Hi everyone,I thought I would log my Rippetoe's SS challenge online to keep me more accountable. I am just starting the 2nd week. I do not have the book yet (it is currently being shipped!) so I'm not sure I am doing it 100% correctly. I can't wait until I get the book.
A bit about myself.. I'm 25, 5'5, and 119lbs. I eat a very solid diet (3 meals, 2 snacks) with one treat meal per week. I'm quite lean (around 18-19%) but small. I love to cook and create healthy alternative recipes. I have a wonderful boyfriend who is very much into fitness (he is a Crossfit'er) and a hyper puppy who is always ready to make us sprint. It makes eating healthy a lot easier when the whole family is in the game.
My goal is to gain muscle and increase strength. My upper body is a lot weaker than my lower body. I have not lifted heavy for very long, so my lifts are not too heavy but I hope to increase that.
2009-07-06 (1st day - was unsure of what weights to use)
Squat: 45lbs x 5 .. 65lbs x 5 x 5
Bench: 45lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Deadlift: 145lbs x 1 x 1 x 1 x1 x1
2009-07-08
Squat: 65lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Standing Military Press: 30lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Pendlay Row: 65lbs x 5 .. 75lbs x 5 x 5
(Polar: 35min, max HR 88%, avg HR 70%)
2009-07-10
Squat: 65lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Bench: 55lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Deadlift: 145lbs x 1 x 1 x 1 x1 x1
(Polar: 27:44min, max HR 88%, avg HR 77%)
if you are doing SS, you should be adding weight each workout each exercise. So your squats should have been 65 day 1, then maybe 70 or 75 the next time and up another 5 or 10 the 3rd time. Your DL should have been 155 the 2nd time. And so forth.
Looks good though.
I guess you are doing the rows instead of the power cleans?
Hi Lisa! Thanks for the info. I had gotten confused from some of the online writeups and was hoping the book would clarify this for me. I will be adding weight to the next workout, thanks!
I would much rather do the power cleans. I did the past workouts by myself and found myself having trouble with power clean form so I switched to rows.
I will try and work on the power clean form with BF when I get a chance, he can do them pretty well.
Fair enough. He does cover that in the book as well.
As far as progression, yes, you should be adding weight to each exercise each time according to the book. Sometimes it might not be much though. There is also a protocol for what to do if when you get stuck at a weight and how to get past it.
I think you will really enjoy the book.
I'll be excited to see how you progress. If you're doing this program be aware that you may have to up your calories a bit, unless you were already doing some heavy lifting beforehand.
Thanks chad. I think you are right, I will probably have to up my calories. I'm pretty lean right now, I eat around 1600 calories (40P/35C/25F) but I'm not sure that's enough to sustain heavy lifting. Might have to bump it up a good 200-300 calories.
I am taking off the Monday and Wednesday workouts. I am super weak right now (I work 3 night shifts in a row starting last night, 7pm-4am) and have only slept for 2-3 hours in between. I'm back to dayshifts next week. It's hard picking up a glass of water let alone a full Oly bar so I'll wait till my Rippetoe book arrives and start again on Friday.
Yes, the 1.25 & 2.5lb plates will be my best friend. 5lbs each workout will probably be a bit too much for some exercises (such as bench). I'm not sure if my work gym (I'm at work right now) has the smaller plates, I hope so! I'm going to try and work out tonight at 11.. hope all goes well! I'm not sure though, since I get super tired after, and my shift isn't over until 5am!Would much rather do it at home, where I have all the plates Stay tuned
Evening all!Tonight's workout was at 2200hrs at my work gym so I had a fair bit of energy still, despite 2-3 hours of sleep after last night's shift!
July 13, 2009 (B)
Squat: 70lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Standing Military Press: 40lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Pendlay Row: 70lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Chinups: 8, 6
Abs: 2 x 10
Time: 28 min 56 seconds, max HR: 172 (88%), avg HR: 141 (72%), calories: 218.
Oh boy, my body's tingling! I'm having a homemade protein bar for post-workout snack. It's 2300hrs hours and only 5 more hours to go for my shift.. thank goodness for the internet. :0)
Today's workout sucked! I just wasn't feeling it. I'm a day late (was supposed to do this yesterday) but I was burnt out after 4 straight overnight shifts (with 2 hours sleep in between).
Squat: 75lbs x 5 x 5 x 5
Bench: 55lbs x 5 .. 50lbs x 5 x 5 (I worked out at home this time, last time was at the work gym. I'm thinking I measured the plates wrong last time, because I couldn't do the 55lbs)
Deadlift: 160lbs x1 (PR - again, didn't add the plates properly) .. 155lbs x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1
I knew I was bad at math, but why am I adding plates wrong? Seriously? 45 + x + x is not complicated - didn't I learn that in the 2nd grade? Off to my last night shift for a week.. it's the lack of sleep, for sure.
I was actually just reading that chart today. I think it is because I had a very poor routine before I began Rippetoe's SS and have quite an imbalance in strength. I really didn't push my upper body like I should have, but I consistently trained with the lower body and sprints. I didn't mean for it to be that way, but obviously it had quite the effect! I'm really hoping to balance it. Truthfully, I should probably up my squats. I think I will do that on my next workout. I could easily do heavier squats. Bench - no way - it is weak in comparison and I really struggled.
I'm in the same boat. My squat totals are embarrassing. My totals on the deadlift are much higher. I think some of this has to do with your build. I have very long legs. Its a disadvantage on squats, but it may help with deadlifts.
Ali's Rippetoe's SS Log
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