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When I first started taking exercise seriously in February of 2006 I was right around 163lbs and almost 24% body fat. At the end of that year I was weighing in around 172lbs but had reduced my body fat to 6%. Over the next two years I fluctuated and eventually bulked to 203lbs at 13.4% body fat on March 4, 2008. For that year I focused on maintaining the weight I'd gained, as I'd never been that heavy before and it gave my joints and tendons time to catch up. I stayed right around 195lbs until I began dieting down two weeks ago and now am at 188lbs at 11% body fat with a goal of getting back to 6% or less.
What were you reasons for getting started?
I had always been a competitive swimmer until my freshman year in high school. After that I pursued performing arts more and spent less time doing sports and exercise. I thought that because my clothes fit the same and my weight didn't change that I was in good health. Its pathetic that the medical community is still using Body Mass Index (BMI) as a means of determining someone's state of health! It wasn't until I found out my bodyfat when I was working for a gym that I started to consider things like body composition. The real wake up call, though, was from the fact that unlike most of my peers with parents less than 30 years older than them, my dad is 45 years older than me. I've seen him go through a number of health challenges such as type II diabetes, gout, high blood pressure, and even had to have a triple bypass a couple years ago. My mom, who is 12 years younger than my dad, also has multiple sclerosis and has had her own health challenges. Most people don't see their parents go through at my age. It made me realize how much I had been taking my health for granted and that I needed to take more direct control of my own body while I could because it would only prove more difficult to do so later in life.
How did you manage to do it?
Because I was working at a gym I had a free membership and no excuse to not be utilizing it. Like most people, I asked for help from a couple members that I saw myself wanting to look like. I remember the guy, Monty, who was 6'4" and 270lbs saying that he used to be my size. That was all I needed to hear. I asked him if he could put together a beginner's workout for me and that's what I followed for the first couple months when I started lifting. Whenever I felt like I was at a plateau I would ask another trainer for some ideas how I could change things up. Eventually I started reading the free fitness magazines we were sent just to take different elements from the workouts and start making my own programs. It was a lot of trial and error for the most part. You always see the most results at the beginning because usually any exercise at all is more than you've been doing before so of course you have to adapt. You don't really pay attention to which elements of your program are working the most. The frustrations come with trying to find ways to change things up when your body begins to become accustomed to regular exercise. Beyond that, it took me a long time to remove what I call the "Mental Governor" that we all seem to have that tells us we shouldn't be able to exceed a certain degree of strength, size, or endurance. Once I was able to break past that I started to hit a much higher intensity with my workouts and the results came along with it. I had to do a lot of workouts on my own as well. Finding a training partner who can keep up with me is tough because I push so hard. I try to get the most out of every single workout. To me anything less is just wasting my time by not challenging myself.
What Supplements Did You Take?
First, I always have to stress that supplements never do the work for you. They only help you attain a goal quicker but without proper training and nutrition they won't give you the results you're looking for. With that in mind, I took a lot of different products trying to find the ones that I liked best and saw the most results from. I've been using protein products from Max Muscle since January, 2008. For creatine, I use Kre-Alkalyn since its has the highest percentage of absorption. Pre-Workout I've been extremely pleased with MHP's product Dark Rage. During workouts I use another Max Muscle product called "Max ACM" that has a blend of three different carbs to keep me fueled and not crash at the end of my workouts. Its unflavored, so I can add an aspartame-free electrolyte mix to it for flavor and I add my glutamine to the mix. Immediately post-workout I've found that a few grams of BCAAs help for recovery. To help sleep at night I use some valerian root. I'm not a fan of using melatonin. Of course the basic staples are in there, too, like fish oil and joint support.
The one supplement that is most misunderstood is the realm of prohormones, which are safe legal alternatives to designer steroids. I'm personally an advocate of them for anyone over 21 (I didn't use them until I was 23) since by that time your natural hormone levels are starting to peak out. I have seen many guys from a wide age range benefit from them with great success. Personally, with intense training and a very high calorie diet, was able to gain 27lbs in a month and a half and have retained all the lean tissue from it. I do not see them as cheating since I am not competing in natural bodybuilding shows nor am I involved with any other tested organizations. I highly encourage anyone considering them, though, to first take yourself as far as you possibly can naturally. Prohormones are not for people new to training, but for people who want to take it to the next level they are a worthwhile consideration. Take the time to do the homework and learn about how to use them properly. Many safe products have been taken off the market because a few people abused them.
Please give provide us with a detailed sample week of your diet.
I pretty much have two different diets that I go on based on whether I'm trying to gain weight or diet down. I'll list both. Being a taller skinny guy I know most people are curious to know what I had to eat to gain the mass that I did. I always eat 6 times per day with 3 of my meals being whole food and 3 being shakes. When I bulk I don't worry overly about trying to stay lean at the same time, but I don't go overboard to where all the mass I gain is fat either. I personally see the best results gaining weight when my diet is high in red meat and dairy products. I have a fairly active lifestyle so this is what mine usually looks like (Pre-workout supplements are not listed):
Bulking Diet: This diet comes out to just over 4500 calories with 30/40/30 macros:
Meal 1:
-1 cup (dry weight) old fashioned oats w/honey
-5 whole eggs
-1/4c shredded cheese
-2 tbsp picante sauce
Meal 2:
-Weight Gain Shake (35g Pro, 70g Car, 3g Fat)
-20oz Whole Milk
Meal 3:
-6oz (cooked weight, fat strained) Ground Beef (95% lean)
-1 cup (dry weight) whole wheat elbow pasta
-1 cup Red Sauce
Meal 4:
Same as Meal 2
Meal 5:
-8oz (pre-cooked weight) Top Choice Sirloin, all fat trimmed
-2 cups (cooked) Brown Rice or medium sweet potato
-1/2cup mixed vegetables
Meal 6: (1 hour before bed)
-2 Scoops protein (60g protein) in water
Cutting Diet: This diet comes out to just over 2100 calories with 48/17/35 macros:
Meal 1: (Following 30 minutes of low-intensity fasting cardio)
-1/2c oats w/cinnamon & splenda
-2 Omega-3 Whole Eggs
-1 Cup Liquid Egg Whites
-2 tbsp picante sauce
Meal 2:
-Protein shake (40g protein) w/1tsp ground cinnamon
-1oz raw almonds
Meal 3:
-7oz (pre-cooked weight) skinless chicken breast
-1 cup green vegetables
Meal 4:
-Same as Meal 2
Meal 5: (One day a week, substitute a cheat meal)
-3 cups spring mix
-5oz (cooked weight, fat strained) ground beef (95% lean)
-1.5tbsp Dressing made from a 50/50 blend of lite seasoned rice vinegar and olive oil
Meal 6:
Same as Meal 2
The cinnamon is added to the shakes for the extra benefit of managing blood sugar and it mimics an insulin response without an actual insulin spike.
Please give provide us with a detailed sample week of your training program
For mass gain, everyone is different and there are a number of theories and methods. Whatever the approach you take, it must be high intensity and push you to some degree of discomfort (not pain/injury).
Presently dieting down, I have found one method in particular that works like a charm for me. For each exercise 3 working straight sets are performed, meaning the weight is not changed. Rest is 25-30 seconds between each set and only 2-3 minutes between each exercise. Between body parts up to 5 minutes may be taken. Each rep is briefly squeezed at peak contraction and performed quickly but controlled. The goal is a cumulative fatigue and possibly requiring rest-pausing during the 2nd and and 3rd sets. If this can't be done, the weight is too heavy. If all reps are completed without having to pause at least once during the last set, the weight is too light. I find lifting on a 5 day split with 2 days off works well for me, but you should always listen to your body and take rest days as needed.
Day 1 - Chest/Biceps/Abs
Incline Smith Press - 3x12
Lying Dumbbell Pullovers - 3x12
Hammer Chest Press - 3x12
Cable Crossover Fly - 3x10*
Reverse Cable Curls - 3x12
Constant Tension Hammer Curls - 3x12
Close Grip Machine Preacher Curls - 3x10*
Machine Crunches or Dragon Flag Crunches - 3x20
Day 2 - Quads/Calves
Warm-Up on Bike - 3x12
Leg Press (Wide Stance, 2 warm-up sets) - 3x12
Precor Front Squats (Neutral Stance) - 3x12
Adductor - 3x10*
Leg Extensions - 3x10*
Rotary Calves - 3x15-20
Seated Calves - 3x15-20
Day 3 - Back/Triceps/Abs
Reverse Pulldowns (2 warm-up sets) - 3x12
Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns - 3x12
Seated Rows - 3x10*
Hyperextensions - 3x12
Cable Pushdowns - 3x12
1 Dumbbell Overhead Extensions - 3x12
1 Arm Reverse Pushdowns - 3x10*
Serratus Crunches - 3x20
Day 4 - Hams/Glutes/Calves
Warm-Up on Bike
Stiff Leg Deadlifts (2 warm-up sets) - 3x12
Prone Curls - 3x12
Seated Curls - 3x12
1 Leg Curls - 3x10*
Abductor - 3x10*
Rotary Calves - 3x15-20
Seated Calves - 3x15-20
Day 5 - Shoulders/Traps/Abs
Smith Front Presses (2 warm-up sets) - 3x12
Side Lying Lateral Raises - 3x12
Pec Deck Rear Delt - 3x12
Constant Tension Dumbbell Laterals - 3x12
Behind Back Shrugs - 3x10*
Trunk Rotation Machine - 3x20 (per side)
Day 6 & 7 - Rest or Cardio Only
I always have a short term goal, but with it another goal that I plan to work for once the short term one is reached. I always have a plan in mind at least two or three steps ahead of myself. I always make sure my long term goals are ones that I can't accomplish unless my short term ones are met first. For me, that makes me work harder. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own bodies. The day I become comfortable or satisfied with my progress, I know something is wrong. It takes more than that to reach the degree of success we all really crave. I have a few quotes that I have been some of the best advice I've come across and that I always keep in my mind to stay motivated:
"You have to recognize that every 'out front' maneuver you make is going to be lonely, but if you feel entirely comfortable, then you're not far enough ahead to do any good. That warm sense of everything going well is usually the body temperature at the center of the herd." - John Masters
"Given that manual labor plays such a minimal role in most peoples' lives, it's laughable that the idea of overtraining even comes up. Also, many confuse fatigue with overtraining or undernourishment. Don't confuse "overtraining" with fatigue brought on by poor diet, poor sleep habits, or even the psychological process of not being comfortable with working hard." - John Davies
“Hell begins on the day when God grants us a clear vision of all that we might have achieved, of all the gifts which we have wasted, of all that we might have done which we did not do.” - Gian Carlo Menotti
If I can give any last advice, it would be this: Don't waste today. Make it a day you'll be proud to look back on tomorrow.
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