This is my first attempt at a log.
I'm sure I will write way too many words...
But I figure it's better to include too much info than not enough, if I want advice.
--
I'm British, male, early 50s, ex-forces.
--
This is my 2nd life.
--
In my 1st life, I was 5'8" & 200lbs.
My body fat was around 10%.
I was never huge...but not much wobbled.
--
I used to train a lot.
Boxing, cardio, & weights.
4 sessions a week.
2 sessions were boxing & cardio.
This was ringwork, bagwork, & speedwork, followed by a 10 mile run.
2 sessions were weights & cardio.
This was a full body weights session, followed by rowing & cycling.
The weights were aimed at power & speed, rather than hypertrophy.
I did this for 20 years.
The frequency of training varied, depending on life & work, but that was the general pattern.
My overall aim was functional strength & stamina, plus the ability to run (and keep running) when things went horribly wrong (which tends to happen in life sometimes).
--
My 2nd life began around 4 year ago when someone trashed my car, with me in it.
I had a 3+ year period of reconstructive surgery, during which pretty much everything that could be replaced from the pelvis down was replaced.
I've been back in the gym for 10 months now.
Weights only up to now, due to lack of mobility......with the aim being to rebuild muscle strength, get my form right, and prep for this next phase.
I've been doing 6 sessions a week.
A 3 day split: Legs, Push, Pull.
Training each split twice a week.
So legs, push, pull, legs, push, pull, rest.
My diet has mainly been good.
Usually 6 meals a day.
Sometimes 5.
Aiming for around 30g protein per meal.
Mainly high protein, highish fat, lowish carbs...with an occasional tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, or out for a curry.
--
Example of types of meals:
The 2 protein shakes, and the cottage cheese & kimchi, are the same every day.
I vary the other 3 meals.
--
*Black pudding = Blood sausage (made from pig/cow blood, fat, oats, onion, & spices) for those that don't know.
--
I don't smoke or do drugs.
I drink occasionally, but can live without it.
I’m not on any meds.
--
I want to give my current stats, but it's not as simple as earlier.
I'm still 5'8" …oddly enough.
But when I step on the scales now, I'm conscious that a lot of steel & plastic is stepping onto the scales with me...so I'm not sure what my actual bodyweight is.
I'd estimate my bodyfat at now 22%-25% though.
--
My training schedule is changing now.
My mobility has improved to the point where cardio is viable.
I'm thinking my training schedule going forward will be a 4 day split.
--
My life aims:
What I want from training & gear:
Priorities are fat loss, functional strength, & conditioning.
If I gain a lot of muscle mass, that's ok, but not a priority.
--
Why gear, and why now?
The short answer is because I'm short of time.
What I need to achieve can't be achieved within the timescales I have to work with, without gear.
I've never used gear previously.
That's not because I was against it, or obsessively natty...
It's just that I didn't need to use gear to do what I wanted to do back then.
--
The plan in terms of gear and cycles:
I now have a 10 month window, in which I don't need to think about, or do, anything excepting training.
That's 42 weeks.
From early September 2023 to the end of June 2024
I'm naturally disciplined (bordering on obsessive)...
So I want to use this 10 months to the fullest.
I’ve read and watched everything I could find about gear on the internet in the past few months.
My initial thinking was a 1st cycle of test + anavar.
But on reflection, I don't want to risk the hepatotoxicity of orals.
My liver took a battering during the accident, and as a result of the meds I've been on.
I don't have any identified liver conditions...but I'm cautious of taking unnecessary risks.
So I'm thinking injectables only...and only those with relatively low impact on liver.
A lot of the info on the internet varies in what it advises in terms of dose and length of early cycles.
I’m thinking:
That’s more than enough words.
Thanks for reading.
Any advice is very welcome.
I'm sure I will write way too many words...
But I figure it's better to include too much info than not enough, if I want advice.
--
I'm British, male, early 50s, ex-forces.
--
This is my 2nd life.
--
In my 1st life, I was 5'8" & 200lbs.
My body fat was around 10%.
I was never huge...but not much wobbled.
--
I used to train a lot.
Boxing, cardio, & weights.
4 sessions a week.
2 sessions were boxing & cardio.
This was ringwork, bagwork, & speedwork, followed by a 10 mile run.
2 sessions were weights & cardio.
This was a full body weights session, followed by rowing & cycling.
The weights were aimed at power & speed, rather than hypertrophy.
I did this for 20 years.
The frequency of training varied, depending on life & work, but that was the general pattern.
My overall aim was functional strength & stamina, plus the ability to run (and keep running) when things went horribly wrong (which tends to happen in life sometimes).
--
My 2nd life began around 4 year ago when someone trashed my car, with me in it.
I had a 3+ year period of reconstructive surgery, during which pretty much everything that could be replaced from the pelvis down was replaced.
I've been back in the gym for 10 months now.
Weights only up to now, due to lack of mobility......with the aim being to rebuild muscle strength, get my form right, and prep for this next phase.
I've been doing 6 sessions a week.
A 3 day split: Legs, Push, Pull.
Training each split twice a week.
So legs, push, pull, legs, push, pull, rest.
My diet has mainly been good.
Usually 6 meals a day.
Sometimes 5.
Aiming for around 30g protein per meal.
Mainly high protein, highish fat, lowish carbs...with an occasional tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, or out for a curry.
--
Example of types of meals:
- 6am. Low carb protein shake (whey protein isolate & goats milk)
- 9am. Porridge (oats, honey, goats milk, & protein isolate) OR black pudding*, eggs, beans, & mushrooms OR kippers & mashed potato
- Noon. Low carb protein shake
- 3pm. Mackerel in olive oil & mixed veg (peas, carrot, sweetcorn, spinach, & broccoli) OR chicken, rice, & broccoli OR a chicken & spinach wrap
- 6pm. Tuna & spinach & fruit OR stilton & black pudding & fruit OR chicken, potatoes, & broccoli OR kippers, rice, & broccoli
- 9pm. Cottage cheese & kimchi + general nutritional supplements (multivitamins, calcium, cod liver oil, chlorella & spirulina)
The 2 protein shakes, and the cottage cheese & kimchi, are the same every day.
I vary the other 3 meals.
--
*Black pudding = Blood sausage (made from pig/cow blood, fat, oats, onion, & spices) for those that don't know.
--
I don't smoke or do drugs.
I drink occasionally, but can live without it.
I’m not on any meds.
--
I want to give my current stats, but it's not as simple as earlier.
I'm still 5'8" …oddly enough.
But when I step on the scales now, I'm conscious that a lot of steel & plastic is stepping onto the scales with me...so I'm not sure what my actual bodyweight is.
I'd estimate my bodyfat at now 22%-25% though.
--
My training schedule is changing now.
My mobility has improved to the point where cardio is viable.
I'm thinking my training schedule going forward will be a 4 day split.
- Day #1. Legs & cardio (elliptical & rower, both HIIT)
- Day #2. Push & cardio (elliptical & rower, both HIIT)
- Day #3. Pull & cardio (elliptical & rower, both HIIT)
- Day #4. Rest.
--
My life aims:
- Regain physical fitness. I'm already fitter now than most people, but nowhere near where I was previously.
- Return to work. I won't be saying what field I work in, but physical contact with people in fairly high-risk situations is part of the job.
What I want from training & gear:
Priorities are fat loss, functional strength, & conditioning.
If I gain a lot of muscle mass, that's ok, but not a priority.
--
Why gear, and why now?
The short answer is because I'm short of time.
What I need to achieve can't be achieved within the timescales I have to work with, without gear.
I've never used gear previously.
That's not because I was against it, or obsessively natty...
It's just that I didn't need to use gear to do what I wanted to do back then.
--
The plan in terms of gear and cycles:
I now have a 10 month window, in which I don't need to think about, or do, anything excepting training.
That's 42 weeks.
From early September 2023 to the end of June 2024
I'm naturally disciplined (bordering on obsessive)...
So I want to use this 10 months to the fullest.
I’ve read and watched everything I could find about gear on the internet in the past few months.
My initial thinking was a 1st cycle of test + anavar.
But on reflection, I don't want to risk the hepatotoxicity of orals.
My liver took a battering during the accident, and as a result of the meds I've been on.
I don't have any identified liver conditions...but I'm cautious of taking unnecessary risks.
So I'm thinking injectables only...and only those with relatively low impact on liver.
A lot of the info on the internet varies in what it advises in terms of dose and length of early cycles.
I’m thinking:
- 8 week Test 250mg/week
- 4 week PCT
- 8 week Test 250mg/week
- 4 week PCT
- 12 week Test 350mg/week
- 6 week PCT
That’s more than enough words.
Thanks for reading.
Any advice is very welcome.
excellent start with the log 
ask any questions you have we all are here for helping out.
