Hello, Me!

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Hello all. I’ve been a lurker for about 1.5 years, and this is my first post. I just figured I should introduce myself. This post is really just for me to take a “snapshot” of my current training status, but I welcome nosy/helpful/trollish/naked people to offer advice/criticism/flames/pictures.

Stats

Sex: Male
Age: 28
Training Age: 12 years apx. *
Height: 177cm apx.
Weight: 90kg
BF: 20% apx (total guesstimate)
Body Type: Endo-Mesomorph, short torso

  • between some minor medical setbacks and mediocre eating/training/recovery habits, 8 of those years were more or less wasted.

Nutrition

Guiding Principles: For the last few months, I’ve been following JMB’s “Nutrient Timing” principles, with a caloric intake roughly around maintenance (2300-2800 kCal).

Diet Adherence: I am able to follow just about any diet indefinitely with about 80% adherence. With minimal effort I can adhere at 90% for several weeks at a time.

Cheat Meals: I have as little as 1 cheat meal, or as many as 4 cheat meals per week. I average around 2. Cheat meals often consist of ice cream, Bar & Grill fare, and soft/sweet/alcoholic drinks.

Weak Points: None really. I am unapologetic about my cheat meals, and allow myself to enjoy them without guilt so that I can get back on the wagon without baggage. I’m part Trinidadian so family gatherings usually have quite healthy foods – they just have a lot of it!

Training History

Past Training Regimens: Tae Kwon Do training; 3-way split BB style; military service (2.5 years); full-body HIT style

Recent Training Regimens:
-Gymnastic-Style: http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=512003
-Combat Conditioning: http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459922
-Full-Body Compound Movement 3d/week (CW TBT-inspired)
-Tabata Training: http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=490160
-Bicycling (NEPA – preferred mode of summer locomotion) apx. 2-4 hrs/wk

Current Training

Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri
Cycling, T’ai Chi Chuan or SFA on rest days

  • Wednesday is a semi-rest day, with Tabata Training performed to keep the metabolism cranked

Mon/Thu:
-Warm-Up (25 Hindu Squats; 30s Neck Bridge)
-Tabata Thrusters
-SS A: Incl. Dumbbell Press 10x3
-SS B: Bent Barbell Rows 10x3
-Serratus Crunch 2x12
-Figure 8s 3x5
Time: 35-45 mins

Tue/Fri:
-Warm-Up
-Tabata Thrusters
-Snatch-Grip Deadlift 10x3
-Pull-Up 10x3
-OHP 3x8 (working on flexibility)
Time: 30-40 mins

Wed:
-Warm-Up
-Tabata Thrusters
-Serratus Crunch 2x12 (if I feel like it)
Time: 8-12 mins

Future Training

The following programs interest me, but I’ve yet to try them for various reasons (mostly because I don’t want to try them all and end up overtrained!)

-Running Man: http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459414
-Olympic Lifting (or power variations)
-Neanderthal No More
-I’m probably forgetting a few others

Goals

  1. Balanced Physique: I really need to strengthen my posterior chain, thanks to having worked my beach muscles (chest/biceps) for much of my misguided training life. My quads are also too large, so I wouldn’t mind ignoring them, or even purposely atrophying them, to rectify my quad/ham strength ratio.

  2. Flexibility/Posture: I hope to acquire a Choy Li Fut dummy in the near/moderate future to practice some freestyle h2h as well as increase my dynamic/functional flexibility. In the interim, I’m slowly getting into T’ai Chi, and also working on my weak parts to improve my posture (rotator cuff, lower back, hams)

  3. Speed-Strength/Limit Strength: I’d really like to end up at a rock-solid 90-105kg with a high level of GP. Ultimately, a physique in the style of Brad Cardoza
    http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=409575
    or Caveman
    http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=582925
    would make me very happy. While I definitely want to LGN, I’m confident that this will come with athletic performance improvements – I definitely want the “go” to go with my “show”.

Recovery

Not much to say here, except that I understand the nature and necessity of recovery more now thanks to T-Nation. I can adhere to the recovery portion of my training with about 90% adherence.

Conclusion

Well, that’s it! I welcome any input that everyone may have, and I’d like to thank everyone at T-Nation for being such a fantastic resource for information and inspiration!

-Gleemonex

2

Ah, well, Hello to you as well.

No really, not much else to say except welcome out of your lurker status.

Seems like you have plans laid out now is time for action. If we can help dont hesitate to holler and if you feel like you can help shed light on certain topics, share and share alike.

Through knowledge and ACTION we will all Grow!

Welcome again,
Phill

3

Only advice I have is to tighten up your eating. You say you can stick to 80% of a nutritional plan, or 90% if you put your mind to it, but honestly, that’s not good enough unless you want to continue with mediocre results.

Same with cheat meals. If you are 20% bodyfat and want to get leaner, you shouldn’t even be having cheat meals. It would be one thing if you had one cheat meal every once in a while, but up to four cheat meals a week in addition to only sticking with your nutritional plan 80% of the time = piss poor results.

4

[quote]Phill wrote:
Ah, well, Hello to you as well.

No really, not much else to say except welcome out of your lurker status.[/quote]

Thanks!

[quote]
Seems like you have plans laid out now is time for action.[/quote]

I think it would be more accurate to say that I have a good idea of what I’m currently doing – I’m not entirely sure if everything is quite as dialed in as it could be. For example, I’m not sure if my chosen level of work volume is appropriate (I have a moderately high work capacity). If I can handle more volume, I might entertain some added stretching or O-lifts. Things seem alright so far, but I’m not all that good at detecting overtraining within myself.

[quote]
If we can help dont hesitate to holler and if you feel like you can help shed light on certain topics, share and share alike.[/quote]

Indeed, thanks again!

-Glee

5

[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
Only advice I have is to tighten up your eating. You say you can stick to 80% of a nutritional plan, or 90% if you put your mind to it, but honestly, that’s not good enough unless you want to continue with mediocre results.[/quote]

I certainly don’t want mediocre results if I can avoid them! But, for now, I’ve been content making passable progress while keeping a dietary regimen that I can keep up no matter what stressors life throws at me. This might change over time (some life changes going on with me these days), but I don’t let myself get overly worried about it.

I should clarify that my 20% diet deviation includes cheat meals. (In fact, cheat meals are the only deviation from my diet – the percentage is just a guesstimate).

As far as having no cheat meals ever, that’s not going to happen. I’d rather be able to share a gelato cone with my niece on a hot summer day than shed an extra 14mg of fat this week.

Thanks for the input, though! I might be due for another stint at around 90-95% compliance.

Cheers,

-Glee

6

[quote]Gleemonex wrote:
As far as having no cheat meals ever, that’s not going to happen. I’d rather be able to share a gelato cone with my niece on a hot summer day than shed an extra 14mg of fat this week.
[/quote]

Hey, I hear you, bro. I have a 5 yr old and 3 yr old, myself, and doing typical, fun summer stuff w/ them is one of the things in life that brings me joy. :slight_smile:

But don’t let it overtake your diet the way I have! Big mistake on my part! Cheat meals? Ha! I’ve had cheat WEEKS!

But I quit. No more cheat meals for me. And I plan to track my progress w/ that. :slight_smile:

Anyway, welcome, from one newbie to another. :slight_smile:

7

Well GOODLUCK as i will soon begin a voyage myself

8

A NEVER ending search I am affraid. You will seemingly have just about got grasp on things such as the perfect amount of volume, load, and what not. Then adaptation good or bad is bound to occur. Just keep seeking it. Striving for better understanmding of what works for you.

Thats really all I can add to that. Its an adventure of sorts, hang on and enjoy the ride.
Phill

9

[quote]Gothic77 wrote:
Hey, I hear you, bro. I have a 5 yr old and 3 yr old, myself, and doing typical, fun summer stuff w/ them is one of the things in life that brings me joy. :slight_smile:

But don’t let it overtake your diet the way I have! Big mistake on my part! Cheat meals? Ha! I’ve had cheat WEEKS!

But I quit. No more cheat meals for me. And I plan to track my progress w/ that. :slight_smile:

Anyway, welcome, from one newbie to another. :slight_smile:
[/quote]

Thanks! “Cheat weeks” are actually the reason I’d decided that, for now at least, I’m accepting 80-90%. I’d tried 100% compliance, then would get fed up or end up in an unexpected situation (eg. stuck in an airport for 6 hours at night with all the shops closed), have a bad meal or missed meal, then say “Hell with it, I’m going on a binge!”

Now I track all my food intake, cheats included, so at least I know what I’m eating. I’m concentrating on the “diet”, not as in a thing I do for 3 weeks to fit into my wedding dress, but what I’m going to eat for the rest of my life.

That doesn’t mean I don’t need to clamp down now and again :stuck_out_tongue: The next chicken breast special I see, I’m going to stock up and go super-strict for a few months.

I hope you enjoy the summer with your T-cubs!

-Glee