Flabber's Bulking Journal

[Flabbergasped?]

Alright SS, this is my first lifting journal. I lifted last year very briefly, and at the time I didn't know nearly as much about putting on muscle as I do now (I lifted once a week, took protein shakes only when I lifted [i.e. once a week], and ate 2-3 times a day only). I've learned the errors of my ways, and this thread will be the record of my journey towards buffness.

I'll edit this first post throughout the week with information about lift maxes, my measurements, bf%, and other details. At the end of each week, I'll make a new post about that week's progress.

I'm using a program off of Rippetoe's Starting Strength. The schedule will be like so (http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=125444):

Week 1: Max Testing (Squat, deadlift, barbell row, bench
Week 2-5: Rippetoe Routine (3day split in ABA, rotates each week)
Week 6: Max Testing
Week 7-10: Routine
Week 11: Max Testing

I'm following this diet: http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=134782

I am looking at 4-5 actual meals, with protein shakes to spruce up the lighter ones. Right now, diet looks like this:

10 AM - Breakfast (3 whole eggs, egg white omelette, cereal & milk)
12:30 - Lunch (whatever my school cafeteria has that's good, varies per day, I usually add protein shake here.
1:30 or 2:00 - Gym (on days I don't lift, this isn't here, obviously)
3:00 - Carbolicious post workout meal, usually preceded by post workout shake
6:00 - Dinner
9:00 - Another meal.

Cutting carbs after this last meal. I'll take a shake before bed. On to the stats:

Age: 17
Weight: 178 lbs (as of two days ago)
Height: 6'1''
BF%: Coming soon

Week 1: Max Testing

Squats - 1x3 @ 225 lbs.

The rest of the lifts are coming soon.

 

[Quagmire911]

Were the squats ass to grass I wonder? If so, good work.

You are following a fine routine, and the diet may work. Just make sure the protein is there in every meal, try to get at least 50g per meal. The cereal and milk in meal one isn't great, oats and a couple more eggs would be a better option. Don't make your omelette's egg whites only either, the yolk is the best part and cholesterol isn't a concern (incase you didn't know).

Also try and make sure you are getting in beef at either lunch or dinner or both. If not make your own sandwiches and load them with beef, and take a packed lunch. This is probably a better option as I know what school meals are like.

I hope that those shakes have plenty raw eggs in them as well. Your shakes should be 4 raw eggs minimum (cause your large)+2 scoops whey.

If you don't gain well the diet will need some more fine tuning.

Good luck and don't make this one of those log's that I've been seeing recently where it dies after a week, none of that!

Quagmire

Ps-Take the post workout shake before the post workout meal.

 

[EFFORT]

Alright SS, this is my first lifting journal. I lifted last year very briefly, and at the time I didn't know nearly as much about putting on muscle as I do now (I lifted once a week, took protein shakes only when I lifted [i.e. once a week], and ate 2-3 times a day only). I've learned the errors of my ways, and this thread will be the record of my journey towards buffness.

I'll edit this first post throughout the week with information about lift maxes, my measurements, bf%, and other details. At the end of each week, I'll make a new post about that week's progress.

I'm using a program off of Rippetoe's Starting Strength. The schedule will be like so (http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=125444):

Week 1: Max Testing (Squat, deadlift, barbell row, bench
Week 2-5: Rippetoe Routine (3day split in ABA, rotates each week)
Week 6: Max Testing
Week 7-10: Routine
Week 11: Max Testing

I'm following this diet: http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=134782

I am looking at 4-5 actual meals, with protein shakes to spruce up the lighter ones. Right now, diet looks like this:

10 AM - Breakfast (3 whole eggs, egg white omelette, cereal & milk)
12:30 - Lunch (whatever my school cafeteria has that's good, varies per day, I usually add protein shake here.
1:30 or 2:00 - Gym (on days I don't lift, this isn't here, obviously)
3:00 - Carbolicious post workout meal, usually preceded by post workout shake
6:00 - Dinner
9:00 - Another meal.

Cutting carbs after this last meal. I'll take a shake before bed. On to the stats:

Age: 17
Weight: 178 lbs (as of two days ago)
Height: 6'1''
BF%: Coming soon

Week 1: Max Testing

Squats - 1x3 @ 225 lbs.

The rest of the lifts are coming soon.

congrats with starting up man. Your diet doesn't represent the one i posted though. Try to keep it as similiar as you can. Since your taking the carb approach at fruit to your protein shake meals, and brown rice or fruit to your beef meals until the carb cut off.

 

[Flabbergasped?]

I'd like to mention that the closest supermarket where I can supplement school food is 1) very far, I'd have to take a bus for half an hour, and 2) pretty expensive. However, I've talked a friend into driving me to Walmart, where I will stock up on some nonperishable stuff (lots of almonds, some brown rice as suggested, and cottage cheese).

A question about eggs. Are they worse if they're cooked? I have a small fridge in my room, so I can store some eggs, but the cafeteria offers them made to order, especially at breakfast. Do I just drop the whole thing in a shaker bottle with some whey and shake?

 

[Flabbergasped?]

Update

New maxes:

Benchpress, 145x5
Bent-over Row, 135x5

A little more detail on my diet. At lunch and dinner especially, I have two chicken breasts from the grill in our cafeteria, a salad of some kind, and some serving of fruit. I know I'm taking in a good number of carbs, but I have to compensate for the 8 hrs of breakdancing I do a day. I can only approximate, but I think I take in about 220g of protein a day. At 185 lbs, that's slightly over 1g per lb. I'm trying to ramp it up by spreading my meals and having more protein at each, but it's hard to wake up for breakfast. I have a lot of commitments at night. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[Flabbergasped?]

Finished Maxing week #1

I just finished my first maxing week. Here are the stats.

Height, 6'1''
Weight, 180 lbs
Squat 225lbs x3
Bench Press 145 x 5
Bent over row 135 x 5
Deadlift 245x5

http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0426vx6.jpg

^^ That was me over the winter vacations.

The heavy lifting begins on Tuesday, I'm so excited.

I find it a little strange that I can lift these pretty heavy weights even though I'm really skinny. Do I have some strength I never knew about? Is my form off and making the exercises easier? I try to check my form in the mirror, and it seems fine. I just didn't imagine I could deadlift 245x5 given my appearance.

 

[EFFORT]

Do I have some strength I never knew about?

Yes you probably do your genetics def aren't bad. Do the lifting and EAT, don't worry about eating clean just eat. (even if thats in the form of ice cream, juice sweets, fastfood etc) Get the protein down then eat carbs until your full each meal. You just need calories calories calories espcially with the breakdancing.

370protein
400+carbs if you can stomach
Fat whatever comes with the protein and carbs + 15-20g of fish oil

 

[Flabbergasped?]

Update: Week 1.

I updated last week after I finished maxing. I've been lifting the following lifts at these weights:


Squat: 205x3x5
Bench Press: 135x3x5
Bent over row: 135x3x5
Deadlift: 245x1x5
Dips: 2x8
Weighted Abs: 30lbsx2x5
Standing Military Press: 90x3x5

It's a nice little chart courtesy of Excel. EDIT: the chart fvcked up, I'll just write it down.

Diet:

Breakfast: (typically missed because it's exam time, every so often I'll wake up around 11 AM and have an early lunch).

Lunch: 2 chicken breasts (60g protein), rice, usually a plain salad with olive oil, 2 scoops whey (40g protein). If I'm working out on this day, I'll take the shak just before lifting.

A shake (40g protein) around 5:00 PM, usually with raw egg. I add in oats and whatever little food I have lying around my dorm room

Dinner: 2 chicken breasts (60g protein), cafeteria entree, usually steak/pork, very hard to measure quantities, trust me. I'll approximate 20g protein?

I'll take some cottage cheese before sleep.

As a whole, I'd say I eat about 220+ g of protein a day, minimum. I weight about 185, so I can definitely step up the protein levels. When I go shopping, I'll get more food for my room so I can eat more. Btw, is 2 shakes a day fine, or should I add a third?

In terms of calories, I'd like to think I take in about 3k, but it's hard to count food in a cafeteria. I know WBA or Effort are going to yell at me for being lazy and not knowing, but short of asking the chef, who's in the kitchen, how many calories are in a serving (which is arbitrarily served by a dining services worker using some random spoon), I can't ascertain how many calories are in lunch & dinner, my biggest meals.

I'll try to eat more either way.

 

[Flabbergasped?]

Bump

 

[Quagmire911]

Diet can be done in several different ways, all that matters is that you are seeing those weekly 1 pound or so increases.

For example: Four solid meals + 2 shake meals
:Three solid meals + 3 shake meals
:Four solid meals + 1 very large shake taken throughout the day
:Four larger meals and a shake
:Five larger meals
:Eight smaller meals

As you can see there are many possibilities when trying to make muscle mass gains. What matters is that you are getting 50-60g of protein per meal, 70g if you are having 5 meals a day. Coupled with plenty of fruits and veggies, plenty of fats, wholegrain carbs etc. Carb cutoff after 6pm etc...

Then if you aren't gaining add in an extra 300 calories a day. If you are gaining too much, cut it by 300 calories a day. Small changes are usually all that is needed to get things going.

Something that you could try is too log EVERYTHING you eat for a day at every meal. Then better suggestions could be made. You also won't get too far missing breakfast...

Quagmire

 

[EFFORT]

I updated last week after I finished maxing. I've been lifting the following lifts at these weights:


Squat: 205x3x5
Bench Press: 135x3x5
Bent over row: 135x3x5
Deadlift: 245x1x5
Dips: 2x8
Weighted Abs: 30lbsx2x5
Standing Military Press: 90x3x5

It's a nice little chart courtesy of Excel. EDIT: the chart fvcked up, I'll just write it down.

Diet:

Breakfast: (typically missed because it's exam time, every so often I'll wake up around 11 AM and have an early lunch).

Lunch: 2 chicken breasts (60g protein), rice, usually a plain salad with olive oil, 2 scoops whey (40g protein). If I'm working out on this day, I'll take the shak just before lifting.

chicken is better than nothing, but beef would be better for bulking here

A shake (40g protein) around 5:00 PM, usually with raw egg. I add in oats and whatever little food I have lying around my dorm room

Dinner: 2 chicken breasts (60g protein), cafeteria entree, usually steak/pork, very hard to measure quantities, trust me. I'll approximate 20g protein?

gonna have to step it up

I'll take some cottage cheese before sleep.

As a whole, I'd say I eat about 220+ g of protein a day, minimum. I weight about 185, so I can definitely step up the protein levels. When I go shopping, I'll get more food for my room so I can eat more. Btw, is 2 shakes a day fine, or should I add a third?

add a third, make sure your shakes have at least 3 raw eggs in them

In terms of calories, I'd like to think I take in about 3k, but it's hard to count food in a cafeteria. I know WBA or Effort are going to yell at me for being lazy and not knowing, but short of asking the chef, who's in the kitchen, how many calories are in a serving (which is arbitrarily served by a dining services worker using some random spoon), I can't ascertain how many calories are in lunch & dinner, my biggest meals.

if you go through a period of time when your anal about finding out the macros to food (reading about it, measuring stuff, looking foods up online, learning about estimating,etc) it'll come second nature,

I'll try to eat more either way.

if i was training you your 6 meal diet would be simple......eat 60g of protein first then eat any carb source you want until your full, and the last meal before bed you'd cut the carbs and just have your chicken breast and cottage cheese

bold

 

[Flabbergasped?]

Update

Hey guys, haven't updated in a while.

I've been able to ramp up my protein intake to about 260g a day, I think. I've been going to more cafeteria meals, though its hard to fit them into my schedule.

I've been increases in size, but there's still a long way to go. I've put on about five lbs, though its definitely not all muscle. I haven't been eating too cleanly.

Squats 3x5x220
Bench 3x5x140
Row 3x5x140
Deadlift 1x5x250
Military Press 3x5x95

I have a few questions:

-The program said move up 2.5% every week. If you're lifting 135 (plates), should you err on caution and add 2.5 lbs a week (rounding down), or add 5 lbs a week and trying that? The percentage don't work out given the size of weights available at my gym (smallest weight is 1 1/4)

-Should I train to failure? Very often, I don't lift a weight I can probably do because I figure I don't want to lose my whole next day/be sore, since I have to perform in dance shows. Is it necessary for growth, and if so, how can you minimize soreness?

 

[Damocles]

Glutamine helps with soreness, as does adequate intake of water, and protein. Fish oils might help, I'm not actually sure. Another thing to try is coffee, there's a link below for some supporting evidence...

Contrast bathing works too, but it's sort of time consuming. You hop in an ice bath, or a cold shower, and sit there for a while... then you get out, or turn on the heat. Stay in the cold for five, ten, fifteen minutes, then heat for a couple or ten minutes, then repeat if you want to. It's really cold the first few times... You're looking at ten minutes in fifty degree water, but it gets rid of any aches and pains.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=79099

 

[Flabbergasped?]

Update

Been working out pretty consistently, and just restocked on food.

I've put on 3-4 lbs I think, that's not bad for about a month. I doubt it's pure muscle those. I'm in my maxing week, and I've already done squats (275x5, up from 225x3 at start of program). I know I messed up and used a 5rep max instead of 3rep, who cares.

This is exciting progress. More to come soon.

 

[EFFORT]

Been working out pretty consistently, and just restocked on food.

I've put on 3-4 lbs I think, that's not bad for about a month. I doubt it's pure muscle those. I'm in my maxing week, and I've already done squats (275x5, up from 225x3 at start of program). I know I messed up and used a 5rep max instead of 3rep, who cares.

This is exciting progress. More to come soon.

good work, keep it up and keep getting in that food