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.
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.
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! .
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!
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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.
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.
* 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."
* 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.
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.
* 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."
don't hope, do it! Start thinking about it, and how you're going to do it. Thinking about your workouts ahead of time, almost obsessing over them, is what works for me.
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C) Pullup (to failure): BW x 7/5/5 (+2 total reps)
Notes
* almost thought that this wasn't going to happen. walked into the gym and there was no power. went to the locker room and a generator must have kicked on so there was some light. I do my warmup sets and the generator fails. As I load the bar for my work sets I'm still thinking shit should I do these while kinda in the dark. I'm glad I went on with it because they turned out to be awesome, just one rep short for 15.
* presses were alright. . . they're hard though
* pleased I got two more reps on pullups, still thought I'd get more on the final sets. . . but whatever.
* it needs to stop raining so we can grill burgers. . . . . I'll see what I'm weighing in at tomorrow morning I think.
no activity of sorts today. . . . had class and then had to cut the grass which is a pretty intense job ( like three hours or so).
going to Mongolian BBQ for dinner I should crush that pretty good I'm getting pretty hungry. later on going to play a little Madden 08 and Tiger Woods 08. damn you Xbox 360!
Back to Basics!. . . .(a return to Rippetoe)
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Linear Mode
