2020 Progress Pics

 I realized I never posted these, they're from mid-October.  As I noted somewhere in this blog recently, I don't think I'm topping this anytime.  Maybe if I was 20 and at this level, but I turned 39 shortly before these pictures.  Honestly, even I was 20 I don't know if I'd really want to get past this point.  I'm about 192 in these pictures.  Cutting down to that weight I was pretty much as low as I can get without completely losing my strength, and honestly it wears you down over time.  I got to the level in these pics earlier in the summer, then kind of relaxed a bit for a few weeks to "regenerate" and then leaned out again in the few weeks preceding these pictures.  The leaning out was only about 2 lbs, but still.  

It took a lot of work to get to this point; consistent workouts, no real days off, incline walking four days per week in the mornings, not a lot of pizza, caffeine pretty much every day.  My health was not compromised; I had a physical during this period and my bloodwork was fine.  But I just found it somewhat of a grind, and frankly, I feel like shit when I use caffeine every day.  

I do wonder what my genetic potential is; I'm 39 so it's obviously lower than when I was 19 or 29.  The thing is though, I never really hit that potential at those ages.  So there was always a gap above where I was, like extra I could have achieved.  Now at 39, there still may be a gap above this level, but it's probably narrower since it descends as you get older.   Then again, maybe I'll be 40 this coming year and posting similar photos to these....

I don't know if I ever included a relaxed pose in any of my progress posts before....

All the weighted pullups apparently paid off, not sure I've ever had that much definition in my lower back.

front double-bi...

I have no idea what this is called...although I've never been this cut before in my life. I've gotten close, but there's abs and connecting muscles and veins I've never seen before in this one.

Same for this one too....My legs look slightly smaller than past pics, but I think it's because that's where I carry any excess fat, and the couple pounds lower I am this year is straight fat from those areas...

The lower weight and preservation of lower body strength helped propel me in sprinting and setting a ton of broad-jump records this year. 

I've never come close to this for calf definition before.  I've never really had large calves, and this is about as obvious as I've ever seen them. 

I...I have no idea what this is.  Shoulder pose? Biceps? No idea. 

March 23, 2019 Progress Pics

So I don't usually post stuff from the end of bulking cycles, usually because I just look softer and you can't really see the muscle all that much.  This bulk though I focused more on making sure that I got more protein each day, really no down days as far as that goes.  I did eat a surplus of calories, but didn't go SUPER crazy, and ended up at 209 for the peak.  Also focused on strengthening my back, particularly with the snatch-grip RDLs, and making it a point to keep my mid-back engaged and my scaps pulled back while doing them, with my elbows also rotated out.  This below is the results: 

I can't think of another time my back has been that thick.  You can't really see it well in the pictures, but even my lower back is defined, that's the dark lines there.  

2015 Progress Pics!

Last November I took a bunch of pictures after what was probably my most successful cut, and realized I was really happy with where I was.   For this past year my main goals were to add a bit of muscle, particularly lower body, to continue my improvement in the 100m & 200m. I also play football, usually at corner, as I've noted here.  So over the past year I was pretty successful, I'm 4.5 lbs. heavier in the 2015 pictures; about 194 lbs.  The changes aren't dramatic, but my legs are leaner, but with more muscle, and my upper body also looks way thicker; you can see a difference in the side-shoulder picture.   Plus I finally have a picture where my jaw isn't hanging open or something so I could leave my face in. My ass was probably the biggest improvement, but I'll spare everyone those pictures.  Also, this might be the most vain thing I've ever said (quite an accomplishment) but I love having that vein visible on my left hip.

It's been a great year, and honestly I'm not slowing down in the least; these pictures were from about a month ago, October 10th-ish, so I'm 34 in them (I'm going to write about getting older, soon).  I don't notice anything sagging, my recovery times are the same as always, and my strength hasn't tailed off in the least.  Overall I'm really happy with how things have gone.  Now on to the pics:

 

August 22, 2015 More progress pics

Here's a few more progress pics....I'm always shocked when I see my back, even a few years ago it wasn't this developed.  Super happy with how it's progressing, and balancing out the chest/shoulders; hopefully it leads to good shoulder joint health in the long run.  Hips are still thick, which is just genetics...going to run an ECA stack, see if I can torch that off, although I'm not sure how much leaner I would want to get; things like farmers carries and the like get to be a pain in the ass if you're too thin.  I like having meat on me....pause.

 

August 21, 2015 Pics

Forgot to post these, they're from June, so about two months old, right after I started my first EC stack of the summer.  I was obviously pretty dried out. 
 

August 21, 2015 Random picture

I forgot to post this, took it mid-July. I get crazy veins in my forearms when I get even a little dehydrated.

 

December 18, 2014 Progress Pics!

I realize I haven't taken progress pics with my actual SLR in ages, maybe ever. I took a ton back at the start of November at the end of the cut. Click for larger versions. Here they are:

First probably the best shot in the batch, then 4 more that I used to show overall development. I tried to get some leg shots from varying angles to show progress there. VERY happy with these shots. 

            

A few back shots:

      

Front 

Note: I don't have a palsy or anything, I just kept fucking up trying to take the picture and got sick of trying repeatedly.  I have a bunch of shots where my left shoulder is the higher one.  

           

 

Lastly a couple bonus shots, one showing glute development. The second...I have no idea..but check out the muscle on my hip. I have no idea what that is. 

September 09, 2014 Progress Pic

Just wanted to post this real quick.  There's not a ton of difference from past years in these areas, mainly because I carry virtually no fat there, even when I'm bulking.  I have managed to keep a ton of mass though along my shoulder-girdle this year, even as I've cut down to almost 190 lbs. My lower back is ridiculous though, I need to get some more pictures in late October after I do a mini refeed at the end of september, and then go all out for Halloween. 

August 8, 2014 Progress Pics

So I took some progress pictures of my back....holy crap.  I love ECA. This is by far the largest and most cut I think my back has ever been.  VERY happy with these results.  

 

I'm not sure what I'm doing here...:

\

Finally some rare pictures showing face

So yeah, I'm loving the ECA cut. 

July 9, 2013 Progress Pics

I realized I haven't posted back pics recently....happy with results here.  Not the clearest shots but I think my mid-back looks good.  On my lower back I think I can see faint hints of striations as well.  Had to censor the pics, but I noticed I have a dimple on my hip as well, this pleased me. 

June 29, 2013 latest pictures

Well, the one good thing about food poisoning is the acceleration of cutting. I'm bouncing back the last 10 days or so from it, weight is back into low 190s, was down to about 188-189 there briefly.  Hopefully by early July I'll be back to 193 and I can just maintain in that vicinity for the rest of the summer.  In the meantime I finally took some pictures with a relaxed pose, instead of that odd one with my arm up....I am really happy with how these look.  I cut out about 1/3 of the sodium I was taking in (in the form of adobo seasoning on my chicken) not sure if that's why I look more vascular/cut here or what.   Whatever it is...yay.  Plus my shoulders look great from the lateral raises. Good times.

May 2, 2013 Upper Body

• Bench Press (3 minutes): 135*57
• Pullups: 7583 75*3 75*2
• DB Seated Press: 75*5 80*5 85*2
• Ring Pullups: BW*10 BW*8
• Face pulls: 25*8 35*7

45 minutes

was feeling pretty flat, allergies bothering me so I took a claritan.  They don't make you drowsy, but they still make me feel pretty flat.  Decided to do one of the challenges they have at my gym; in this case most bench press reps in 3 minutes with 135.  I'm already in the top 10, and top in my weight class.  Didn't beat my PR on it, but I'm satisfied.  Did my pullups, then did some DB seated press.  Ring pullups since we have new rings....wow surprisingly hard on my forearms.  Finished with some face-pulls.    Took a progress picture after the workout, here it is (199.5 lbs).  Pretty happy with results of the cut so far.  Still got a couple pounds left I think though.