Thor's Hammer!

[Thorgrim]

I have been a bit torn about whether or not I should do a log and after reading some of the others and being inspired decided to go for it. Hopefully it will be a way I can contribute to the forum while learning some things my self as well.

A little bit of history about me. I have been fairly athletic most of my life. Played some sports in high school. Originally started lifting weights when I was 15 because I was one of the scrawny guys. Put on a fair bit of size before I graduated. I was never huge but more muscular then most by then. Did some mountain bike racing for a couple years. Through this I was lifting weights on and off but was also struggling with some back pain issues so never could really push it too hard. I tried a whole lot of different things and slowly my back started getting better. A lot of it had to do with finally correcting some muscular imbalances that were contributing to my back pain.

More recently have done about 2 years of MMA. I started getting back into weight training more seriously about a year and a half ago to improve my MMA. After I started getting stronger the weight training sort of grew on me to the point where I am having more fun lifting and getting stronger and to a lesser extent bigger then anything else. Best of all my back is pretty much pain free.

My progress as far as strength and mass was pretty good up until about 6 months ago when things really started to stall out for me. Since then I have only gained about 5 pounds on my bench, 10 on my dead-lift and 20 on my squat and added 2-3 pounds of muscle maybe. I have always been a hard gainer with a small frame and although I know I am not yet at my maximum potential I really don't feel like grinding it out for years just to gain small amounts. So I decided to do some juice....

First cycle and I'm going to track my progress on here for anyone who is interested. Test Enanthate 500mg per week for 10-12 weeks. I have adex and nolva on hand for sides and pct along with some hcg. I'll be keeping this log throughout it and probably after. We'll see how things go.

Here are my starting stats:

5'9" 27 years old
167 lbs 9% bf

best lifts

Bench 245 x 1
Squat 315 x 2
Deadlift 395 x 1

All of those were done without a belt or any gear just chalk. I think I could get more on my deadlift but I am being cautious because of the prior back issues. Injuries aren't cool. I don't really consider myself a power lifter and am too small for strong man although I have heard there might be a <175 lb class. I just find it fun to challenge myself by lifting heavy weight. There is something about it that feels good!

Here are some pics. I feel I have a fairly good physique and will try to improve it somewhat during the cycle but my first intentions are to get stronger. Any critique's of my physique are welcome though. I will also post up my workout routines and diet in the next few days.

[waderow]

let er rip bro.



BTW, you had a basement flood eh?

[Italianguy87]

Good luck man,i envy you,in Italy all kinds of steroids are inlegal,and they are very difficult to find,and even if you find them you have to pay three times their price.Anyway,i saw that you have a good mass structure,i think that with an hard work and the help of steroids you can grow up very fast.

[Thorgrim]

let er rip bro.



BTW, you had a basement flood eh?

We've had some water issues, mostly in that corner, not a full basement flood. I've got a decent setup down there with some weights a punching bag and a chin-up bar. Usually work out at the gym but if I am pressed for time or something it works in a pinch.

[Thorgrim]

My Workout Split is going to be:

Monday - Upper Back, triceps, calves
Tuesday - Explosive (Olympic type lifts), quads, hams
Thursday - Chest, biceps, shoulders, calves
Friday - Explosive, Low Back, Traps, Reardelts

I also usually do some core work at the end of the workout and stretching maybe some rotator cuff work. It will depend on how long the workout is running and how I feel that day. I usually try to keep my sessions to 1 hour.

Did my first shot last night 1cc in the thigh. Needle went in with no pain, a little pinching feeling during the injection. The spot is a little sore today but not too bad. Next time I'll try a glute.

[daande]

Since you have a fast metabolism you should eat as much as possible. Eat even when you are not hungry.

[Thorgrim]

Well, that first injection that I thought went well, didn't go so well. It has been getting increasingly sore since yesterday. Feels like a bad Charlie horse but deeper in the muscle.

I was seriously considering skipping my leg workout but decided to tough it out. Warmed up a bit and decided to skip the explosive lifts because I wasn't sure how well they would work with a gimpy leg. Did:

front squats 95x10, 135x10, by now I'm really starting to huff it which is unusual this early in a workout. Leg hurt like a mother but was bearable.

155, 3 sets of 10 reps wasn't feeling too good by now, really winded, didn't think more quads was a good idea at this point. Did a couple sets of light leg curls which still hurt because the pad was pushing on my leg. Thats when I got light headed and nauseous. Felt like I was gonna hurl so I bee-lined it to the bathroom and when I got there felt like I needed to shit too!

Thank god I only ended up shitting. I went home still feeling light headed but am feeling OK now other then the sore quad. I don't know if the crappy workout was related to the test I injected or if I ate something that was a little off but whatever happened it sucked.

Now I am a little scared to try another injection. I'm thinking of baking the vial at 200F for 20-30 min or so. I read on another thread that it helps to burn off the BA which is sometimes too high. Will also warm the syringe under hot tap water before injecting but if it turns out the same as this first one then I might have to abort the cycle. This really sucks.

[kloan]

Don't worry about the post-injection soreness. It's what's called 'virgin muscle'. You'll get used to it. Though I have read some people have issues with quad shots. Try sticking to glute shots.

Even after a bunch of shots, I still have the occasional 'bad shot' that hurts the next few days, sometimes moves from the original injection area, gets a bit swollen and sore. It always dissipates after a few days.

As long as you trust your source/lab, and are following proper injection procedures, you have nothing to worry about.

Have fun! :)

[Thorgrim]

Doesn't feel so fun right now. Feels like I got stabbed in the leg! Any tricks for reducing the soreness? I tried ice and it didn't really help much. Does heat work better? Or massage? I feel like a cripple.

[kloan]

Most people use a heating pad, and massaging the area might help as well.

I experienced some pretty hefty pain in my glutes when I did my first few shots. I could barely sit it hurt so much. I didn't really do much about it, just waited for it to go away.

I haven't tried my quads yet for that very reason.

Try a heating pad, and massaging it. It should start to feel better in a few days.

[Gilmour]

Pretty good build for being that weak bro. No disrespect at all, you have actually gotten much from the numbers you put up. By looking at you I'd say you look waaay stronger. But bbing is about making your muscles LOOK like they are very strong anyhow. Your shoae and conditioning is very good. If you bring your arms up you will be very symmetrical. Great legs.

[Thorgrim]

^^ No offense taken I don't mind criticism as long as it's done in a constructive manner.

I do plan on moving those numbers up. A lot hopefully. Arms are also a priority.

[Thorgrim]

Well the second inject didn't go so well either my ass is really sore. I don't know why this stuff is giving me such a hard time. I was hoping that things would go smoother being my first time with AAS but it is a real pain in the ass, literally. Maybe I should cut it with something? Or would it be better to inject 0.5ml in two spots? I tried warming it and other then being easier to draw and inject it didn't make a difference.

On the plus side my thigh is pretty much back to normal.

Managed to have a really good workout anyway. Whatever was bothering me on Tuesday is definitely not affecting me any more. Deadlifts felt really good.

This is what I did today.

Snatches (focusing on proper form) 95x5, 115x5, 135x3, 3
Deadlift 225x5, 315x3, 355x4, 315x8, 275x7
Reardelt Machine 90x12, 85x11
Barbell Shrugs 185x15, 15
Good Mornings 45x12, 135x8, 8
Decline Situps body x 15, 15

First time in months I have done Good Mornings hence the light weight. Seemed to be a bit much after deads. Might be better to do them on a day I am not doing deadlifting I think.

Another question, how long does it normally take to feel the affects of test-e? I don't think I am feeling anything yet but it has only been 5 days.

Also I am thinking of maybe going to a 5 day split. I think it would allow me to get some more volume in for arms especially. Being natural I think I benefited from the additional rest days but once this stuff kicks in I think I should be able to tolerate it.

[kloan]

First time shooting in glutes as well.. it's gonna hurt. Again, virgin muscle. You'll get used to it.. won't hurt as much over time. Some gear hurts more than others, so it might work out that it'll knot up after every shot. If that's the case (give it a few more shots first), if it really bothers you, you could cut it with something else.

Test E takes quite a while to build up to feel the strength benefits, but libido, mood, typically shift within a couple weeks. The strength gains usually take anywhere from 5-7 weeks to pick up. For me, it takes 7 weeks to peak.

[Thorgrim]

Weighed myself this morning. 171

Another good workout Yesturday

Weighted chins (neutral grip): bodyweight +0x5, +35x3, +60x6, +35x7, +25x7
Widegrip pulldowns: 150x10, 135x10, 8, 8
Incline skullcrushers: 60x10, 70x11, 80x11
Bench Dips: bodyweight x8, +90x12, +90x10 strip 1 plate 4 more reps strip other 3 more reps
Hanging Knee raises 10, 10
Corkscrews 25x10 (per side), 10

Didn't do calves due to time. I'm going to do them at home today sometime proabably.

Most previous injection went well. Decided to split dose into two spots and pain is much more manageable. Legs today and since I wasn't feeling well last week I am really going to go balls out today.

[Thorgrim]

Legs

High pulls 115x5, 135x5, 5, 5
Squats 135x8, 185x5, 225x3, 265x6*, 225x9, 185x10
Unilateral swiss ball glute-ham raise: body x10, 8, 8
Romanian split squats 60x10, 10, 10

*This is a personal best at this weight. I have done 5 reps before.

Messed around with the foam roller a bit while stretching. Had a few sore spots on one hamstring that I have had problems with for years. Felt good to get in there. It is definitely something I am going to do more of.

Pretty damn tired after this workout. I fell asleep on the sofa. Need to get one more meal in though. Good night!

[gsxr750]

You should try pinning your delts, after you shower. Yes heat the oil before drawing ( can microwave it for 10 seconds safely or sit the vial in a cup with some boiling water in it )

Also you may want to try Z-track technique. This should help with any of the hormone or preservatives from leaking out of the muscle and causing pain around the injection site

Quads and glutes were always painful for me, I rarely use them anymore personally..

Great pics, as mentioned bring up the arms a bit and maybe the delts and you will have the complete package! You must have really good form. Good job

[Talo]

Just out of curiosity why do you pyramid your weight low - hi - low , like that but your reps are still fairly high ?

If you want higher numbers then you may want to train lower reps.

[gmoney]

lookin good man nice wheels. good to see another edmonton guy on here. I want to do the same 500mg test e only cycle in a year or two.

[Thorgrim]

Just out of curiosity why do you pyramid your weight low - hi - low , like that but your reps are still fairly high ?

If you want higher numbers then you may want to train lower reps.

Something I just started experimenting with the last couple of weeks. Before that I was doing 5x5's and more recently taking a break from the heavy stuff for a month or two with the rep range around 8-10.

I am still trying to figure out what weight is appropriate and am using lighter weight at first to be safe but I will be moving the weight up over successive workouts. I was thinking my heaviest set I would shoot for 3-4 reps. Do you think it would be beneficial to go heavier then this?


lookin good man nice wheels. good to see another edmonton guy on here. I want to do the same 500mg test e only cycle in a year or two.

Thanks! You look like you have a good natural base as well. Hopefully some of the stuff I post in this thread will be useful to you and other people that are thinking of doing their first cycle.


You should try pinning your delts, after you shower. Yes heat the oil before drawing ( can microwave it for 10 seconds safely or sit the vial in a cup with some boiling water in it )

Also you may want to try Z-track technique. This should help with any of the hormone or preservatives from leaking out of the muscle and causing pain around the injection site

Quads and glutes were always painful for me, I rarely use them anymore personally..

Great pics, as mentioned bring up the arms a bit and maybe the delts and you will have the complete package! You must have really good form. Good job

Thanks for the input and suggestions. I will probably give the delts a try soon just to see what they feel like.

[Talo]

Do you think it would be beneficial to go heavier then this?


You sound like you know what your doing , I'm not going to tell you to do anything - Trying out new things is fine. I was just wondering.

[Thorgrim]

Did Chest/Biceps/Delts/Calves yesturday.

Bench Press 95x8, 135x6, 185x4, 215x4*, 195x5, 185x7
Incline Fly's 35x10, 10, 7
Dips Body x 13
Barbell Curl 70x8, 7, 60x7
Zeller Curl 22.5x7, 7, 17.5x8
Standing Barbell press 115x7, 6, 4
Donkey Calf Machine 230x20, 15

Well I think the test is kicking in. I can feel it a bit, libido up a bit, pumps are great and my lifts seem to be on the upswing 215x4 on bench is also a PB. I didn't have a spotter either I may have been able to get a 5th rep. Normally I workout with my brother and we spot each other. I hate asking random people, they tend to give me way too much help, grab the bar too early etc.

Also weight up to 172. Only problem is one of my nipples seems a bit puffy. Should I give it a few more days to be sure or start the anti-e's now? Probably not going to take the risk and just start.

Also I hurt my hip on Tuesday not sure how. Felt fine during the workout but I woke up in the middle of the night because of it. It has been very sore and stiff and I might have to take the low back work a bit easy today. If that is the case I will do some extra traps and maybe some grip work.

[Thorgrim]

Well I decided to not bother posting every workout. Probably just boring.

Will continue to update though and post workouts if they are notable.

Still some nipple puffiness which I'm not too happy about. I took Nolva for 3 days at 40mg a day and now at 20mg a day for a few days. Also started taking adex 0.5mg ED and will likely continue this through to the end of the cycle. Pretty sure this stuff is legit too because I have lost quite a bit of bloat since I started taking it without changing anything else. Not sure why I haven't seen too much improvement in the nips.

Otherwise everything is going good. Strength is up, weight is up to 175 even without the bloat since I started the adex. I'm actually still looking pretty lean so I'm happy with my weight. It hasn't even been three full weeks yet.

Hip is feeling better too.

Modified my workouts this week to get my full body in last few days. Probably take today and the next couple of days off. I will probably do the odd set of push ups and curls to push some of the extra carbs into the muscles though. I plan on really going to town on the food over the next few days. Going to watch the crap, and alcohol but lots of turkey and yams. Should be interesting to see what I weigh ofter a few days of gorging.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

[Thorgrim]

Been quite a while since I last updated. Was having some estrogen issues but I think I have it under control now.

Everything else is going good, strength is really up. I've been hitting PB's almost every workout now.

I managed to deadlift 355x7 so my old 1 rep max should be easy now.

Weighed myself and I am 177 lbs so I am up about 10 lbs now and not carrying lots of water because I am still taking a little adex. So I'm happy with that as well. Starting to look pretty jacked and I am still really lean which means I am probably under eating just a bit. I'm going to have to refocus on forcing the food down my throat.

Somehow managed to get my clean and jerk form close to perfect. I'm getting comfortable catching it down into a full front squat without losing my balance. Since I don't have to pull the bar as high now should be setting some PB's on that soon as well.

Also using a different brand of test now and the pain is way less, sort of more in line with what I was expecting.

Only thing bugging me now is some forearm pain that doesn't want to go away. Some sort of connective tissue inflammation, I had it for about 3 months now.

I seem to be getting a bit of a sore throat today. Going to take it easy and hopefully I will feel good tomorrow.

[wolverine]

Wow what a great log man, you have awesome potential to be massive, just keep up the training and the rest will fall into place, as for the nipple soreness, maybe try letro at the onset of the pain and follow up with nolva's, a-dex will destroy your pump as you may be aware now and I find the a-dex makes me feel awful, just a word of advise and something to try!

Wolvy.

[Thorgrim]

Figured it was time to update the log. Sorry I got away from it.

So just to catch things up to where I am at now. It has been over a year. My first cycle went fine the PCT was OK but I still lost a bit of size before everything normalized. I made decent gains but nothing magical.

I have some more recent pics taken last summer a few months after I was off cycle will maybe try and upload a few here. You can see one of them in my Avatar.

I have been training natural for the past year or so and although it has been a grind I have been making some gains in size and a fair bit in strength. I am planning on doing some powerlifting in the future and if I am going to compete don't want to cheat. So I am going to stay natural for the foreseeable future.

[Thorgrim]

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[Thorgrim]

Started a New Log here:

http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/showthread.php?21824-The-Strong-Will-Survive