[quote]echelon101 wrote:
blue_star_cadet wrote:
I think this is what I’m going to go onto, starting tomorrow. It’s just WS4SB - my only real concern is the utter lack of bicep work. I know you don’t want to overfocus, but one exercise a week seems a bit low.
Biceps mean shit if you can’t do 12 pull ups.
WS4SB is a good program but you have to eat otherwise it will be like running into a brick wall over and over again.
Avoid taking supps like (whey etc although fish oil is good) get you mom to buy you loads of eggs, chicken, fish and steak.[/quote]
I eat 4-8 eggs a day, 1-2 chicken breasts, 2-3 chicken thighs. Probably need to start eating more steak, very often I substitute tuna or wild salmon for chicken. I am taking in soy protein powder right now (going to switch to whey) because I don’t have time to cook 160g of real food every day and eat it.
What should I be doing on my off-days if I’m on Rippetoes or WS? Cardio, GPP, or just riding my bike or something?
Just general physical activity. Do a GPP routine if you feel like it, but make sure you aren’t overworking yourself. Remember, size gains happen when you recover, not when you lift.
…I don’t have time to cook 160g of real food every day and eat it.
Thats a load of bollox you ll get nowhere with that attitude. Cook bulk food put it in Tupperware then eat it later.
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I could make the time, but it would involve cutting time dedicated towards my studies - as much as I love lifting, academics has a higher priority.
Even natural bodybuilders use protein powders, I can’t imagine not using them makes a huge difference in gains. You could say that a lot of added substances in powders might cause damage, and you could be right, but my stuff right now is pure soy.
…I don’t have time to cook 160g of real food every day and eat it.
Thats a load of bollox you ll get nowhere with that attitude. Cook bulk food put it in Tupperware then eat it later.
I could make the time, but it would involve cutting time dedicated towards my studies - as much as I love lifting, academics has a higher priority.
Even natural bodybuilders use protein powders, I can’t imagine not using them makes a huge difference in gains. You could say that a lot of added substances in powders might cause damage, and you could be right, but my stuff right now is pure soy.[/quote]
Trust me, you can do it. Tupperware, is a weightlifters best friend. DItch the soy asap, and get whey. Soy won’t kill you by any means, but whey is better. Casein is best for anytime other then post workout.
You need to start with a simple, compound movement orientated program. All of this stuff is too advanced for you right now. If I’m reading correctly you have little to no lifting experience, which means a few things:
Your work capacity (in regards to weight lifting) is sub-par
Most movements are not yet ingrained neurally yet (I.E. take a seasoned powerlifter and someone like you. Watch them both bench press, and watch the movement. Watch how much smoother the movement of the powerlifter’s is)
You pretty weak
You don’t have much muscle mass
However, since you are just starting, you have a GREAT opportunity to take advantage of newb gains. Get on a program like Rippetoe’s. I WOULD NOT recommend Bill Starr’s 5x5 until you have stalled on Rippetoe’s.
Regarding diet: Try about 3000 clean calories daily for 2 weeks. Weigh yourself (in the morning, after waking up and peeing but before eating anything) before these 2 weeks and after. If you have gained less than a pound, try 3200 calories a day for the next two weeks and see how much weight you gained. Keep increasing by 200 calories every two weeks until you are gaining 1-2 lbs every 2 weeks.
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I started Rippetoes today, it just feels weird doing so comparatively little to what I was doing independently in the gym (which was wrong, granted, but it felt real grood.)
3000 is too low for me, that’s my maintenance weight when I’m active. When I was more or less inactive for two weeks (lots of walking at camp and not much else) I was at about 2500-3000 and I actually lost one or two pounds. Right now I’ve set myself at 3500 calories a day (I always eat clean, I only really cheat in small snacks a few times a week, ex: biscotti) but I may actually be under that although I’ve gained weight in the last two days. I need to check my diet exactly and see if I’m getting enough/too much.
I’ll start cooking more actual food, but I hate waste - I’ll finish the soy before I head on to whey. I don’t know whether I can eat casein or not, I’m largely allergic to dairy and this has probably only gotten worse as I’ve been almost entirely without milk products for a half year. Whey should be fine as it’s been processed to remove most of the lactose, but cottage cheese will make me spend an uncomfortable amount of time on the toliet. Are there any other sources of casein?
So this was my workout for today, first day of Rippetoes w/ stretching and crunches beforehand. I used a Smith machine for the squats and bench press - are they really that bad? Without one, I’m not sure I can safely handle the weights I was working at (still not all that high.) I think improved technique accounts for most of the gains from previous training, where I was benching 50 with difficulty. It could be that I wasn’t challenging myself enough then, or that I was on a decline. Thoughts?
Additionally, I actually used a food log today. This is a pretty average meal plan for me (I usually have a chicken breast in place of Subway) which raises some concerns. I thought I was taking in enough calories and protein - apparently not nearly enough. And this is the most I’ve ever been eating clean! Numbers are in calorie/protein/carb/fat/fiber format.
BREAKFAST
1/3 cup blueberries (40g), 130cal/1g/31g/0g/2g
3 scoops soy protein powder (34.5g), 165cal/34.5g/2.25g/0g/2g
1 cup oatmeal (80g), 300cal/5g/54g/3g8g
2 whole eggs (100g), 160cal/12g/0g/9g/0g
1 chicken thigh (113g), 130g/20g/0g/8g/0g
1 green beans (113g), 35cal/2.1g/8,1g/0g/4g
This totals up to around 133g of protein a day and only around 2200 calories. This is much more than I ate in a standard day before I started, and I thought I was taking 2000+ calories then! Should I up my diet to an actual 3500 calories and 160+g of protein, or just up to 3000 calories a day? I’m pretty sure the most protein I’ve ever taken in in my entire life, though maybe not the most calories (again, used to be quite overweight.) Additionally, I was 2.5 lbs heavier than the last time I weighed myself (165 then), but as I’d just eaten 8+ oz of food beforehand and a fair deal of water, it’s very likely the extra weight isn’t muscle or fat.
Ugh, I just want to start bulking up so I can put on muscle. Is that such a complex thing?
do you have acess to a barbell, if so use, it. The effect at this point will be drasticly better. Soy isn’t the devil, if you can’t handle whey or casein there isn’t any other choice really. Just don’t suck down several shakes a day. Bulking isn’t complex at all. Bud, you’re in the same place I was 60 pounds ago. Loosen up on the diet a bit, don’t make shitty food choices frequent;y, but if there’s a free few slices a pizza you’re friends payed for, eat that shit, if you’re friends want to go out for a burger, order a big burger with exta fries and eat the whole shit. Calories are king here. I know you know sucking down ben and jerries is bad. So don’t do it. Eating somewhat shitty foods will help you grow. If you’re lifting several times a week, you’ll see progress fast, with little fat gain.
Also there’s a diffewrence betwene a unhealthy burger (which has protien and stuff that will help you) and eating ice cream which has close to nothing that will hlep you other then pure sugar.
ALSO:
there may be an intital fat gain period. I gain most of my fat when I first start bulking, then I just stay the same percent and add weight, don’t ask me why, it may happen to you too. Don’t geek out and start cutting if it does. We just want to se you get big and strong one day. Give people around here feedback on what works for you, it may help someone else out one day.
[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
do you have acess to a barbell, if so use, it. The effect at this point will be drasticly better. Soy isn’t the devil, if you can’t handle whey or casein there isn’t any other choice really. Just don’t suck down several shakes a day. Bulking isn’t complex at all. Bud, you’re in the same place I was 60 pounds ago. Loosen up on the diet a bit, don’t make shitty food choices frequent;y, but if there’s a free few slices a pizza you’re friends payed for, eat that shit, if you’re friends want to go out for a burger, order a big burger with exta fries and eat the whole shit. Calories are king here. I know you know sucking down ben and jerries is bad. So don’t do it. Eating somewhat shitty foods will help you grow. If you’re lifting several times a week, you’ll see progress fast, with little fat gain.
Also there’s a diffewrence betwene a unhealthy burger (which has protien and stuff that will help you) and eating ice cream which has close to nothing that will hlep you other then pure sugar.
ALSO:
there may be an intital fat gain period. I gain most of my fat when I first start bulking, then I just stay the same percent and add weight, don’t ask me why, it may happen to you too. Don’t geek out and start cutting if it does. We just want to se you get big and strong one day. Give people around here feedback on what works for you, it may help someone else out one day.[/quote]
I use a barbell when I bench and squat, all of that, if that’s what you mean. I prefer dumbbell benches but I use a barbell because I can add more weight. I really try and avoid pizza and burgers and the like - I’ve been on a decent diet long enough that I usually feel sick after eating heavily fried things or even just burgers (the last time I had McDonald’s was a year ago, and I threw up afterwards.) I’m going to try and bulk clean as much as possible, I really hate excess body fat.
Sorry for the hijack, but aren’t you supposed to do straight sets in the Rippetoe’s program? i.e. working up to a heavy weight, which you then lift for the required reps/sets.
And OP, don’t worry too much about your nutrition. Just remember to eat enough every day.^^
Sorry for the hijack, but aren’t you supposed to do straight sets in the Rippetoe’s program? i.e. working up to a heavy weight, which you then lift for the required reps/sets.
And OP, don’t worry too much about your nutrition. Just remember to eat enough every day.^^
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Are you? I only skimmed the thread, I was rushed to read all of it - I wanted to hit the gym and stop sitting at the computer! You’re probably right about this and I’ll go 90+ next time.
I injured my wrist yesterday and saw the doctor today - I’m not supposed to lift for three to four days, which is just as well as I’ll be unable to hit the gym next week due to a summer course I’m taking. Does anyone have advice on exercises I should be doing in the meanwhile, just to stay fit? Additionally, should I trim my calorie intake, due to the fact I’ll be too busy to work out next week and therefore won’t be able to burn as many calories? What level should I maintain at?
[quote]echelon101 wrote:
How the hell did you do that?
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Injure my wrist? I fell off my bicycle on the way to the gym and then lifted weights (without pain at the time) - anyways, it’s just a light sprain, it’s more or less okay now.
You’re really lucky that you’re showing a lot of enthusiasm for training. Some other guys with the same thoughts/worries would have been chewed up and spit out by now.
I really think you’re kind of losing the plot at this point. You have to remember that body fat is a percentage and not a hard number. So if you’re carrying roughly 30 lbs. of fat right now, and you gain 20 lbs of muscle (very possible in 6 months with smart diet/training)…your BF% will be LOWER, even if you put on 5 lbs of fat with it (also probably going to happen). Now what would be a more logical approach?
Gain 20 lean pounds in 6 months, and take a month to lean out a bit afterward, just in time for next spring…or restrict your gains and only gain 10-15 lbs lean and like more fat by this time next year?
Remember that as long as your shoulders get wider faster than your waist, you’re doing alright.
[quote]Jeffe wrote:
You’re really lucky that you’re showing a lot of enthusiasm for training. Some other guys with the same thoughts/worries would have been chewed up and spit out by now.
I really think you’re kind of losing the plot at this point. You have to remember that body fat is a percentage and not a hard number. So if you’re carrying roughly 30 lbs. of fat right now, and you gain 20 lbs of muscle (very possible in 6 months with smart diet/training)…your BF% will be LOWER, even if you put on 5 lbs of fat with it (also probably going to happen). Now what would be a more logical approach?
Gain 20 lean pounds in 6 months, and take a month to lean out a bit afterward, just in time for next spring…or restrict your gains and only gain 10-15 lbs lean and like more fat by this time next year?
Remember that as long as your shoulders get wider faster than your waist, you’re doing alright.[/quote]
You make a very convincing argument. I’ve been eating clean, but still, maybe not quite enough. The last time I weighed myself, I went up two pounds (up to 167) from the day before, but there were a couple variables there - I’d eaten just before weigh-in the first day and different scales each time (same type of balance, but the second was medical and probably more accurate.)
If I’m putting on one pound a week of muscle, I should be able to gain as much as 24 lbs of muscle, assuming there’s no interference with diet or trainig.
Do you think 3000+ calories a day (w/ 160+ grams of protein a day and 100> grams of carbs from grains and such) will be sufficient for my needs, or should I go even higher? I’ll actually be starting Rippetoes this week (I’ve missed a week of workouts due to camp and a lack of time), and that program should keep me for 7-8 weeks? Thanks.
[quote]blue_star_cadet wrote:
Jeffe wrote:
You’re really lucky that you’re showing a lot of enthusiasm for training. Some other guys with the same thoughts/worries would have been chewed up and spit out by now.
I really think you’re kind of losing the plot at this point. You have to remember that body fat is a percentage and not a hard number.
So if you’re carrying roughly 30 lbs. of fat right now, and you gain 20 lbs of muscle (very possible in 6 months with smart diet/training)…your BF% will be LOWER, even if you put on 5 lbs of fat with it (also probably going to happen). Now what would be a more logical approach?
Gain 20 lean pounds in 6 months, and take a month to lean out a bit afterward, just in time for next spring…or restrict your gains and only gain 10-15 lbs lean and like more fat by this time next year?
Remember that as long as your shoulders get wider faster than your waist, you’re doing alright.
You make a very convincing argument. I’ve been eating clean, but still, maybe not quite enough. The last time I weighed myself, I went up two pounds (up to 167) from the day before, but there were a couple variables there - I’d eaten just before weigh-in the first day and different scales each time (same type of balance, but the second was medical and probably more accurate.)
If I’m putting on one pound a week of muscle, I should be able to gain as much as 24 lbs of muscle, assuming there’s no interference with diet or trainig.
Do you think 3000+ calories a day (w/ 160+ grams of protein a day and 100> grams of carbs from grains and such) will be sufficient for my needs, or should I go even higher? I’ll actually be starting Rippetoes this week (I’ve missed a week of workouts due to camp and a lack of time), and that program should keep me for 7-8 weeks? Thanks.[/quote]
For now, you’re fine. However I can’t personally imagine going below 200 grams of proteinn a day at this point. After a few more weeks I’d deffinately bump it up to 3500kcals/200g+protein
[quote]blue_star_cadet wrote:
I’m just concerned about taking too much protein, where I get to the point that my body can’t process all of it. Should I be worrying about this?[/quote]