# daucous' SDMZ 3.0 log



## daucous (Jun 19, 2014)

For years I have been searching the IML forums looking for that last bit of info concerning all my runs.

But today, I give you... SDMZ 3.0!

Im well acquainted with designers, about five successful runs.  My last cycle was trenavar/furuza @ two bottles of each for 8 weeks. Before that was methadrol/test enth around 600 mg a week.  

Stats are six foot 180 lbs/ bodyfat 10%
Goals are get up to 190, and stay 190+

This will truly be the first run my diet has been tweaked, so im primed and g2g.  

For support supps im taking Omnium multi, taurine, omega 3,and celery seed.

Here we go, hitting biceps later tonight


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## spinyvegeta (Jun 19, 2014)

Get ready for gains!!!!


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## daucous (Jun 19, 2014)

Why do all the girls that workout at my gym show up at the same time?  Its ridiculous. 

So the first night was biceps, just to test the goods... and right away that familiar pump came back, like a tight feeling.  However it only lasted about 45 minutes. 

Im consuming only food, plus support supps.  Had loaded up on aminos and creatine prior to today, stopped, and will continue for pct. 

Ill be focusing more on bulking and muscle mass rather than setting prs. If only my diet was as good all along...

Motivation will gradually get better, thanks IML for being in the game!


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## Mike Arnold (Jun 19, 2014)

daucous said:


> Why do all the girls that workout at my gym show up at the same time? Its ridiculous.
> 
> So the first night was biceps, just to test the goods... and right away that familiar pump came back, like a tight feeling. However it only lasted about 45 minutes.
> 
> ...



At this stage in the game, setting PR's (in the hypertrophy rep range of 6-12, primarily) and building muscle mass are one in the same.  In other words, getting stronger is the best way to get bigger at your stage of development.  DMZ 3.0 is a very potent steroid product--3 strong orals in one.  2 caps daily is a maximum dose and all it takes to add muscle quickly, especially with someone like you, who is still far from their natural limit.

I am going to say something you may not like, but with the intention of helping you gain "and keep" muscle mass.  You say you have 5 run cycles, yet you weigh only 180 lbs at 6'0 tall.  Here is the truth.  You should EASILY be able to add 20 more lbs of muscle mass in just a few months with ZERO drugs.  After 5 cycles you should be well over 200 lbs...closer to 220 lbs or more.  The fact you don't even necessarily look like you train (no offense intended at all) is a strong indicator that you are doing something VERY wrong in your approach to muscle building because no one...I repeat no one...should still weigh 180 lbs at your height after 5 cycles.  You should have been able to add...and keep...at least 15-20 lbs after your first cycle alone.  

You haven't even reached your natural limit yet, which means you should be able to keep every ounce of muscle you add until you reach that point...and at this point, you are still quite far away from that. If don't add at least 20 lbs with this cycle...15 bs minimum (and that is barely passable), then you are doing something wrong in training and/or diet.  10 lbs is unsatisfactory when using such a potent steroidal product at your level of development.

In nearly every case, the guys who have run multiple cycles but still look possibly un-trained, are failing in terms of diet.  I have spoken to many, many beginners who eat 5-6X a day, meet their protein requirements, and eat clean & healthy and because of that, they believe their diet is "on-point".  However, where many of these guys go wrong is they just don't eat enough.  They think that if they follow a meticulousl diet plan which adheres to all the minutia of a typical pro diet, that they are doing what it takes to gain musclee, yet they aren't even eating above mainetance! 

The bottom line is that you must eat ENOUGH CALORIES if you want to pack on the muscle.  The best diet plan in the world won't do jack-shit if you aren't consuming enough calories...period...and by enough calories, I am talking 500-1,000 over mainetance, depending on one's metabolic rate.  Those with exaggerated growth potentail, such as beginners just starting to use AAS, can easily use that amount of extra cals to grow without getting unacceptably fat.

Another big mistake people make is reducing their cals back down to pre-cycle levels after their cycle is over.  The end result= they lose all or most of the muscle they gained.  Many of these guys end up reverting right back to what they were before they started their cycle.  What a waste of time.  Here's the thing.  If you want to keep the muscle you gain, you can NEVER again eat what you used to eat before you gained that muscle.  You must continue to consume additional calories--permamently--or else you will shed the muscle you gained.  The body can only maintain as much muscle as it can support...and calories are the most basic support structure.  Nothing can replace them, regardless of protein intake, steroid use, etc.  If you want to get big, you have to eat big.  It's the most basic principle of BB'ing nutrition.

You need to find out your mainetance caloric intake and increase it as stated above.  Just "winging it" almost always results up in failure or reduced success, especially in beginners who have not yet learnd to accurately gauge their nutritional needs.  Good luck.


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## daucous (Jun 19, 2014)

^This @mikearnold

Thanx for the info

I seek motivation which is why I am here.  Not being as disciplined or inspired in my earlier years mostly was the case.  But now is different, and im fully aware of my goals.

Back then I was a stick, I just was.  Though of course I could have made those first superdrol runs way better...

When you said I havnt reached my genetic potential, your saying I could  get 20 lbs just with this run? Words of wisdom, cant wait to start logging results!   



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## daucous (Jun 19, 2014)

@mikearnold

The good thing is that I learn from mistakes and constantly progressing, even though this may not seem to be the case.  

To maintain muscle that I never had is impossible.   Therefore, the problem was always just putting it on.

If I can get over 15 lbs of muscle this run we can all be happy and then I can plan my next run!

Staying focused, motivated, excited! Thanx for the support

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## Mike Arnold (Jun 19, 2014)

daucous said:


> ^This @mikearnold
> 
> Thanx for the info
> 
> ...



20 lbs is certainly doable with a 4-6 week run with DMZ 3.0 at your level of development.  Understand that your body has the potential to gain muscle much more rapidly than someone who already weighs 250 lbs and has been using steroids for years.  In fact, you could still gain further muscle without drugs.  That means your potential growth rate is off the charts once steroids are involved, but that is NOT going to happen unless your program revolves around 2 things:  Heavy eating and hard, BASIC training.

Stay away from the high volume, high-set, little rest between sets shit.  You need to stick with ONLY the most basic exercises, while focusing solely on increasing your strength in the hypertrophy rep range (6-12 for upper-body and 8-12 for legs).  Obviously, when it comes to arm exercises, you have a wide selection of effective exercises (as nearly all are single joint movements), but for other bodyparts, stick with compound movements.  This is the absolute best way to build muscle at your stage of development.   Here are the basic principles you should adhere to...

*  Basic exercises ONLY (which also means limited exercises per bodypart).  
*  2-3 sets per exercise
*  3-5 minutes rest between sets (stay around 3 minutes for less demanding exercises and as many as 5 minutes for exercises like deadlifts and full squats.  You should be able to recover full strength before doing your next set).
*  Keep a record book.  Include exercises, set, and reps for everything you do.  At each workout, try to beat you previous numbers by doing more reps with the same weight, more weight for the same reps, or both, always within the hypertrophy rep range.  Skip all the maxing out B.S., which does nothing for muscle building.

Trying to beat your previous numbers in this fashion is the most basic principle for muscle building and is known as progressive resistance.  It is responsible for 80-90% of the muscle that every person will ever build.  This is why every massive BB'r is always very strong.  Strength can vary between individuals based on muscle attachments, muscle fiber make-up, leverage, neural efficiency, etc, but most of this is genetic.  No matter who you are, if you get stronger in the hypertrophy rep range, you will get bigger.  The faster you can get up to using heavy weights in this rep range, the quicker you will get massive.  Every workout you do for the next 50-70 lbs of bodyweight you add should be ruled by this principle.  If you look around, you will see that the guys who stop growing...or who have barley grown recently, are the guys who aren't getting stronger.  The pump is responsible for only about 10% (or less) of your potential growth...and this is mainly through increased vasculaization, increased glycogen storage, etc...not muscle fiber growth. The pump does not directly stimulate growth.  It can help, but it pales into comparison to the growth stimulis achieved through progressive resistance.  Now, advanced BB'rs may switch to training more for the pump later in their career because they have nearly maxed out their strength potential, so they continue to use heavy weights, but need to start focusing on others ways to eek out that last little bit of growth potential.  You will also notice that every single pro BB'r who stops getting stronger and starts training for the "pump" pretty much remains the same size.  They may get slightly bigger over time, but not much.  Pros built almost all their size getting stronger, just like everyone else, but some people don't realize that because by the time the start seeing them in the magazines, they are alread big and have nearly maxed out their strength potential, so they have changed their training by that point.  You should focus on progressive resistance until you have reahed their level. 


Here is a basic, but very effective mass-building routine for someone at your level of development.

Day #1:  Chest, back
Day #2:  Off
Day #3:  Delts, Biceps, Triceps
Day #4:  Off
Day #5:  Legs
Day #6:  Off
*** Repeat


Legs
Full squats:  2 X 10
Leg press:  2 X 10
Lying leg curl:  2 X 10
Stiff-leg deadlifts:  2 X 10
Toe press (on leg press):  2 X 10
Seated Calve raise:  2 X 10 

Chest
Flat bench press:  2 X 10
Incline bench press:  2 X 10
Dips (weighted as necessary):  2 X 10

Back
Close grip chins:  2 X 10
T-bar rows (traditional):  2 X 10
Iso-later Hammer strength rows:  2 X 10:
Wide grip chins/pulldowns:  2 X 10
Shrugs:  2 X 10

Delts
Seated overhead barbell press:  2 x 10
Dumbbell laterals:  2 X 10
Rea laterals (reverse peck deck):  2 X 10

Biceps
Barbellcurls:  2 X 10
Preacher curls:  2 X 10
Hammer curls:  2 X 10

Triceps
Pressdowns:  2 X 10
Lying E-Z bar extensions:  2 X 10
Overhead extensions w/ dumbbell, E-Z bar, or cable:  2 X 10


In terms of diet, if I were you, I would push my calsto a full 1,000 over mainetance every single day of the cycle.  Try to eat as healthy as possible, but make sure to hit your cals every day, even if it means you need to eat some junk.  Bust your ass during every training session by taking every set to positive failure, get good rest every night, and you will grow like a weed.


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## daucous (Jun 20, 2014)

Cool @mikearnold thanks!

I was 190 however what started out being a trenevar only run, ended up being bridged into furuza and had a nice recomp. I didn't expect the furuza to cut me up so much, and that was my problem. 

I ran two bottles of both, pyramid dosingeach, within 8 weeks. Strength went way up, and I kept all of it, so not a total waste!

Six months later with the 3.0 here we go!


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## daucous (Jun 22, 2014)

About three days into this, decent looks










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## daucous (Jun 22, 2014)

Mike Arnold said:


> 20 lbs is certainly doable with a 4-6 week run with DMZ 3.0 at your level of development.  Understand that your body has the potential to gain muscle much more rapidly than someone who already weighs 250 lbs and has been using steroids for years.  In fact, you could still gain further muscle without drugs.  That means your potential growth rate is off the charts once steroids are involved, but that is NOT going to happen unless your program revolves around 2 things:  Heavy eating and hard, BASIC training.
> 
> Stay away from the high volume, high-set, little rest between sets shit.  You need to stick with ONLY the most basic exercises, while focusing solely on increasing your strength in the hypertrophy rep range (6-12 for upper-body and 8-12 for legs).  Obviously, when it comes to arm exercises, you have a wide selection of effective exercises (as nearly all are single joint movements), but for other bodyparts, stick with compound movements.  This is the absolute best way to build muscle at your stage of development.   Here are the basic principles you should adhere to...
> 
> ...


Thats great stuff, your so right about training for 'pump'.  

The guys on this board know there shit, this is the best place to find legit info. Always appreciated. 

Im going for no less than 2/3 sets for 6 reps as heavy as possible, all compounds.  I was training in for 3 reps before which is great for strength, but its good to change it up anyway.

I think training for the pump/burn will give you more dense muscles.  
should I switch back to that just for pct?
what do you the best serm would be??

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## daucous (Jun 22, 2014)

Ok so far 3.0 feels euphoric to the methadrol, even though I gained 20 lbs off that.  I stacked it with test and gained alot of water.

I attribute this probably to more even dosing with 3.0, and the removal of max lmg. My experience with lmg seems to convert to estrogen slightly.  

However the 3.0 seems nice and dry, and more versatile of a drug. 

Correct me if im wrong, I believe IML stopped methadrol, due to how harsh that baby was!

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## Skeletor175 (Jun 22, 2014)

Subbed


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## lovinjane (Jun 22, 2014)

Subbed

Love the input from Mike Arnold, I bet he could point out some serious flaws in my training as well. Keep us posted!

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## daucous (Jun 23, 2014)

Ok so day four! 

I posted some progress pics but sometimes they take a day to show up, so idk.






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## YorkBarbell (Jun 23, 2014)

I did the Super DMZ 3.0 stack for a first cycle and put on about 14lbs in 30 days (188 -> 202) with no change in my waist measurement. I kept my calories the same while on PCT and after cycle and lost 3-4 lbs. So still up about 10lbs. And to Mike Arnold's point, stronger = bigger. I added weight to every exercise throughout those 30 days and it translated into a noticeable difference in the mirror. I do an Upper/Lower split BTW with compound movements generally in the 8-12 reps range and smaller movements in the 10-15 rep range. I couldn't have been happier with the results. I'm at the start of a 2nd cycle of the Super DMZ 3.0 stack now. And you definitely gotta eat to grow.


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## CHEZ (Jun 23, 2014)

In for this!! Kill it brother!


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## Mike Arnold (Jun 23, 2014)

daucous said:


> Thats great stuff, your so right about training for 'pump'.
> 
> The guys on this board know there shit, this is the best place to find legit info. Always appreciated.
> 
> ...



If growth is your goal, there is never any reason to train in the 1-3 rep range.  This doesn't mean you can't occasionally test your maximal strength, but it should be infrequent.

As far as going back to training "for the pump" during PCT, why would you do that?  If it wasn't the best for adding muscle mass during your cycle, it won't be the best after your cycle.  Understand that I am NOT saying there is no value in increasing bloodflow to the muscles...because there is...but like I said before, 90% of your potential muscle mass will be added through getting stronger in the hypertrophy rep range. I don't care how pumped you get...how tired you get...how much your muscles burn, etc...if you don't get stronger, you are going to remain basically the same size.  Look at all the people in the gym using the same weights year after year and you will see people who look basically the same year after year.  Gaining strength is critical.  The sooner you understand and accept this fact, the faster you will get big.  Now, it is certainly possible to get a pump and get stronger at the same time, but if your workout isn't yeilding strength gains, then you will stop growing.  So, it doesn't matter if you are in the middle of a cycle, off-cvcle, or doing PCT--you should never begin training in a way that causes you to lose strength or which minimizes strength gains.

Personally, Clomid is my SERM of choice, although Clomid & Nolva together is better.

As far as density is concerned, training for a pump does not increase muscle density nearly as well as training with heavy weuights in the hypertrophy rep range.  Light training is never a good idea for a BB'r that wants to grow...unless you are injured and have no choice.


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## daucous (Jun 24, 2014)

*@yorkbarbell*

First run with 3.0? @yorkbarbell

Seems kinda strong for a first run, but successful nonetheless.   Cant go wrong with anything from IML, so you def did your research.  So many guys go with Epistane or Halo there first run, hardly comparable to the 3.0.

For a first run with such a strong stack can you tell me of any sides, aggression? What were your support/ pct plans?


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## daucous (Jun 24, 2014)

Today was bench day, but little work has been done on my delts all year.  I tried to stay in 2 sets for 6 reps... then I finished with a pump.  It was a great workout.  Im not used to waiting between sets, but realize the benefits. There was some warm-up sets but not much.

seated press' 185 lbs
2 sets of 6

one arm db lateral' 50 lbs
3 sets of 6

front db raises' 60 lbs
2 sets of 6 

one arm seated db press' 50 lbs
2 sets of 12

trying to focus on each rep and good intensity!


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## YorkBarbell (Jun 24, 2014)

daucous said:


> First run with 3.0? @yorkbarbell
> 
> Seems kinda strong for a first run, but successful nonetheless.   Cant go wrong with anything from IML, so you def did your research.  So many guys go with Epistane or Halo there first run, hardly comparable to the 3.0.
> 
> For a first run with such a strong stack can you tell me of any sides, aggression? What were your support/ pct plans?




I really felt nothing but good. No unusual aggression. I just felt unstoppable. I'm not sure if that was the chemicals, the great performance in the gym or some of both. I felt a little tired the first week, but nothing major. No libido problems.

I used the recommended stack from IML. 1 Super DMZ 3.0, 1 4-Andro, 1 Adv Cycle Support all 2x per day. I had planned on doing the recommended PCT too, which is 1 ACS 2x per day, 1 Ultra Male 1x per day, 1 E-Control 3x per day for 4 weeks post cycle. I wanted to move PCT along faster so I could get to another cycle faster, lol. 

Here's what I ended up doing PCT. 1 ACS 3x per day, 1 Ultra Male 1x per day, 1 E-Control 3x per day for 2 weeks followed by 1 week with 2 ACS 3x per day and 40mg Clomid daily and finally 1 week of just 2 ACS 3x per day. I felt kind of crappy a couple days into the first week of PCT, so I stopped the E-Control for a couple days then added it back in to see if that was the cause. I think it was unrelated to the PCT. I had blood drawn on day 5 of that last week. Everything was in a normal range and very close to the values from a test I had during a physical about 9 months ago. Now I'm back on the Super DMZ 3.0 cycle. 

I plan on going through the same process again. The 3rd cycle of Super DMZ 3.0 will be a cut though. The first two I'm on a bulk, obviously.


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## daucous (Jun 24, 2014)

What do you guys think about bridging this with osta?  At say, three weeks into the super dmz.

Im curious if it would help maintain gains, and maybe dry me up. Not sure of the benefits?  I thought osta was a sarm


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## CHEZ (Jun 24, 2014)

Osta us a sarm, and I would save it for a seperate run


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## daucous (Jun 24, 2014)

CHEZ said:


> Osta us a sarm, and I would save it for a seperate run


They are saying maybe three weeks into pct after or with? a serm?? 

Good stuff
http://www.ironmaglabs.com/forums/showthread.php/677-OSTA-RX-Reviews

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## daucous (Jun 25, 2014)

the prog... day six, have gained 3 lbs






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## CHEZ (Jun 25, 2014)

Nice work bro keep smashing it


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## daucous (Jun 26, 2014)

Day 7.  
Weight is 185 lbs. 
Training is legs, focus is quads.

Olympic Squat' 205 
2 x 6

Leg press' 400
2 x 6

Front squat' 135
2 x 6

Leg extension'
3 x reps

went ALL the way down on the squats.  In case your concerned with the numbers, the idea was to isolate the quads but still perform compounds.

I try and hit legs three times every two weeks.  Was squatting heavy just to 90 degrees,  but the quads didn't respond as well. 

Still getting used to the new routine, but its def working. 

I can def feel that im ON.  It was yesterday after a few sets of skullcrushers that I looked in the mirror.  That familiar pump you get.  Best part its just the beginning.   

Thanks for the support brothers!




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## daucous (Jun 28, 2014)

Finally back to the bench, hell yes!

Flat Bench' 
225 lbs 2 x 6
275 lbs for 1

Incline Bench' 205 lbs
2 x 6

Weighted Dips'
2 sets with drop sets

Vertical Press' 
rest/pause for the pump

I should stay at 275 lbs and work towards getting more reps.

My strength was only slightly higher than this at the end of my last run.  So instead, im going for prs in the reps department. 

After im done stuffin my face for the next five hours, ill get a cappuccino and hit triceps.... cant wait.


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## daucous (Jun 28, 2014)

One of the best line ups... 2002 Olympia

http://youtu.be/0UPsAJY5M6U

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## daucous (Jun 28, 2014)

I didn't realize how hard ive been training, so I didn't go as heavy as planned. I did drop sets the last set of each exercise.

db skullchrusher' 50 lbs
3 x 3

overhead cable ext'
2 sets with the stack x 3

cable ext'
2 sets with the stack x 10

At that point I had a good pump, did some one arm extensions and close grip pushups. Just for the pump, because it was ridiculous. Not the kind of pump you get from isolating a muscle group. The kind of pump your whole body is swole up. Def the 3.0

Im only at 186 lbs so not bad.  Its only day 11. This should start kicking in hard within the next few days!









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## Mike Arnold (Jun 28, 2014)

daucous said:


> Today was bench day, but little work has been done on my delts all year. I tried to stay in 2 sets for 6 reps... then I finished with a pump. It was a great workout. Im not used to waiting between sets, but realize the benefits. There was some warm-up sets but not much.
> 
> seated press' 185 lbs
> 2 sets of 6
> ...



When I said 2 sets each, I was referring to work-sets ONLY!  You should always warm-up extensively.  3-4 warm-ups for the 1st exercise, followed by 1-2 warm-ups for each successive exercise is a good idea.  You should NEVER, EVER do any exercise without warming up, especially when just starting to train abodypart.  Once you get past your 1st exercise for a bodypart, the "warm-ups" you do for your following exercise aren't really to 'warm-up" as you are already warm & pumped.  Rather, they are done in order to get your nervous sytem accustomed to the new range of motion and to eliminate any tightness you may experience with the exercise.

For example, let's look at a chest workout.  If you know you can handle 250 X 8 for your max set on flat bench, then you might begin with an empty bar for 30 reps...wait a couple minutes and then do 135 X 15...wait a few minutes and do 185 X 10...wait a few minutes and do 225 X 5...wait a few minutes and then do your first set with 250 lbs.  The ONLY set which counts as a "set" is the one with 250 lbs...because none of the previous sets stressed your muscles.  They were performed strictly for the purpose of injury prevention and nervous system preparation.

After you're done with flat bench, let's say you move to inclines. If you know you can do 205 X 8 for a max set, you might do one warrm-up with 135 X 10...wait a few minutes and do one with 175 X 6...wait a couple mintes and do your first set with 205 lbs.

By your thrid exercise you might do only one warm-up with 1/2-2/3 your working-weight for a few reps...then do your work-set after that.  

As you can see, the number of warm-ups you do with each successive exercise will decrease. Still, you should always do at least one warm-up for each new exercise ,so you can get your nervous sytem prepared for the new range of motion and work out any possible tightness.  Your first exercise for any bodypart should always require several warm-up sets of gradually increasing weights.  No warm-ups count as "sets" and they should never be difficult or make you tired.


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## Mike Arnold (Jun 28, 2014)

daucous said:


> What do you guys think about bridging this with osta? At say, three weeks into the super dmz.
> 
> Im curious if it would help maintain gains, and maybe dry me up. Not sure of the benefits? I thought osta was a sarm



No...there is no need to "bridge".  It is an old, out-dated concept.  Either go off an do a PCT...or stay-on lower-dose test and cruise.  In your case, there is no need to cruise...just go off and do a PCT.  When you get to the point where you are losing all your new gains from each cycle during your off-time, then you can start thinking about cruising.  You are FAR rom needing to do that.


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## Mike Arnold (Jun 28, 2014)

daucous said:


> the prog... day six, have gained 3 lbs
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Eat more. You should be able to gain more weight during the 1st week..deinitely.  Hell, there is usually 3 pounds of increased muscle fullness from I.M water rentetion alone during the 1st week.


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## Mike Arnold (Jun 28, 2014)

daucous said:


> Day 7.
> Weight is 185 lbs.
> Training is legs, focus is quads.
> 
> ...



Don't do 6 reps all the time...and legs respond better to the 8-12 range.  You should also go up to 8-10 for upper-body exercises as well.  Always doing 6 reps will stress your nervous system and lead to decreased strength & mass gains over time.  6-12 for upper-body and 8-12 for legs is ideal most of the time.   You want to use the entire range of reps...not just stick at the lowest end.


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## Mike Arnold (Jun 28, 2014)

daucous said:


> Finally back to the bench, hell yes!
> 
> Flat Bench'
> 225 lbs 2 x 6
> ...



See bold above:  No, you should not use 275 lbs AT ALL!  You did one freakin' rep...one.  You shouldn't touch that weight again until you can get at leat six.  You did 225 X 6.  So, stick with that until you can get 10 reps...then add enough weight to bring you back down to 6 reps...then stick with that weight until you can get 10 reps again...and continue to repeat this same basic pattern for the next several years.  Like i said before, raps in the 1-3 range are a wate of time for people trying to get bigger.  You should wait at least until your cycle is over before you "max-out" again.


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## daucous (Jun 29, 2014)

Mike Arnold said:


> See bold above:  No, you should not use 275 lbs AT ALL!  You did one freakin' rep...one.  You shouldn't touch that weight again until you can get at leat six.  You did 225 X 6.  So, stick with that until you can get 10 reps...then add enough weight to bring you back down to 6 reps...then stick with that weight until you can get 10 reps again...and continue to repeat this same basic pattern for the next several years.  Like i said before, raps in the 1-3 range are a wate of time for people trying to get bigger.  You should wait at least until your cycle is over before you "max-out" again.


As far as these first few workouts, I just wanted to see where I was at in the strength department.  I totally agree that even sets of six reps are too low.

My next three weeks of training ill go for 8 reps on compounds, 10/12 reps for everything else... likely into pct.

It seems like that's what Im doing wrong... but that's why Im here.  This approach with the correct poundage' should make for more drastic gains. 

My next workouts should have more appropriate rep schemes. Thanks for your time, as always.


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## daucous (Jun 29, 2014)

Bringing my chest and shoulders up, have gained a total of six dry pounds.






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## Mike Arnold (Jun 30, 2014)

daucous said:


> Bringing my chest and shoulders up, have gained a total of six dry pounds.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice


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## daucous (Jun 30, 2014)

Today was legs again.  Did my quads.
Really spent my time between sets, took the workout very slow. 

Olympic Squat' 205 lbs
2 x 12

Leg Press' 300 lbs
2 x 12

Front Squat' 135 lbs
2 x 12

Leg Extension'
2 x 15

Legs where swole today!  The front squats really hit hard. I felt like a million bucks.

Working legs three times every two weeks, alternating squats and deads.  Im really trying to work every muscle group the same. 

At this point, im only going for prs in reps, and only then will I go heavier. Cant wait to bulk up more


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## daucous (Jul 1, 2014)

Halfway through the run.  

Real quick, high intensity shoulder workout this morning. 

I hit 187 on the scale last night.  Im going to start slowly going up in calories every day.  Im getting around 4500 per day, very clean.

My shoulders and chest have responded really well.  My back was bothering me before the run, but still making progress with everything.


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## daucous (Jul 3, 2014)

Today was supposed to be deadlifts.  Most every night this week I had been sleeping ten hours a night, so this was bound to happen.  Shit sleep.

Normally I would train anyway, but since today was deadlifts, I passed. 

My goal was to get 275 lbs for two sets of 12 reps. I did one set of leg curls and left the gym.  I don't like to "force" my training, unlike my eating.

Id like to stick with deads and shrugs for back, just to put on the extra mass.  Im not big enough to be isolating my lats.

I may go back and see how my biceps feel later.  If theres one muscle group that responds to isolation, it would be my biceps.  

I was doing my split routine, with compounds then isolation. However,  that really only works if your on a lot more juice, and your tendons can recover properly. 

I will miss the pump I get from doing splits... but I know its good to listen to your body, and make the most out of my cycle.

Thanks again to IML for helping me reach my goals.


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## Mike Arnold (Jul 3, 2014)

daucous said:


> Today was supposed to be deadlifts. Most every night this week I had been sleeping ten hours a night, so this was bound to happen. Shit sleep.
> 
> Normally I would train anyway, but since today was deadlifts, I passed.
> 
> ...



What do you mean you shouldn't "isolating" your lats? When you said you are doing deads & shrugs for back because you want to get big, does this mean you are ONLY doing deads & shrugs? If so, that is a huge mistake. First of all, deads and shrugs don't work yoir lats (bareky at all) and neglect the majority of muscle in your back. The only muscles in your back they work directly are traps and erectors. your lats are barely touched. You definitely need to be douing plenty of rows and chin/pulldown movements if you want to develop your back, as doing them is the ONLY way to develop not only your lats, but all the other important back muscles that contribute to a big back.

In terms of isolation, the only way to isolate your lats is to do some type of pulllover. All other movements, such as rows and chins/pulldowns are compound movements and are absolutely necessary for building up your back to its fullest potential. You will never come anywhnere close to developing your back to its full poitential when doing only deads and shrugs.

Also, just because something is an "isolation" exercise does not mean it isn't a mass-builder. for example, nearly every bicep and tricpe exercise is an isolation exercise--all curls and all types of tricep extensions. Are you going to stop doing those movments just because they're isolation movements? No, so if you wouldn't do that, then why you would stop training nearly your entire back? If your back lacks size, you don't gain size by negelcting almost every muscle in your back. You get big by working every single muscle in your back with the best mass-builders available. As another example, if you want your rear delts to get big, are you going to stop training them just because all rear delt movements are isolation exercises? Hell no...unless you don't want them to grow. You don't get big by negelcting muscles. 

When people say you should not be focusing on isolation exercises if you want to get big, what they mean is that you shouldn't be focusing on exericises which don't build much size. Sometimes these end up being isolation exercises and sometimes they aren't. It all depends on the bodypart and the exercise you're referring to. In order to get big as fats as possible, you should be focusing on the best mass-builders available for each muscle, regardless of whether they are an isolation of comphd movements. Now, when it comes to muscle groups like the chest, back, and legs, the best exercises for growth are usually compound movemnts, but for other bodyparts, like arms and delts, you absolutely must do isolation exercises. For example, when it comes to delt training there are both compound and isolation exercises. Overhead presses would be considered a compound exercise, while side and rear laterals would be considered isolation exercises. Does this mean you should only be doing overhead presss for delts and nothing else? Sure, if you want to have shitty looking delts with very little size on the side and rear heads. If you want big delts, you will need to develop all 3 delt heads, which will require an overhead press, a side lateral, and a rear lateral. There is no way to get around it. Side and rear delts absolutely require isolation exercises in order to train them properly.

When it comes to a bodypart like the back, which contains many different muscles, doing only deads & shrugs would be a horrible freaking idea. You would be completely neglecting most of the muscles in your back!!! Doing that would be no different than doing just stiff leg deadlifts for your legs and then expecting your qauds to grow. Would anyone ever think that? Of course not, so why would you negect almost your entire back? Deads are not a lat builder...nor do they build the teres major, teres minor, infraspinatus, or rhomboids. You will get some minor, indirect work in your lats when doing deads simply because they are used to stabilize your torso, but this is nowhere near enough stress to cause appreciable growth in any of the muscles I just mentioned. Deads do not cause any of those muscles to strech & contract under load, which is crucial for stimulatimng meaningful growth. Basically, by doing only deads & shrugs, the only thing you would be doing for your lats and other back muscles is giving them a little static contraction...and not even a strong static contraction at that! Now, you may be thinking to yourself..."I have seen some powerlifters who do nothing but deads and they have a huge back". It is true that if a powerlifter focuses very hard on the Big 3, eats like a horse, and gets up to using very heavy weights on those lifts...his entire body will grow, including his lats, but they will never be anywhere near as big as they could have been. When is the last time you saw a powerlifter who does only deads that has a back like Dorian Yates or Ronnie Coleman? Uhhh...never. 

When trying to get any muscle to develop as quickly as possible, you need to select those exercises which best work each muscle/muscle group. As another example, when selecing your bicep exercises, barbell curls would be considered a great mass-builder, but it is still an isolation exercises, as it is a single joint movements. However, something like one arm standing crucifix curls would NOT be considered a good mass-builder for the biceps. In the same way, lying tricep extensions (skulls) are a great mass-builder, but tricep kickbacks are a relatively poor mass-builder, even though both are isolation exercises. All the exercises I provided for you in the previous routine are good mass-builders. The routine will thoroughly work every major muscle group in your body...and it doesn't include any of the extra, unecessary stuff that won't do you any good at this point in your development.  Now, as you gain experience you will eventually learn which exercises are the best for you and gravitate towards them, but this takes time.  Right now, it is impossible for you to know if one mass-builder better suits your body than another, so until that time comes it is best to just stick with exercies which are considered good by just about everyone.  

Ohh...and by the way, steroids don't heal the tendons--steroids damage the tendons...all steroids do.  We used to think differently, but research has now shown this is not the case...at all.  They actually prevent tendon healing, which is one of the reasons steroid users suffer injuries so much more frequently than non-users. As for your comment that it "takes a lot more juice"--I dont really think you understand how strong DMZ 3.0 actually is. It is stronger than any single prescription oral steroid ever released...period. Per mg, it is significantly stronger than testosterone or just about any other drug. This is not my opinion, it is a scientific fact, as proven by more than one clinical study and plenty of real-world experience.  I gain more muscle in 30 days using DMZ 3.0 than when I use a gram of test a week...by a significant margin...and mor strength too!  I have seen too many guys who don't realize or appreciate what they are actually using. They think that just because it is legal, that it couldn't possibly be that strong. It is. I either currently have or have access to basically any oral steroid I want and you know what oral I choose to use more than anything else? DMZ 3.0 or SD (was in the old DMZ).


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## ratedR (Jul 3, 2014)

Id listen to Mike bro, he knows his stuff and always points people in the right direction. He's giving you so much knowledge on how to put on size correctly and at no expense. GL OP


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## daucous (Jul 4, 2014)

I was just thinking about for the next few weeks, but its still not enough moves for back...

I was making progress with my rows, and thought I should switch it up. I trained this morning'

Deadlift'
BB row'
Weighted pullups
Shrugs

Then go back and focus on my vertical rows and lats more.  Low cable rows are the best.  There's so much form involved... 

I really wanted to just do rack pulls, but my gym dosnt have a rack :/


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## Mike Arnold (Jul 5, 2014)

daucous said:


> I was just thinking about for the next few weeks, but its still not enough moves for back...
> 
> I was making progress with my rows, and thought I should switch it up. I trained this morning'
> 
> ...



Keep in mind that I disagree with you I am not trying to attack your ideas or point of view, but simply to stop you from making mistaks that take most people years to learn.  If you were making good progress with an exercise, the last thing you want to do is stop doing it!  Making changes can be useful when done for the right reason or under the right circumstances, but changing something just for the sake of change is not good.  One teaching which has ledmany BB'rs stray is the belief that we must constantly switch our exercises if we want to grow.  Now, like I said, I do think there is value in it when done under the right circumstances, but the biggest BB'rs who have ever lived pretty much found those exercises which worked best for them and stuck with them their entire careers.  The same goes for the largest powerlifters and strong men.  The belief that we must "confuse" our body through constantly changing exercises is just not true.  Both ways can work, but I will tell you what way doesn't work--using exercises which don't work well for you or which are poor overall mass-builders.  If you are trying to get big and you want to change an exercise, that LAST thing you want to do is switch out a great mass-builder for a shitty one.  For example, if you normally do flat presses, incline presses, and dips for chest, it would NEVER be in your best interests to drop all those exercises and start doing incline cable flyes, pec deck, and cable crossovers.  If you are going to switch an exercise, it better be for one that is equally as good as the one you no longer want to do.  For example, if you are doing T-bar rows and Hammer strength rows (Yates's version) for your rowing movements and you want to switch them for something else, then it would be OK to switch to something like barbell rows and dumbbell rows, but it would not be OK to switch rope pullovers and one arm cable rows.  The latter two exercises just don't place enough stress on the entire muscle to build maximum mass.  

Still, aside from all that, when I begin working with someone who is relatively new to training and therefore doesn't yet know which exercises are best for himself, I will usually place him on a set routine for several month--usually at least 4-6, before switching a single exercise (unless one causes pain, etc).  A new trainer should take the time to master the exercises he starts with (which should always be basic mass-builders).  By regularly switching exercises, the beginner never really learns how to feel each muscle working.  He fails to develop the proper neural pathways necessary for developing a solid mind-muscle connection, which is crucial for maximizing growth.  The bottom line is that you should select a few basic exercises for each bodypart and master them.  You can't do them all at once because there are too many, so select just a few for each bodypart and do them until they are second nature.   After that, you can start experimenting with some other basic mass-builders.  It won't take you you long to go through all the basic exercises and by the time you have done that, you will have a much better idea regarding which ones are best suited to your particular body.


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## Mike Arnold (Jul 5, 2014)

daucous said:


> I was just thinking about for the next few weeks, but its still not enough moves for back...
> 
> I was making progress with my rows, and thought I should switch it up. I trained this morning'
> 
> ...



That routine is plenty fine for a beginner, as it includes a deadlift, a row, a chin/pulldown, and a shrug.  All the major muscles of the back get work.


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## daucous (Jul 5, 2014)

Two weeks in, weighed 189 lbs this morning on an empty stomach.  After my workout I was 188 lbs.

I trained chest, and im going back to hit triceps wayyy later tonight.  Everything feels great. 

Progress last night


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## organicmindset (Jul 8, 2014)

Looking good bro. I would reccomemnd trying to eat more, pack in those calories and protein. Overall, I have see some nice clean gains from your pics which is great but I think you can for sure add more clean mass by upping your food intake.


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## Mike Arnold (Jul 8, 2014)

organicmindset said:


> Looking good bro. I would reccomemnd trying to eat more, pack in those calories and protein. Overall, I have see some nice clean gains from your pics which is great but I think you can for sure add more clean mass by upping your food intake.




OP, he's probably right.


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## YorkBarbell (Jul 9, 2014)

Food is key. You can't build without the building blocks. I gained almost 15lbs during my first cycle on the Super DMZ 3.0 stack and now I'm about 2/3 through a 2nd cycle and I'm up 9lbs. And I've only added MAYBE 1/2" to my waist.


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## rambo99 (Jul 9, 2014)

Sounds like I need to get my hands on some SDMZ!


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## daucous (Jul 12, 2014)

My run almost got stopped short.  Needless to say Im still going strong, have to update later when I have time!


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## daucous (Jul 12, 2014)




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## daucous (Jul 12, 2014)




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## daucous (Jul 18, 2014)

Still NO time to update


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## daucous (Sep 1, 2014)

Finally have some time off work, things have been decent after pct

weighing 190#

]


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## Machmood (Sep 1, 2014)

I agree with mike that progressive overload for you is the key, but couldn't disagree more with his workout schedule.Low volume/high frequency, hitting each Muscle twice a week. P/p/l off repeat would be infinetly better imo.


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## SoCalSwole (Sep 2, 2014)

I don't know guys this whole thread kind of bothers me, I cant get behind it. No disrespect to Daucous but I would never recommend AS for a guy at this level of development. It appears that he has not even mastered the basics of diet and naturally gaining lean mass. Plus the rate he will grow if not careful he will out grow is ligaments and tendons and have all kinds of Shoulder impingement's and tendinitis. At least make sure your form is spot on Please. 

The best advice I was ever given about 15 years ago is to realize that this is a life long journey and not a 100 yd dash. 

Good luck


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## daucous (Sep 2, 2014)

SoCalSwole said:


> I don't know guys this whole thread kind of bothers me, I cant get behind it. No disrespect to Daucous but I would never recommend AS for a guy at this level of development. It appears that he has not even mastered the basics of diet and naturally gaining lean mass. Plus the rate he will grow if not careful he will out grow is ligaments and tendons and have all kinds of Shoulder impingement's and tendinitis. At least make sure your form is spot on Please.
> 
> The best advice I was ever given about 15 years ago is to realize that this is a life long journey and not a 100 yd dash.
> 
> Good luck


Ah yes no disrespect to anyone for not being able to finish the run as intended.  The advice anyone can learn from this is crucial.  Just being able to train is a privilege. 

very few truly "master" the art of bb, and very few become pros.  Im not pro, are you?


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## SoCalSwole (Sep 2, 2014)

daucous said:


> Ah yes no disrespect to anyone for not being able to finish the run as intended.  The advice anyone can learn from this is crucial.  Just being able to train is a privilege.
> 
> very few truly "master" the art of bb, and very few become pros.  Im not pro, are you?



I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. I agree the advise is crucial. I wish you all the best. I just wish more people would learn the basics before jumping on juice to solve their inefficiencies in previous diet and training.

And no I'm not a pro, but I am constantly asked what Show I'm training for. I have over 15 years experience and have done several competitions where i always placed in the top 3. I have no desire to go pro I have nothing to prove I am 42 years old 5'9" 210 pounds and 8% bf with 19" biceps and a 31 inch waist, last week I did close grip bench with 315 for 10 reps. I know I am past my prime and way out of the running to go pro. I wouldn't call myself a master but I know how and have the discipline to lose or gain at will and bring up body parts at will. Helping people do this the right way is what I would love to do and one day I would love to open a gym. 

The diet, training, patience, and discipline need to be there first and foremost before you even consider AS. The training and the drugs are the easy part. What you do the other 22 hours or so a day is what really matters. Any noob can add 15 pounds of spongy virgin muscle. Add 30 and then cut it down to where you can see some maturity in the muscle as well as size. That's when you get the respect.

I only commented on here to try to help you not flame you. Just be careful I know I am not the only one with this view on your case. Feel lucky that some of these guys are willing to help you. Best of luck.


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## daucous (Dec 13, 2015)

Umm. Ok

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