Intervention

Posted on October 27, 2009 by Justin

Women heart guys that are 70’s Big

I’m not quite sure how I can top yesterday’s post. It was probably a bad idea to start the week off talking about sex. In any case, I need to be cavalier to get out of this self-emplaced rut.

Today I need to have a pep-talk with the guys in this open forum. Women are welcome, but this message isn’t really directed at you.

Due to the increasing popularity of this site, I get a lot of e-mails. So far, these e-mails don’t annoy me. I’m happy to help in whatever way I can. Eventually I’ll organize the popular themes of these e-mails and create some kind of a FAQ (you know, after I create the Hall of Fame page). One subject in particular requires attention.

Hey, skinny guy. It’s time for an intervention.

You’ve been skinny your whole life. This isn’t much of an accomplishment in the same way that being fat your whole life isn’ much of an accomplishment. Fat guys aren’t weird about getting less fat. Skinny guys are definitely weird about getting less skinny. Damned weird. The cause for such a misconception probably includes Hollywood, advertising campaigns, expensive clothing stores, muscle magazines, Calvin Klein jeans, and fanatic fitness methodologies.

When training to get stronger, muscular body weight is gained. After the initial stages of this happening accidentally, a protein and caloric surplus will be required to continue making gains. In the presence of a surplus, it is likely (with regular genetics) to have an increase in body fat along with muscular body weight. To any sane person with eyeballs, muscular body weight is clearly increasing substantially with a little bit of fat. This is not only normal, but it’s going to be necessary if strength is going to be gained.

Even though this is a reality, guys freak out about losing their abs. Really. Usually these are guys that have been awfully skinny their whole lives, and they accidentally had abs that sat below emaciated bony protrusions called ribs. You skinny guys know who you are, especially those of you who are tall and skinny.

Here is my official statement to you: since you’ve been skinny your whole life, you don’t get to have an opinion on what “being fat” is.

There are only two things that I can think of that might be motivation for keeping a set of abs in light of what you’ve learned from 70’s Big: 1) you’re worried about impressing the opposite sex, and 2) there is a fitness methodology that exudes the idea that having a low body fat percentage is vital for elitism.

1) Do you really think that the girl you want to sleep with isn’t going to because you have a bit of body fat (or your interpretation of “a bit of body fat”)? Even if this was the limiting factor in you getting laid, and there is plenty of empirical evidence otherwise, this isn’t someone you’d be keeping around for longer than a half-hour anyway. I’ve recently been told by multiple females that not only do they prefer adult males (>200 pounds), but they spite guys who are 90’s Small. Besides, what woman wouldn’t want to be hauled to the bedroom over a beefy shoulder?

2) Just because a large collection of people, on the internet no less, think you need to be skinny to perform well doesn’t make it true. There aren’t many elite athletes at 5’10″, 165 pounds, and chiseled abs never accomplished anything useful. Sorry.

Depending on your height, you really shouldn’t be worried about being fat until you’re at least 225 anyway. Stop being so damn self-conscious about being fat, because being a self-conscious won’t bring in the ladies, and it sure as hell won’t make you 70’s Big. Grow up. And get strong while you’re at it.

———-

Mike from Charlottesville, VA is a graduate student at the University of Virginia. He’s 6’ tall, and weighs 200 pounds (as of last week). At one point, he weighed a silly 140 pounds. Mike sent me some pictures of smoking eight pounds of pork shoulder which apparently only lasted him for about 5 days.

8 pounds of pork

Homemade smoker

Q&A – #2

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Justin

70’s Big — making better lovers

My buddy Shawn and I were chatting via the interweb the other day. He has a valid concern regarding training.

Shawn: Hey, so I have a serious topic for this 70’s Big business — blowing a load before 70’s Big training…
Me: Elaborate.
Shawn: For instance, I had sex last night.
Shawn: And once today.
Shawn: What are the ramifications on my training?
Me: A valid question.
Shawn: Wow, really?
Me: Yeah. Bill Starr has talked about it before.
Shawn: I know Rocky was against having women during training…
Shawn: But Rocky was a joke, man.
Me: Yeah he was.
Me: Well, we’re gonna have to talk about this on the site, then.
Me: If your stupid-ass is asking, then other people are too.
Shawn: Yeah, I mean, I don’t want a BJ affecting my gains.
Shawn: Or do I…?

The real question is: will sex, or its derivatives (like hand shandies), disrupt recovery and adaptation for strength? Hardly.

In fact, a case could probably be made that the exclusion of sexual activities would actually interfere with getting stronger — it’s science. Besides, who am I to tell a strapping lad (or female) to lay off their sexual escapades? I couldn’t think of a better way to lose readers. If a bout of vigorous sex interferes with tomorrow’s training session…well, high fives all around, I say.

Competition is another matter entirely. I’ve heard of professional athletes, particularly football players, vehemently take a “no sex” stance the night before a game.

I guess the first question is, how important is the meet or game? If you have trained hard for it, then it should be pretty damn important. You wouldn’t want to ruin your moxie on the account of some rowdy hanky panky. I’ll refer to an expert on the matter. Here is an excerpt from Bill Starr’s Defying Gravity.

The bottom line on sexual activity before a contest comes down to being sensible, basic advice. During the last weeks and especially during the final days, you should continue to follow the sexual patterns to which you are accustomed. If you are in the habit of getting laid every night, keep doing it. Your body chemistry is definitely geared for this activity and abstaining will throw it off. If, on the other hand, you haven’t tapped the prostrate in a month or so, then you certainly don’t want to be looking up old girl friends or hanging out looking for loose leg the night before the contest. A rather famous quote from former New York Yankee manager Casey Stengle, exemplifies the point. “It isn’t sex that wrecks these guys, it’s staying up all night looking for it.” Good point. Quite often, the villain is not the sex but the loss of rest.
pg 26

This book was written by Starr to prepare an athlete for their next weightlifting or power meet. It’s chock full of useful information, hilarious stories from his era, and pictures of impressive lifters (you know, guys that are 70’s Big). Starr’s main concensus was keep doing what you are doing, at least physiologically speaking. The aim is to keep the body functioning normally in those final days before the competition — don’t start a new habit or stop on old one so that there is optimal physical and mental performance.

There’s plenty of time for “performing” after the meet. High five.

Best. Pictures. Ever.

Posted on October 23, 2009 by Justin

You guys won’t beat these pictures for a while…

I wanted to write an article that would inspire quality strength training and eating. The article will have to wait, because you all need to see these pictures that were sent to me today. And you need to see them immediately.

I have a friend named Springer. He trains with AC in Georgia. He sent me a picture of his weekly groceries (he weighs 215 right now and wants to be 230 by December):

Yeah. No big deal.

———

Then I got another e-mail.

Ladies, this is Johnny. Johnny is 6’5″ and is up to 275 from 215. He trains in a crusty-ass gym near the Afghan and Pakistan border. Aside from lifting in the gym, he pushes and pulls ATVs up the “shitty Afghan hills”. He’ll toss sandbags and do buddy carries and .50 cal can carries.

Diet: 6 times a day at the 24 hour chow hall. 6 to 8 eggs every morning, oatmeal with peanut butter, bagle with cream cheese, protein shake, two lunches or MREs if out on a mission, and dinner. I eat everything until I vomit, then I eat more.

Behold…

He’s got the beard

He’s got the clothes

He’s got the kick-ass attitude

And he STILL has room to grow

Gold star for Johnny.

All right knuckleheads, you’ve got a whole weekend to make submissions. Go check out the Submissions Page for the criteria. Expect the Hall of Fame page to be finished with some new Hall of Famers inducted next week. Gant and I will also be working on a special video segment, and I’m working on some interviews. You’ll get so much content, you won’t be able to contain your bowels. Oh, and t-shirts are on the way…

Get strong.

Milestones

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Justin

Nice work, young padawan

Well, he’s done it folks. Paul, a regular commenter on the site, has finally become an adult male. He e-mailed me today, and he finally weighs 200 pounds. Nice job, Paul.

Also, Zach, one of my pals at the WFAC, hit the 200 pound mark today as well. He came here as a 162 pound disgruntled fitness gym goer, and now he’s a decently strong adult. I’ve personally witnessed Zach drinking two gallons of milk in one day. Two. He gained 38 pounds in two months folks. You aren’t even trying to eat.

Paul also sent me pictures of his homemade creation: a grilled cheese bacon cheeseburger. Observe:

Ground beef and bacon

Burger patties. Lots.

3/4 angle of grilled cheese bacon cheeseburger

Nightcapped with funfetti frosting marble cake

———-

To go along with Wednesday””s accomplishments, my friend AC benched 330 for three sets of five. To get an idea of how stupid that is, he only weighs 205. Oh, and I””ll remind you he””s only 20 years old.

AC knows he has to amp his eating up, so he took some pictures of yesterday””s breakfast. As you can see, he went all out.

2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, 2 sausages, 2 pieces of toast, PB&J, 2 chicken breasts, and 32 oz of milk with coffee flavored syrup

Nice work, young padawan

Q&A – #1

Posted on October 21, 2009 by Justin

Get strong, Sean

I hope this website exists as a helpful source for people who want to get stronger and bigger. Lately, I’ve been getting more questions in my inbox about how to get 70’s Big, so I’ll just use these inquiries as a learning tool. If I can’t answer the question, I’ll find a reliable source who can. If you have a question, e-mail me.

The first question is from Sean, a 19 year old college freshman. He’s 6’2″, 210 pounds.

Hi Justin,

I’m trying to get 70’s big. My current daily meals look like this:

Breakfast – 6 eggs, 1/2 a package of sausage = > 1000 calories.
Lunch – Cheeseburgers from Wendy’s = > 1500 calories.
Dinner – Peanut butter and banana sandwiches = > 1500 calories.
+ GOMAD = > 2500 calories
Total = > 6500 calories.

I know that this diet will not get me 70’s big, but it’s enough for now. I’m still making linear gains on SS. I plan to add a 4th meal to my diet when I begin to plateau on the lifts.

My question is, do you have any recommendations for calorie/protein dense meals that require little preparation? Preferably something I can make a sandwich out of and take with me to school/work? I’m asking because I’d like to get out of the habit of eating Wendy’s every day. I’ve tried tuna sandwiches, but tuna doesn’t really have enough calories for me to call it a meal. Any insight is appreciated.

All of my friends think I’m insane for eating like this.

Thanks,
-Sean

In another e-mail, Sean let me know where his lifts were at:
Squat 270x5x3
Deadlift 315×5
Press 95x5x3
Bench 135x5x3
Power Clean 145x3x5

Sean is at a decent bodyweight, and with consistent training his lifts will catch up with it. He’s doing a good job of eating so far, and 6,000 calories is probably enough since his lifts are relatively low. My friend Cliff had to amp his caloric intake up to around 8,000 calories to make the push from 210 to 220, but his lifts were a bit heavier (thus they produce more stress on the body).

In any case, Sean is asking about protein and calorie dense foods that are quick to prepare. He wants to stop purchasing his lunch since he’s in college, so we’ll stick to inexpensive homemade ideas.

The easiest and cheapest thing to do when trying to get 70’s Big is to grill a bunch of meat for the whole week. I like to do it on Sundays, because then the rest of the week’s meals are taken care of. Go to a decent super market and look for their meat specials. One time I found about three pounds of boneless rib meat for five dollars — I barbecued the hell out of it on an open wood fire, and it was glorious.

At the same super market they sell 8 hamburger patties for about eight dollars. This is only a dollar per burger, which is going to be what you spend at a fast food restaurant for a smaller, crappier piece of meat that doesn’t taste as good. I used to routinely eat a burger topped with cheese and barbecue sauce for breakfast when I was training people.

Almost 8 pounds of cheap steak, barbecued chicken, and hamburgers

Grilling meat is preferable, but you can always marinade chicken in something like Italian dressing and cook it on the stove. Find the meats with the lowest price for their quantity and try and figure out how you can marinate and cook them to make them tasty. Hopefully this gives Sean some ideas. The lesson here is start your week prepared. If you wait until you are out of food to find food, then you are doing a shitty job of preparing. Get strong, Sean.

———-

Andy Baker owns a gym called Kingwood Strength and Conditioning in Kingwood, Texas (near Houston). Andy competes in powerlifting (specifically in NASA) in the 220 and 242 pound weight classes. He sent in a video of some light pressing after he benched with bands. Apologies were given for his lack of a mustache and non-striped socks.

Andy also has a pretty good knowledge of advanced level lifting and wrote a book called “Common Sense In Strength Training”. You can also read his training blog to see what advanced type stuff he tries on himself.