The Shadow - PSL Sponsored Log

[The.Shadow]

Welcome everybody and thank you for taking the time to look into my log!

I would like to start with a heartfelt thank you to the PSL team for granting me this amazing opportunity and for the incredible multi-faceted service they deliver. I am truly honoured to represent a company of PSL's caliber and I promise that I will not let you guys down.

I cannot wait to share my journey with all of you and hope to create some outstanding moments, memories and friendships along the way.

Here is to the beginning of a new journey, and a bright and successful future for all of us!

So... here we are at the beginning of what is a very exciting road for me. I am still in complete disbelief to have been considered for this position and am truly honoured.

I want to make a promise to the PSL staff and all of you now that I will provide 100% effort on every front throughout this whole experience and promise to represent you all in the best way that I possibly can.

Right, onwards to the log.

I have decided to keep this first post fairly brief and simply explain some short personal details about myself in the hopes that those of you who have not seen me around before can get to know me a little better!

I am a 22 year old from England. I am a business owner and online evidence based physique sports and powerlifting coach. I began my fitness journey just over 4 years ago at 18 years old and 126lbs. My biggest passions in life include music, lifting, boxing, reading and research reviews. (Specifically hypertrophy and PED related)

My current goal is to continue to add lean muscle mass.

Thank you for reading and please keep your eyes open for more progress photos, PSL gear porn, current philosophies, research reviews and anything else I think may be considered valuable!

Here are a couple of recent photos of myself at the time of posting:

-This is a progress photo of a 6 month recomp I ran in late 2015. My weight stayed at 203lbs throughout this period:

-This was a sneak shot from my training partner of some EZ bar curls a couple of months ago:

If there is anything that you guys would like to see from me, like to know about myself or absolutely anything else at all then please do not hesitate to ask.

My best always,
Shadow

 

[The.Shadow]

So a beautiful package of EP peptides from PSL just landed! More specifically, a bunch of GHRP2, Mod GRF-129, IGF1 LR-3 and some MT2.

The first thing I noticed upon opening my package was this informative leaflet:

This was very professionally designed, printed on high quality gloss paper and contained a tonne of useful information about the EP line of peptides. I really love this touch and have never seen anything like it in the past from any other company!

Underneath the leaflet I found the good stuff!

Along with a bunch of Sodium Chloride to dilute the peptides:

Honestly, and I promise you all here that I am not just saying this because I am a rep, but these are the most professionally printed vials of peptides I have ever seen. They really are the genuine article.

Now, as you can see in the above pictures, all of the peptide powder is in one solid clump sitting at the bottom of the vial. This is a tell tale sign that this product has been properly lyophilized, which is indicative of these peptides being the genuine article. Lyophilization is an expensive process and is where many companies skimp costs. If you receive peptides and the powder is loose and clinging to the edges of the vial, it's probably not what it says it is.

I have been dosing the GHRP2+Mod GRF-129 at 100mcg 3x per day, the IGF1 at 50mcg post-workout, and the MT2 at 1mg per week. From the first injection I instantly felt the hot flushed feeling and rush I have felt before when I KNOW I have the genuine article. I haven't always gotten so lucky, I'm sure you guys are aware how many fakes are floating around the peptide market. I was so glad to see EP begin producing peptides to remove any worries!

I can say with complete certainty that these peptides are the real deal, and you guys are going to love them!!

All my best
Shadow

 

[The.Shadow]

Hey everybody!

Hope you are all well.

There has been a large change to both my diet and training programs this week and have began working with a coach. Things are really looking up!

I can't divulge the exact details of the protocol but carbs are heavily focussed around workout times with fats placed elsewhere and training is every muscle group twice per week implementing strength based days and other days using more volume increasing techniques.

Still running:
1g Test/wk
500mg Tren/wk
50mg Provi ED
50mg Dbol ED
50mg Adrol ED
50mcg IGF1 LR-3 PWO
100mcg GHRP2+Mod GRF-129 3x/day
30mg Asin ED
.5mg Caber 2x/wk

Here's a quick leg shot I just snapped sitting here after lunch!

 

[The.Shadow]

What is the best form of Testosterone for bodybuilders?

I've had a dozen or so questions so far this week along the lines of: 'which form of testosterone is best for cutting?' Or 'which test should I use to bulk?'. So I thought this would be a good point to address.

There is a long perpetuated myth in the bodybuilding world that you should use shorter esters (e.g propionate) for cutting, and longer esters (e.g enanthate, cypionate) for muscle gaining phases. This belief stems from the theory that there is less water retention with the shorter esters, and more so with the longer ester testosterones.

To put it simply, testosterone is testosterone. The only difference between the different esters attached to the hormone is how soluble the drug will be once in the bloodstream (at what speed the hormone will be utilised), and therefore your injection frequency. The amount of water retention you encounter is largely down to how well your control your estrogen levels and the total amount of the drug you are using.

Take away point: no one form of testosterone is more conducive to your goals than another.

 

[The.Shadow]

Here's a couple of snaps from tonights Lats & Biceps workout!

Fuelled by EP dianabol, anadrol and IGF

 

[The.Shadow]

Blueberries for Bodybuilding

Check out this study that demonstrates that the ingestion of a blueberry smoothie prior to and after exercise-induced muscle damage accelerates recovery of muscle peak isometric strength:

http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-9-19

This effect, independent of the blueberries antioxidant capacity, appears to involve an up-regulation of adaptive processes.

The findings of this study are useful to the bodybuilding community whom should consider dietary interventions that specifically target health and performance adaptation.

 

[The.Shadow]

GHRP2+Mod GRF-129

For any anybody looking to reap the benefits of raising their serum growth hormone level, but can't afford to use pharma grade GH, this combination and the research behind it will definitely interest you!

These two peptides stimulate growth hormone in a synergistic fashion. This picture shows the results of a study comparing the use of 100mcg of GHRP2+Mod GRF-129 with 7.5iu FDA grade GH.

As you can see, due to its' short half life it does need to be dosed fairly frequently.

 

[The.Shadow]

Three months ago I decided to create a new habit of meditating for 15 minutes upon waking using the Calm app every morning. The anecdotal benefits I noticed were keeping me focussed and present on the 'Now' and less reactive to distractions throughout the day, and the research appears to show this now also.

For example, the conclusion of this study shows brief mindfulness meditation buffers self-reported psychological stress reactivity, alongside greater cortisol reactivity during social evaluative stressors: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24767614/

Have any of you tried incorporating brief mindfulness meditation into your daily routine, and if so, what have been your personal experiences?

 

[The.Shadow]

Hey guys,

Aside from the informative posts, here is a personal update.

Gear is down to a cruise dose, food is way up more than usual and I am recomping nicely sitting around 200-203lbs right now. I can't share too much more as the protocol has been written up by my coach and I couldn't possibly share his great work!

Here is two weeks of back progress since working with my coach. This guy is a genius! If any body wants to know who I am working with then please contact via PM.

 

[The.Shadow]

Rehydration is one benefit of BCAA supplementation that is rarely mentioned. In fact, one study found BCAA's to enhance cellular rehydration rate greater than a flavoured water beverage and an electrolyte-carbohydrate beverage after acute dehydration.

For those interested in reading an in-depth report of this study...



http://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-13-47

 

[The.Shadow]

To keep with the current peptide trend I have going on, I thought it would be worth mentioning MT2 and its' possible uses.

MT2 is a synthetic analogue of a-MSH which has in research shown to produce melanogenesis. (The part of the tanning process that causing darkening of the skin) and produce powerful aphrodisiac effects.

Unlike other peptides seen in the physique world, MT2 has no direct effect on physique enhancement other than allowing you to maintain a very dark tan without the need for excessive UV exposure.

The typical dosage protocol is to load using 500mcg/day alongside regular UV exposure until desired tan is achieved. A maintenance dose of 1mg/week with one weekly tanning session can then be employed.

I can say from anecdotal experience that I can maintain a healthy looking tan using MT2 at 1mg per week (before bed) and tanning for 6 minutes on a 0.3 sunbed the following day.

Just for fun, and to further emphasise on the extremely powerful aphrodisiac effects of MT2, here is a rat study on inducing erections through injection of MT2!



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16360286

 

[The.Shadow]

Getting my cell swelling/weak point training in wherever I can, LOL!

 

[The.Shadow]

It's a beautiful sunny day here in England today! Have any of you guys got the good weather where you are?

Had a great outdoor boxing session this morning, back for legs later tonight! Until then I am sat responding to clients all day, what are you guys up to?

 

[The.Shadow]

Somatostatin (a.k.a Growth Hormone Inhibiting Hormone) needs to be inhibited in order to reap the full benefits of GH releasing peptides.

We can inhibit Somatostatin release by supplementing with a Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Acetylcholinesterase inhibits acetylcholine, which in turn inhibits Somatostatin release and therefore increases the amount GH released when using peptides such as GHRP2/6, CJC etc.

Thanks to Alex Kikel, the Somatostatin inhibitor that I have found the most success with recently is Horny Goat Weed. The protocol I have used is dosing 750mg with each GH pulse of GHRP2 throughout the day.

 

[The.Shadow]

Getting in a pre-refeed heavy push day tonight!

 

[The.Shadow]

A local PT recently offered my partner an opportunity within the industry, which he has now decided to withdraw due to her association with me. His issue is that I post content regarding PED use in physique sports.

This is a real ethical issue within our industry that is a large driving force behind the problems that we see arising from improper use. Turning a blind eye and disassociating yourself from the blatant large scale PED use within our industry in an attempt to gain more clients and uphold a greater image of yourself is massively irresponsible.

I will never condone PED use for anybody, but I will also never demonise it. We need to respect that this is a personal decision and as coaches we have a responsibility to provide constant education and research to help these individuals to use PED's in the safest way possible.

I do hope that my posts regarding PED use in the future help many of you to make smarter and healthier choices about your usage and to further your understanding of the individual pharmacokinetics of these compounds.

To the PT in question, I suggest you take a hard look at yourself and question whether your reputation and/or image is really worth more to you than the chance to make a change within our industry to help create a more open and accepting environment for everybody.

 

[The.Shadow]

Personal update time...

197lbs this morning

Currently running:
300mg Test E/wk
150mg Tren E/wk
GHRP2 100mcg 3x per day
CJC w/DAC 2.5mg Mon/Thurs

This is me straight outta bed this morning:

 

[The.Shadow]

For those of you that are new to macro counting and have been asking me what foods predominantly contain what macronutrient, here is a helpful guide!

 

[Pushtoday]

Getting in a pre-refeed heavy push day tonight!

Keep Smashing my brother!
What does a refeed meal look like for you?
Wish I could check in more often but when I do I feel like I learn something new each time.

 

[The.Shadow]

Keep Smashing my brother!
What does a refeed meal look like for you?
Wish I could check in more often but when I do I feel like I learn something new each time.

Right now my refeed days are set up so that for my meals beforehand are approximately half protein servings, fats are completely out for my P+F meals and carbs are 1/3 of the usual intake. My peri-workout nutrition stays the same however. Then, my last meal of the day is one and a half large cheese pizzas. This is placed the night before the hardest training day of the week.

The food choice and amount is not random. Me and my coach are working to find the food type/amount that produces the desired end result of the refeed meal. I look at digestion, sodium/potassium amount, macronutrient/caloric content and how it affects my weight/physique the following morning!

 

[The.Shadow]

This photo was sent to me this morning via a client check in after some minor adjustments to his quad training volume + frequency and the inclusion of daily weak point cell swelling work in the last fortnight. I'd say it's working!

Of course I have him running all PSL gear too which is doing the business!

 

[The.Shadow]

Time for another app recommendation...

To anybody who is running a/multiple business(es), or for whatever reason finding themselves excessively busy, I hugely recommend the app 'Power Nap' by Sleep Cycle.

Due to other priorities taking up certain portions of my day right now, I am unable to sleep for any longer than 2-5 hour blocks at one time. I have been forced to take on a periodic/bi-modal sleeping pattern in which I am placing myself the goal of a total of 6-8 hours of sleep per 24 hour period.

This app uses the accelerometer built in to your smart phone to monitor and provide detailed analyses of your sleep time, time spent in each level of sleep cycle and total sleep quality.

Although I by no means feel this style of sleeping is optimal for physique development, there will be times when your priorities and work rate will have to override certain life variables in order to be successful. This app provided so much value in forcing me to track and maintain some form of sleeping schedule around my work life!

Download the app here!

https://appsto.re/gb/8WoFW.i

 

[The.Shadow]

After my sleep related post yesterday, a bunch of you asked me: 'can I still optimise my physique development sleeping only 4/5/6 hours per night?'.

The answer is undoubtably no.

We are constantly seeing more and more research supporting the myriad of benefits of longer sleeping hours. (Detailed post on this to come)

If you are focussed on your physique development, and are in a position where you can sleep undisturbed for 7-10 hours per night, then you really should!

 

[The.Shadow]

This man point blank refused me TRT treatment for a LONG time despite the bloodwork showing a clear cut issue.

On one hand I am glad as it forced me to reach out to research and find a solution myself, and has placed me now in a position to help so many. However, I didn't need to needlessly suffer for as long as I did.

He laughed at my problems and more than once told me to 'man up' as if that was a cure. I have thankfully since found a doctor that doesn't share the same opinion. I am so glad to see that myself, the girl he has abused and any body else who had the unfortunate experience of having him as a GP are getting some sort of justice!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...appropriate-intimate-medical-examination.html

 

[The.Shadow]

Some more outdoor training this morning!

 

[The.Shadow]

The fear and demonisation of TRT by medical professionals is plain ignorant with the research we have at our finger tips right now.

Most competitors/general population that I have worked with that are displaying signs of low T/have actual bloodwork showing low T (but are younger in age) are being refused TRT from their Endo usually due to the fear of its long term safety.

I understand that in this case the patients best interest is at heart, but if you were to do just a little digging you would find that we do actually have large-scale and long-term research on TRT.

For example, one 15 year study conducted on 83,000 men over 50 years old with low testosterone (pretty much the majority of men over 30, let alone 50), found a huge contrast between the portion of the group being treated with T vs. the portion which was not.

The group on TRT showed a 24% reduced heart attack risk, 36% lower rate of strokes and through the course of the study showed a 56% higher survival rate. This is not even to mention the psychological benefits of TRT treatment also.

Low testosterone is a killer. If you are showing signs of low T/already have bloodwork showing low T then do not give up. TRT will improve your health and quality of life in so many ways!

I have actually found success in a few clients whom were being refused TRT to end up qualifying for it after showing their Endos these research papers. If this is you, here are a couple of links!



http://www.sciencetimes.com/article...cement-therapy-increases-longevity-in-men.htm

http://www.nebido.com/en/patients/diagnosis-and-treatment/research-news/index.php

 

[The.Shadow]

I love this close stance variation on a traditional leg press!

Huge thank you to Alex Kikel for the recommendation

(p.s the plates are on the rear rack, I'm not pressing one plate I promise! )

https://vimeo.com/171483513

 

[The.Shadow]

Drink your lemon water!

There are so many benefits to drinking lemon water daily, such as...
breaking down of kidney stones (very common in physique athletes due to diets high in nuts and green veggies)
anti-cancer properties
high in vitamin C
aids in digestion
reduces inflammation

I personally cut up 1 lemon into slices and add it to my daily water intake for simplicity.

Here's some research links on the topic

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17372193/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/18072821/
http://m.cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/11/11/1472.full

Credit to Alex Kikel for the information.

 

[The.Shadow]

Focussed.

 

[The.Shadow]

When should you eat each macronutrient throughout the day for optimal physique development?

To put it simply...
Protein: consume a bolus of protein every 2-5 hours to maximise Muscle Protein Synthesis
Carbs: place the majority, if not the entirety, peri-workout (before, during and after training)
Fats: consume alongside your protein servings away from your workouts

Remember that your individual intake and caloric needs will come in to play here, this is just a very simple outline to help those taking the initial steps towards optimal meal timing for performance and physique goals!