Gym And Supplement Discussion

[-FIGJAM-]

I have the worst diet imaginable. Maybe it is why I always feel flat, wake up in the morning tired and what not.

Never really considered diet to play a large roll on energy levels, obviously some but not large. I know when i was eating and drinking a lot last year I barely noticed any strength gains

[Trozzle]

I made the best gains eating ludicrous amounts of whatever the hell I wanted haha

[markos]

Mitch, youre taking the piss

Food is our petrol, the better quality petrol you stick in your car the better it runs

I'm surprised how little most understand about food, lifting weights gets all the attention because magazines show guys training. How boring if they just showed pics of guys eating porridge

[Kenna802]

It will be interesting to see what happens with my diet As I am short and stocky. I used to eat 2 pieces of toast for breakfast half afoot long sub for smoko and other half for lunch than a shake in the arv than tea at night. Now I have 4 pieces of toast. Whole grain of course as well as protein shake 2 scoops . Still half a sub for smoko and lunch but I have double chicken ( whole grain again ) in the afternoon I have 2 scoops protein and 1 of carbs and the same after a work out and than tea is steak/chicken with sweet potato and veges. It's making me so damn full lol

[Trozzle]

Mitch, youre taking the piss

Food is our petrol, the better quality petrol you stick in your car the better it runs

I'm surprised how little most understand about food, lifting weights gets all the attention because magazines show guys training. How boring if they just showed pics of guys eating porridge

Are there many types of food that you've noticed will almost always cause a reduction in performance? Of course we need to eat the right foods to grow and have energy, but say if we ate certain things ON TOP of the good stuff, would anything send us backwards?

I ask this because sometimes depending on what I've eaten through the day, I'll actually feel worse when it comes to training time than if I ate nothing at all. Might be entirely mental, but hell I figure it can't hurt asking

[bozodos]

I did some experimenting about pre workout eating - for me it seems to be protein (usually a shake for convenience) an hour and a half or so before gives me more energy. That and sleeping more.

[Birds]

Oh look it's the PWO argument again...didn't we do this a few months ago?

PWOs hey...do they work? Yes. Would two cups of coffee and some speed do the same thing? Probably. Do you need them? No.

My gym gives me sachets of them for free and I keep storing them in my closet for that rainy day when I want to be just like my weak friends with terrible diets and sleep, who for some reason won't stop recommending that I replicate their workout habits, such as taking PWOs for that buzz when you're benching 80kg.

It's a bandaid; go get some stitches. Not healthy to be tricking the body into thinking it has more energy than it does, IMO. Not on any sort of regular anyway.

[markos]

If your looking at what to avoid eating, look no further than Kens diet

No preperation or effort, very typical diet for the average guy who thinks hes eating well. You have no idea how many people join the gym and tell me they eat well and describe the same diet.

I think bacon and eggs for breakfast, with porridge if you really want to get big, washed down with milk

Lean protein with rice and veg for next few meals, have some fruit with your last meal before training, a protein drink and a banana 5 minutes before you finish, steak and loads of veg, including potato for dinner, cottage cheese before bed.

A bit of effort, but awesome results. I have the proof in my gym.

If you want supplements, add BCAA's and Glutamine in your post workout drink

[Kenna802]

Oh snap ...

[Trozzle]

While I agree with exactly what you said Markos, I think you misinterpreted my question - are there foods that will NEGATIVELY affect performance, even if every dietary requirement has already been met? Let's say you wrote me a comprehensive diet plan that covered every bit of nutrition my body needs. Now, assuming I adhered to it 100% (in the sense that I didn't skip anything), are there any types of food that when added to this already comprehensive diet would actually be taking steps backwards when it came to performance? Perhaps something that will hinder optimal function in some way....like excessive sodium perhaps?

[bozodos]

I thought you were against fruit in the afternoon and eating rice etc unless bulking Markos?

I've started eating 2 x burgers with decent protein content first thing (plain because I like them like that, usually Kangaroo or the sphincter of the universe), banana + protein shake @ 9am, lean meat like chicken breast or beef/tomato/beans + veg for lunch, protein shake at 3.30pm, protein shake post workout, then most nights steak + veg followed by a Chobani yogurt for dinner.

I skip the potato / bread etc for the most part.

I could eat more meat, but I'm struggling eating it 3 times a day as it is!

[-FIGJAM-]

Not taking the piss, I have never really thought about it also to add some weight to the PWO argument, I have only ever had a couple of good workouts with them.

I really need to sort my diet and workout properly and put some more effort into it.

[markos]

Depends on your goals Boz, I currently have no clients looking to get weaker, although I have in the early days lol

[bozodos]

trying to get stronger and ideally less bodyfat.

[markos]

One thing I've noticed is that the lifters on this forum are generally of about the same stage of lifting as when my earlier newsletters came out, so the information is quite relevant.

Now that was 5 years ago, where the strongest lifter that ever joined my gym was squatting 130kg. The majority of my clients were novices, but I remember 3 strongish guys joining who could squat 130kg, back in 2008/2009, Nick, Kelly and Alen.

Now that you need to squat double that to simply make our Top 5, information has changed a little. Simply to make our Top 10 Bench list you need over 155kg, thats a paused in competition bench, I dont rank gym lifts.

In another 5 years things for my current clients could well be different again. From what I gather the majority of you guys havent cleared 140/100/180 kg yet, thats pretty much what I have always determined a novice to be.

When I started lifting in the 1980's, it was in pounds, 300/200/400 (137/91/181)

Anything beneath that means in lifting terms you are still a novice, thats how I've always ranked my lifters. If anyone thinks thats harsh, our youngest to best that is 14yo Liam Pannel, at 81kg he has performed 170/110/200 and our lightest is Jesse at 66kg and 19.

So regardless how long you've trained, when you join PTC, if you cant hit those weights, youre a Novice.

Interestingly enough a new guy, Gavin has just joined. He has competed in BB shows, now wants to PL, will be interesting to see how he goes.

So back to the info on the early newsletters, its very relevant to lots on here. From what I can tell, besides the guys from my gym that post on here, only Rev beats all those lifts. I'm sorry if I missed anyone.

[bozodos]

I can do the squat and bench, but my deadlift is ~90-110kg, which is partly why I'm starting your beginner program and eating more (that and realising that bodypart split training is not going to get me where I want to go very effectively).

Should I do SLDL, RDL or regular deadlifts to try and fix that? Or like with most of it, it does not matter as long as I am doing some form of deadlift more than once a week?

[Birds]

Back when I did parallel squats, my squat would have passed the 140, but I've still got a bit to go before my ATG gets there. Bench and deadlift are in the clear.

I don't think the numbers are too harsh, personally, given I'm a slender 80kg @ 6'3 and have technically achieved them...in a commercial gym environment...without engaging in proper strength training...or even having a good diet. Just need the three simultaneously!

Fair to say that, as your lifters have progressed, obviously your standards have at the same time, so I'd expect the numbers to shift in the future as the bell curve itself does. If we could go back in time a few years I'd be one of the strongest at PTC lol

[markos]

Boz, if youre pulling 110kg I doubt your doing a legal 140kg squat. Now I may be wrong, but I've never seen that and I'm 51, you may be the first.

Birds, absolutely 5 years ago you would have been one of the strongest at PTC. Back then Kelly Chan was the man, 130 squat, 140 bench,200 dead. A year later he went 175 squat, 160 bench and 245 deadlift. He lifted in the 82.5kg class. Now my best 82.5kg lifter goes 255/160/290.

So thats why my information is now a little different.

[-FIGJAM-]

Just did your beginner workout Markos.... after months of 5x5 8-10 reps with less rest certainly is not fun

Edited August 5, 2013 by -FIGJAM-

[bozodos]

Boz, if youre pulling 110kg I doubt your doing a legal 140kg squat. Now I may be wrong, but I've never seen that and I'm 51, you may be the first.

Birds, absolutely 5 years ago you would have been one of the strongest at PTC. Back then Kelly Chan was the man, 130 squat, 140 bench,200 dead. A year later he went 175 squat, 160 bench and 245 deadlift. He lifted in the 82.5kg class. Now my best 82.5kg lifter goes 255/160/290.

So thats why my information is now a little different.

I don't know what the 'rules' are, but Ive done a set of 10 at 140 and below parallel. So have my training partners. I've done 1 at 170kg once too, but don't know if I could replicate it. I was regularly doing 120 x 10 x 4 until I started doing 20 x 100 sets the other week.

That was with the pussy pad, in a power rack, I didn't pause at the bottom if you're meant to do that if that's what you're getting at. FWIW I leg press 260kg if that can be compared.

I've got no reason to talk my lifts up to anyone, and it baffles the shit out of me that I'm so stuck on deadlifts comparatively. Maybe my form is just that shithouse - I did have a lot of trouble with grip strength until very recently as well.

Started your beginners program tonight, it was quite the workout! Ended up doing the SLDLs @ 70kg.

Edited August 5, 2013 by bozodos