Topic: Matt's Training/nutrition Journal (advice?)

[Matt Stick]

Finally getting committed enough to start one of these. Here's a bit about me.
5'9
145-150 lbs (fluctuates)
17 years old
training for strength for about 4 months now.

Ive been training throughout the day lately, a set of an exercise every 15 minutes or so while on the computer. Im not sure if this is a good way to train, possibly making me prone to injury or overtraining? I take a day or two to rest every week depending on how i feel and A couple times a week ill chill all day and have about an hour long workout. Im mostly working on pistols because i finally have the strength and balance, and L-pullups, and pushup variations. Let me know if its beneficial to train this way, i believe its called grease the groove and ive heard its effective, not much word from the parkour community about it though. Also going to start working on flexibility again, very important.

Today so far:
3x 15 diamond pushups
5 one arm pushups each arm
5x5 L-pullups
5x5 pistols both legs
2x20 wide pushups.
each spaced out about 15-20 minutes.
(later on probably going to work dips, handstands and l-sits, definitely need to build strength in handstands)

Food:
Breakfast: oatmeal
Lunch: Slice of pizza and a sweet tea(probably not good.)
Snack: a dozen or so crackers with lots of peanut butter
Dinner(about to eat): Pot Roast, green beans.

Goals:
20 second l-sit
60 sec handstand(wall)
10 one arm pushups with good form
20 consec pullups

Pretty realistic goals, hopefully have those all pretty soon, and hope ill keep this journal up, im bookmarking it 

[Matt Stick]

Took it easy for a few days. Some of tonights training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whuGs8bRc54&feature=player_embeddedm

[Matt Stick]

Open gym for 3 hours, worked on flow and linking obstacles, a few new techniques too. it was great. ice bath, then some random pullup variations throughout tonight.

[Cody Goodman]

sounds great man. What's the ice bath for, that sounds dreadful to me! Good job on actually keeping up with your log, its one thing I can never seem to keep doing!

[David Glass]

Finally getting committed enough to start one of these. Here's a bit about me.
5'9
145-150 lbs (fluctuates)
17 years old
training for strength for about 4 months now.

Ive been training throughout the day lately, a set of an exercise every 15 minutes or so while on the computer. Im not sure if this is a good way to train, possibly making me prone to injury or overtraining? I take a day or two to rest every week depending on how i feel and A couple times a week ill chill all day and have about an hour long workout. Im mostly working on pistols because i finally have the strength and balance, and L-pullups, and pushup variations. Let me know if its beneficial to train this way, i believe its called grease the groove and ive heard its effective, not much word from the parkour community about it though. Also going to start working on flexibility again, very important.

Short answer, yes. That methodology is called Greasing the Groove, provided the set you are doing is of the same exercise at about 70-80 sub-max repetitions. Typically you will want to do this on one to three movements only and do this only for a limited period of time as it often times causes decreased gains on the moves you are not training this way.

Try greasing the grove on your pull-ups, and do a standard workout for the rest. Then in one month's time, grease the groove on your push-ups. You can do this two days on, one day off.

If you are working out, you're going o want to ramp up on the protein. I don't see any good source of protein in any of those meals. Are you trying to gain weight?

You are also lacking some important nutrients which will ultimately impact your gains

[Matt Stick]

Short answer, yes. That methodology is called Greasing the Groove, provided the set you are doing is of the same exercise at about 70-80 sub-max repetitions. Typically you will want to do this on one to three movements only and do this only for a limited period of time as it often times causes decreased gains on the moves you are not training this way.

Try greasing the grove on your pull-ups, and do a standard workout for the rest. Then in one month's time, grease the groove on your push-ups. You can do this two days on, one day off.

If you are working out, you're going o want to ramp up on the protein. I don't see any good source of protein in any of those meals. Are you trying to gain weight?

You are also lacking some important nutrients which will ultimately impact your gains

I used to take protein shakes and eat a lot of meat and nuts, but unfortunately i no longer have a job and i have to eat what my parents make and buy, which is mostly doritos and pepsi  I gained about 10 lbs of muscle in 2 months but im stuck at this weight now. And thanks for the advice, ive mostly been doing pullups, one arm pushups and pistols for GTG lately. Im going to start making the rest of my exercises within a smaller time frame. 

[David Glass]

I caught a video of yours and your training seems to be going well.

The first 15 pounds or so come on quickly for the average male when training begins. The rest of the muscle comes on a lot slower. Hang in there. Keep up your training and keep looking for a job LOL

[Matt Stick]

Aha will do man i could use a job!

[Matt Stick]

Did a couple hours off and on of barefoot rail balance, ive been taking it really easy this past week, gotta get back into heavier training, taking it pretty easy. Getting a gym membership again soon hopefully, so ill be able to weightlift for the first time since ive started parkour and hopefully get stronger and bigger pretty quick.  The nights workout:`

tricep wall dips: 3x10
L-pullups 6
inverted rows 3x10
pistols 3x5 each leg
1 arm pushup 4 each arm
wide pushup 3x10
diamond pushup 3x10

not feeling too great today, need to get to sleep at a good time.

[Grayson]

You wouldn't happen to have a barbell and squat rack to work with would you?

I used to take protein shakes and eat a lot of meat and nuts, but unfortunately i no longer have a job and i have to eat what my parents make and buy, which is mostly doritos and pepsi  I gained about 10 lbs of muscle in 2 months but im stuck at this weight now. And thanks for the advice, ive mostly been doing pullups, one arm pushups and pistols for GTG lately. Im going to start making the rest of my exercises within a smaller time frame. 

Also does this mean you do want to gain weight?

[Matt Stick]

well im 5'9 and about 150. and while weight doesnt necessarily mean strength, id like to build my chest and shoulders a bit so i dont looked like a starved child :/

[David Glass]

I'd recommend Starting Strength, except I know you don't have access to a barbell.

For your goals, you're going to need to stack on some weight and eat big.

Maybe you can have a chat with your parents about proper nutrition. Lay off the doritos and pepsi, I think you know this already.

I have found the cheapest form of protein is a 72 pack of eggs they sell at Sam's Club, BJ's or whatever. I will go through one of those in a week

[Matt Stick]

Ive talked to them, my dad is about to start working out again and going on atkins to lose weight, which means there will be a LOT of meat in our house he said for christmas hes gonna pay off my debit card and renew my gym membership so I can go again, so I should have access to weights multiple times a week. Ill probably take your advice on that btw, eggs are probably the only thing i can cook!

[David Glass]

Ive talked to them, my dad is about to start working out again and going on atkins to lose weight, which means there will be a LOT of meat in our house he said for christmas hes gonna pay off my debit card and renew my gym membership so I can go again, so I should have access to weights multiple times a week. Ill probably take your advice on that btw, eggs are probably the only thing i can cook!

That's great news, bro! I know you train hard and are very disciplined. You'll maximize use of the gym for sure, just make sure you have a good set of objectives so you can gear a consistent training regime towards them

[Grayson]

That's great news, bro! I know you train hard and are very disciplined. You'll maximize use of the gym for sure, just make sure you have a good set of objectives so you can gear a consistent training regime towards them

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262381523&sr=1-1

Even though David already beat me to it, Starting Strength is definitely recommended from the fitness gurus around here. If your looking to increase your jumps, hypertrophy, etc. this and a good diet will set you right up.

[David Glass]

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262381523&sr=1-1

Even though David already beat me to it, Starting Strength is definitely recommended from the fitness gurus around here. If your looking to increase your jumps, hypertrophy, etc. this and a good diet will set you right up.

Starting Strength isn't the best way to increase muscle hypertrophy, nor is hypertrophy training (bodybuilding) the best way to increase strength. You do achieve both in each training methodology but in different proportions, so which regime you chose ultimately boils down to... your training goals 

[Matt Stick]

Well, there's so many fitness/strength training/bodybuilding opinions/programs out there, and im not too familiar or experienced in any. which would you recommend for me? Id obviously like to get toned and bigger, but I would also like functional strength too. Id like something that will help with parkour/martials arts. What weight training/bodyweight exercises would you recommend? A link will do just fine, ive just had trouble finding a clear way to set strength goals and achieve them. Is that book really worth checking out for me?

[David Glass]

Starting Strength would be good to build up strength, if that's what you want to do

Getting "Big and Toned" is more in line with a bodybuilding regime, just make sure you do compound exercises instead of isolated.

I do CrossFit and I've loved the results, but you're likely to get kicked out of the gym if you try it. Also, it might not be aligned with your goals.

[Matt Stick]

Starting Strength would be good to build up strength, if that's what you want to do

Getting "Big and Toned" is more in line with a bodybuilding regime, just make sure you do compound exercises instead of isolated.

I do CrossFit and I've loved the results, but you're likely to get kicked out of the gym if you try it. Also, it might not be aligned with your goals.

Well 'big and toned' is just a plus, im focusing on strength. and why would I get kicked out of crossfit? Are you saying its too difficult?

[David Glass]

No. I'm saying if you tried to do CrossFit at a globo gym, they'll kick you out.
1) You need to have access to 3 exercizes/equipment simultaneously
2) You will, from time to time need to drop the weights on the floor
3) As you become more knowledgeable, people will begin to show interest in your training regime and will want to train with you. The "trainers" at the globo will see this as competition and politely ask you to leave

What you want to do is Starting Strength. If you can, buy the book by Mark Rippetoe, you won't regret it