John Stone's Picture Gallery and Video Archive

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by Nivek

What are you going to do in the unlikely event (in 20 years maybe) when you stop getting amazing results on a weekly basis?

Actually, I think I'm only going to do one more bulk after this one (next winter). I don't want to get a whole lot bigger than I am now. I'm mostly looking to continue developing my weak areas, such as my back and delts.

If I happen reach my natural limits before I'm satisfied with my progress, then I'll just hit 1FastGTX up for some steroids. He's a good bro.



For those who don't know better, I'm kidding. GTX is also natural, and neither of us have any plans to ever use steroids.

Originally Posted by Nivek

You have been a huge role model to me. I can't wait to post my SGX progress to show what your inspiration and SC's knowledge can do for a person.

Awesome, thanks! Good luck on SGX - if you work your butt off and follow the program you're going to be blown away with the results.

Originally Posted by Lost

damn john.. looking awesome as usual!!

your talk of gym intensity is really motivating me. i think im really going to have to up the intensity when i lift.. your mental tricks seem like they'd help as well.

Thanks, Lost.

It's great to see that so many people are interested in using their minds and not just their muscles in the gym. I believe smart training is as important as intense training. I've said this before, but it's worth repeating: our minds can be our greatest ally or our worst enemy when it comes to training. Don't ignore the mental aspects of your training program!

Originally Posted by Nico

John, It must feel weird walking around with those big arms now. After all it wasn't that long ago that you were at 14 or 15 inches, and now over 17 relaxed - that's a level of growth that takes some people a lifetime and for you it's only been a few years. Has it effected you in athletics at all? I've seen guys who were too big to throw a ball anymore or swing a bat or run, etc. you're not at that bodybuilder stage but your arms already are

It really doesn't feel any different at all. Sure, there are some adjustments involved, but it takes a surprisingly short amount of time to adapt. At this point I'm pretty much used to turning sideways when I walk through doorways; hell, stepping over all the women throwing themselves in front of my feet is practically second nature by now! Some of the perks are nice, I must admit: for example, when I go to the mall I can juggle small children for extra cash and deadlift cars out of the best parking spaces.

In all seriousness, I really don't feel any different at all. About the only thing my increased mass has affected is my ability to fit into my existing wardrobe.

Originally Posted by uRi

insane. in the first pic from today you look like i felt after my workout today

I've come close to puking after a workout a few times before, but last night I thought it was inevitable. In that picture I felt like I was mere moments away emptying my gut.

Originally Posted by Coachese

It might effect John in his normal, everyday life if he left the house, like once this month?

Hey, do we know each other?

Originally Posted by TheRyanator

John, looking good as always! Didnt you have a thread at one point where you would occassionally post some of the goofy emails you would receive? I remember reading several of them I think and laughing as well...keep up the great work John!

Thanks! That thread is still around here somewhere, but my email as of late has been pretty supportive. Most of the insulting emails are so unimaginative that I usually fall asleep before I finish reading them.

[Coachese]

Originally Posted by John Stone

It really doesn't feel any different at all. Sure, there are some adjustments involved, but it takes a surprisingly short amount of time to adapt. At this point I'm pretty much used to turning sideways when I walk through doorways; hell, stepping over all the women throwing themselves in front of my feet is practically second nature by now! Some of the perks are nice, I must admit: for example, when I go to the mall I can juggle small children for extra cash and deadlift cars out of the best parking spaces.

[1FastGTX]

Originally Posted by John Stone

If I happen reach my natural limits before I'm satisfied with my progress, then I'll just hit 1FastGTX up for some steroids. He's a good bro.



For those who don't know better, I'm kidding. GTX is also natural, and neither of us have any plans to ever use steroids.

HAHAHAHAHHAHA!

Yeah? And I know I call you to get my PCT "Research Chemicals" !!

[jk0]

In all seriousness, I really don't feel any different at all. About the only thing my increased mass has affected is my ability to fit into my existing wardrobe.

Or...not fit into.. perhaps?

[Devery]

I'm happy to see that I'm not the only one who sweats a lot in the gym! I'm curious as to your core supplements right now...are you using creatine? This bulk is the most impressive to date...the transformation is really noticeable and seemed to happen overnight.

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by Devery

I'm curious as to your core supplements right now...are you using creatine?

Here's a complete list of my 2005 bulking sups: http://www.johnstonefitness.com/news...e.php#10242005

This bulk is the most impressive to date...the transformation is really noticeable and seemed to happen overnight.

Thanks! I'm making good progress, but characterizing it as "overnight" trivializes the work I've put in. In fact, I wouldn't even call my results atypical among those who train with an extreme level of commitment to all aspects of their bulk. Keep in mind that a lot of people who go on a bulk don't get very good results because their diets, their training programs, the amount of sleep they get each night, their supplement intake and their commitment levels are sub-par (and often just flat-out terrible). When all those things I just mentioned are in order and maintained with 100% consistency, big gains will come. I make every effort to nail each and every one of those areas consistently and without fail for the entire length of my bulk, and that's why I find success.

Please understand, I'm not being arrogant here - I'm simply telling you what I believe to be true, and I practice what I preach: anything less than a 100% effort will produce sub-maximal results. You only get back what you put into it.

[SteveO]

Congratulations on the 18" mark John!

Another milestone...Hmm.. Stone...Mile...
OK I can't make a joke or anything out of it....

It's 18 friggin inches and that's all that matters!!

[TheRyanator]

Wow! I gotta work out harder, the last time I puked or felt like it while working out was in high school soccer tryouts when we ran suicides up hills....

[lil_dave]

congrats on the 18 inches

I dont know if anyone else realized it but this thread also reached the 100 page mark

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by SteveO

Congratulations on the 18" mark John!

Originally Posted by lil_dave

congrats on the 18 inches

Thanks guys! That's about how big I want to be without a pump, so I've got about 1.25 inches to go. That's not going to happen this bulk. Actually I think 17.5 inches cold and ripped (8% BF or so) would look great!

[John Stone]

Sorry I'm late getting this post-workout journal entry up. I was pretty tired after my workout and didn't feel like messing with it.

Last night was back and traps, and it was probably my best workout ever. I pushed myself harder than I've ever pushed in my life, and my focus and intensity were dead-on. I was so spent after the back portion of my workout that I didn't know how I was going to manage to work my traps. I looked in the mirror, saw the progress I've made on my traps so far, and suddenly I found the strength to continue.

By the time I was done I thought I was going to collapse from exhaustion, but I was very happy with my effort. Next time I'll do even better.

I started off with low cable rows with a wide grip. I really like this exercise. The last time I did them was 4 weeks ago, so I added 15 pounds to what I was doing then and manged to get 4 sets of 12. Good strength progress. Next week I'll add 5 more pounds.

Next I did some heavy lat pulldowns. I wanted a change from the wide-grip pull-ups I usually do. I focused on form and using just my lats to pull the weight down. Judging by how my lats feel this morning, I did pretty good.

Next was the mainstay of my back workout: deads. I went up another 10 pounds! They are getting extremely difficult now, but I still manged 4 sets of eight. Next week I'll add 10 more pounds.

I finished off my back with 4 sets of 15 dumbbell rows. I'm maxed out on weight right now until my 90 and 100 pound dumbbells come in, so I just did high reps with perfect form. At this point in my workout I was so beat that the 80s felt like 120s anyway.

Just one picture from last night. Turtle was checking on me to make sure I was OK. Lots of gutteral utterances going on...

[TarSeal]

Nice pic John! That's almost artistic- you look really satisfied there. I'm surprised you had much left for traps, especially after the deads. I'm curious as to what you did for traps?

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by Travis

Nice pic John! That's almost artistic- you look really satisfied there. I'm surprised you had much left for traps, especially after the deads. I'm curious as to what you did for traps?

I had to dig deep to get those shrugs banged out, that's for sure.

I forgot to mention what I did for traps, sorry about that. My original plan was to do 4xburnout smith machine shrugs, but I decided to use the already-loaded barbell (from my deads) instead. I did 4 sets of 15/15/13/12 (and I guess that amounts to 4 extra deadlifts, too. Heh.)

[Nico]

That's a monster back workout. your traps looking 10 times the size they were a few years back.

[Oranzith]

John!!


Two questions, of which i am not sure you are allowed to post the answer to either!



1) What are your starchy food sources these days? I am getting bored/running out of ideas as of late, which is a bit troublesome since I'm bulking. Advice?


2) Where are those recipes! I loved the recipes you had posted before (which are still posted, I admit) and have certainly eaten my fill of those. So where are the ones you promised??? I think I am most looking forward to those in terms of all the sites offerings these days (im bulking too heh)

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by Nico

That's a monster back workout. your traps looking 10 times the size they were a few years back.

I'm definitely feeling that workout tonight!

As for my traps, they have improved a lot, but the way I'm sitting in that last picture makes them look bigger than they really are.

Originally Posted by Oranzith

1) What are your starchy food sources these days? I am getting bored/running out of ideas as of late, which is a bit troublesome since I'm bulking. Advice?

Sure, I can talk about that, I just can't give specific amounts. My carb sources consist primarily of brown rice, potatoes, pasta, whole grain breads, fat-free tortillas, beans and oatmeal.

Originally Posted by Oranzith

2) Where are those recipes!

Arg! I completely forgot about that. Sorry. I've been so busy lately it must have slipped my mind. I'll get on that as soon as I can.

[John Stone]

Tonight's workout was chest and abs, and I switched up my exercises this week. It was pretty much an "all dumbbell" workout.

CHEST
4x15 Flat dumbbell bench press
4x12 Incline dumbbell bench press
4x12 Decline dumbbell bench press
4x12 Cable cross-over (erect, lower chest)

ABS
4x25 Weighted decline crunches
4x20 Leg raises

Because I only have 80 pound dumbbells (my 90s and 100s won't be here for another week) + two pair of 2.5 pound plate mates, I could only go up to 170 pounds on my flat dumbbell bench presses. Now, I know from experience that dumbbell weight is considerably more difficult as compared to the equivalent amount of barbell weight. Still, 170 pound barbell bench presses are fairly light for me, so I didn't think 170 pound dumbbell presses would be all that challegning. I was surprised to find that by my 4th set of 15 I was struggling to get the last couple of reps up! I did go pretty slow, and I made sure to do a 2-second "pause-clench" between the positive and the negative on each rep, so that helped make the exercise a little more difficult. Anyway, after tonight I think 4 sets of 12x200 pound dumbbell presses are going to be pretty challenging!

My body fat is about 11% at this point. My top 4 abs are still visible (but blurred), and I've got a noticeable paunch around my lower abs and a bit of love handle action going. My face is showing the extra weight as well. I don't care. I'm going to be a lot bigger and fatter before I'm through with this bulk, but I know with SGX I'm going to shred up very quickly!

No pictures tonight, I was just too exhausted to take any.

[Happy Monster]

2,000 Posts in this thread. Congratulations!

Congratulations on yet another killer workout. You should trademark that term..

[SwoleCat]

I am going to have to make you STOP my program and quit training.

You're getting too big, and pretty soon people aren't going to recognize you and you're going to get mad at me for outgrowing all of your clothes.



I swear every week you change SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH.

Your genetics are very good, and you are now giving them a chance to really work for you.

Good job!

~SC~

[doordude42]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Sorry I'm late getting this post-workout journal entry up. I was pretty tired after my workout and didn't feel like messing with it.

Last night was back and traps, and it was probably my best workout ever. I pushed myself harder than I've ever pushed in my life, and my focus and intensity were dead-on. I was so spent after the back portion of my workout that I didn't know how I was going to manage to work my traps. I looked in the mirror, saw the progress I've made on my traps so far, and suddenly I found the strength to continue.

By the time I was done I thought I was going to collapse from exhaustion, but I was very happy with my effort. Next time I'll do even better.

I started off with low cable rows with a wide grip. I really like this exercise. The last time I did them was 4 weeks ago, so I added 15 pounds to what I was doing then and manged to get 4 sets of 12. Good strength progress. Next week I'll add 5 more pounds.

Next I did some heavy lat pulldowns. I wanted a change from the wide-grip pull-ups I usually do. I focused on form and using just my lats to pull the weight down. Judging by how my lats feel this morning, I did pretty good.

Next was the mainstay of my back workout: deads. I went up another 10 pounds! They are getting extremely difficult now, but I still manged 4 sets of eight. Next week I'll add 10 more pounds.

I finished off my back with 4 sets of 15 dumbbell rows. I'm maxed out on weight right now until my 90 and 100 pound dumbbells come in, so I just did high reps with perfect form. At this point in my workout I was so beat that the 80s felt like 120s anyway.

Just one picture from last night. Turtle was checking on me to make sure I was OK. Lots of gutteral utterances going on...

Dude, you can only motivate me so much. I'm beginning to question myself!!!!! Nice traps.