History: I was the skinny fat kid through high school (drumline captain, varsity bowler (lol), golf team, played drumset for school plays/choir, etc.). I ran, went to the gym to bench and curl the same exact weight/sets/reps 3 days a week. So, I was always sort of active with running, but never pushed myself in the weight room.

Started college at KU in fall '08. Got into health/fitness by reading Men's Health (ugh) and started running and doing full body circuits (to "rev that metabolism"). Pretty much starved myself and got down to about 138 lbs at 6 feet tall. My mom was worried about my health, and looking back, she should have been. I found bb.com (UGH) and eventually found T-Nation which truly sparked my passion for getting stronger.

I started lifting the beginning of my sophomore year at KU. After I had starved myself down to 138, I was repping 115 on bench a few times, never squatted, and never deadlifted. Since then, I've gotten to a bit over 200 (morning weight) at my heaviest and am now about 185-190 in the morning. Got my bench up to 285, squat 315 for a triple, and deadlifted 500. I'm interested in getting BIG, and that's it lol. I'd really like to start competeing after I spend another few years adding some good mass, 'cause I need it.

Training: Currently just started my 4th cycle of 5/3/1. I do the PR set, and then ramp the weight afterward using CT's methods of wave loading and double ramping. Won't get into too much detail because you'll be able to see in my log, but here is my weekly setup:

Sunday
5/3/1 OH Press
Incline BB
CGBP
Lateral Raises
Tricep Work

Monday
5/3/1 Squat
RDL/Deadlift
Leg Curls/Reverse Hypers/GHRs
Sled/Prowler work

Wednesday
5/3/1 Bench
Reverse-Band Bench
DB Pressing of some sort
Face Pulls
Shrugs

Thursday
5/3/1 Deadlift
Reverse-Band Deadlift
Leg Curls
Sled/Prowler Work

Friday (back and biceps with LOTS of volume)
Weighted Chins
Neutral-Grip Pulldowns
Seated Rows / Hammer Strength Row variation
Straight-Arm Pulldown
DB Hammer Curls
Preacher Curls
Cable Curls

Diet: Pretty low carbs. I plan on slowly adding them back in once on I-3G. Diet is really simple, but I like it that way: lots of natty PB, chicken, nuts, broccoli, and protein powders.

Sample day of eating:

Meal 1
3 tbs PB melted w/ 1 scoop of protein and a lot of ground cinnamon (I throw this is the freezer the night before so it's like a weird ice cream when you nuke it for 20 seconds lol)
1 cup of coffee with 1 scoop of whey mixed in

Meal 2
lots of steamed broccoli and cauliflower
200g chicken
50g almonds

PeriWO
2 scoops SWO (sometimes just 1 scoop + FINiBAR)
2 scoops Anaconda
20g CH

Meal 3
same as meal 2

Meal 4
same as meal 1 but with added veggies

Meal 5 (before bed)
1 scoop casein
3 tbs PB

Supplements:
ANACONDA (about to run out, and not sure if I can afford more for now)
plain hydrolyzed casein
Surge Workout Fuel
fish oil
multi-vitamin
vit C
vit D
Biotest ZMA
Z-12 a few nights a week
Biotest L-Leucine with shakes and during WO
PreWO stimulant
FINiBARS (I have one box left but I might stick with SWO from now on)

So, my Indigo-3G is supposed to arrive in the mail tomorrow, but I will be traveling over the next 3 weeks so I won't start my dosing until June 12th. I figured I would start this log, though, just so everyone can get a feel of how I train, eat, etc. I'll post some pictures once I get back from traveling, to compare with how body comp changes over the next 6 weeks of Indigo-3G.

5/3/1 Squat (3 day)

(working sets)
(70%) 230 X 3
(80%) 265 X 3
(90%) 295 X 3 (decided to stick with 3 reps and up the weight)
320 X 3 PR
340 X 1 PR EASY. Should have gone for 1 or 2 more but for some reason I saw myself getting burired on the 2nd rep, just had a terrible feeling so I racked it
295 X 3
305 X 3

Deadlift
225 X 3, 275 X 3
315 X 2, 2, 2
345 X 2, 2, 2
365 X 2, 2, 2
385 X 2, 2, 2
315 X 3
345 X 3
365 X 3

Lying Leg Curls
100 X 10
120 X 10
130 X 10
140 X 8 + some partials at bottom
110 X 10, 10
Dropset: 110 X 10, 90 X 6, 70 X 8

Pullups
69 reps over 9 sets

320 X 3


340


NOTES: Deadlifts took a bit out of me and didn't really feel like I had much left after so I did some leg curls, and my last day of the PLP challenge on pullups and called it a day. Squat is getting MUCH better and I see 405 before the end of summer!

I like the dude with the vacuum cleaner backpack walking in front of the camera and you. I'm sure that makes it easy to concentrate.

On another note, you squat and deadlift on the same day? That's a serious workout.

Good luck, man. Enjoy your vacation and kill it when you get back.

When you say you plan on competing, do you mean powerlifting or bodybuilding?

I should probably throw some before/after pictures up to better show my starting/current status. This was a few months into my start of lifting, probably around 150 morning scale weight:

Here is me a little over 30 pounds heavier (morning weight around 182). This was the end of a contest at a local supplement store where I placed 7th out of over 70 people.

awesome ash! u r so rippled. omgz.

5/3/1 Bench (3 Day)

Bench
Bar X some, 95 X 5, 115 X 5, 135 X 3, 165 X 3

(working sets)
(70%) 190 X 3
(80%) 215 X 3
(90%) 245 X 5 PR was WAY too easy, should have gone for 6 but still a PR
250 X 3
235 X 3
240 X 3
245 X 3
235 X 3

Flat DB Press
80s X 5
95s X 5
105s X 5 PR
95s x 5
100s X 4

Hammer Strength Incline
1pps +25s X 8
2pps X 8
2pps +15 X 8 PR +3 reps
2pps +25s X 4 PR
2pps X 9 PR

Face Pulls
5 sets

Face Pulls w/ External Rotation at top
3 sets

Rear Delt Flyes
2 sets

245 X 5 (skip to 1:15)


NOTES: Good day. I ran into an old friend and the first thing he did was looked down at my chest nd say "Damn, you've gotten big". Also, I shopped at the grocery store after and was carrying a lot of stuff to the counter. The clerk looked at my arms and said "Did you forget to get a cart or are you just trying to lift more weights?" Lol, nice ego boosts going around today. I guess I'm doing something right

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1) Height: 6'1" - 6'1"

2) Weight: 190 (morning) 200 (at gym)

3) Number of years training seriously: 2

4) Training experience, including current program: I started out doing my own thing, just hitting the compound lifts hard. No real plan, just tried to set PRs on everything I did. Then I went to 5/3/1 for a few cycles, then tried Advanced GVT (10 sets of 3, 4, and 5, not 10 X 10). After GVT, I did HP Mass for 6 weeks. I really liked the high volume with low reps but found I have to work with heavier weights on squat/deadlift than recommended or I lose strength. Also, I may not have been eating enough, but I'm not sure if pressing heavy 2 days in a row is ideal for me. Now I am doing 5/3/1, but I use CT's HP Mass principals after my 5/3/1 set and auto-regulate depending on how I'm feeling. I always try to do as much as I can tolerate without feeling like I've been hit by a bus.

5) Olympic-lift variations you know how to perform: I would be lying if I said I were decent at any of them. I recently power cleaned 195, but my coach said it was more like a "stiff-legged deadlift to reverse curl" lol. I can deadlift 500 so obviously something isn't right.

6) Athletic background: I ran in high school and went to weight lifting class but I never took it seriously. I didn't start lifting seriously until 2 years ago.

7) Primary fitness goal (choose one): gain strength

8) Secondary fitness goal (choose one): gain muscle

9) Days per week you can train: 7 (currently on summer vacation)

10) Amount of time available to train each workout: unlimited

11) Time of day you train: Usually around noon or 1:00 but I can earlier

12) Do you have certain days available for twice-a-day workouts?: Any day

13) Your daily schedule: Free for the next 3 months basically. I'm going on a family trip this Friday and returning next Wednesday. Then I'm leaving next Saturday (June 4th) and returning the next Saturday (June 11th)

Wake up around 8, eat breakfast. Eat again around 11, hit gym 2 hours later to let food digest. The rest of the day is spent with friends/family/food. In bed around 10-11 and do it all over again.

Ideally I will also be gone for 1-2 weeks due to training at Biotest headquarters with Chrsitian "The Beast" Thibaudeau :) :) :) :)

14) Current injuries (if any): None

15) Lifts (if any) you need to avoid due to safety issues: None

16) Do you currently have trouble falling asleep at bedtime?: No

17) When you wake up in the morning, are you an easy starter or you do
need some extra time and stimulants to start your day?: I start off with coffee, but it's not like I'm NEED it. I'm usually an early bird

18) Health issues (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.): None

19) Total calories consumed on training days: Recently: 3,000-4,000

20) Total calories consumed on non-training days: 2,500-3,000

21) Total grams of carbs consumed on training days: Around 60-100g, not counting trace from nuts, PB, veggies, etc.

22) Total grams of carbs consumed on non-training days: I carb up once a week usually, around 300g, but a normal non-training day is zero carbs besides trace as stated above.

23) Describe in detail your workout nutrition: I mix 40g of protein from PeptoPro (or 20g of PeptoPro and 2 scoops of Anaconda), 2 scoops of SWO or the same amount of carbs from sport drink powder. Or, I may have a FINiBAR on my way to the gym, and reduce SWO to 1 scoop. Also, I take a preWO stim just because I enjoy the extra boost.

Looking forward to your log

Looks like your goals with I-3G are very different from mine. It will be cool to see how effective it is for muscle gain versus fat loss. Hopefully it will be as great as it sounds for both. Good luck man, I'll be following.

Thanks, guys! I wish I could start taking it sooner but I'll be back on June 4th and start dosing the next day.

5/3/1 Deadlift

(70%) 335 X 3
(80%) 385 X 3
(90%) 430 X 5 I hit 435 X 5 a few weeks ago, just wasn't feeling it today on deads. Deadlifted fairly heavy only two days ago so that might be it
445 X 1
405 X 3 X 2

Plate Loaded Squat Press
4pps X 10
5pps X 10
6pps X 20 PR +6 reps
7pps X 10 PR Dropset: 6pps X 4 (had to use my hands on 4th lol), 4pps X 10

Cable Pullthroughs
4 sets of 15

Single Leg Curls
4 sets with partials thrown in

Back Extensions
BW X 12
+25 X 12, 10
BW X 20

NOTES: Indigo came in the mail today, so I was PSYCHED going in but just wasn't feeling it on deadlifts. Maybe because I hit them fairly heavy 2 days ago lol. Oh well, still hit some solid PRs on the leg press.

Came in the mail yesterday! About to go hit up back and biceps with some VOLUME. I wish I didn't have to wait another 2 weeks to start dosing :(

Back/Biceps

Chins
BW X 5 X 2
+20 X 3
+40 X 3
+55 X 3
+70 X 3
+85 X 3 (lost the DB on the 1st rep, had to reset. The gym had no dip belt so I was holding it between my feet. Pretty painful actually lol)
+95 X 1 (Lost the DB at the top of the first rep, would have gotten 3) did 12 BW chins when I lost the DB

V-Bar Pulldowns
LV 10 X 12
LV 12 X 8
LV 14 X 8
LV 16 X 8 PR +3 reps
LV 12 X 8 X 2

HS Pulldowns
2pps X 12
2pps +25s X 6 PR, X 2
2pps X 12, 10

Straight-Arm Pulldowns
LV 5 X 12, LV 6 X 12
LV 8 X 12 PR
LV 10 X 10 PR
LV 7 X 15, X 2

Seated Row
LV 6 X 12, LV 8 X 12
LV 10 X 8, (rest-pause) +4 reps
LV 12 X 6 Dropset: LV 6 X 12

Standing Hammer Curls
20s X 10, 35s X 10
45s X 8
55s X 8
65s X 8 PR a little sloppy

EZ Bar Curls
Bar +30 X 12
+50 X 12 (PR?)
+60 X 5 PR
+40 X 6

Cross Body Hammer Curls ss// Hammer Curls
3 sets of 8 for each lift

Cable Curls
4 sets of 12-15

NOTES: Back was pretty pumped at the end, as were biceps. Pretty good day

Oh, and I'm flying out tomorrow morning to Vages for 4-5 days, so I might not be able to post until my return. And then, I'm flying out next Saturday for 1 week, in which I will start my Indigo dosing when I return from that. Luckily I know my hotel had a decent commercial gym with a power rack where I'm going when I'm gone for a week, so I will use these next 4-5 days as a deload, and then return to 5/3/1 after.

@CT

EDIT: Not sure why my original message didn't go through (sometimes when I use the '@' sign everything after the directed name gets deleted), but I just wanted to ask that if you see anything about my training that you recommend adjusting please let me know. I'm a big follower in your methods and do my bet to implement them depending on how I feel day to day.

(typing from my phone so I'll try to keep it short as it may take a while lol)

I'm back from Las Vegas today, and had a great time. I made back a great deal of what I payed for Indigo-3G so I'm happy about the lol. Diet was crappy to say the least. I did my best to eat as clean as I could but the way food is prepared usually adds a bunch of excess calories with no nutritional value. I ate less meals each day than normal but gained weight. Also had a few sinks here and there to celebrate my brothers graduation from KU (didn't get crazy, and actually haven't been drunk in about a year now because I just don't like to).

I will take update pictures hen I get back from Cancun next Saturday as I'm nowhere near the level of leaness as the picture above. I will also take some measurements and get my morning weight and update these from week to week. I weighed around 194 in the gym today after 2 FINiBARS and around 1.5 liters of water. I got back from my flight at 2 and hit the gym at 4 because I HAD to lift some weights after not lifting heavy for 4 days (they had a small fitnsess center where I was able to do some light pump sets). I was running off 4 hours sleep (pretty much each night in vegas was like that), and had flown 3 hours and drove 1.5 hours so I was pretty tired but the session was still decent.

5/3/1 Standing OH Press

(after some ramping sets)
115 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
165 x 3 tie PR but a bit smoother
Decided to stop here

Incline BB
155, 175, 185, 205, 215, 225 x 3
235 x 3 set PR
245 x 2 PR
225 x 4 PR
225 x 3, 3, maybe a 3rd set of 3 but can't remember
205 x 5, 5, 4

Upright Dips
BW +45 x 12
BW +60 x 8
BW +75 x 7
BW +60 x 8

Standing laterals
4 sets of 8-12

Seated laterals
2 sets of 12-15
1 dropset of heavy partials and then 15 full ROM reps

Cable Tricep Pushdowns
140 x 12
160 x 12
Stack (190) x 9
Stack +7.5 x 7 PR
drop set 197.5 x 6, 140 x 8, 100 x 8

Notes: Again, was pretty tired from traveling and lack of sleep, but sssion went pretty well. I've got a huge pot of broccoli and cauliflower steaming so I'm gonna go to town on that, some chicken, and almond butter. I'll pop a few Z-12s with my ZMA later so I get a good night sleep lol.

Peri-WO nutrition
-2 FINiBARs (eaten on the way to the gym)
-2 liters of water
-40g CH
-5g Biotest creatine
-1.5 scoops Biotest leucine

So starting today, I'm going to be posting my daily macros so you can see what my diet typically consists of preIndigo lol. I'll post the actual meals for today, but probably not after today because it's usually the same. Like stated above, I keep it very simple and don't have much variety. It's easier to track, and I don't mind eating the same stuff several times a day, every day.

**This is the diet so far. I will update later at the end of the day**

8:00 Meal 1
50g almond butter
1 scoop whey
cinnamon
*mix whey, almond butter, and cinnamon together. frozen the night before. melt for a little bit in microwave and enjoy
120g chicken
Bowl of steamed broccoli and cauliflower

11:00 Meal 2
Same as meal 1 but 100g of chicken, not 120

2:00 periWO nutrition
2 FINiBARS
2 scoops Anaconda (I have little of this left so I only use it on leg days)
20g PeptoPro
2 liters of water

4:30 meal 3
Same as meal 2 but 70 grams of almond butter

7:00 meal 4
Same as meal 2 but natural PB instead of almond butter

Pre bed meal 5
50g natty PB
1 scoop of whey, cinnamon, and splenda

Daily totals
3,340 calories
328g protein (38%)
171g fat (45%)
152g carbs (18%)
35g fiber not counting from veggies because I don't include those in my daily totals

Squat

Bar X 5 X some, 95 X 5, 135 X 5, 165 X 5, 185 X 3 X 2, 205 X 3, 225 X 3
255 X 3
275 X 3
305 X 3
325 X 4 PR +2 reps
345 X 2 PR +5 lbs and 1 rep
365 X 1 PR +40 pounds (haven't maxed in a while)
315 X 1 was gonna do some triple but I was pretty spent

RDLs
135 X 8, 185 X 8, 225 X 5
255 X 5
275 X 5
295 X 3
315 X 3
335 X 3
355 X 3
375 X 3 PR
315 X 3 X 3

Seated Leg Curls
70 X 12
90 X 12
115 X 8 6 partials
90 X 14 a bit of a rest-pause set

Lying Leg Curls
70 X 8 X 3

Ab Rollouts
3 sets of 10

Cable Crunches
3 sets of 15

325 X 4


365 X 1


NOTES: Great session! Kind of took it easy and rested a bit longer than usual throughout the session, but other than that is was solid. My squat is taking off, I think I'll be able to hit 405 by the end of summer. Especially if I get my form better dialed in so it is at least decent lol.

Hahaha, I totally have that same shirt and belt. My suggestion would be to keep your feet a little wider even when unracking, and anything you can do to keep your upper back tight will help.

40lbs squat PR = nice work!

Thanks for the advice byukid, and thank you BiP!

10 Days until I start dosing Indigo. I realize my log hasn't been much of an Indigo log yet, as I'm still going on a 7 day vacation with my family this Saturday, so I will start dosing Sunday morning when I return on the 12th. Can't wait!