How much weight should I be gaining on SSLP?

[RalphieHarland]

Some background: I'm 24 years old, 6'8 (yes, really), 190 lbs, and I've been messing around in the gym on and off (mostly off) for the best part of 8 years.

After an extended period of time away from the gym, I'm running SS. I've worked up to the following weights for 3 sets of 5 in my first week: 210 lbs, 165 lbs, 265 lbs, 90 lbs for the squat, bench, deadlift and press, respectively.

In "How to be a Beast" Jordan says he would have "Johnny" (23, 5'10, 160 lbs) eat 4400 kcal per day.

Given that I have some training experience - although I have a fair bit of linear progression in me, my lifts are well above where they would be had I never trained - would you recommend something similar to what was prescribed for "Johnny"? Or would you recommend a more moderate calorie intake, enough say to gain 0.5 - 1 lbs a week? (For me that would be in the low-mid 3000s kcals per week).

I'm sorry about this terribly long way of asking how much weight should I gain on SSLP?

Many thanks.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Ralphie,

I would recommend you gain weight in a similar manner to Johnny, though your caloric needs may differ. You are massively underweight. 0.5 pound a week is far too slow.

[RalphieHarland]

Thanks, Jordan.

[Cuandoman]

I'm 37 year old male, 6'8" and was 180 lbs at the start of my LP last year.

2017 was a bitch, so my LP was interrupted (moved 3 times, 2 grandparents died, and my wife got pregnant with #3). My weight ramped up to 207 and my lifts prior to my hiatus were: DL 265 / SQ 225 / BP 140 / PR 90. I don't clean as I'm not particularly interested in athletic endeavors, just doing this to get stronger and for aesthetics. I'm also shit at cleans and don't want to hurt myself. I should likely see a coach, but $ is tight.

While I was gaining I was eating ~3300 kCal with a P25 / C45 / F30 macro split. My issue was eating nearly nothing in the morning. I just implemented a protein shake made with whole milk, a bowl of oatmeal, and a glass of apple juice before work. That made up the difference for me.

During my 'break' I cut back on my eating a bit to make sure I wasn't gaining a ton of untrained weight. I had strength losses, but not too much in the way of weight.

Got back in the gym a week before Christmas and I'm working my way back up to my previous PRs and breaking others. Currently DL 275 / SQ 210 / BP 125 / PR 90 at 212 lbs. I'm additionally working on chins in place of cleans. I'm open to ideas on programming though. Should likely re-read the blue book.

Current plan is to eat ~3500 kCal a day (until it stops working and then adjust up) with the end goal ~240 or so. Is this a reasonable end goal weight for LP or should it be higher? Ripp likes to comment that a man is 5'10" 200lb. That's a 28.7 BMI. I know it's not a perfect calculation, but at 6'8" 28.7 is roughly 260 lbs.

I hope some of this can help my altitudinous brethren. Discussion welcome.

[RalphieHarland]

Ralphie,

I would recommend you gain weight in a similar manner to Johnny, though your caloric needs may differ. You are massively underweight. 0.5 pound a week is far too slow.

Just out of interest, how much would you expect someone who's 6'7-6'8 to weigh at the end of their LP? Thanks.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Just out of interest, how much would you expect someone who's 6'7-6'8 to weigh at the end of their LP? Thanks.

If they started at 190, hopefully they'd weigh 240+.

[RalphieHarland]

If they started at 190, hopefully they'd weigh 240+.

Thanks Jordan.

I have tried to take your advice on board and have been eating in the region of 4000 kcals per day.

On day of your last reply I weighed 190. Today, I weigh 196. So that's 6 lbs in almost 3 weeks. Waist is 35" at the bellybutton.

The last few workouts have been more difficult - the presses especially. My numbers for 3x5 are now 275, 160, 330, 110. The last bench rep was basically an RPE 10 grinder.

Given this, is my rate of weight gain too slow? And if so, how much would you up the calorie intake?

Finally, when the reps get grindy on the bench press, is it advisable to reduce the 5lbs increases to 2.5?

Thanks again,

Ralphie

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Your weight gain may be a little slow, but probably not why your training was hard that day- that's probably the increase increment. Take it down to 2.5lbs