Borboski's Log

[borboski]

Ok - after pissing around with different weights I've gradually become more determined and organised in my training. I'm a very tall guy, 6'8", but in my 20s topped 20stone due to poor diet and no exercise. After my wedding I started training, and generally did 4 times a week workout with 6 different lifts, always 1 big compound, with cardio at either end - and got down to about 17 stone.

I play American Football, am now 29, and keen to get as strong as I can - maybe stripping down fat after I try and put some muscle on, but really my priority is to get stronger. I've just done 11 weeks of Defranco's Built Like a Badass I liked sticking to a routine. I had wanted to break a 100kg bench press but unfortunately topped out at 1 rep of 97kgs. I also, despite squatting 160kg max, know that my form is poor and I haven't been squatting very deep.

Finally, I always felt like I was busting my ass lifting weights, but was being inefficient by not eating enough to build muscle. In a sense, it worked, as I've got fitter, and lost weight, and got stronger, but I bet I could have made quicker progress.

So, I'm going to have at least 3 months on starting strength, including eating big. I'm not sure I'm going to go GOMAD, as I'm in my late 20s and while now in good shape, don't feel like the underweight skinny dude this appears to be aimed at. But I figure I'll start by eating A LOT more.

Height: 6'8"
Weight: I was 107kgs about 18 months ago, I need to weigh myself as I suspect I'm more than that now.

PBs
Bench: 97kg 1RM 87kg 5RM
It's not really worth doing PBs for the rest as I've realised I've been cheating on them...

[borboski]

Right, having read up on the squat and deadlift form, and ordered Starting Strength, I was ready to go down to the cellar to start the programme. Unfortunately my ceiling is 6"9 - with only an inch to spare I will have to substitute a seated press for a standing press, but other than that the programme will be as close to SS as possible.

A
Squats 5 x 5
Bench 5 x 5
Deadlift 1 x 5
Dips

B
Squats 5 x 5
Seated press 5 x 5
Powerclean 5 x 5
Chins

On Saturday I had my first session - the first thing I realised is that I definately haven't been squatting properly. I built up, going as low as possible with good form, and found 67k hard going, so stopped there.

Squat 5 x 5 67kg
Bench 5 x 5 71kg
Deadlift 3 x 5 77kg
Dips 10, 10

Yesterday was second workout - I've been very conservative with my starting weights for these as I'm less confident in the press and powerclean. Plus I think I could probably have started lower on the squat and bench.

Squat 5 x 5 71kg (and I will be going up by 2kg, not 4kg).
Seated press 5 x 5 27kg
Powerclean 3 x 5 37kg
Chins 8, 6

I'm feeling very motivated, however. Taking time on the form, and trying to do the exercise properly - I felt completely knackered after both these workouts, to be honest in more intense way than the BLAB workouts. Even though there are intensive finishers in BLAB, elements of each workout can be easy. Plus on BLAB you only do a big compound on 2 of the 3 days, the third day because with chin ups.

[borboski]

OK, final update on today, which is to set out my diet. Three example days, which will be fairly common I think.

Saturday
Porridge, tea spoon jam
2 Eggs on toast
Banana
Protein shake
Sandwich, rye bread, with ham, cheese, tomatos.
Protein shake
Large portion lasagna, inc. a little cheese but basically pasta, meat, tomatos
Porridge

Sunday
Bowl of lasagna on waking
Porridge, tea spoon jam
Banana
[3 hours football training]
Large bowl noodles, soy sauces, king prawns, veggies
Protein shake
Porridge, tea spoon jam

Tuesday
4 eggs on toast
Protein shake
Banana
4 wholegrain rolls with ham, low fat soft cheese, tomato throughout the day
2 pints of milk (semi skimmed) throughout the day
Bruschetta, then lentils and pork loin for dinner
Porridge
Protein shake
Handful blueberries and raspberries.

So this feels like a lot of food to me, certainly in quantities and compared to what I've eaten before, but it might not be a disgusting amount of calories as it's all fairly good stuff. I have a teaspoon of peanut butter here and there as well. You'll see that porridge features heavily - it's easy for me to eat, seems a good source of carbs and milk goes in. These seems about right to me but if anyone thinks I should be eating a lot more let me know. I think I can be fairly consistent on this diet - I'm likely to have a couple of beers on a Friday night and possibly a junk food takeaway but other than that it should be like this. Only thing to bear in mind is that I am big a guy and so calorie maintanence counters put me at about 3,500 calories just to maintain.

Hopefully I'll get some scales in a weeks time and can monitor what happens. Having said that if I can progress on my bench and squat then I don't really care if I put on some fat.

[borboski]

Today has been yet more eating; if anyone has a view on whether this is about right let me know:

Porridge, tea spoon jam
3 eggs on 1 slice wholegrain toast
1 wholegrain roll with ham
2 litres skimmed milk
2 wholegrains rolls with a chicken breast
1 protein shake
Handful nuts
3 wholegrain fajita wraps, 1.5breasts chicken
1 protein shake
Handful blueberries and raspberries.

No porridge before bed, I'm simply too full.

I played 5 a side tonight; after 5 days of eating like this I don't feel too bad at all, and psychologically I feel like a badass carnivore rather than bloated. My farts smell appalling though, I was stinking out the five-a-side pitch...

I really can't wait to do my workout tommorow - I got 2 litres semi-skimmed milk yesterday and will drink that during the day. I think with porridge and protein shakes 4-5 litres a day is doable. I'm still not sure if GOMAD is aimed at skinny young hard gainers or everyone.

[borboski]

Right, workout done, week 1 in the book.

Squat 75kg 5x5
Bench 75kg 5 x 5
Deadlift 87kg x 5
Dips 12, 12

Starting to feel more like hard work - I'm aware that my squat is currently the same as my bench, but 75kg on the bench is nearing my 5 rep max (I already know that's 83, and only for 1 set), whearas I expect my squat to keep improving. I'll only move my bench up 1-2kg a session from this point onwards.

One positive sign was that 71 on the squat earlier in the week was very hard, but this was ok. I think my form is ok; I'm making sure I sit back, trying to keep the bar moving straight up and down, and trying to keep my knees above my feet, not pushing forward. Dips are fine, I bet I can do 14, with a better, slower form than I did tonight, and so will try that next.

Big eating today:
Porridge
Protein shake
2 sandwiches, wholegrain bread, ham and light cream cheese
Banana
Handful nuts
2 litres semi skimmed milk
Slice bread
Chicken casserole with a few potatos and green beans
Glass whole milk
More porridge!

[250orBust]

double your eggs in the morning and drink whole milk instead of skim.

[borboski]

Ach, this is why we shouldn't do too much on rest days, I guess. Last night - Friday - is takeaway, we get a pizza, and it's one night I have a drink or two (about 5 pints last night).

Knowing that, I was keen to do some sort of exercise, so I looked on crossfit and did the following routine
5 Pull ups
10 Press ups
15 Squats
15 repetitions

Took me just over 19 mins, which isn't great, but isn't pathetic and at least I got it done. I do want to include some sort of conditioning to support my American Football and 5-a-side.

Anyway, eating was:
Porridge
3 eggs on wholegrain toast
Protein shake
Handful nuts
About 200g ham in one wholegrain sandwich
Protein shake
Potato wedges, chicken wings, pizza, chocolate bar
5 pints of booze

So - do I go for today's workout or not, knowing I have Football training tommorow? I probably will I think.

Now, my arms and chest really ache

[borboski]

Workout done
Squat 77kg x 5
Seated press 31kg x 5
Powercleans 41kg x 3
Chinups 9, 6

I'm doing 5, 5, 3, 2 warm ups on these.

Everything was good, progress on the squat especially as I feel like I'm getting stronger - the first ones I did at 67kg, going deep, were hard work and I'm keeping my form and depth.

Powercleans were a bit iffy; I'm not sure I have the form quite right so will look forward to reading the book. I also felt a twinge in my hand as they go under the bar once it's up on your chest. Better be careful.

Diet
Porridge
2 poached eggs on whole grain toast
2 litres wholemilk
Baked ham, few potatos, salad leaves
Ham sandwich on whole grain
[Workout]
Chicken breast, noodles, veggie.

[MazdaMatt]

Good start. You said you intended to follow SS as closely as possible with exception of seated press... If you mean the SS Novice program, it is 3x5 squat, bench, press, 1x5 deads and 5x3 PC's.

Good luck!

[borboski]

Aha, cheers, nice one - when I was down there I could remember that the PC wasn't 5x5, but not what it was.