Looking up fitness advice is frustrating. Everyone has their own idea of how to manage the "perfect" routine - the perfect diet, the perfect exercise, the perfect philosophy. However, one's personal goals may not line up with the goals of the adviser you've met on the Internet.
My goal is to put together a Juggernaut costume, and to look the part as best as I can. A lot of people said I should just change my goal - I could've dressed up as Storm Spirit, for example, who requires a bit less fitness. What I've learned is that at a certain point, you have to draw a line between "doing things the right way" and "doing what you want to do." I certainly could dress up as Storm Spirit. I certainly also could forsake the cosplay entirely and just get huge. But those aren't things I want to do.
So, let's talk about Juggernaut. Valve have done an amazing job with character design, in that you can spot Juggernaut a mile away. If I want to cosplay Juggernaut as best I can, then the first thing I need to do is be instantly recognizable as Juggernaut. Which means, in order of priority:
- The mask.
- The armor, fur, and sword.
- The silhouette.
Out of all these, only #3 is really dependent on fitness. On top of that, it's less important that I get my muscles up to Juggernaut's size, and more important that I get the shape of my body in line with Juggernaut's. Which means one thing:
It's time to cut.
I plan on staying with Starting Strength, but dropping my caloric intake and cleaning up the last remnants of my diet. I've done a pretty good job of cutting sodas and candy out of my diet, so far. The only sugars I get are from more natural, less junk-y sources. However, I still leave some room for flat bread, the occasional fried food, and the like. For the next 3 months, I'll be cutting those out.
I'm going to tackle this by stocking up on easy, healthy foods I know I will eat - nuts, for example. I have the great fortune of working at a company that caters lunch and fruits, so I can be more selective for some of my weekday meals. Plus, I'll continue drinking the Isopure I've been using. The overall philosophy here is to focus on what I can eat, and make sure that what I can eat is filling, but no longer feel compelled to eat for the sake of bulking up. It also helps that my medicine slightly suppresses my appetite.
If everything goes as planned, my strength gains will slow and/or stall, but I should expect to see my fat to drop. Research suggests that a caloric deficit is the One True Way to drop fat, but as long as I keep lifting and eat healthy (proteins, fats, fiber, etc), I should be able to drop it without losing the bit of muscle I gained over the last 3 months.
Weight: 191.8lbs
Fat: 25%
Squat: 285lbs (likely deload incoming)
Bench Press: 145lbs
Overhead Press: 120lbs
Deadlift: 305lbs
Power Clean: 125lbs
Chin-Ups: 5/3/3, kipping furiously
Pull-Ups: 4/3/2, kipping equally furiously
3 Months progress!
I plan on staying with Starting Strength, but dropping my caloric intake and cleaning up the last remnants of my diet. I've done a pretty good job of cutting sodas and candy out of my diet, so far. The only sugars I get are from more natural, less junk-y sources. However, I still leave some room for flat bread, the occasional fried food, and the like. For the next 3 months, I'll be cutting those out.
I'm going to tackle this by stocking up on easy, healthy foods I know I will eat - nuts, for example. I have the great fortune of working at a company that caters lunch and fruits, so I can be more selective for some of my weekday meals. Plus, I'll continue drinking the Isopure I've been using. The overall philosophy here is to focus on what I can eat, and make sure that what I can eat is filling, but no longer feel compelled to eat for the sake of bulking up. It also helps that my medicine slightly suppresses my appetite.
If everything goes as planned, my strength gains will slow and/or stall, but I should expect to see my fat to drop. Research suggests that a caloric deficit is the One True Way to drop fat, but as long as I keep lifting and eat healthy (proteins, fats, fiber, etc), I should be able to drop it without losing the bit of muscle I gained over the last 3 months.
Weight: 191.8lbs
Fat: 25%
Squat: 285lbs (likely deload incoming)
Bench Press: 145lbs
Overhead Press: 120lbs
Deadlift: 305lbs
Power Clean: 125lbs
Chin-Ups: 5/3/3, kipping furiously
Pull-Ups: 4/3/2, kipping equally furiously
3 Months progress!
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