hey ironfist...

[shaolin_knight]

How's your bear workouts going? I did DL once a week and BP twice a week, plus ate all the time, and gained 23 pounds in a couple months. I tried to do DL two times per week, but couldn't handle it with my job, being sore all the time. I did 5 reps, 12-15 sets with DL, and 5 reps, 14-20 sets with BP. Most of the growth was in my legs, hips, and back, my triceps grew a lot too. I ate about 135-160 grams of protein a day. I couldn't sleep enough, I was always tired a couple days after my deadlift workout. I was miserable all the time, especially at work. but guess what? for Thanksgiving, my family got together, and first thing my aunt says to me is "you've gotten big" and later my uncle says "you put on some size since I've seen you last" and my skinny cousin says "do you use creatine?"! so good luck, and don't over do it, cuz that's what I did at first and I got no results. as soon as I cut back on my workouts per week, I grew.

[SevenStar]

Congrats! sounds like you're making good progress

[IronFist]

How's your bear workouts going?

Well, I've only done 2 so far, but they're going good :) I have another one in like an hour, or whenever I go to the gym.

but guess what? for Thanksgiving, my family got together, and first thing my aunt says to me is "you've gotten big"

Hehe, at Thanksgiving my aunt came up to me and the first thing she said was "have you lost weight?" The last time I saw her was two years ago when I was trying to be a bodybuilder. :D

Sounds like you made some good progress.

IronFist

[TjD]

how much of your 1 RM did you deadlift/bench and how long did you wait between sets?

what were your strengh gains like - or was it all mass?

[shaolin_knight]

the bear program is simple. it's outlined in the book "Power to the People" by Pavel Tsatsouline. as for strength, I was able to handle more weight every week, but it wasn't even close to what I can handle for 5 reps normally. the program focuses on volume. lots of sets. I didn't gain poofy size, except in my chest a little, my muscles are hard and defined. I don't really go by percentages, I go by what I can handle. for example, I found out what poundage I could handle for 5 reps 14 sets by doing it, next workout I'd go with 18 or 20 sets with the same weight, then maybe next workout add weight and do only 12 sets, then add sets again, etc.