Going to be making a blog post in the near future about modifications to the Cheat Mode plan (ie. what works, what doesn't, what would compliment stuff, etc.)
How has everyone's progress been. Anything thread worthy to note?
Posted Jun 6, 2011, 4:18 PM UTC
Note: I am new to weightlifting and was lifting on a cut from Feb 22 to May 9 (little to no progress shown). Also my statistics are not over a great period of time which may contribute to inaccuracies.
According to my best estimates (via tape measure and weighing myself fasted): 3.5 weeks in to my first bulk I've gained about 8 lbs and more than 50% of it is lean mass (estimates 4.3 - 5.6 lbs). Still though I think I've been overestimating my caloric needs and needlessly force-feeding myself.
Also I've added 15 lbs to my Bench 1RM.
Below is the lower-end estimate statistics from my metric tracking spreadsheet (bodyfat was measured with tape measurements taking waistline in to account - starting waist size wasn't sure if it was 33 or 33.25... below assumes 33)
Days in Bulk : 24
Calories / Day: 3,497
Start Weight: 186.4
End Weight: 194.2
Lbs Gained / Week: 2.28
Est. Metabolism: 2,360
Start BF%: 14.6
End BF%: 15.8
Start Lean Mass: 159.2
End Lean Mass: 163.5
Lean Mass Gained: 4.3
Lean Gain / Week: 1.26
% Mass Gained Lean: 55.5
Edit: Basic info:
Age: 24
Sex: Male
Height: 6'1½"
What's the mirror say?
[deleted]
Mirror says: no change / maybe I pudged up a little
I attempted Cheat Mode; wasn't able to keep it completely strict. Here are my progress pictures. February is right before I started 'cutting', May is right before I got tired of cutting and decided to 'bulk'.
I'm coming off of my break week. I'm dropping Max-OT and going to Wendler's 5/3/1 + "Triumvirate" . After adding some volume lifts to my Max-OT sets, I think the fat I was packing on was due solely to lack of volume. The change should fix me right up. I was making gains when I was eating, but the fat was packing on. We'll see how this plays out. :)
Doing the 4 day-a-week version. Squatz today. :) As for doing non-lifting conditioning, I'm thinking of a plan like this:
Monday: Squats
Tuesday: Bench Press
Wednesay: Boxing
Thursday: Dead Lift
Friday: Shoulder Press
Saturday: Boxing
Sunday: Rest
That will allow me to eat Cheat-Mode style 4 days a week, and I'll probably still eat on a similar schedule Wednesday and Saturday for consistency's sake. Sunday I'm debating as to whether to let myself off the fasting hook or not. Seems like when I do, I overeat.
Today's drunken-looking stumble out of the gym brought to you by Jim Wendler's 5-3-1 Squats. Owowowowow.
Okay - I wholly underestimated this 5-3-1 stuff. I was afraid the first month of it was going to be me showing up to the gym, going through the motions, and leaving. Pffft.
For now, it's the support lifts that are doing me in. Sure - I'll knock out 5x15 on the dumbbell bench, right after I do my warmups and 3x5 on the barbell bench. No problem....
(there goes my pride)
I started failing out on 35lb dumbbells on the dumbbell bench before the end of that workout. Ow. Then onto single-arm dumbbell rows, which I guess are like croc rows, only instead of putting my non-lifting hand onto a support structure, I put it behind my back - and then do 5x10 on each arm.
The reason I am pointing this out, YUP - I'm doing volume work now. I guess I got the impression that high-rep sets were a no-no, but this system has you doing high-rep sets out the wazoo. Did I miss something? The "core" lifts are the standard 5 reps (then 3, then 1, then 5-3-1), but the support lifts I almost get the impression that you're doing the movements for the sake of doing the movements - like it's more of a blood-flow thing than it is a strength-building endeavor...?
Any chance of something for the early-morning lifter?
I have been working on something, and will reveal it soon; although it is still not as good as working out in the evening.
In other things, are you still in Guelph, I'm just in Hamilton at Mac, are you mentoring anyone right now?
I'm in Ottawa at the moment (home from University).
What do you mean by mentoring; nutritional consulting? If so, I do that online and thus location is not an issue really.
Well I'd at least be happy to experiment with any early-morning training stuff you're working on.
Your site is much more science-heavy than leangains I look forward to your new work!
Not sure how I'm just now discovering this subreddit as I'm just now finishing my 11th week of SS and CM.
At 6'1", I've gone from 200 to 210. Some portion of that 10 lbs is going to be from creatine though. I've definitely lost some fat while gaining muscle but I'm looking to lose more fat so I'll probably throw in some fasted cardio.
Lifts
I'm fairly lenient with my diet as a whole, especially on off days (which I know is terrible), but overall I'd say I've had an improvement. Strength gains have been steady and my overall body composition is favorable. For the first time in my life I have visible abs--even if it's only a 4-pack currently. My weight has stayed mostly the same. The only real issue I have is that it is very, very difficult to eat enough food to bulk with CM. I can maintain my weight easily enough but putting on the pounds is next to impossible it seems.
I have been on CM for about four months now without being very strict about it. Have lost about 7 kg (16 pounds) of body weight, from 84 (185) to 77 (169) at 185 cm (6'1), while my strength benchmarks have stayed the same or improved all across. I don't have any exact body fat measurements but the mirror suggest 18% -> 13% or so. I should probably note that this was my first cut and right before switching to CM I lost about 5 kg on a normal low-cal diet.
For me aspartame during the fast has been hell. Usually it is very easy and painless for me not to eat during the fast but, if I chew sugar free gum or drink a sugar free soda, then my system reacts strongly and it is a fight to stay away from the food. Hence, no aspartame for me during the fast.
Another lesson for me was to stay away from 1RM. I tried to squat with too much weight and wasn't really ready to drop the bar (expected my max to be higher), ended up straining something in my lower back. It took about a month until it felt normal again, but then I re-injured the same spot on a 1RM dead-lift - silly. Henceforth I only plan to do 1RM when I am not cutting, since it seems a little hard to predict my own day-to-day strength on a caloric deficit.