Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Earlier today I shared an email from a reader who has gained 32 pounds of muscle in just six months by following Dino-style workouts. He is in the Navy, and will be on a six-month deployment, and wondered if he should stock up on protein powder to help keep his weight up and hold is muscular size.
I asked for your thoughts and feedback, and you did a great job in your responses.
Here’s what you had to say – and please note in particular the responses from those of readers who have served in the Armed Forces and had to deal with the very same issue that Billy is working through!
THE DINO RESPONSES:
Hope I am not too late to weigh in, no pun intended. Spend the money on home gym equipment. On ship, you can usually get allot of egg protein in the form of boiled eggs, eggs to order, scrambled eggs, etc. Just make nice with the CS (culinary specialists) and its usually as many eggs as you can fit on your plate and snack on throughout the day. Add some "unhealthy" bacon or sausage to the eggs and you will not lose anything during the deployment. Stay Strong!
All the best and Semper Fi,
Mark C. Losack
Colonel USMC Retired
Billy should save the protein powder money and buy more gear when he gets home. He actually has a lot more control over his diet than he imagines at this point. I spent 3 of my 24 active duty years on various ships. You have to be creative, but you can git'r done ... here are some of the things I did:
1. Make friends with the cooks ... a good hook-up is worth its weight in gold -- or hardboiled eggs.
2. Every time we stopped into a port, I'd go shopping and load up a backpack with cans of tuna and salmon (80-90 per load), nuts, rice, oatmeal, jerky and the like ... stuff that was nutrient-dense, wouldn't go bad and I could store in a very small locker.
3. There is always hot coffee and hot water on the mess decks ... use the hot water to make oatmeal, or rice and mix in the salmon or whatever.
4. Bring some basic spices on board the ship with you ... oregano, basil, hot sauce, peppers, whatever you dig ... it'll help change things up a bit.
4. Salads and fruit ... available on the mess decks daily at most meals ... grab a few extra pieces of fruit, or get a Tupperware container to stow an extra salad/veggies in.
Where there's a will, there is a way. Best wishes for continued success Billy ... fair winds and following seas.
Master Sgt Mark E. Benson
I spent several years in the Marine Corps back in the 1980's during the Beirut conflict, the Marine Corps served us adequate food. Typically the breakfast consisted of eggs, plenty of milk, and cream of beef, all enough protein sources, additionally, lunch and dinner consisted of chicken, or other meat source and once again all the milk we could drink. The protein is there, save the money and buy some Pillars of Power spot racks. -- Victorio Roman
Drink a little milk with each meal and use the extra money for equipment. Maybe spend some on a bigger wardrobe. You’ll need it! – Phil Pryor
Billy should buy the equipment. Free Weights and good equipment always trump supplements. He could always buy used equipment (which is usually very reasonable) and some powdered milk and a good vitamin. Eat good whole food and lift heavy. Please thank him for his service to our country. My Father is a proud Navy man. -- Stu Mason
My advice is to get the protein powder. I know supplements get a bad rap but a good basic whey or milk/egg protein powder is very cost effective. It is actually cheaper to use this along with whatever basic solid food or 3 squares you can get than to try and get the additional food or just strictly milk for added protein. Considering his circumstances especially, having the protein and calories would be more important in the short/medium term. You do not need a lot of equipment to make gains and it sounds like he has enough to train with anyways. Thats my vote! -- Kevin Guzda
To Billy's question; I say save the money and get the newer equipment.
I was a protein powder guy and found it doesn't truly add much. – Adam Burbey
Normally I would say get as much protein from real food as you can, but Billy will be out to sea and it sounds like he will not be getting any extra food, so I say Yes get the protein powder for the trip. -- Ed Leonhard
To me it is a no-brainer... that is … durable goods vs consumable goods. The equipment will last a lifetime, while the powder will only last a few months. If the gym equipment is top quality I would go with it, if you are compromising on the quality, then just wait. Of course, then, how often is Billy at sea? If the 6 months away from home is a regular thing, then perhaps some equipment for the road is in order. A set of kettlebells, for kettlebell clean and presses, jerks, snatches and getups on the ship. I don't know what is permitted, but I would find out. Of course I am partial to kettlebells. As for nutrition, one of Billy's first jobs on board should be to become best friends with the head cook and/or workers at the mess hall. -- Bob Klein
Great work there from Billy! Not knowing any details about the 3 meals a day, I'd still suggest he drop the protein powder and spend the money on some new gear. For starters, the gear will last longer and do more in the long run for Billy's strength and physique! But I'd imagine that those Navy guys would be served up some hearty grub, which I reckon should still satisfy his protein requirements while lifting. – Graeme Moore
Congrats to Billy for the gains, pretty amazing for 6 months time. My opinion is that Billy needs to use the money for his home gym. The spotter bars will be a necessity. The protein on the other hand is not. Not 100% sure but I would hope there would be sufficient protein in the "3 squares a day" and even if it falls a little short, food protein goes a lot farther than powder. – Josh Stewart
While Legacy of Iron is the first book in a series of novels it is also much more. For instance, when I read it, I thought if more young fellows followed the basic training outlined and ate much the same way there would be a lot more well built, strong and healthy guys around. Judging from Billy's letter, he is living proof. Now, my take is he would probably have gotten the same results even without the protein supplement. Just like Grimek, Davis, Stanko and the other York lifters did. There are many cases where guys have been in the military or other situations where food was not ideal yet still kept their size and strength and even increased it. Kevin Tolbert comes to mind. So I would say to Billy, buy the equipment and if you feel you may need a bit more protein buy some inexpensive skim milk powder and mix with a pint of water a couple times a day between meals. Same stuff, fraction of the cost. – Peter Yates
If I need equipment for my gym I usually get it around the holidays or just save up but personally always have protein powder. The kind I buy doesn't cost $250 every 6 months, though! -- Ben T.
In my experience, one can make great gains with plain whole food and regular workouts. As long as one continues to progress with increased weight resistance, the gains are sure to come. Bottom line: Use the money for something that will stay with you through your advancement in training. – Eric Elemen
A couple more times through the buffet line and some high protein snacks would do. Spend the money on usable realistic equipment (plates, plates, plates) not a pec dec. I like protein supplements but I don't rely on it I would much rather eat food. – Andrew Zook
BUY MORE EQUIPMENT!!! It's way more fun to make a new sandbag then to throw away money on supplements you don’t need. Boil some eggs and eat them through out the day. $1.82 for a dozen. 6 grams of protein per egg that's 72 grams of protein. When you’re working out, the eating will come. – Shane Eslit
More equipment for the home gym. The Navy food may not be the best but he probably could squeeze some extra food out of the servers if he tried. – Donnie Howell
I used to use Protein Powders a few years back and thought I was doing myself good. I feel it was a waste of money. I have dropped the Protein “Sludge” Powders and with the savings I have bought myself some more heavy equipment and books/manuals/courses for my home gym. With the new equipment I have made better gains in upper body size and strength than I ever have with any protein powder, and in less time. Just be sure to eat as much Clean, good food as necessary to maintain a balanced diet. “Heavy workouts twice a week will get you better gains than Protein Powders twice a day”. – Bruce Bouthillette
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDED TO MY EMAIL MESSAGE AND BILLY’S QUESTION!
I’ll wade in and post some of my own thoughts tomorrow. Be looking for them!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For BIG gains – perhaps even 32 pounds of muscle in six short months – grab any or all of the following from Dino Headquarters:
1. Strength, Muscle and Power
2. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and Development
3. History’s Strongest Men: Doug Hepburn
4. Chalk and Sweat
You can find all of them right here at Dinosaur Headquarters:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
