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First post, new to BP. I am incredibly impressed by all the support and knowledge here. Well done to you all.

I have yet to see anyone posting a log leading up to their first run with their workouts/stats/questions so I thought I would post leading up to my run to keep me motivated and to get me educated. If nobody wants to bothered with this type of log, I expect it will die a quick death. I hope it stays alive and well though.

A little background on me, I have been lifting for about 2 years or so while in the middle east. I have made great progress going from 6'5" @ 205lbs to around 235 now. I have been as high as 255 but you should have seen how fat I was. Up until now I have probably been in a chronic overtraining state as sometimes all I have to do is train.

I go on R&R on the 23rd of Sept and will return here on 7 Oct. I will not be lifting at all on vacation so this will act as my rest prior to famine. Upon arrival I will train very light for a week just to rebuild some muscle memory and to get ready for famine. I will need it after all of the beer and food I eat while home. I intend on posting my workouts leading up to my BP run to get a good before/after comparison as well as to ask plenty of BP questions. I have no idea where I am on my maxes right now, pretty pathetic probably!

BP question #1.... In famine, what has been the most effective way to eat to sustain energy and is it desired to eat counter to that? Is our famine most effective if we evenly spread our eating over the day in say 6 meals or is it more productive to eat maybe 2 meals? Has anyone noticed a differance?

A. I've done it both ways. Personally, I prefer fasting throughout the day with fruit/veggie drinks, the workout and one HUGE meal. Sleep better that way.

Todays workout:

Flat BB Bench
BarX10
135X6
205X4
225X3
275X1
285X1
275X6 ( I had more in the tank, no spotter anywhere near)
295X1
Low incine DB press 110sX9 to complete failure ( I used this set for my intensity, really killed that set!)


DB Incline press sup set w/ Dumbell pullovers @ notch one (Thanks Rob, I love doing them at the first notch, feels wayyyyy better. BP scores right off the bat!)

70s for 3 set of 8 on each exercise, nice and slow, great stretch!

I then moved onto some weighted Ab work followed by some light static holds just to test the water with them. The workout felt great even though the volume was very low compared to my normal slaughterings.

Very soon.... BP will begin!!!! Hopefully this log keeps me stoked for it! I intend on really putting your program to the test Rob! I am also pimping it out here in the desert, consider me your Mid East sales rep!

A. THANKS! I really need it. I've got an appt at 6 guys I have to run to but I'll be back.

It will be interesting to see this. Be prepared for your lifts to blow up significantly.

Although you said you would rest for a week, then do light training for a week, then go to famine, you can just rest then go straight to famine. I did it myself, and so did many others. I ate a bunch of food the week before starting it too. Just a suggestion incase you thought it was bad to go straight to the famine after rest, do it however you feel is best.

I think I may do that... I know when I get back from vacation I will be chomping at the bit to train. I will be heading over to Afghanistan as soon as I return... back to the hardcore gyms!!!! These gyms in Kuwait are more like womens fitness clubs in comparison.

After reading through UWB and awisler's logs (Great work on both counts) I think I may incorporate BP training protocol over the next three weeks before going to the states. I feel it will give me an idea of my baseline for my EDT blocks as well as help me get my head wrapped around the training regiment (allow me to make my mistakes and learn prior to the actual start).

Yeah I am still at the "Ummm, yeah I am lost" Phase of my BP reading. Getting there though.

Any thoughts?

Yeah you could maybe test out your 1RM on bench/squat/deadlift, # of pullups/pushups etc something like that to have for comparison in the future.

As for being lost, I was as well. Break it down into each phase. What I did was got a piece of paper and wrote out:

1) The workouts for famine, with blank spaces to fill in the weight/rep numbers, how long to rest etc
2) Height, weight, current lift maxes
3) Diet - It is minimal protein and 8-12x bodyweight, so make a list of foods very low in protein that you eat so you have an idea of what to buy


Once you do that think if you have any questions at all about the famine phase. Write them down and see if you can find a sticky here about that topic, if that doesn't work then ask them in this log, people here will help out as much as they can and Rob can clear anything up.

Now famine phase is conquered, and either now or during the famine phase you can make the same plan for the feast phase.

Welcome to the team Jwin, how'd ya find us?

And I just wanted to personally welcome you too

We're glad you found us. You're home now man...you're home.

Big.jazayrli wrote:Welcome to the team Jwin, how'd ya find us?

Thanks all. Glad to be here. I found your secret sqirrel network trough Turboflex's log over on nolinksplease.com.

I was skeptical at first but the more I researched BP and the more I saw Rob personnaly involved the more I bought into it. Im ready to start NOW! Vacation first though.

JWIN wrote:

Big.jazayrli wrote:Welcome to the team Jwin, how'd ya find us?

Thanks all. Glad to be here. I found your secret sqirrel network trough Turboflex's log over on nolinksplease.com.

I was skeptical at first but the more I researched BP and the more I saw Rob personnaly involved the more I bought into it. Im ready to start NOW! Vacation first though.

Sounds exactly like me, I was really skeptical at first but not at all anymore. And I was going crazy during the week I took off before famine, I just wanted to get at it. But it builds up motivation for when you do start.

Looks like I am going with the BP Mass Stack for my supllementation.

I have been thinking hard about my goals for this run and I am going to focus purely on strength this first first time through. A run for strength will prime me for making a good run for hypertrophy later. I will be reading through the BP one more time tonight and then I will be designing my program for your scrutiny.

Think I will go destroy back today

Got in a good back workout yesterday between BP readings. Really felt strong.

Lat Pulldowns 2 light sets for warmup

Mixed grip pullups- 6, 12, 10, 8

DB Rows- 105s for 3 sets of 10 (I have always struggled with these, I did well keeping the tension off of my arms and in my back, but it was lighter than usual)

Seated Cable Rows- 2 sets of 10 w/ a 3rd drop set.

Straight arm pulldown- 3 light controlled sets



I did not do any deads as I have been doing them alot lately and thought I would take a week off from them. Next back day I will get back to them. I also took a week off of T-Bar rows as they have been a regular staple. It was a nice change of pace.

Looks terrific.

Great goal, great stack and good planning. You're setting yourself up for new PR's and we're all here to make sure you get them!

Appreciate your updates...

After a good day off (light cardio only) I went after shoulders. Intended on hitting up legs, but just was not feeling it and I happened to watch a video of Branch Warren training shoulders.

DB Shoulder presses:

After a few warmup sets I decided to destroy 90s for a working set. I blasted out 9 incredibly explosive reps. I actually kind of scared myself.
I am working on toning my volume down a bit but couldnt resist blasting out 6 more with 95s. Again, Rob's warmup thread is a game changer! I swear by it now.

DB Side Raises:

3 of 12 w/ 25s, nice and controlled reps

Bent over Raises:

3 of 10 w/ 25s

Front Raises:

1 of 12 w/ 25s light but decided front delts were feeling good already.

Cable Upright rows:

2 of 10 w/ 110lbs

Smith Machine Shrugs: ( I like these, I can stand back from the bar just a bit so it doesnt drag up)

Worked up to 315 for a good set of 12 dropping to 135 to finish.

All in all felt like a great workout. I had to fight the urge to keep on blasting them though. Sometimes I get in the gym and just do not want to leave until I puke and cant move. I am forcing myself to hit it hard and let it be. Any of you former chronic overtrainers have any advice to get the heck out of the gym when you dont need to be there?

I feel like if I keep pushing hard leading up to this run I am going to have a lot harder time of breaking PRs on my run. I really would like to be plateaued off when I go on vacation. Thats going to be the true test for BP for me, no newbie gains. I will post my PRs now since I am not up to them right now. These were about 10 months ago in Afghanistan.

Flat Bench- 330
Deadlift- 410
Squat- 275x5

Im going to beat legs to death tomorow. Then the plan is light cardio and a complete off day.

Awesome work!