SS Log (+ Mass Gain?)

Chris Forbis · 03-10-2007, 11:07 PM

This will log my progress on the Starting Strength program. Hopefully I can tweak the nutrition side to get some mass gain as well.

Schedule: Tu/Th/Sa lift, other days off

Nutrition:
MWF - first meal around 1pm, total calories 2800, P/C/F% 27/3/70
TuTh - heavy consumption, total calories 5900, P/C/F% 20/7/72
Sa - cheat meal day (typically pizza), total calories 5000, P/C/F% 22/31/48
Su - first meal around 1pm, 3400 total calories, P/C/F% 22/4/74

Foods: 75% lean grassfed beef, canned wild salmon, MRM whey + coconut milk, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, vinaigrette dressing, nuts

Supplements: fish oil, cod liver oil, digestive enzymes, probiotics, apple cider vinegar

Workout supplementation (ADVICE PLEASE):
For a pre/peri/post workout shake I am currently mixing 35g of BCAAs, 44g of protein from whey, 12g of creatine, 10oz of grape juice. I drink 1/3 prior, 1/3 during, 1/3 after. Does this sound ok? I have no experience with workout shakes...

Injuries: I've had a (small) nagging back injury for over a year now. Doc and physical therapist couldn't figure it out. So I've decided to say screw it and pushing through it. I'm sick and tired of babying it and it not getting any better. It has responded well to flexibility training and my last week or so of easing back into squatting and deadlifting.

Chris Forbis · 03-10-2007, 11:10 PM

10 March 2007 BW: 175.4

Warmup
Z-Health R-Phase

Back Squat
45 x 5 x 1
70 x 4 x 1
100 x 3 x 1
130 x 2 x 1

155 x 5 x 3 (each set followed by five vertical leaps, then 1 minute rest)

Press
45 x 5 x 1
60 x 4 x 1
80 x 3 x 1
100 x 2 x 1

115 x 5 x 3 (1 minute rest between sets)

Deadlift
135 x 5 x 1
155 x 4 x 1
175 x 3 x 1
195 x 2 x 1

215 x 5 x 1

Pullups
10 x 5 x 3 (1 minute rest between sets)

Sprints
30 yd x 3 (1 minute rest between sets)

JW Luckett · 03-11-2007, 04:45 AM

Sorry to interrupt, Chris, but what is Z-health?

Chris Forbis · 03-11-2007, 06:38 AM

Short answer: a dynamic joint mobility program.

Longer answer here: http://www.zhealth.net/zhealth-getting-started.asp

Allen Yeh · 03-11-2007, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Forbis

This will log my progress on the Starting Strength program. Hopefully I can tweak the nutrition side to get some mass gain as well.

Schedule: Tu/Th/Sa lift, other days off

Nutrition:
MWF - first meal around 1pm, total calories 2800, P/C/F% 27/3/70
TuTh - heavy consumption, total calories 5900, P/C/F% 20/7/72
Sa - cheat meal day (typically pizza), total calories 5000, P/C/F% 22/31/48
Su - first meal around 1pm, 3400 total calories, P/C/F% 22/4/74

Foods: 75% lean grassfed beef, canned wild salmon, MRM whey + coconut milk, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, vinaigrette dressing, nuts

Supplements: fish oil, cod liver oil, digestive enzymes, probiotics, apple cider vinegar

Workout supplementation (ADVICE PLEASE):
For a pre/peri/post workout shake I am currently mixing 35g of BCAAs, 44g of protein from whey, 12g of creatine, 10oz of grape juice. I drink 1/3 prior, 1/3 during, 1/3 after. Does this sound ok? I have no experience with workout shakes...

Injuries: I've had a (small) nagging back injury for over a year now. Doc and physical therapist couldn't figure it out. So I've decided to say screw it and pushing through it. I'm sick and tired of babying it and it not getting any better. It has responded well to flexibility training and my last week or so of easing back into squatting and deadlifting.

In terms of the shake how much do you weigh, that is typically how I figure out what should go in the shake? Also I'm not sure how long your workoutsession is but creatine once added to water becomes unstable so usually the faster you drink it the better. I've read ranges though some say it's unstable at 30 minutes, some hours. Maybe Steve or Greg have better numbers.

Chris Forbis · 03-11-2007, 11:14 AM

Weight is around 175 lbs, roughly 10% BF @ 6'4".

I know BCAAs before, during, and after is a good thing. What about the whey, grape juice, and creatine? Should I just dump that stuff into my last 1/3 of BCAAs post-workout?

Frank Needham · 03-11-2007, 12:52 PM

This is awesome Chris. It'll be interesting to watch your progress. I'm of the opinion that working through injuries is a good strategy since that is what's worked for me.

Elliot Royce · 03-11-2007, 06:03 PM

Chris, welcome to the logs. If you haven't already read From Scrawny to Brawny by John Berardi, you need to. I know you want to gain mass and it seems like you have a really, really hard time. First thing I think you're going to have to do is drop the CF and other similar metabolic grinders for Starting Strength and O lifts 3x per week. Then just crank up those calories 7 days a week. Forget about a cheat day. Try to get some mass on. Your body responds to a significant caloric surplus and hard weight work by building muscle --doesn't happen otherwise.

At 6'4", 175lbs, you need to put weight on. Even if you have to eat candy bars all day, get that scale to move by at least 5 lbs in the next month.

Elliot Royce · 03-11-2007, 06:04 PM

On the injuries, I already recommend Dr. John Sarno, Healing Back Bain to you. While everyone is different, I've actually had less neck pain on a diet of deadlifts, heavy squats, cleans, etc. My posture is improving.

Mike ODonnell · 03-11-2007, 06:55 PM

I'm guessing you will need at least 1-1.5 g/lb of bodyweight for protein...plus you want want to up the carbs but keep 75% in the 2hr pwo window. I agree that the easiest way is to eat...eat..eat....and trim the fat later. Otherwise you really have to be on target with all your eating and you will have to adjust every week to make sure you are making progress....too much of a pain in the ass in my book.