Presentation and Where to Start

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Good morning t-nation
This is my first post and i would like to introduce myself.
I am 24 y/o male, working for the italian air force as a computer expert. I joined the air force 4 years ago ( i say that because no experience before this with gym and sports ).

I am 180cm (70,8 inch) and 70kg (154,324lbs). I feel (and i am) very skinny and thats why i would like to gain some mass.
I am not an athlete but i can perform 10+ pull-ups (with a pretty decent form) and already spent some time under the bar. i’ve never calculated my max (i am not sure how to do this because online there are many differents theory). last time i trained ( 1 moth ago) i was doing:

bench press: 5x5 with 61kg (134,4lbs)
deadlift: 5x5 with 80kg (176,37lbs)
squat: very difficult to calculte it. no rank so i am doing it with a multipower.
military press: 5x5 with 22kg (48,5lbs)

so … i don’t know my 1RM and i would like to start seriuosly the gym!

i’ve read this article and i want to try this.

i do sports @ job and my routine would be:

monday: morning: run (job) afternoom(7p.m) day A
tuesday: morning: swimming(job)
wednesday: afternoom(7p.m) day B
thursday: morning: run(job)
friday afternoom (7p.m) day C

what do you think? Can i start from this?
Do you have any suggestion?
thank you all

https://www.t-nation.com/training/10-secrets-to-building-mass

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28898Ă—1600 113 KB

my last pic

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Eat more consistently, increase protein intake to around 2g per kg of bodyweight and lift consistently while steadily adding weight to your exercises.

Consistency is crucial to progress i.e. No more of that 1 month off of training bullshit

3

Yes, that Dan John program is very good, go for it!

As you get the the best oil over in Italia…

1 Like
4

Goodmorning
I started my program and i have few questions.
1- can i barbell clean and press insted of dumbbells?
2- seems to me, a strength program due to the low reps and sets. will i gain mass?

i repeat: the program is this one:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/10-secrets-to-building-mass

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Strength and hypertrophy are not mutually exclusive.

Barbell, dumbbell. Whatever is comfiest.

You can’t go wrong with Dan John.

3 Likes
6

thank you so much sir.
i’ll let you know in 6 weeks how i feel
thanks.

7

Hello guys. I am here again with one more doubt.
As i said, i am following Dan John program.
but i can’t understand the quantity to put on the bar.

i explain…

A
Dumbbell Clean and Press 3x5
…
…

B
Dumbbell Clean and Press 5x5
…
…

C
Dumbbell Clean and Press 3x5
…
…

Should i put allways the same kg ? i can’t understand the %

8

hello everyone.
I am here again.
spent 6 weeks doing doing Dan John’s program for mass bulding.

today i can say:

#1 i look better in the mirror
#2 lost some of my abs view. but i don’t care. never trained abs directly and also eating as much as i can
#3 i feel like my body is now adapted to this workout… i mean…on my heavy chest day, che chest doesn’t burn the day after. seems like i can push more and more. not in terms of weight but in volume.

what do you suggest ? adding 1 more exercise could be good ? for example: the day i go hard on squat, i do leg extension?

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Good to hear, could now move on to move on to something like these…

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What do you currently weigh?

The answer to this is the most important thing in the world, for you.

11

I think you a word there.

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I have no idea what you’re talking about.
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In fairness, I also thought you might have been going for something super profound. I kinda dug the idea of something being “the most thing in the world”.

Like, nothing else really exists in comparison to this. Nothing else is even a thing compared to your weight gain. It is the MOST thing.

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It’s, just like, the most. It’s the thingiest of all things. None more thing.

I could go along with that, sure.

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I had to read that with a bad European accent.

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I wrote it with a good British accent.
202-This-is-Spinal-Tap-quotes

1 Like
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Used to have a manager who would get stuck on an idea and just say “things” to unstick himself.

If these… things are going to cause us ongoing issues then I really want you to try following up with… things

And it was impossible to then get him to clarify without upsetting him. So frustrating.

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Thanks for the lels @Chris_Colucci and @T3hPwnisher.

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https://www.t-nation.com/training/blending-size-and-strength-20
doing this program. i think it is very difficult to push a 6x3. those 3 reps should be near 1 rm right ?
without a spot its very difficult.
what do you guys think ?

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Heavy bench with no spotter is always a difficulty. Use a rack / safety bars or use a weight you can 100% handle. The issue being that (and as a fellow newbie I can confirm this) Sometimes you’ll get this wrong and over estimate. The other way is leave to collar off and if you get stuck ditch one end. The weight slides off. You look/feel like a chump. But you’ll live. Or ask a random person.

Question. If you’ve been training for 3- 4 months - most programs should give you a good cross over. Any strength workout will build mass, any mass workout will build strength (the joys of newbie gain). Why pick a program that works both? And how did you find it? Not saying it’s wrong. I just went a different route and interested in the comparison.
Also was the dan John program worth another run? Or have you done this a few times now?