CJ's 2024/2025 Muscle Gain Block

[CJ]

Rest up , when I did mine during football they told me MCL keeps the knee from bending inward, its on the inside of the knee , so mind how you lean or plant the foot on that leg so its stable.

Yup, the knee feels a little loose, slightly unstable.

 

[Yano]

Yup, the knee feels a little loose, slightly unstable.

you might want to wrap it or lightly brace it if ya gota sleeve kicking around for a day or two

 

[GreatGunz]

Nice man good progress

 

[CJ]

Thursday, 2/13
Push and extras, no cardio because of knee

-HS Chest Press
270 x 8
230 x 9
190 x 11

-HS Incline Press
220 x 9
190 x 12
160 x 14

-Flat DB Skulls
32.5's x 13
30's x 12
27.5's x 11
25's x 12

-DB Hammer Curls
40's x 15
32.5's x 16
30's x 15

-Bosu Ab Crunches
3 quality sets

 

[CJ]

Friday, 2/14
Back and Extras

-Iso Lateral HS Reverse Pulldowns
110's x 16
100's x 13
90's x 14

-HS OH CS Rows
270 x 12
250 x 13
230 x 13-1-1-1

-DB Laterals
27.5's x 17+5 partials
25's x 15+6
22.5's x 15+5
20's x 13+7

-LF Cable Curls
22.5's x 21
22.5's x 15
20's x 14
17.5's x 15+2 partials

-2 Seconds Paused Matrix Calf Presses
250 x 19+3 partials
220 x 17+3
190 x 16+4

***MCL Knee Rehab***
-Leg Extensions
100 x 20
100 x 20

Knee felt ok enough to try these out. Stable exercise, fixed range and plane of motion, had no issues.


*I also dropped my Testosterone dose back down to 350 mgs, I was having acne flare ups at 500 mgs. I'm not dealing with that shit again.

 

[CJ]

Weekly Progress

13 weeks complete, 7 more to go. Up 0.4 lbs this week to an average weight of 211.0 lbs, averaging 4922 calories for the week.

Gym sessions are still going well, making slow and steady progress. I may adjust the routine a little, though, as I'm getting some elbow pain. I already dropped straight bar curls, which hurt to do, and replaced them with cable curls, which do not. If that doesn't solve the issue, I may drop a chest press exercise and swap in the pec deck. We'll see how this week goes.

The knee/MCL is slowly getting better. I'll start light/moderate cycling this week, just Zone 2 cardio, probably won't do any HIIT unless there's a big jump in healing.

Also, the acne flare up seems to be subsiding with the drop in Testosterone. Thankfully.

 

[CJ]

Monday, February 17th
Upper Body

-HS Incline Press
300 x 6
260 x 9
220 x 11

-Matrix Pulldowns
185 x 14
170 x 15
155 x 15

-HS Chest Press
220 x 12
200 x 11
180 x 10

-Iso Lateral HS Ntrl Rows
160's x 15
145's x 15
135's x 15

-45° DB Laterals
27.5's x 18+3 partials
25's x 16+3
22.5's x 15+3
20's x 16+2

-HS Preacher Curls
70 x 15
60 x 14
50 x 14
45 x 15+3 partials

-Flat DB Skulls
32.5's x 15
30's x 14
27.5's x 12
25's x 13

-Hoist Ab Crunches
3 quality sets

 

[CJ]

Wednesday, February 19th
Legs, extras, and LISS
*rehabbing the sprained MCL

-Seated Leg Curls
105 x 10
95 x 12
85 x 14

-Leg Extensions
140 x 20
140 x 16
130 x 14

-HS Reverse V Squats
180 x 10
180 x 10
180 x 10
*i could only get to roughly 90° of knee flexion, the knee still has some swelling, so I didn't needlessly push the weight

-Matrix Calf Presses
270 x 16+3 partials
250 x 15+4
230 x 14+4
210 x 14+4

-LF Cable Curls
25's x 16
22.5's x 15
20's x 13
17.5's x 13

-Machine Laterals
95 x 22+5 partials
85 x 17+3
72.5 x 17+3
60 x 16+6

-45° Back/Hip Extensions
3 quality sets

---------

LISS/Zone 2 Cardio
Matrix Cycle
30 mins
HR: ~125 bpm
Cals: 265
Dist: 10.0



Knee felt ok, still not even close to healed, though. I'll keep plugging away rehabbing it.

 

[CJ]

Thursday, 2/20
Push + LISS

-Matrix Shoulder Press
150 x 10
130 x 12
110 x 14

-Pec Deck
175 x 14
160 x 14
145 x 15
*swapped these in and took out a chest press to help my sore elbow.

-Reverse Pec Deck
170 x 20
150 x 18
130 x 17

-Matrix Tricep Dips
150 x 19
150 x 16
135 x 16

-DB Hammer Curls
35's x 18
32.5's x 15
30's x 15

-Bosu Crunches
3 quality sets

-------------

LISS/Zone 2 cardio
Matrix Cycle

30 mins
HR: ~127 bpm
Cals: 250
Dist: 9.77

 

[CJ]

Friday, 2/21
Pull and Extras

-HS Iso Lateral Reverse Pulldowns
115's x 14
100's x 15
90's x 14

-HS OH CS Rows
270 x 12
250 x 13
230 x 12-1-1-1-1

-Leg Extensions
*skipped due to knee/MCL

-DB Laterals
27.5's x 19+5 partials
25's x 15+5
22.5's x 15+5
20's x 16+6

-LF Cable Curls
25's x 18
22.5's x 14
20's x 13
17.5's x 14

-Paused Calf Presses on Matrix Leg Press
300 x 24+3 partials
280 x 20+3
260 x 17+3
240 x 17+6

*No cardio, knee is really sore, it needs rest

 

[CJ]

14 weeks complete. Average weekly weight was 211.0 lbs, same as last week, while eating an average of 4399 Cals.

Training is going ok, with the exception of the knee/MCL sprain, but what'cha gonna do?

The elbow pain is lessening, it's actually gone from my right elbow, but still there a little in the left. Going to continue with the modified training until it's completely gone.

6 more weeks to go.

 

[CJ]

Sunday, 2/23
Chest and extras

-HS Incline Press
300 x 7
260 x 9
220 x 11

-HS Chest Press
220 x 10
200 x 10
180 x 11

-Reverse Pec Deck
170 x 20
150 x 19
130 x 18

-LF Cable Curls
25's x 19
22.5's x 16
20's x 13
17.5's x 16

-Hoist Ab Crunches
4 quality sets

 

[Yano]

You ever try Rose Hip for inflammation and joint pain ? for some folks it works as good as nsaids

 

[CJ]

You ever try Rose Hip for inflammation and joint pain ? for some folks it works as good as nsaids

Nope

 

[Yano]

Nope

I never put much stock in homeopathy or whatever its called proper but some of those things do work. These help my knees wrists n elbows when I get that tight feeling in em like dry n brittle but the joints still have too much fluid if that makes sense.

 

[CJ]

I never put much stock in homeopathy or whatever its called proper but some of those things do work. These help my knees wrists n elbows when I get that tight feeling in em like dry n brittle but the joints still have too much fluid if that makes sense.

My MCL is torn, the only thing that's helping it heal is time.

As for my elbow, I prefer to not try to mask it/cover up the pain, I simply stop doing the exercises that caused the problem.

 

[Yano]

My MCL is torn, the only thing that's helping it heal is time.

As for my elbow, I prefer to not try to mask it/cover up the pain, I simply stop doing the exercises that caused the problem.

Oh its not for pain it just helps knock down the inflammation and eases that puffy feeling when its injured until it heals up. You'd still have to treat it tender and all that.

 

[CohibaRobusto]

My MCL is torn, the only thing that's helping it heal is time.

As for my elbow, I prefer to not try to mask it/cover up the pain, I simply stop doing the exercises that caused the problem.

What about BPC 157? I've had a lot of luck healing up quickly with that stuff. For joints, I added in some collagen and glucosamine and they are basically like the mortar in the bricks. It's like magic fairy dust on your joints man. (That combo with the bpc) Mine feel like I'm 20 yrs old again. And you know I've been complaining about joint issues for years.

 

[CJ]

What about BPC 157? I've had a lot of luck healing up quickly with that stuff. For joints, I added in some collagen and glucosamine and they are basically like the mortar in the bricks. It's like magic fairy dust on your joints man. (That combo with the bpc) Mine feel like I'm 20 yrs old again. And you know I've been complaining about joint issues for years.

I've thought about TB+BPC, but from everything I've read, it'll heal fine on its own. Plus, it wasn't a major tear.

 

[CJ]

Monday, 2/24
Pull and extras

-Matrix Pulldowns
190 x 15
175 x 15
160 x 16

-Iso Lateral HS Nuetral Rows
165's x 13
150's x 14
140's x 14

45° DB Laterals
25's x 22+5 partials
22.5's x 18+4
20's x 17+4
17.5's x 17+5

-Smith High Incline Rows
+90 x 20
+90 x 18
+90 x 16

-Flat DB Skulls
30's x 21
27.5's x 15
25's x 13
22.5's x 13

---------------

LISS/Zone 2 Cardio
Matrix Cycle
15 minutes
HR: ~129 bpm
Cals: 134
Dist: 5.02