Hello everybody. I’m currently 17 and have been training for the past two years. Two years ago I did a linear progression program but ended up stalling at a 60kg bench, 50 kg squat, and 70kg deadlift. Keep in mind that I knew nothing about nutrition and ended up spinning my wheels expecting to make progress at 2500 cals a day, This year I hopped on powerbuilding 1 and make some great gains (68kg bench, 95kg squat, and 118kg deadlift). Even though i was quite happy I questioned my progress, and always wondered why people who hopped off of SL or SS ended up much much stronger than I am, sure enough the answer was bodyweight lol. I’m about 5’11” and 74kg (and stayed around that for the last year). I recently read “To Be a Beast” and realized how I should’ve approached nutrition to maximize the linear gains (adding about 20 pounds bodyweight and being in a large surplus for about 2 months and slowly reducing the cals after that phase). I starting to think about going back into a linear program and trying to implement what was written in the article. Is it advisable to go back onto a linear program and maybe get my weight up to 180-190? Would I still be considered a novice that is able to reap he linear gainzz considering my pathetic numbers?
Sid,
There is nothing about LP that will make you gain more muscle or more strength than a well-designed program. I’d argue that LP is not a well-designed program and that any progress you would make on that program you would make more on another one.
For any weight gain, I’d recommend going slow because building muscle is a slow process. A few pounds a month would be fine.
-Jordan
Appreciate the response Doc! So I’m planning on getting the beginner program by BBM, I feel that it would definitely have much more volume than a regular LP routine. Would you recommend that I just redo Power-building 1, or purchase another program. I just don’t feel that I’m done with the novice phase considering the irregularities in gym sessions due to the pandemic in my place. Would you still stick with the nutritional recommendations made in the “How to be a beast” article or would you recommend going up 1lb per week in bw (slower bulk) for an extended period of time? I recently watched a BBM podcast in which you guys brought up the gainzZz scale and the various levels of gainzopenia (lol). I’m just confused as to the rate at which I’m meant to gain weight in order to fully reap the gainz from the program as I would be considered “underweight” in the gainzZz scale. Hope that made sense
Sid,
I would agree with doing the beginner program and then you’re free to do whatever template (or other program) you like. As far as the notion that you’re not “done with the novice phase”, I’d like to assure you that if you’re able to make rapid progress, the program isn’t going to stand in your way.
I think the recommendations for where to start your diet in the TBAB are fine, but I would not recommend rapid weight gain. A few pounds a month would be fine.
You don’t need to rush it, as that will only put you behind in the long term.
-Jordan
Hello Dr Feigenbaum,
3-4 months in and the progress has been crazy
squat 95kg—>115kg
Deadlift 118–>140 kg
bench 65kg—>68 kg (huge problem)
ohp 40kg—>50kg
bodyweight 75kg—>81 kg (feeling a bit more muscular and bigger without too much fat gain)
im currently in the second phase of the beginner template and my bench progress has been stagnant for the last 3-4 weeks (main bench and incline bench). I feel my technique is pretty solid, learned to get tighter and use leg drive. My incline bench performance increased for the first two weeks, after which I started to get weaker and plateau. I feel that changing the incline bench to the floor press would be slightly beneficial as it would address a current sticking point and allow me to introduce a new stimulus. Do you feel I should tweak the program in any way? (Change variation, increase volume) or would I be better served just waiting for the next block to see if I’ll make any new strength improvements?