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Billton's first Blueprint run!

Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:02 pm
by Billton
I'm 24, and have been lifting since Jr High football at age 12. I've made decent gains. wouldn't say that I think I've reached my final potential as I still seem to make gains. That being said, I may be nearing it. The largest man in my family is 6' and 170lbs, but I'm 6'3" and 240. I kept reading about the Blueprint on bodybuildingsupplements.com and finally figured I needed to know what it was all about.
I started training with a very high volume approach similar to bodybuilders of the 60's. It worked well enough, but in mid highschool I went through a lazy period and actually seemed to get better gains with slightly less volume. I took a little over a year off in college and when I went back I just didn't have time to train for 2+ hours 6 days per week. I then found that I was gaining ever better with even less volume. I did however, find that for me, I do not gain strength well if I do not hit the same lift twice per week, so I still hit the gym 4 or 6 days depending on the split. I just try to keep the time in the gym to a minimum. My current goal is to add as much strength as possible with little to no bodyfat. I'm not terribly worried about mass at the moment, but a little more on the arms wouldn't hurt my feelings. There isn't a lot about fat loss in the blueprint, but that would be of interest some time around Feb or so.

Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:07 pm
by RobRegish
All welcome Billton!

You've got the right program in hand for strength gains, that's for sure. On the fat mitigation, that's a snap either with the descending caloric spiral outlined in The BP OR the zig zage method outlined below:

First 3 days 120% of maintenance calorie intake

Remainder of first 2 weeks: 120% on training days, 100% on off days
Next 2 weeks: 100% on training days, 90% on off days
Final 2 weeks: 100% on training days, 70-80% on off days, depending upon how much fat needs to be lost.

In reality, you have up to 3 weeks in Cruise to get it off, but I favor that period more for norming vs. any aggressive fat loss.

Hope that helps!

Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:11 pm
by Billton
In this first run I'm not concerned with loosing, just maintaining the best I can. I'm at 17.6 by bio-electrical impedence, and that's okay for winter. I would like to be sub 12 by march or april. What would you recommend for maintaining durning my first Blueprint run?

Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:42 pm
by RobRegish
Tough call on calories as we're all different.

I like to keep track of daily calories over a week's time. Divide by 7 at the end. Assuming your scale weight is within a pound or so as when you started, presto - there's your magic maintenance # :)

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 12:56 pm
by Billton
I'm on day four of my famine(I had already taken almost two weeks off when I purchased BP, and I got a waking F/S/S). I had a question regarding the strength periodic, and when to start it. I'm confused about how many days I take to begin working out after the famine phase. Then, about the periodic, how many lifts is it designed to handle? I was thinking Bench, Clean and Press, Squat, Deadlift. Is there any reason that would certainly be too much?

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:49 pm
by RobRegish
Great questions.

First, do take care going into workout #3. If you at all feel sick, off or just "not right" - discontinue. Health first, always!

Next, you take 3 days off entirely just to sleep and eat before commencing your 5 workout bridge into the Periodic.

Once we establish your 1RM's in 2 big lifts, (suggest BP and SQ) I'll take it from there.

Have fun with it and remember... one week at a time. Best for focus, execution and keeping everything straight. I'll take care of the rest!

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:56 pm
by RobRegish
Great questions.

First, do take care going into workout #3. If you at all feel sick, off or just "not right" - discontinue. Health first, always!

Next, you take 3 days off entirely just to sleep and eat before commencing your 5 workout bridge into the Periodic.

Once we establish your 1RM's in 2 big lifts, (suggest BP and SQ) I'll take it from there.

Have fun with it and remember... one week at a time. Best for focus, execution and keeping everything straight. I'll take care of the rest!

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 6:29 pm
by Billton
I noticed that you said you had folks working out everyday in Blueprint 1.0, and since I typically workout six days per week and have done pretty high volume, I just hit it everyday, and did an upper/lower split cutting down rest periods in the following manner. 3:00, 2:00, 1:30, 1:00, and tomorrow :30. I haven't hit the gym yet today. I have a bench and squat max from 6 weeks ago. I worked out three weeks, got sick for a week, took the next week off even though I was well, and now famine this week. Should we use those numbers or get new ones?

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:36 pm
by RobRegish
You definately want new ones and you DEFINATELY want to start inserting some rest days in there (or at least consider it).

The frequent colds/sickness are a sign. A rather obvious sign your body is protesting the volume/frequency. I appreciate your enthusiasm don't get me wrong, but I also know how to read the tea leaves...

You will benefit greatly from some additional recovery time. I wish I had my youth back :)

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:02 pm
by Billton
I'll get some new ones then, and certainly consider dropping the frequency. A big part of the frequency is based on two things. One, I try to keep my gym time under an hour a day, so I try not to cram too much into one workout anymore. And two, I haven't been able to build strength in the past without hitting a lift at least twice per week. When I drop to once per week I tend to stall out, and if I go 10 days or more I seem to go backward. On the first part of the periodic I was looking at doing an upper lower split and doing four workouts per week. Unfortunately, due to my schedule, it would be MTWT. I would have preferred MTTF. I don't know how I feel about three days off in a row. I may consider some LIGHT work for 15 minutes or so on Friday or Saterday. What do you think?

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 6:36 am
by RobRegish
That makes sense. Schedules are schedules, so do your best.

I know that's cliche, but its the truth. You sound like you're prioritizing correctly so I have no worries. The one thing that will really help here is that intra-workout drink I outline in BP. If you're not already on that, I'd get on it right quick.

Will GREATLY enhance your recovery from these very intense sessions!

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 4:11 pm
by Billton
Sounds good. I was planned on getting some BCAA's. I have never used an intra-workout drink. So, during the first three days of the feast do you recommend BCAA's? Thanks!

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 6:09 pm
by RobRegish
Generally no, unless you're using BCAA protocol #1.

Otherwise, use protocol #2. Easier on the wallet too for us cheap folk :)

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 3:18 am
by Billton
Day 1 of the famine: Waking HR 55 bpm, weight 241lbs, BF% 17.6%.

Day 1 of the feast: Waking HR 65 bpm, weight 236lbs, BF not checked.