TheBandito's Journal to Anti-Skinny

[TheBandito]

Gents and any other creatures,

I have started the journey of enhancing physique to help make me a brighter, happier man. My story began in the weight room of high school with me bench pressing the bar and as most skinny guys have it getting laughed at. I was in a car accident and cut off all four fingers of my right hand in a construction incident. Coffee and table saws don't mix. That aside I have a right hand with two fingers reattached that have reasonable gripping power and titanium rods in both legs that are permanent additions to my femurs. And the doctor gave me the all clear :crackup:

My current rough stats are:

- 5'10"
- 140 lbs
- All clear from doc but have weak right hand and arm due to amount of injuries.
- Can jog comfortably in hilly terrain for 10 mins
- Not familiar with gym equipment, etiquette, and proper form
- Need to eat more regularly and more substance

My Three-month Goals
- Get good gym manners http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=145261
- Get good form and confidence in the workouts that I choose to use
- Get a diet oriented towards mass building
- Overcome the I'm the scrawny guy at the gym feeling
- Add 15 lbs of weight, I'll try not too make it all fat

The other odd bits
- Anthony Ellis's program is where I will start, it's a good place to help guide me through the basics and get me in the habit of going down the proper road.
- Long-term and my first week will be coming shortly but as with most things, rest is very important.

To the good fight,
The Bandito

 

[Quagmire911]

It would be better if you went on Rippetoe's:

http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=125444 -Option A.

Here is a rough diet guide:

http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=134782

Form for some of the main exercises:

http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#Power -Click on "Powerlifts".

How bad is the difference in strength between your right and left arms/hands? And lets get it clear, your right hand has two fingers and a thumb?

Good luck!

 

[Royce]

Wow yeah you sound like me when I started to lift. TRUST ME, for the best overall gains go with the Rippetoe workout. Ive lifted in the past before but never got as much progress from a workout as his. It focuses on the basics, combine it with the right nutritional intake and youll be bigger in no time.

 

[TheBandito]

Awesome and that's why gents I'm here, no reason to have learn it all yourself. I will put together a few weeks of stuff and my diet and post back here. As for my injury I'm missing my index and middle finger entirely. My ring and pinky lack joints due to the damage they suffered. My body has compensated for the loss of grip by making most big tasks done by my left and most precision tasks done with my right if there is enough finger there. In terms of strength, I'm scrawny all around so its not a huge difference. I will be doing a flush of my system both mentally and physically and so that will not be posted for around 15 days. See you folks then and best of luck with your adeventures.

 

[Quiksilver]

titanium rods in both legs that are permanent additions to my femurs.

How are your legs doing? What exactly happened to them and what are your limitations?

To me they would be more of a concern than your hand. I have a friend with only his left pinky and thumb, and he lifts just fine. I also have another friend with no big toe on his right foot(lawnmowers and feet don't mix) anyways, he deadlifts 500+ and squats 400+..

To compensate for lost grip strength you can buy a set of lifting straps/hooks from the store to transfer the load from your fingers to your wrist.

How are those two reattached fingers doing, and how long ago were they severed?

cheers

 

[TheBandito]

The legs are dandy, the rods run along side my femurs with screws in the top and the bottom. I am expected to get them x-rayed yearly to see if any twists develop. If I notice lrage amounts of constant pain similar to when I first had them I will go say hello to the doc. The fingers are dandy as well, severed just over two years ago.

 

[Quagmire911]

Yes, you may have to get straps/hooks like Quik said. Although I would still do as much as you can without aid.

 

[TheBandito]

I'll look into them, I will see if they are straightforward and if they aren't I will see if I can find some help from my gym or here.

 

[TheBandito]

First day at the gym, my accomplice rack and stacked and we figured out my base weights. She'll be my partner in pushing past the first six weeks and getting into the habit of lifting. Squats, flat bench press, and machines will be used initially as to the problems with my hands outlined above. As my grip develops and my right arm catches up I will move away from machines. Plus machines seem less human, something about grunting the weight with just your body is nice. Also of note, I highly recommend the Master cleanse as outline by Senor Fingers in The Vault. It does amazing things for your body That's it for now and I'll contribute to the Cookbook thread soon.

The Bandito

 

[Quiksilver]

Hmmm

Everyone reports these 'great' things with the Master cleanse. I tried it many months ago, and aside from my acne disappearing, I didn't feel much. I followed it to the letter too, all 10 days, etc. On the other hand, my body is pretty unresponsive to everything, so its not much of a surprise. I can take 30 fish oil capsules per day for a week and not feel/look any different than if I'd taken 5-15, lol.

Anyways, if your goal is 15 lbs of mass then I'd strap up and perform deadlifts as well as squats/bench press.

A good lift that you should have no problem with is the Overhead Press/Military Press. Other goodies are barbell Lunges, Dips, Close-grip bench, weighted hyper-extensions, and bent-over barbell rows.

Buy a set of lifting straps pronto, as they'll easily compensate for the weak right grip.

For the first six weeks in your situation I'd just go in to the gym whenever I could and do whatever exercises I had energy for. The first step is to build your stamina, central nervous system, and work capacity. Do stretching constantly too, at home and after your workouts, for injury prevention.

good luck dude, just know that you get no special treatment for your silly injuries. buy some lifting straps, stfu, and lift hard!

 

[TheBandito]

Week 2

So I'm alive and well and am still hitting the weights. Some say the first six weeks are the hardest, some say they are the easiest but either way it doesn't really matter.

Exercise Card All 3x10
Flat Bench
Squats
bicep curls
triceps ( weight behind head, lift )
cable row
shoulders on machine
Notes: This differs from what I have seen most anywhere for bulking but will change once I have found out what my limits are and I have good form. I really would like to make the gym a nice place to stay

Diet
2700 Cal
270g protein
200g carb
85g fat
three solid meals carbs from brown rice and oatmeal protein from tuna, chicken, beef depending on the day
two MRP's and one before bed pure protein shake My diet gets around 2700 calories a day, 270g protein, 200g carbs, 85g fat. Three solid meals and two MRP's and one late-nite pure protein shake.
Notes: No complaints as to sticking with this diet six days a week, I take one day where I follow it as close as I can but get my guilt trips Mmm...fresh cookies!

Supplements
creatine 18mg (loading and drinking lots of water)
ZMA
Multivitamin
Glutamine 4.5mg plus 15mg of precursors
Flaxseed oil
Notes: Supplement reviews will be coming soon but won't be as much as reviews as just info posted so others don't have to gather it.

That's the general jist of what I am doing now plus lots of sleep and around 100 oz of water a day. It hasn't been too bad but I'm just getting started

 

[TheBandito]

Week 3

Added dips, pull-ups, and getting used to deadlifts with straps. The rest of my lifts are more stable.

Diet is dandy and overall rather enjoyable since I keep it simple and tasteful.

Weigh and measure on Friday to see what has happened since I have started.

I have come out of lifting weights really horny or really wanting to punch something. It's very strange.

That's the short notes.

 

[mrRuckus]

I can take 30 fish oil capsules per day for a week and not feel/look any different than if I'd taken 5-15, lol.

Why are you expecting to feel anything? I take 2 tablespoons of fish oil a day and don't feel anything. Do you feel short term feedback or short term look changes from eating other foods?

 

[Quiksilver]

Why are you expecting to feel anything? I take 2 tablespoons of fish oil a day and don't feel anything. Do you feel short term feedback or short term look changes from eating other foods?

Nah, I just keep hearing every so often in regards to fish oil that people experience more energy, sharper brain function, and shiny hair/better skin. Go figure.

 

[TheBandito]

Week 4 and 5

I have split my workout to keep workouts to around 30 min. My split on body movement, one day push/pull, other day curl. It's 1 warm-up set followed by three sets of 8-16 reps. If I can squeeze out 16 twice then I can add more weight. The straps are very useful for things like pullups where grip is lacking. Hip joint has starting popping every time I squat, it's painful and annoying. If it's condition worsens, I'll go see a doc. Some people have asked if I have been tanning and I haven't been yet. One of the girls has commented on my pecs are starting to become more outlined and there's a hint of six-pac. I'm a work in progress, luckily progress is definable. I also have gained eight pounds since the start so my fifteen pound goal is still within sight. The rest of the goals as outlined above, I have conquered Many more adventures await..

 

[TheBandito]

I've done it!

I continued on working and eating and made my 163 pound goal. I'm enjoying having meat on my body and my accomplices are too. It's been a challenging journey and I have fudged a few times but I made it. Once my mass shakes run out, I will cut back my calories and aim to just keep what I have. It's been awesome so far.