Just going to post some notes of things that I came to this week.
First, my leg weakness is starting to show as I get leaner. Yes, I still have good shape but the lack of size and thickness is really starting to show. They look “thin” or “physique-guy-ish”. No offense to physique guys but I want them to look “bodybuilder-ish” and that is fading.
My shoulders aren’t far behind.
My condition is improved considerably and I have dropped a ton of water and it is only Friday so I can still drop even more into the weekend before I Skipload again. I do feel, though, that most of the water is now off because I am VERY happy with my condition and the progress since the water has come off.
I definitely got leaner during the fat burner run and weighed 205 this morning. I may even be 204 or 203 by the weekend. My last baseline was 209 so at least 6 pounds from the 10 day run of the fat burner so far. I am good with that and the visual – like during the first fat burner run – is more than the scale shows. I have veins and separation in my quads that I didn’t have at all 2 weeks ago.
I am losing some strength, though, in that I can still move the bigger numbers that I have been for the last couple of months but they aren’t feeling as smooth or feeling as if I have the same control I had before. To get that good feeling in the working muscle, I am starting to drop my poundages a little bit. IE: I was only barbell rowing 185 and they felt great but was only getting 8 to 10 reps.
My legs are beaten up from the double cardio as I started back on the double sessions this week. I am sure that has helped with me being leaner but today’s leg session I could feel all of that cardio. Still a good session but just not as good as it would be without all of this cardio. Necessary evil, I suppose.
For reference, when I was gassed I competed at this weight. My condition right now is about where I would be at about 215 to 217 ish, I am guessing, and keep in mind that I clearly do not have the size or fullness that I did then, either. I was looking at old pictures and decided to stop because I was getting disappointed. Lol It’s a different game now and I am healthier so I keep reminding myself of that.
I am going back to using the SCGS compound this weekend for the Skipload and plan to contain the load to only Sunday. Depending on my condition, what my weight does into the weekend and how flat I go, I will decide how I will load. Typically, the longer loads work better for me vs. the shorter ones and I know that I am going to push my water much harder with my Skiploads even though I am not running the fat burner right now.
It is going to be tough on my psyche to get under the 200 pound mark and not be ready to step on stage. As happy as I am with my progress, I am a competitor and it is hard to let go of wanting to be be as big as possible. It probably always will be.