Hi! I am a 35 y/o former Police Officer, currently a Registered Nurse and one of Texas' top Chess Teachers.
I was always a big strong dude, growing up doing lots of manly labor, chopping wood, carrying logs, baling hay etc. I never really lifted weights on a regular basis. I know I could deadlift 435 lbs after the Police academy in 2008.
I am 6'1 and was 230lbs at the time. I have about 7.7inch wrists, and 10.5 inch ankles. My vertical jump is a horseshit 18 inches (maybe cause Im so fat?)
Unfortunately, I have suffered badly over the past few years with Crohn's Disease. I have lost a ton of my strength and endurance, and have turned into a fat tub of lard at 273 lbs. My bodyfat is 28% according to the little machine thing at the gym.
Over the summer, I was able to have some procedures done to stop the small bowel obstructions I was getting from the inflammation and scar tissue in my small intestines. The new medication has me feeling a lot better too, so a couple weeks ago I started going to the gym again to lift weights (on a barbell). I have read a lot of the 5x5 stronglifts stuff, and I am reading Rippetoe's Starting Strength Basic Barbell training 3rd ed. and watching a ton of videos, trying to make sure I am practicing correct technique.
I am hooked I think. This is very fun, and I feel great having gotten some of my strength back.
Right now I have sort of combined the Stronglifts 5x5 and Starting Strength Programs for a training schedule that looks like:
Monday Wednesday Friday
Squat 5x5 185lbs
Bench Press 5X5 175lbs
Deadlift 1X5 275lbs
Assisted Chin Ups 3X25 -175lbs
Tuesday Thursday
Front Squat 5X5 140lbs
Overhead Press 5x5 140lbs
Barbell Row 5x5 140lbs
Assisted Pull up 3x20 -175lbs
My aim is to add 5lbs per weight per workout until I cant any more. If I hit plateau, I may switch to 3x5, and then 3x3. Also I just ordered some small 1.25lb plates and maybe get some even smaller plates so I can make increments very small once the weights get tough.
I figure that I will not be able to sustain a 5 day a week model forever, because I will eventually need more time to recover. I figured it would be better for me to make my fat ass go to the gym every day so I can't make any excuses.
MY typical daily diet: (trying to get at least 300g of protein. (limiting carbs until I lose some weight)
1/2 gallon 2% or Whole milk\
1-2 lbs of chicken breast or steak.
6-12 eggs
9-12 oz shrimp
1-2 scoops of whey with some peanut butter
about 2700-3000 calories or so.
Thank you guys for any advice or encouragement! I am trying to hit it as hard as I can while I still have noob enthusiasm!
Quaitemes
Wow! Thanks Mr Rippetoe! I am a huge fan. I ordered all your books off Amazon a few days ago. Just started reading Starting Strength, Basic Barbell training. Cant wait for Practical Programming to get here.
I am guessing my problem is probably that I am very motivated, and I am used to always trying to work harder than everyone else. I used to work 100 hours a week for example. I figure this might run me into trouble with weightlifting if I try to push myself too hard too fast. The ego problem is real... It pains me that I can't do one single damn chin up.
A couple weeks ago, I squatted for the first time in forever. I did 135lbsx5x5. I was so sore I could barely walk for a week. But now my body is only sore in my joints. (I have shit joints from advanced crohns disease attacking them) I figure I am just gonna keep powering though, cause Im tired of being a big fat weakling!
I feel like if I work hard, I could be very strong. I think I have good genetics for it, and that it comes easy for me. I jsut need to work hard too!
You're the kind of guy that just will not do the program. Good luck with your training.
You are sly! I will definitely follow the program then! I was hoping I could make some friends who could help me learn. I figure you all have about a million times more knowledge and experience than me. Im probably just like a million other guys who come in and fail. I will try to be different, and finish reading all the books, and follow the program. Thank you!
I hate asking such a noob question, because I feel like I should be able to figure it out on my own.... but just to be clear so I can get off on the right foot.. based on my 5x5 workout numbers last week, should I start Monday on Workout 1 and go like this:
Monday Workout 1
Squat 3x5 190lbs
Press 3x5 145lbs
Deadlift 1x5 280lbs
Assisted Chinups 3x25 -160lbs
Wednesday Workout 2
Squat 3x5 195lbs
Bench 3x5 180lbs
PowerClean 3x5 145lbs (never done power cleans per se, but I can clean that much cause I have done it to overhead press) or should I just do Barbell row here?
Assisted Pull up 3x20 -160 lbs
Friday:
Workout 1 etc
PS.
I believe I read that you do not advise the Assisted Pull up machine. Being a fat tub of lard... I can barely hang my 273 lbs from a bar. I really want to get there, but I cant even really do negatives, I pretty much just fall)
Thank you again!
I want to come visit up in Wichita Falls Starting Strength Gym someday!
You will get very strong very fast if you do the program exactly as written, but you will burn yourself out doing 5x5 right now. Do not change anything and if you are worried about any weight or food issues ask Santana in the nutrition forum.
Forget getting to Wichita Falls someday--you are in Dallas, do it now! Getting off on the right foot is easy--book a session in Wichita Falls this week (or in Starting Strength Dallas). Don't wait for a seminar. A coaching session is a real confidence booster for kicking off your training--can't recommend it highly enough.
Oh Yeah! You are so right! I switched to a mostly Carnivore/Paleo Diet a few months ago. That in conjunction with the new medication has worked wonders. I think the plants were killing me!
Thanks! Are you here in Dallas too? I read there was a starting strength gym here! Would be so nice to not have to use the shitty hex plates at my current gym. Would love to use chalk too! hahaha. Would be nice to be around people that know what they are doing.
I actually had one idiot come up to me and tell me I should do my squats in the smith machine. I was as polite as I could be, but thought to myself damn, I am a noob,but the guy here are retarded! One of the trainers there had me doing all these stupid pistol squats, and other bullshit. hahahaha!
After doing a lot more reading, and a little soul searching... I have come to the conclusion that I need to stop eating like a pussy! Seriously, Im at 29% bodyfat. thats like 80lbs. If I gain another 10 it wont really matter. But if I can put on 15-20lbs of muscle that would be huge! Can always lose the fat later. Not like it just magically appeared overnight! hahahaha