Long story short, I was a high school senior 6’3" 152.5 lb. Decided to do something about. Looked at the Eagles lineup and set two 6’3" players as my goal, Pinkston at 180 (which I have hit, and then went down a little) and then TO at 225. Started eating (mostly right) and did HIT for about 2 years. Shot up 20 pounds fairly quickly. Got tired of HIT and lack of progress, and switched to Rippetoe late February.
Once I got my numbers right I started out at:
pendlay rows: 145 (3x5)
front squat: 205/190/190
standing bb press: 95lb (3x5)
chins: 1x10, 1x4
bench: 155 (3x5)
dead: 250 (1x5)
bb curls: 80lb x 8, 75 lb x 6
dips: 20lb db held between feet 1x11, 1x9
rope tri ext: 62.5 1x9, 1x7
by mid april, I had improved to:
body weight: 187 max (although this was clothes and shoes at 10pm after eating and drinking water at the gym)
rows 180 3x5
front squat: 225 5x5
press: 110 3x5
chin 1x12, 1x6
bench: 175 5x3
dead: 315 1x4
curls: 30lb db 2x7
dips 30lb 1x13, 35lb 1x7
triext 110 1x 11 1x10 (but different machine, so…)
then I got strep, which killed me for a week, and then left me without energy for another week, and here I am 7 weeks later just getting back into the gym. My previous longest break in the last 2+ years had only been a week.
My workout last night:
body weight: 175 (legit, ie at 8am before breakfast, post dump)
front squat: 135 1x10 warmup, 205 1x3, 185 5x2
standing press: 105 1x3, 95 5x2
row: 175 1x5, 155 2x5 (Didn’t feel like I was pulling high enough on any of them)
dips (workout calls for chins here but I switched by accident): 20lb 2x8
curls: 40 2x5, 40 2 reps dropped down to 35 for 2 more to finish that set
tri ext: 110 2x8
Very disheartening to see those numbers drop, but I’ve been bit by the gym bug again, so we’ll see how long it takes to get back. As far as nutrition goes, during the year I am subject to the whims of my fraternity’s chef. But now I have the full resources of my mom’s kitchen, so organic and quality food abounds. What I yesterday for example +2 fish oil caps at every meal:
~9:30 BIG bowl of granola with milk
12:30 2 bowls organic beef stew
3:30 1 bowl beef stew
7:30 a bunch of flounder filets, salad w. tomato and avocado and (? blanking on last dish)
10:45 my standard post workout smoothie (milk, 27g protein powder, frozen strawberries, organic peanutbutter, oatmeal, banana)
My nutritional theory is that if I worry about protein at every meal, the carbs and fats take care of themselves. I had been eating too cleanly previously and I know I need to get more good fats in, hence the fish oil, avacados, peanut butter. I know I should really run the numbers, but I’m pretty sure I’m getting what I need nutrition wise, and I could probably throw another protein shake in there (just got a new tub before dinner). If someone has good mental math and could see what yesterday added up to, I could adjust what I’m doing if needed.
I think I do pretty much everything right except for two things: drinking and sleeping. I drink way too much, way too often. I mostly don’t drink during the week any more, but most weekends in the school year I’m so hungover I only eat dinners or late night drunk food (but I still try and get that protein). I want to decrease this for many reasons, but that hasn’t been an issue this summer yet and will try and keep it that way.
I also could easily sleep 12 hours every night, which is complicated by my awful college student sleep habits and procrastination. I have been tested and there’s nothing “wrong” but they think I’m just way on the right of the bell curve for sleep needs. Last two summers I’ve slept 8 hours consistently every night and still was exhausted all day and needed naps, and on days off I’d sleep 14 hours, so “adjusting” and “powering through it” is bullshit.
So anyway, my goal is to hit 190 before school starts late August which I think is doable. I would say 200 by new years. I think it’s doable. I really have no goals besides getting huge. That said, I don’t like being winded after jogging a city block, and considering I do no cardio I should add something.
Here’s a pic of right before the 7 week hiatus.
