Training/Eating Questions

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Hey everyone.
I’ve been browsing the boards/articles for about a month and I’m really pleased with all that I’ve learned so far.

I’m 18 years old , 6’2 and about 175 pounds. I’d say that I’m around 10% bodyfat, and not a bullshit 10%. I can see 4 abs, and a few veins on my hips and shoulders. Basically… I’m lanky and pretty boney. I don’t have any big, muscular people in my family, so i’m not really aware what my genetic limitations (if you believe in those?) are. I don’t really buy the whole genetic limitation thing that much, personally.

I’ve been doing Waterbury’s Total Body workout for two weeks and trying to up my caloric intake. I’ve gained about five pounds so far, and am excited about what future gains may lie ahead. I’m getting about 8-11 hours of sleep a night.

Two questions: My left quad is probably 1 to 2 inches bigger than my right quad because I threw discus in the spring and the spinning motion consistently places most of your weight on your left leg. Shitty squatting form also might have contributed. I’m now widening my squat stance, lowering to parallel and making sure i’m balanced.

Do you think split squats would help to best correct the imbalance? (Side Question: Is it possible to do one legged overhead squats? i recently fell in love with them and would hate to give them up now.)

Second Question: How many calories should I try to ingest? I’m trying to get up to 190-200 without “bulking” and “cutting.” I eat clean all the time, and try to take in at least 1000 calories within an hour of my workout. I sleep a lot, so i’m only awake for around 12 or 13 hours of the day.

I try to take in around 3000 calories, but on my off days I tend to hover more at 2500. Should I try to boost to 3500 or 4000? I try to take an amino blend after every workout with at least 1 g of each essential acid. Or are my efforts sufficient?

I’m going off to college in Rhode Island next year, so i’m going to be able to regulate and expand my diet more.

Any T-Nation guys live out there?

Thanks for your time… I’ll probably post pictures eventually.

2

I used to have a bit of strength imbalance myself so maybe I can say something useful.

Yes, split squat would help, so do the following exercises:

Step-up
Lunges (walking, reverse, forward, 45 degree etc.)
Bulgarian squat
Single legged deadlift

I pretty much corrected my problem by finding out how many the stronger leg can do, then maintain the reps for the stronger leg and have the weaker leg to catch up.

Just my 2 cents.

Geek boy

3

Here’s a start for calculating your calories:

http://www.johnberardi.com/updates/july262002/na_masscalculator.htm

Good luck.

4

And we suggest you use Surge post workout rather than the amino acid blend. You need carbs after your workout.

5

I hope things go well for you in training. One thing, however: Every time you look in the mirror, you see the results of genetics. Whether you believe in genetic limitations, as it relates to BB’ing, or not, they are here to stay. You can maximize them, and I encourage you to do so, but you won’t change them.

For example, I can look at my back in the mirror and it will grow, I can fall asleep on my back and it will grow, but it doesn’t matter what I do with my calves, they have minimal, if any growth. Oh, they have increased and become more defined after years of work but they don’t grow in proportion to my quads. Guess what, my Dad had the same problem with his calves, as does my sister, my son and my daughter.

My wife, on the other hand, well, that’s one of the reasons I married her: her fabulous calves. I thought whatever offspring I spawned would at least have a fighting chance of developing some nice calves, thereby altering the gene pool for generations to come, but NO, they got mine. TBSS (to bad so sad).

Tyler