Training Direction for Next 9 Months

Training
1

Hey, basically I’m asking for advice on what the most efficient training goal for the next 9 months.

I’m 17, around 195cm and was 83kg last time I weighed myself. I have been training on and off since I was 14,which probably explains why I have mild arthritis in my left shoulder, as when I started I never trained shoulders. From November 2010 to about April 2012 I trained consistently, but stopped after April after shoulder pain, to give myself some rest. During training, I would eat clean with a mild calorie surplus (I think), but eating mostly chicken and rice. I was hitting around 200-250g protein per day.

During the summer, I moved to Norway and have started in a boarding school here. This means I can’t control my meals, as they provide 4 a day, and I can’t afford to buy my own food. Meals 1 2 and 4 are bread with toppings, of which basically all I like is ham and tuna. Sometimes there are oats, but it’s kinda random. Meal 3 is pretty good, with a protein base with carbs, like salmon and potatoes or meatballs with rice.

Due to the abundance of carbs and lack of protein available, would it be better to just try and bulk, as any cut would be less effective, and ultimately waste time towards my end goals? Conversely, people say it is easier to clean bulk after cutting, due to things like insulin sensitivity and things that I can’t remember from training months ago. My end goals are aesthetic rather than lifting related, I want to look good, but also have the strength that comes with the look. At the moment I’ve got some belly fat and far over my pecs, as well as inner legs.

My training program before was usually 3x5 of most things, as I was trying to gain strength. My main lifts were:
Bench - 3x5x74kg
Deadlift - 1x2x140kg
Squats - 3x6x70kg (I have no idea why it is so low)
OHP - 3x5x30 (I only started doing them for about 2 weeks before I discovered my shoulder injury.

My lifts are a lot lower now, but I’m looking forward to starting to lift again, I’m just wondering whether it would be more effective in the long run to continue lifting heavy while there is more carbs and less protein available, or to cut back on the weight given my injury and try to lose weight on a sub-optimal diet.

Thanks

2

I reccomend getting on a good mass bodybuilding orientated program for beginners. Make the best or your diet and if you start to notice to much weight gain then kick in some HIIT.

3

I generally don’t like this advice, but you’re 17, can’t really choose what you eat, so I say just eat everything you can from that school canteen, as much as they’ll give you, and lift as hard as you can. When you are in control of your own food again, then you can cut down and be glad you didn’t waste those years staying in the middle ground making very little progress.

If possible get a protein powder to increase protein intake, or you could buy eggs and just drink them. You are pretty tall, so at that weight I highly doubt you need to cut and your only weapons will be cardio and portion sizes so you are pretty limited to how effective it will be.

You should definitely try stuff to improve your shoulder health though - stretching/mobility work/etc along with smart exercise selection.

4

Thanks guys, this was what I was thinking about doing. It actually dawned on me about an hour ago that I haven’t progressed on squats since quitting SS around May last year. Think I’m going to restart that or take a look at doing 5/3/1 for a bit.

5

Do they give out unlimited milk? Are you meals buffet style?

6

First you need to fix your shoulder injury. You can’t just ignore this kind of stuff. (I’m speaking from experience here, I’ve injured both shoulders at least 3-4 times each, but I’m still lifting normally and healthy because I address the injury instead of ignoring it).

Eat all the meat/protein sources you can, and when they give you crap food, try not to eat that much of it.

Lift weights and get strong. Especially your squat. Make sure your form is solid (Youtube will help you here) and work hard on it. That’s why it’s so low.

Find a proven program (5/3/1 is good) and follow it to a tee.

Don’t forget to include some kind of conditioning and stretching/warm up stuff.

7

Allright, sounds good. The meals are buffet style and there is unlimited milk, but I get sick if I drink like more than a glass at once, also it’s skimmed milk.

Gunna eat loads and train heavy, but take it easy on any shoulder stuff, gotta try and rebuild there first. Hurt like a bitch the first time and don’t want to aggravate it.

8

[quote]agentjake4 wrote:
Allright, sounds good. The meals are buffet style and there is unlimited milk, but I get sick if I drink like more than a glass at once, also it’s skimmed milk.

Gunna eat loads and train heavy, but take it easy on any shoulder stuff, gotta try and rebuild there first. Hurt like a bitch the first time and don’t want to aggravate it.[/quote]
Just destroy the “good” buffet foods and drink as much milk as you can.

9

[quote]agentjake4 wrote:
Allright, sounds good. The meals are buffet style and there is unlimited milk, but I get sick if I drink like more than a glass at once, also it’s skimmed milk.[/quote]

Sounds like some degree of lactose intolerance. Lactaid (or similar product) might help with that. I’d give it a try. Milk can be a good food when trying to bulk up.

10

Been in the gym a few times since posting, found out that my shoulder injury is still present, and it is uncomfortable even when doing “shoulder-friendly” pressing excercises. This kinda messes up my plan a little bit. At the moment it seems to be good bulking food with substandard gym, or substandard cutting food with manageable gym (can add more cardio and try to preserve lifts without increasing)

11

[quote]agentjake4 wrote:
Been in the gym a few times since posting, found out that my shoulder injury is still present, and it is uncomfortable even when doing “shoulder-friendly” pressing excercises. This kinda messes up my plan a little bit. At the moment it seems to be good bulking food with substandard gym, or substandard cutting food with manageable gym (can add more cardio and try to preserve lifts without increasing)[/quote]

You need to address your injury. It will not just go away on it’s own. And substituting exercises is not going to fix it either.