Power Lifting | Lifting 101 | Forum

I just finished reading a book on Power Lifting call Power Lifting by Barney Groves, Phd. (written in 2000).  I was hoping to pick up some new tips on how to get stronger but this book basically just rehashes what I've already learned from Darrin.  Working to failure part of time; consistency; regular, slow progression; periodization; rest; and nutrition are the keys presented in the book.

What amazed me most in the book was a chapter where it gave examples of five power lifters of different ages, sexes, and sizes.  The training regimens for all of them were similar and all eerily similar to one of Darrin's programs (except some of them did arm work).  They all worked out four times per week and none of them did only the three lifts during training except near meet time.  In fact, some them did bicep curls and tricep push downs on a regular basis. Their nutritional plans were very similar to a body builder as well, except some them ate only three or four meals per day, although one of them did eat six times per day.  

Another difference was that all of the lifters ate at least one meal without significant amounts of protein and the author proclaimed that only about 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight is necessary no matter how active one is.  For me, that would mean that I should eat only about 110 grams of protein, whereas Darrin and others recommend that I should eat 1 gram per lb of body weight since I'm lean.  That's a difference of 40 grams per day, which is more than one meal.  In fact, this author states that high protein diets are dangerous, because "…excessive protein flushes calcium from the body" and "The excess nitrogen in a high-protein diet is dangerous to the kidneys, and excess protein causes dehydration."

I wonder how much there is to this, because getting in all my calories per day would be much easier if I could skip 25-30 grams of protein on a couple of my meals and trade them for carbs?  Finding a clean, protein choice six times per day gets tough and expensive.  Carbs, fats, fruits, and veges are easy, but lean protein every three hours is tough, especially that last meal.

I guess the most surprising thing to me in the book, other than the fact that power lifters train and eat much like bodybuilders,  is not that he suggests less protein but that the athletes would actually eat an entire meal without any protein, especially if they were eating only three or four meals per day.  This was not supported or dispelled by the author but came from the actual meal plans of some of the athletes.  I could see going straight, simple carbs right after a workout but not in a regular meal.  But like you say, this was ten years ago, and athletes may not be practicing all-carb meals nowadays.

From my reading on this site and other places, I've picked up that it is important to always eat some good quality protein every time one eats, because 1) you want to space the protein out as much as possible throughout the day so as to get maximum use by your body, and 2)Protein increases metabolism about 30%, compared to approx. 10% as seen with fats and carbs, so, if one eats protein each meal, he or she is helping to keep his or her fat-burning furnace fired up throughout the day.

This is the first time I've ever heard of eating 60% of daily protein w/i a three hour period around a workout.  This would be very tough for anyone with a life outside the gym, but I'll see what I can find out about this idea. 

Post edited 1:34 pm – November 25, 2010 by Cameron

"- I'm not sure if Cameron meant 60% of the day's protein is taken in that 3-hr block, but he can reply on that; for me, about 70% of my carbs are taken in that 3-hr block (not counting veggies in this carb calculation) and about 50% of my protein; the 50% of P is simply because I eat most of my total calories in that period too"

I was overplaying the number a bit to emphasize my point.  I didn't literally mean 60%, honestly the number is more of 40-50%.  But keep in mind there should be 4 of your meals in that window too:  A small meal about 2-2 1/2 hrs. before, a snack about 15-45 min before, snack during/directly after, and another meal about 1 1/2- 2 hrs. afterwards…

I can see why there is biceps in there.  A female might need a little extra work.  And while I dn't agree a lot with the authors' exercises I can see the value in most of them and a purpose as well.  I just feel the chosen exercises aren't efficient enough.  Also, oatmeal does have some protein in it.  As long as it's real oatmeal, and not instant, while I wouldn't call it a protein (because it's a carb) we also don't know when the workout it.  For those reasons I do feel that combined with the high doses in the other meals in the day that the oatmeal didn't have a "negligable" amount.  While leaving more protein to be desired, it wasn't all too bad.