Well, i posted my post bulk pics on August 12th. After finishing the bulk, my new goal was to get to 8% BF before my holiday. And on the day i left, Sept 21st, just over a month later, i took my BF measurement, and it came in at 8.1%. :D

The amazing thing is, just how much weight I had to loose to drop just 2% BF, i didnt realise i had that much fat to come off ! I did loose some LBM, because of the speed of my cut i guess, if i ever cut down to 8% again, i would do it a lot slower, maybe over 3 months, then i feel i wouldnt loose hardly any LBM. In the pics, i look less muscular then in the bulking pics i feel. But i think it was Jeremy who said in a thread I started (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=2628), "When I got ripped, I felt skinny. When I put on muscle, I felt fat", and i guess its a case of that. The small amount of fat and the water gained from the creatine really makes your muscles look fuller, so for anyone going down to 8%, be prepared to look smaller. But more ripped. I prefer the way i look with a little more BF on me, and cant wait to start a new bulk, where my goal is gonna be some serious gains. I prefer to look bigger then more ripped. But as a challenge, it was tough, it was something new, and something i managed to achieve. Once again, thanks to all those here on these forums, without whom i would still be looking like this..... :tu:

Instead of bulking up to this..... :)

Then cutting down to this... :D

Your pics are evidence of your determination. That's a lot of work to progress that fast! :claplow:
You mention that you lost LBM. I'm curious - did you decrease your working weights on your lifts during your cut?

The LBM i lost was due to cutting calories too low, in order to reach my goal in time for the holiday. I didnt ever decrease the weights i lifted, and despite a few pounds of LBM lost, i didn't loose any strength.

As i say, were i to do it again, i would give myself a bigger time scale and do things slower. But you live and learn, you know. :nod:

Wow, those are amazing abs.

I don't think you look at all skinny. Not as long as you have your shirt off, anyway. But, I hear the secret to looking powerful is all in the neck. ;)

Jeez, Ted. The first word that comes to mind is "impressive". If I'd had half your resolve, I'd be there too... soon enough. Amazing, my friend. Inspiring.

-R

Wow! Awesome job cutting down even more! That is where I wish I was. One day... right? haha

You definitely don't look too skinny, but that's all a personal opinion of course.

:tu:

...Wow. You werent small by any means before, and I thought you looked pretty ripped before holiday. Your cutting really has made your muscles pop, especially your 6 pack and back. Awesome man

Looking jacked bro!

Great work! And despite the feelings of being skinny, there is an actual mass benefit to cutting. Years ago I hired Keith Klein (Lee Labrada's nutritionist for the Mr. Olympias way back when..), and told him I wanted to get big. He told me the first thing I needed to do was cut, and went on to tell me one of the main reasons you see bodybuilders who get bigger each year (All drugs aside) was due to the body's improved response to glycogen each time after dieting. This is why many people diet down from say 200 lbs. @ 12 %, to 185 @ 7 %, then when they go on a clean bulk they're back up to 200 but this time only 10 %.

This only applies if the cutting cycle is done properly, as in taking your time, and then you bulk correctly. So a cut now and then will do ya good if you want to get big! :tu:

Freakin' Awesome! Nice cut job, I don't think it will take you anytime to regain the size you lost in water/creatine with muscle. You really don't look like you lost much LBM at all.

Did you do any measurements to verify that you actually lost muscle?

What are your stats again? height/weight/biceps?

Did you do any measurements to verify that you actually lost muscle?

I was 162lbs in the bulk photos and 10% BF, giving me 16.2lbs of Fat and 145.8 LBM. I am now 156 and 8%, meaning i have 12.5lbs of Fat and 143.5 LBM.

So i lost 3.7lbs of fat, but unfortunatly 2.3lbs LBM. A mistake i wont be making again.

Thanks for all the kind words, really helps me stay on track. :nod: :tu: :nod:

Awesome Work!!!!
The vascularity through your shoulders is great.

Really impressive, your skin is really tight! How long did it take you to loose that 6 lbs?

Really impressive, your skin is really tight! How long did it take you to loose that 6 lbs?

Just over 4 weeks.

With regards the tight skin, after my first cut, i had some loose skin, but then i bulked up and it tightened over the muscle, then this second cut seems to have been ok. Stretching is also key i feel. :nod:

Looking shreded man, way to go!

Impressive!
Are your legs as good as your upperbody? If so it would be cool with some pics of them.

:tucool: :tucool: :tucool: Congrats man!!!! Looking very good. Aint it fun to look in the mirror and see that? :lol: Keep it up.

Great work!!!

This is just what I needed to see to keep me going!

Great, Great job

Then cutting down to this... :D

Impressive!
Are your legs as good as your upperbody? If so it would be cool with some pics of them.

Unfortunatly not. :d_mad:

The reason being that we have only a smith machine for squats and so i have basically reached a point where i no longer feel comfortable lifting anymore weight, thus mass development has all but stopped. I do stiff leg deads and stuff, but nothing beats the pins like squats. During my new bulk phase (due to start Oct 4th), i will be making legs a priority. I am to petition my gym to purchase a squat rack and will not rest until this happens. Strong legs is a priority in rugby, and i can neglect them no longer. After my bulk, i will post some pics of my legs. :db:

To everyone else, thanks and im glad i could help motivate you all !!! :)

Great, Great job


Well done Reno, you look great.

Read my P/M and get ready for October!


HIIT MAN

Unfortunatly not. :d_mad:

The reason being that we have only a smith machine for squats and so i have basically reached a point where i no longer feel comfortable lifting anymore weight, thus mass development has all but stopped. I do stiff leg deads and stuff, but nothing beats the pins like squats. During my new bulk phase (due to start Oct 4th), i will be making legs a priority. I am to petition my gym to purchase a squat rack and will not rest until this happens. Strong legs is a priority in rugby, and i can neglect them no longer. After my bulk, i will post some pics of my legs. :db:

To everyone else, thanks and im glad i could help motivate you all !!! :)

Good luck with the bulk!!!

I think your back actually looks better than the front. The front looks great, but your back looks perfectly balanced and proportioned.

What exercises have you been using for your back?

My back routine is:

Seated cable rows - Warmup sets then 3*6 reps
Deadlifts - 3*6 reps
Bodyweight wide grip pullups - 3*8 reps
Close grip pulldowns - 3*6 reps

And for traps -

Ezbar shurgs - 3*6 reps
Barbell shrugs - (Holding at top of shrug for two seconds and then streching traps right down at bottom of shrug) 3*6 reps.

My back is my strongest body part, and i put most of my gains down to heavy deadlifts. These are THE best back excersize by far !!! They develop all down your middle back, from traps down to lower back. If you notice the diamond in the middle of my back, i put this down to an improved Romboid which i put down to very VERY heavy cable rows. I love this part of my back. :tu:

Thanks for the compliment. :)

Reno, dont forget to answer my pm's...thankyousir!

My first post here.

Just wanted to say that you look very impressive.

I was wondering what kind of measurements you have particularly, shoulder span, and chest measurement (i.e. what size suit coat you wear , example: 40R.)

Great work :tu:

I have not taken any measurements. I am going to get a myotape, then i will let people know. I wear a 40 jacket in a suit, 30 inch waist and 31 inch leg (DAMN SHORT LEGS !!! :mad: ). Thats all i know.

I will be starting a bulking challenge thread with HIIT MAN on Monday, so all stats, workouts and my bulking diet will be posted their for those interested. It is a diet i have designed myself (based on common knowledge, nothing amazing), but i have an approach that allows me saturday night out drinking and sunday day as a cheat day. I call it the "two steps forward one step back" routine. I used this method to cut and bulk on all the pictures ive posted, which is why i think i found it easier to stick to, and also why i had such good results. I have a fast metabolism, so some good cheating will keep it that way, and keep it sky high for the whole week, during which i al PERFECT in my diet etc.

Watch this space, and thanks again for all the comments. :tu:

Well Done Mate.
Definitely an achievement.
Gives me some inspiration to kick start, thanks.
:tu:

well done men!!!!!!!! :claplow: :claplow:

what´s ur diet?

and what do u do for cardio ?

My cutting diet, on an average weekday would look like this.

Breakfast - 2 slices wholewheat toast, 2 scoops whey, water

11 oclock - 100g cottage cheese and cucumber

1 oclock - 4 slices wholewheat bread, 1 tin tuna, 1 spoon low fat mayo (in sandwichs), 1 apple

5pm workout

Post workout - 2 scoops whey, water, 30g maltodextrin

Evening meal - 2 chicken breasts and rice in white wine sauce, with mixed veggies.


That was it. In hindsite, i would have added another meal like my first cut, thus preventing LBM loss, but i had a tight deadline to cut, so had to sacrifice a few pounds. 1st time round i had 100g sliced turkey at 3.00pm.

For cardio, i did 1 rugby training session (Intense 1 1/2 hours) and 1 rugby match per week, with the odd gym session every other week.

I continue to be in total amazment! You look freakin' fantastic.

Doc