Whoops, better start over!
JK. Nice work. As someone who’s doing it - what’s your opinion on conditioning options? From memory Jim mostly recommends “easy” conditioning - I think he specifically mentioned no hill sprints, but looks like you’ve been doing a little running here and there. You think if someone kept up with food and sleep they could use running as their conditioning? I know it depends on the person but…
are you finding your squat stands to be pretty stable?
It just takes longer for me to rack the weight, but there hasn’t been a ‘pretty’ about it - they just don’t move when the bar’s on them. I just have to walk forward very slowly until I feel the bar tap the back supports lightly, then I lower it down until I feel it touch the 4x4’s, and then I check left and right to make sure I’m on the inside of my pseudo j-hooks, and I can duck out of the bar without any worries.
Like most things in the program, I was amazed at how it never seemed to get any better, haha.
And also at how much some dudes never stopped bitching about having to do it.
I think conditioning is supposed to suck. It may be going against what Jim is saying a little bit, but I have a pretty high activity level, I feel rested, great, and all my reps feel smooth due to light TM’s, so I’m pushing the conditioning pretty hard.
With respect to running as conditioning, I think it depends as much on the nature of the running as much as it does the nature of the person. Sprints? Long distance running? Just regular LISS? Only the first one of those would I classify as ‘conditioning’, but that’s just my definition. As long as you’re not running long distance or doing hill sprints every day, I’d think you’d probably be okay. I also think if you can’t run comfortably for at least a short distance without feeling like you’re gonna die - and if you never ever run that’s not the case - you’re just not in good shape, no matter what else you can do, provided there’s not some medical reason you can’t run.
I hope I said I think enough to put the “this-isnt-Jim’s-thinking-this-is-mine” tag on it. But there’s SOME flexibility to this program. He even says only the leg-push-pull exercises (the first three in the workout) are mandatory, and everything else we can do what we want with.
Are you thinking about BtM? Or just pondering in general about running?
Yeah, kinda. I’ve been running 3 days a week (1 is “distance” and 2 are 400m-600m intervals) and lifting 2-3 days a week for a couple months now.
The running’s getting to the point that my lungs feel great, my legs just get a little tired, so I’d honestly feel like I’d need to do something else, like some circuits with BW movements or something.
I’ve also started going for easy walks/bike rides at night now that it’s nicer out, to account for “easy” conditioning.
I’m not sure I want to do the program - not sure it’d be great for me at the moment but school’s online and work is canceled so I feel like with the abundance of free time I have I might as well take my training to the next level. We’ll see!
*Also, I’ve realized how important following the diet is, and I honestly don’t know if I can do it. I’ve been to the store every day for the past week and there’s been literally ZERO beef, with miniscule amounts of chicken, turkey, steak, etc. Probably enough eggs, but not enough meat. We just do not have any in the stores. I’ve never seen this happen before. People are being fuckin’ idiots. I realize I’m making an excuse before starting, kinda the antithesis of everything you’ve been saying lately, but I’d want to do every aspect of the program if I try it.
I was gonna say - it’s the beef. I just ran out today. I bought up 6 pounds of ground turkey yesterday finally in desperation, that’s all that there is. Taco meat it is. Looking into ordering stuff online but there’s nothing there either. I’ll do what I can, but STARTING the diet knowing that there will be not enough ground beef to eat it all seems like you might want to postpone it. I don’t think that’s making an excuse, if you can’t buy it, you can’t buy it.
You’re in VA, right? Just curious.
Maybe I’ll do it without the diet, and just not expect quite the size gains…then when this is all over repeat, with the diet, and see how it goes. Or maybe I’ll just do BBB first. I’ve seen a few posters talk about doing BBB, then BtM.
@T3hPwnisher - anything you’d add to my conditioning question? I think Flap answered it well, but I’m open to anything.
Anyway, just off a quick Google search it looks like 12 eggs are 936 cals and 72 g of protein. 1.5lbs of beef is 1705 cals and 176 g of protein.
Just doubling up on eggs is 1872 cals (167 cal surplus) and 144 g of protein (32 grams short). It’s not the same but I suppose I could do that and it’d be easy to find 32 grams of protein somewhere else. 24 eggs a day though, haha…
Nevermind I did that math totally wrong. Hang on.
OK so really you need 2641 cals and 248 g of protein. Eating 36 eggs would end up with 2808 cals (167 cal surplus) and 216 g of protein (32 grams short).That’s close enough, but 36 eggs is something else.
36 eggs, EVERY DAY, is 
I’m in Albuquerque, and nearly every store within miles of me is out of or runs out of eggs, beef, chicken, and other protein sources very quickly every day. I’m forcing a paradigm shift about my diet, not particularly considering calories or macros right now, instead using how I feel as the plumb line - Hungry? Eat. Not hungry? Don’t eat. Dizzy? Eat and drink, add some salt. Etc.
Don’t eat 36 eggs a day.
It’s not sustainable. No matter how you do it. The inevitable bowel distress it would cause you would negate probably 25% of the protein minimum anyways. Just run BBB and eat as much lean meat and eggs as you can.
Yeah I wasn’t planning on it. We’ll just wait for the pandemic to be over.
You had mentioned something about not absorbing as much from protein powder as you do whole foods - is there any particular literature you could point me to, or have you just kinda heard it over the years? I’ve always heard whole food is better, but am curious as to how big of a difference it really is.
My take on running is that it is much more technical than we think. Sprints can fuck you up quick if you do them wrong, and even LISS will can be iffy if you have poor gait and/or don’t know how to breathe.
Running is super technical. People also buy wrist wraps, straps, belts, preworkouts, intraworkouts, postworkouts, and everything else under the sun, and then spent fuck all on their running shoes. Lifting shoes are simple - $20 chucks or barefoot/socks are fine for moving weight, but a good pair of running shoes aren’t cheap. They don’t just have to be good, they have to fit your foot shape and body type. Everything starts with the feet.
I’ve also seen people fuck themselves up sprinting. I still stand by my statement that running is vital, since it’s literally our last mode of survival, but if you don’t anticipate having to run, it’s a bit high-risk low-reward.
Plus running really sucks if you’re flat footed…unless you’re Pwn
Given the times, you should probably be doing your sprints while carrying a Nail Bat.
Does that mean just being in reasonable physical condition? Or does it mean including some kind of running practice
Do you have any butchers or processing shops in the area? My beef is raised in the next county and then sent to a local shop for processing. We buy our cow from the farmer but people can go to the shop and buy 1/4 or 1/2 beef without knowing the farmer. There’s probably a wait time but it might be necessary given the circumstances. You might end up with better meat, too.
My definition of reasonable physical condition includes being able to run a mile minimum, but it doesn’t have to include running practice. Especially if someone has bad knees/hips/ankles.
We have a farmers market nearby, but it’s also pretty much dry except for tenderloins and other stuff I can’t really afford to be pounding down. Ground turkey seems to be in good supply, and given the times I’ll make it work.
I assure you that it still sucks, haha.
@jshaving Running wouldn’t be ideal on BtM, but anything is possible. Just have to see how it impacts recovery.