check my bf this upcoming weekend. Last check was 10-20-2012 (where the 10.6% came from in my first post) and I am interested to see where it is at considering I have been trying to gain muscle since then.

[ayezer]

yes good work will follow as well. Like those bison burgers too.

[crawfBigG]

Day 16

Weight: 189.8

Still not feeling up to par yet. I felt a little better than yesterday so I went on in to the gym. Quads, Hams. Got good and warmed up as usual with leg extensions, leg curls and leg presses light, high reps and some stretching. Once again though about three sets into Squats, low back feeling questionable and just not feeling very powerful. This is crazy! On roids finally and feeling weaker and less powerful than when natural, lol. I guess I really bashed my CNS last week. I will take tomorrow off and hope to feel better on Thursday. I just racked the squats and did some machines along with some stretching and got out of there. This really shows the importance of proper rest and recovery. Better luck Thursday I suppose.

[ebfitness]

Yup, time to rest and eat!

[crawfBigG]

Day 17

Weight: 190.2

Another day off. I felt pretty good this morning but decided to go ahead and rest another day and hopefully hit the gym tomorrow refueled and ready to put in some good training sessions. I didn't think that I would post to this log this often. Since starting it I have found I enjoy it and it really keeps me in tune with my training. I took some time today to access and feel that my weakest points are rear delts, upper chest and hamstrings. My rear delts especially, delt capping on the side too. Just my own opinion but I decided to rethink my program and gear my training towards this. I broke my workouts into six different segments. One, so that I can concentrate on weak points more and two, to space out the big moves like squat and dead a little more. Squats and deads really get me, I also have issues (herniations, bulging) with three of my five lower discs, and that area of my back stays sore way more than the rest of me. Not using this as an excuse but it is just a fact, if I push my low back too hard, it will go out and I won't be in the gym at all. I wish a gym near me had a reverse hyper machine, I would love to hit one of those regularly.

So starting tomorrow I am going to go with this and see how it goes:

Workout #1: Chest, Triceps

Workout #2: Back, Traps

Workout #3: Shoulders, Biceps

Workout #4: Quads, Calves

Workout #5: Upper Chest, Abs

Workout #6: Hamstrings, Low Back, Rear Delts

Opinions? Suggestions?

Days off I'll take as I feel I need them, just listen to my body. I'm thinking I have everything spaced out enough to get extra work in on my weak points but not overtax the joints in those areas. I'll have to feel it out a little and see how it works out. Maybe tweek a thing or two after I do it for a week or two. Who knows. I like to change things up now and then. Keeps interest and enthusiasm high.

[crawfBigG]

Day 18

Weight: 189.4

Felt pretty decent today. Morning liss bike session wasn't the most fun but it always has it's good days and bad days. Mentally I was ready to go back to the gym though. Chest and Triceps. I did just enough to effectively work the muscle, at least that was my goal. Get a good workout but not overdo it.

Bench Press - did Chest Dips - 8 reps after last three sets
170x8, 200x8, 205x8, 210x8 (way better than Sunday so I was happy)

Incline Bench Press - did Chest Dips - 8 reps after last two sets
135x10, 155x8, 175x8, 185x7

Lying Tricep Extensions
75x15, 95x11, 115x7 + 3 close grip reps

Overhead Rope Extensions
100x15, 110x14, 120x13

[crawfBigG]

Day 19

Weight: 189.8

Back, Traps today. Felt even better today. Felt pretty strong too, for me anyway. Kept it short and simple again.

Bodyweight Wide Pull Ups - full ROM
12, 9, 9

Barbell Bent Rows - pause at the contraction as much as possible
165x8, 185x8, 225x8, 250x7 -drop-> 135x22

Reverse Grip Pulldowns - negative portion of rep super slow
120x15, 160x12

Seated Pulley Rows - pause at the contraction as much as possible
120x15, 160x11

Excellent freakin' pump from the above!!

Finished off with some DB Shrugs. I like to get the DBs out and set them on the floor, then deadlift them up to the standing position. Probably doesn't do anything for the physique, it just feels good.

80s x 20, 90s x 20, 100s x 20 x 2

I hesitate to say the pharmaceutical enhancements are starting to kick in because I have had some pretty good streaks totally natty, but it sure felt like it today! I hope it continues!!!

[crawfBigG]

Day 20

Weight: 189.8

No workout.

Day 21

Weight: 192.2

Cracked open the 2nd bottle of Halo today. Shoulders, Biceps.

Seated DB Shoulder Press
40x12, 55x10, 70x8, 80x8, 85x7 pretty easy, think I could have gone up, should have grabbed the 90s

Uh....gotta give test cyp and Halo a pat on the back here because that is pretty damn good for me. I did DB Shoulders 12 days ago and the best that day was 75x6.

DB Rear Delt Raises
20sx20, 30sx20, 35sx20, 40sx16 - this is stronger than normal too

Barbell Upright Rows
Bar x 15, 65 x 15, 85 x 15

Seated DB Curls
20sx15, 30sx12, 40sx7

Preacher Curls EZCurl Bar - Super slow on the negative portion
65x12, 75x8

DB Concentration Curl
20sx12

Incredible pump in my shoulders today. I have trouble getting a good pump in my shoulders usually but today they were full! Felt a little wasted through biceps but the shoulder workout was great. Man I hope this strength increase continues because workouts are a hell of a lot of fun when you are getting stronger.

[crawfBigG]

Just did my nine point bf check. Says I'm at 11.4%. That's about a percent higher than back in October but I'm cool with that. I have gained just under 7 pounds since then. In detail I have gained 2.3 pounds of fat and 4.5 pounds of muscle. I know these things aren't totally accurate but they do give you an idea of the direction you're heading in. If you do it regularly you become familiar with your pinch points and I think it is a good way to help you track progress or lack there of.

[crawfBigG]

You know on second thought I'm not really cool with the fat gain. I probably increased my calories too quickly. I want to put on some size but I'll have to keep it a little tighter moving forward. It is pretty inevitable you will gain some fat when you are trying to put on size but it could be a little better in the fat to muscle ratio than above.

[crawfBigG]

Day 22

Weight: 191.4

Quads, Hams. Today was supposed to be Quads, Calves, I forgot and by pure habit hit my old routine. Oh well, it was kind of whacked today anyway. Guys were hogging the squat rack doing curls and shrugs so I ended up on the Smith machine to do some squats. Not crazy about Smith machine squats but whatever.

3 Giant Sets to Warm up
Leg Ext., Leg Curl, Leg Press

Smith Squats
225x8, 275x8, 315x6, 345x3

Leg Press
6 plates x 15
7 plates x 15
8 plates x 15
9 plates x 15

Seated Leg Curls
95x15, 110x15, 125x15

Felt pretty wasted at this point and headed out. Not spectacular but decent workout.

[crawfBigG]

Day 23

Weight: 193.8

No lift.

Day 24

Weight: 193.2

Upper Chest, Abs

Bench Press to the Neck, another Parrillo staple for upper pecs that I never do but really need to, so started today. Who would have thought the best pump in your upper pecs comes on a flat bench. Crunch your chin into your chest and lower the bar to where they come together and then back up. Try it out sometime. Although I would not recommend maxing out on this move if you lift alone, lol.
135x12, 155x10, 175x7, 185x6

Incline DBs
55s x 12, 70s x 12, 85s x 9, 85s x 10

Roman Chair Knee Raises
3 x 20

Hanging Knee Raises
2 x 20

Those Rocky 4 things where you have your legs straight and then raise your torso up in the air and then slowly lower back down.
3 x 12

[crawfBigG]

Day 24

Weight: 193.8

Hams, Low Back, Rear Delts

SLDL
145x12, 165x12, 185x12, 205x8 (had more in me on this last set but felt a slight twinge in my low back so racked it)

Lying Leg Curls
80x18, 110x15, 130x10

Bodyweight Reverse Hypers
4 x 20

Bodyweight Hyperextensions
4 x 20

DB Rear Delt Raises
20 x 20, 35 x 20, 35 x 20, 35 x 20, 35 x 20

SS in Cable Rear Delts after last three sets
15 ea side x 15

As usual here lately, good pump, good workout.

[s2h]

Nice log...nice progress....just been.following along..

[Curt James]

Echoing what others have said -- great detailed log. Thank you for logging!

Halo Extreme is my favorite IML product. Gained a lot of strength on just two capsules per day. Enjoy the ride!