Just wanted to hop in and say that some_dude’s advice is very solid.
He doesn’t sound defeated to me - he sounds sane. An honest appraisal is absolutely vital for a beginning. He also specifies, “at my current level.” This is not defeat - it is honesty - and he is ready to work. Going “NIKE” (just do it) on someone with mounds of irrefutable evidence that they cannot “just do it” is insanity and an injury waiting to happen. I built decent pull-up strength using Harry Selkow’s programming over on Elitefts.com. Go there or google his program.
He has given it out for free to hundreds. It revolves around using a stool or whatever and jumping up to the top position of the pull-up and doing negatives on the way down. The progression has taken many from not being able to do a single to a surplus, often 10-20+ reps. This stuff is all theoretically “easy” but the execution often poses problems the practitioner is completely oblivious to until they encounter it - the positive attitude crap makes me vomit. I’ll take honesty and being pissed off any day of the week when it comes to the weight room.
FYI - the general strength approach from “some_dude” has done wonders for me as well.
[quote]some_dude wrote:
[quote]NoGi1 wrote:
So I have spent all day reading the nutrition articles on here. It was pretty helpful. I like the tracking calories and macro nutrient way of approaching diet as opposed to all of that hippy stuff about avoiding bread and pasta. So I will be doing that. I am going to eat at a 100-150 calorie surplus rather than eating at a deficit.[/quote]
One recommendation I’ll make is to generally disregard stuff that looks like it was written by a bodybuilder. A lot of it is unnecessarily technical for a beginner that wants to put on some size. My recommendation is to avoid the scale and judge yourself using a mirror and your belt. If you look at feel better while your belt gradually gets looser than you’re doing it right.
I’d recommend to not do longer distances (5km), particularly if you’re slow and/or your running form sucks. I didn’t listen to my body and gave myself runners knee because I was too slow and plodding. Additionally, longer distances will put more demands on your recovery and sabotage your efforts.
I got better results by going short distances 1 to 1.5km while focusing on form and speed. I used intervals until I could do a full km without my form breaking down. I also recommend alternating with bike work as it puts less stress on your body and puts less demand on your recovery. I was able to sustain the above while doing the BBB program although it did require me to listen to my body and some days that required me to quit once my speed/form started to brake down.
Grappling should be fine since it’s generally done in intervals.
Stop focusing on problem areas and just focus on general strength. Let things build naturally and forget the bodybuilding bullshit for the time being.
IMO, you’ll get better results following a 3x/week full body routine than a 4 day split, but if you insist on doing a 4 day split then just do the Boring But Big 3 Month Challenge linked above. By following the program you’ll learn more about training than you will by simply reading articles, and once educated you’ll have a better understanding of what articles apply to you and which don’t (and, which are pure bullshit).[/quote]
Thought about your advice and when i calculated my numbers for BBB it had be benching 30kg 5x10, which seems pointless. I don’t like SS but I have downloaded the strong lifts app and it seems good for my novice level. Thanks dude.
[quote]NoGi1 wrote:
when i calculated my numbers for BBB it had be benching 30kg 5x10, which seems pointless.[/quote]
Seeming doesn’t play out in reality. Wisdom will come with experience but that doesn’t mean you can’t act wisely now.
Be smart and be patient.
You’ll be better for 5 years of 5/3/1 than for 8 months of SS/SL followed by a year of texas/madcow followed by 3 years of 5/3/1 (which unless you staple down some disciple now - will probably be 3 months of 5/3/1, followed by 6 months of something else, followed by another 3 months of 5/3/1, followed by SS/SL again…)
Don’t look at it like you have to start out training at your max, use the light weight at the the beginning and gradual increase as an opportunity to nail down your form.
After all, inn BJJ you don’t roll at 100% with a black belt on day 1.
Look at the core lifts like the more technical submissions; it takes more than a few minutes to learn how to tap someone with an omoplata. Liken that to the bench, squat, deadlift or press. The technique must be studied and practiced at a lower level of intensity and gradually built up otherwise shit goes wrong in a bad way.
If you swallow your pride now you’ll reap the benefits later.
[quote]NoGi1 wrote:
Thought about your advice and when i calculated my numbers for BBB it had be benching 30kg 5x10, which seems pointless. I don’t like SS but I have downloaded the strong lifts app and it seems good for my novice level. Thanks dude.[/quote]
SL is basically SS with the power clean replaced by the row.
Judging by your username and that you’re into grappling I’d think you’d be better served doing power cleans than rows.
My suggestion is to pick a variation of 5/3/1 that sounds the most fun to you and do the exact assistance work that Jim has laid out for you. Don’t worry about whether or not the assistance work is geared to your long-term goals yet. You need a habit-forming routine that has you jacked up and ready to train every single time.
Do that without fail for one year minimum and then maybe, just maybe start thinking about specifics. Keep a razor sharp focus on the main lifts and work the muscle, not the movement on your assistance lifts.
Make your focus on your eating habits is as sharp as the training. That doesn’t mean shovel calories, either. Eat in conjunction with your training and your goals. Do some research on how to do that if you have any questions.
A beginner lifter needs a life change, and needn’t worry about chins and dips yet. That shit will come over time. So, pick a 5/3/1 variation that supplies a training boner and kill it. You will have days that suck, days that have you questioning the program and yourself. This is where your focus must take over for your emotions. 5/3/1 works, so trust in that and get after it.
Good luck!
[quote]JoeyWaters wrote:
My suggestion is to pick a variation of 5/3/1 that sounds the most fun to you and do the exact assistance work that Jim has laid out for you. Don’t worry about whether or not the assistance work is geared to your long-term goals yet. You need a habit-forming routine that has you jacked up and ready to train every single time.
Do that without fail for one year minimum and then maybe, just maybe start thinking about specifics. Keep a razor sharp focus on the main lifts and work the muscle, not the movement on your assistance lifts.
Make your focus on your eating habits is as sharp as the training. That doesn’t mean shovel calories, either. Eat in conjunction with your training and your goals. Do some research on how to do that if you have any questions.
A beginner lifter needs a life change, and needn’t worry about chins and dips yet. That shit will come over time. So, pick a 5/3/1 variation that supplies a training boner and kill it. You will have days that suck, days that have you questioning the program and yourself. This is where your focus must take over for your emotions. 5/3/1 works, so trust in that and get after it.
Good luck![/quote]
Fantastic advice!
[quote]JoeyWaters wrote:
My suggestion is to pick a variation of 5/3/1 that sounds the most fun to you and do the exact assistance work that Jim has laid out for you. Don’t worry about whether or not the assistance work is geared to your long-term goals yet. You need a habit-forming routine that has you jacked up and ready to train every single time.
Do that without fail for one year minimum and then maybe, just maybe start thinking about specifics. Keep a razor sharp focus on the main lifts and work the muscle, not the movement on your assistance lifts.
Make your focus on your eating habits is as sharp as the training. That doesn’t mean shovel calories, either. Eat in conjunction with your training and your goals. Do some research on how to do that if you have any questions.
A beginner lifter needs a life change, and needn’t worry about chins and dips yet. That shit will come over time. So, pick a 5/3/1 variation that supplies a training boner and kill it. You will have days that suck, days that have you questioning the program and yourself. This is where your focus must take over for your emotions. 5/3/1 works, so trust in that and get after it.
Good luck![/quote]
Great advice. See you soon.
[quote]JoeyWaters wrote:
My suggestion is to pick a variation of 5/3/1 that sounds the most fun to you and do the exact assistance work that Jim has laid out for you. Don’t worry about whether or not the assistance work is geared to your long-term goals yet. You need a habit-forming routine that has you jacked up and ready to train every single time.
Do that without fail for one year minimum and then maybe, just maybe start thinking about specifics. Keep a razor sharp focus on the main lifts and work the muscle, not the movement on your assistance lifts.
Make your focus on your eating habits is as sharp as the training. That doesn’t mean shovel calories, either. Eat in conjunction with your training and your goals. Do some research on how to do that if you have any questions.
A beginner lifter needs a life change, and needn’t worry about chins and dips yet. That shit will come over time. So, pick a 5/3/1 variation that supplies a training boner and kill it. You will have days that suck, days that have you questioning the program and yourself. This is where your focus must take over for your emotions. 5/3/1 works, so trust in that and get after it.
Good luck![/quote]
Nice one.
it pretty much answers all questions.
I would pick another tricep exercise like rope pressdowns and just sprinkle in skull crushers every few weeks otherwise your elbows will get pissed off fast. Otherwise what you posted is fine, go for it.
I say stay away from the 3 month challenge, its not fun and not for rank beginners.
Can you use a high bar squat on 5/3/1, I started a Wendler routine and started with squat day and I did it low bar, I have the form down pretty good but I still get strong knee pain from squatting low bar. I could barely squat 60kg swell a couple days ago when i was trying my max more than 2 times because it really hurt just below both knees.
I squatted 75kg 3x5 awhile ago using high bar.
Put the bar wherever you need to in order to get the work done. However, if you are getting knee pain, I would look into that immediately because it will eventually sneak up on you no matter where the bar is placed.
I know people will probably cry blasphemy but i might do 5/3/1 with a press, bench and deadlift day and no squat. I just got back from my family doctor and i described the pain and he prodded my shin and felt around the lower knee and said it sounds like medial plica syndrome.
So everyone can get bent and I will do my own thing.
I have an idea. Just do the base 531 programming and ONLY situps and back raises. You don’t have to do the BBB and I really think the BBB Challenge for a beginner is a really bad idea. In fact I think anything else but the base program is a bad idea for a beginner. Do this until you have to reset, which for a beginner could be 8-12 months if you chose your TM low enough.
Trust me if you are rank beginner than you WILL gain muscle by just doing the base program if you don’t eat like a queef.
[quote]NoGi1 wrote:
I know people will probably cry blasphemy but i might do 5/3/1 with a press, bench and deadlift day and no squat. I just got back from my family doctor and i described the pain and he prodded my shin and felt around the lower knee and said it sounds like medial plica syndrome.
So everyone can get bent and I will do my own thing.[/quote]
You sound like a petulant little child. Well let me give you some advise. Nobody really gives a shit what you want to do or are going to do. You asked a question and people took the time to give you good advise. So you can go fuck off . This is why I pay for Jims site. Little shits like you would be removed.
[quote]NoGi1 wrote:
I know people will probably cry blasphemy but i might do 5/3/1 with a press, bench and deadlift day and no squat. I just got back from my family doctor and i described the pain and he prodded my shin and felt around the lower knee and said it sounds like medial plica syndrome.
So everyone can get bent and I will do my own thing.[/quote]
If you have a knee issue then don’t squat. But trusting a family doc with orthopedic stuff is a foolish mistake. They aren’t trained for that type of stuff. Find a good ortho or physio guy who works with other weightlifters.
Your knee hurts because you’re weak.
Squatting makes your knee stronger.
Start with bodyweight if you have to and get used to the increased range of motion.
And stop being a whiny bitch.
[quote]NoGi1 wrote:
Can you use a high bar squat on 5/3/1, I started a Wendler routine and started with squat day and I did it low bar, I have the form down pretty good but I still get strong knee pain from squatting low bar. I could barely squat 60kg swell a couple days ago when i was trying my max more than 2 times because it really hurt just below both knees.
I squatted 75kg 3x5 awhile ago using high bar.[/quote]
Where you put the bar doesn’t matter.