****Official Beginner Question Thread****

[saw7988]

Looks standard, am I missing anything besides just curls->rows? (which I def like)

Also what are your lifts? Are you struggling to continue to progress? These questions would help determine if you should actually be dropping SS or not.

[TucoRamirez]

Originally Posted by saw7988

Looks standard, am I missing anything besides just curls->rows? (which I def like)

Also what are your lifts? Are you struggling to continue to progress? These questions would help determine if you should actually be dropping SS or not.

Squat: 5x235
DL: 5x260
Bench: 5x160
Press: 5x110
Never done rows before.

I just feel like I'm not recovering well enough from squatting 3x per week anymore.

For greyskull, I just took out neck harness and added rows in place of curls. Which means I'd be doing rows or chins every workout. That ok?

Or I could do light squats on Wed. like advanced SS recommends? (I'd rather have a day where I didn't do squat at all.)

[TucoRamirez]

Also, if I do switch to greyskull should I do a reset or just continue with my SS numbers? (I was stalling on squat and press)

And does it matter what order I do the lifts in? Or what combo of lifts I use together?

Thanks.

[Hardball47]

Originally Posted by TucoRamirez

Squat: 5x235
DL: 5x260
Bench: 5x160
Press: 5x110
Never done rows before.

I just feel like I'm not recovering well enough from squatting 3x per week anymore.

For greyskull, I just took out neck harness and added rows in place of curls. Which means I'd be doing rows or chins every workout. That ok?

Or I could do light squats on Wed. like advanced SS recommends? (I'd rather have a day where I didn't do squat at all.)

EAT MOAR! Eat like it's your JOB!

[CHISELEDJAW]

Lyle McDonald (Body Recomposition guy)

"A moderate number of sets, perhaps 4-8 per bodypart (more for larger, less for smaller) is usually about right as well. Research suggests that 40-60 contractions per bodypart per workout seems to give the optimal response. 4 sets of 10 would be at the low end of that, 8 sets of 8 (perhaps 2 exercises for 4 sets of 8 reps each) would be at the high end. A typical workout might last 60-90 minutes depending on how it’s split up."

He also says 3-4 days a week.

What does this mean in terms of programs like 531, that arent in those rep and set ranges? Is a slightly different rep and set scheme just not that important? Is it different when building strength vs. muscle (which I think Lyle is primarliy referring to above)?

[TucoRamirez]

Originally Posted by Hardball47

EAT MOAR! Eat like it's your JOB!

Doing that makes me dread eating; knowing I'm going to be miserable afterwards. Sigh. Being thin is such a burden.

Originally Posted by CHISELEDJAW

Lyle McDonald (Body Recomposition guy)

"A moderate number of sets, perhaps 4-8 per bodypart (more for larger, less for smaller) is usually about right as well. Research suggests that 40-60 contractions per bodypart per workout seems to give the optimal response. 4 sets of 10 would be at the low end of that, 8 sets of 8 (perhaps 2 exercises for 4 sets of 8 reps each) would be at the high end. A typical workout might last 60-90 minutes depending on how it’s split up."

He also says 3-4 days a week.

What does this mean in terms of programs like 531, that arent in those rep and set ranges? Is a slightly different rep and set scheme just not that important? Is it different when building strength vs. muscle (which I think Lyle is primarliy referring to above)?

I actually did like 4+ hours of research on this today. The consensus seems to be the 8-12 rep range is optimal for hypertrophy. (Muscle size)

But that programs with lower reps (SS/5x5) are the best for strength gains.

[Soulman]

What's your height/weight Tuco? In general I disagree quite strongly with the see-food diet, even for skinny guys, if you care about BF at all. If not, go wild. Imo it's better to just move on to an intermediate program instead. So your progress will be at half the rate, boo hoo. Who the **** cares. Not like linear gains will continue too long anyway.


ETA: strength and muscle gains are obviously correlated. Imo 5/3/1 is a good compromise, with low/medium rep compound lifts then higher rep assistance work. At least for intermediates like JAW.

[TucoRamirez]

Between 5'8" and 5'9". 150 lbs.

What sort of diet do you recommend soulman? Mainly just cut out processed junk, right?

5/3/1 is what you think is best for me?

[Soulman]

I'd try to move to GSLP. It's basically the same as SS with some added bro work. It probably won't last you too long, but why not. After that, I'd do Texas Method, although 5/3/1 is fine as well it's imo better for more advanced intermediates.

Diet-wise, depending on BF, eat at a 10-30% surplus. I don't care too much about processed or not. I think a general philosophy of eating meat, fish, eggs, veggies and fruit made from the basic ingredients is preferable. If you stray from this and eat something processed every once in a while, it doesn't matter at all. Eat bread if you feel like it, it's not poisonous. Personally I like full grain taste-wise too, but it's not a big deal apart from the added fiber (which is nice on a surplus especially...).

ETA: I'd prob do an A/B/C version of GSLP, where you DL once every week. Especially if recovery has been an issue.

[TucoRamirez]

Originally Posted by TucoRamirez

How does this Greyskull variation look?

Monday + Friday
Bench/ or Press (alternate) 2x 5, 1 x 5+
Chins/Rows (alternate)
Squat 2x 5, 1x 5+

Wednesday
Bench/ or Press (alternate) 2x 5, 1 x 5+
Chins/Rows (alternate)
Deadlift 1x 5+

Originally Posted by Soulman

I'd try to move to GSLP. It's basically the same as SS with some added bro work. It probably won't last you too long, but why not. After that, I'd do Texas Method, although 5/3/1 is fine as well it's imo better for more advanced intermediates.

Diet-wise, depending on BF, eat at a 10-30% surplus. I don't care too much about processed or not. I think a general philosophy of eating meat, fish, eggs, veggies and fruit made from the basic ingredients is preferable. If you stray from this and eat something processed every once in a while, it doesn't matter at all. Eat bread if you feel like it, it's not poisonous. Personally I like full grain taste-wise too, but it's not a big deal apart from the added fiber (which is nice on a surplus especially...).

ETA: I'd prob do an A/B/C version of GSLP, where you DL once every week. Especially if recovery has been an issue.

I was planning on doing this modification of greyskull. (subbing curls with rows)

This is turning into my personal log. Sorry guys.

[Soulman]

Ah right, thought it was A/B. Looks good. I like doing press, squat/pull, <whatever> (rows, ab work, chins etc) myself and not put squat/DL at the end...but that's just personal preference.

[KPowers]

I did a set of 15 shrugs at 135 lbs today and my neck is really ****ing sore right now. It's fine if I don't move it, or swivel left right(to look out a car mirror)

but tilting up or down(reading a book) hurts pretty bad and lasts for 15 seconds.

wtf happened and wtf do i do

cliffs: Tried a bro exercise, destroyed my spine.

[Soulman]

RICE, possibly NSAIDs, wait for results imo. Don't do new stuff too hard or without researching form?

[Aidan]

Sounds like severe doms, KP. You'll live

[welsh-witch1]

Im about 5 10 150lb an i cant lift much at all bench around 40ish k but on chest press i can do 55-59k i weigh around 65k i think an my friend says i should be lifting that weight easily!