starting strength gym
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 23

Thread: bulk or cut?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Gernany
    Posts
    97

    Default bulk or cut?

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    Hello Rip and team,

    Status: NLP (again after injury and months of stupid high volume work, which wasted time but accomplished not much more)

    My stats current:
    Squat: 107,5 kg x 5 x 3 (yes, this is not impressive I know, am building back up to my max of 2019 of 167,5 kg, and then beyond)
    -Fun fact: I took a 2-hour class at Hygieia SS gym in Singapore back in 2019 which helped a lot with my squat form.
    Bench: 102,5 kg x 5 x 1 plus 2 Backoff sets at 85 kg (scheduled for tomorrow morning, but I got that)
    Press: 61 kg x 5 x 3 (using fractional plates already)
    Deadlift: 140 kg x 5 x 1 (tbh I can definitely do more weight than this, but I am building up slowly to not get so far ahead of squat at the moment)
    Power Cleans: no thanks.

    Age 48, Male
    Height 5'10"
    Weight 218 lbs
    BF: no idea, but probably about 30-35%

    as I progress though the NLP I am eating about 200-250 g protein daily but seem to be gaining weight, slowly but surely. I also take 5g of creatine daily, since it's legal and all..
    In theory I know this (gaining weight) is probably also the reason I am still able to progress (particularly on Bench and Press) but I don't really want to turn into a fat piece of shit either in the process.

    My questions:
    1) Is there an ideal bodyweight for a 5'10" 48 year old male who is strong? I am thinking my 218 lbs is not too far off (I mean, if the pounds were muscle and not fat, that is)
    2) In my case would it be best to just not worry about this at all for a couple more months, until NLP starts to come to an end?

    In the meantime I ordered the Gray book to prepare myself for post-NLP, should this day ever come.
    Not saying I'm old or anything, but my body sure does not recover as fast as it used to.

    Thanks for any expert advice.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    668

    Default

    You probably should just focus on getting stronger, at this point. Although you should read Rip's "A Clarification" article. How much weight are you gaining per week?

    Don't worry about your deadlift outpacing your squat. Worry about adding 5lbs per week to it for as long as you can. Also you didn't mention chins. You should be doing them if you're not already.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,559

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Gernany
    Posts
    97

    Default

    thanks to Matt and Rip (it is an honor to get a reply). I shall read the article you linked.

    Thanks for the tip to do chins, I can do about 3 pullups (as I mentioned, I am overweight).
    I'll try at the gym today how far I can get by supinating the hands.
    But I have and know how to use bands and will use them to enable some progression until I am back to doing weighted chins.
    Or would lat pulldowns or barbell rows make more sense, in your opinion?

    Thanks again guys, I wish you a terrific day.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,559

    Default

    Weighted chins? Maybe you should break down and read the books.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Gernany
    Posts
    97

    Default

    Hello, well in my first post I noted that I have ordered your gray book (still not arrived so I have to post here for now).
    I am in Germany so the English books at amazon are over 50 euros each. Hopefully it will show up this weekend.

    But I understand your post to mean that weighted chins are bad, is that right?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,559

    Default

    The books are available in German.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Gernany
    Posts
    97

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Weighted chins? Maybe you should break down and read the books.
    Hello Rip,

    Just wanted to come back and let you know that it was Nick Delgadillo who mentioned chins and/or weighted chins as possible alternatives to Deadlift once the 3x weekly deadlifts become too much to recover from.
    I did not pull this out of my arse.

    This he clearly stated in the Youtube video "How to do the Starting Strength Novice Linear Progression - Starting Strength Gyms Podcast #1" .
    But to be fair, he said his first recommendation would be to put in Cleans.

    Either way, still waiting for the books (ordered the second one, too); the first one should be delivered tomorrow.

    Have a nice day and thanks again for all you do.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Posts
    1,151

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gv3055 View Post
    Hello Rip,

    Just wanted to come back and let you know that it was Nick Delgadillo who mentioned chins and/or weighted chins as possible alternatives to Deadlift once the 3x weekly deadlifts become too much to recover from.
    I did not pull this out of my arse.

    This he clearly stated in the Youtube video "How to do the Starting Strength Novice Linear Progression - Starting Strength Gyms Podcast #1" .
    But to be fair, he said his first recommendation would be to put in Cleans.

    Either way, still waiting for the books (ordered the second one, too); the first one should be delivered tomorrow.

    Have a nice day and thanks again for all you do.
    It's not a reccomendation to do Cleans, it is the first option and there are very few reasons to not do them. A lot of people make up excuses because it's a pain in the ass to learn it autonomously, but it's in there for a reason, so do them, and then add chin-ups later. That's what the program is.
    The problem with your post is that you can barely do 3 pull-ups and talk about doing weighted chins, which you should start doing after you can do at least 10 chins in a row.

    Lose some fat as you do the program as written and it'll work.
    Also, you are getting old, that's why you can't recover as well, happens to all of us, don't worry.
    The books will help, just don't interpret anything, it's all in there

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Gernany
    Posts
    97

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    yup am reading the books as we speak.
    I got SS in German and PP in English. So far so good...

    I have tried Cleans but to be honest they suck ass for me because I have long forearms and the rack position is literally not possible for me. Not trying to make up excuses, but I just don't bend this way.
    I forgot to mention that I am as flexible as a steel plate and I don't want to spend hours stretching only to be able to do an exercise where I'll get 1/5 of my deadlift weight at best.
    It's the same reason I can't do front squats (not that I would ever want to do those, by the way) without some ridiculous variation like using straps or something which is not half as good as doing back squats.
    I mean, even low-bar back squats bring my shoulders to their limits and depending on how UP I try to put my elbows, I end up with tendon soreness which far exceeds any pain of DOMS which I may have.
    I usually can get into good position without pain by about my 5th warm-up set.

    >>The problem with your post is that you can barely do 3 pull-ups and talk about doing weighted chins, which you should start doing after you can do at least 10 chins in a row.

    Fair point. This already answered my next question . I am up to 5-6 chinups, turns out they are easier than pullups. Once I hit 3x10, I'll add some weight to them.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •