Getting strong, getting fit

[Richard Vallance]

Me
24 years old. A cats hair away from 6 foot. 163lbs.
About 2-3 months dabbling with lifting, CrossFit, kettlebells and rings. Never really committed to training on a regular basis. I've a pretty good metcon base having done some C2 rowing, (PB 2k was 6:21) and some sprinting. Strength has always been lacking and needs to be sorted before I contemplate training goals, i.e. muscle-ups, 2xBW squat, deadlifts, etc.

Training
Will be Starting Strength this side of Xmas - 14 weeks. Hope to make reasonable gains. I am by no means a lean 163lbs, but I can cope with adding some more gut podge on for the sake of riding through this initial period of strength/lean mass gain.

Diet
Has been about 4-5 blocks for breakfast, lunch & dinner; with at least 1/2 a gallon of milk per day. I'm working upto the whole gallon.


Any tips, advice or general abuse will be welcomed. :)

[Richard Vallance]

All weights in kg (i'm English!). Just the working sets noted.

Mon 08 Sep

Back squat
60 x 5 x 3

Bench press (dumbbell)
16s x 5 x 3

Deadlift
102.5 x 5

Chins
BW x 3
Negatives x 8



Wed 10 Sep

Back squat
65 x 5 x 3

Press
25 x 5 x 3

Power cleans
40 x 3 x 5


Fri 12 Sep

5 mins rowing warm-up

Back squat
67.5 x 5 x 3

Bench press (dumbbell)
18s x 5
18s x 4 x 2

Deadlift
107.5 x 5

Chins
BW x 3
Negatives x 3

[Kevin Perry]

welcome and good luck on your progress

[Richard Vallance]

Thanks very much. I'm looking forward to absorbing all the knowledge around these parts. :)


Sun 12 Sep (8am)

500m C2 warm-up

Back squat
70 x 5 x 3

Press
27.5 x 5 x 3

Power cleans
40 x 3 x 5 (same weight as last time to nail form)

Dips
19a x 8
19a x 7
"a" = assisted

Decline sit-ups
BW x 15


Feeling stronger. The press went up easier than the last workout. Need to get the barbell lower on my back for the squats, it's almost low-bar, but not quite...

[Derek Simonds]

Nice work and keep at it on the milk if you are trying to put on the weigt.

[Richard Vallance]

I have been getting a little confused over the whole "gallon" thing. Rip advocates drinking a gallon, which as i've discovered today is of course a US gallon and not an imperial English gallon. So somedays i've been downing well over the recommended amount... no wonder those increases are coming easy because I feel completely recovered for the next training session.

All good then :)

[Steven Low]

I have been getting a little confused over the whole "gallon" thing. Rip advocates drinking a gallon, which as i've discovered today is of course a US gallon and not an imperial English gallon. So somedays i've been downing well over the recommended amount... no wonder those increases are coming easy because I feel completely recovered for the next training session.

All good then :)
Wow, 1.2 gallons a day.. that's crazy man. Keep up the good work.

[Richard Vallance]

165lbs now. 2lbs gain in a week.

1.2 gallons of milk and squats does the trick!

[Richard Vallance]

Wed 17 Sep 6pm

Back squat
72.5 x 5 x 3

DB bench
18s x 5 x 3

Deadlift
110 x 5
140 x 1

Chins
BW x 3 x 3


Got quite a few climbing trips planned in the next few months so may switch to a less mass gain orientated program. Whilst i'm light for my height, it would be advantageous to lose some body fat before I get on the rocks.