OK guys.....my 2 year transformation. Turing 40 in style :D

[macgyver]

I set out 2 years ago upon returning to the gym to be in the best shape of my life at 40. "Shape" I defined as lower bodyfat, with the most mass I have ever carried along with strength to match it.

I started out pretty far overweight and had been out of the gym for a while.

I went from this:

To this:

I did that in the first 11 weeks. But was not nearly as "big" big as I thought dropping from 205 down to 178. (height 5'9)


Since then, it has been an all out assault on gaining mass and strength with a series of planned surplus and deficits.


Then a year and a half later: (here is where I sit now)

I never planned on going to 'contest' shape. I just wanted to look 'in shape' crossing the line to the big 4-0. My original goal was to have that look of a 70's bodybuilder offseason. A guy with thick and full visible muscles but not shredded by any means.

I have been dieting slowly now for 13 weeks. (from a bulked peak of 207 lbs) My original plan was to do a little shedding of water at the end and shoot a vid.

Well...that went out the window.... I was going to do this in the next few weeks....but one of life's more important things has come up. I having a minor surgery done on Friday. Something I have been putting off for a while...but at this point I just want to get it done. (a vasectomy) So that kinda messes with my plans.

I have really been wanting to raise up cals again too as my workouts have suffered. I bumped my carbs up 100g the last three days. I am sitting back at 196 today with very full muscles. (from a low of 189)

I decided to shoot a vid anyway. To be honest, I think I hit the look I want. I have good mass and overall thickness. While far from shredded, you can see all my muscles including the abdominal area. I wish I had shed some water just to see what I looked like....but since I cant walk around all the time like that (I like carbs way too much), I am happy with my current composition.

I think I am at a great place to start a good surplus again after I recover and continue my path of keeping good body composition, along with the pursuit of size and strength.

For the first half 2013 my goals will be a 600lb dead, 500lb squat and 400lb bench. (only about 20lbs away on deads and 15lbs to go on bench. Think I have the squat in me now...but need to work back to heavy squats again after some time off)

Disclaimers:

I post this up knowing the bad about it too.

1- I look a little silly and dont know crap about posing or true bodybuilding for that matter. Oh well
2- My legs are not at the development of my upper body (I know....work in progress,....I work them hard as hell...they are catching up though)
3- I am not ANYWHERE near contest shape. (I slowed up my diet about 5 weeks ago on purpose. I began to feel it was counter productive for me to go further at this point.
4- This is by no means the end....this is just the first 24 months and a good milestone to mark. Onward and upward!


So....good bad or indifferent.....my put up or shut up thread.

Dont watch vid if you dont want to see a guy in his skivies....(closest thing I had to posing trunks)


Not feeling bad about turning 40....or standing in my undies... and satisfied with my progress for two years of hard work. It was well worth the sacrifices and time invested.

 

[dangerouscurves]

Great progress !
Looking forward I see where else you take it

 

[Bigherm21]

Awesome bro!! Great work.

 

[macgyver]

I went on HRT about a year ago. I was in a bad accident 4 years ago and had a pretty bad head trauma.

I did not for a minute think I could have low-t because of how well I was progressing in the gym. But I was so fatigued all the time despite getting in better and better shape and eating well.

Anyway....been on HRT now for about a year. It has done wonders for the fatigue I felt. It now also takes away fears I always had of recovery which always kept me from dabbling in other 'things".

I too look forward to what the future will bring. Feeling great at 40! With regard to 'dabbling', anything I do will be pretty conservative stuff. I think I have done pretty well in the past without AAS, and am in this for the long haul. Finally figuring out how to eat right has made the biggest difference for me. Now that I actually have the proper tools, I am hoping to apply them moving forward.

This place is a great place with lots of cool people who have helped me out tremendously.

Thanks for the support!

 

[PillarofBalance]

I'd hit it.... Awesome work! I think you and II probably have made the best transformations that I've seen... His was a little more dramatic in its scope though.

Whats the plan for the legs... Cause I have ideas >

 

[whowhatwhenwhere]

Good job man....No fucking fair you got a damn sled in your house...

 

[macgyver]

I'd hit it.... Awesome work! I think you and II probably have made the best transformations that I've seen... His was a little more dramatic in its scope though.

Whats the plan for the legs... Cause I have ideas >

Thanks man....but muscle memory is great thing. This was me in my early 20's 550lb deadlift, 475+ squat and benching in the mid 3's (no aas).

Muscle memory makes for some easy transformations. Despite being out of the gym for over a decade, within the first two weeks back, I was already benching over 300. I think I added 100lbs to my deadlift in the first month and by 12 weeks back I was already over 500.

Gotta love those striped shorts!

As for my plan for legs, I am open to hearing it. I was going to try one of two routes. One...a GVT based routine. Two...a power based routine. I have always been excited to lift heavy sh!t, so I might lean towards the power one.

I have been trying to learn low-bar squats. (always did high bar). My upper body flexibility needs some MAJOR work as I am having a lot of trouble getting my arms back.

That said, I took 10 months off squatting and put 415 on the other day and had no problem doing it. I did only leg presses and hacks for almost a year to try to bring my quads up relative to my glutes. (glutes being over developed). It worked and I added 1.5 " to my quads.....but I miss squatting and am ready to move some weight again.

So....I would LOVE to hear any ideas.

 

[PillarofBalance]

I would suggest something of a power based routine.

You like lifting heavy, so lets use that wisely and to your advantage. Plan on training 4 days per week.

One day is Heavy squats, followed by speed deadlifts. For the squats, do doubles and triples in 3 week increments at 65%, 75%, 85% of your 1RM. Then week 4 hit singles at 90% to 95%. For the deads, you're just trying to build work capacity. So do 55% to 65% of your 1RM but rip that bar off the ground explosively. Get animated about it. Its not too heavy, but act like its a damn PR every rep.

Day two is upper body stuff. So you'll bench with whatever scheme is working for you currently. I'd say 8 sets of 5... Maybe on the later sets, up the weight a bit and drop a rep or two off. Just make sure you keep pushing yourself hard there. After bench, some military press and some skull crushers and curlz to keep the ladies happy.

Day three you're back to legs. Wide stance box squats this time though. 5 sets of 5 at 65% of your 1RM. If you can incorporate bands/chains this would be a great time to do it. Set the box height at parallel.

Day four is only because you like to look good. So use this day to abuse whatever parts you feel are lagging.

Just my .02 Mac.

 

[AndroSport]

Nice job bro. I've recently been through a pretty decent "re-transformation" over the last 5-6 months and feel great... Still working on getting back where I used to be.

Much respect, nice work!! :rockon:

Andro

 

[Longworthb]

Damn bro much respect. Looking damn good

 

[macgyver]

I would suggest something of a power based routine.

You like lifting heavy, so lets use that wisely and to your advantage. Plan on training 4 days per week.

One day is Heavy squats, followed by speed deadlifts. For the squats, do doubles and triples in 3 week increments at 65%, 75%, 85% of your 1RM. Then week 4 hit singles at 90% to 95%. For the deads, you're just trying to build work capacity. So do 55% to 65% of your 1RM but rip that bar off the ground explosively. Get animated about it. Its not too heavy, but act like its a damn PR every rep.

Day two is upper body stuff. So you'll bench with whatever scheme is working for you currently. I'd say 8 sets of 5... Maybe on the later sets, up the weight a bit and drop a rep or two off. Just make sure you keep pushing yourself hard there. After bench, some military press and some skull crushers and curlz to keep the ladies happy.

Day three you're back to legs. Wide stance box squats this time though. 5 sets of 5 at 65% of your 1RM. If you can incorporate bands/chains this would be a great time to do it. Set the box height at parallel.

Day four is only because you like to look good. So use this day to abuse whatever parts you feel are lagging.

Just my .02 Mac.

POB

VERY interesting. I have never done anything like that. My fear would be that the volume is to low for good growth. I dont do the typical volume that a 'bodybuilder" would do, but I have never really done true strength based training either. I am also not used to the sub-maximal training. I actually always train to failure (failure being defined as not being able to complete another rep with a given weight).

I my incorporate some of the ideas, but I am not sure I am ready to make the jump yet. I have a few weeks to think about it while I am recovering. Getting snipped today at 3pm! :O I will have a few weeks downtime to get my new routine sorted out.

With that said, do you think that type workout is suitable for growth and not just strength? (given that calories are in the right place...etc)

Nice job bro. I've recently been through a pretty decent "re-transformation" over the last 5-6 months and feel great... Still working on getting back where I used to be.

Much respect, nice work!! :rockon:

Andro

That is the great thing about muscle memory. Plus you already know how to train. Lots of guys coming in the gym for the first time take a few years before they even figure out what the hell they are doing.

I am sure it will come back quick. Best thing for me was I FINALLY figured out the impact that my nutrition has on my overall training. ESPECIALLY total calories. Amazing how just small shifts will completely change the direction your body takes with adaptation to your training.

Damn bro much respect. Looking damn good

Thanks man!

 

[chestrockwell420]

awesome work brother!!!! sounds like you hve things dialed in! i turn 40 this year and plan on looking better than ever...you inspire me brother! keep working hard