How Dave Tate cuts

taso42
taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Fascinating read on how Dave Tate (World Class Powerlifter) got cut and ripped.

It explains his diet and habits that got him looking like this (and remember kids, he was also lifting obscene amounts that us morals will only dream of, and smashing records):
tate-fat.jpg

And the changes he had to make to get looking like this:
tateripped.jpg

Imagine dropping down to mere 5100/calories per day to go on a cut.... !!!!!

WARNING: contains strong language.
Part 1: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_dave_tate_project_i

Part 2: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_dave_tate_project_part_2

Replies

  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
    Thanks! Will read later!
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Tate is insane and I have tons of respect for this guy.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Bump to read later. :)
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Can you imagine being so accustomed to junk food that you puke all day from eating chicken breasts and oatmeal? Glad he decided to do something about it, think he would have been dead by 50 easily otherwise.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Bumpage from me also
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Tate's list of injuries is INSANE.

    • Calves: I've torn both of them, leaving a huge indentation in each.

    • Right Knee: Back in the late 80's I strained my ACL and that left me on crutches for two weeks. I've had three other similar strains since that time.

    • Right Hamstring: I tore this hamstring so badly that I nearly needed surgery to fix it.

    • Left Knee: I've partially torn my patellar tendon. This wasn't bad, pain-wise, but it did mess up my squatting for four months.

    • Quad: I pulled my right quad in the early 90's. It was so bad that it turned my entire leg black.

    • Groin: I've injured my groin on both the right and left sides. This was a year of hell where there was nothing I could do to get it fixed. So I just wrapped it up and dealt with it. After a year it got better.

    • Lower Abdominal: I tore my lower abdominal muscles seven years ago. I did this while squatting and it was perhaps the most painful injury I've ever had.

    • Spine: The following discs are herniated: L4, L5, C4, C5. C4 and C5 left my hand numb for a few months. L4 and L5 occurred over 14 years ago and required me to take two months off training

    • Intercostals: I've strained two on each side over the past ten years.

    • Left pec: I tore this muscle at the tendon and needed surgery to repair it.

    • Right pec: I tore this muscle in half but decided to not have surgery since the tendon was still attached.

    • Both pecs: I've torn each at least 20 times and each time caused the entire pec to turn black and blue. All of these happened before the above pec injuries.

    • Right shoulder: I've had a torn supraspinatus, bone spurs, and now have arthritis. I had this shoulder cleaned up with the AC shaved down to allow more movement, but am now experiencing almost all the same ailments in the same shoulder. Doctors are talking replacement.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    He has to use a suicide grip on his bench I believe because of one (or more) of his injuries.
  • parvati
    parvati Posts: 432 Member
    Looks like an interesting read!!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    This is not right, cause Alan Argon says you need to eat x amount of protein

    You are funny....did you see what he eats?....I think he is getting his fair share of protein - actually, well in excess of the amounts discussed by Aragon. So I am not really sure of the point you are trying to make.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    Great Articles.

    I love T-nation, but one thing that has always annoyed me about T-nation's articles is how they advertise their supplements in their nutrition articles. I know that is where they make their money to operate, and write some awesome workout articles, but .....
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
    Great read
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    This is not right, cause Alan Argon says you need to eat x amount of protein

    You are funny....did you see what he eats?....I think he is getting his fair share of protein - actually, well in excess of the amounts discussed by Aragon. So I am not really sure of the point you are trying to make.
    "Oh. My. God. Dave ate around 10,500 calories today with around 450g of fat (38%), around 1450g of carbs (54%), and around 190g of protein (7%). And this was a "good" day."

    "In mid-February, Dave contacted me for some nutrition advice. (See Part I.) Specifically, he came to me weighing in at about 300 pounds and about 18% body fat."

    That's an LBM of 264lbs, consuming 190g of protein

    which is .72g per 1 pound LBM. Which is not crazy amounts most people believe, 1g - 1.25g per LBM or more.

    I went back to find the Aragon Recommendation in my topic "Muscle growth, protein recommendations are over rated"
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/787083-muscle-growth-protein-recommendations-highly-over-rated

    He was discussed a lot in that topic and the recommendations from what i see are 1.0g/lb or more.

    I am pretty sure at 10,500 he was not at a deficit!

    You are brave for linking that thread though I do have to say!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    This is not right, cause Alan Argon says you need to eat x amount of protein

    You are funny....did you see what he eats?....I think he is getting his fair share of protein - actually, well in excess of the amounts discussed by Aragon. So I am not really sure of the point you are trying to make.
    "Oh. My. God. Dave ate around 10,500 calories today with around 450g of fat (38%), around 1450g of carbs (54%), and around 190g of protein (7%). And this was a "good" day."

    "In mid-February, Dave contacted me for some nutrition advice. (See Part I.) Specifically, he came to me weighing in at about 300 pounds and about 18% body fat."

    That's an LBM of 264lbs, consuming 190g of protein

    which is .72g per 1 pound LBM. Which is not crazy amounts most people believe, 1g - 1.25g per LBM or more.

    I went back to find the Aragon Recommendation in my topic "Muscle growth, protein recommendations are over rated"
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/787083-muscle-growth-protein-recommendations-highly-over-rated

    He was discussed a lot in that topic and the recommendations from what i see are 1.0g/lb or more.

    I am pretty sure at 10,500 he was not at a deficit!

    You are brave for linking that thread though I do have to say!

    How many grams of protein did he consume on his cutting? I also specifically remember Aragon saying "An advanced lifter needs more protein. Than a beginner for bulking."

    I just added up his 'new diet' - without adding in any of the lower protein to cal ratio stuff like nuts and veggies - he is already about 350g of protein.
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    I like having to put my belt through my belt loops before I put on my pants.

    Quote from the article. Nice to know I'm not the only one who does this. However, I don't "like" this, and I'll be happy for the day I don't have to do this.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member


    I just added up his 'new diet' - without adding in any of the lower protein to cal ratio stuff like nuts and veggies - he is already about 350g of protein.

    ScreenHunter_1.jpg

    What did you add up to get 350g?

    I'll even assume you're correct, that doesn't explain his daily intake to maintain his muscle mass. According to Aragon this guy is advanced and needs more protein?


    (taking off infini quotes)

    look at the article properly - you are missing a bunch of stuff (like the 1 cup of egg whites and 2 scoops of protein powder in his shake - which he has 2 of, and the 2 energy bars and the 2 protein puddings).

    Where are you getting 264lb of LBM?
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    Great read.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member


    I just added up his 'new diet' - without adding in any of the lower protein to cal ratio stuff like nuts and veggies - he is already about 350g of protein.

    ScreenHunter_1.jpg

    What did you add up to get 350g?

    I'll even assume you're correct, that doesn't explain his daily intake to maintain his muscle mass. According to Aragon this guy is advanced and needs more protein?


    (taking off infini quotes)

    look at the article properly - you are missing a bunch of stuff (like the 1 cup of egg whites and 2 scoops of protein powder in his shake - which he has 2 of, and the 2 energy bars and the 2 protein puddings).

    Where are you getting 264lb of LBM?

    I was going by the white box, number 3 on page 2. That's supposedly his new diet..
    Again, try not to read too much into the meals as this is just a template from which we're working and doesn't precisely define Dave's intake. In fact, as I said, Dave's nutritional intake has changed as often as his training.

    With the quoted text, all this is irrelevant since we can't make any solid conclusions.
    "In mid-February, Dave contacted me for some nutrition advice. (See Part I.) Specifically, he came to me weighing in at about 300 pounds and about 18% body fat."
    300 * .82 = 246lbs.

    I made a mistake on my original calculation.

    Read the article a bit more - you are missing a bunch of meals. What you added only adds up to less than 1,500 cals! You think the other 3,500 has no protein?

    Also, his LBM was actually lower as the BF% was probably higher than the 18% stated initally due to a large amount of visceral fat (the 18% was using calipers) - which you would have noticed if you have read the article more fully

    .
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member

    Yes, i saw that about the body fat on page one. Then why would he state on page 2 to as those being his stats? It's inconsistent and misleading. Above the white block of text it says it's his diet template, which would be a general guideline.
    So yes i used that, i noticed I missed the protein pudding. The "turtle shake" with 1 cups of egg whites, I missed that one too.

    My original post on this topic was about his size and protein intake. It's lower than what is recommended. As I said before Aragon recommends more protein for advanced lifters.

    I am sure you know my stand on this, protein intake is over rated, that's my point. There are a ton of studies on the link i posted earlier to my topic, not just mine others users posted a lot of studies on the subject too.

    Yes, I know your stand on this and I am sure you know that I disagree with it and there are a ton of studies that do also. I am not sure why you felt the need to try to make that point yet again in this thread.

    You made a point - I asked you about it, you came up with some numbers to justify your point which you later admitted were wrong....so, pretty much back to square one with that. If anyone wants to see your, and others discussion on protein, you provided the link to that thread.

    Lets just let taso have his thread back to discussing his man crush rather than your ideas on protein requirement shall we?
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    ....Lets just let taso have his thread back to discussing his man crush rather than your ideas on protein requirement shall we?
    It did rather become a hijack to develop one person's specific agenda, didn't it?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    i wonder how many calories i would burn loading and unloading plates for mr. tate during a deadlift day.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    i wonder how many calories i would burn loading and unloading plates for mr. tate during a deadlift day.

    i can just imagine trying to spot for him. I doubt I would be any help.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Tagging this, thanks for posting.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    ....Lets just let taso have his thread back to discussing his man crush rather than your ideas on protein requirement shall we?
    It did rather become a hijack to develop one person's specific agenda, didn't it?

    srsly
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    Thanks for the articles! I want to come back and check these out.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Wow! He looks like a completely different guy. I think he should have stopped somewhere in between but that's just personal preference. I know he had competition goals and stuff.
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
    Bump

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