Two months post-Hdrol cycle blood work.

[Mags]

It could also just mean you're a bit dehydrated. Or slightly overtrained.

Overtraining in sport - Google Book Search

Interesting read. I don't think it'd be dehyration as I drink water throughout the day and more during my workout (although that might not be enough). It might well be overtraining. Since I finished the cycle, I've been training with the same regime, with the same weights and trying to maintain the same intensity. However, the weight seems heavier (amounts of reps have diminished on last two sets) and I've needed longer to recover between sets. The feeling that I might be sick tends to get closer than before, too (leg and back workouts only). And the aches afterwards are worse. When on Hdrol, my body was good to go the next day, now it aches and feels like it needed a whole week to recover, which is why I've had a two separate weeks off in the eight or so weeks since I finished the cycle. It felt like I'd gone from Superman to Old man. I'm not surprised by any of this - I was on a prohormone cycle, after all - but it might signify possible overtraining, therefore the less-then-perfect state of my urea levels.

Cheers.

 

[Hench]

Interesting read. I don't think it'd be dehyration as I drink water throughout the day and more during my workout (although that might not be enough). It might well be overtraining. Since I finished the cycle, I've been training with the same regime, with the same weights and trying to maintain the same intensity. However, the weight seems heavier (amounts of reps have diminished on last two sets) and I've needed longer to recover between sets. The feeling that I might be sick tends to get closer than before, too (legs and back only). And the aches afterwards are worse. When on Hdrol, my body was good to go the next day, now it aches and feels like it needed a whole week to recover, which is why I've had a two separate weeks off in the 8 or so weeks since I finished the cycle. I'm not surprised by any of this - I was on a prohormone cycle, after all - but it might signify possible overtraining, in turn affecting my urea levels.

Cheers.

Do you have any periodization in your program Mags?

 

[Mags]

Do you have any periodization in your program Mags?

I used to do the Power/Rep/Shock regime which was good. However, I like to do solid stints where I'll stick to a specific regime for a few months. Then I'll change to another. I spend longer amounts of time sticking to certain regimes as it gives me a decent duration to get used to the new exercise (in that I can 'do it' properly, not as in my system gets used to it), to see some good progression in weight and to see the results in growth. I find that chopping and changing too often simply makes me do lots of different exercises with little in the way of growth or increases in strength. For example, if I did dumbell press one week, bench press the next and then Incline bench the one after, I'd only be doing dumbell press once every three weeks. So, by the time I'd come to do them again, I hadn't made that much progression from the time before and would find myself on the same weight for ages. This went for all my exercises. Also, alternating between high-reps and low-reps didn't do me much good, either. I know this flies in the face of bodybuilding logic, but I tend to get bigger and stronger by doing low reps of heavy weights with exercises I do regularly. Obviously this is only to an extent, then I change to a whole new regime. Although the reps stay low. Which, in the most long-winded answer ever, is how I've been training throughout my cycle and now (probably a bit more than 16 weeks): fixed regime, 8-4 reps ( I wanted to train the same as I did on cycle as part of my post-cycle maintenance to see if I could keep my strength as well as gains). It does seem time for a change in regime, though. I just hate the idea of, say, dropping dumbell rows for machine or cable rows and then when I try to do them again a few weeks down the line, not being able to do them as well.

 

[Hench]

Sorry, I should have been clearer, program variation is one type of periodization, but I was asking if you have any sort of deload or submaximal weeks built into your program.

This is from an article on Gazhole's blog:

Linear periodization is generally a concept originally attributed to Leonid Matveyev, but has been adopted by many different authors and trainers worldwide. It’s basic principle is that training variations progress in a linear or straight manner throughout the course of the program.

For example, if you were progressing intensity in a linear fashion you may do one week at 4x6 @ 12rm (not very intense), followed by one week at 4x6 @ 10rm, then 4x6 @ 8rm (around the right intensity), followed by a final week at 4x6 @ 6rm (theoretically the max you can do for a single set of six reps) with the hopes of increasing your 6rm weight

This is essentially the concept of linear periodization. In a nutshell, over the course of the program a variable or cluster of variables will progress in a linear, predictable, way. This technique can be applied to any variable, but generally increases with difficulty over the course of the program.

As well as linear, there is also undulating periodization, this is a link to an article on P-Funks website:

Undulating Periodization

Building this type of periodization into your program allows your body to recover between heavy sessions and will lead to better gains.

 

[TrojanMan60563]

Doctors are ignorant. My old doctor told me to stop taking whey protein that it was the cause of my elevated liver enzymes, and adding to my high blood pressure. She couldn't give me a reason why that was, so she lost her position as "my doctor".

Ideally it would be nice to find a doctor that is a using athlete that understands ever aspect of health and typical labs of even an athlete, especially one that is using.

 

[Mags]

Sorry, I should have been clearer, program variation is one type of periodization, but I was asking if you have any sort of deload or submaximal weeks built into your program.

Not really. Like I said previously, I tend to train in 3-4month chunks where I have the same regime, always going heavy. I think it's time I looked at training differently. The above has been effective in the past, but now it's a bit of a struggle.

 

[OneWheyOrAnother]

Not really. Like I said previously, I tend to train in 3-4month chunks where I have the same regime, always going heavy. I think it's time I looked at training differently. The above has been effective in the past, but now it's a bit of a struggle.

Ya I hear ya, I usually train HEAVY but, as the weight gets higher and higher it starts to sh*t kick you to the point of dying LOL.

 

[Mags]

Ya I hear ya, I usually train HEAVY but, as the weight gets higher and higher it starts to sh*t kick you to the point of dying LOL.

Yup, the heavier poundages from benching/dumbell pressing have definitely taken a toll on my right shoulder joint and the skullcrushers always hurt my elbows to the point I may have to stop going heavy or stop them altogether. Heavy back workouts twinge the tendons/ligaments by my left bicep at the elbow and my knees don't like to look directly at the squat rack anymore.

 

[workingatit43]

Okay, total testosterone is at half mast, your lipids suck and your free testosterone is in the toilet. Did you get your bloodwork done again after that?

Yes I had some bloodwork done about a month ago. Lipids were better and free test was slightly higher.

 

[workingatit43]

I was thinking the same, to add what did you use for pct to fix this?

My pct was Post Cycle Support and Lean Xtreme

 

[Mags]

Hey guys, I had blood work done today after being off the Hdrol for 10 weeks.

I will hopefully get a whole analysis of what's going on, but I know my doc was more focused on my urea and electrolytes, liver function, thyroid function and random glucose.

I should hear something back in about a week. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers.