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Thread: Grumpy Old Mike's Monthly Training Update

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    New Hampshire
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    Thumbs up Grumpy Old Mike's Monthly Training Update

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    Hello!

    I'm (Grumpy Old) Mike, a 6'3”, 265 lb guy (1.91M & 120.0 KG) with about 40% body fat who hasn't been in a gym since High School. I'm 47 and an endomoprh with mesomorphic traits. I looked like a hard-boiled egg walking on cheese sticks. Mmmm... Cheese...

    I've broken my coccyx, had a clay shoveler fracture (C-7?) and I've had a fusion at L5-S1. In April 2013 I had a 100%-blockage heart attack (I have a stent) and in January of this year I had a TIA stroke. The first three were from an active lifestyle in my first 30 years, the last two were from the sedentary lifestyle of the last 15. Yes, my dietary changes and resistance training have been enthusiastically and independently endorsed by my internist, cardiologist and neurologist.

    I joined a gym in August, 2017 and spent my first three weeks doing silly crap like curls (in the squat rack – no, no... JK: I'm not THAT bad), funny looking machines, lots of cardio and high bar squats in the Smith Machine (OK, maybe I really AM that bad).

    Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.

    Fortunately, I got myself out of that as soon as I found a few articles on Reg Park and his old-school system and what became of the basic concept. That, in turn, led me here, to Starting Strength. I adopted this program because it seems to fit my level (complete n00b) and I appreciate Mark's no BS approach and ability to communicate effectively.

    So, having spent the last month working 5x5 and recently switching to SS 3x5, I've decided to create this log. Mind you, I won't be doing a daily log, but more a monthly update. I just could NOT keep a daily log outside of my numerical notes. It would suck for me to write and probably boring for you to read. So I'll stick to the monthly numbers in body measurements and lifts.

    Since September 7th, here are my numbers in inches for the body and Lb/Kg for the lifts:

    The Body:

    Chest: 47 to 47.5
    Waist: 47 to 45.5
    Biceps, non-flexed: 16 to 14 (with increased definition)
    Calves: 17.25 to 16.75
    Neck: 17.5 to 18
    Thigh: 23.75 to 24
    Body Weight: 255 (115.6 Kg) +/- 5 Holding mostly steady after the initial ten pound loss in the first 3 weeks before SS. This lends me to believe that I am losing fat and gaining lean body mass.

    The Lifts:

    Squat: 150 (68 Kg) 5x5 to 205 (93 Kg) 3x5
    Bench: 115 (52 Kg) 5x5 to 125 (56.75 [?]Kg) 3x5. The 5x5 failures in the 4th and 5th sets at 120 are what made me re-evaluate 5x5 and led me to SS. I should be at 135 3x5, but 135 is my 5RM right now...
    Deadlift: 145 (65.75 Kg) 1x5 to 225 (102 Kg) 1x5
    Press: 55 (25 Kg) 5x5 to 80 (36.25 Kg) 3x5

    So there you go.

    It's 10PM local time and I get up at 5AM, so I'm going to bed. If there are any replies, I'll get back to you tomorrow. Until then, have a great night and get off my damn lawn, ya punk.
    Last edited by Grumpy Old Mike; 10-09-2016 at 08:33 PM. Reason: Me no type goodly

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    New York
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    You sure have had some health issues for a youngster. I say that because if I look back to when I was in my 40's it was my prime. Looking forward to seeing you progress .

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    New Hampshire
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    Thanks, Jerry. I've had a few friends that didn't make it through their issues and I figured I had to "get to living or get to dying", so I figure its time to get to living in "my next 30 years"

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    New Hampshire
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    Cool Week Off Without Deload

    I thought I'd share my "do 6 weeks then take a break" experience with you. YMMVG

    I took last week off because I was actually on an out-of-state vacation. We had a blast and I did NO lifting, cardio or paying attention to macros. I just dropped it all for a week.

    Despite the recommendations I've heard about needing to deload by 10% after a training break, I can't justify taking 20 pounds off my squat or DL on the off chance that I might be a little sore if I just lifted the next, regularly scheduled workout.

    So I hit the gym this afternoon and did the next workout. The Squat was a bit of a grind, the Press was ugly and I barely locked out the last rep of set 3, but the DL was a combination of scary and awesome: I was YANKING that bitch off the floor! I might try a bigger jump the next time the DL comes around, but I don't want to stall too quickly.

    Yeah, I'm beat and I took 2 Tylenol with my post-workout shake, but that was 3 hours ago and I'm no more sore right now than I am after any other workout. Might be a bitch to get out of bed tomorrow, though.

    The second reason is I put my original numbers into the "Starting Strength Forum Rankings" and I don't like where that put me, so I have to update this log to update the numbers on the rankings page. I'm not competitive or vain, honest!

    Here are the numbers as of this last workout. I forgot to weigh myself this morning, but I'll call it 260 Lb because i think I added an inch and a half to my waist on vacation. <shrug>

    Squat: 220 Lb
    Bench: (before I left town) 130 Lb
    Deadlift: 235 Lb
    Press: 90 Lb

    Off topic: Is there a spell-check feature for posts? Can't find one...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Walled Lake, Michigan
    Posts
    6,681

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    Welcome,

    Your posts are interesting. Keep at it. Post some vids and go see a certified SS coach.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
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    The Refinery State
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    Hi Mike, thrilled you found the right approach to whip yourself back into shape. Esp. given your previous issues, do what carlson said, get a coach, or go to a seminar. It'll pay off big time in the long run, and as a friend used to say, it's cheaper than therapy!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    11

    Red face Workout 18 Update

    Because I train on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday (SxMxWxx or xMxWxxS) instead of your traditional Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine, the TIME I've been under the bar and the number of workouts I've had don't match.

    Throw in the fact that I goofed my starting date – it's actually September 10th, not whatever I said in my first post – and my vacation week, this is actually a six-week update instead of a two-month update. Why make things easy, right?

    So as of this 18th workout (6 weeks in), here are my stats:

    Weight is up to 265 (+/- 3) and my waist is still at 45.5”, so I'm gaining weight without gaining noticeable fat. Trust me, at 6'3”, 265, I can easily add or lose 10 pounds and you wouldn't notice it. Hell, I might not notice it because I'm “barrel chested”, as my wife puts it.

    Squat:
    240
    Bench: 140
    DL: 255
    Press: 100

    According to the YNDTP post that Rip wrote, at 6 or 7 weeks (18 to 21 workouts) someone DTP should be at 225-245 for the squat, so I think I'm on track. I've added 90 lb to the squat, 25 to the bench, 110 to the DL and 45 to the press. Yay, me!

    Nutritionally, I'm following the recommendations for the fat old man in the “To Be a Beast” article, which is 3100 calories and 271g Protein, 310g Carbs and 86g of fat.

    For me, who can still eat a whole large Works pizza on his own, 3100 calories of clean food is a LOT. I can “Triple Whopper Meal” with the best of them, but that was when I was skipping breakfast, had a sandwich and a yogurt for lunch and a “normal American dinner”.

    Now its 6 whole eggs for breakfast, a pita sandwich for lunch, 1600 “snack calories” (whey protein, cans of tuna, chicken breasts, pumpkin seeds, etc.) and a relatively balanced, protein-based dinner.

    For supplements, I'm taking BCAAs and whey protein. On training days, I take a dose of MyProtein Hurricane before and after my workout.

    It kind of looks like this:

    7AM: Protein
    8:30 BCAA 5g
    10 AM: Protein
    11:30 BCAA 5g
    1 PM: Protein
    2:30 BCAA 5g
    4PM: Hurricane shake (Protein+ 1.5g HMB + 5g Creatine)
    4:30-6PM Training
    6PM Hurricane shake (Protein+ 1.5g HMB + 5g Creatine)
    6:30 PM Dinner

    On non-training days, I have a regular whey protein shake *(to which I'll add 5g of Creatine) at about 4PM then Dinner at about 6PM.

    I generally don't eat after dinner and my alcohol consumption is practically nonexistent.

    VERY satisfied, so far. The weights are getting heavier but not 'grind-ish', and I may have to deload/mix up my bench press soon, but I don't feel like I'm anywhere near a stall on the DL or Squat. I do need lifting shoes, however.

    Until next time...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Posts
    41

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    Good stuff Grumpy. I just turned 48 and I am interested in your dieting. I have to get to some protien supplements and eat cleaner although I am getting better.
    Last edited by tcchappelear; 11-03-2016 at 04:37 AM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    New Hampshire
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    Quote Originally Posted by carson View Post
    Welcome,

    Your posts are interesting. Keep at it. Post some vids and go see a certified SS coach.
    Thanks Carson. Maybe I'll send something to the 'Form Check' board and link it here.

    Quote Originally Posted by peez View Post
    Hi Mike, thrilled you found the right approach to whip yourself back into shape. Esp. given your previous issues, do what carlson said, get a coach, or go to a seminar. It'll pay off big time in the long run, and as a friend used to say, it's cheaper than therapy!
    Thanks peez, It might be easier to go to a seminar than find a coach in the hinterlands of New Hampshire.

  10. #10
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    Oct 2016
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    New Hampshire
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by tcchappelear View Post
    Good stuff Grumpy. I just turned 48 and I am interested in your dieting. I have to get to some protien supplements and eat cleaner although I am getting better.
    Thanks TC. Here's some info on my food intake. Remember, you asked

    The article I referred to in my last post is “To Be a Beast. Read it, especially Case # 3- The*Fluffy*Novice/Intermediate: Measured which is the last quarter of the article. You should probably read that section two or three times if you're “fluffy”.

    As far a protein supplements, I take those around a workout but not as a food substitute. The timeline of my previous post includes protein several times a day, but this is not a shake, its food.

    You can have a can of tuna, a cup of fat-free Greek yogurt, a chicken breast or a cup of cottage cheese to get the protein. But understand that some fat comes along with some dairy, etc.

    You should figure out what's right for you and it might not be anything close to what is working for me, but you asked about my diet and I'm answering, not advising that you should eat like I do.

    However I would suggest you get the free version of the My Fitness Pal app, which is what I use to keep track of it all. And drop the pop or soda or tonic or Coke... whatever you call it.

    This is what I ate today and its not a list of the best stuff you can put in your body, but we're all works in progress. So if anyone wants to flame me for 'the crap I eat', save your fingers and spend time on someone who GAF; I don't.

    So here is today's food:

    Breakfast, 358 cal:
    5 eggs
    A few dashes of hot sauce

    Lunch 855 cal:
    A Ham & Muenster pita with 1 Tbsp light mayo and Romaine lettuce
    Some Veggie Tortilla Chips by Garcia
    An apple with 2 Tbsp of peanut butter

    “Snacks” 1330 Cal:
    7 1/2 Oz of cooked chicken breast
    2 Hurricane Shakes
    1/3 cup Quaker Real Medleys

    Dinner 532 cal:
    4 Mrs T's Feta & Spinach pirogi
    4 Oz Turkey Kielbasa
    1 Cup Broccoli
    1 tsp stone ground mustard
    2 pats of butter

    3075 calories
    272 g Protein
    251 g Carbs
    108 g fat
    20 g fiber
    56 g sugars
    The fat and carbs vary a bit, but I get very close to 271/310/86 for Protein/Carbs/Fat.

    Rinse and repeat 5 or 6 times a week.

    It can be difficult to dial it all in, but at the start its more about doing the best you can than hitting it with every single bite. Eventually you'll lose the taste of processed crap food and when you do have some Doritos, you'll at least know they're crap and you'll have a few hand-fulls instead of the whole damn bag.

    So there's that.

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