John Stone's Picture Gallery and Video Archive

[Reno_1ted]

Photo 1, easily, hands down, without a shadow of a doubt is the BEST picture ive seen of you to date.

Maybe the black and white helps, but that could be an advert or poster. Its very well shot, well posed and you look awesome.

On a side note, im glad to see you back posting in here and being positive again.

PS. Seriously, that pic is brilliant.

[jwdiho]

I agree. Those delts and arms are HUGE!
With the weights just hanging in the back, it's almost artistic. (But what do I know about art.)

[Bigpapi]

Looking awesome John!

This cut must be exciting for you since you put so much work into your bulk. It must be like those gifts you get where the person wraps it fifty billion times and all you want to do is get to the good stuff knowing that there is something awesome inside.

If you get to 6% that is going to be a pretty sweet gift!

[gonzo719]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Tonight was chest and abs. It was time to switch my workout up, so I went back through my logs and decided to go with the same all-dumbbell chest workout I used back in December. I had excellent results during the 3 or 4 weeks that I did that workout. After I finished that, I toasted my abs.

My body fat level is about 11% right now. I'm starting to look pretty cut up, but I've still got some fat on my face, my inner thighs and (of course!) my lower abs. The next 9 pounds are going to make all the difference.

A couple of pictures tonight...

The first one was taken pre-workout. I had the music going (Dry Kill Logic) and I was getting myself mentally prepared as I banged out a few warm-up sets.

The second shot was taken mid-workout. Turtle was looking for squirrels on the fence as I checked myself in the mirror.

hi john - i have been visiting your site for a while and finally joined the forum - your transformation inspired me - i have a couple questions for you - what time of the day do you take your pics - what kind of lighting are you using? It looks like you are using a flash - are you?

[lance02]

Great work, as usual, John! Your arms are impressive. The look you have is good -- keep it up!

[mason]

Wow, your arms look great John! You definitely look BA.

Great pics.

[Antimatter]

Ever since reading about your music, I really got into FEAR FACTORY- I recommend their music for getting pumped up like a sponge- Ressurection you just can't beat for getting "in the mood".

[John Stone]

Reno_1ted & jwdiho,
Wow, thank you guys very much! You know me, all I could see in that photo was the things I want to improve, but I showed it to Lisa and she said I should post it, so I did. I'm think I'm going to post more B&W pictures, as I like the effect.

I think a shot like that will look much better once I drop down to 7% BF or less. Right now I'm still looking a little soft in the face and the abs, and there's not much vascularity showing. I also didn't have a pump in that picture, so that would help a lot.

Thanks again!


Bigpapi,
Thanks, man. I think I may go for the 6% figure as long as SC thinks he can get me there with no muscle loss. I think I'll look pretty good, but I know I can't sustain that level for long.


gonzo719,
Welcome. I took/take my daily/weekly/monthly photos first thing in the morning. There's a lamp in there, and I use the camera flash. My other pictures are taken at all different times, most of the time with a flash.


lance02,
Thanks very much! I'm getting closer to the look I'm after, but my chest, delts, traps and back need some work. Then I'll be happy.


mason,
Thanks - I appreciate it!


Antimatter,
Yeah - good stuff for sure.

[BubbleBoy]

Looking great John!

I'm new at all this and really hadn't decided how big I wanted to be and how I wanted to look ultimately (apart from a couple of movie star day dreams). Now I know, I wanna be built like you mate. If that's "a little soft", then give me a little soft anyday.....you look awesome!

Great work.....looking forward to tracking your progress JS.

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by BubbleBoy

Looking great John!

I'm new at all this and really hadn't decided how big I wanted to be and how I wanted to look ultimately (apart from a couple of movie star day dreams). Now I know, I wanna be built like you mate. If that's "a little soft", then give me a little soft anyday.....you look awesome!

Great work.....looking forward to tracking your progress JS.

I'm sincerely flattered. Thank you... I'm still working towards my ideal body myself, but every day brings me a little closer.

[staygold]

Originally Posted by andi

I'm sure plenty of folks here would give their eye teeth too look as "terrible" as you.

Out of curiosity, what are your goals now? What do you want your body to look like when you are completely satisfied with it? Do you intend to do any type of competing?

i wasn't born with eye teeth, but i'd still trade

[JoeSchmo]

John -- First let me say that you are definately doing something right ... those delts are really starting to look good....(I'm noticing differences in both rear and side-delts)

Second, you have (involuntarily) engaged in kind of an interesting experiment. You've taken, what many refer to, as the two "king" exercises out of your routine for a couple of months (deads and squats) in order to allow your back to fully recover. I am curious whether you noticed any decrement in your progress from that, or whether you have continued to progress normally despite this change. I ask, because to me, it appears that you are still making great progress, but I figure I'd see what your impressions were.

[Merk]

It is simply astonishing the progress you make in the time you make it in. A constant reminder that your everyday person can be what they want, surprising what a little will power can do for you. Props to you

Cheers
~Ronn

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by staygold

i wasn't born with eye teeth, but i'd still trade

Wow, that was an old post of Andi's you dredged up. You must have been way back in the thread!

I need to split this thread apart, but the vB developers removed the ability to do so in this version.

Originally Posted by JoeSchmo

John -- First let me say that you are definately doing something right ... those delts are really starting to look good....(I'm noticing differences in both rear and side-delts)

Thanks, Joe! I've been working very, very hard on my delts and it's starting to pay off. By this time next year I think they'll be much bigger and rounder.

Originally Posted by JoeSchmo

Second, you have (involuntarily) engaged in kind of an interesting experiment. You've taken, what many refer to, as the two "king" exercises out of your routine for a couple of months (deads and squats) in order to allow your back to fully recover. I am curious whether you noticed any decrement in your progress from that, or whether you have continued to progress normally despite this change. I ask, because to me, it appears that you are still making great progress, but I figure I'd see what your impressions were.

Really only the last 20 days or so of my bulk were done without being able to do squats and deads, and I still made excellent progress. Would I have made better progress with those lifts? I guess we'll never know, but I suspect that I would have.

I have done deads a couple of times since I started cutting, but have not been able to squat yet.

I am a huge believer in the big compound moves, both for overall mass development and also for core stability purposes. I strongly feel that all strength training programs (regardless of goal - strength or hypertrophy) should be centered around the big compound moves such as squats, bench presses and deadlifts. When you examine how much of the body is involved in performing those exercises, it just makes sense to make them a part of your workouts. I think guys who work nothing but beach muscles not only look unbalanced, but they are also lacking a strong core - and that leads to injury.

Originally Posted by Merk

It is simply astonishing the progress you make in the time you make it in. A constant reminder that your everyday person can be what they want, surprising what a little will power can do for you. Props to you

Thanks very much - that's kind of you to say. However....

...I don't think my gains are uncommon among those who put in the same effort as I do. In fact, as I said not too long ago, I'd even call my gains "average" based on the amount of work I put into my diet, training and everything else. What I think is common, unfortunately, is that so many desire good results but they lack the discipline required to obtain the results they want. Then when the progress don't come, suddenly everyone else is "genetically blessed" or "on steroids".

[xingcat]

Great progress pics, John!

Bulking intimidates me, because I gain fat so quickly, but as I reach the end of this initial cut, your progress has shown me that I don't need to become a whale in order to put on some pounds of muscle.

That second picture with you and Turtle looking in opposite directions reminds me of the South Park episode where Cartman does his own Christian rock album. Everyone looking in different directions....

.....I think I've been at work just a little too long today.

[The Abdominal Snowman]

Originally Posted by John Stone

Then when the progress don't come, suddenly everyone else is "genetically blessed" or "on steroids".

Amen. A friend of mine who has trained for years, told me I really gained muscles fast, much faster than him. When he came by to train at my house, he told me he thought it was over the top for me to keep stats of my lifts, weight, size and food intake. I wisely kept silent.

I've said this before, and I'll repeat it: your story is so inspirational, because you are a normal person. Your dedication is what inspires people, including myself.

[JoeSchmo]

Originally Posted by John Stone

I am a huge believer in the big compound moves, both for overall mass development and also for core stability purposes. I strongly feel that all strength training programs (regardless of goal - strength or hypertrophy) should be centered around the big compound moves such as squats, bench presses and deadlifts. When you examine how much of the body is involved in performing those exercises, it just makes sense to make them a part of your workouts. I think guys who work nothing but beach muscles not only look unbalanced, but they are also lacking a strong core - and that leads to injury.

Thanks for the response -- and, I couldn't agree more. Injuries are really frustrating when they prevent you from doing what you want to do .... I too had to remove deads and squats for awhile, but am back to doing them again, but not quite as heavy. Good luck with your recovery, and I can't wait to see how crazy you look with 6% bf

[John Stone]

Originally Posted by xingcat

Great progress pics, John!

Bulking intimidates me, because I gain fat so quickly, but as I reach the end of this initial cut, your progress has shown me that I don't need to become a whale in order to put on some pounds of muscle.

Thanks!

Yeah, anyone who was once overweight is probably going to have a few mental hurdles to overcome before s/he can successfully bulk. I know I did. The best thing to do is eat clean, work hard and keep in mind that the small amount of fat gain is only temporary, and well worth it.

Originally Posted by The Abdominal Snowman

I've said this before, and I'll repeat it: your story is so inspirational, because you are a normal person. Your dedication is what inspires people, including myself.

Lisa might take issue with your characterization of me as "normal".

Originally Posted by JoeSchmo

Good luck with your recovery, and I can't wait to see how crazy you look with 6% bf

Me either!

I'm about to post a new picture. I'm definitely noticing more cuts and vascularity - and I'm still way back between 10-11% body fat right now!

[John Stone]

Tonight was delts, biceps and triceps. It was not my greatest workout. I felt kind of tired, but I pushed through and my lifts were stronger than I felt. It was one of those workouts where everything felt forced, but I got the job done. I was sweating like a damn pig, too.

I miss having delts and arms on separate nights. I feel like by the time I get to my arms I'm already really exhausted from my delts workout. I know my delts need the most work, so they always come first. I don't want to move back to a 5-day split while I'm cutting, so I'm just going to have to force myself to adapt.

I'm between 10% and 11% body fat now. I'm noticing more cuts in my arms and shoulders, better bicep peak and increased vascularity. Another 9 pounds of fatloss is going to make a huge difference in my mid-section.

One picture tonight...

[doordude42]

All I can say is whew!!!!!! You're a BIG boy. Great job John, excellent work.