Day 601

My bench seems to be stuck forever at 67.5kg~70Kg and I was just not feeling my Push- Pull - Rest -Push- Pull - Rest - Rest routine working anymore, the volume just doesn't feel enough at all. So now I been running a new
Chest/Biceps - Back/Triceps - Quads/Shoulders - Hams/Shoulders, training 7days/week thus allowing me to get 1.5x more volume in and shorter sessions in gym.

Managed to increase bench max by 2.5kg, and lower body & back maxes by 5kg. Also managed to increase weighted dips by a huge margin. I also feel my bench may be stalling due to zero overhead pressing. So be adding that.
For back, stopped doing weighted pullups since pullups always recruit too much arms and chest for me no matter how much i adjust my form/grip.
Doing lat pull-downs nowadays and feel it much much better in the back. Absolutely zero chest.

Body-weight now 66Kg @ 15% bf.

Now my left lateral delt is badly strained since 2 weeks ago from lateral raising 7.5kg dumbbells since 5kg was too light... and it only healed like 50%. Making things worst is I strained my Supraspinatus doing weighted dips last week, probably went too low on that shaky dip station. Now benching aggravates it, and can't do dips. So both my shoulders are fucked lolol. Left arm forearm bone also having micro cracks from bicep curling 12.5kg dumbbells.

http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/ind...atus-Tendinitis

Will be taking a 1~2weeks break from the gym to allow all this to heal. Anywhere it's already time for a deload.

Tricep Dips is like my favorite tricep builder ever, but will have to drop it and sub it with Close Grip Bench. The risk of fcking up your shoulders from weighted dips is just too high and easy to happen. Maybe that's why Mike O'Hearn uses a dipping machine instead? Those are great, wish my gym had it.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Aug 31 2016, 02:54 AM

Been out from the gym for slightly more than 1 week now.
Left medial delt strain seems to be worse than expected.
The fibers still hurt alot at a small region when I lift and rotate my arm in a very specific angle.
Totally rip I think lol.
Can't take chances, probably will off gym for 1 month to let it heal.
Never doing lateral raises with 6RM again. Have to find a medial delt exercise that I can increment by 1.25kgs so I can stay within 10~15RM.

My gym the dumbbells go like 5kg, 7.5kg, 10kg, 12.5kg ....

I started with doing super strict lying lateral raises on ~40 degree bench using the 5kg dumbbells. First started only can do 3x8... Slowly after 2 months build up to 3x15. And damn 3x15 means those 5kg dumbbells are now my 20RM++, that felt really light! My mid delts also had some good growth.
So then next step of course need to up weight, but the next dumbbells were 7.5kg. So I started doing 1x6,1x5,1x5 with those 7.5kg dumbbells, no choice.... and after a few weeks of this my left medial delt got strained.

About the cable stack at my gym, that one goes like 5kg,10kg,15kg... so out of question.

http://www.lelong.com.my/1-25kg-tri-grip-p...7-01-Sale-P.htm

LOL. The shop still there but item sold out. Click the "Visit My Store" , can contact seller and ask.

Decided not to train for the next 8 months due to being on isotetrinoin @ 40 ~ 60mg/day. It's a very dangerous medicine. Also started working full-time since Jun last year, come home late and tired everyday.

Committed to do an MRI for my L5 injury 2 years ago (see page 1), the one that happened cause sleep 1 side every day. Probably slight L5 herniation. No big deal (I can RDL 100kg pain free), champions have multiple herniation anyway.
Lesson: If you are a lifter, be sure to sleep straight on your back

Lateral Delt strain from incline lying lateral raise 95% recovered. Since I won't be lifting maybe I'll just spend RM 100 and do a ultrasound to see if I tear something that need surgical repair or not. Don't think it's anything beside bad strain that healed.
Lesson: Perfect form won't ever get you injured is A MYTH! If you push yourself hard enough with pure willpower and put maximal tension on the muscle you can strain it/rip your tendon. Got to know quite lot people get pec tears form "forced reps"

Having some crack crack sound and nerve/muscle cramming pain in my left neck since Jan last year. When to massage it at chiro and it's 50% better. Something to do with the way I sit on computer (I am software developer) and sleep. Prolly have to change my sleeping pillow and mouse/keyboard position. Orto doctor said got small crack at my neck bone there after checking xrays. Wonder how the fuck I got it???
Lesson: ?? nothing lol


Instead be dedicating time to:
1) Dedicate free time Learn Mandarin, if you know a good tutor do say
2) Have a fucking life

Fear of Losing muscle?
With muscle memory, it'll prolly take me only 5 months to quickly bounce back to intermediate standard (exrx chart). I did this before so it doesn't bother me much. And after all my injuries/medical conditions heal, and I quit my job, training will be far more ideal. Gains can wait.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Sep 22 2017, 09:28 PM

It's only that L5 thing. Other all usual tendonitis/strain that everyone gets here and there. Confirmed diagnosis need do MRI first, Hospital Ampang machine broken so need wait like 3 months zzzz. X-ray showed all normal. I can lift fine, do everything fine actually, I just wan to get it checked for fun.

I'm not lifting due to Accutane / Isotetrinoin. You can google Accutane side effects. My nose also inside got abit abit blood edy, and slight pressure in skull is noticeable, lips are cracked and bleed abit, eyes dry, heels pain when walk.
http://www.acne.org/accutane.html
Scroll down to side effects and see Local/General/Lab tabs.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Mar 21 2017, 11:28 PM

Yes got prescription, and I do liver function blood test also. I took it before for 1 year 2 months from 2015(Jan)~2016(Feb) (factor why my gains sucked and certain injuries). Chest/Back/Face Acne gone after that. Now after 10 months my face relapsed (chest and back fully clear permanently most prolly), and I am having cystic acne again on my face. So this is my second and final course, it's only 6 months+ course, cause the acne is only 40% of what I had last time. If relapse again after this I just gonna control it with tretinoin.

I have been suffering from cystic acne vulgaris on my face - chest - back since 2014 and spent almost RM 4000 on medicines and doctor fees.

Back from Physiotherapy at Hospital Ampang. Physio guy was real cool.

He say Xray show that my spine is perfectly fine. Then he also apply pressure on my spine and there was no pain. So he said surely cannot be any disk herniation, and spine is healthy but very stiff.

But what we did find was that my hamstring and ass were super tight. Like really horrible hamstring flexibility. Like really really really bad so bad that we were laughing at how bad it is. He told even the grandmas are more flexible than me and I should take yoga classes. And I have anterior pelvic tilt, being a programmer doesn't help for sure.

Basically he suspects the little ache I feel is because the extreme tight hams and glutes which are pulling the spine in a bad way causing slight compression on my root nerve sometimes.

Guess my body is also stiff and hardheaded, just like me.

I've been extremely stiff since Kindergarten itself, my whole body is stiff, and always been. Not caused by lifting.

Really hate stretching cause I'm so so stiff and it burns. Moreover my flexibility pose Zero limits on my lifting and I can squat super deep with perfect form also. Except deadlifts where hamstring flexibility is an issue, but I don't do deadlifts. So never had any motivation/reason to stretch.

But now it looks like I have to consistently stretch my lower posterior (hams and glutes). Gonna design a stretching routine and start doing it consistently. Will also see if taking any classes/massage will help or not. The physio said I can also try go for those muscle release massages to help with the ham/glute tightness besides yoga classes.

I just realized I have a way of sitting where I put my right leg ontop my left leg when sitting, so my right glute is always stretched. Which is one BIG reason why my left glute is much tighter than right. Have to watch this habits also from now.

I'm aware on Agile 8/Limber 11 .

This post has been edited by Armesh: Mar 29 2017, 02:36 PM

I do RDLs, with 5-6RM. Excellent hamstring/trap builder and allows stretching hamstring at the same time. Actually thinking to drop RDLs and do hamstring curls/shrugs/rack pulls instead for the rest of my life, cause I feel risk in herniating L5 disk doing RDLs.

Already planned a stretching routine. Chosen stretches are:

Hamstring:


I find this way best and most relaxing. Can to do easily anywhere got table or chair.
The lying hams stretch with towel the physio ask me do I really can't cause I need pull the towel with my arms to hold my leg up thus I can't relax into the stretch at all. All that pulling with towel also caused me to strain some back muscles at my scapula. So fuck that towel ham stretch. However stretching my hams have 0 effect on my condition.

Piriformis:

I prefer this sitting way compared to the lying down and pulling my tight up manually way that the physio ask me do. I actually feel good after stretching my left glute that the physio say is too tight.

Psoas:


So after doing some self research I realized Psoas tightness can also cause sciatic like pain. They connect to the spine bones and can pull your spine to one side if tight causing sciatica. So I added in a Psoas stretch also. Weirdly enough, Strecthing my right Psoas instantly makes all my symtoms disappear!. So yea definitely doing this too.

Stretching Routing
I stretch each of those 3 for 2 minutes per session. Each session just takes 10 minutes. I do the stretching sessions every 1~2 hours in office, and one last time before going to bed. So that's 5~6 stretching sessions per day for those 3. My office got nap room and a bean bag room to lie down and chill so that's where I do the session.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Mar 31 2017, 10:08 AM

Hamstring flexibility improved drastically after aggressive daily 1 hour of stretching. After 3~4 days in a row of stretching I get abit sore so I take a day off. Went to Physio@hospital Ampang yesterday again. They say my hamstring flex is def improved and my glutes are no longer super tight. Physio said I have posterior pelvic tilt/flat back and the weird thing is BOTH my hams & psoas are tight. So he said I am special case hahaha. Next appt is next month 19. Now can reach ankles, maybe 1 more month can touch toe.

However my symptoms has not improved despite increase flex. Today whole day at office lower back/ass constantly aching and it's still hurting right now. For the MRI they say I only can get it NEXT YEAR due to the queue. Now thinking if I should use RM 1200 and do MRI @ HUKM cause I really cannot tahan and scared this condition cause permanent nerve damage. My gut feeling strongly feels I laterally displaced something slightly 2 years ago and it is pinching some nerve causing all that ache and it has nothing to do with disc injury. My gut feeling has been 100% right for all illnesses I ever had in the past.

The isotetrinoin is really kicking in now, elbows joint hurt opening car doors and turning steering. Face was FUCKED last month and a few people at office asked me why my face is so fucked with so many giant pimples. Just jokingly said 2nd puberty hahahaha. Currently face filled with dark marks but 0 lesions. Lips are extremely dry. The skull pressure, extreme tiredness & dry eyes side effects subsided and faded, body probs got used to it.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Apr 22 2017, 12:07 AM

First course 20mg for 1 year 3 months. Low dose gave me perfect skin but didn't seal up the pores properly. So break again.

I don't have much sides, just tired cause my liver is being strained 24-7.
Training also causes liver enzymes to increase to I don't want stress it more. If it fails I die.

Acne was bad even after 4 months on isotretinoin face was still inflamed with boils.
Doctor also like wtf "this shouldn't happen??" and gave me injections on my face to bring them down.

Now after 5months+ on isotretinoin still breaking out, so doctor prescribed amoxicillin for 1 month. Just finished it yesterday.
Really helped eliminate most of the remaining boils and bring down inflammation.

I'll finish my course on November.
After discussing with my doctor we agreed to put me on maintenance dose isotetrinoin (30mg / week) and use topical retinoid for the rest of my life due to the persistence of my acne.

So my advice to you, if your acne is bad, after your 10mg course clear you up, get on a maintenance plan.
10mg will clear u up, but I doubt it will seal those pores permanently. Don't wanna collect permanent scarring.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Sep 8 2017, 11:02 AM

http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.com/drug-...ulgaris-relapse

In that study cumulative "low-dose" was 170.8 mg/kg. And in their low-dose group, 43.8% relapse.
If you do 10mg/day for 1 year... I think you cummulative dose is wayyyy lower than that study also.

So yeah, get the maintenance.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Sep 8 2017, 06:35 PM

What happened?
I stopped my isotetrinoin course about last month instead of November.
Even after my course I am still have 1 boil on my face:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zjQYquxXoCKG7bUq1
Nodules/Cyst are hard acne lesions lodged deep within the skin and contain blood&pus and are very painful. They don't look bad on camera cause it's under the skin.


I had horrible joint pain and bleeding gums while on, elbow pain opening doors and blood brushing teeth.
But all sides are gone within 3 weeks of discontinuing. Finally can train if I want to.

Maintenance therapy
Decided to go on maintenance dose for life , 10mg x 3 / week (dermatologist prescribed)
Also using Tazoractene 0.1% (dermatologist prescribed) nightly for 2 weeks now. Slight burning/redness but handling it fine, guess I really have a thick face lol.
Scary to think I can never donate blood cause it's toxic.
I am also using some scar cream from my derm to fade those red scars, the cream is really good. It should be hydroquine.

Scars, and my weird ability
There's some scaring but it'll probably heal.
I had bad scaring from cystic acne during 2014 my first isotetrinoin course but all the scars healed.
Even my arms don't have those typical vaccine injection scars:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ehuaZwTOZn1C0lGg2



My Body?
This is how I look now, after not training for about 8 months:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fvz7Wa7jzZFSAHp92 @60kg
Can do 5 bodyweight pullups and dips.
When I was active training I could do +10kg dips/pullups @65kg bw for 5RM.

Where and I and what I am doing?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vy7AaAqyUZKmPNSD2

Since June I have moved to Singapore to live and work now.
I felt it's not worth it to work in Malaysia after the rampant corruption scandals which crushed the currency.
I checked the gym prices here and they are 1:0.8, e.g Malaysia is RM 80 here is SGD70.
Super expensive so honestly I rather save the time/money.
Focus on #5figures #money .

Knowledge share
Recently Friends of Freedom also released video discussing acne among steroid users. They presented the 10mg every other day protocol also similar as my maintenance to maintain baby smooth skin while on cycle.

https://anabolictv.com/2018/07/permanent-ac...-purposes-only/

This post has been edited by Armesh: Dec 20 2018, 07:30 PM

Shaved my legs for the first time 3 months ago and discovered brown patches all over behind my right leg.
Shaved them again today and saw the same thing still there.

Found out they are blood stains under the skin caused by leaks from faulty vein in right leg.
How did I even get this?
I have no idea how long it's been due to it being concealed by my leg hair my entire life.

another problem.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Oct 6 2018, 12:32 AM


Attached thumbnail(s)

I have not trained for 1.5 years now due to health issues & surgeries


Leg marks

Went to dermatologist to get it checked.
He said it's prolly marks from an itch I had when i was young (i dun remember)
Near the vein is blood leakage but he said prolly I got injured last time that's why got one off leak.

Must do laser to get rid of it, but laser will cause permanent hair reduction. No thanks I'm keeping my leg hair... for now.


Face
Had very bad post post inflammatory erythema/rosacea from my round 2 of acne.
Got it lasered, helped.
Am on the 10mgx3 isotetrinoin dose to prevent future acne, and will be on for a long long time.
Damage: RM 1000

Braces
I got them finally. And they hurt as fuck every-time after adjustment.
This can definitely negatively effect my bulking phases. But i'll just blend the food and eat it.
Damage: RM 8000

Physiotherapy
Currently doing 4 hours of stretches/mobility work prescribed by my physio everyday for my mild lower back discomnfort.
I have multiple extreme tightness issues on my lower back and hamstrings.
Physio said I'm the sitff'est client she have ever dealt with, and she's totally baffled why I'm so stiff.
They dry needle me every session and dry needling is very very very painful.
I train very seriously so it's something I'm willing to invest in.
Damage: RM 1800

Training plan
I'm back in Malaysia, and will be forever.
Budgeted to start training by February 2019, program & diet has all been planned.
It will be a 150 days transformation, coupled with muscle memory, the transformation will be groundbreaking.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Dec 7 2018, 04:53 PM

Costochondritis
2 years ago, I tried training while on high dose Accutane.
Within 2 months training on Accutane, while doing bicep curls I heard a loud pop followed by extreme sharp pain in my right rib.
I ripped the costal cartilage and was in extreme pain for 1 year+ after that, paralyzed, couldn't jog, run, or carry anything.

Now after 2 years it's 99% healed.
Last week tested with pullups, on 3rd rep heard a loud pop on right side again and it swelled up with sharp pain again.
So I still need avoid all physical activity.

Mobilizing spine rotation & ribs and taking NSAIDs helps ALOT.
So I'll will have to do physiotherapy, take NSAIDs and rest for about 5 more months to settle this.

This condition is called costhocondritis and can take 2-7 years to heal.
Medical practitioners will say it's just inflammation of costo cartilage and will eventually subside. But here's some insight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7ve6nNVdWc

Lesson: DO NOT train while on medicines that dry up your ligaments, tendons and joints. Be a pussy and make it an excuse that you cannot train while on such medicines rather than having "no excuse" mindset.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Jan 21 2019, 12:33 PM

Botched Surgery
As those who follow me on Instagram know, I had to do a small surgery but surgery got botched by the first doctor resulting me having a life threatening complication.
I was hospitalized for 1 week and another surgery was done to fix the first botched surgery and resolve my life threatening complication.

Delay
It will take me about 2 months to fully recover and minimum 1 month recovery from the surgery for me to start working out again.

Can't wait for the comeback.

Accutane really fucks my joints hardcore once at 20mg/day. Even opening car doors hurt my elbows.
Walking alot made my ankle swell and hurt.
At higher doses it heavily taxed my body and I was sleeping 11pm daily instead of my usual 2am.
Didn't effect my eyes much.


My maintenance dose now of 10mg 3x/week has absolutely no effect on my joints/lips/anything.
I'm also using topical retinoids ontop that.

My costhocondritis has healed 99%. Doing mobility work really helped.

Now just recovering from my recent surgery.

Be back training full power in 3 more weeks. I will post my full progress here.

Thanks for sharing your Accutane experience.

This post has been edited by Armesh: Apr 4 2019, 11:37 PM

Training

As scheduled, I am back to training and been training for 2 weeks now.

The initial extreme soreness has settled and my muscles are slightly puffed due to the glycogen store expansion.

Following is my program. I train about 6-7 days/week. I built this http://admin.hardsets.ga/ to analyse my programs. It's free, sign up then you can analyze your program also.


I train in my condo gym, so no power rack
It has
Smith Machine + 105kg worth of weight plates https://share.icloud.com/photos/0Ri_F55Hr0zqf2YPRuuG9xtgA

1 barbell (on the floor, no rack)

1-25kg dumbbells

Impulse ES3000 Multi Gym https://share.icloud.com/photos/0nikTHd55zlLSByvZVgzbYAng


Incline bench, machine hack squats, and romanian deadlifts are done on smith machine.
Yes I love smith machines. I train smoothly/pain free on smith machine with no problem.

Other exercises done on Impulse ES3000 Multi Gym.
I'll be taking before after pictures + body stats + measurement and do a 3 month transformation like last time.

But this time it be even more POWER! cause I have muscle memory and tons of money/time to invest in this venture.
Stay tuned.

Diet
Following is my diet plan which I will start follow in 1.5 weeks time. Finding 2.8KG of boneless chicken breast in Malaysia shopping complexes is hard. Alot of places don't have. And the Giant I used to buy chicken breast from bankrupt and closed this week .


This post has been edited by Armesh: Nov 22 2019, 10:28 PM