Has anyone followed the Ian King “Get Buffed” workout as detailed in the book of the same name? If so any results and suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
I’m not sure what edition of the book you own, but in my copy the 12 week program is just Ian King’s “Limping” workout series coupled with a generic upper body workout. Yes, I did the program. I didn’t gain much size on it, but had significant strength gains. So, if your goal is just to get huge, find something else. But if strength is important for you, go for it!
I am looking to get leaner. Is the GB/Limping stuff helpful this vain? No desire to get huge.
Furio- That depends on your diet.
I’m following Limping & 12 weeks to super strength along with a t-dawg/massive eating style diet. 120carbs on workout days, 100 on non… things are going well. I’m into the second phase of both, and fat is melting and my strength is going up.
Any program can and will help you lose fat. CS has said it at least 10 times, that the diet plays a huge role. Try the t-dawg diet or another diet from t-mag’s repertoire.
Chris,
Yeah I realize that, so maybe I should elaborate. Here’s my real issue…
I figure I put on around 25-30 lbs of fat in the 18 months since entering the working world after college. I was normally around 180-185 @ 6’1 so I topped out around 210 or so in July. I’d had great success with the Poliquin GBC program the first time I did it in school, so I went to work in mid September.
This time (probably comes from reading t-mag for the last 2 years) I went in with a more structured approach. I started with the beginner program for three weeks and finished off a 12 week stint with his advanced program. It's mid December and I am around 193 (experience tells me I am hanging around 14-16% bf) which is great but of course I'm not satisfied just yet. I definitely overtrained especially in the last phase, so I have taken the past week off. This has gotten me thinking...
Bottom line, it’s more important for me personally to lose the weight first rather than jump into a strength training phase. That being said I don’t want to lose the weight and look like Alberto Salazar either. I’m the kind of person who likes to do things right or not to it at all. My fear is I do Ian’s program at a reduced calorie intake (around 2100-2400 cals/day) w/ some light cardio and I’m cheating myself. Or am I smoking crack on my off week?
I’m just trying to piece together all this knowledge I’ve culled together in the last few years and put it to good use. Unfortunately with more info come more questions on what’s the right approach.
The last thing I'd add is that my experiment with low carb dieting over the 7th through 9th weeks of my manly weight loss training was not pretty. I'm a pretty laid back guy and I found it turned me into a fucking asshole. I'd like to avoid thermogenic products for the same reason too. I'm willing to take them near the end to shed some stubborn fat, but not right away. I've shown the willingness in the past to adhere to a strict clean diet, so that's not a problem with me as it is with others. My aim this time around would be to increase fibrous veggie intake, I definitely slacked on this end during my most recent diet. I'd prefer to avoid the meltdown program for now as well. I've noticed in the past that I plateau easily and respond well to change, so my thinking here is that after a similar lactic acid program its results will be somewhat muted. I'd also personally like to change things up some as well.
Sorry for all the BS in between, but any insight would be appreciated.
Sounds like the “Don’t Diet” version of Massive Eating would help you out a lot since you don’t like low carbs. And as Chris is saying, the specific workout program isn’t that important when it comes to fat loss, just lift weights and add a little cardio after weight training a few times per week. You aren’t going to build a lot of strength anyway while losing fat.
I’ve used it and love Ian King’s material. I’ve learned a great deal from him, but from personal experience I really think his Get Buffed programs come up short on volume. I’ve followed his program for six weeks (the first two phases), only to find my strength levels way down by the time I enter the 3rd phase. The last time I tried it, I was handling 10 lbs less on the bench for the same reps, ditto for squats and military press. My advice would be to either use an alternating periodization plan of his program with higher volume, or read his books and all his other materials, learn all you can, then write your own program. The latter is preferred anyway… it’s the only way you’ll learn.
Ryno,
What’s your total calorie intake like?
I was looking back through my old diet logs and noticed that I used spread my Udo’s/Flax intake across every meal. This is in contrast to the two 1 tbsp helpings that I have been doing for the last year. My previous diets were more successful, so is there anything to spreading fat intake across all meals rather than going for the gusto all at once? Just curious. Thanks for the feedback on my questions too.
I’m down to about 170 pounds… I know, I know… I’m a skinny bastard. Calories are about 2400 (t-dawg recommendations) a day now. Approx 290 protein, 120 carbs, 60-70 fat (on workout days). I’m also doing 30 mins of moderate cardio 4 days a week directly after training. My upperbody is stronger, but my legs are definately seeing the best results (those King Deadlifts kick ass… I got a good ROM now, and my legs get blasted). I started taking Surge during my workouts a few days into the program and it really works. I thought those extra carbs before cardio wouldn’t help too much, but it doesn’t seem to matter. I figure by the time I start the third phase… I should be where I want to be (8-9% bf). Before this, I tried the original t-dawg diet with meltdown training and I didn’t get the results I wanted… this really seems to be working, and I’m pretty excited. Good luck with everything dude… let me know if ya need something else. take it easy. - ryan
Ryno,
What kind of cardio are you doing after the workouts? I’d think hopping on the treadmill after a King workout would be tough on the ole legs.
On the Surge do you just start drinking it from the start and sip during the workout? And do you drink the other half afterwards? However you do it, how soon do you eat your next meal, the one after the Surge?
How tall are you btw? And how much have you lost on the t-dawg? I assure you I am not this annoying in real life.
I use one of those elliptical trainers after my workout, 30 mins @ 60% MHR. With the surge… Yes, I sip a half a serving thru my workout… I usually try to finish it before my last set. Then I have the other half immediately after I finish my cardio (both mixed in 1L of water). I workout at night so my last meal kind of depends on what time I finish… if I’ll be up for another couple of hours after my workout… I try to wait 2 hours to eat after my last surge… if not, I just wait an hour. Btw, my last meal is always cottage cheese and ap (46 protein, 12 carbs). Thats also my first meal along with 1/2 c. of oatmeal (this and my surge are my only P&C meals throughout the day). I am 6 feet tall, 11% bf… and I started the original t-dawg (70 carbs on workout days, 30 on non) about a month and a half ago, I went about 2 weeks and couldn’t hang anymore. Then I went a week just eating maintenance and now I’m basically following the massive eating and t-dawg guidelines (but w/ higher carbs). Since the very beginning, I am down from 191… so about 23 pounds now. Alot of that came in the first week so I’m assuming it was water. I hope that answered your questions… I’ll be around over the holidays… so if ya need something else… just ask dude. Cheers. -ryan
Ryan,
Sounds like you’ve been getting it done. 23 pounds in 6 weeks is pretty solid. I am probably not going to jump into the Ian King program right away. My shoulder has been real sore, so I am praying I just need to go light and work my external rotators. So going to give it 6 weeks. It actually works out decent, I’ll just focus more on the fat loss. Have a good holiday, thanks for the insight.