still_hungry
02-14-2009, 08:30 PM
Hi all, I've been reading around this site for a while now and I thought I would post what I'm doing and ask a couple questions.
I'm 18, 5'10", 165lbs, low bodyfat. I have a narrow frame, with a proportionally longer torso than my legs. I'm definitely in the average genetics training group. After a few months of bs magazine training, I bought Stuart McRobert's Brawn and have been doing the following routine since august, increasing my lifts and bodyweight significantly (grew from 145 to 165, ab still visible unflexed):
Alternate Mon/Wed/Fri:
A (3x5 maxes in parentheses)
Back Squat 3x5 (210)
Flat Barbell Press 3x5 (190)
Overhand Barbell Row 3x5 (135)
B
Standard Deadlift 3x5 (250)
Standing Barbell Press 3x5 (115)
Palms-Facing Pull-Ups 3x5 (12.5)
The most obvious imbalance is my bench press, which is too high compared to my other lifts because of the usual beginner obsession with benching. I began to stall on my lifts when I began conditioning for my upcoming rugby season. My first instinct was just to eat more (added another 200 calories to my two daily shakes), which got me another week of progression, but then I stalled again.
My rugby conditioning involves two days of intense intervals (2.5 minutes running at 7mph, 9% incline, 2.5 minutes rest X 6-8, retest every 2 weeks, so it gets harder). I think this isn't the kind of good GPP work that won't interfere with lifting programs. Plus, soon I will have to begin sprinting work, which is one more day of high intensity running.
I have resigned myself to maintaining my lifts through the conditioning (about 5 weeks) and the season (short spring season of 4 weeks with two games a week). This is the schedule I had in mind:
Mon - intervals
Tues - lower body lifting
Wed - off
Thur - intervals
Fri - upper body lifting
Sat - off
Sun - (sprinting)
Lower Body Workout
Back Squat 1x5 (at 100% 5RM), 1x5 (90%)
Stiff-Legged Deadlift 2x8
Standing Calf Raises 2x15
Side Bends 3x10
Upper Body Workout
Bench Press 1x5 (100%), 1x5 (90%)
Barbell Row 1x5 (100%), 1x5 (90%)
Standing Barbell Press 2x8
Palms-Facing Pull-Ups 2x8
Should I try to make progress, or just stick where I am to avoid any kind of burn-out, which would be very bad if it happened when the season rolled around?
My diet changes daily because the food at the cafeteria changes, but I'll try to explain what I eat:
breakfast 9:15: half a plate of whole eggs, bowl of yogurt, glass of milk, bowl of fruit
shake at 11:15: blend of milk, kefir, fruit, instant oatmeal, and protein powder (~700 calories, 50g protein)
lunch at 1:15: the meat changes daily, but I make sure to get a large portion, plate of pasta, tuna/chicken salad sandwich, salad or other veggies, glass of milk
snack at 3:15: I carry a muscle milk shake (I know...), and a bottle of strawberry milk (520 calories, 38g pro total)
workout at 4:30, usually finish at 5:30: shake with 50g whey, 25g carbs
dinner at 6:15: as lunch
9:15: shake like the one at brunch
Most nights I try to get to bed by 10:30, but sometimes I have to stay up for work (took 5 courses... dohh) or my girlfriend. I know this is a problem, but I don't weigh myself because I don't have access to a scale (I should probably just walk down to the health clinic, but I'm a lazy-ass), but I haven't been weighing myself since winter break to see if I've been gaining weight. I'll try to weigh myself tomorrow and post it up.
Besides my question about progressing on lifts during my conditioning, I have a couple more questions.
1) Is it worth it, in terms of strength/size, to learn to power clean? Although I'm playing rugby, it's a club sport and my goal with training isn't to get better at rugby, it's to put on size and strength to look good. So, would the time spent with learning cleans be better spent just progressing on barbell rows, or should I learn the lift?
2) When I start heavy deadlifting again, should I do sumo deadlifts or standard deadlifts? I find the sumo stance easier, probably because of the reduced range of motion, but also because my torso is proportionally longer than my legs (I was told this kind of bodytype is more suited to sumo deadlifting, correct me if I'm wrong). So should I just suck it up and do standard? Or do sumo and lift more weight?
Sorry for the long-winded intro and all the questions, but I thought it would be better to be specific. My long-term goal is to be 205-210 lean pounds and as strong as I can be for that bodyweight. I realize this is almost 50lbs and it will take a while! For now, I want to establish a solid strength base and maybe show my footballer roommate that skinny kids can lift big too.
Thanks for any advice and brutal honesty ahead of time. If posting pictures or anything would be helpful, I can get them.
I'm 18, 5'10", 165lbs, low bodyfat. I have a narrow frame, with a proportionally longer torso than my legs. I'm definitely in the average genetics training group. After a few months of bs magazine training, I bought Stuart McRobert's Brawn and have been doing the following routine since august, increasing my lifts and bodyweight significantly (grew from 145 to 165, ab still visible unflexed):
Alternate Mon/Wed/Fri:
A (3x5 maxes in parentheses)
Back Squat 3x5 (210)
Flat Barbell Press 3x5 (190)
Overhand Barbell Row 3x5 (135)
B
Standard Deadlift 3x5 (250)
Standing Barbell Press 3x5 (115)
Palms-Facing Pull-Ups 3x5 (12.5)
The most obvious imbalance is my bench press, which is too high compared to my other lifts because of the usual beginner obsession with benching. I began to stall on my lifts when I began conditioning for my upcoming rugby season. My first instinct was just to eat more (added another 200 calories to my two daily shakes), which got me another week of progression, but then I stalled again.
My rugby conditioning involves two days of intense intervals (2.5 minutes running at 7mph, 9% incline, 2.5 minutes rest X 6-8, retest every 2 weeks, so it gets harder). I think this isn't the kind of good GPP work that won't interfere with lifting programs. Plus, soon I will have to begin sprinting work, which is one more day of high intensity running.
I have resigned myself to maintaining my lifts through the conditioning (about 5 weeks) and the season (short spring season of 4 weeks with two games a week). This is the schedule I had in mind:
Mon - intervals
Tues - lower body lifting
Wed - off
Thur - intervals
Fri - upper body lifting
Sat - off
Sun - (sprinting)
Lower Body Workout
Back Squat 1x5 (at 100% 5RM), 1x5 (90%)
Stiff-Legged Deadlift 2x8
Standing Calf Raises 2x15
Side Bends 3x10
Upper Body Workout
Bench Press 1x5 (100%), 1x5 (90%)
Barbell Row 1x5 (100%), 1x5 (90%)
Standing Barbell Press 2x8
Palms-Facing Pull-Ups 2x8
Should I try to make progress, or just stick where I am to avoid any kind of burn-out, which would be very bad if it happened when the season rolled around?
My diet changes daily because the food at the cafeteria changes, but I'll try to explain what I eat:
breakfast 9:15: half a plate of whole eggs, bowl of yogurt, glass of milk, bowl of fruit
shake at 11:15: blend of milk, kefir, fruit, instant oatmeal, and protein powder (~700 calories, 50g protein)
lunch at 1:15: the meat changes daily, but I make sure to get a large portion, plate of pasta, tuna/chicken salad sandwich, salad or other veggies, glass of milk
snack at 3:15: I carry a muscle milk shake (I know...), and a bottle of strawberry milk (520 calories, 38g pro total)
workout at 4:30, usually finish at 5:30: shake with 50g whey, 25g carbs
dinner at 6:15: as lunch
9:15: shake like the one at brunch
Most nights I try to get to bed by 10:30, but sometimes I have to stay up for work (took 5 courses... dohh) or my girlfriend. I know this is a problem, but I don't weigh myself because I don't have access to a scale (I should probably just walk down to the health clinic, but I'm a lazy-ass), but I haven't been weighing myself since winter break to see if I've been gaining weight. I'll try to weigh myself tomorrow and post it up.
Besides my question about progressing on lifts during my conditioning, I have a couple more questions.
1) Is it worth it, in terms of strength/size, to learn to power clean? Although I'm playing rugby, it's a club sport and my goal with training isn't to get better at rugby, it's to put on size and strength to look good. So, would the time spent with learning cleans be better spent just progressing on barbell rows, or should I learn the lift?
2) When I start heavy deadlifting again, should I do sumo deadlifts or standard deadlifts? I find the sumo stance easier, probably because of the reduced range of motion, but also because my torso is proportionally longer than my legs (I was told this kind of bodytype is more suited to sumo deadlifting, correct me if I'm wrong). So should I just suck it up and do standard? Or do sumo and lift more weight?
Sorry for the long-winded intro and all the questions, but I thought it would be better to be specific. My long-term goal is to be 205-210 lean pounds and as strong as I can be for that bodyweight. I realize this is almost 50lbs and it will take a while! For now, I want to establish a solid strength base and maybe show my footballer roommate that skinny kids can lift big too.
Thanks for any advice and brutal honesty ahead of time. If posting pictures or anything would be helpful, I can get them.