Coach Thibaudeau,
I am no more than any other unspecified 16 year old kid whom enjoys lifting very much. I believe my standing characteristic would be my strictness. I can honestly say since I began working out (correctly) I have never once missed a non rest day, I have never eaten a meal that was “junk” and I’ve never lost control of my diet. I started off at 5’4, 170 lbs.
I’m not sure of my bodyfat percentage at the time but it is safe to say that the only reason I got up from my computer chair was to grab some more chocolate milk with a little added sugar :P.
I spent about two years dropping that down, along with growing upwards and ended up at 5’8, 124 lbs. Through this time I managed to do just about everything wrong…but I guess I was eating clean. Just very high carbohydrate.
Eventually I became anorexic and dropped down to as low as 150 calories a day with 10 cups of straight black coffee, I would DDR on challenge mode (which is unbelievably challenging) for 6 hours a day, then run 12 miles and do a few pushups. I slimmed down, dangerously down.
In may of 2008 I found T-Nation while searching through BB.com (which I had found through google) learning about proper nutrition for athletics. After finding T-Nation I read, and read, and read.
Between your articles (and transformation) and John Berardi’s articles I was able to break my anorexia and leveled my caloric intake over a few weeks to about a meint. of 1800/daily with 30% protein (1.5g/bodyweight) and the rest fat.
Keeping my carbs to only post workout and veggies. I believe I have a feel for my body now, finally, after about 7 months. I log what I eat, the ratios. I know by heart what I can and cannot have, how much of what is in something and I always weigh my meals proportionatly. I supplement with L-Leucine during my first, third, fourth, and post workout meals.
I take BCAA’s (two servings) prior to lifting. I have 20 minutes of cardio, 8 of HIIT and 12 of steady stair/row/jog/swim every training session. I lift for approximately 40 or 45 minutes with a lower, upper, rest, repeat type split.
Currently I am doing squats, Sumo deadlift, calf press, cleans and static core strengthening on my leg days, I aim for strength but switch it up (my routine and rep range) every month or so. Upper body days consist of weight wide grip pull ups, benching, shoulder press, and an exercise I learnt off one of the larger guys in the gym however I do not know the name of it.
IT consists of taking a barbell, wedging it into a corner and swinging it from side to side with your arms straight out. I’ve noticed it hits my core and delts very well. Basically, I stick to compound movements. I currently weigh 145.8 lbs, dry, and naked. My abs semi visible but i have a bit of loose skin, I would put me at around 9-11% bodyfat.
Now that I've given a bit of background here is my question: I see plenty of threads from teenagers inquiring about how t hey should train, what supplements, methods, caloric intake, how to find themselves, get in sync with the body.
Yet I only ever see one answer: “just eat tons and lift”. This just seems to conflict with a lot of things I’ve read recently. Many authors now are writing about how you don’t need to go through the heavy weight phase to get to a fair amount of muscle.
I have all the time in the world, I’m not in a rush to bulk and drop down. Does the dietary information given in articles that state one can find the nice balance between caloric excess in gaining tons of fat on top of their muscular gains apply to teenagers just as well as anyone else?
Many people seem predisposed to believe that just because I am a teenager I can eat tons more than anyone else and it will suddenly turn into muscle and not fat. How literal should a person in my position take the “eat tons and lift” statement?
My second question concerns supplementation: Because of my age obviously my T levels are on the rise, I believe they peak somewhere in the early 20's, yes? Although I am still small and a newbie to this sport per se, which supplementation would give a kid the best edge in the gym?
As most of the Biotest articles are pointed towards a slightly older demographic I’m not quite sure if the human body’s chemistry at a younger age would interact differently than as it matures.
TL;dr, Out of all of the great substances of the world (available and legal in US markets) what few (aside from hydrolyzed whey, creatine, and leucine) would you say would be the best to add to my arsenal?
Third, What qualifies a person as a Former Fat Boy? Many people tell me because I was young at the time despite the fact I was sedentary and deffinetly over 35%+ body fat that I still would not be an FFB, so as not to apply information directed at FFBs to my nutritional programs.
Fourth, I read recently in a response you made to a question in your Thibs gets ripped thread that it wasn't until after 18 months of static low-carbness that you could handle a higher carbohydrate intake without blowing up and losing serious definition. Can you explain why this is?
I would figure after the body is more accustomed to converting dietary fat into energy that reintroducing carbohydrates would have an even worse effect than what they had prior due to the consistent lack of them for awhile - sort of like when your on low calories and you drastically increase it your body will enter starvation mode and start putting it into reserves while it can.
Thanks for your time Coach,
-Connor.
