Natty's Log 9.2.15/Wed

4 mg LGD (Ol UK Legend)

10 mg Ostarine (Ol)

14 mg GW (Ol UK Cardarine)

Let's get this out of the way. I know that many, many people say that stacking LGD and Ostarine is a huge waste. And it probably is as far as getting any extra anabolic effect. But I also hear many people say that their feelings of well-being are better on Osta and that Osta benefits connective tissue more. 

It does make a lot of sense to use LGD solo and then use Osta between LGD cycles, though.

LGD will be dosed at 4 mg per day for about 15 days, then I'll up the dose to 8 mg for the remainder of the cycle. That should bring me to 40 days of dosing. I expect the strength to start kicking in somewhere near the end of the second week. I think a really good pattern would be a 6-week cycle of LGD and GW with the first two weeks laying a foundation for the big strength jumps in the last four weeks...then a week off...then a cycle of Ostarine...and keep alternating these two for a while. 

This time around, I am doing LGD again because honestly I already miss the constant improvement I was experiencing while on LGD. I miss adding reps and weights every single time I stepped into the gym. I miss seeing the weight on the scale edging up every morning, with my daily average constantly moving up. I weighed just a hair under 185 this morning after coffee, a sandwich, and an evacuation. I'm no longer staying up around 186-188. That could explain why my bench has regressed a few pounds. Even a little bit of lost glycogen and water weight shows up immediately on the bench press. 

Speaking of the bench, I snuck back into the gym last night because a) I really wasn't at my best yesterday morning in terms of energy levels, and b) I just didn't feel right about not benching more than 235. Results:

9.1.15/Tue

Bench Press, touch and go

45 x 10

135 x 5

185 x 3

225 x 2

245 x 2, 1

Pull Up @ 185 x 6, @ 185 + 15lb DB x 4

Not only was 245 for a double tough...but I also felt like neither of my shoulders could handle it! The right shoulder is already a little dinged up. But the left was feeling on the verge of slight injury too at 185. I think my decision to get on both LGD and Osta was solidified on that warm up set.

As if that weren't enough, both elbows were feeling the old strains when I did some pull-ups. That pain was almost entirely gone a few days ago! 

The first set of bodyweight-only pull-ups was ridiculously easy for six. I stopped at just six with the intention to do maybe four sets. But I decided to go a little bit heavier and put a 15-lb DB between my feet with the intention of going up to 30 lbs and doing sets of triples. But it was more than a little awkward with the DB because the straight bar is on a rack that's kind of short. I had to angle my legs forward. I need to buy another chin/dip belt.

Six-Week Cycles?

I have seen recommendations to run LGD for more like 8-12 weeks. I think that's just a little risky. But it may turn out to be fine for the majority of people. I like six-week cycles right now because it gives my body a much-needed rest from the rapid increases in what I'm able to lift. And also because my system spends less time getting suppressed. 

I'm sure someone will read this and claim that both six weeks and 12 weeks requires equal amounts of time off, but I really think that's a silly notion. I think I can get more time on within a year by taking regular breaks instead of staying on too long and then needing months for my own production to bounce back to normal. 

And anyway it seems like most of the benefits manifest between weeks two and six. So instead of going full bore for 12 weeks straight, it just seems to make more sense to go for six, then take a few days off to let the joints rest and endocrine system bounce back, then go back on. 

Feeling It Already

This is almost defnitely placebo, but I feel better already after my morning stack. My mood is fantastic. I feel energized. Muscles feel full. Torso looks lean. I have one more "deload" session this week. Supposed to see how my squat feels tomorrow. I'm hoping that 355 or 365 for a wrapped-but-no-belt double won't do me in. I want to start my official cycle next week right about where I left off last week: 255 x 2 bench and 375 x 2 squat. I want to end up with a 285 x 2 BP and 425 x 2 SQ at the end of six weeks. 

There will probably be much less emphasis on the deadlift this time. But I still hope to get a double with over 500 lbs conventional and beltless without it wrecking me. 

I dont see how my bodyweight won't crest 190 lbs. And I imagine it will get as high as 195. I'm actually hoping to do a another two or three cycles through the fall and winter and see if I can't get my bodyweight up to a lean 220. Getting over 200 is going to be a magical moment for me, though. It may happen this cycle, but more likely it will be the cycle after this one. That should also be when I see my bench crest 315. 

This cycle should see my high bar raw squat go well over 405, however. That will be another magical moment for me. I've never had that much weight on me high bar style. Also, a 500-lb conventional deadlift  without a belt will be an all-time best by far. Those are both coming this cycle!