Minimizing Beginner Fat Gains?

Since I’ve started on Rippetoes (1 month & 1/2?) I’ve focused mostly on form over heavy weights - I’ve only just reached the point where I can squat and deadlift over my body weight, although both are still pretty low (185lbs and 195lbs respectively?)

Missed about a week or so of workouts due to serious time constraints and being late, and I’ve put on a bit of fat as a result of continuing to eat bigger without lifting.

I’d really, really like to minimize fat gains - I’m a teenager, don’t like being really fat, all that stuff. Never been one of those guys with abs (never that skinny or that in shape) but I hated being a fat bastard and don’t plan on ever heading back that way.

Right now I’m sort of worried though, I’ve put on enough weight that’s become noticeable (165 to 175lbs in a bit more than a month), some of it obviously fat. Should I continue to emphasize form over weight while ‘bulking’? Or would heavier weights with weaker form help me minimize fat gains and cut some of the extra I’ve put on recently?

Form/technique is king. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Add some cardio if you’re worried about it, or adjust your nutrition accordingly.

You’re nowhere near “fat”, what the hell are you talking about?

You’re making progress, what’s the problem again?

Eat, lift, sleep – rinse and repeat.

Yeah good to practice form, understand though, with no attempt at creating a big stimulus via lifting heavy weights. All them nutrients from eating big are just going down the toilet or in your case around your stomach. So don’t be scared to go heavy and have some one knowledgable critique your form.

Post videos on here, ask trainers at your gym (I’m hoping you atleast have one who isn’t an idiot)

Please list to me what you’ve been eating and at what times and me + others can help. Most likely your real sensitive to carbs and carbs other then around your workout are a big no no.

So lots of protein and fats during the day and carbs before, during and after your workout might be something better for you. Just a thought k.

Heavy weights with real weak form is asking for trouble. Yes some people’s form might break when lifting real heavy (trying for personal records), but that’s where most people use common sense and say “you know what this might be a little to heavy, I should drop weight a little then slowly work up and crush this poundage”

On rippetoes, you should strive to lift weights on your compounds where the last set, last few reps of your 3rd set you’re struggling and barely grind out the last couple reps. On the deadlift same thing 4/5th rep should be pretty good form but should be a nice struggle for you.

Don’t lift to absolute failure cause it could become repetitive, hurt you mentally/physically.

Rippetoe can be real demanding if not done right. Keep eating big though, you need to on this program. You’re making newbie mistakes that’s normal, if your your not working out a day it only makes sense to eat a good 400-500 calories less then on a workout day.

[quote]pachell wrote:
You’re nowhere near “fat”, what the hell are you talking about?

I’ve only just reached the point where I can squat and deadlift over my body weight, although both are still pretty low (185lbs and 195lbs respectively?)

You’re making progress, what’s the problem again?

Eat, lift, sleep – rinse and repeat.[/quote]

It’s that ‘shit shit shit if I get fat I can’t get with girls’ kind of thing teenagers you have. You know.

[quote]Carlitosway wrote:
Yeah good to practice form, understand though, with no attempt at creating a big stimulus via lifting heavy weights. All them nutrients from eating big are just going down the toilet or in your case around your stomach. So don’t be scared to go heavy and have some one knowledgable critique your form.

Post videos on here, ask trainers at your gym (I’m hoping you atleast have one who isn’t an idiot)

Please list to me what you’ve been eating and at what times and me + others can help. Most likely your real sensitive to carbs and carbs other then around your workout are a big no no.

So lots of protein and fats during the day and carbs before, during and after your workout might be something better for you. Just a thought k.[/quote]

A workout day looks something like this - I have difficulty getting food in at school, no eating in classrooms and the like.

BREAKFAST - 7:30 AM

4x scrambled eggs (organic)
1x cup of oatmeal
1/3 cup blueberries
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 glass whole milk

LUNCH - 12:30ish PM

6-10 oz round steak
4-6oz broccoli

POST-WORKOUT - 4:45 PM

2 scoops Surge

DINNER - 6:30P<

1 6-8 oz chicken breast
4 oz green beans

AFTER-DINNER - 8:30 PM

4-6 oz round steak
4oz broccoli/green beans

or

1 wild salmon patty
1 medium-sized sweet potato

AFTER-AFTER-DINNER - 11:30 PM

1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup blueberries OR 1/2 scoop Surge OR 2 tsp peanut butter

I’m not sure if this is too much or too little, I’ve been putting on fat but I don’t feel like I’ve been eating shittons either. There’s probably two to three more cups of whole milk in there, some random blueberries as well. Most meat is organic and hormone-free, all of that.

[quote]Carlitosway wrote: Heavy weights with real weak form is asking for trouble. Yes some people’s form might break when lifting real heavy (trying for personal records), but that’s where most people use common sense and say “you know what this might be a little to heavy, I should drop weight a little then slowly work up and crush this poundage”

On rippetoes, you should strive to lift weights on your compounds where the last set, last few reps of your 3rd set you’re struggling and barely grind out the last couple reps. On the deadlift same thing 4/5th rep should be pretty good form but should be a nice struggle for you.

Don’t lift to absolute failure cause it could become repetitive, hurt you mentally/physically.

Rippetoe can be real demanding if not done right. Keep eating big though, you need to on this program. You’re making newbie mistakes that’s normal, if your your not working out a day it only makes sense to eat a good 400-500 calories less then on a workout day.
[/quote]

Thank you for the advice - I really haven’t been having that massive struggle on the last few sets for squats or cleans though. Any idea why? Additionally, I get much, much more sore during/after workouts on my shoulders and across my back when I squat than in my knees or my quads - this is sort of confusing me, am I doing something wrong?

Current stats:

Squat - 205x5, 3 sets
Bench press - 115lbsx5, 3 sets (need to drop down, terrible form)
Deadlift - 215lbsx5, 3 sets
Standing military press - 75x5,3 sets
Power clean - 105x3, 5 sets

Bodyweight is something like 177 (dropped a pound AFTER showering?), 5"8 and maybe 14-16% body fat.

move your starch to after your pwo meal.

You probably have form issues. You should be feeling it in your legs, hamstrings, glutes (butt muscles) and lower back. Keep watching videos. Maybe you can do clean pulls in place of power cleans until you get form right. Power cleans might be a little to complex for you right now.

Here is a vid for power cleans and then he goes into clean pulls. Study.

Here is one for a proper squat by Rippetoe himself.

I’m a teenager too and I completed Ripptoes with some nice gains.
Here’s some advice:

Bottom line - fat gain is a function of diet, not of your weight program. But DO NOT try and find what your maintenance caloric intake is and then eat like 75 calories more than it or some ridiculous shit like that. Find what your maintenance is, and eat 10 - 20% more. Add some cardio in on off days to enhance recovery and try and slow fat gain. Learn to accept fat gain. Stop thinking in the short term and more in the long term. As teens, we have only limited years to take advantage of our hormones. DONT WASTE IT. Its hard to say how much weight you should be gaining per week, b/c we don’t know if you are still making newbie gains or not. Keep tweaking calories/cardio while measuring weight weekly until you find the right balance.

Also, learn not to give a fuck what people think. Eat in the hallways if you have to. I blend some natural PB, whey, and little milk/water and drink it in the hallway from one class to the other. You DO NOT want to be going 5 hrs without food…

ALSO, post in supplement/nutrition to clean up your diet or PM me and others…

Paraphrasing Prof X here:

You can’t get big if you’re worrying about keeping your 6 pack.

This may come off mean-spirited, but I promise it does have good intentions.

Your a teenager for chrissake. Pick up a basketball, run a football, for the love of God if it floats your boat kick a soccer ball around. Just do something. Your pictures look like you have zero athletic ability.

Rippetoes is a great beginners program, and it is a great way to get started with weights, but there is much more to it than lifting weights. At your age, you need to be giving yourself an athletic background. Building those motor skills and working the plyometrics inherent to sports are going to do more for you than anything else.

Rippetoes takes what, half an hour or so? Take 20 minutes before hand and do some GPP. Have you played sports before? Do your typical football, basketball, or track warmup before lifting. If not, just go out and run some line drills, mark cones at 20 yards and do high knees, and butt kicks, and any other drill you can think of. Hop on one foot, hop on both feet. Do it fast and work your hardest. Run some 10-20 yard sprints, jump up some stairs. Just take 20 minutes and do some high intensity, high speed work.

When you finish with the weights, go run. Not long distances, but maybe some 200’s or 400’s. It won’t take many, there’s really no reason to run more than a mile total, on long days.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, sign up for some sports at your school and get involved in the summer and off-season conditioning programs.

My point is that you need to build yourself into an athlete. If you are serious about putting on some bulk and gaining substantial muscle, it is going to take a long time. The best thing you can do for yourself now is to build a good, athletic base so in a few years you have that solid foundation and the motor skills for lifting weights are second nature.

As for your food log, scrap it. You know what healthy foods are and you know what junk is. Eat 90% healthy food. Eat 5 meals a day and eat until you are full everytime. It’s not complicated, and there’s no reason for you to be so excruciatingly detailed. If you are working as hard as I suggest, fat gain will not be an issue at all. Your body is not yet mature enough to gain the slabs of muscle that you hope to by “bulking”. If you manage to gain any weight on top of that which is inherent to puberty, you will likely gain a good chunk of fat, especially given your current state.

Really, I don’t intend to be mean, but this isn’t that hard. Work hard, stick with the weights, eat lots of healthy food, and don’t be afraid to have some ice cream or a candy bar if you want it.

Well put tedro; no need for me to even post but to support what you said.

bluestarcadet: you seem to be over analyizing EVERYTHING.

dont.

you won’t go anywhere.

[quote]tedro wrote:
This may come off mean-spirited, but I promise it does have good intentions.

Your a teenager for chrissake. Pick up a basketball, run a football, for the love of God if it floats your boat kick a soccer ball around. Just do something. Your pictures look like you have zero athletic ability.

Rippetoes is a great beginners program, and it is a great way to get started with weights, but there is much more to it than lifting weights. At your age, you need to be giving yourself an athletic background. Building those motor skills and working the plyometrics inherent to sports are going to do more for you than anything else.

Rippetoes takes what, half an hour or so? Take 20 minutes before hand and do some GPP. Have you played sports before? Do your typical football, basketball, or track warmup before lifting. If not, just go out and run some line drills, mark cones at 20 yards and do high knees, and butt kicks, and any other drill you can think of. Hop on one foot, hop on both feet. Do it fast and work your hardest. Run some 10-20 yard sprints, jump up some stairs. Just take 20 minutes and do some high intensity, high speed work.

When you finish with the weights, go run. Not long distances, but maybe some 200’s or 400’s. It won’t take many, there’s really no reason to run more than a mile total, on long days.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, sign up for some sports at your school and get involved in the summer and off-season conditioning programs.

My point is that you need to build yourself into an athlete. If you are serious about putting on some bulk and gaining substantial muscle, it is going to take a long time. The best thing you can do for yourself now is to build a good, athletic base so in a few years you have that solid foundation and the motor skills for lifting weights are second nature.

As for your food log, scrap it. You know what healthy foods are and you know what junk is. Eat 90% healthy food. Eat 5 meals a day and eat until you are full everytime. It’s not complicated, and there’s no reason for you to be so excruciatingly detailed. If you are working as hard as I suggest, fat gain will not be an issue at all. Your body is not yet mature enough to gain the slabs of muscle that you hope to by “bulking”. If you manage to gain any weight on top of that which is inherent to puberty, you will likely gain a good chunk of fat, especially given your current state.

Really, I don’t intend to be mean, but this isn’t that hard. Work hard, stick with the weights, eat lots of healthy food, and don’t be afraid to have some ice cream or a candy bar if you want it.[/quote]

It sounds like you are saying beginners can’t put on proper muscle when they bulk? I know the main gist of your post is ‘move more, don’t overcomplicate’ but the way you worded some things may be confusing.

Like thius: “Your body is not yet mature enough to gain the slabs of muscle that you hope to by “bulking”. If you manage to gain any weight on top of that which is inherent to puberty, you will likely gain a good chunk of fat, especially given your current state.”

I mean I can’t possibly agree with this. It’s like every 17 year old is doomed to being a skinny bastard (or fat) until 20.

Also I think if the goals are bodybuilding and not being an athlete, then doing cone drills etc isn’t relaly necessary… but I know what your point was. You are far more experienced than me so I’m just really looking for your opinion.

[quote]Alquemist wrote:
It sounds like you are saying beginners can’t put on proper muscle when they bulk? I know the main gist of your post is ‘move more, don’t overcomplicate’ but the way you worded some things may be confusing.
[/quote]

When first beginning to lift weights, the primary gains are neurological. One will get stronger as they “learn” to use their muscles better, but the actual muscle gain will not be significant. The loads he is using, and the relative force he is currently able to produce is just not sufficient to cause the breakdown and rebuilding of the muscle necessary to cause growth. This holds true for any beginners, but to different extents. Those with athletic backgrounds typically have much better motor skills, and are better able to recruit muscle fibers right away. The amount of time necessary to get proficient enough at these compound lifts to sufficiently stress the muscle will vary greatly by the individual and the background, but when the newb gains start to slow, likely between 3-6 months, it may then be a better time to start bulking. Teenagers, however, will have even more difficulties.

Don’t confuse this statement and think it applies to all beginners. It specifically applies to those still in puberty, whose bodies have a lot of maturing left to do. The OP would fit this. You may have loads of hormones flowing through your body at this age, but you do not have loads of free test available to build muscle. Look around, you’re not the first teen to try and gain muscle. Some teens lift there butts off all through high school, while eating heavy too. How many do you see, after 4 hard years of lifting, that have the same amount of musculature of someone that started at 20 and lifted the same way until the age of 24? With the exception of a few genetic freaks, it just doesn’t happen, not naturally anyways.

Not at all, there’s no reason why a 17 year old can’t get extraordinarily fit with a good musculature base. They just need to keep their expectations realistic, and realize that a bulk at this age isn’t going to build muscle near as well as it will when they are a few years older.

[quote]
Also I think if the goals are bodybuilding and not being an athlete, then doing cone drills etc isn’t relaly necessary… but I know what your point was. You are far more experienced than me so I’m just really looking for your opinion.[/quote]

So bodybuilder’s aren’t athletes? Take a successful bodybuilder, take those on this site that have built decent bodies, and look at the athletic history that they have in common. I have yet to come across somebody that just stumbled into weightlifting with zero athletic talent and made any gains, or even stuck with it. The motor skills that are developed as a youth through sports will go much, much further to building a decent base for future gains than relying solely on the weightroom for all of your athletic experience.

tedro,

thanks for the replies. Cleared things up a whole lot.

[quote]tedro wrote:
This may come off mean-spirited, but I promise it does have good intentions.

Your a teenager for chrissake. Pick up a basketball, run a football, for the love of God if it floats your boat kick a soccer ball around. Just do something. Your pictures look like you have zero athletic ability.[/quote]

Pictures are not current, those are from roughly two months ago. I actually fenced at the high school level the last three years (placed top 2 every year, changed schools this year and there’ no program) and I used to run a lot. Attached is a more current photo at 176-177ish, previous photo was at around 165.

[quote]tedro wrote:Rippetoes is a great beginners program, and it is a great way to get started with weights, but there is much more to it than lifting weights. At your age, you need to be giving yourself an athletic background. Building those motor skills and working the plyometrics inherent to sports are going to do more for you than anything else.

Rippetoes takes what, half an hour or so? Take 20 minutes before hand and do some GPP. Have you played sports before? Do your typical football, basketball, or track warmup before lifting. If not, just go out and run some line drills, mark cones at 20 yards and do high knees, and butt kicks, and any other drill you can think of. Hop on one foot, hop on both feet. Do it fast and work your hardest. Run some 10-20 yard sprints, jump up some stairs. Just take 20 minutes and do some high intensity, high speed work.

When you finish with the weights, go run. Not long distances, but maybe some 200’s or 400’s. It won’t take many, there’s really no reason to run more than a mile total, on long days.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, sign up for some sports at your school and get involved in the summer and off-season conditioning programs.[/quote]

Honestly, what’s sort of annoying is that when I finally came out of my ‘fat lazy bastard’ years, by that point, no one plays casual sports anymore - no one really gets together even for like, ultimate frisbee or something, they go to the mall or drink. I sort of missed out when I was a kid and I can’t really make up for that now.

[quote]tedro wrote:My point is that you need to build yourself into an athlete. If you are serious about putting on some bulk and gaining substantial muscle, it is going to take a long time. The best thing you can do for yourself now is to build a good, athletic base so in a few years you have that solid foundation and the motor skills for lifting weights are second nature.

As for your food log, scrap it. You know what healthy foods are and you know what junk is. Eat 90% healthy food. Eat 5 meals a day and eat until you are full everytime. It’s not complicated, and there’s no reason for you to be so excruciatingly detailed. If you are working as hard as I suggest, fat gain will not be an issue at all. Your body is not yet mature enough to gain the slabs of muscle that you hope to by “bulking”. If you manage to gain any weight on top of that which is inherent to puberty, you will likely gain a good chunk of fat, especially given your current state.[/quote]

I don’t keep a food log anymore, that took way too much time and effort. But someone asked and I went from the top of my head - 4 oz is just the serving size on the bag of frozen vegetables, I have no idea if it’s that or eight. Just a guesstimate.

What sucks is that most of my growth is done - I was at the doctor a few months ago and a couple x-rays revealed that my growth plates have almost finished fusing, I’ll get maybe another inch taller at most. Does muscle/physical growth more or less end with bone growth, or does it continue past that?

Not mean at all. Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it. I lift 3x a week, I eat clean, I just wanted some advice on not putting on too much fat.

[quote]B rocK wrote: bluestarcadet: you seem to be over analyizing EVERYTHING.

dont.

you won’t go anywhere.[/quote]

People keep saying I’m overanalyzing everything - definitely was earlier, but is this question really overanalyzing? :confused: I just want to avoid becoming a fatty again while, ironically, trying to do the opposite by ‘getting swole’ or whatever.

[quote]tedro wrote: Don’t confuse this statement and think it applies to all beginners. It specifically applies to those still in puberty, whose bodies have a lot of maturing left to do. The OP would fit this. You may have loads of hormones flowing through your body at this age, but you do not have loads of free test available to build muscle. Look around, you’re not the first teen to try and gain muscle. Some teens lift there butts off all through high school, while eating heavy too. How many do you see, after 4 hard years of lifting, that have the same amount of musculature of someone that started at 20 and lifted the same way until the age of 24? With the exception of a few genetic freaks, it just doesn’t happen, not naturally anyways

Not at all, there’s no reason why a 17 year old can’t get extraordinarily fit with a good musculature base. They just need to keep their expectations realistic, and realize that a bulk at this age isn’t going to build muscle near as well as it will when they are a few years older.[/quote]

So would you recommend against ‘bulking’ for people inmy situation? I’m just not sure I’m going to grow (at least, height-wise, length of limbs) much more, and if there’s not much to be gained there, would it be better to ‘cut’, even though there’s not much to cut to? I just keep hearing conflicting things about it (“cut!”"get bigger! “cut!” “get bigger!”) Not expecting to look like a bodybuilder or anything after six months (rock-hard abs in eight weeks! buy now!) but I’d just like to see some physical changes so I know I’m on the right path.

Instead of typing alot:

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_beginner/for_those_who_want_to_loose_fat_while_gaining_muscle?id=2438600&pageNo=0

read.

and dont’ stare too long at miley and that other chick.

Re Photo:

your still wicked skinny and have barely any muscle. Dont’ take it as me being a dick, take it as inspriation to GET some muscle.

Unfortunatly there isn’t any food or combo to gain sole muscle…so just eat.

[quote]B rocK wrote:
Instead of typing alot:

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_beginner/for_those_who_want_to_loose_fat_while_gaining_muscle?id=2438600&pageNo=0

read.

and dont’ stare too long at miley and that other chick.[/quote]

It’s very difficult for me not to stare, Miley Cyrus and myself are both still jailbait. I would probably have to be jacked first though, or a Jonas brother. Thanks for the link.

[quote]blue_star_cadet wrote:
Pictures are not current, those are from roughly two months ago. I actually fenced at the high school level the last three years (placed top 2 every year, changed schools this year and there’ no program) and I used to run a lot. Attached is a more current photo at 176-177ish, previous photo was at around 165.

Honestly, what’s sort of annoying is that when I finally came out of my ‘fat lazy bastard’ years, by that point, no one plays casual sports anymore - no one really gets together even for like, ultimate frisbee or something, they go to the mall or drink. I sort of missed out when I was a kid and I can’t really make up for that now.
[/quote]

I hear you. Wait a few more years and it gets much worse. I’d love to get a dozen people together to play a little backyard football, but getting people off their butts these days can be like pulling teeth. Is there an open gym after school? Are you a member of a gym with a bball court? What about tennis or racquetball? If you look around, I’m sure you can find a pickup game of basketball. Racquetball and tennis are fun, too, and only require one other person.

I don’t know much about fencing, but from what I’ve seen it is probably a great way to develop quickness. You do look much more athletic in the recent pics, but I still do not think you are at the point where you want to focus solely on weightlifting for all your athletic needs.

When I made my first post I assumed you were 15 or so. Somebody else said 17, you say you’ve fenced for three years in HS, so I’m guessing you’re a senior now. This does change things somewhat, but I will stick to my original advice for now. You are probably getting to the point where your body is mature enough to add some muscle, but you are going to have to stick with it until the newb gains start to subside before a bulk will be truly beneficial.

To answer your last question, yes it continues past that. Does puberty stop when you reach your adult height?

[quote]
Not mean at all. Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it. I lift 3x a week, I eat clean, I just wanted some advice on not putting on too much fat.

So would you recommend against ‘bulking’ for people inmy situation? I’m just not sure I’m going to grow (at least, height-wise, length of limbs) much more, and if there’s not much to be gained there, would it be better to ‘cut’, even though there’s not much to cut to? I just keep hearing conflicting things about it (“cut!”"get bigger! “cut!” “get bigger!”) Not expecting to look like a bodybuilder or anything after six months (rock-hard abs in eight weeks! buy now!) but I’d just like to see some physical changes so I know I’m on the right path.[/quote]

Bulk? Cut? Who cares? Stick with the weights and develop some baseline strength. Rippetoes is good for that. Go through his entire program. While you’re doing it, get out and play some sports and just make sure you are staying active. Eat healthy 90% of the time, eat multiple meals a day and eat until you are full.

If you work hard and don’t eat too much junk, you will be fine. After Rippetoes you will definitely be able to notice change. As you finish up, I would suggest you start a food log again, just so you have an idea of how many kcal’s you are eating a day. If you decide to bulk at that point, you will have a baseline and can add 500 or so kcals per day.

[quote]tedro wrote:
I hear you. Wait a few more years and it gets much worse. I’d love to get a dozen people together to play a little backyard football, but getting people off their butts these days can be like pulling teeth. Is there an open gym after school? Are you a member of a gym with a bball court? What about tennis or racquetball? If you look around, I’m sure you can find a pickup game of basketball. Racquetball and tennis are fun, too, and only require one other person.

I don’t know much about fencing, but from what I’ve seen it is probably a great way to develop quickness. You do look much more athletic in the recent pics, but I still do not think you are at the point where you want to focus solely on weightlifting for all your athletic needs.[/quote]

Point taken. I’m going to try and get more active outside of lifting, I’ll probably start running again on off-days.

[quote]tedro wrote:
When I made my first post I assumed you were 15 or so. Somebody else said 17, you say you’ve fenced for three years in HS, so I’m guessing you’re a senior now. This does change things somewhat, but I will stick to my original advice for now. You are probably getting to the point where your body is mature enough to add some muscle, but you are going to have to stick with it until the newb gains start to subside before a bulk will be truly beneficial.

To answer your last question, yes it continues past that. Does puberty stop when you reach your adult height?[/quote]

I wasn’t clear enough earlier - I fenced at the high school level while in eight grade my first year, so I’m a junior. I’m 15 as well, I’m not really sure where that guy got 17 from. This means I don’t need to eat a shit-ton, just keep lifting and start running or whatever?

[quote]tedro wrote:
Bulk? Cut? Who cares? Stick with the weights and develop some baseline strength. Rippetoes is good for that. Go through his entire program. While you’re doing it, get out and play some sports and just make sure you are staying active. Eat healthy 90% of the time, eat multiple meals a day and eat until you are full.

If you work hard and don’t eat too much junk, you will be fine. After Rippetoes you will definitely be able to notice change. As you finish up, I would suggest you start a food log again, just so you have an idea of how many kcal’s you are eating a day. If you decide to bulk at that point, you will have a baseline and can add 500 or so kcals per day.[/quote]

How long can you expect to stay on Rippetoes and see gains? I’ve heard everything from 3 months to 9 months, does it average out for most people around 5 or 6? Thank you for answering all my questions.

i dont live in the US so my knowledge of your football is limited to movies where i see guys put on padding to esscentialy play a slowed down overly analised game of rugby with way too many rules in it.

what i also see though is that you guys take it really bloody seriously and train like animals for it.

i agree with tedro, play some sport, your 15, sure height wise your probably not going to develop much further but physical development wise your just a baby. everyone is skinny at 15 either skinny skinny or fat skinny, its the geneticly gifted or the single mindedly dedicated that are anything but scrawney at a young age.

play sport lift weights eat sleep study and have some fun, try out something different like parkour take up a martial art, get involved in more than just three half hour weight lifting sessions a week.

its also a worry that at 15 you have serious time constraints that stop you from working out for a whole week, if youve got problems like that now get used to being a fat bastard because thats what you will become. i know thats what happened to me.

take care and best of luck mate.