02-17-09 03:23 PM - Post#528796    

John Kuc is one of the very best powerlifters of all time. He competed successfully in the 1970's and 1980's, first at superheavy, later at 242. The pinnacle of his career would have to be the 1980 worlds, where he squatted 832, benched 507, and deadlifted 870, setting an IPF record at 242 that still stands today, going on thirty years later.

Here's his diet, from his book, John Kuc Speaks on Powerlifting

Gain Weight Diet - used this diet to go from 242 to 330
Breakfast - 8 eggs, quart whole milk, 6 pieces toast, peanut butter and jam, 2 bananas, 2 apples, 1 orange
Lunch-12 ounces cottage cheese, pint whole milk, 2 apples, 2 bananas
Dinner - 1 lb any meat, pint whole milk, 1 lb. fresh or frozen vegetables, 2 apples
Night Time Meal - 30g protein supplement, pint whole milk, 8-12 5" pancakes OR 6 pieces french toast with syrup, 2 apples
approx 5500 calories, 400g protein

Lose Weight Diet - used to reduce from 330 to 242
Breakfast - 4 eggs, throw out 2 yolks, pint skim milk, 1 apple, 1 banana, pint water
Lunch - 8 oz. ground beef, pint skim milk, apple, banana, pint water
Dinner - 4 oz. chicken or beef, 8 oz. fresh or frozen vegetables, apple, pint water
Night time meal - 10g protein supplement, pint skim milk, apple, pint water
2000 calories, 160g protein

Diet from 1974 on - maintenance at 242
Breakfast - 5 eggs, throw out 2 yolks, 4 slices wheat toast, pint skim milk, banana, apple, peach, orange
Lunch - can tuna in oil, quart water, banana, apple, peach or pear
Dinner - 8 oz. poultry or fish, quart water, 8 oz. vegetable, apple, banana, salad
Night Time Meal - pint skim milk, 1 oz. pure bran, 15g protein supplement, pint water
2700 calories, 160g protein

Daily Vitamin and Mineral Intake
3g vitamin C, 2 tablets of High Protein, B complex, 200 IU vitamin E, 4g bone meal, 4g alphalfa, 1 high potency multivitamin tablet

The most important test a lifter has to pass is the test of time. -Jon Cole

Edited by ccrow on 02-18-09 12:23 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

02-17-09 03:43 PM - Post#528809    

Very interesting.

Do all three diets strike you as short on fiber? Maybe not, with the 8 oz veggies and the fruit.

They all strike me as short on omega 3 and, from the results, high on discipline.

jej

02-17-09 03:46 PM - Post#528811    

Thanks, Byron. I've always admired John Kuc. He lifted with precision.

Bill2 Integrity is what you do when you think nobody is watching.

Re: John Kuc's Diet
02-17-09 04:57 PM - Post#528851    

• ccrow Said:

Funny! I remember those.

02-17-09 08:19 PM - Post#528907    

• jej Said:

It strikes me as very short on FOOD for a big man. I know he cleaned up his diet a lot in the course of his career, but it sure seems a little too limited for a real person's diet. Does he say this is his in-season diet?

http://squatrx.blogspot.com/

02-18-09 06:36 AM - Post#528961    

Yeah with all that fruit it is a lot of fiber, but almost no omega3's. The reducing and maintenance diets are both pretty low in fat.

The last one, the maintenance diet, was what he ate from 1974 on. From what you read in the magazines it is not enough, but evidently it was enough to be one of the best deadlifters of all time.

His training log showed that his weight was about 240 off season (off drugs) and 250 just before the contest, which means he dryed out the day before to make weight - not unusual, not much to lose for someone that size.

So at least for Kuc, three squares and a shake will get you pretty far

The most important test a lifter has to pass is the test of time. -Jon Cole

02-18-09 07:47 AM - Post#528965    

I cant see the weight gain diet containing 400g of protein a day ! there isnt 100g in each meal there..

"Never rub another man's rubarb!" Jack nicholson aka "The joker" (After knocking bruce wayne -Batman sparko..)

02-18-09 09:24 AM - Post#529000    

You're right. I added up the major sources of protein and came up with 250 grams. That's ignoring the toast, jam, fruit, vegetables, and pancakes, and assuming two tablespoons of peanut butter and 70% lean ground beef. They'd add some but I doubt 150 grams on top of it.

"Mens sana in corpore sano" ---- "Simply being amid the iron and at work is a triumph. You hear the metal, feel its coolness, leverage its gravity and fight the fight. You finish with a smile somewhere on your face and joy someplace in your heart and an ache of fulfillment all over."

02-18-09 09:52 AM - Post#529008    

Nah, add it up again, if he's off, he's not far off.

8 eggs at 8g = 64g (assuming jumbo, who gets the little ones?)
2.5 quarts milk = 79g
pound of meat = 120g (could be more, or less)
12 oz cottage cheese = 45g
3 pb&j's = 21
34 protein powder

That's 363g, plus the couple grams here and there from the produce (it's a lot of produce) plus the pancakes / french toast ... if he's off, he's not far off....

The most important test a lifter has to pass is the test of time. -Jon Cole

02-18-09 11:53 AM - Post#529050    

• ccrow Said:

That's how I figured it too. The milk really would make any other protein source a complete protein. Coupled with any anabolic use, and he's cooking with gas.

Mark it Zero.

02-18-09 12:13 PM - Post#529057    

Thank you for posting this. I have been looking for his book but cant find it. Can you post some of his training advice? Especially how he prepared for a contest. Thank you.

02-18-09 12:16 PM - Post#529059    

Im gettin it to 332.5g not including the produce

"Never rub another man's rubarb!" Jack nicholson aka "The joker" (After knocking bruce wayne -Batman sparko..)

02-18-09 12:25 PM - Post#529065    

• sean . Said:

Maybe I added wrong, I did it from memory and no calculator

The most important test a lifter has to pass is the test of time. -Jon Cole

02-18-09 12:26 PM - Post#529067    

• pwrlftr96 Said:

Sure, I'll make a separate thread.

The most important test a lifter has to pass is the test of time. -Jon Cole

02-18-09 02:59 PM - Post#529106    

Food's a funny thing, no?
It's hard to be sure how much nutrient you leave behind
when you stand back up.
Some guys use it all while others take a pass.

Life's too short to worry about longevity.

02-18-09 05:36 PM - Post#529144    

• Boris Said:

Me too! I'm 6 inches shorter and 75 lbs lighter and still need close to 2500 cals to maintain 165 when I'm training for a meet.

Be strong. Be in shape. Be a man among men, regardless of your age or circumstances.

02-18-09 05:40 PM - Post#529148    

• AAnnunz Said:

You workout way way more than Kuc did

The most important test a lifter has to pass is the test of time. -Jon Cole

02-18-09 05:52 PM - Post#529153    

Ah damnit. Now I have to look up my numbers again.

8 eggs (whole, raw, large) = 48 grams
1 quart whole milk = 31 grams
2 tbsp peanut butter = 8 grams
12 ounces cottage cheese = 39 grams
1 pint whole milk = 15.5 grams
1 lbs ground beef = 63.5 grams
1 pint whole milk = 15.5 grams
30 grams whey isolate = 25.5 grams (assuming 85%)
1 pint whole milk = 15.5 grams

That's 261.5 grams of protein.

Ignoring the fruit, vegetables, toast, and pancakes. Assuming the beef is 70% lean. Assuming 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.

It'd be over 300 with the others but I don't think 400 unless you're using some hefty toast and way more peanut butter.

"Mens sana in corpore sano" ---- "Simply being amid the iron and at work is a triumph. You hear the metal, feel its coolness, leverage its gravity and fight the fight. You finish with a smile somewhere on your face and joy someplace in your heart and an ache of fulfillment all over."

John Kuc Speaks: Diet
02-18-09 06:03 PM - Post#529157    

• ccrow Said:

True. He may be the best 242 lber ever, but I'm an eff'ing machine.

You know, the other "greatest 242", Ed Coan, is about my height. I wonder how much he had to eat to maintain that much bodyweight?

Be strong. Be in shape. Be a man among men, regardless of your age or circumstances.

John Kuc Speaks: Diet
02-18-09 07:03 PM - Post#529167    

I think you're kind of rounding down to make your point but whatever. For example two level tablespoons of PB per sandwich would be a minimum for me, and he's having three sandwiches plus 2g per slice of bread etc. But now we're quibbling.

The most important test a lifter has to pass is the test of time. -Jon Cole

Edited by ccrow on 02-18-09 07:08 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

02-18-09 07:38 PM - Post#529181    

What ever John Kuc he ate, he put it to good use.

Mark it Zero.

02-18-09 08:23 PM - Post#529195    

Same here 2700 cals a day keeps me at 154 lbs.

its just not fair that someone can eat that and be 100 lbs heavier lol

Blue.

02-18-09 08:29 PM - Post#529198    

• Blue Said:

Oh, yeah, that's tough alright!

Funny how we're all over the map on how much we can eat, and how some of us gain weight easily and others can't gain to save their lives.

02-19-09 03:55 AM - Post#529259    

Its all about how you digest your food , iv found adding a digestive enzyme to my meals when eating more helps me gain muscle quicker..a lot of people go on bulk diets but cant digest the food and get fat ,this is where an d.e comes in handy..

"Never rub another man's rubarb!" Jack nicholson aka "The joker" (After knocking bruce wayne -Batman sparko..)

02-19-09 02:47 PM - Post#529425    

• Blue Said:

My heart bleeds for you.

Peace ~ Bear