Newbie needing direction

[Mrsubmarine]

Hello All,

I'm a newbie on the forum. What I'm looking for is direction for my current situation.

In August of 2012 I weighed 310 pounds at six foot tall. Age 56. I joined a gym that was operated by the company that I was working for. It had a small but complete typical gym with cable machines, dumbbells, cardio equipment, and finally a barbell with some free weights.

For the next two years I did daily workouts of the typical type (cardio, dumbbells and cable machine) that everyone describes on this website. Just from increasing my activity level I was able to get down to 235 pounds over the next two years.

I wanted to gain some muscle mass as I read that that helps with burning more calories. I found the StrongLifts website through Google and started the 5X5 routine at empty bar. About 3 months ago I started hearing about Starting Strength on other weightlifting websites.

After some reading on the Starting Strength website and viewing the form videos I believe that the StrongLifts website is greatly inferior. So I decided to switch my workout regimen.

I guess I don't really need to give all the details about what I've been doing for the last two months or so trying to follow a Starting Strength based program. What I do need is direction for how to continue after messing around for the last year.

So with that in mind here is where I'm at now.

Age: 58
Weight: 270
Height: 6' 0"
Resident of Phoenix, AZ Go Cardinals
Books purchased and read: SSBBT 3rd ed., PPST 3rd edition
Program: Linear Progression using Model 2 from PPST the Older Lifter section

Monday 08/10
Squat: 200X5X3 still doing 5lb increments
Bench: 184X5X3 doing 2lb increments
Chins: BWXFailX3 still can't do even one full chin. I'm using an assistance band.

Thursday 08/13
Squat: 205X5X3 5lb increments
Press: 124X5X3 2lb increments
Deadlift: 170X5 5lb increments

Diet:
Flexible dieting counting macros
Protein: 200 grams
Carbs: 175 grams
Fat: 175 grams

I'm trying to eat a small surplus to allow for muscle growth but I'm trying not to grow out of my current wardrobe.

As you can probably see I've got much room to continue to grow. I believe that if I had started with Starting Strength instead of Stronglifts I would be much further along by now. My general goal is simply health improvement through out the time I have left on this earth.

So, in conclusion can someone critique my situation and give me direction.

[Tom Campitelli]

Honestly, it seems like you have the right idea here. Congrats on your weight loss and on your progress so far. If you can do it, work on chins every workout. Can you perform a flexed arm hang with your chin over the bar for a few seconds? Also, why is your deadlift so far below your squat?

I am often amazed that Stronglifts comes up before Starting Strength on web searches. In fact, when you type in "how to squat" in Google, Starting Strength is nowhere to be found. That is problematic. Oh, well, that is an aside.

[jkolt]

SEO man. This thing needs better SEO.

[Tom Campitelli]

SEO man. This thing needs better SEO.

I believe you are correct.

[therealwill84]

Honestly, it seems like you have the right idea here. Congrats on your weight loss and on your progress so far. If you can do it, work on chins every workout. Can you perform a flexed arm hang with your chin over the bar for a few seconds? Also, why is your deadlift so far below your squat?

I am often amazed that Stronglifts comes up before Starting Strength on web searches. In fact, when you type in "how to squat" in Google, Starting Strength is nowhere to be found. That is problematic. Oh, well, that is an aside.

I think this is just because the Strong Lifts guy is 3 parts Internet marketing and 1 part strength coach. That said, he does at least teach reasonable form for most of the lifts.

[Mrsubmarine]

Honestly, it seems like you have the right idea here. Congrats on your weight loss and on your progress so far. If you can do it, work on chins every workout. Can you perform a flexed arm hang with your chin over the bar for a few seconds? Also, why is your deadlift so far below your squat?

I am often amazed that Stronglifts comes up before Starting Strength on web searches. In fact, when you type in "how to squat" in Google, Starting Strength is nowhere to be found. That is problematic. Oh, well, that is an aside.

Thx for your feedback. I'm very happy that I finally found this site.

My deadlift is light, and even my squat is less than it should be, because I've had to deload several times. The videos from StrongLifts and Youtube that I viewed to try to learn form were not good for someone who is kinestetically challenged like I am. I tweaked by back a couple of times which slowed me down. When I finally viewed the form videos that Mark put out I deloaded again to make sure that my form improved. I'll upload a video or two when I have a chance just to make sure I've got it right.

As far as finding Stronglifts first, I remember searching for 'gain muscle not fat'. It still brings up several responses linked to Stronglifts.

[Ryan Kane]

Congratulations on the weight loss. I'm a bit younger (43) but started the year at 300 and got down to 220 following a low carb diet combined with Medifast when I got lucky and found a link to Rippetoe and SS. I am now up to 225, but my bodyfat has fallen from 23% to 18-19% (down from 37% when I weighed 300).

As far as chinz go, check out the "Art of Masculinity" video - How To Do More Than One Stinking Pull-up Routine - https://youtu.be/eT6jSZhMyQ4. A variation of this took me from being unable to move my body when hanging to a real chin-up using a negative chinup approach (eccentric movement). Now following this, I can do 6 sets of 1 and then I try 3 sets of 10 negatives. I was surprised how effective the eccentric movement helped the concentric one.

Good luck and keep up the great work.

[Mrsubmarine]

Congratulations on the weight loss. I'm a bit younger (43) but started the year at 300 and got down to 220 following a low carb diet combined with Medifast when I got lucky and found a link to Rippetoe and SS. I am now up to 225, but my bodyfat has fallen from 23% to 18-19% (down from 37% when I weighed 300).

As far as chinz go, check out the "Art of Masculinity" video - How To Do More Than One Stinking Pull-up Routine - https://youtu.be/eT6jSZhMyQ4. A variation of this took me from being unable to move my body when hanging to a real chin-up using a negative chinup approach (eccentric movement). Now following this, I can do 6 sets of 1 and then I try 3 sets of 10 negatives. I was surprised how effective the eccentric movement helped the concentric one.

Good luck and keep up the great work.

Thx Ryan. The video of Mark teaching the squat in an Art Of Manliness video was the first experience with Starting Strength.

[crookedfinger]

Age: 58
Weight: 270
Height: 6' 0"

Monday 08/10
Squat: 200X5X3 still doing 5lb increments
Bench: 184X5X3 doing 2lb increments
Chins: BWXFailX3 still can't do even one full chin. I'm using an assistance band.

Thursday 08/13
Squat: 205X5X3 5lb increments
Press: 124X5X3 2lb increments
Deadlift: 170X5 5lb increments

Diet:
Flexible dieting counting macros
Protein: 200 grams
Carbs: 175 grams
Fat: 175 grams

I'm trying to eat a small surplus to allow for muscle growth but I'm trying not to grow out of my current wardrobe.

I don't know man. For your age and weight, Fat seems really high and protein seems a bit low. I also am not sold on you needing a surplus as you still have a bit of weight to drop. I would bump protein up to at least 225. Increase carbs a bit, and drop fat a bit.
Maybe something like:
P: 225, C 200, F 130

Or better yet. Hop over to the nutrition forum and read through there.

Congrats on the weight loss and welcome to the iron game!

[Tom Campitelli]

Oh, dear. I sense a macros discussion coming on.