Originally Posted by ksesler

HELP REQUESTED HELP REQUESTED HELP REQUESTED HELP REQUESTED

Cycle 2 6/16/10 Chest, Triceps, Shoulders

Need some advise please.
I had an absolutely disastrous bench press workout, going down by nearly 50% on some of the sets.
This is the second poor chest workout in a row, but the decline was greater this time.

My right arm seems to be going out on me fairly quickly on the 80# and 90# DBs, although my reps with anything lower are about the same.

I don't think I injured myself.
The only variables I can think of are that:
1) I have been taking Androgel for the last week (was just on test cyp before), so don't know if there is another ingredient in there that maybe I am having a reaction to (I am not breaking out in hives like I do with most things I am allergic to, and don't seem to be any more flushed than normal)
2) There is a supposedly 'inert' ingreadient in the oil based items I am taking that is affecting me in some way, or I am reacting in an unexpected way to the non-inert ones.

Any advise would be appreciated, as this is starting to concern me.
I was upset as it was at the last chest workout, and things seem much more worse now.

Anyhow, here is my workout routine, which was not too pathetic after the bench presses.

Supine Bench Press, 4 sets 90# DBs (18, 16, 14, 12) (-10 reps)
• Decline Bench Press, 4 sets 80# (9, 10, 9, 10) (-31 reps)
• Incline Bench Press (45 degrees), 4 sets 72.5# (17, 16, 14, 14) (-2 reps)
• (A workout) Chest Fly, 4 sets (Bowflex) 360# x2 (19, 18) 330# x 2(20, 20) (+5 reps)
• (B workout) Cable Crossover
• Triceps Rope Pushdown, 4 sets (Bowflex) 200# (22, 22, 21, 21) (+3 reps)
• Triceps Dips Body weight (21, 20, 20, 20) (+1 rep)
• (A workout) DB Shoulder (Military) Press, 4 sets 62.5# DBs (18, 17) 60# (18, 17)
• Reverse DB flyes 30# DBs (20, 20, 20, 22) (+2.5#)
• Superset of:
o Front Shoulder Raise, 2 sets 27.5# (17, 17)
o Lateral Shoulder Raise, 2 sets 27.5# (17, 17)

Originally Posted by stickman3

Your temporarily lower T levels are most likely to blame for the decreases in strength. Until your new TRT regimen stabilizes (neither Androgel nor Cyp work -and- reach stable levels overnight), then naturally your strength is going to be less than it was before (and probably your libido too). When tau-1 and tau-2 kick in and start to stabilize (plasma levels), they will pick up any strength slack you are experiencing. Furthermore, your TRT should be back banging by then as well, so your strength will come back with a vengeance.

Even if you were just injecting inert peanut oil, it wouldn't cause your strength to decrease by 50%.

Patience is virtue.

Originally Posted by ksesler

That would be true, except that I have also been concurrently been taking a combination of Test Cyp and Androgel until Tau-2 kicks in.
For instance, I took 100mg of Test Cyp Sunday, and have been doing 5-6 pumps of Androgel daily.
So, by last night, Wednesday, when I did my workout, if anything my T should reasonably stable and high, even if I was injecting inert peanut oil that also had spoiled.

So, that is why I am thinking maybe my body is reacting in some unexpected way to one or more inert/non-inert things I am taking.

As always, though, I appreciate your input.
I probably should have given you more complete information from which you could draw conclusions, so my bad.

The really wierd thing is that it was only one muscle group affected that my workout tanked on. Everything else was as good or better than before.

Originally Posted by stickman3

If you just resumed test cyp last Sunday, then it hasn't even had time to do much of anything yet, and your levels from it are far from steady. It's half life is about a week, so time to steady state is going to be more like a month, if you just resumed weekly injections after a few weeks break from them.

Good luck with your cycle.

Originally Posted by jra1279

What you are experiencing is called the Test flu.
Sometimes when you run several different substances together, your T levels and other hormones get screwed up until your body adjust to everything, and finally levels out.

Originally Posted by ksesler

Stickman:
I never STOPPED taking test cyp. I was just saying my most recent injection was Sunday.

I am still optimistic I will be happy with the cycle.
I am just trying to figure out what the heck is messing me up so much on my chest exercises all of a sudden.

Keith

Originally Posted by stickman3

BTW, all caps? I'm hurt. I think you're ragin'!

Originally Posted by DocDan

Maybe you'll just cook her up and serve her with fava beans and a nice Chianti? LMAO.

- Dan

Originally Posted by jra1279

I bet you would have leftovers for several meals.

Originally Posted by ksesler

Raging? No, unfortunately not, and it was only one word in caps.
I really miss that semi-psychotic feeling I got while on Tren-LV

Hope to get that feeling back on this cycle, which will also no doubt amp up the abuse I heap on Ol' Bessie, my wife.

Originally Posted by DocDan

I'm already getting semi-psychotic.

Yesterday I was at the gym sitting on a bench getting ready to do a set of DB chest presses. A few minutes later I suddenly realized that I had been just staring blankly into the mirror while thinking about all sorts of extremely violent and rather twisted things. It was actually pretty f'ed up and really freaked me out.

This morning I was driving to the hospital like I was a maniac, and it's not as if was late or there was an emergency... I was actually getting a kick out of driving that way.

Then when I found out that my first patient ate something for breakfast, I really had to control myself not to flip out, because what I wanted to say to him was "Hey, shithead... what in "NO FOOD OR DRINK AFTER MIDNIGHT" didn't you understand? Do you need fucking cartoon pictures to get it the next time?"

- Dan

Originally Posted by ksesler

Raging? No, unfortunately not, and it was only one word in caps.
I really miss that semi-psychotic feeling I got while on Tren-LV

Hope to get that feeling back on this cycle, which will also no doubt amp up the abuse I heap on Ol' Bessie, my wife.

Originally Posted by bushdragon311

Keith,
I remember when I switched from Test Propionate to Sustanon 250 during a cycle and it messed up my strength and energy levels too. Stickman is right- it is due to the levels in the bloodstream not being level or consistent. Coincidentally, it was also my chest workout that suffered greatly that week. Somebody told me once that "you are either a pusher or a puller" meaning that you excel in either push exercises or pull exercises. I am a puller. Chest has always been a tough thing for me to grow but my back exploded. The point I am trying to make is that your flaw or weakest movement will always rear its ugly head when things are not right with blood levels while on cycle.
For some reason it screws with confidence, and the muscle sensories tend to be shy with the weight loads. Once your blood levels even off and you have equilibrium again- your strength will be back and confidence too. It's an amazing thing the body and how it dictates success. You would think that with all the muscle and strength you developed over the last several months that you would be able to adapt and overcome anything right? Not true. I was doing 750 mgs of test cyp and decided to boost it to 1000 mgs. Now you would think that the next workout I would be setting the world on fire right? Nope. Could not get that edge and I felt like I got hit by a truck. A week later I was a world beater. Hang in there. Things will improve and you will shake your head later wondering why you were so worried when all is good.

bushdragon

Originally Posted by ksesler

Cycle 3, Day 12 Training Log (6/17/2010): Back, Biceps, Forearms

Had a MUCH better workout than yesterday.
Thanks again to everyone who provided information and support, as I was having a bit of a crisis in confidence after my terrible chest workout yesterday

Also, my back was sweating quite a bit at work today, so I think Tau-A is kicking in. (Yay!)
Hopefully, my test levels stabilize soon as well.

Today, for the first time, I tried out the Pushup Position one arm rows that Dan has been doing, and I now like this exercise.
I will alternate this one with my normal one arm row using the 130# DB.
An extra benefit of doing the Pushup Position rows is that it is much easier on my lower back.
I have been straining my lower back a bit on the 130# DB rows, making it too tender to do the deadlifts the following day.
My back feels great right now, so I will be able to do the deadlifts tomorrow.

• Pullups (with weighted vest +20#), 4 sets 21, 20, 20, 19)
• B: Wide Pull Down, (palms facing away) 4 sets 260# (bowflex), 25, 25, 25, 25 (+1 rep)
• B: Pushup position 1-arm DB Row, 4 sets 35# (20), 40#(20), 45#(20), 50#(20) NEW
• Seated Lat Row, 4 sets 510# (bowflex) 32, 32, 31, 32 (+1 rep)
• DB Shoulder Shrug, 4 sets 100# DBs (26, 24, 24, 24) (+3 reps)
• Lying Cable Curl, 4 sets (P3) 330# (bowflex) 24, 22, 21, 21 (+10#)
• B: Hammer Curl, 4 sets 45# DB’s (14, 13, 12, 12) (+3 reps)
• Zottman Curl 4 sets 25# (13, 13, 13, 14) (+3 reps)
• Forearm Flexion 60#, 2 sets (18, 16)


Keith

Originally Posted by coolazice

That's excellent news Keith! Nice to see more of those plus signs again How much water do you typically drink in a day with all that heat you deal with?

Originally Posted by ksesler

Well, considering that most of my typical day is in an air conditioned car, air conditioned house, or air conditioned home, not as much as you might think.

Now, when I am out on a hike, that is a different matter, and I always bring at last twice what I need, in case of mishaps.

I usually drink 24 oz of water during my workouts, a quart during the day at work, 16-24 oz. in the green tea I drink during the day, and a bit in the evening. Plus, anything I get from milk or pomegranate juice I drink each day.

Keith

Originally Posted by ksesler

Well, considering that most of my typical day is in an air conditioned car, air conditioned house, or air conditioned home, not as much as you might think.

Now, when I am out on a hike, that is a different matter, and I always bring at last twice what I need, in case of mishaps.

I usually drink 24 oz of water during my workouts, a quart during the day at work, 16-24 oz. in the green tea I drink during the day, and a bit in the evening. Plus, anything I get from milk or pomegranate juice I drink each day.

Keith

Originally Posted by coolazice

Stickman already alluded to this, but do you think your lack of proper hydration could be contributing to your lack of strength in those workouts? It's happened to me before, so that is why I asked.