T Nation

Please Rate My GSLP Program

#1

Hey bros, here is my program based on Greyskull Linear Progression. I would appreciate 2 cents by more advanced and experienced bros.

Age: 27
Job: Sedentary
Height: 6 feet (183 cm)
Weight: 208 lbs (94 kgs)
BF: somewhere around 20-22%
Fitness level: Beginner, PRs too low to mention
Goal: To lose 10 lbs, BF at around 16-18%, increase in strength
Diet: Mostly a recomposition diet. Normally 1700-1800 cals a day on workout days, 1400-1500 cals on off days.Those calories are under my maintenance, and I just want to experiment how this diet will go, as I have read of many bodybuilders going recomposition with as much as 500 cals deficit and still building strength. Macros at 40:40:20

Program:

This is the GLSP program, where you squat twice and deadlift once a week. The other supplementing exercises are being rotated in an ABAB fashion.
Example of my week.

Monday:
Benchpress: 2x5, 1x5+
Incline pushups: 3x10
Squat: 2x5, 1x5+
Ring Dips: 2 strict ones, followed by 10 with band support - x3
Barbell Curl: 3x8-10

Tuesday:
Crossfit, normally stretching exercises followed by a HIIT WOD of 20-30 minutes

Wednesday:
Standing Overhead Press: 2x5, 1x5+, followed by a pyramid down
Deadlift: 1x5+
Pendlay rows: 3x8-12
Short HIIT of 5-10 minutes

Thursday: : Day off

Friday
Benchpress: 2x5, 1x5+
Incline pushups: 3x10
Squat: 2x5, 1x5+
Ring Dips: 2 strict ones, followed by 10 with band support - x3
Barbell Curl: 3x8-10

Saturday
Crossfit Class

Sunday
Day off

#2

How has it been working out for you so far?

#3

Ive only started about a month ago and with caloric surplus.
Weights have been going up but Im a beginner and probably overdid it with the diet because I dont like the way my body looks like right now (flab). That is why I tweaked the diet a little based on articles on Body Recomposition, that contrary to the popular bro science, it is very possible to lose fat and build muscle, especially for a newbie.

#4

What’s wrong with Greyskull?

To good for you?

#5

Not sure what you meant - this is GLSP. I just didnt include the optional neck curls and pull-ups/pushups as They seem to be a challenging addition to this program. With regards to the crossfit, that is purely for conditioning.

#6

There are probably better options than crossfit for your conditioning. If you love doing it, cool. If not, check out Paul Carter’s recent article about conditioning.

#7

I would advise against lowering your calories below your BMR.

#8

replace the pushups one day with lat pulldown or a rear delt move.

Yeah 1800 cals let alone 1400 is waay too low for a guy you height. Up your cals so you can really bring it on the +sets and just make sure you get really clean carb sources -tons of greens no sugar etc

#9

You are adding a lot. Concentrate on one thing. He has a bunch of templates in his book.

He also talks a lot about conditioning. Not adding another program to an already tough program.

At the end of the day, do what pleases you. We would just like an update in 6 months, if you could.

With the amount you plan on doing, I would start at around 3000 calories and work from there.

#10

Thanks for the advice - I didnt think I was adding that much, as the GSLP is based on the book and the only thing I really added is the crossfit on conditioning.

3000 cals is a lot, as Im also trying to lose weight…
Is it possible to lose weight while on a strength prgram ? I read many articles on Body Recomposition saying that it is possible, thts why I lowered the daily cals. Thanks for advice

#11

I’m 6’2", 215 and 50 years old.

I whittle away under 2500 calories and loose energy after a few weeks.

Just make small changes and see what works for you.

Cross fit is not conditioning. It’s a program on its own.

#12

Exactly. A pretty taxing one too. You can lose fat training for strength if you get your nutrition right.

#13

Ok I get your point now.
Many crossfitters recommended combining crossfit with GLSP to build strength, so I turned it around a bit and I complement my GLSP training with crossfit, and thats why I do it just twice a week. I hope it burns the fat which I have mysteriously gotten in one month - while my diet wasnt small, it was clean and the caloric surplus was nowhere massive.

Ill post results after some time. After one month my strength is going up, but gained fat and just dont understand how.

#14

Are you a competing cross fitter? If not, then don’t train like a pro.

Combining is never a good thing. Too many ways you can f it up.

You are an ordinary Joe, so train like one.

Look up an article " screw cardio" or something like that. More along the lines you are trying to accomplish.

Eating clean is not the only factor. What you eat, when you eat are also important. You

#15

Especially when it comes to carbs.

#16

Thank you, that makes sense.
This is the article i think you were reffering to https://www.t-nation.com/training/screw-cardio-four-complexes-for-a-shredded-physique

#17

By dropping your calories that low, you are setting yourself up for failure regardless of the training you choose to do. You are also putting yourself at risk for potentially long term negative consequences.

For reference, your calculated basal metabolic rate (the number of calories that you would burn in a day if you laid in bed in a pitch black room without any food being digested in your digestive tract) is a bit under 2100 calories. Your proposed plan has you eating approximately 400 calories fewer than that, and completing several hours of strenuous exercise each week on top of normal activities and daily life. Assuming you’re not some kind of extreme outlier, your total deficit would likely be in the ballpark of 1500 calories each day.

I strongly advise that you don’t do this.

#18

Not a bad way to start out.

Others have already made valuable contributions regarding diet and conditioning.

As far as the program itself goes, I like that you are doing a relatively “easy” exercise (push ups) following the BP. But rather than doing 3 upper body pushing exercises in the same day, it might be more beneficial to balance your pushes and pulls by adding a vertical pull. I’d probably replace the dips with lat pulldowns, and maybe in 6 weeks swap out push ups for dips.

I really like GreySkull LP for novice lifters, but it’s only valuable as long as you are careful with the + sets. Make a habit of challenging yourself, but also make a habit of not grinding out reps.