Met A Former Mr. Universe/America

Training
81

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Good looking food. So steely since you are just huge and there isnt a thread on your diet and training this should be it…What does your training split/exercises look like? Food porn looking good…What do you do for macros on training/off days? What do you shoot for total calories? How long you been at this?

Just a couple questions but i think everyone can learn from someone who is making former Mr Underivers/america look tiny[/quote]

Thanks man. I’ve been keeping a log for 4 years now (4 years in May) in “Over35” where the old farts live.

You can see where I started as a total fatass (even moreso than now lol) that hadn’t trained in some years (after playing hockey and rowing crew in college) to losing 70 lbs then starting to train for size and strength (where the logs start). I lurked the forums for a couple years but joined after I had a back injury.

Diet has changed in the sense that sometimes it was strict and sometimes I just ate and ate. The early logs I recorded everything just for the sake of the log, then just started eating by feel or gluttony.

Training started as more “push/pull” type training, although I’ve kind of come to dislike the term. It was more just pressing, back, and legs. I quickly just morphed into typical bodypart splits.

Also, I really didn’t start benching consistently until just a few years ago. All that’s in the logs too.

I feel inadequate giving advice other than lift heavy, consistent, eat to grow, and most of all listen to your body. I still feel like a beginner lifter.

Pt.I
http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_senior/shut_up_n_lift_dimeos_log?id=2149580&pageNo=0

Pt. II

Pt. III (current)

I will be reading that. Thanks

Couple questions because that is a ton of logs. When did you make the most progress in your training and what did your training and diet look like at that time? Same question about physique related gains…was it during the that same time period? Have you noticed better gains with certain diets?

Great motivation to see this fantastic progress.

82

Awesome progress. Wow. On my to read list for sure. I remember seeing you grow your arms several inches within one year too if I remember right…

83

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Ridiculous. I honestly didn’t know you had grown that much.[/quote]

LOL. I hadn’t thought about it either. I mean, I knew that at one point I hit 5" gain on the arms. I’ve lost about 15 lbs from my heaviest some months ago, but that picture really makes the point.

84

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
VERY IMPRESSIVE PROGRESS after seeing that old pic. Much MUCH respect brother.

S
[/quote]

Thanks, Stu. I’m humbled you’d type that.

It’s so important to take pictures to assess your current progress or to look back on. The mirror lies but the pictures don’t LOL.

85

[quote]jake_j_m wrote:
Awesome progress. Wow. On my to read list for sure. I remember seeing you grow your arms several inches within one year too if I remember right…[/quote]

Thanks man.

Yeah, probably the first year was the quickest. Total newb gains… well, they’re still newb gains but in the beginning it was newby newb gains.

4 years to put 5" inches on the arms, now the next 10 to add another inch LMAO~!

86

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Pt.I
http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_senior/shut_up_n_lift_dimeos_log?id=2149580&pageNo=0

Pt. II

Pt. III (current)

I will be reading that. Thanks

Couple questions because that is a ton of logs. When did you make the most progress in your training and what did your training and diet look like at that time? Same question about physique related gains…was it during the that same time period? Have you noticed better gains with certain diets?

Great motivation to see this fantastic progress. [/quote]

Thanks.

Most progress? Probably in the beginning. Diet was (is) a lot of steak, steak, and more steak. I was eating a lot of nuts too. Fish, peanut butter, etc. I think the two important things are: excess calories and enough protein. I know that sounds cliche, but I think it’s the basic premise a lot of folks miss. Whether you want to gain fast or slow, you still need to be in excess calories and have enough protein.

I have to make this disclaimer: My goal was to gain size/strength as FAST as possible. That means that I didn’t worry about abs and I knew I’d add fat along the way.

That was a calculated risk. Some people find thtat unacceptable for their goals, and that’s OK. I haven’t seen my abs in 30 years so a few more ain’t going to hurt me.

The past couple years I’ve taken a few months to do what PX calls ‘damage control’-- tighten up the diet, add a little cardio/conditioning, drop some fat while maintaining strength.

I’m not afraid to have pizza once in awhile, wings, burgers, etc. I catch myself snacking on the kid’s crackers. I love tacos. I’ve had some ice cream and cake at parties.

I know when I’m hitting a growth spurt because I get just uncontrollable appetite-- no reason to fight that!! On the flip side, especially in the beginning, I remember sitting here with a piece of steak in front of me 3 hours later, chewing slowly, just making myself get it down because I wanted to hit that number. That’s no fun, but I think sometimes it’s mandatory.

87

^ Good post, I need to start forcing myself to eat more then I’m comfortable with again.

88

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

I know when I’m hitting a growth spurt because I get just uncontrollable appetite-- no reason to fight that!! On the flip side, especially in the beginning, I remember sitting here with a piece of steak in front of me 3 hours later, chewing slowly, just making myself get it down because I wanted to hit that number. That’s no fun, but I think sometimes it’s mandatory.[/quote]

I know the feeling. I usually take 3 days off, and in the evening of the second day I get so hungry I have a massive re-feed. Its such an unusual feeling, but completely resets my appetite.

Anyone else dealt with this too?

89

I hope a lot newbs read that nice chunk of info there. Thanks steely. For the most part are you a low carb guy or do you change it up?

Do you like high volume low volume, high frequency or low freqency?

90

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
I hope a lot newbs read that nice chunk of info there. Thanks steely. For the most part are you a low carb guy or do you change it up?

Do you like high volume low volume, high frequency or low freqency?[/quote]

I change up. I try not to overdo the carbs. These days it’s a potato or so a day, maybe rice pasta (real thin angel hair stuff) I like pre work out. I’m a sucker for tortilla chips. Some days I catch myself snacking on the kid’s little fruit snacks (addictive). Some days I crave an apple, I’ll eat one.

I don’t worry about vegetable carbs.

Of course, there’s the occasional pizza or carbs in my ready-to-drink protein. These days I’m experimenting with ‘no wheat, minimal dairy’, but I’ll put down a ton of potatoes, rice, etc.

I started out doing the A/D, but found that I just don’t do well long term without carbs. They’re easy to over do, but that’s the art and science of finding out about what you can handle. I’m not afraid to eat carbs. I’m doing well without the wheat.

re: training – I just go by feel. If I’m in the groove, I’ll just keep going. If I do some heavy sets and I start dragging, that’s good enough. If you look in my log, you’ll see some marathon volume days and some in/out days. I’m finding lately that frequency is working for arms and calves. Bench, legs, back, shoulders, not so much. Maybe middle delts twice a week, maybe a high rep incline bench on an arm day or other day.

I wish I could tell you I follow some training scheme or routine, but I really just learned that I don’t like being locked in when some days I can kill it and push it.

Tonight’s shoulder day is a good example. I was just feeling it, so I kept going with it even after doing some relatively heavy press sets. Yesterday’s back day was just 3 exercises, moderate weight and I was fried. Last weeks back day was volume, volume, volume. See what I’m saying?

91

Yep i noticed how you pretty much go by feel in your log. Went through it kinda fast today.

Have you looked into carb backloading? Might be somethign you could get into dunno. But i think its a great way to enjoy lots of carbs but also not get a lot of negative effects from those larger amounts of carbs. Keeping insulin down for large majority of the day. So you get health and physique benefits from that.

92

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Have you looked into carb backloading?

[/quote]

I just eat a nice big meal after my appetite comes back after training.

93

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

re: training – I just go by feel. If I’m in the groove, I’ll just keep going. If I do some heavy sets and I start dragging, that’s good enough. If you look in my log, you’ll see some marathon volume days and some in/out days. I’m finding lately that frequency is working for arms and calves. Bench, legs, back, shoulders, not so much. Maybe middle delts twice a week, maybe a high rep incline bench on an arm day or other day.

I wish I could tell you I follow some training scheme or routine, but I really just learned that I don’t like being locked in when some days I can kill it and push it.

Tonight’s shoulder day is a good example. I was just feeling it, so I kept going with it even after doing some relatively heavy press sets. Yesterday’s back day was just 3 exercises, moderate weight and I was fried. Last weeks back day was volume, volume, volume. See what I’m saying?[/quote]

This makes me want to throw away my damn log book forever. :slight_smile:

94

[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

re: training – I just go by feel. If I’m in the groove, I’ll just keep going. If I do some heavy sets and I start dragging, that’s good enough. If you look in my log, you’ll see some marathon volume days and some in/out days. I’m finding lately that frequency is working for arms and calves. Bench, legs, back, shoulders, not so much. Maybe middle delts twice a week, maybe a high rep incline bench on an arm day or other day.

I wish I could tell you I follow some training scheme or routine, but I really just learned that I don’t like being locked in when some days I can kill it and push it.

Tonight’s shoulder day is a good example. I was just feeling it, so I kept going with it even after doing some relatively heavy press sets. Yesterday’s back day was just 3 exercises, moderate weight and I was fried. Last weeks back day was volume, volume, volume. See what I’m saying?[/quote]

This makes me want to throw away my damn log book forever. :slight_smile:
[/quote]

Nah! Don’t get me wrong, I try to log my training (here on TN and G+) but I don’t let it dictate. The goal is always to try to get stronger-- do more weight, more rep, more volume, etc. It’s just that some days you go in to do something and it ain’t happening. There’s a fine line between knowing when to call it a day and when you’re just making excuses.

If I go in and I’m not giving it all and I detect that I’m just being lazy or feeling sorry for myself I’ll make myself stay and then I get pissed off for that LOL.

That’s different than knowing that the 20# dbs feel heavy and I’ve been killing it for 2 weeks straight and maybe I should do something else.

The log book and the training program/routine can’t make that decision for you.

I’ve gotten PR’s on shitty days, and done shitty lifting on days that I’ve been amped up.

95

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

[quote]Matthaeus wrote:
Which one is the former Mr. Universe? ;)[/quote]

HAHA! I wish![/quote]

ok, as a person basically off the street who doesn’t follow Mr Universe, I have just spent 15 minutes of my life trying to figure out which one you are, so I think that says something!! I finally figured it out because I saw your before photo (which to me also looks great- looks like Bret Contreras or Mr Glutes), plus the fact that the guy on the right is wearing a shirt with a gym logo on it and the color of the logo matches the gym walls.

96

[quote]Reconstruction wrote:

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

[quote]Matthaeus wrote:
Which one is the former Mr. Universe? ;)[/quote]

HAHA! I wish![/quote]

ok, as a person basically off the street who doesn’t follow Mr Universe, I have just spent 15 minutes of my life trying to figure out which one you are, so I think that says something!! I finally figured it out because I saw your before photo (which to me also looks great- looks like Bret Contreras or Mr Glutes), plus the fact that the guy on the right is wearing a shirt with a gym logo on it and the color of the logo matches the gym walls.
[/quote]

Thank you!

97

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Can this just become a SteelyD, How Do You Train thread?[/quote]

x2

98

I haven’t been around for a while but… Dang man! You look great!

Lookin large and in charge Steely and much leaner than before. Really really good job man.

99

[quote]gregron wrote:
I haven’t been around for a while but… Dang man! You look great!

Lookin large and in charge Steely and much leaner than before. Really really good job man.[/quote]

Thanks meng!

I’ve tightened up the diet a bit. Not calorie wise, but things like cutting out bread and trying to only eat whole foods vs too much whey etc during the day (not true around workout time). The travel has helped I think because I’m not tempted by all the family’s snacks normally around the house.

Still a long, long way to go.

100

Been getting questions about diet.

I was trying to hit 2 lbs of steak per day. Anything above and beyond that is extra. I figure if I can get 2 lbs of steak down plus workout drinks plus something for breakfast, I’m certainly covering calorie and protein requirements. I could mostly tell by if the weights were going up and size was coming on.

For ‘leaning out’, I’m not a big fan of cutting calories. I understand cutting out ‘junk’, but I totally would rather work harder than to cut food. What do they call that “X-factor” or some shit? Angel hair rice pasta from the Thai section in the grocery store has been a life saver, even for leaning out!

I’ve been experimenting with cooking a serving with my breakfast, then using the starch water for my workout drink (mixed with the amino acids and stuff).