Back to Basics!. . . .(a return to Rippetoe) - JP Fitness Forums

slimsaw00 · 08-15-2007, 04:27 PM

Funny how people end up back where they started. . . to make a long story short I was doing the basic Starting Strength routine found on BB.com for a while and was making some good progress. Some poor planning, effort towards recovery on my part made me crash pretty hard. So I tried some different routines, and while I did gain some "weight" I don't really think I was getting stronger. . . at least not at the pace I was doing SS.

Just last week I actually ordered both Starting Strength and Practical Programming by Rippetoe and Kilgore. I haven't had time to sit down and read the whole books, but they point out a lot of things that I could have done differently. Enough typing. . . . I'm back!

*I started on Monday, but I'll simply start my log from today's session.

Starting Strength: Workout B

A) Squat: 165x 5/5/5

B) Press: 85x 5/5/5

C) Chins (done to failure): BWx 7/7/6

Notes:

* this was all good, I haven't done a lot of these "core" lifts in a while so I'm still finding my ground. . . this workout was fairly (I hate to say it) easy. Maybe I have gotten stronger.

* I'm gonna roll with this for a while, no accessories yet.

* Thanks to anybody who drops by!

-Matt

MindPower · 08-15-2007, 05:14 PM

Gday Matt
Good to see you back, Its been too long

Mark

slimsaw00 · 08-15-2007, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MindPower

Gday Matt
Good to see you back, Its been too long

Mark

you're right Mark, it has been WAY TOO LONG!

-Matt

Simon C · 08-16-2007, 12:11 AM

Good Luck with you training and nice to have you back

You disappeared for even longer than me!

gregl515 · 08-17-2007, 03:08 PM

I'm looking forward to following your workouts.

slimsaw00 · 08-17-2007, 05:56 PM

Starting Strength: Workout A

A) Squat: 170x: 5/5/5

B) Bench: 140x: 5/5/5

C) Deadlift: 210x5

Notes:

* This was just freaking awesome, no complaints at all. I'm looking forward to seeing my #'s go up fairly quickly.

-Matt

Alcoholiday · 08-17-2007, 08:31 PM

nice job. i like how you do a top set of 5 on deadlifts. That's what a lot of people, like glen pendlay recommend. or, something like 3x3

slimsaw00 · 08-18-2007, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

nice job. i like how you do a top set of 5 on deadlifts. That's what a lot of people, like glen pendlay recommend. or, something like 3x3

Thanks man, the deads were done as singles I hope that's alright. It just makes sense as the deadlift isn't really a lift that you can just rep out on. After setting the bar down I went through my initial setup again. That last rep was killer.

-Matt

slimsaw00 · 08-18-2007, 07:45 PM

So after reading the chapter on squats I'm only going to make a couple of minor changes to my setup; everything else seems to be spot-on. . . . so I'm pleased with that. I then skipped to the chapter on power cleans and now I've got a headache, LOL. It's just amazing how much detail and description go into each aspect of the lift. I'd like to add in power cleans soon. Maybe I'll just have to practice them a little bit.

"Starting Strength" is definitely a resource that every lifter could learn from, I know I'll be going back to it, even after finishing reading it completely. . . . . Now I just need to perfect my bench technique as that is easily my weakest and probably worst executed lift. Damn you long arms!

.

I'm done rambling now.

-Matt

Alcoholiday · 08-19-2007, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimsaw00

Thanks man, the deads were done as singles I hope that's alright. It just makes sense as the deadlift isn't really a lift that you can just rep out on. After setting the bar down I went through my initial setup again. That last rep was killer.

-Matt

well, there's a difference between resetting and doing singles. I reset after each rep as well. Some people bounce the weight off the floor, but i think it's really dangerous to do that. As long as you were doing them consecutively after resetting, and not taking like 2 minute rests between pulls, then you're good!

slimsaw00 · 08-19-2007, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alcoholiday

well, there's a difference between resetting and doing singles. I reset after each rep as well. Some people bounce the weight off the floor, but i think it's really dangerous to do that. As long as you were doing them consecutively after resetting, and not taking like 2 minute rests between pulls, then you're good!

Cool, right on. . . . yeah I was simply resetting in between reps, not resting.

-Matt

slimsaw00 · 08-20-2007, 05:28 AM

Morning Weigh-in : 167 lbs. a bit lighter than I thought I would be. . . but overall I guess lb-for-lb I'm a bit stronger.

Overall nutrition has been good. . . nothing too strict that would limit progress, but not so out of control that its stupid. I'm pretty content, and I'm pumped to hit the gym which will be about 5-ish this afternoon.

-Matt

slimsaw00 · 08-20-2007, 04:59 PM

Starting Strength: Workout B

A) Squat

175x: 5/5/5 (+ 5 lbs)

B) Press

90x: 5/5/5 (+5 lbs)

C) Pullups (done until failure)

BWx: 5/5/5

Notes/Comments

* Hard to believe that I'm already gonna break my squat weight for when I was doing "SS" before. The last couple reps of the last set were hard, but not CRAZY hard.

* I suck at presses and chins/pull-ups. . . I wanna improve on these two big time.

* Time to go eat and do some more reading from "Starting Strength."

-Matt

slimsaw00 · 08-22-2007, 02:05 PM

Starting Strength: Workout A

*dynamic flexibility warmup*

A) Squat: 180x 5/5/5 (+5 lbs)

B) Bench: 145x 4/3/3 (+5 lbs)

C) Deadlift: 225x 3 (+15 lbs)

Notes

* I would grade this workout a B-. I don't know what my deal was on squats today but it just seemed like I couldn't get comfortable in my setup position, especially my toes. I'm trying to use setup advocated in Starting Strength, except a tad wider than shoulder width. Anyway it seems like I have a hell of a time trying to get my toes flared so that each side mirror's each other. It looks like one is flared more than the other. . .and vice-versa. Done rambling on this.

* Bench was alright, there wasn't any competent spotters there so I didn't really push the envelope too much.

* I might have used too large a jump on the deadlift. . . probably should have used 220. I barely got the 4th rep off the floor.

slimsaw00 · 08-24-2007, 11:58 AM

Starting Strength: Workout B

*dynamic flexibility focusing on hip mobility*

A) Squat: 185x 5/5/5 (+ 5 lbs)

B) Overhead Press: 95x 5/4/4 (+5 lbs)

C) Chins (to failure): BWx 8/7/5 (no increase in total reps)

Notes

* This was much better, I wasn't in a fog like I was on Wednesday so that right there was an improvement.

* Squats felt much more comfortable, I felt comfortable in setting up which is an absolute must to squat with correct form IMO (un-educated).

* OHP's were hard but I think I'm doing them more correctly than I was before.

* Chins. . . . . . dang man after cranking out 8 in the first set I was thinking at least a couple rep improvement. It's still probably an improvement considering I'm probably a tad heavier than the last time I did chins.

* I was definitely pleased with this. . . probably some extra mobility work on the weekend.

-Matt

slimsaw00 · 08-27-2007, 08:16 AM

Starting Strength: Workout A

*dynamic warmup*

A) Squat: 190x 4/4/4 (+5 lbs)

B) Bench: 145x 4/4/4 (+2 total reps)

C) Deadlift: 225x 3 (no performance increase)

Notes

* I don't wanna jump to conclusions but I could be doing it to myself again. I had to workout this morning due to work and my energy levels just weren't there.

* There were some good and bad to this session. I increased my squat weight 5 lbs, and while the bar did feel heavy I was pleased with how I worked to have some increase in performance with that lift.

* My bench form was much better, "SS" has showed me that I've developed some bad habits that I need to get rid of to improve in these lifts and to ultimately stay healthy.

* By the time it came to DL I was pretty gassed. But I'm not going into alarm mode because the lack of performance increase was self-inflicted (IMO). I didn't get a lot of sleep over the weekend. . . that should pretty much say it all. I'm going to try and eat more, I know that increased calories can only help. . . . I need to get over my "food-phobia."

* Thank you if you read all of this, LOL.

-Matt

slimsaw00 · 08-28-2007, 10:52 AM

not working til 4 p.m. so I got in some extra mobility work in the basement. . . never hurts right?

-Matt