Body Transformation: "Skinny Guy" Dylan Granquist Added 70 Pounds Dylan was active, but always labelled the "skinny guy....
Body Transformation: "Skinny Guy" Dylan Granquist Added 70 Pounds
Dylan was active, but always labelled the "skinny guy." Using this as motivation he hit the weights, packing on 70 pounds in just under 4 years.
Before Stats:
- 15
- July 2008
- 135 lbs
- 6'3"
- 12%
After Stats:
- 19
- Currently Still Pushing
- 205 lbs
- 6'3"
- 10%
Lifestyle Prior To Change
===================
What was your lifestyle like prior to your transformation?
I was always involved in sports as a kid and liked to stay active. I played baseball, hockey, and golf and loved to compete. I always hated being called skinny and that really motivated me to start lifting.
What was your low point or turning point?
I would say my low point was the first few months after I started lifting. I would look around and see everyone else lifting more weight than me. It was very frustrating because I was putting in the time but was not seeing the results I wanted.
The turning point for me was when I gained some patience and realized that something like weight training takes time. I focused on my form and stopped caring about how much weight I was doing. The next thing I knew, I was probably one of the stronger kids in my school, pound for pound.
Were there any unique challenges or circumstances that made your transformation particularly difficult?
To put it blatantly, I was very skinny when I started lifting; even though I hate the word “skinny”, because of how many times I was referred to as it. I would not call it a “unique” challenge but it was definitely the hardest part. I thought that lifting automatically made a person all vascular and buff, but I had to allow my strength to improve first before putting on size.
Please provide a timeline including when you started the transformation, and include major milestones:
- Transformation Start: Going into my freshman year of high school I got a membership at my local gym. I had just stopped playing hockey so I was looking for another hobby to get me through the cold Illinois winters. I started going to the gym by myself but I didn’t have any education on how to lift and other things like nutrition and supplements. I then started to go with my dad and we got into a pretty strict plan of upper body lifts. We would go three days a week after I got home from school and it became a part of my life. Ever since then, I haven’t even considered stopping because I love every second of it.
- Milestone: My first milestone that I hit was when I was able to finally bench press 135 lbs. I only weighed about 130 lbs so I could finally notice myself getting stronger.
- Milestone: I then went on to be able to bench 225 my senior year of high school, a feat I was looking forward to accomplishing for years
- Milestone: One of the best days was when I stepped on the scale and finally surpassed 200 lbs. I got much taller over the last 4 years and it was always hard for me to gain weight. Now that I am my max height of 6”3, I am able to focus on gaining more mass.
- Milestone: Early this May, I maxed out at 330 on the bench, which is the most I have ever done. It never gets old to see your self get bigger and stronger.
- Transformation End: My transformation is not over and I plan on continuing my lifting for as long as I can. I would like to reach 225-230 lbs and I will not stop until I get there.
Dylan's Training Approach
What was your weight training approach and split during your transformation?I like to switch it up every now and then so I don’t get stuck in the same routine and stop seeing improvements. But for the most part, my routine is as follows…
- Monday – Chest and Triceps
- Tuesday – Back, Biceps, and Forearms
- Wednesday – Shoulders and Legs
- Thursday – Chest and Triceps
- Friday – Back and Biceps
- Saturday – Shoulders
- Sunday – Legs and Abs
Please add a workout that worked best for you:
Chest and Triceps | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bench Press | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Cable Crossover | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Dumbbell Flye | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Skullcrushers | 4 | 8-12 |
| Seated French Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Cable Tricep Extensions with Rope | 4 | 8-12 |
| Overhead Cable Tricep Extension | 4 | 8-12 |
| Tricep Dip | 4 | 8-12 |
Back, Biceps and Forearms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Wide Grip Lat Pull Down | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Close Grip Lat Pull Down | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Standing Lat Pull Down | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Seated Cable Row | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Barbell Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 4 | 10 |
| EZ Bar Preacher Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Cable Curls with Rope | 4 | 10 |
Shoulders and Legs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Military Press | 5 | 10 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 5 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Front Raise | 5 | 10 |
| Barbell Front Raise | 5 | 10 |
| Barbell Shrug | 5 | 10 |
| Squat | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
| Leg Extension | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
| Calf Raise | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
Chest and Triceps | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bench Press | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Cable Crossovers | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Dumbbell Flye | 4-5 | 10, 8, 4, 4 |
| Skullcrushers | 4 | 8-12 |
| Seated French Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Cable Tricep Extensions with Rope | 4 | 8-12 |
| Overhead Cable Tricep Extensions | 4 | 8-12 |
| Tricep Dip | 4 | 8-12 |
Back and Biceps | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Wide Grip Lat Pull Down | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Close Grip Lat Pull Down | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Standing Lat Pull Down | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Seated Cable Row | 4 | 12, 8, 4, 4 |
| Barbell Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 4 | 10 |
| EZ Bar Preacher Curl | 4 | 10 |
| Cable Curl with Rope | 4 | 10 |
Shoulders | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Military Press | 5 | 10 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 5 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Front Raise | 5 | 10 |
| Barbell Front Raise | 5 | 10 |
| Barbell Shrug | 5 | 10 |
Legs and Abs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squat | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
| Leg Extension | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
| Calf Raise | 4 | 10, 8, 8, 4 |
I really have not had a detailed cardio plan but I play basketball and other sports to maintain a decent level of cardio. Once I hit my desired weight I will start to hit some cardio to cut up.
Please list 3 things you learned about exercise, weight training and/or cardio during your transformation that helped you succeed:
- Patience is key – I realized I cant expect results overnight.
- Nutrition is more important than anything – eating right and proper use of supplements can make a huge difference, it did for me.
- I learned that exercise is addicting! I never thought I would be this serious about lifting and that I would look forward to getting in the gym everyday.
I am still lifting hard and trying to bulk up some more. I eat as much as I can and make sure that majority of the foods I eat are aiding me in my transformation.
Dylan's Diet And Supplement Plan
=========================
What was your diet/nutrition approach during your transformation?I really didn’t start to focus much on eating right up until the last year. I honestly just didn’t realize how important it was to feed your body what it needs to rebuild muscle. I read a lot about lifting online and once I gained the knowledge about nutrition I implemented it into my routine.
Can you give an example of what your daily meal plan looks like?
- Breakfast – Bowl of oatmeal, banana, yogurt, two glasses of water.
- Lunch – Grilled chicken breast, brown rice, peanut butter, carrots, two glasses of water.
- Dinner – Grilled chicken breast, brown rice, pasta, two glasses of water, one glass of milk.
Were there any diet/nutrition mistakes you made that you learned from?
It is a learning process, so everyone must find what works for them individually.
Please list 3 things you learned about diet & nutrition during your transformation that helped you succeed:
- Drinking water is very important.
- I think its okay to allow a few cheat meals here and there, after all it can't be that bad to enjoy a tasty meal here and there to reward hard work.
- I learned that without good nutrition, gaining muscle is nearly impossible. If a person is very dedicated to lifting, they always have to be thinking about how they can get themselves a good meal with necessary nutrients.
Yes, because I am trying to add bulk and I love good food. So, once in awhile I reward myself with some good tasting food.
What supplements did you use during your transformation?
Currently, I am taking:
- Pre-Workout – MusclePharm Assault, BCAA Caps
- Post-Workout – MusclePharm Combat Powder, BCAA Caps
- Before Bed – Optimum Nutrition Casein Protein
Advice For Others
What are your best 3 tips for someone looking to make their own transformation?- You have to fully dedicate yourself to all aspects. Lifting and nutrition. A good transformation cant take place without both.
- Get a lifting partner. I lift with one of my buddies at school and it is nice to have someone to go to the gym with and push your self against in every lift. It is helpful in motivation too if one day you don’t really feel like going to the gym.
- Don’t get frustrated – everyone knows that gaining muscle takes time and nobody expects you to gain 20 pounds of muscle overnight.
Look for any improvement you have made and keep trying to build off that. For me, it was bench press. Trying to increase my max would always fuel me to get into the gym.
Your Life Now
===========
What is your life like now that you’ve made a transformation?It is great when people notice my improvements and I get compliments. I don’t lift to please other people, but it is pleasing to know that I am not the only one noticing my gains. Lifting is my number one hobby and I seriously enjoy going to the gym every day.
What motivates you currently to keep improving yourself?
I find my motivation by looking back at all the improvements I have made. I see how much bigger I have gotten in the last 2 years and I think, “if I can be that much bigger in the next 2 years I will be very happy!
Anything else you would like to share?
I have a solid support system of family and people I care about that always give me positive reinforcement and feedback on my improvements. My dad lifts weights so I would like to follow in his footsteps because I still have some work to do to get as big as he was when he was 20.
I have to thank my mom also because she pays for my gym memberships and supplements and is always the first person to compliment me when I come home from school after a month of not seeing me.
