24 Y/O USAF Service Member Looking for Advice

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hi all,

Let me start out by saying that although I havent posted on here a lot I have spent a lot of time learning through this site and other sites such as elitefts/simplyshredded etc… for a good 6 years. I know how educated some of the readers on this site are, and figured its time to enlist in some help. I have been lifting for a good 5 solid years; I was a skinny kid in high school and when I went away to college I decided to get really into lifting.

Needless to say I fell in love with it; I am a huge fan of Kroc, CT, Tate, and Wendler. I loved all the articles they have posted through the years and I cant explain how grateful I am. So enough brown nosing, I am im need of some critque regarding diet and training.

Some history first: started off as a 145 high school senior and when I graduated college I was about 180. Squatted (low bar) 405x2 ; Deadlifted 545x1 (straps only) ; and benched 245x1 (touch and go). Nothing spectacular but for some skinny kid I was proud of myself, especially compared to some of the members on here. Now after I graduated college, I decided to join the Air Force and everything changed…

In order for me to join I was required to drop to about 160lbs, I ran dieted sprinted and lifted my ass off. I am only 5’6 and the AF fucked me with hitting my weight limit. I couldnt even go to MEPS unless I was under 165 and they wanted me at 160. I weighed in, fasted at 159 (pretty hard seeing that work get flushed away) but that is in the past. I like many others made to dramatic of a caloric deficit and lost a lot of hard earned muscle but ended up in the 10%ish bodyfat range.

I was pretty lean, and have to admit looked pretty good. Now after all this my numbers were still pretty respectful, my bench I remember taking the biggest lost but my squat and deadlift were still good especially with a bodyweight of 160. Now im off to basic and lets just say the workout regiment isnt all that great. I ended up actually losing a lot of strength but in return got some cardiovascular benefits but was now weaker than I was before. I am currently at my first base now in the operational, and I still have the fire and drive. My numbers are as they stand 275x1 squat 405x1 deadlift and 185x5 bench (I am estimating for all, but my bench has always been hard for me to judge so just figured I give you my 5rep max comfortably)

My workout routine is volume heavy, but I dont believe in overtraining if you get enough sleep as well as enough food. I am currently in korea and eat out of the dinning facility. I practice IMF because I dont have time to balance work, volunteer work, training, and more importantly the financial status to do that currently. Especially when I dont have a choice in regards to a meal plan (I have to have one).

So all that being said this is my diet: 4 skinless chicken breast, white rice/potatoes (0-2 servings depending on what im training that day), 2 cartons of skim milk/yogurt, a HUGE salad (spinach, broccoli, egg topping, and jalapenos). I essentially eat the same large meal twice a day. My lunch is at noon, and my dinner (post workout) at 6:30. So just to clarify I get 8 skinless chicken breast a day, 4 servings of skim milk or yogurt, and two huge salads. Dressing is straight vinegar and right before bed a serving of greek Chobani yogurt (aid in digestion) I drink an absolute ton of water and only take fish oil and opti men multi as supplements.

As far as training goes: monday: shoulders tuesday:back wednesday:chest Thursday:legs Friday:arms Saturday:full body.

Shoulders: OHP (5/3/1 scheme) SS with tempo pull up.Db shoulder press (5x10) Landmine Press (3x8-12) lateral raises (3x12-15) snatch grip high pull (3x5) light ab work
I implement rest pause sets on my work sets for standing OHP

Back: Deadlifts (5/3/1) BB rows (5x10) T-bar rows (4x6-12) BW Pullups (5x10)*change grips from widest to narrow DB incline rows (3x8-12) heavy ab work

Chest: BB flat press (5/3/1) SS with tempo wide pull ups Incline BB press (5x10) Incline flyes (3x12) Wide machine press (3x10-12) Low incline DB press and twist (3x8-12) light ab work

Legs: warm up: laying hamstring curls (3x12) Squat (5/3/1) Squat (5x10) Front Squat (3x8-12) DB RDL (3x10) Heavy ab work

Arms: I wont waste your time with

Full body day, is a day I use to perfect technique and go for higher reps on a compound movement with only a minute rest between sets. Sort of a dynamic day with 60% max and focus on speed, tightness, technique
BB shoulder press 5x10
Squat 5x10
BB row 5x10
BB incline/flat 5x10
pullups ss with dips 3x10

*SS stands for super set
*5/3/1 is the 5/3/1 scheme based on percentages and week from Jim Wendler
*I do some rest pause on my main working set lifts
*my sets that have a range of reps will be sets I ramp up the weight, otherwise I stay at the same weight
Sunday: day off

Sorry for the long post, I dont even know if this is the right section but I wanted to get some input. I am currently 170 looking to build back my strength and size as clean as possible. I quit drinking, and am dedicated and focused. Just looking for some critiques on my diet and program. I feel good, looking like im getting more full, although my bench is a slow progress unlike the ret of my major lifts. So thats me, expect to get criticized for following intermittent fasting, volume, diet, and length of post. Just know I will listen and learn from anyone who gives me advice from their busy day, and will answer any questions.

Thank you in advance

2

Bump? Any critiques?

3

[quote]jzy50309 wrote:
Hi all,

Let me start out by saying that although I havent posted on here a lot I have spent a lot of time learning through this site and other sites such as elitefts/simplyshredded etc… for a good 6 years. I know how educated some of the readers on this site are, and figured its time to enlist in some help. I have been lifting for a good 5 solid years; I was a skinny kid in high school and when I went away to college I decided to get really into lifting.

Needless to say I fell in love with it; I am a huge fan of Kroc, CT, Tate, and Wendler. I loved all the articles they have posted through the years and I cant explain how grateful I am. So enough brown nosing, I am im need of some critque regarding diet and training.

Some history first: started off as a 145 high school senior and when I graduated college I was about 180. Squatted (low bar) 405x2 ; Deadlifted 545x1 (straps only) ; and benched 245x1 (touch and go). Nothing spectacular but for some skinny kid I was proud of myself, especially compared to some of the members on here. Now after I graduated college, I decided to join the Air Force and everything changed…

In order for me to join I was required to drop to about 160lbs, I ran dieted sprinted and lifted my ass off. I am only 5’6 and the AF fucked me with hitting my weight limit. I couldnt even go to MEPS unless I was under 165 and they wanted me at 160. I weighed in, fasted at 159 (pretty hard seeing that work get flushed away) but that is in the past. I like many others made to dramatic of a caloric deficit and lost a lot of hard earned muscle but ended up in the 10%ish bodyfat range.

I was pretty lean, and have to admit looked pretty good. Now after all this my numbers were still pretty respectful, my bench I remember taking the biggest lost but my squat and deadlift were still good especially with a bodyweight of 160. Now im off to basic and lets just say the workout regiment isnt all that great. I ended up actually losing a lot of strength but in return got some cardiovascular benefits but was now weaker than I was before. I am currently at my first base now in the operational, and I still have the fire and drive. My numbers are as they stand 275x1 squat 405x1 deadlift and 185x5 bench (I am estimating for all, but my bench has always been hard for me to judge so just figured I give you my 5rep max comfortably)

My workout routine is volume heavy, but I dont believe in overtraining if you get enough sleep as well as enough food. I am currently in korea and eat out of the dinning facility. I practice IMF because I dont have time to balance work, volunteer work, training, and more importantly the financial status to do that currently. Especially when I dont have a choice in regards to a meal plan (I have to have one).

So all that being said this is my diet: 4 skinless chicken breast, white rice/potatoes (0-2 servings depending on what im training that day), 2 cartons of skim milk/yogurt, a HUGE salad (spinach, broccoli, egg topping, and jalapenos). I essentially eat the same large meal twice a day. My lunch is at noon, and my dinner (post workout) at 6:30. So just to clarify I get 8 skinless chicken breast a day, 4 servings of skim milk or yogurt, and two huge salads. Dressing is straight vinegar and right before bed a serving of greek Chobani yogurt (aid in digestion) I drink an absolute ton of water and only take fish oil and opti men multi as supplements.

As far as training goes: monday: shoulders tuesday:back wednesday:chest Thursday:legs Friday:arms Saturday:full body.

Shoulders: OHP (5/3/1 scheme) SS with tempo pull up.Db shoulder press (5x10) Landmine Press (3x8-12) lateral raises (3x12-15) snatch grip high pull (3x5) light ab work
I implement rest pause sets on my work sets for standing OHP

Back: Deadlifts (5/3/1) BB rows (5x10) T-bar rows (4x6-12) BW Pullups (5x10)*change grips from widest to narrow DB incline rows (3x8-12) heavy ab work

Chest: BB flat press (5/3/1) SS with tempo wide pull ups Incline BB press (5x10) Incline flyes (3x12) Wide machine press (3x10-12) Low incline DB press and twist (3x8-12) light ab work

Legs: warm up: laying hamstring curls (3x12) Squat (5/3/1) Squat (5x10) Front Squat (3x8-12) DB RDL (3x10) Heavy ab work

Arms: I wont waste your time with

Full body day, is a day I use to perfect technique and go for higher reps on a compound movement with only a minute rest between sets. Sort of a dynamic day with 60% max and focus on speed, tightness, technique
BB shoulder press 5x10
Squat 5x10
BB row 5x10
BB incline/flat 5x10
pullups ss with dips 3x10

*SS stands for super set
*5/3/1 is the 5/3/1 scheme based on percentages and week from Jim Wendler
*I do some rest pause on my main working set lifts
*my sets that have a range of reps will be sets I ramp up the weight, otherwise I stay at the same weight
Sunday: day off

Sorry for the long post, I dont even know if this is the right section but I wanted to get some input. I am currently 170 looking to build back my strength and size as clean as possible. I quit drinking, and am dedicated and focused. Just looking for some critiques on my diet and program. I feel good, looking like im getting more full, although my bench is a slow progress unlike the ret of my major lifts. So thats me, expect to get criticized for following intermittent fasting, volume, diet, and length of post. Just know I will listen and learn from anyone who gives me advice from their busy day, and will answer any questions.

Thank you in advance
[/quote]

Are you going strickly for str or size? or a mix of the both? because if you giong just for str some of those lifts could prob be taken out and replaced with more volume of the major compounds. Unless you are trying to pick up weak points in that case keep up with it. im also in the AF and i messed my back up 2 and 1/2 years ago and they arent doing anything about it so i took 5 months off the gym to give it a break to see if it helped(it didnt of course) but i lost a lot of my str but it will come back faster than you having to get it in the first place it just takes a little time is all. Just keep up with hitting the gym regularly and eating right and it will come back. and i dont know why they make you drop that body weight before meps its not like it matters after your in unless your waist gets to big. Oh btw are you in kunsan or osan? i was in korea for 2 years myself, i was jw

4

You weighed 320 at five foot six?

5

Sorry, drop to 160, not drop 160…smile. Happy Holidays!

6

Merry Belated Cheistmas and Happy Holidays to all!! I’m sorry it took me so long to post a reply, I didn’t figure anyone was going to respond and essentially just gave up. Glad I had a reply though! Currently I am going for a mix of both, I always start my liftin day with a main compound movement and try to get 5 reps, and depending on how I perform I will stick with that same weight or increase the weight by small increments.

This program I’m running is a mix for strength and size, as I do have a decent amount of hypertrophy work, but with the idea of progression. This is my first air base at Osan, the diet is the worst part but it’s what makes or breaks you. I eat about 8-10 chicken breast a day, thank god for salsa and hot sauce. I don’t do well with too many carbs which really sucks, I’d love to eat more carbs but I know my body sucks with partitioning out that strictly to muscle.

I currently just do IMF and eat two meals, one pre workout and post workout. I’m hoping when I have a bit more money saved up I can try out Indigo 3G as it may fix my carb intolerance. Appreciate the reply, I’m looking for more aesthetics but know I need to get my strength up to reputable numbers. I might start a log, I’ll let you know if I do.