Bulletproofing Dan Radin

[danradin]

Hello all, first post though I've been lurking and reading for a couple of weeks. My name is Dan Radin, and I'm a 32-year-old guy living in lower Manhattan. Beware, extremely long into post follows.

INTRO
I'm a drummer who just left a job in the music technology business, and am figuring out my next move while also finishing up my MBA, which I'll complete in April. All of this means I have unlimited training time right now!

BEGINNINGS
I was always a chubby kid and loved food. Coming from a Jewish family that owned delis, food was a big part of our culture. When I left for college in 1997, I weighed 185 lbs. Some muscle, some fat. I have eastern European genes, and I've always built – muscle or fat – easily. When I was in marching band in high school, carrying heavy drums around a field made me gain weight very quickly and I was occasionally mistaken for a football player. In college, as a music major, that meant smoking a lot of pot, eating a lot and, in the absence of any physical activity, gaining tremendous amounts of fat. When I left school, I weighed 285 lbs.

I'm 5'7". 285 with 50% bodyfat isn’t a good look, especially when you’re short.

LOSING IT
This wasn't the first time I'd struggled with weight control; I'd been on diets since my teens. But this was the first time I was totally out of control. I found myself at 21, depressed, antisocial, and in terrible shape. I set out to lose the weight and reclaim my life. This was 2001, and the internet was starting to solidify in terms of Web 2.0: forums and user-created content. I found the Mens Health forums and learned a lot of bro science – some good, some bad – and decided to run every day and eat the same thing every day. And it worked. In three months, I dropped about 60 pounds. I continued to lose for about a year, losing 100 pounds. Looking back, I was probably eating about 1700 calories with 75g protein, very low fat, and very high carbohydrate.

Unfortunately, since I hadn't taken into consideration that maybe I should try to preserve some of my muscle, I found myself now weighing 185 pounds and hating the skinny-fat body I now had.

DISCOVERING IRON
Realizing that, at 185, I still didn’t have the body of my dreams, I dragged my skinny-fat self into a gym. “More intensity must be the solution,” I told myself, climbing daily onto an elliptical or treadmill for an hour or more. For one reason or another, I got talked into the Free Fitness Assessment, and I must’ve gotten a trainer with the right personality that I wasn’t totally intimidated or turned off by.

He took me through some assessment stuff and gave me some programs, and I went off to do my thing. And I began seeing changes almost immediately. I loved it. I could shape and change my body? This is what I’d been looking for. I fell in love.

THE FIRE IGNITES
A few months into lifting on my own, I began working with a trainer who was also a female bodybuilder, who became a good friend. She helped me learn a lot of the basics and pushed me harder than I knew I could push myself. I heard rumors that she was selling me steroids, but those people didn’t realize what my body had just been through, plus, they were watching beginner gains (major neural adaptation) on a 22-year-old. To be clear, I support the individual’s right to put whatever he or she wants to put in their body, but I’ve never touched anything other than creatine.

For whatever reason, my trainer was let go from BSC and I followed her to Gold’s. This was a great move. Living in Boston at the time, the move from BSC to Gold’s exposed me for the first time to huge (unnatural) guys and power racks. This was motivating, plus, the Gold’s in Boston is across the street from Fenway Park. Seeing visiting baseball players coming in to work out before their games was fun. I remember specifically seeing CC Sabathia, at the time an up-and-coming pitcher with the Indians, doing lunges and remarking how bad a body he had.

NOT BODYBUILDING
Training at Gold’s, I began working like a bodybuilder. I knew I didn’t want to paint myself orange and get up on stage, but I admired the way they trained and their systematic continual-improvement approach. My relationship with my trainer evolved into her becoming my training partner, and we’d train weights for an hour and a half, have a protein shake, do an hour of cardio, and tan.

I really made good strength gains. I’ll never forget when, in my first job, I was asked if I’d played football in college. This, to me, was the ultimate compliment, given where I’d come from.

But, as is common among major weight-losers, my weight fluctuated wildly. I’m lucky to say that I never gained back more than 30% of the weight (this happened during an extremely long travel bout just before I got married), and that statistically, I’m a significant outlier. I really struggled to ingrain in myself how much I should be eating, and it took a ton of learning, willpower, and time, to slowly learn to control the pendulum of weight gain and loss. I had major relationship issues with food, was a stress eater and a bored-eater, and treated food as a mood-alterer instead of as fuel. It would take eight years before I would be able to say I was comfortable estimating and eating intuitively.

CONTINUING EDUCATION
My body continued to evolve and improve. I built a ton of muscle and cut a ton of fat. I still wasn’t happy. I got really obsessed with trying to figure out why I couldn’t get the rest of the fat off my belly and hips. I threw myself into learning about nutrition, reading all the bro science the internet had to offer.

I got certified as a trainer through NASM, and learned all about how to curl 12-pound pink rubber-coated dumbbells while standing on a stability ball with one foot.

I tried every diet known to man to get “the last few inches” off. Atkins, South Beach, The Zone, Blood Type, CKD, Slow Carb, vegetarian, Protein Power, Sugar Busters, paleo, Ornish… I’m sure there are others I’ve forgotten about.

PROGRESS STALLS
I’m a tinkerer. I’ll admit it. I don’t have enough patience and faith in the process and I’ve tried a million different programs and variations, probably never sticking with anything quite long enough to see it through. I’ve done a good job of maintaining ~18% bodyfat and my weight in the 185-190 range, and my health is great. But I haven’t made any athletic progress in the last six or eight years.

Martin Berkhan of Leangains would diagnose this as “Fuckaraounditis.” He’d be right. I’ve tried to accomplish too many things all at the same time. I know I want to be bigger, stronger, and leaner.

For the last two months, I’ve refocused myself on that goal.

RIGHT NOW
Here’s the progress I’ve made, and where this log begins. I spent August focusing on the basics, balance, flexibility, and preparing myself to gain some serious strength. I built the following programs to take myself through September and October, and plan to switch to SS in November. Though I’ve been lifting weights for 10 years, I am absolutely loving these big lifts. I feel great, my head is clear, and the progress in just five weeks has been incredibly motivating.

MONDAY
Deadlift – 27% increase
Started: 275x6
Latest: 350x2 (needed chalk)

Weighted Chin
Started: 25x4
Latest: 55x5

Pendlay Row
Started: 135x5
Latest: 185x5

WEDNESDAY
Bench – 32% increase
Started: 185x10
Latest: 245x5

Incline Bench
Started: 185x6
Latest: 200x5

Tricep Extension
Started: 95x9
Latest: 130x7

FRIDAY
Back Squat – 33% increase
Started: 245x7
Latest: 325x4

Leg Press
Started: 450x7
Latest: 630x7

Smith Calf Raise
Started: 275x9
Latest: 405x12

I'm considering adding a belt on my heaviest squats, deads, and bench for the coming week. I'm also adding chalk on heavy deads and bench. Otherwise, I'm committed to sticking to the plan.

I've been following Leangains and enjoying it because I love to eat and don't mind skipping breakfast. My weight is currently 180 at about 15% BF, and my nutrition goals are 1900-2200 calories, 185-210g protein, carbohydrate at less than 50g on non-training days, and fat at less than 65g on training days.

I'm leaner than I've ever been, and I'm lifting more weight than I've ever lifted. I'm closer to the over-arching goal of getting the rest of the low belly and lovehandles off than I've ever been.

I'm winning the war. Every day is a battle, and I'm winning almost all of them. Thank you very much for reading this extraordinarily long piece. I promise my logs will by much more concise. I truly look forward to your feedback, input, and suggestions.

Sincerely,
Dan Radin

[danradin]

Today I felt very strong. No pain anywhere, and great energy. I spent most of yesterday watching sports on TV and did a ton of SMR with the foam roller at home.

Warmup and Prep
Rowing machine
Foam roller hips
Good mornings (bar)

Deadlift – chalk above 225, belt above 315
135x5, 185x4, 215x3, 265x2, 315x1, 365x2 (PR), 325x4

Weighted Chins (wide)
BW+55x5, BW+50x5, BW+45x5

Pendlay Row (wide)
195x4, 175x5, 165x5

Conditioning
Rowing machine intervals (max resistance) 3x200m, 1:30 rest

Cooldown
Bike
Sumo Squat 135x5x2 (ATG)
Static Stretching

Weight: 180.7 lbs.
BF (Omron): 16.0%
LBM: 151.8 lbs.

[danradin]

Felt good. My right front delt was a little tight, but overall very good session.

Warmup and Prep
Rowing machine
Foam roller chest and delts

Bench Press – chalk and belt above 225
45x5, 95x4, 135x3, 185x2, 215x1, 245x7 (PR), 230x4, 205x5

Incline Bench Press
205x5, 185x5

Tricep Extensions
135x7, 120x9, 110x10

Conditioning
Rowing machine intervals (max resistance) 4x200m, 1:30 rest

Cooldown
Bike
Static Stretching

Weight: 182.2 lbs.
BF (Omron): 16.1%
LBM: 152.9 lbs.

[danradin]

Warmup and Prep
Rowing machine
BW grok squat and related static stretches

LB Squat – belt above 315
45x5x2, 95x4, 135x3, 185x2, 225x2, 275x2, 315x1, 330x4 (PR), 300x5, 270x5

Leg Press
680x7, 610x7, 560x7

Smith Calf Raise
425x12, 445x8

Conditioning
Rowing machine intervals (max resistance) 5x200m, 1:30 rest

Cooldown
Bike
Static Stretching

Weight: 181.3 lbs.
BF (Omron): 16.1%
LBM: 152.1 lbs.

[jwt708]

Glad to hear about your progress and good luck hitting your goals!

I say go for the belt. I feel not using one really held me back.

[danradin]

I say go for the belt.

Thanks. I used one this week on my heaviest deads, bench presses, and squats. All felt great. I'm lucky that my gym has a few for general use.

[danradin]

I was really happy to make it to the weekend as I was feeling very beat up. Woke up this morning with the same knotted-up traps and sore right anterior deltoid on top of my shoulder. I did no work and no conditioning this weekend, and carbed up yesterday to encourage recovery. Sleep has been good. Today's work felt okay; not great. Weight/BF say I've put on some mass, but I'm not getting excited about it until I see those numbers repeat a couple of days in a row.

Warmup and Prep
Rowing machine
Foam roll TFL

Deadlift – belt and chalk above 315
45x5, 135x4, 185x3, 225x2, 275x2, 315x1, 375x2 (PR), 365x1, 315x5
Complete failure on the 375s and 365. Couldn't get another rep on either set.

Weighted Chins
60x4, 55x4, 50x3

Pendlay Row
205x3, 185x5, 165x5

Skipped conditioning to focus on stretching and rehab.

Cooldown
Active: Rotator cuffs, Traps
Static: Calves, Quads, Hamstrings

Weight: 182.6 lbs.
BF (Omron): 15.6%
LBM: 154.1 lbs.

[danradin]

Today was a light day. I'm recovering from a mini-mystery sickness and need to squat tomorrow, a day early, due to weekend travel. I'm also still nursing a sore (strained?) right anterior deltoid, but it does feel like it's recovering. I just tried to get in, do some work, and get out without screwing up tomorrow's training or slowing my body's recovery from whatever it's fighting.

Warmup and Prep
Rowing machine
Pushups

Bench Press
45x5x2, 135x4, 185x3, 185x8, 135x12

Incline Bench Press
115x12, 165x8

Triceps Extension
75x12x2

Machine Flyes
60x12x2 (5:3:1)

Cooldown
Static: Pecs, Lats, Triceps

[danradin]

Still feeling a little sick this morning, but well enough to do some work. I was lucky to have another guy video my squats and help me diagnose some low-back rounding and weak hip drive. I'm going to work on this by adding back extensions, supermans, bridges, and fire hydrants on squat days. Also I'm starting to think my right shoulder issue is rotator cuff, and not deltoid. Working on flexibility there.

Warmup and Prep
Rowing machine
BW grok squat and related static stretches

LB Squat – belt above 315
45x5x2, 135x5, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 335x3 (PR), 300x5, 215x8

Leg Press
700x7, 630x7, 570x7

Smith Calf Raise
475x8, 425x9

No conditioning

Cooldown
Supermans, fire hydrants, glute bridges
Back extensions
Static: hip flexor, quads, calves

Weight: 181.4 lbs.
BF (Omron): 16.1%
LBM: 152.2 lbs.

[danradin]

(Monday 23 Oct) Back from a long weekend in Nashville for a friend's wedding. I battled my mystery cold/infection sickness longer than I thought, but am feeling mostly better. Being the South, most of the food options were fried and/or high-fat with starches, but I did my best and I don't think I did too badly for the most part. I'm glad to be home and fueling up with my usual diet. My shoulder was really tight while traveling and I generally felt crappy all over my body, and I'm wondering if that doesn't have something to do with the inflammatory effects of refined carbohydrate. I already feel better (Tuesday morning) after nearly a day of cleaner eating.

Warmup and Prep
Rowing machine
KB swings, flexor stretches

Deadlift – belt and chalk above 315
135x5, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 385x2 (PR), 345x4
385 felt good, but my grip was the limiting factor. 345 felt great, but I had to use straps.

Weighted Chin-up
65x5, 55x5, 50x4

Pendlay Row
185x5, 205x3, 185x3

No conditioning

Cooldown
Static: flexors, hamstrings, adductors

This is my last week in a successful 90-day program. I'm taking next week off/very light, and then plan to start working on a SS-based strength program. I'll be doing all the big BB moves for the first time. I will likely need some guidance and coaching on the Press and Power Clean.