FAQ's
OHAIGAIS, so here are some common questions I get asked.
1. You're not even big? Why should I listen to anything you say?
Lol. Okay well, this isn't a FAQ but I thought I should address this anyway. Firstly I have no intentions on getting big, that simply isn't my goal. I train for strength (under 5 reps = myofibrillar hypertrophy, mostly neurological adaptations). You should also listen to me because I could have been on my way to a recognized Bachelor in Exercise and Nutrition Sciences before I was 18 (deferred the course). There have only been 46 people in UQ to ever do that. So while you may be great at Maths, or dominate in Rugby, or maybe you can assemble a Honda engine with one hand or 360 no-scope some cunt blindfolded on COD, you probably know nothing about the human body, fitness or nutrition. Everyone has their forte(s), this is mine. To each their own. Being meek never won anyone anything.
2. Can you write me a fully sick workout plan man?
No, because quite simply, I cbf. But if I were to I'd just refer you to Stronglifts 5x5 anyway, it delivers incredible results. Be consistent, read all the articles on the website, don't miss workouts, eat ALOT and train hard. You
will see results.
3. Oh, but bro that's a strength routine, I just wanna get big!
What matters is consistent progressive overload, not the difference of 2 or 3 reps. Add weight to the bar every workout and you will get bigger, its as simple as that.
Strength gains = Mass gains. That's a given.
4. How much should I eat? I don't wanna lose my abs brah?
Firstly, I would recommend you really re-considering you goals. So you want to stay lean or get big? If its stay lean, then eat AT your TDEE. You will not gain fat and you will put on mass at a modest rate. If you want to get big, then simply eat at a surplus. 500+ is healthy and wont make you super fat super quick This is a faster way to put on muscle but as said, you will gain fat (Oooh how scary! -.-). Just Bio-chemistry 101.
5. Im pretty chub man, I wanna lose this fat and gain muscle as well? What should I do?
Losing fat and simultaneously gaining muscle is possible, but you must be willing to put the work in. Every calorie will count. Basically, find your TDEE and eat at a 500 deficit. Your body will be able to efficiently partition calories towards lean mass and the remaining will come from your deficit (fat). When your bodyfat drops below 13% this becomes an inefficient process, and at that point bulking and cutting will be more productive.
6. How much protein do I need?
1-1.5grams of protein per POUND of bodyweight.
Eg. I weigh around 80KG (176lbs). Therefore I need anywhere from 176grams to 264grams per day of protein. I go for about 200.
7. Whats some good supplements?
I'm going to come out right now and say you do NOT need ANY supplements. And don't think by not doing so, you are at a disadvantage or a loss. Supplements are simply that, supplements. They supplement food or something already naturally occurring in your body.
Common ones people come to me with are Creatine and protein powder. Im going to briefly explain what Creatine does, but mostly I will explain why you DONT need it. Creatine is naturally occuring in your body, and helps to refill glycogen stores faster and increase water retention. It can temporarily increase performance and poundage's, translating into a higher performance and poundage's when you cycle off. All that being said, its not necessary in the least. Creatine is only a small part in the overall process in gaining muscle. It wont give you super fast results, nothing will. Save your money, and focus on the other parameters that need to be met (eat, lift, sleep etc) before investing your hard-earned money into Creatine.
Next is protein powder. Let me make this clear.
Drinking protein powder will not get you big. Protein Powder is simply a supplement for the macronutrient, protein. You can get the exact same protein from eating a can of tuna, a piece of chicken breast/steak or an egg etc. Also, foods are much better for you than protein powder, they are more wholesome (increased satiety), nutritious and tasty. The only reasons you should be drinking protein powder is when you are unable to get all your protein requirement for the day from whole foods, or have trouble taking/eating meals due to a constraint time-frame or scenario. Eg. I drink a shake at school, because taking a can of tuna can get messy, and there really isn't anything else I can take that will satisfy my requirements that I already wont eat throughout the day.
8. Why do you even have this blog?
I have this blog to dispel common myths about nutrition that everyone is trapped into. I also have this blog because writing about shit like this is excellent practice.
9. "Bro squatting below parallel is bad for the knees, you've got it all wrong".
'Bro', say this to my face with conviction and I'll clean out your house and slaughter your pets then drink their blood. (notsrsbutstillmad)
Anyway, hopefully that cleared shit up. If you have any other Q's just ask me homies.
The 'Royal Wedding'
I'm not sure what has actually driven me to write about the royal wedding. Maybe its the fact that Kate Middleton (and her sister to some degree) are babein? Though more seriously perhaps it's the extravagant publicity and undue hype that I find both distasteful and demeaning. The wedding was delivered with more precision than the bullet to JFK's head. The overly organized, mechanized and perfected nature of the ceremony really seemed to detract from the reality of it all, rendering it somewhat fictitious in my eyes. In Laymen's terms, it looked like something out of a movie, thoroughly rehearsed and displaying painstaking attention to detail.
I can understand perhaps the general interest one may have due to the rarity of the event, but this? This is pure obsession. How easily billions can become so devoted, so patriotic in such short time makes you really question the loyalty of people. Some watch with the promise of an event filled with limitless wealth, a material ecstasy. Such things only fathomable in their dreams. Not to mention the fanatical following that has religiously fixated themselves upon the very idea of 'the dress' like some extremist group. And then we have the average, conformist individual who watched because they were half curious and half because it's what everyone else is doing. But no-one watched because two people in love were being bound in holy matrimony. This is what has shaped my belief that their marriage has lost most, if not all true meaning. It has essentially transposed from being one of holy and sacred values to a purely secular one based merely on surface-level elements such as aesthetics and ostentation.
Anyway, just my opinion (not trolling). I just wanted to share my
disgust views on the 'royal wedding' and how its nothing more than a highly publicized fashion pageant.
BTW - Ill try to put out one article a week alternating between fitness and nutrition. Next one should be a GROUND-BREAKING post on Saturated Fats (replacing the one below) that will blow all preconceived notions away. That should be done by Friday hopefully.
