Topic: A Topic About Ryan and Goal Setting Advice

[Ryan Sannar]

Hello everybody.

I want to preface this by saying I haven't lifted in at least a year so getting back into it has been a little weird. I know I need to clean my form up with just about everything I do (reading SS) and unfortunately my gym does not yet have a squat rack. They say it should be on the way, but I'm not sure when it will get there. I don’t have buddies who lift either so I will be posting videos to show my form.

Let’s state my goals right off the bat as every other time I read in this thread that is the primary response I see from members after someone asks for help.

As an overall goal I want to increase my GPP (General Physical Preparedness) specifically in the form of increased strength through weight lifting (I've read most of the articles posted about how endurance training only applies to endurance while strength training will translate to endurance and etc...). From what I understand to do this I should focus primarily on my Bench Press, Squat and Deadlift (I want to focus on the Jerk Clean to, but would appreciate your opinion on if that’s worth my time). I'm assuming that I would want to include other weight lifting exercises that I will track, but will not specifically set goals for (variations of the squat/deadlift/bench press/clean, bar curls, weighted pull ups, etc...).

Stats:

I am 5' 6" on a good day. I weight around 175lbs. I have 14.7 % body fat.
Currently my 1RM (One Rep Max) for:
Bench is 225
Deadlift is around 295
Squat (Machine) is 285
      I do not currently have access to a squat rack. I will soon. For the time being I will be training form with just a bench press bar.

Current Goals:

My goal is within 6 months to increase my:
Bench to 300 lbs
Deadlift to 400+ lbs
Squat to 400 lbs

However my goals are superseded by the novice effect as I want to take full advantage of it and if my goals are unreasonable for that then I will change them.

Novice Effect: Mark Rippetoe

So far I have not increased my calorie intake yet, but I am planning to. This will be high meat, chicken and fish intake because I allergic to milk (nothing serious and I still drink it and eat products made with it occasionally, but I don't want to increase the inflammation my body has to go through without having to) and will not be doing GOMAD due to that. I have decided to compensate this with Monster Milk everyday and have already jumped into a semi-strict Paelo diet (the local sushi place loves me) to cut fat as well (not my primary focus).

For days when I know I will be debilitating sore I take double the amount of monster milk that night along with Glutamine and Aspirin. With a long static stretch session and if I have the time a contrast shower the next morning (hot, cold, hot, cold). To stay limber I plan on static stretching every night as I am already very flexible and want to keep that flexibility.

Currently my goal is to lift Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. With bodyweight exercises on the rest days (squats, pistols, pushups, situps, more situps, etc) with a specific focus on low dips, high pull-ups and muscle ups. With Wednesday being an endurance run day. Sunday and Monday are my rest days. I plan on running sprints on a rotating schedule of Monday, Wednesday, Friday to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday week by week.

I am taking a food journal down starting next week so that I can show what I plan on eating.
I also am working on committing 8 hours a night to sleep.
I take a multivitamin, fish oil and calcium to increase bone strength.
I prefer to take niacin at night before I go to sleep.

All of this is in addition to practicing parkour.

So my questions are:

What should my lifting schedule be, does the Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday work?
What should I lift when? (ie: Saturday 3 sets of 1RM, Tuesday 3 sets of 3RM,  Thursday 5 sets of 6RM)
I am not very knowledgeable about how to increase strength over a long period of time. Also how can I calculate (of if there is a website) my 3RM, 6RM and etc… I am not currently including the sets I do to improve form.
What other lifting exercises should I pick up?
How long should my hot/cold/hot/cold... etc.. be for each section on my contrast showers?
What other supplements should I take?

I really just want to use the novice effect to its full amount as that is, I believe, the fastest way to increase my GPP.
Any other suggestions?

Please educate me. I really would appreciate the help.

[Joe Brock]

Wow, good work on this Ryan.  I approve of you actually taking the time to make sense of what you're after.

That being said, if you're just jumping back into lifting (which you have some pretty decent lifts for a beginner) you're going to be hitting it pretty hard.  The muscle-ups, pistols, dips, etc. are going to be really difficult to recover from if you're running a hard linear progression such as SS.  Always remember, you get stronger from recovering from lifting weights, not the lifting itself.

The Power Clean is a fantastic lift, and on SS, it will be included in your programming.  If Oly lifts aren't being done, then some form of dynamic lifts need to be.  The Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday split would work out great for the lifts.  Considering the goals that you threw out there, then I'd let the squat and deadlift work to improve the sprints rather than focusing too strongly on them as a training method.  Plus, since you've covered "parkour training," your running should already be there to some degree.

My personal opinion is that the 5/3/1 "Moving North of Vag." variation, would be the next practical step for what you're looking to accomplish, but with you trying to utilize the novice effect, you should be hitting the linear progressions hard for now.  Plus, for the time being, EAT EAT EAT.  I'd worry about the fat% after your lifts are already set.  You're not fat, so there's no reason to stress about that.  Your caloric needs will be through the roof for the first 3 months.

I realize that I'm throwing this all out at once, and you'll really have to regulate your own recovery and know when to back off.  The contrast showers are something that I've never really timed, so I don't really know what to say on that.

The formula for a 1RM is Weight x Reps x .0333 + Weight = Estimated 1RM, and working it backwards should help you figure out your 3RM, 6RM etc...to some degree.  It isn't perfect, but it'll get you a ballpark figure.

Your diet looks pretty good.  Once you finish the journal, you'll know better where to make changes.  Beyond that, you seem to be on exactly the track that I'd recommend, except that I think that you might be chasing too many rabbits at once.  This is an INCREDIBLY aggressive plan that you have.  I'm not saying that it CAN'T be done, but I think you'd see better results by removing some of the volume of work that you've mentioned.

[Ryan Sannar]

Thanks Joe I appreciate the feedback.  Could you explain the 5/3/1

My personal opinion is that the 5/3/1 "Moving North of Vag." variation, would be the next practical step for what you're looking to accomplish, but with you trying to utilize the novice effect, you should be hitting the linear progressions hard for now. 

Like I said it has been a long time since I've lifted and I'm not sure what that means.

And what do you mean:

If Oly lifts aren't being done, then some form of dynamic lifts need to be.  The Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday split would work out great for the lifts.

I will cut down the bodyweight and side exercise to 1-2 times a week so that I have time to recover and use the free time to stretch, unless you would suggest something else?
Also I'll eat more eggs and lean meat also up the Monster Milk. By the way what is your opinion on Monster Milk if you have one?
So just go for feel on contrast showers then?

[Joe Brock]

If it's been a long while since you've lifted, then ignore what I said about 5/3/1 and start SS instead.  You'll make more use of the Novice Effect that way.  Should you stall out on a few lifts, and after deloading and working back up about 4 times (also known as the amount of time it takes to get really pissed off and start crying in the gym and kicking things like a 3-year-old), then get back to me and we'll discuss more "long-term" programming.

Monster milk is just a combination of proteins that are found naturally in regular milk.  It's a very high-priced version of the chocolate whole milk that I'd recommend, and I believe that you can get lactose-free varieties of normal milk as well.  I'm not saying it's bad, but it's probably not worth what you're spending on it.

[Ryan Sannar]

I flirt with the chick at GMC so I get it pretty cheap.

Sorry I don't want to sound like I have no clue, but I don't. What I really need to know is how should I make gains? I'm going to the gym tonight so should I do 3 sets of 3RM for each? Essentially what should I do each day. I'm sure that just shooting for my 1RM everytime will not only kill my muscles and is dangerous, but also is not the fastest way to do this.

Does SS include program advice for gains? If so what page?

[Joe Brock]

There's a section of "programming" towards the end.  It will lay out a linear gain progression...or read it at this handy-dandy link I made here.    This is the "SS" that we're normally talking about when we say "DO" Starting Strength.  Rip covers it at the end, briefly, but it's seriously a golden gem that takes up a page in the midst of a very large book.

[Alex Patterson]

I'm going to be watching this thread cause Ryan asked a lot of the questions I had in the ole noggin.

[Ryan Sannar]

Joe I love you for this. I read the section at the end of the book when I realized I might be able to answer my own question. But I didn't understand it as well as I needed to.

This excel spreadsheet is perfect. I do want to increase my ability to do muscle ups, should I alternate them and just add them onto the SS program in the first booklet, or should I do a different program? I also want to include low dips as well.

Also I think I need to figure out my shoulder press and clean 1RM but I will just follow them as if they are what is listed on the sheet already because its pretty close to what I want.

I'm also thinking I'm going to return the Monster Milk and just buy milk and take lactate. I don't know if it will help, but its worth a try for a month. That or I could keep it and add it into the milk, hmmm.....

@Alex, please do, and feel free to post. I want to get this to the best it can be for me so I can grow as much as possible.

I appreciate the help Joe. I really do. Congrats on the being pregnant thing too by the way.

[Tex Heuer]

Sorry to derail a bit here 

Ryan: I'm back in Utah and wanting to get stronger. I've been in contact with Joe, hoping to eventually get a copy of SS (ie when I can buy it without having to go without food for two weeks), and in 5 or 6 weeks the Doc and PT should clear me for action. So I think just about everything is covered except learning proper form. The only guy I know around here who does any sort of serious weightlifting is an ex-boyfriend, and I'd really rather not go there. So... If you are willing I was wondering if sometime in the future (when I'm no longer a gimp) we could meet up at a gym and you teach me proper form. Maybe even help me figure out my 1RM if your in a good mood? 

[Joe Brock]

If you're going to do SS, your best results will come from taking the time to really study the work that Mark has put out there.  I've heard him explain multiple times to people's questions, "YNDTP!"  That's an acronym for "You're not doing the program."

Most of the time when I see failures with his system on newer lifters, it can all be traced back to this.  So, it would stand to reason that "doing the program" is the answer to many failures along the way.  Dedicate 12 weeks of your life to SS and recovery, get your diet high in kcals and get that sleep.  I seriously doubt that you'll be disappointed.

Also, I'll gladly help you with your form if you can post up some videos.  If you prefer, you can also have Rip check them himself.  He's brutal, though, so make sure that you've read his work well before posting there.  On the other hand, better to have hurt feelings than an injured back.

[Ryan Sannar]

Tex-
Yeah I'm totally down with that. I'm actually teaching a girl I'm dating right now basic (and I mean basic) form down in provo. I can stop by sometime to do that with you to. After about a week I think you should film yourself so that you can send it to Joe and then Rip.  I would read through SS first if I were you though. You can always read articles on the website and try to piece it together if the book is outside of your price range right now. That or use B & N as a library.

Joe-
Yeah I have been studying SS, but I still haven't finished it. I wanted to jump into it right away. Started yesterday, man that was brutal, I had to drop my bench press by 5 pounds though. I think my triceps are too cramped for me to get as much as I want to out of them.

I will film myself after a little bit though so you can judge my form and watch my face change colors.

I'll link to my training log as soon as I get it up. I've taken to contrast showering after the workout and writing down what I eat along with how I feel during the day right before I start lifting and what I struggled with. Also I've been lifting right before bed due to time constraints, not sure how much of a difference that makes.

[KC Parsons]

I'm assuming the added bodyweight stuff was for achieving a muscle-up faster (that's what it seemed like anyway). If that's the case, I'd just do them ad lib when you have some time and feel fresh but never for high volume or 'as a workout'.

I'd also recommend lots of skin the cats to help that out (again, ad lib)

[Joe Brock]

Also I've been lifting right before bed due to time constraints, not sure how much of a difference that makes.

Get some food in shortly after your work, and it should be fine.  You'll probably sleep like a rock, though.

[KC Parsons]

Get some food in shortly after your work, and it should be fine.  You'll probably sleep like a rock, though.

Post-gorging, yes. If not, you'll probably find it even harder to go to sleep due to heightened SNS activity / catecholamine output

[Tex Heuer]

Tex-
Yeah I'm totally down with that. I'm actually teaching a girl I'm dating right now basic (and I mean basic) form down in provo. I can stop by sometime to do that with you to. After about a week I think you should film yourself so that you can send it to Joe and then Rip.  I would read through SS first if I were you though. You can always read articles on the website and try to piece it together if the book is outside of your price range right now. That or use B & N as a library.

Thanks Ryan!

[Ryan Sannar]

@Joe Yeah I've been drinking a glass of milk mixed with muscle milk right after bed, which is around an hour or two from when I finish my workout.
Just found out that Saturdays the gym closes at 7:00pm (found another gym and got it done), funny thing is I got in for free at a 24 hr fitness. The music blaring was horrible, like some sort of techno remix of the backstreet boys and other pop. So glad that I had my ipod. Anyways I was off on my max for cleans and presses, but I figured it out and got it done, I hope that the weight increase the fighting for it didn't mess up my program.

@KC Parsons, yeah I realized that doing them ad lib is best. I was killing myself trying to add them in. I've found that its pretty easy to get to sleep after, but I generally crash and hour or so after my workout even longer. Would that affect that from happening?

@Tex anytime.

[Steven Low]

Never coach someone who are you are dating/engaged/married/a relative of.

They don't take you seriously, and if things start going south it doesn't turn out well.


Anyway, my take:

What should my lifting schedule be, does the Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday work?

Linear progression then move to an intermediate routine like Bill Starr's 5x5 intermediate or something.

What should I lift when? (ie: Saturday 3 sets of 1RM, Tuesday 3 sets of 3RM,  Thursday 5 sets of 6RM)

See above. Solid programs over making your own if you want the fastest progress. The solid programs may be able to be tweaked depending on your ability, but you'd have to have someone personally training you and knowing everything to do that. You won't get someone to do it without paying them.

I am not very knowledgeable about how to increase strength over a long period of time. Also how can I calculate (of if there is a website) my 3RM, 6RM and etc… I am not currently including the sets I do to improve form.

Consistently find a way to add weight to the bar. That's all there is to it. Look up some periodization principles if you're curious about how/why higher level athletes train.

What other lifting exercises should I pick up?

Compounds. Ditch the crappy bodyweight stuff like situps/crunches or whatever else  you had there. Pushups are crap too after you can do more htan 15.

How long should my hot/cold/hot/cold... etc.. be for each section on my contrast showers?

Start with cold, end with cold. doesn't matter what else. I tend to get out when refreshed. that's how you should feel.

What other supplements should I take?

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/10/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-d/

Whole milk is probably a better PWO drink than just buying whey et al.

Maybe some BCAAs (but milk has BCAA as part of the whey and casein in it).

Otherwise, maybe some of the other stuff but it's not really needed IMO.

[Ryan Sannar]

Dang I hate starting with cold. Well thanks for the advice steve. I will be sticking to SS since it seems to fit those tenants. I'm going to be drinking more milk though.

So turns out I was wrong with the bar that I use for squats. Its 25 pounds lighter that what I was expecting. I'm extremely pissed at myself and at this gym for not knowing anything about their equipment..... Okay I'm done feeling pissed now.

Anyways where should I start. I realized this last night while I was on Workout B (For starting strength) week two. I couldn't finish my squats (got close though, had to drop weight). My presses, deadlifts, cleans and bench aren't affected (though I didn't finish clean because I think I have a small tear somewhere in my shoulders), should I just stick with the same weight or just try to push through the increase, if I can?

[Joe Brock]

If you miss reps, don't increase weight.  Get the prescribed reps.  If you bump the weights and end up with 5,4,3 or whatever, then you'll be setting yourself up for a nasty stall.

[KC Parsons]

Plus, the fact it was squat specific (and didnt happen on any other lifts at all) lets you know it's specific to the squat (fancy that ). Which is very common with SS as you're squatting 3x a week for the full prescribed volume aiming to increase weight each session. Like Joe says, make sure you hit full prescribed volume before adding weight.