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Thread: Programming on a Limited Protein Diet (kidney disease)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    San Jose, CA
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    Default Programming on a Limited Protein Diet (kidney disease)

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    I'm 46yo male (6', 175lbs, ~18%BF) beginner with chronic kidney disease (kidney function ~40%) and have a couple of question about programming in my situation.

    I've been on a 70g p/d protein diet for the last 10 years. The combination of diet and medications (am on max dose ARBs) has been successful in stabilizing my kidney function so will to stick to current intake. Am also slightly anemic (again kidney related).

    -Any thoughts on any modification of basic beginning LP? I thought about moving to the 50y+ program detailed in BB Prescription , train twice a week or do 2 sessions spread across 3 days. I do recover pretty slowly, but I fee I also detrain pretty quickly (If I skip a week for work or flu/etc , I struggle to repeat previous session). I don't have a caloric intake limitation.
    -I play tennis (doubles) 3/ 4 times a week at pretty low level, and on days I don't work out...is it a stretch to consider it 'active recovery'? Wouldn't really like to give it up.
    -Power Clean (have not learned it yet). Should I just forget about it given my situation?

    IANDTP - have been doing some strength and fitness 'exercising' for a few years with usual downsides of big box fitness industry .. too many ancillary exercises, finding 1RM as beginner, 'muscle confusion' . I finally discovered the SS approach and have been through the SS and Barbell Prescription books.

    Thanks in advance for any suggestions .

    my 5RM are as follows (aware I should deload and start on LP)
    Sq 175 (high bar - did my first low bar few days ago)
    DL 210
    Press 95 (stuck)
    Bench 130
    6 strict chins

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
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    Default

    Hello, itadome, and welcome to the forum. I think you're in the right place, and have hit upon a great program for getting stronger. You may not get quite AS strong as those guys who can consume 200g of protein a day, but you can do the best you can with the body you have. You won't know what the limit of your capability is, until you try the program and get close to it. I think the lifts themselves are no different for you than for anyone -- squat, press, bench press, and deadlift - and power clean may be accessible for you, if your joints are in good shape. I think a lot of guys in their 40s do them.

    I'm not sure you need to de-load as you have assumed, except may for the press, where you say you are stuck. The first thing anyone should do when stuck is read Rippetoe's article: The First Three Questions | Mark Rippetoe
    You'll see, of course, that food is part of what he talks about. Just ignore that part, because you have constraints in regard to protein, but read and consider the rest, to see whether it can help you get un-stuck.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Inverness,FL
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    We are in similar boats. I have diabetes. The medications for the ancillary diseases were fighting each other, so I am now mostly diet controlled. So I have to restrict calories, where you have to restrict the protein. That’s not the same problem, but the results are the same. We can’t gain muscle or strength as fast as those lucky enough to have well functioning bodies. You can expect that your NLP will last longer than usual and you will not be able to add weight to the bar as fast. It took me 5 months to get to intermediate. Along the way I was limited to 2.5# increases for Squat and Deadlift, 2# for Bench, and 1# for Press. I gained 10 pounds, 6 or so of it lean body mass (if we believe the BF machines). That is not a dazzling novice period, but I am stronger and getting even stronger, and I am far healthier than I was. You too will do fine if you modify the basic program to fit your recovery capabilities.

    A deload will not hurt and you can use the time with lighter weight to fine tune your lifts.

    The tennis will probably take away from your recovery. But does that really matter to you? As master athletes we train to live and unless your goal in life is to lift as much as possible, we don’t live to train. We hike, run, climb, ski, and such. We are in this for the long haul, and hopefully Starting Strength will make the haul long.

    By the way, I am 69 at 150#:
    Squat 215
    Press 78
    Bench 120,
    Deadlift 265
    I am currently injured, but I still intend to DL 300# by Christmas.
    Last edited by LarryLohkamp; 03-06-2018 at 08:09 AM.

  4. #4
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    Mar 2018
    Location
    San Jose, CA
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    Thanks for the encouragement.

    Please ignore my point on deloading ... what I meant is that (obviously) I should start DTP with empty bar or similar rather than with 5 my RM achieved while exercising.

    Regarding programming modification. I assumed limited protein intake slows down recovery and adaptation, and make my Stress-Recovery-Adaption cycle similar to individuals 10-20y older than me (46).
    So I was wondering if there was a suggested modification like either modified middle squat; reduced frequency programs or 4 day across plans that would work better (or least worst!) on limited protein.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
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    Phoenix, AZ
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    You may want to post in the coaches forum, and/or the programming forum, to get more specific and tailored advice.
    https://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/forum171/ (coaches)
    https://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/forum156/ (programming)

    But I'll bet they will tell you that Starting Strength novice LP (adding weight to the bar every workout, for as long as that is possible, even if the amount of weight is relatively small) is the same for everyone. Intermediate programming is where they get into things like Heavy-light-medium, and/or 4-day split programming. Andy Baker is the big programming expert. (He co-wrote the programming book with Mark Rippetoe.) You may want to check out some of his videos on YouTube, and/or his website: Andy Baker – Strength – Performance – Physique

    You can certainly choose to do something other than Starting Strength novice LP, but the SS method as created by Rippetoe keeps programming very simple, for novices.
    I assume you already know about Barbell Prescription (sometimes abbreviated on this Forum as Barbell Rx), by Jonathon Sullivan?? He stratifies trainees by decade, 40s, 50s, 60s, etc, and proposes modifications each group MAY need to make, including training 2 or 4 days instead of 3 -- but again, he says if you can manage the typical novice LP progress, do that.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    San Jose, CA
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    starting strength coach development program
    Amy-in-PHX,
    thanks for your suggestions...yes I'm familiar with Barbell Rx and wanted to get a pointer if any of the modification detailed for 50s or 60s would be appropriate.
    As you say, if I don't give it a try I won't find out. I'll try posting on the programming

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