Wanted: Guinea Pigs

Training Bodybuilding
21

I just came across this thread now… I posted this in Mr. Berardi’s thread called “Skinny Guys Needed” but I guess it won’t hurt putting it here either… It’s addressed mainly to John Berardi because it was his thread I responded to originally that I am posting here too (that’s why it’s not addressed to you TC! I meant no offence by it!). Here it is:

Mr. Berardi, do you want to know what I spent last night (Friday night) doing? I spent it alone, reading “What I Wish I Knew Then - Confessions of a Former Skinny Guy Part I & II” on your site and getting pumped up!!! I went out today and bought a huge box of frozen chicken breasts.

Before we continue, I am about 6ft tall, 144lbs, 9.8% BF (measured this morning) at 27 years of age. If you want some perspective on those stats, I have been working out for about the last nine years.

If I were a super hero my name would be CAPTAIN SLOW TWITCH.

You will not find a more dedicated (and at the same time perhaps misguided) candidate. You do not have to worry for a second that you will spend all this time making up this program and I won’t follow it. I will follow it. TAKE ME THROUGH HELL AND BACK DEAR THINK TANK GENIUSES.

Just four weeks ago I got a job, and you want to know what the ONLY thing is that I spend money on? Chicken breasts, cottage cheese, protein powder, you get the idea. I spend and hour and a half every night making my food for the next day to take to work (I just read your latest article and will now prepare my food on Sundays). I eat every 2-3 hours. I eat 7 meals everyday, religiously. I carry a bottle of fish oil capsules with me to work. I bought a tub of dextrose and mix that with my pwo shake. I don’t ever mix fat and carbs in my meals as per your suggestions (but I will do whatever you want now… you want me to mix carbs, fats and cat food? DONE.)

I keep a detailed food log. The last couple weeks I have been taking in 2,709 calories and 164g of complete protein a day. I have not missed a single meal or workout. You want to know what my last four weeks of determination got me? I lost one pound. It was fat though, so at least that’s good, I guess, ahh who am I kidding! I wanted to gain darn it!!

Do you think that discourages me? HELL NO!! I am upping my calories for next week, I am going to calculate it all out and plan my meals accordingly.

I would post a pic of myself but I dare not horrify my fellow t-mag readers. I will gladly forward it to the Think Tank Experts if you supply me with an email address.

I have covered my windows with cardboard and duct tape to block out all light so I can get a good nights sleep for recovery. I even went out today and bought tin foil to reinforce this so that not a single photon of light will fall upon my slumbering flesh.

I have been listening to stress reduction tapes in my car on the way to work so I can lower cortisol simply for the purpose of gaining muscle and losing fat.

I have never met a girl with thinner wrists than myself and yet I am about 6 ft tall. You want narrow shoulders? I am about as wide facing forward as I am facing sideways.

I can gain rapid progress in anything endurance related but strength and size? Forget about it!!

I have spent the last four weeks doing the Neanderthal Series workouts by Eric Cressey and Mike Robertson to fix my posture so I can move on to some crazy workouts… guess what, I finished the last workout TODAY and I AM READY FOR A NEW PROGRAM TO MAKE ME DISTURBINGLY HUGE. Or just less pathetic looking. Whichever comes first.

Just last night after reading the Confessions of a Former Skinny Guy series, I was back on T-Nation trying to find a program, I was looking at ABBH, and thinking of going that route perhaps.

Listen gentleman, let’s be serious here. How amazing would be this undertaking of yours if you had insane before and after pictures of the guinea pig? Well I guarantee you will not find a better before pic than mine. No better starting point for one of those shocking transformations that will cause everyone to yell “Photoshop!”

I am well known far and wide for my pain threshold. .

I am well known far and wide for my insane will power and dedication.

I am well known far and wide for my lack or results.

You want someone who is hungry for this??? As SOON as I read your post Mr. Berardi, I ran to my weights and did the lifts you mentioned so I could get you my stats. In fact, I am writing this in between rest periods.

You want to know what has been pretty much the only thing on my mind the last few weeks? GETTING BIG. I just think about my next meal, or next workout, or about how crazy jacked I want to look!!!

Ok, I just got in from the backyard doing my vertical jump test. The stats are ready now:

Bench Press 7 reps at my 85%RM

Overhead Press 12 reps at my 85%RM

Squat 14 reps at my 85%RM

Deadlift 8 reps at my 85%RM

Pull Up 4 reps with bodyweight (don?t know how to measure this w/ 85%RM)

Vertical Jump 18.5" (wow, that’s depressing)

I hope that?s how you wanted those stats measured. The way I understood it was that you wanted to know the number of reps I could do at my 85%RM. If I misunderstood please don?t disqualify me! Let me know I will do it again however way you want!!

I am so pumped about this whole idea!!!

LET’S DO THIS!!!

I GUARANTEE this is going to turn out better than you even imagined when you thought this up.

I am your soldier. Send me to battle gentlemen.

22

And my goal is to gain tons of muscle. I’d also like to lose the small amount of fat on my lower abs but I understand that those two goals might conflict, but then again, what the heck do I know? I’m CAPTAIN SLOW TWITCH!

23

  1. Yes. But it won’t be immediately apparent until I post leg shots. I’ve eaten enough for the last few years to fill out above the waist. At 16, I was 6’ and 145 lbs.

20-M
6’1
194 lbs
11-11.5% BF
4 years of training, two seriously

  1. I did all of these in one workout, in the order listed. I had ten minutes of downtime between movements, but the overhead may have suffered anyway.

Bench: 255 lbs
4 @ 220

Overhead: 145 lbs
3 @ 125

Squat: 255 lbs
7 @ 220

This was shoulder-width to parallel, belted, with heels on 10 pounders to keep my back mostly vertical. Flat squatting, I’m closer to 285, but the movement has never been comfortable. All numbers are down from an 8 month layoff, for the same reason I haven’t deadlifted.

Deadlift: 0 lbs
0 @ 0

I don’t trust my back to max with this movement. I partially herniated a disc last year. At the time, I was maxing at 405, and 365 for 5.

Pullups: +75 lbs
3 @ 65 lbs

From past records.

Vert: ~25"

My goals are size first, strength second. Speed has no relevance to me.

I have enough excellent material from your archives to last until the end of time. Though I have interest in a body-type personalized program, there may be others more in need.

Best,

DI

24

TC,

Here are my numbers. please pick me.

Bench press: 6 reps
overhead press 7 standing (failure), 5 seated
squat: 5
deadlift 5 reps, last one crisp.
pullup: 3 with weight

vert jump: 60cm

Hope that as what you were looking for.

25

I hate to be a skeptic, but there are some seriously inflated vertical jump numbers on this forum.

26

I’m 25, 5’10" and 170. I have been lifting exactly one year. Exactly a year ago I was 140 and was running 6 miles/day, 4 days/week. I have tiny wrists and ankles - I can touch my thumb to middle finger around my wrists. I also have tiny hands.

Goals: Strength (all types), Size (secondary but definitely wanted)

85% max x reps

Bench press 170x6
Squat (ass to grass) 115x6
Deadlift 165x10
Pullup (with weight attached to your waist) 10x3
Overhead press 75x4

Vertical Jump 12"

27

Okay,

I think I should be the guinea pig. As a former HSB (horribly skinny bastard) who is now just a SB (skinny bastard), I feel I have poor enough stats to really notice some difference.

History:
I am 30, have been training on and off since I was 20. Two years ago I had a fairly bad back injury from cricket (fast bowler - you british empire types will know what that does to lower backs).
During the rehab of that injury I stumbled across T-mag and have drastically modified my training programs. I had previously been following the programs given by trainers at the gyms where I train, or taken from magazines, needless to say my progress was painfully slow.

My ability to eat a 500g (1pound-ish) bag of pasta at one sitting for more than one meal a day, a bucket of cereal for breakfast and not put on any weight (fat or muscle) led me to believe I was destined to be a SB forever. Since discovering T-mag I have made steady, substantial (for me anyway) gains. To have a program designed for me by your team of experts would be truly awesome.

Anyway, here are my puny statistics:

height: 183cm (6’)
weight: 83kg (183lb…up from 71kg/156lb two years ago)

goals: to get bigger and stronger
specifically:
weight - 90kg+ in the short term.
Deadlift: 180kg longer term
Squat: 160kg longer term
Chins: single arm chin longer term

Lifts: 1RM/reps at 85% of 1RM
Bench:76kg/10reps
Squat:102kg/11reps (to parallel)
Deadlift: 110kg/7reps
Pullup: +25kg (108kg)/12 reps at bodyweight
Overhead Press: 42kg/10reps

Vertical Jump: 45cm/17.5?

That’s my hat thrown in the ring. Ready, willing, able.

Craig

28

Hey Eric, I bet you are referring to my 18.5" vertical, you caught me red-handed.

It was actually about 18.3" but I rounded up, I didn’t think you would actually call me on it though!! Damn you’re good Cressey!!!

:slight_smile:

29

30

Height 6’4"
Weight 255

Goals: Leaner, stronger

BP: 425
360 x 7

squat: 500
425 x 8

dead: 450
385 x 8

pullup: +100
(85% total weight?) +45 x 8

Overhead: 300
255 x 5

Vert: 29"

If I fit, great. If not, oh well.

Thanks for the opportunity.

30

6’1" height and weight 141 pounds.
If you need my Body Fat is 5%.

My Goal: Get Bigger

About the number:
Bench press 4 -85%
Squat 4 -85%
Deadlift 4 -85%
Pullup (with weight attached to your waist) 4 -85%
Overhead press 4 -85%

vertical jump 37 inches.

i don’t know i cannot place the pic, but if u select me i’ll send as many pics as u need.

31

GetLifted

are you aware that you are listing about the same jump/speed stats as Ray Lewis?

32


Tony
vertical40@optonline.net

Bench press : 175lbs 2RM
Squat 265lbs 1RM
Deadlift 285lbs 1RM(guessing)
Pullup 175 bw+ 45lbs = 210lbs for 6 reps
Overhead press. dont know

Genetic vert = 13"
After 2 years of training(1 year of hard trianing followed by Dr.Michael Colgan’s principles)
Now = 30"
Might gained alot of FT fibers but still dont jump high enough

Goal : 40" vertical leaps, gain uppbody mass and strength and keep bf% under 10%(i’m slow metabolic, I’ve been on strict diet to keep it around 10% now, used to be 30%)

33


BY the way here’s me not flexing

34

I am no more slow twitch than your average Ethiopian is fast twitch so I realize this thread does not apply to me BUT, I have two quick comments I’d like to make.

First, being extremely slow twitch normally means you are unusually skinny, keep that in mind when you are evaluating your “twitch”. From first glances, some of the pictured don’t look too slow twitch…

Secondly, in reading Project X’s post, I actually felt compelled to post my vote for him being picked. I know yall aren’t conducting a poll of who we’d like to see but his post reached out to me enough to post and support him. Good luck dude :slight_smile:

Yeah, that’s all for now but really… if you have more mass than you’d like, then chances are you don’t have problems gaining mass.

35

[quote]Atomic Dog wrote:
The guys at the “Think Tank Dialog” section of the site are looking for a guinea pig or two.

Specifically, we’re looking for guys who think they’re slow-twitch (have a muscle fiber composition that’s more suited to endurance).

Give us the following details and they’ll design a program for the lucky winner or winners:

First, we need your height and weight.

Then, we need your goal (get bigger, get stronger, etc.)

Then we need to know how many reps you can do at 85% of your maximum in the following lifts (no estimates, please!!!):

Bench press
Squat
Deadlift
Pullup (with weight attached to your waist)
Overhead press.

Then we need your vertical jump in inches.

Again, no estimates please, and give us ALL the details we asked for.

Thanks!
TC[/quote]

Thank you for this chance at being a science experiment!

I’m 6’0; 170 lbs.

My primary goal is to be larger; however, I’m not willing to sacrifice athleticism. I know it’s not a popular concept, but I want gain size while maintaining a respectable level of fitness. Think mixed-martial or combat sports…

Close-grip Bench press (I used this version as it’s my stronger lift; approximate grip width of 8" to 10". Yeah, I know, that’s fucked.)
1RM = 250#; 215# x 8

Squat (to parallel; no belt)
1RM = 280#; 245# x 9

Deadlift (conventional, no belt, no straps, standard grip with chalk)
1RM = 335#; 285# x 7

Pull Up (medium-grip with chalk, no straps)
1RM = 215#; 175# x 15

Overhead Press (standing, no belt, medium-grip)
1RM = 140#; 120# x 8

Vertical Jump
30.5"

With any luck, you haven’t chosen your guinea pig(s) yet and I still have a chance to make the cut.

I’m about as endurance oriented as they come, I fear. For example, last year I entered my very first marathon with a little less than six weeks to train. I had done very little running because of the amount leg strength I lose when I do; that didn’t stop me from finishing in under four hours. The next day I lifted weights to erase the memory (seriously)…

Help! Thanks for the consideration, regardless.

36

No *Saint I was not aware I had similar speed/jump to Ray Lewis. I guess that tells me I am getting somewhere. LOL

I think he is about 245 pounds though. That’s a lot of weight to be moving that fast yikes. I want to gain 10-20 pounds. 210, 215, 220 would be nice. Plus Faster, quicker, stronger, ergo bigger!

It would be great to fast track those items to my nature if I get chosen.

-Get Lifted

37

Hey Sexy J!!

Thanks bro!!! You rock!! I thought I should share with you that over the last 5 weeks of spending tons of money on groceries and all my free time cooking and eating 6 - 7 meals a day, I have managed to LOSE 3 pounds!!!

AAAHHHH!!!

Just in case there is any confustion, I was NOT trying to lose weight!

If I was a pro wrestler, my name would be The Genetic Curse.

And seriously, most of the pics in this post are guys that are ten times my size! You guys have no clue what slow twitch is!!

Anyways, enough talking from me, I am going to go do CW’s NB3 workout right now.

38

Hey T.C.,

What kind of time frame are we looking at for who the lucky bastards are?

No pressure, just curious…

39

I would love for the chance to bleed, curse, and sweat at this.

height:5’7"
weight:172
goal(s): increase in explosive power and limit strength, gains in the lifts used for this, plus power cleans.

Bench press: 8 reps
squat: 5 reps
deadlift: 4 reps
pull up (w/weight): 5 reps
Overhead press:4 reps

verticle jump:31"

40

I forgot to inclue my lifts at those percentages.

Bench: 215 pds
Squat: 285 pds
deadlift:225 pds
pull up w/45 pd plate
overhead press: 110 pds