Master's Anthropometry

[gkearns]

I am 52, 6'1', 180lbs. and have always been pretty active but never did weight training (live in Silver Spring, Maryland). VERY skinny legs/arms and, according to the 5x3 SS gym in Baltimore, I have the longest femurs they have ever seen. I have 23% body-fat (very good bone density according to a recent DEXA), with seemingly all of that fat sitting around the waste. Any fat accumulation makes me look like a long-legged muffin top. Began SS in earnest February 1, 2018. Numbers were:

February 1st, 2018 August 1, 2018
Weight: 170lbs. 180lbs.
Squat 135 230 (I was at 150 just 2 months ago when 5x3 gym fixed my squat and it went up 80 lbs in 2 months)
Press 80 107.5 (I can only move up about 5 lbs per month max. This is my worst lift). May move 3x3
Bench 145 172.5 (though with improved forms progress is better)
Deadlift 225 310 (my best lift and I have never had to de-load, despite seeing stars one day..........)

All lifts (except deadlift) are not a grind. I have done 1-2 resets. The only thing I have neglected is food which I am now changing by eating more carbs and 2-3 whey shakes per day (I sleep 7-8 hours per night, though REM sleep not great according to my Fitbit). It's hard to eat that much and I am usually not hungry. So at this point, I will try for 2 more weeks with increasing calorie intake, but it seems to be that intermediate is now the way to go. I actually hate lifting and just staring at the barbell is psychologically challenging. Nonetheless, I can grind. Would the HLM be the best way to go and 3 days per week is becoming taxing, though when I sleep I feel great the next day? FYI, I built a home gym and only have the basics to do the lifts, as well as do chins and dips.

I would also like to know what I can do eating-wise (I eat clean) so that the fat doesn't deposit where I look like a bloody muffin-top.

Thanks!

[Jeff Brophy]

Hey, 48, 6'1, 230 lbs here. I'm leggy as well. I train in my garage with only the basics and focus on the 3 main lifts (Deadlift, Squat, Bench) My perspective is you choose to get stronger or you don't. Worrying about you waist and Bf# mean nothing to gaining strength. As an older novice trainer the realities of life are that you will need to gain more weight to train hard to drive the stress-recovery-adaption cycle. You didn't do that. You didn't do the program. 6 months of 3x week 5lb increases in the squat should have put roughly 360 lbs onto your squat. Per above you gained 95. Your deadlift on 10 lbs /wk should be up by 240 lbs. Per above you gained 85. Getting old sucks. Getting old weak sucks more. 4.5 years ago I was 185 lbs. I went to the SS seminar and Rip called me disgustingly skinny. Do I have a gut now , yes. Is my BF# over 20%, yes. Can I adjust those if I choose to and give up some strength, absolutely. But why would I want to. I train to get stronger. On Sept 1st I'll compete in my 6th PL meet and I will PR in all 3 lifts. If strength is what you want its there for you to get. You're still a novice. Reset and rerun your linear progression. Eat everything in sight and let your body get strong. You can chisel it down later.

[carson]

I agree with Jbrophy except for one thing. The three main lifts are Deads Squats, and Over Head Presses. Bench is there as an auxiliary to help us better Press.

Still eating is part of getting strong.

[Charlocity2]

If you go to Andy Baker's blog, he just posted an excellent article on diet.

[Paulbfast]

The article is outstanding. Everybody just talks about how many grams of protein you need but nobody says how much protein is in a six ounce steak!

Here is the link: Building a Simple Diet for Mass - Andy Baker

[Bekah Cygan]

Nice progress with your program!

Is your question mostly about your nutrition? Are you counting macro nutrients currently?

Did you find any help with Andy Baker's article?