The important day wasn’t yesterday, it isn’t tomorrow, its now....

So here we go then:
 
CTP gets shredded in the MT Shape Up Comp 2012!
 
Contents:
Stats / SHC entry criteria:
UHT Phase 1:
UHT Phase 2:
UHT Phase 3:
UHT Phase 4:
 
Proof: 

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Stats:

Resting HR - 64BPM (immediately upon waking)
Weight: 236.2lbs
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BF: Errr, I would like to guess around 23%(ish) - Keen for input!
L Calve:
R Calve:
L Quad:
R Quad:
Waist:
Belly:
Nipple Line:
L Forearm:
R Forearm:
L Upper Arm:
R Upper Arm:
Neck:
 
Description:
All natural cutting log consisting of 2 phases:
Phase 1: Anabolic Designs Transformation Stack (Shredabull and TauroTest)
Phase 1: Anabolic Designs Granite Mass Stack (BullK and TauroTest)
 
Follow with interest folks!

Chow for now!
 
Chris 

The important day wasn’t yesterday, it isn’t tomorrow, its now....
So, I guess from my join date you can see i’m a long time stalker – I guess now is as gooder time as any to move to active posting.

I’ve been training seriously now for 3-4 years – like with all these stories there were a few hiccups and blips along the way ... but hey ho, that’s all in the past.

I’ve not long finished a bulk – although to my shame it turned into quite a dirty escapade... the pictures fully support this. During this I ran a Y3T training system for about 20 weeks, and before that I ran a GVT programme for about 10 weeks.

I started the new year at just over 240lbs, and the weight is coming off nicely... before XMAS I was sat at 232lb – so i’m sure some of it was just water weight. God damn those carbs!!
I didn’t hear about this until this morning, so forgive me if this all reads a little last_minute.com
Ill pad out any of the missing information as we move forwards.... i’m sure i’ve got enough skeletons in my closet to entertain you along this journey.
 
So ... THE PLAN.....

... To run a UHT training system log for the full 12 weeks of the Shape Up Competition with the aim of shedding as much fat as possible, and revealing the body of a Spartan that is quite clearly hidden away in there somewhere!!!!!!!
 
For those not familiar with the UHT (Ultimate Hypertrophy Training) system it’s a periodised workout; it looks at manipulating reps, sets, loads, and rest times in order to bring about hormonal change to;

1. Increase lean muscle mass
2. Decrease BF

The slightly bigger picture is that I intend on running a UHT log up until October ’12.
 
For those wanting to do a little more reading you can read it from the horses mouth:

THIS EBOOK IS FREE - THE AUTHOR HAS LITERALLY JUST COPIED EACH CHAPTER INTO A NEW WEB PAGE :0)

http://www.ultimate-hypertrophy.com/UHT/UHT.html
 
If not, and I don’t blame you – then ill add in a little more with every post as I progress through my first UHT cycle.
 
So ... THE SPLIT.....

I’m opting for a 4 day split – since I’m working away from home all of Jan ’12, Feb ’12, and March ’12. It’ll be a case of;

Day 1: Upper Body
Day 2: Lower Body
Day 3: OFF
Day 4: Upper Body
Day 5 Lower Body
Day 6: OFF.
Day 7: Restat or Rest

Split Wise: I’m pretty much running with what’s in the book in fairness. Each work out is split into the CORE exercises with some EXTRA’s on the end.

Upper:
Bench Press
Barbell Row
Push - Press
Lat Pull Down
Close Grip Pull down (Biceps)
Cable Extensions (Triceps)
DB Shrugs

Lower
Traditional Squat
Romanian deadlift
BB Lunge
Good Mornings
Calve Raises
AB work

The reps / sets vary with each phase of the training system – so you’ll have to follow my logs to get the specifics.

So ... THE DIET.....
 
Right, I’ll say this from the off – i’m not here to get flamed on my diet. I’m aware that supplements should supplement a diet. I’m also aware that you cant out train a **** diet. That permitting, my circumstances / job really don’t lend myself to cooking at the moment. I have access to a kettle and a cool bag – thats it...no fridge, toaster, freezer etc etc etc

From the years I know that carbs go a long way with me, so carbs are starting at what I would consider moderate, and then as weight loss begins to decrease ill counter it by decrease carbs (increasing protein / fat) and upping CV.

Meal 1: 100g PHD Pharma Gain (P: 38, C: 43, F: 10, Kc:412)
Meal 2: 50g PHD Pharma Whey (P: 37, C: 4, F: 3, Kc: 190)
Meal 3: 120g Tuna (1 tin), green salad, (P: 35, C: 0, F: 0, Kc: 200)
Meal 4: 100g PHD Pharma Gain (P: 38, C: 43, F: 10, Kc:412)
Meal 5: 60g BBW Casein, 30g PHD Waxy Vol (P: 48, C: 34, F: 4.3, Kc: 350)
Meal 6: 100g PHD Recovery 2:1 (P: 30, C: 60, F: 0.2, Kc: 340)
Meal 5: 60g BBW Casein (P: 46, C: 5, F: 4, Kc: 222)

On non –training days I don’t have the Recovery, nor do I have the Waxy Vol in meal 5. Therefore my totals look like this

Training: 2091kcals
Non Trg: 16030 kcals

Weekends: IM AT HOME (YAY!!!!) I maintain a relaxed eating policy – but good dirty. Any shakes with carbs in get replaced with just normal whey. Pre and post workout nutrition remains the same.  The ‘spare calories’ I’ve gained from substituting the carbs out in my shakes are then used to eat more family based / hearty meals.... something like faititas on the sat, and then a roast / stew on the Sunday). From week 8 of the SHC onwards, those luxuries will go.


 

So, week 1 is pretty much done and dusted...
 
The last week has certainly been touch and go. I started this course with work – NIGHTMARE! Talk about a week of death by PowerPoint lol. Certainly the complete opposite to active! This week has been a pleasant blend of late nights (doing homework) and long days absorbing information.
 
The move at the weekend went reasonably well, and I even invested in a laptop and internet dongle… yay I hear you say – I’ll be posting on the forum more regularly…. Errr, not quite. That was my intention; however, I don’t get any form of signal in my new room / accommodation – 0 bars of phone signal, no 3g, and no 3gs. I literally have a spanking new internet dongle and can’t use it lol
 
UHT training is going really well. With the new move, it also means I’m in a new gym. I’ve pretty much just kept plodding along with the routine. The new gym has a few more bits f kit that my old one didn’t, but I have everything I need to be moving on.

I managed to train Mon, Wed, Thur. I had Friday off, and am going to hit the gym in a short while, and then again tomorrow. For the most part I’m sticking with the 2 on 1 off period. With the occasional, and unavoidable 2 back to back days off.
 
I think I probably have about another week or so of UHT Phase 1 left – I’m down to rest periods of 1.15s at the moment. The next 2 sessions will be at 1.00 and then the following 2 will be at 45s .....boom!
Diet has been hit or miss – in a bad way – and not in the eating too much way. I managed to complete the move with reasonably little stress. However, when I came to pack my work bag on Monday I realised the one thing I hadn’t packed was my PHD Pharma Gain – this makes up the bulk of my day time meals. For the first few days I settled with adding in one of those sachets of microwavable porridge oats you get – buy which point I then went and bought another MRP with a similar spec from a local retailer (Muscle Fury – Muscle Mass).
 
The second failure of my diet this week was keeping salad in a cool back in my room and using that for lunch. It seems I have no control over the heat of my radiators, so apart from sweating like a monkey all week the salad had turned brown by Tuesday and was a no go by Wednesday.
 
Anyway, lessons learned have left a workable diet looking like so;
Meal 1 (0630): 30g Phd Pharma Whey
Meal 2 (0730): 2 Poached eggs, 2 slices brown toast
Meal 3 (1030): 60g Pharma Whey
Meal 4 (1245): 120g Tuna, Tspn Jalepenos, 5 tomatoes
Meal 5 (1500); 60g Pharma Whey
Meal 6 (1730); 100g Muscle Fury – Muscle Mass
Meal 7 (2000); 100g PHD Recovery 2:1
Meal 8 (2230); 60g Casein Powder
 
In fact, when you look at it like that it definitely looks like I’m getting my fair share of food lol (albeit mostly liquid). The shakes are proving to be mega convenient – since there isn’t really an allocated lunch time at the moment. I’m just keeping my shaker in my bag and mixing them up as I go.
 
The Muscle Fury Gainer tastes pretty nice – it has about a 40g Protein, 40g Carb ratio of which I think on 3g are sugar…. So pre workout it is ideal. It mixes up really thickly, so I’m finding that once I’ve made it I’m having a couple of really big mouthfuls that are like sludge (very filling though) then adding more water. I’m sipping it down over about a twenty minute period (whilst working), hen hitting the gym at 7ish
 
CV wise, it’s been ok – not perfect by any means though. Managed to fit a run in Sunday evening after the move, then I also did CV mon, tue, and wed morning. Thurs evening I did 20 minutes post workout, and Friday I didn’t get anything in.
 
Next week my goal is to get 4 mornings of CV done.  Again, not quite the 5 I want to be hitting, but I know I’ll have late homework / planning packs to do on Tue, Wed, and Thur evenings, so come Friday morning Il be chin strapped and delirious I should imagine.
 
To be honest, I think that’s pretty much everything covered from my end.  I’m going to begin my ‘relaxed eating’ once I have been to the gym – heading out for tea tonight soo im looking forwards to some read meat – I haven’t had a cooked / hot meal since last Saturday, so this will be very welcomed!
 
It’s worth saying I’m feeling great! The weight is continuing to come down, and since Christmas I’m at nearly a 14lb loss … I know some of it was water weight, but hey – let’s not burst my bubble here! AD Transformation stack is definitely helping – I really find myself looking forwards to the second serving on shredabull in the afternoon… both as a pick me up, and as a suppression aid.
 
I also think it’s worth mentioning, that I don’t think I would have stuck to my diet as religiously as I had if it hadn’t been for Shredabull. The appetite suppression aid is definitely why I ended up under eating and not over eating after forgetting to pack the MRP. Not to mention the fact that despite running in calorie deficit I’m still finding the will power to concentrate on this course… although I can’t openly discuss what it is, I can tell you that it’s pretty challenging. Having done a degree in structural engineering, design and analysis I’m used to mental gymnastics in terms of solving problems and thinking outside the box – and this course definitely trumps it with ease! Either way, im convinced the  Neuro Zone (Mental Focus Matrix) is helping!
 
So last but not least – weight last weekend, weight this morning.
 

 
Chow for now

PLenty of info makes intresting reading alot of shakes tho but seems to be working 14lbs is a good start keep up the hard work.
 

Hey Titch,

Thanks for the comment dude. Previously, all my diets have been based heavily arround the staple foods - chicken, steak, rice, sweet potato, whole wheat pasta etc etc. At the moment im away with work (im military) so im in temporary accomodation - no kitchen, no cooking equipment etc etc... so a shake heavy diet solves 2 major issues for me
 
1. Stops me having to cook for myself, and gives me 100% portion control over what im eating
 
2. its actually cheaper than it would be eating in the scoff houses here - only crap thing is it means mon - friday on on cold food routine... but I can live with that.
 
C

So can you believe it? … its been a whole week since my lastconfession!



So, where to start?



As an over view, this whole living out of a cool bag isbeginning to grate on my patients, and a few pour soul have been victim tosnappy and witty comments as I’ve let the situation get the better of me. Tothose people I apologise lol – not quite sure why I’m telling you, as I’mpretty confident they would much rather I have told them directly.



The week has been interesting, and more intellectuallychallenging than the last – if that’s possible. Either way, when I finishedwork yesterday afternoon I left with a sigh of relief, having passed both examsthis week – whoop whoop. Both tests / exams / check points are interactive –almost like a role play (if its possible to do a role play in a non gay way).Anyway, I’m glad it’s out the way, it confirmed to me that I had a firm graspof the fundamentals of this course, and am indeed heading in the rightdirection. 5 more weeks to go – and with any luck, this will be the last weekof getting 2-3 hours of kip a night…. I managed to get more sleep btweenfinishing work yesterday evening and writing this then I did between getting upfor work Monday morning and finishing.



So – despite the conditions of the week I can proudly informyou that I….

A Got in 4 CVsessions (am)

B Didn’t cheat onthe diet.



There should be a C saying that I made it to the gym in theevening, but that would be a lie. I managed to fit in 2 PM CV sessions – butthe weights room has been closed for refurb, and what little iron they did moveinto the CV suite to compensate wasn’t worth fighting over.



So how does that affect me – well, this week should havebeen my last one on the UHT programme, but it obviously wasn’t. The plan now isto move straight into phase 2. The aim of Phase 1 was just to increase basefitness levels, where as phase 2 is all about working your body up to the stageof over training. With that grasp of the fundamentals I started Phase 2 lastnight. I upped my working sets from 3 to 4 for every exercise, I kept my restperiods between 55 – 60 seconds. Overthe next week ill continue to increase the sets and ill also focus on bringingdown the rest periods to 45 seconds. Im confident within a week or so ill beback to where I should be, and in the long run having missed this week isn’tgoing to cause the boat to sink.



Diet wise – like last week I havn’t cheated, I have prettymuch stuck to it religiously – despite woking days that were significantlylonger than the previous week (21-22hrs opposed to 15-16hrs). I ran out of whey mid week which was a pain –so ended up using casein for a few of my day time meals again. I invested in a5kg tub today, so I wont need to worry about that again for a few weeks.



I’m using BBW Choc Orange whey – which by all standards isgreat value for money – especially for a high quality casein…. Cant help butwish it tasted like it smelt. It’s a bugger – I don’t think I’ve quite foundthe secret formula for mixing it up yet either….. I always seem to get clumpsof powder – either in the lid, on my wire ball, in the mesh, and no amount ofshaking like an energetic male teenager gets rid of it! Random, but I felt theneed to share that – I think in the long run I’m going to look at using a wheyand EFA pre bed… as I understand it hasthe same effect (drip feeding the muscle) and will be a similar price. Justneed to do my geeking up!



Photos were took again this morning, and things look likethey are moving in the right direction still. Ive got photos from the 28/12,08/01, and the 21/01 – so reasonably regularly. I’m always a little scepticalof the scales…. It’s a great confidence booster (providing it tells you whatyou want), and it’s a great tool for demonstrating to thosenon-shake-guzzling people that thiseating frequently, cleanly and sensibly works…. But the mark one eye ball hasgot to be the best way of judging progress.



The signs of ‘prckly heat’ are beginning to surface on someof my morning runs – an all too emotional reminder of time spend digging wholeswearing body armour. Does anyone haveany secret tricks to helping sooth the symptoms? I know its basically apore infection – so the witty ones will say shower more often, but that doesn’tseem to be doing it… I invested in a “doofer” on a stick and also a scrubbingbrush but it doesn’t seem to be having the desired effect. Camomile cream isfantastic for instant relief, but I’m beginning to suspect that in the biggerpicture it is just clogging up the pores more.



As for the weekend – not a great deal planned (VERYINTENTIONAL), I have a few cat naps lined up, as well as an all important cheatmeal! I’ve got my heart set on some form of steak, so im going to toddle off tothe farmers market in the town centre and get a nice cut of thick, red, juicy,bound to be tasty steak – and then get some nice veg for it too… possibly evensome sweet potato, and a 500cc bottle of nice beer That should be more thanenough! Last hot meal was Sunday morning… so its been thought about a lot thisweek!



I’m really craving Quinoa at the moment (it a grain,somewhere in between rice and cous cous) – great all round macro profile, andclassed as a super food I believe due to the low GI carbs, moderate protein andfat – plus… a doddle to prepare, and great salted! Any one know where to get hold of it at a reasonable price? – andby that I don’t mean £3 for a 500g bag from the health shops / major supermarkets.

So just as a recap then, current diet is giving me nutrientprofiles whats below. Its all looking good at the moment.



Training:

Pro: 285g

Carb: 168.2g

Fat: 32g

Kcal: 2100



Non Training:

Pro: 255g

Carb: 110g

Fat: 31g

Kcal: 1740g



Ow yeah, weight loss this week…..



I’m a little embarrassed to say that my weight has gone upthis week . Last week I weighed in at 230.8lbs and this week I weighed in at231.8lbs. I don’t know what’s caused this to be honest, I can only assume thatlasts weeks weigh in was a fluke – I’m going to reserve judgement until nextweeks weigh in though. Either way, it didn’t massively jump up, and in the muchbigger / over arching picture since starting this post Christmas cut the weightis still moving in the right direction.



Anyway, that really is it for me now, got a new bag ofrecovery to use this week (Berry opposed to Lemon) and the end is in sight withthe casein… it really does seem like ive been using this bag for a long timelol.



Chris

You don,t post very often but when you do there very thorough , weel done so far mate and keep it up.

Cheers Hoppy!
 
Ive actually crept over from another forum specifically for this comp - and I know how frustrating it is when people are posting and dont really put up enough information to allow others to give them sensible advice.
 
My over arching plan is to get shredded for BodyPower - I want to weigh in 10kg heavier than I was last BP, but carrying less BF. Ive been bulking pretty hard, so hopefully somewhere underneath all this mess is the body of a god!
 
At the moment Im on this course with work - which is a pain in the arse! Im just living out of a cool bag in my room.... :(
 
On the plus side, im using my commute to and from work on the monday and friday to write my log - which is why theyre quite long and only once a week. From about the mid challenge point onwards there will be a massive shift and ill be posting alot more frequently :)
 
Chris

So as I’m coming to the end of the first Phase of UHT I thought that I might as well look back on it, and reflect. They say that reflections done regularly are the ones that are the most worth while.
 
The UHT training system is a periodised training system split in to four microcycles (short phases) each lasting several weeks. The first Microcycle (phase 1)  focuses on stimulating growth hormone release and building a base level of conditioning and tolerance to training volume that will let you get the most out of the subsequent cycles. Phase 2 focuses on adding training volume and increasing protein degradation whilst in phase 3 you will add load to the bar and stimulate testosterone and mechano IGF1 whilst in phase 4 you will put it all together and maximise all factors simultaneously.
 
So with that in mind; here are my last 3 weeks on paper…. A UHT phase 1 reflection in want of better words.
 
The PHASE 1 microcycle lasts around 2-3 weeks. It encourages a  2 on, 1 off  training split. The split is upper / lower based utilising the ‘compound’ style movements.  A section of the book dedicates itself to helping you pick the correct exercise selection for your aims and your own strengths and weaknesses… but ill discuss that later on.
 
So straight from the horses mouth the rules / goals / aims / do’s & don’ts of Ph 1;

In Phase 1 start with a weight that makes a set of 15 reps moderately easy. No attempt will be made to increase load or total volume. You will NOT add weight to the bar. You will NOT add reps to any set. Instead you will reduce rest times between sets by 15 - 30 seconds each session, aiming to get your rests down to 45 seconds by the end of the 2 weeks. In order to accomplish this you will have to start with loads that enable you to complete each set quite easily. At no point in Phase 1 should you go anywhere failure or miss any reps. By the end of Phase 1 workout duration will be around 27 minutes, assuming you obtain your goal of 45 seconds rest between sets.
 
Objectives of Ph 1;
1. Maximise GH production
2. Maximise sacroplasmic hypertrophy, capillary growth and mitochondria density.
3. Promote blood flow to tendons and ligaments.
4. Increase general physical preparedness.
 
I was finding that on the UHT programme as I hit the 8 rep mark  my muscles were on fire,  by 10 the lactic acid was getting there, by 12 the ‘green eyed monster of doubt’ was telling me to rack the bar, and by 15 I just didn’t want to think about the next set.  Sounds silly doesn’t it – after all, who is this guy moaning about doing more than 8 reps – what a pansy….. I guess that’s just honesty for you!

 

I’m not going to dwell on it, but the decreasing rest periods each session certainly compensated for the moderately light weights on the bar. The second big change was that I was actually timing my rest periods using a stop watch – making a massive difference. On the whole I was achey and sore from each workout – yet, at the same time each session was a CV challenge. Great for those looking to cut and after a challenge.

I thought I would grow bored of the exercise selection, especially since what you find out as your read further on into the book is that the exercises you chose in phase 1 stay with you for the remaining phases.  However, the decreasing rest periods have kept me interested – I guess its because I have wanted to step up to the challenge.
 
The other good thing about using an upper / lower split (something I had never done before) was that actually, you don’t spend very long on each muscle, so there really is an incentive to make every rep perfect for that set – otherwise your just ****ing about and mind as well throw the towel in now!
 
It took me a little while to find an exercise selection I was happy with. I started using push – press for shoulders (an area I am weak on) and my technique was just too poor so I swapped out for seated smith machine press …partly for safety, and partly to encourage good form.
 
Like wise, with the lower session the combination of high rep squats followed immediately by dead’s was leaving my lower back PUMPED – so I found that by adding in good mornings… although the tempo was slower, allowed me to really stretch off my lower back whilst taking my glute’s and hams.
 
I think what im trying to say, is that if your going to follow a UHT routine don’t be afraid to spend a little longer than the 2 weeks advocated for this phase. Spend a few sessions working out what’s good for you for each exercise, and what a realistic weight is to start with. Likewise, don’t be afraid to mix and match the exercise selection order if you know certain machines / benches are always busy at certain times.  I’ve certainly learned that my strength remains highest / I get the most from each session as long as I’m jumping from push, pull, then back to push.
 
My upper split
Bench (PUSH)
Bent Over Row (Pull)
Smith Press (Push)
Lat Pulldown (Pull)
Tri Push Dwn (Push)
EZ Curl (Pull)…. You get the drift.
 
I guess that really leads me nicely on to the suggested exercise selection…

Stage one Exercise Selection.


Core rules for exercise selection.
The UHT program revolves around a few core exercises for upper and lower body, along with  1 exercise for biceps, triceps, abs / hip flexors and calves. When selecting the core exercises with which to build your routine you must think only in terms of three things. Poundage potential, range of motion and joint action.
 
The first rule is that you never utilise an exercise in which the poundage potential is less than bodyweight. That means that on your core exercises you must be able to envisage using your own bodyweight on the bar. Maybe you already can on some of them, but you must use exercises that at least have the potential for it.
 
The second rule is that you utilise exercises with a maximal range of motion. That means exercises that involve full flexion and extension of the joints involved.
 
The third rule is that you utilise exercises that involve flexion around more than one joint. This means that at least two major joints move to accomplish the movement. The major joints are the shoulders, elbows, knees and hips.
 
Although this criterion seems like it will produce a brutally short list of exercises, it actually allows for quite a broad approach to exercise selection. The most efficient exercises (those that will stimulate the greatest testosterone increase, for example) are those that move through a full range of joint motion with the maximum possible weight. 
 
When I produced my list to start with it was pretty short – then I started looking at some of the Olympic lifts that I never used (clean, clean and snatch, clean and press), then I started looking at some of the variations to traditional exercises that I never normally do (Hack Squat, Front Squat etc) and my list grew rapidly. Before I knew it I had a list that when I looked at it I knew I would be drained after every workout.
 
Nutrition
I’m not one to follow the ‘you need to use this brand name product whilst following this routine’ in order to see the best results.  However, there is a small section in the back of the book recommending particular diets and supplements to help you achieve your potential, and lots of the recommendations are made from the authors experience whilst he was competing. 

At the start of my cycle I was using a home made post workout shake – Vitargo, Whey Isolate,and creatine (taking it 25minutes post workout) and using EAA’s and BCAA’s immediately post workout. After about a week I switched to using PHD recovery 2:1 after hearing good reviews (and running out of Isolate). It really seems to be doing the job, I’m less achy than I had been in previous months and less lethargic – but I think that is down to having a slow GI carb source as well as a high GI carb source in comparison to my DIY version.
 
Moving forwards, ill continue to use PHD Recovery - having picked up a bargain deal in a local GNC where they were selling it at less than trade price …. I got 3 bags for £45 so that should see me through for a while.
 
SUMMARY
 
I know there is a fair amount of waffle above – and for that im sorry.
 
Phase 1 has been challenging. I can’t really gauge if I feel stronger or weaker because of the drastic change in rep ranges from my previous routines but I am enjoying it.
 
What ever comfortable bubble I may have settled into by achieving the 45 second rest periods will quickly go out the window as I start adding more sets to each exercise in Phase 2, and there are some real opportunities to set some PB’s as I do more than just ‘go through the motions of decreasing rest times’.
 
This is definitely a routine that you have to stick with for a long period of time, it isn’t for those looking for a quick fix. The book itself is logical, it explains the science behind the logic in a ‘clear as mud’ fashion, so unless your studying rocket science and have a degree in ‘einstein’ism’ it probably isn’t going to be bed time reading…. But UHT will give you some long term goals to be aiming off for.
 
Chow for now guys…..
 
My aim is to post up an intro to Phase 2 late next week, then follow it up with my weekly log shortly after.
 
Chris
 

“Those people that go furthest in life are the people that respect failure and don’t fear it!”

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe how quickly the last week has flown by. It only feels like yesterday that I was writing last weeks up date.
 
Yet again, I had a massive win – and have finished work mega early on Friday. Im writing this on the way home (1500hrs :) ) but wont get the chance to post it until tomorrow morning….
 
This week feels like it has been a success. I say ‘feels’ because sods law says that if I say it has been a success ill jump on the scales tomorrow and will be magically heavier again. I havnt cheated at all throughout the week – they’re have been 2 occasions where I havnt had the liquid limit to squeeze in the last shake / meal of the day. This is definitely something I need to over come.
 
I hit a jackpot – and have found a fridge though!! One of the lads on the course has a small stella fridge in his room, so im going to look at perhaps having some form of yoghurt before bed, or  consider using a whey + EFA instead…. Just to stop the full sick feeling, and also to try and break this 3am toilet trip malarkey! I don’t want to get old…. Getting up at 3am every morning to pee is ridiculous!
 
UHT Phase 2 is well and truly under way. The aim of Phase 2 is to increase the number of working sets per exercise without compromising the rest periods. For example, during phase 1 I focussed on decreasing my rest periods between sets; starting with 2 minutes, and eventually dropped that down to 45s. For every exercise I completed 3 sets. With Phase 2 im keeping my 45s rest periods, but every session im adding more sets to my workout. For example, my lower body session last night had between 4-5 sets per exercise on. My upper session tonight will have 5 sets per exercise. Time in the gym is quickly increasing :)
 
The good thing is that im finding by set 3 my head is really in the zone for that particular exercise and the final few sets are actually easier than the first few – despite the fact the muscle is actually more fatigued.
 
Supplement wise im still keeping it nice and simple – using a whey and / or mass gainer to construct the large majority of my meals Monday to Friday.
 
In addition to that I’m still using Anabolic Designs Shredabull. I can’t rave about this product enough, for me – it’s just perfect. I understand fat burners, like pre workouts are a personal thing. But, over the years Ive tried more than my fair share, and  this stuff sets the standards. Now crashes, no hunger pangs, no jitters, no head aches - just slow, steady energy.
 
As well as protein and shredabull im also using a BCAA product. I was using Scivations Xtend – but only have a few scoops left. Are there any other recommendations for some NICE tasting BCAA products? – I like being able to mix some up in a sports bottle and drink it throughout the day at work, so im looking for something with quite a high number of servings in. Previously I’ve used Purple Wraath (arguably more EAA than BCAA), SciTECS Amino Magic, and BCAA Exress and finally  MST’s RPG.
 
Is there anything out there that tastes good that I just havn’t heard of? There must be some American company that doesn’t have a BCAA product riddled with sugar and at a reasonable price.
 
So that’s supplements, and an over view of training. Managed to finish booking my hotel for Body Power  so that’s looking like itll be an epic weekend!!
 
After last weeks incident with the scales shifting in the wrong direction I have decided to take a new approach to the weekends eating. Obviously 5 days strict dieting, and 2 relaxed days isn’t going to work for me – I just cant trust myself around certain food types…. Bread, peanut butter, cheese…  I’m sure this bad relationship with food has only actually started to develop since I started becoming more nutritionally aware though. Anyway, back to the point – I’m going to try and have a veg heavy weekend – the aim wlil be to get my 10 pieces of fruit and veg in every weekend. I’m hoping by consciously doing that then ill be- less tempted to snack – and the meals I do eat will contain lots of lower gi carbs …keeping me fuller for longer.
 
The menu for this weekend is looking like….
 
Sat B/F: 4 Egg Prawn Ommelllete
Sat Eve: Chicken Faijita Salad
 
Sun B/F: Salmon and Poached eggs on granary toast
Sun Afternoon: Home made lamb stew…. Nom nom nom
 
There  will be a healthy dosing of whey and cold turkey throughout the days, with casein before bed.
 
Im running out of things to yapper about, so im going to wrap it up there I think.
 
Ill let you all know how weigh in goes tomorrow as well :)
 
Chris
 
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So here we go then folks. Feeling smashed from last nights upper body session. My knees and quads are in bits from Thursdays squatting – and I’m still sporting awesome bar marks across my traps!!
 
Weighed in this morning, and also took new photos for my own log.
 
So, weight as of the end of week 3 is as follows?
 
New Yrs Day: 246.6lbs
Start: 236.6lbs
Week 1: 230.8lbs
Week 2: 231.8lbs
Week 3: 230.2lbs
 
So that’s a weekly drop of 1.6lbs. Got to admit, as much as the scales are moving in the right direction, im really not happy with it. I was hoping for a loss of between 2-3lbs. This is just because of my size…. Its not like there isn’t enough blubber to get shot of.
 
Morning CV is going to have to take a change of tact I think – looking to increase the intensity… then as a worst case scenario increase the duration.
 
I really don’t want to be adding in post workout cardio as im hanging when im done, and as phase 2 develops my time in the gym is going to increase.
 
Any thoughts would be welcome.
 
Chris

Better late than never I guess folks!
 
There isn’t a great deal to report on this week – training has been fun and enjoyable. Adding more and more sets each session is great – and really rewarding. Its making settling into each exercise a lot more enjoyable. The length of my sessions is obviously increasing as a result of this, which means I’m having to get to the gym earlier and earlier.
 
Diet has remained consistent this week – I didn’t deviate until Saturday :)   …. Not that it did me a lot of good lol.
 
Friday night I watched Ken ‘Skip’ Hills Longevity DVD! For those that havn’t seen it, it’s well worth watching – albeit it’s a 6hr conquest. All 26 parts of the DVD are on You tube, so there is no need to pay for it and through quite a casual and relaxed attitude Skip  certainly explains his take on BB’ing and contest prep. This includes almost 2.5hrs of information on his ‘Skip Loading’ re-feed technique.
 
Saturday morning I had a much needed lie in; when I did get up I hopped on the scales and didn’t get the result I was after. So had a shower, popped into town to get some fresh food for the day, dropped the kids off at the pool and re-hopped back onto the scales – even though I was lighter than my first weigh in I still didn’t get the result I was after.  MEH!!!
 
My weight this week was 232.0lbs, Last week it was 230.8lbs, and the week before it was 231.8lbs. Either way I have been hovering around this mark now for a while and its beginning to get a little demoralising. It’s certainly beginning to grate on my nerves! In all the diets I’ve followed I don’t think I have ever been as religious and anal as this – to the point I’m scraping the excess whey off the top of the scoop to make sure I’m not gobbling back too much.
 
Having watched Skips video it occurred to me that the diet might be a little too clean?! I’m clutching at straws here – but my cheat meals are relatively clean containing a lot of low GI food (mainly veg) and during the week the only sugar I am seeing is immediately post workout in my Recovery drink.  My CV is consistant, and at 20%+ BF it should be coming off steadily at this stage – since im not rolling about in calories or carbohydrates.
 
Anyway, long story short, my will to diet cracked this weekend. The straw that broke the cammels back was the weight loss. In the back of my head I could hear this little voice whispering ‘KETO’! A journey I will never ever ever undertake again! Anyway, my shoes went straight back on, and I headed straight back to the shops – stocking on anything that was high carb, high sugar, low fat…. Pancakes, muffins, honey, granola bars, white bread, jam, marmalade….. and the list goes on. I got home, and well – my 6 hr skip loading window began….  It started with 8 pancakes, a lot of honey, washed back with Ribena….. I continued to load on / off for the full 6 hrs. Not going to lie – I ate far far too much in my first sitting.
 
There is loads of info about skip loading about – but in short its an evolved version of **** loading. Where once a week you stock up on high GI, low protein, low fat foods. Consider it an extended cheat meal. You skip load for a number of hours – during which period the idea is to eat when your hungry. Skiplaoding is done over hours instead of meals to help portion control the servings and prevent you going OTT. The idea of low fat, low protein is just so you can gobble back more carbs.

As a result of 6rhs of Skiploading you should see your weight rocket – a combination of the belly full of food (additional stored glycogen) and the uptake of water. Over the week your weight will decrease back down to what it was when you started your skipload (known as your base line), and then continue to drop below it. Then weigh in day comes around, your lighter than you were last week – you skip load again, then baseline, then drop below your weekly baseline.
 
Anyway, I genuinely enjoyed the whole day – and although I looked a lot bigger for it, and certainly felt a lot wider for it…. Mentally feel a lot better for it too – that isn’t the point of it, but hey, it’s a nice added bonus.
 
Will I do it again? That is the question – I think it all depends on what the scales are saying next week if I’m honest. If the scale are moving in the right direction, then yeah, I probably will do it again, although I don’t think ill go as over the top as I did this weekend.
 
With that in mind, I’m thinking of cutting the calories a little this week, in particular cutting the carbs from breakfast. I don’t know, I’m just feeling a little in decisive at the moment.
 
Anyway, that sort of brings you all up to where I am -   there really isn’t anything else to add in at the moment. I’m sorry – it’s a pretty lame update. I’ve mentioned training, and diet, and my massive skip load blib… so that’s about it.
 
On another note – managed to win 2 tubs of protein, a t-shirt, and a training session on Friday, so am mega happy about that!
 
Chow for now

Chris