So I've been following the blueprint meteoric since the 1st week of January. I'm sure some of you out there followed my VERY detailed log (no really?) for the 1st phase of my journey. I began adopting the template from the blueprint meteoric with an emphasis on increasing my strength in the benchpress and the deadlift using the blueprint periodic. You can see my log here for the 1st phase...
https://bodybuildingsupplements.com/phpB ... php?t=2437
I began the second phase after a week off of no weights and 1 session of HIT cardio. I didn't log anything for this run as I was way too busy to do so. Things I did differently this time around was I made a conscious effort to get better sleep. I was still run down by the end of the week on average but I found that getting around that 8 hour mark helped me pull through.
I bumped my calories up just a little ( about 100 to 200.) then what they were during the caloric breakdown in my log above, however I did increase more protein (by about 10 to 20 grams on average.) around the last 3 weeks of this run.
DIFFERENCES & THOUGHTS:
This run was a lot longer, I think around 14 weeks or so if I remember correctly. The goal was to add 10% more to my PRs that I achieved at the end of phase 1.
Everything felt good but I did notice that after a few weeks (around week 4 or 5) I started to feel weaker in my deadlifts and benchpress. I probably should have taken this as a cue to rest more but unfortunately for me I have no extra time/days in which to do that.
I continued on with the program and by about the 2nd last week I was very skeptical I would be able to hit my new 1 rep max. The reason for this was just that I felt like everything was harder and heavier, even things at lighter weights.
As I said before, I followed this program to a "T" however I did departure from it the LAST WEEK only. This was because I just felt that in order to go for that new PR I needed to be both mentally and physically rested. ANd I knew at that time I was not.
The last week I began my session like any other with the 1st day being strength geared (bench and deadlifts as per the prescribed workout.) followed by a rest day the following day then the EDT blocks the day after.
HOWEVER!!! I did not do the 2nd half of my EDT blocks (they are the same as in the log/steps ups and front squats.) as I felt I wanted my legs to be fully rested for my 1 rep max 4 days later.
For this same reason I didn't do any other cardio for the rest of the week. so basically my EDT block was my last physical session of anything. Once again, this was all in an attempt to rest up as much as possible before throwing my body into a situation where it was going beyond its physical limits (at least that's how it felt lol.)
I actually felt pretty good (mentally and physically) the 2nd night before my lift day. looking back on this I think it was my body finally feeling rested for the first time since probably January. (I didn't even feel this "good" when I took the whole week off after phase 1.).
I decided to split up my strength session from it's usual routine as I wanted to focus all my energy and effort into one lift. (Usually I would do benchpress and deadlift in that order but in my head I thought that going for 110% for 1 exercise would rob me off some energy and mental fortitude for the next.). I decided to test out my new benchpress max another time (possibly next week.) and instead put all my efforts into the deadlift.
I woke up feeling pretty good but with a specific goal in mind. Even though I was reluctant and feeling like I would just end up not even being able to budge the bar I figured I might as well give it everything I had, after all, I did just spend X amount of weeks for this moment right? I warmed up as usual, using some lighter weights and getting a few reps in before placing all those weights on the bar and mentally preparing myself. (warmed up with bar for 21 reps, then 135lbs for 11 reps, then 225 for 8 reps.)
480 pounds!!!! Just looking at all those plates stacked up on that bar was a very intimidating sight to see.
I decided to give it everything, and after a couple of minutes of psyching myself up I dove in. The amount of emotion and physical angst that I had to summon as my hands gripped firmly around that bar ( no straps here! lol.) was so intense and profound that as I picked the weights up my eyes began to fill with tears and I could feel nothing but adrenaline pumping through my veins. (I'm not exaggerating, my eyes really did gloss over in tears.).
I yelled at the top of my lungs and blocked everything out of my mind as I felt that bar moving higher and higher. Before I knew it I was standing there with 480 pounds in my hands... I couldn't believe it. The only thing more surprising than lifting it was how I felt when I put it back down. I didn't feel too bad. I'm sure it was probably due to the adrenaline but I didn't feel as though I struggled too much to lift it. (Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I couldn't have done another rep, I was wiped out, that was for certain.) But still something felt different.
Just to give everyone out there an idea of where I came from (once again this is in the log.) the most I had ever deadlifted up until this point was 455 for 2 reps at a bodyweight of about 200 pounds. Yesterday I did 480 pounds at a bodyweight of about 171 to 172 pounds!!!! For me this is astounding and a huge difference, especially when you consider that I'm older now and get less rest than I did when I was younger.
My goal now is to lean out a bit as I felt I've put on a bit of unwanted weight as well as add some more dense muscle to certain key areas that my training over the last 14 weeks hasn't been focused on as much (namely arms and delts.) while retaining most of the strength I've built... but needless to say, I am more than happy with the end result of the program.
Thanks Rob!!!
