Looking to recomp and gain mass
I'm looking for advice I've been researching for about 2 years and still have a few questions before I start any cycle.
A little about me: I have been lifting consistently for almost a decade with the exception of the last year due to illness (my strength is mostly still there but I've lost a lot of quality size) but I've been nack in the gym a few months now. My present stats are 29 yrs old, 5"6" and 180lbs. I'm going for a body composition scan on Monday to figure out exactly where my lean body mass sits. I've lost approx 55ish lbs over the last 4yrs and would ideally like to lose another 20-25 more of fat and put on 20 of muscle. I eat around 1900 cals with a 40/40/20 distribution in terms of protein/carbs/fat. I lift and do cardio 4x a week. My split is legs, back and shoulders, chest and bi's, and shoulders n tri's with 20 mins of steady state cardio before and after each lift.
Day 1 - legs and abs
20 mins moderate resistance cycling average mph 22 - avg watts 160 - 7mi
(the resistance system on these bikes is based on wattage)
120 second breaks between sets & exercises all warm up sets are 15reps and I work til I find my 8-10 rep max with good form
Squat 1 warm up set 15r
4 sets- 10,10,10,8 reps
i got up 10lbs each set
Deadlift - warm up set of 15r
4x 10,8,10,10
i go up 5 lbs each set and nex workout I start 5lbs higher
Leg ext- warm up set 10r
super set with unilateral calf raises 20 each side
3x 12,12,12
Lying leg curl warm up 12r
3x10 r
hyper extension
3x 10r with a 5 second hold at the top of each rep
super set with lying leg raises
3x25
Crunches 3x25
super set standing calf raises 3x20
20 min brisk walk 3.7mph
then shoulder mobility work - cool down n stretch
Day 2 Back shoulders
15 min bike 20 mph - avg 180 watts- 4.5 mi
Underhand pull ups 2.5 min rest
3x7 (yes 7 is my max at the moment, but it's better than the 0 I started with!)
Assisted pull up 60s rest
3x 10 reps. i take breaks if needed but each set doesn't end til I get 10 reps
Barbell row w.u. 15r 90s rest
3x10,10,8 weight goes up each set
unilateral db row
3x8-10r depeds on what left side can do I'm trying to get it caught up
Wide grip pull downs 90s rest 3x10-12
s.s. hyper extension 3x20-15-15
dual cable row 90s rest
3x12r
face pull 60s rest
w.u. 15r
3x15r
Arnold press 90s rest
3x10-10-8
Hanging lateral raise 3x12r
decline sit up 3x20r 60s rest
20 min brisk walk 3.7mph
then shoulder mobility work - cool down n stretch
Day 3 chest shoulders
15 min bike 20 mph - avg 180 watts- 5ish mi
Db incline bench w.u 12r 90s break
4x10-8-8-8
Db flat bench w.u. 12r 90s rest
4x8-9-10-8
Decline able fly 60s rest w.u. 15r
5x 12,15,20,20, (my shoulder blade wings on my left side fro an injury so I have to go ight to keep good form)
Cable cross 60s rest
4x12r
Incline fly 60s rest
3x10r
Hammer strength wide press 90s rest
4x12
super set Alternating db curls
4x10,12,10,10
Outward curls 60s rest
3x8r
Hammer curl 70s reast
3x10
Overhand ez bar curl 60s rest
3x10
20 min brisk walk 3.7mph
then shoulder mobility work - cool down n stretch
Day 4 shoulders tris
15 min bike 24 mph - avg 190 watts- 6ish mi
Seated db shoulder press 90s rest w.u 15r
3x12-10-8
Standing lateral 90s rest
w.u. 12r
3x10,10,12
Rear delt fly w.u. 12r
3x12
Front raise 90s rest
3x15,10,10
Face pull
4x20 (trying to rehab my shoulder)
Assisted Dip 60s rest
w.u.-10r
3x10
Skull crusher 90s rest
w.u. 15r
3x10r
Unilateral cable kickbacks 60s rest
4x10r
Captain's char leg raise 3x20r 60s rest
20min brisk walk 3.8 mph
shoulder work stretch and cool down
I am also female to male and trying to recomp my body to look more male. I am pre hrt but have an endocrinologist and should be on a low dose test regime within the next 3-6 months pending my blood test and my doc signing off on my hrt letter. Yes I know my bf% is still high even for a genetic female but that is not a limiting factor for hrt and once on T I have no intention of ever getting off. Remember I trying to get my hourglass shaped painfully female looking body to look male like all of you guys out there. My goal is to get to 160lbs at 14% to start and set my next goal from there. Why 160? Because i REFUSE to be shorter AND smaller than my fiancé.
My questions are:
On T can I put on muscle and still lose fat at the same time?
How can I develo mass in my chest and shoulders faster? I do mostly dumbbell multi joint movements and a lot of incline work in the 8-12 range for most of the lift and finish up with lighter 15 rep exercises to make sure I truely burn out everything.
Once on T should I adjust my diet and if yes how so? Should i adjust my caloric intake based on my genetic gender or the one I'm shifting to? Base it on my present lbm or target lbm? Or should I calculate it based on bmr?
Should I be trying to cut or focus more on building mass / losing fat?
He's only starting me out on 20mg of test c a week is that too little to see gains? I've seen cycles in the ladies lounge that are way more agressive then that, should I ask to start higher?
Lastly I generally like my face & would like my jaw to square out some but don't want facial hair or my voice to drop that low. Is there are steroid that I could cycle that would allow me to develop the density and musculature of a guy but not virilize me too much? If yes what is it and how should i cycle it?
My endo doesn't lift, and my nutritionist says the average adult needs less that 100g of protein a day to build muscle which is bs so I've come to see what the pro's here can tell me.
Your advice is greatly appreciated and thanks for your time.
- Bookmark
- 0
- 0
Bexton,
Welcome and I wish you well in your endeavors.
Now a couple things to note:
Allot of the negative side effects you mentioned and/may not have thought of are either irreversible and/or will require surgery of some kind
Test IS going to change everything about you in regards to having similar characteristics as a genetic male would.
You are genetically female and thus you will likely have a HYPER response to testosterone in any form along with most "compounds" related to subject matter you will find here. It really doesn't take much (especially TEST) for the side effects you do not wish to happen to occur.
It is a little confusing as to your desire to become like a man but not wanting any of what is characteristic of being so but we all want what we want. I'm just letting you know you cannot "control" which side effects of becoming a man using TEST will bring.
Whether injectable or oral steroid which is a derivative of Testosterone as a genetic female I've coached and had close female friends that got the: lower voice, facial/body hair, squaring of jaw line and of course the desired "more masculinized look" to their bodies but there is no such thing as a "safe compound for women" it is more like "safer compounds for women" but all will have side effects.
Anyone that tells you otherwise should give you a red flag as again there are NO SAFE compounds for women who wish to not have particular side effects there are only "safer compounds" that will have lesser effect. The very reason your doctor is prescribing TEST C is because you discussed wanting to transition from a genetic female to a hormone based male
The worst (from those I know) was the enlarged clitoris and if you want an idea of extremes you can always check out some of the pro bb females who have done adult videos online.
How you will react at 20mg or another at 100mg or more much less when you are talking about using the harshest compound (Testosterone itself) of all the choices I would be very surprised if you do not get some of the side effects you don't want to have.
I would advise on having a very honest chat with your doctor and perhaps worth while spending the money for even just one hour of time with an Elite Level or PRO Female Bodybuilder or Physique Girl who is willing to give you he straight goods with no fluff.
I've been in this industry for 25yrs as a professional offering various services to female and male athletes and non-athletes and have the knowledge accumulated along with a very "keep it real candid approach" to the reality of the sport and/or the Body Image Industry itself.
Research is key as is speaking with those (often not those in the medical field since most rarely specialize in Body Image/Body Sculpting Sports) who can share based on experience and research.
At this point if I may be so blunt, you need to have a heart to hear with yourself and then significant other as to "what the definition of a man" is so that you can properly commit to actually becoming one or staying as you are perhaps.
Again, you do not get to cherry pick what parts of becoming a man you want if you are going down the hormonal road of both predictable and unpredictable experience.
Your personal response to anything and everything from HRT/TRT, nutrition, training etc. are all exactly that...your personal response and no single other person will have the same response.
You have a long road ahead emotionally, mentally and physically and where the mind goes the body will naturally follow.
Be sure of what you want in your heart, speak with your partner to see if you are both on the same page or at least being supportive and it will be easier to commit to the decision.
Be blessed.
basskiller89I think overall calories are far more important than protein. I average 100-150g of protein per day. Some guys respond better to 300-400 grams of protein. Some guys respond well to 200-300g. Some guys don't even need 200 grams of protein to grow. It's your body and trial and error is the true method to find out what works best for you. That being said, I generally advise to start on the higher side of things. I would say 200-300 grams of protein is an excellent starting point. Assuming your eating enough calories, you can then begin to make protein adjustments within a calorie allotment. I also went a month eating only 50 grams of protein per day and actually didn't lose muscle. I get a dexa scan performed every so often to see what's going on internally. Odd, I'm aware. Also, if we take into consideration there is only 440 grams of actual protein in a single pound of muscle, less if we factor in water, it seems counter intuitive eating 6-9 pounds of protein per week with the hopes to gain 1/2 maybe a 1lb at best under ideal circumstances. Most people aren't even going to gain close to that unless on a pretty serious cycle. So brother, my advise is pick an amount of protein that you feel comfortable eating and then build your caloric base around that number. See how you feel when consuming less or more. Welcome to the game of bodybuilding
This is one of the only times except teenage year in which you can put on muscle and loose fat at the same time. Listen to these guys they know exactly what they are talking about.
Hello Bexton,
As you are under Doc's supervision, I would advice you to stick to Doc's recommendations in regards to hormone therapy. In your situation you do not want to have drastic changes in any of the aspects but more likely change one thing at a time and monitor the progress. Since your hormone levels are changing now and not stable more likely your body composition will change too. So if you start making changes to your diet plan, training etc you will not know what exactly what is working. Once Doc has stabilized your hormones and you know exactly what substances you have to take to maintain that hormone levels, that is a good starting point.
In regards to diet, it is the same thing. You can start making changes to it but due to imbalance of the hormones your body composition may change not due to actual nutrition but because of the hormone level change.
Considering you want to prioritize pecks and delts muscle groups, you would need to concentrate more on Pushing part of the exercises while applying progressive overload training approach. Keep Pulling movements and legs at the maintenance level, while concentrating on the parts that you are looking to develop.
Once Doc has done the job and your hormone levels are stable then we can think of what to do next to get the body that you dream about but the key thing do one thing at a time, do not try to change everything in one go.
Well done for sharing this with us and not being shy.
Hope this helps.
Regards
For Chest and Shoulder Mass the Dr. orders.....
The basics.
Compound exercises.
Lot of incline everything.
I know female to male so work on overall compound mass exercises. Also , always try to accentuate the natural V- taper. Squats all day as there is no better overall mass building exercise out there. Heavy rows and especially upright rows combined with heavy full range of motion shrugs will go along way. Throw in lots of multi-lateral shoulder movements along with pullovers of all kinds and you will be building big time the right way. Build the foundation. Slow and steady wins the race.
cheers will do!
X2^
You got double post, delete one
do I have to? I read over the rules before posting it and it didn't mention anything about it that I saw, I wasn't sure where to post it: are you saying I can't put it in both? (not trying to be a dick just asking)
Yes you can’t put it in both. It mucks up the board with redundant material. Pick one. Probably the other since Brooklyn is helping you there.
No offense Sam I see you helping as well
I agree.
With the circumstances here I don’t want to give any drug advice. Some people like keeping logs but I think they cause burn out. I like to go in hit it hard and forget it. Whatever exercises you choose just make sure you go to failure on the last set. Change your exercises frequently. Good Luck