6 Weeks Left to Train. What Would You Do?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

I have 6 weeks lifting left before I have to take an indeterminate break so I want to make as much progress as I can in terms of body composition changes before I go.

So what would you do if you had just 6 weeks to get in the best possible shape? I’d like to gain some muscle and lose some fat (I know, calorie surplus v calorie deficit, but you know what I mean) and if I could maintain my strength that would be great too.

What I’m prepared to do…

Lift 90 minutes a day, up to 7 days a week.
Put in lots of effort.
Adjust and tighten up my diet.
Do additional cardio.
Maybe take before and after photos.

What I’m not prepared to do…

Buy supplements.
Take protein shakes at stupid times of day.
Eat 6 times a day.
Drop squatting.

I know this should probably go in the BB forum, but I’d rather not have the hassle and abuse.

So think of me as a training ‘guinea pig’, what would you have me do. I’m pretty open minded. I want to start it this week.

All I can think of is going apeshit crazy on squats every day!

2

If I was in that situation, I would just goddamn gorge myself sick on meat, protein, and shakes so I might actually put on decent weight and strength, but you said you won’t do that, so I don’t know.

Try Sheiko . . . it’s loads of work.

3

“All I can think of is going apeshit crazy on squats every day!”

Yup, that’s Sheiko. Squat for an hour, bench, squat until you loose bowl control, repeat, deadlift, ect.

4

Maybe try some kind of pulse-feast, where all of your meals are concentrated around your workout (pre and post). Likely the best way to try to recomp some.

I like the sheiko idea. Also, take a look at this article: http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1605986
It’s on intentional over-reaching as a means of progressing. If you did the last 2 weeks before stopping you’d likely continue to have improvements for some time after :smiley:

5

Personally brett i would be doing 2 things :

  1. Doing exactly what you are doing now right now–you are going at it like a beast anyway !!

  2. Getting organised to have a non weights based training plan in place, and when i say non-weights that even then there are things that i would consider carrying with me like a couple of kb’s, some bands…and talking about my current learning maybe even a set of rings.

6

I cannot believe I am about to say this but given you want body comp improvements and want them in six weeks here I go.

Crossfit or a variant.

I’ll go shower now.

7

Do the Olympic-style variants at volume.

That’s CrossFit™ isn’t it?

I’ll go shower now, too.

8

Body comp is all about diet right? I would become really strict with what I put into my body for six weeks while ensuring that I have enough calories. Are you willing to count calories and macros?

I would probably look into a bodybuilding type program rather than something like Sheiko because that’s a powerlifting program meant to get your squat total higher but it doesn’t sound like that’s a priority for you based on your post.

I’m really, really going to be following your log now!

james

9

An indeterminant break? Where will we be without your wit?

10

Thanks for the feedback gents.

[quote]cavalier wrote:
If I was in that situation, I would just goddamn gorge myself sick on meat, protein, and shakes so I might actually put on decent weight and strength, but you said you won’t do that, so I don’t know.
[/quote]

Jeez Cav, you make it sound as if the only way I’ll achieve anything is by pouring gallons of protein shakes down my neck and if I don’t I’m doomed, LOL. I’ve always been a firm believer that countless great physiques were built long before supplement companies existed and controlled the strength training industry the way they do now. I think much the same results can be achieved with real food, although I admit, less conveniently.

As I do most of the cooking (and all of the cooking for the last 5 weeks since my wife broke her thumb!) I can manipulate how much protein, carbs and fats I eat and even add an extra evening snack if necessary, but an important part of my relationship with my wife is cooking and sitting down and eating together. Her sitting down to a meal and me chowing down on skinless chicken breast and a shake is not gonna fly.

Anyway I don’t think getting extra calories ‘in’ is going to be my problem.

Kraken - While losing bowel control does sound really appealing, I don’t think Sheiko’s what I’m looking for right now, but thanks.

mbv8 - Thanks for that. I REALLY do like the idea of over-reaching. Going at it like a madman for 6 weeks because you know that if you can survive it that you have plenty of time for recovery afterwards. I wonder how much volume we could cope with if we knew that it was only for a short time?

BN - Yeah I definitely will have to get something organised for on the road too.

Joe and DCA - Ha ha. I was actually thinking down the same lines spits to get rid of foul taste in mouth. Running would be a bit of a problem right now though, the grass around my gym is saturated and muddy and I’d have to walk at least a 100 yds from my gym to run on the road and the road is unlit, really pitch dark (no light pollution), but I do have a decent exercise bike so I could stick a minute on the bike inbetween each set. Maybe if I did a Crossfit crosses chest variant and used the bike (rather than a BB type routine) to burn the calories, I could use a lower rep range (4-8) maybe?

Sounds like a plan. Better learn to ‘kip’ and powerclean like a retard then!

I feel like we’ve all shared something really sordid between us. Let’s never speak of this again.

James - I’ve been weighing and recording everything I’ve eaten today (and will do tomorrow) so I know where I’m starting from. You’re dead right I need to tighten up my diet while upping the volume. I’m pretty much sedentary right now apart from my lifting so I need to start burning some serious calories. I’m going to weigh myself, take some before photos (which I may put in my log at the end of 6 weeks, or if there is no discernible difference, chuck in the bin) and get started tonight. Looking forward to it.

11

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
An indeterminant break? Where will we be without your wit?[/quote]

Ha ha. You’ll manage I’m sure.

I think I tend to cause amusement and offence in equal amounts.

12

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
Thanks for the feedback gents.

[quote]cavalier wrote:
If I was in that situation, I would just goddamn gorge myself sick on meat, protein, and shakes so I might actually put on decent weight and strength, but you said you won’t do that, so I don’t know.
[/quote]

Jeez Cav, you make it sound as if the only way I’ll achieve anything is by pouring gallons of protein shakes down my neck and if I don’t I’m doomed, LOL.

[/quote]

sorry, was thinking about myself. If I didn’t shove protein down my throat, I’d shrivel up like a dried leaf. I’m glad you had have diet under control.

Now if you want to change body composition, here’s a good idea: P90x. Well, the movers are coming, so I have to unhook the computer and it could be 2 weeks before I’m up again, too bad you can’t reply . . .

13

I agree with James. Go with a bodybuilding type program. Post some before pics if you want the women to tell you where you need to increase the size of your body parts. ahem

You will be significantly weaker wrt weights after your hiatus, so what you do for the next 6 weeks strength-wise will be meaningful only in so far as you manage to achieve new PRs. But you can still control your diet (during your hiatus) if you want, so your “look” will stay the same, just smaller if that makes sense.

Or you can go nuts (as suggested by someone else) and combine a run at a new squat PR of some sort (squats are who you are) with a bodybuilding type program for the rest of your exercises.

My .02

p.s. also, when you’re on the road, pushups, handstand pushups, and pullups combined with a gazillion bodyweight squats, lunges, BSSs, “natural” GHRs will keep you pretty darned badass if you’re dedicated enough

14

[quote]cavalier wrote:

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
Thanks for the feedback gents.

[quote]cavalier wrote:
If I was in that situation, I would just goddamn gorge myself sick on meat, protein, and shakes so I might actually put on decent weight and strength, but you said you won’t do that, so I don’t know.
[/quote]

Jeez Cav, you make it sound as if the only way I’ll achieve anything is by pouring gallons of protein shakes down my neck and if I don’t I’m doomed, LOL.

[/quote]

sorry, was thinking about myself. If I didn’t shove protein down my throat, I’d shrivel up like a dried leaf.[/quote]

Actually Cav after recording all my food intake today you might well be right. My total calories and protein were not as high as I thought they were.

PG - Yeah I can’t see the point of training for strength either with so little time left and it will just disappear almost overnight. If I can get in fairly decent shape I should be able to maintain by cycling, doing bw exercises and keeping an eye on my diet.

Any suggestions for a good BB routine?

15

I think when it comes to a “look”, assessing what body parts you want to work on will be more important than some generic BB routine (generic BB sets & reps, TUT, etc. apply of course).

If you don’t want to post pics, I thought this article was well written and very interesting: