Back to Basics

Training Bodybuilding
1

I’m preparing to work for a voluntary organisation in Nepal for 6 months next year, and I have a few questions/doubts about appropriate training and nutrition. I reckon here is the best palce to ask for good advice.

I will be in a rural village environment in the hills. No gyms, no track, no equipment. The diet is rice and lentils with curried vegetables at every meal. They are Buddhists and Hindus, so there is no meat. The organisation warns me most men lose at least a stone in weight, though for some reason, they say, women do not (?).

Obviously, I am keen to continue my training: I’m not about to let my twelve years of hard-earned muscle waste away, not on my watch. My plan is to find/make a bar for chins, and tables or similar for dips, and do sprints for my legs. I won’t be able to do weighted chins, and I can already do 15 with bodyweight no sweat. Should I be aiming for 30-40+ chins/dips? I was also thinking of handstand pushups, but I’ve never tried these before so I don’t know how demanding they’ll be? Are there any other exercises you guys would recommend?

A friend said neck bridging would be great for my back, but I don’t know the correct technique. I was also going to take COC grippers, but I’m not sure it’s worth taking the yet-to-be-cracked No.3, if grippers are my only form of heavy grip training?

The diet is obviously a challenge, and a big change from my current eating habits. Is the low quality of the protein going to make gains slower? And recovery, workout frequency? Is the diet even nutritionally sufficient for someone training, with consequently higher protein needs? I know the Nepalese are not renowned for their strongmen, and that must be partly diet. My plan is to take only a multivitamin, but my knowledge of nutrition is not good, and I’d welcome any advice.

Despite these issues, I’m looking forward to it a lot. I’ll have to focus on chins and variations for 6 months, and take training into the wild. Its going to be a great learning experience, and hopefully I will come back the wiser for it. If I go out there armed with knowledge and sound advice, that will be the best preparation I can hope for.

On a side note, I’m not sure what to do with my training in the time before I leave (I go in february 2004). Is there much point in squat specialisation, or improving my beginner snatch technique, if whatever imrpovements I make will be nothing in a year’s time? Should I start training raw now in prepration, or try to bulk up so that I have plenty in the bank to lose?

Thanks for any comments.

greenslade

2

Handstand pushups rule–start practicing. Get to where you can walk around free standing, it is a neat party trick.

Bring the grippers.

3

I highly recomend the Power Push Up 2. Its small and versatile, and you can buy bands that go up to 300 lbs in weight. While bands will never replace iron for training, in a situation like this, beggars can’t be choosers. And unless you plan on shipping a 300 lb barbell set everyewhere, the PPu2 is your next best option.

4

In the college dorms I was in, the bunkbeds had a bar on the top bed that extended about 6" down into the bottom bed. It went straight across and basically served no purpose. If I was bored, I would prop my feet up on the end of the bed, then do bodyweight rows up to the bar. It’s like doing bent rows with no low back involvement and it’s a great upper back workout. You can change the angle of your feet for different intensities and variations.

I say this because you can grab onto the underside of the end of a sturdy table and do supinated body weight rows in addition to your chins.

5

I think your plan of bulking up now so you have plenty to lose makes some sense. I think the fact that men have lost more on this excursion than woman shows that there is substantial muscle loss in men.

Don’t forget to add one-legged squats.

6

Ian King Death by Bodyweight

7

In regards to the diet, is there anything you can bring with you when you go?

Would it be acceptable to bring some whey protein powder to meet some of your protein needs for maintaining your muscle mass?

Vegetarian protein sources are okay for some of your amino acid requirements, but you may become deficient in other aa’s depending on the rest of your dietary intake (i.e Complementary protein sources to make a complete amino acid profile). The whey would at least ensure that you are getting one complete protein source and it also offers some immunological benefits that may be to your advantage in a new environment.

8

If you could get people to ship tubs of Grow to you, it might make it easier. Also many cultures have no problem eating bugs. If you can find a well prepared bug dish to eat, this might just help. If you have to eat them live, be sure to chew them well before swallowing, as some bugs will try to crawl back out if they are still alive.

Just consider this as a 6 month cutting cycle, and any muscle lost will be easily gained back in a short time. The biggest thing to keep in mind is not to go meat crazy and eat one of the cows. I don’t know if that is a rule in Nipple… uh I mean Nepal, you just need to make sure you know the rules before stuffing local animals in your mouth. Then again you might be able to sneak a pygmy hog every now and then.

I am sure you are doing your homework on Nepal, but try this website:
http://www.info-nepal.com/firstpage/
Also this site:

might make it easier to make food choices.

9

Lots of pullups is the key. Also one-handed pullups and one-handed pushups should help.

-ton

10

Be creative with exercises! You can put stones in your back pack. Go outside and carry some heavy rocks around or just try to lift them. Buy minibands and maybe some stronger ones also. You can do a lot of different exercises with bands.

11

I can’t believe that no one has recommended that you take a protein powder with you yet. Yes, the native diet is woefully inadequate for a person who trains. Yes, the lack of protein will result in severe muscle catabolism if left unchecked. Yes, this means that you will lose both size and strength in a big way.

Protein powders are available most anywhere, can be shipped to you most anywhere, and taking one a couple of times a day will go a long long way towards offsetting your dietary imbalances. You’ll still probably lose weight and strength, but at least it won’t be as bad.

I’d also take some fish oil caps with you, or some flaxseed oil, in order to meet your healthy fats requirements. Sounds to me like there’s probably going to be a deficiency in that area as well.

Finally, if you’ve got hills around, use 'em for your legs. Running will actually take size off, so instead go get yourself a log, sling it over your shoulders, and start walking up hills. That’ll keep your size and strength up better than just running.

12

How about the X-vest, you can use that for everything (weighted pullups, body-rows (no idea what they are called), pushups, sprints, etc). They even have an 85 lb one now.

13

Thanks guys, loads of advice to be getting on with there.

I’m taken by the bands idea, I’ll definitely invest in some. Anyone know a good brand that’s versatile and cheap. WeaponX recommends the PowerPushup2- anyone second that? I read about the X-vest. Sounds great, but I aint wearing it on the plane! I think rocks in the rucksac is the way to go.

I tried the handstand pushups, and was not very successful. I did two. I might try negatives, between two sturdy chairs to increase the ROM. Still, two is a start, and before you know it I’ll be walking on my hands 24/7. The row variation sounds good, and I can’t believe I forgot one legged squats.

Is there any risk to the wrist or elbow with one handed pushups. I tried, but the leverages seemed all wrong. Any tips? I saw somewhere, probably with Coach Davies, the screw pushup or something, looked utterly weird- anyone know anything about that?

Oh yeah, there will be plenty of hills, char-dawg. Mountains too. What about running up hills?

As far as diet goes, I agree it doesn’t bode well. I’m going to be very isolated, so frequent Grow shipping is not an option. When I say isolated, I mean 20 hours by jeep from Katmandhu airport, on dirt roads, and I doubt there is a courier service, not in my price range. As for taking some Grow with me… it’s not exactly travelling light, packing daily whey for 6 months. I will take fish-oils,and I’ll scout the shelves for any other supplements that might help.

Given the poor diet, I’m starting to think training hard is a bad idea. I mean, if I’m damaging my muscles with ten sets of pullups, or sprints, or using bands, are my muscles going to recover properly? Obviously, longer rest between workouts. But nutritionally, are my muscles going to get the right proteins to repair and strengthen, regardless of rest? Or am I going to wear my body down with overtraining plus an inadequate diet?

greenslade

14

You can always climb everest or some of those top peaks around there…:stuck_out_tongue: