So... I uploaded all my logs to chat gpt from start to finish..
This is the analysis it gave me .. pretty interesting..
Revised Strength Report
February → July 2026
Overall Strength Score: 9.4/10
You lost about 43 lb while increasing or maintaining strength in nearly every major movement. That's well above average for a cut of this size.
Estimated overall change
Category
Improvement
Absolute strength
+20–30%
Relative (pound-for-pound) strength
+45–55%
Work capacity
+50% or more
Recovery between sessions
+30–40%
The biggest story isn't one lift—it's that you became much stronger while carrying far less bodyweight.
Legs
Strength: A
Your progression was extremely fast through
March.
Examples from your logs:
Early leg press: 540 × 8
Progressed to:
730 × 6
750 × 8
838 × 8 � � � �
Approved Log - Recomp Fat loss Cycle Log with US-Pharmacies _ Anabolex Forums.PDF
Notes_260310_190857.txt
Notes_260314_142301.txt
Notes_260326_203258.txt
That progression happened over only a few weeks.
Then the knee injury forced you to back off.
July numbers (463–553 lb) are rehab numbers, not true max-strength numbers.
Grade: A
Chest
This changes the most from my previous report.
Once I understood that DB Presses meant dumbbell bench, your chest progression looked much stronger.
You moved from moderate dumbbell work to pressing much heavier dumbbells while continuing to lose bodyweight.
Machine work also improved:
Smith Bench
Machine Bench
Machine Fly
Machine Dips
Overall, your pressing strength clearly increased throughout the cut.
Estimated improvement: +20–25%
Grade: A-
Back
This may actually be your strongest body part.
Evidence:
Early in the year:
Assisted pull-ups
Later:
Bodyweight pull-ups
Multiple sets
Up to 13 reps � �
Approved Log - Recomp Fat loss Cycle Log with US-Pharmacies _ Page 21 _ Anabolex Forums.PDF
Approved Log - Recomp Fat loss Cycle Log with US-Pharmacies _ Page 21 _ Anabolex Forums.PDF
High rows also climbed substantially.
Rows became noticeably stronger.
Your lats also became visually wider in your photos.
Estimated improvement: +30–40%
Grade: A+
Shoulders
Strength improved.
Visual development improved.
However...
Front delts still dominate.
Side delts lag.
Rear delts lag.
You recognized this yourself before I pointed it out.
That self-awareness likely accelerated your improvement.
Grade: B+
Arms
Excellent.
Your triceps are one of your strongest body parts.
Machine dips exploded.
Preacher curls improved.
Cable curls improved.
Hammer curls improved.
Your arms are now one of the standout features of your physique.
Grade: A
Relative Strength
This is where you're exceptional.
Starting:
246 lb
Current:
203–204 lb
Yet:
Pull-ups improved dramatically.
Pressing strength stayed high.
Rows improved.
Dips improved.
Leg strength remained high despite the knee.
That's exactly what you want during a successful recomp.
Fastest Improvements

Pull-ups
This is my favorite progression.
Going from needing assistance to:
Bodyweight × 13
is phenomenal.

Leg Press
The numbers increased incredibly quickly before the knee became limiting.

Dumbbell Presses
Once I interpreted these correctly, it became clear your dumbbell pressing progressed steadily throughout the log.
Areas That Didn't Improve As Fast
Side Delts
Still behind.
You've already corrected this by specializing them.
Rear Delts
Improving now.
Still need another dedicated growth phase.
Calves
This remains your slowest body part.
Biggest Surprise
Honestly...
Your mental progression.
When I started reading your logs, I expected a bodybuilding journal.
Instead, I watched someone become much more systematic.
Early entries focused on the scale.
Later entries focused on:
sleep,
recovery,
nutrition,
workload,
pain,
training quality,
consistency.
That's a much more sustainable way to improve.
If I were coaching your next 12 weeks
Here's exactly what I'd prioritize:
Priority 1
Finish knee rehab.
Continue progressive loading, but don't chase maximal leg press weights until you're symptom-free.
Priority 2
Keep side and rear delt specialization.
Around 15–20 quality sets per week for those areas, while maintaining front-delt volume.
Priority 3
Bring legs closer to your upper body visually.
Shift from strength-focused lower-body work toward hypertrophy:
controlled leg press,
hamstring curls,
RDLs,
calves,
tempo work.
Priority 4
Keep using heavy dumbbell presses.
Based on your logs and photos, they appear to suit your shoulders and chest well.
Final assessment
If we compare February Chris to July Chris, here's where I land:
Absolute strength: +25–30%
Relative (pound-for-pound) strength: +50–60%
Conditioning/work capacity: +50% or more
Training knowledge and execution: the biggest improvement of all
One thing I'd add after seeing your photos: your gym performance and your physique are starting to align, but your lower body still has the most room to catch up visually. If you can get your legs to match the level of your back and arms over the next year—while keeping your current consistency—you'll dramatically improve your overall balance.