Squeezing a log out

[Grbrs]

Hi All

I’ve been lurking around on these boards for about a year now (from when it was strengthmill) and I think it is about time I start a log as way of an introduction and got involved. I am going to be doing the Starr model exactly as described in the example in PPST2 (Seamus Queeze), from what I can tell there aren’t many people on here doing it so I thought it may be of interest to some to see how it goes.

I have never posted before on here because I have found most of the answers to my questions before I needed to ask them by browsing this site, reading the books and applying a small amount of common sense.

Some info: I’ve been on SS for just under a year, had some set-backs along the way but haven’t we all. I am 5”10 have taken my bodyweight from 70kg (154lbs) to about 94-96kg (207-212lbs) as I am now. I peaked at a wopping 101kg about 3 weeks ago but couldn’t tie my shoe-laces and my girlfriend looked worried when it came to mounting her. I’m an Engineering student and I’m from the UK (hence the kg’s, and I’m guessing my date notation is wrong too!).

Friday 30/04/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 142.5kg x5x2

Bench – 95kg x5x2

Power clean – 70kg x3x3

Wanted to deadlift really but my friend wanted to clean so we did. My cleans are shit, I’m sure they only go up because I get stronger as opposed to me getting any better at them.

Monday 3/05/10 (Medium)

Squat – 127.5kg x5x3

Press – 62.5 x5x3

DB Bench – 20, 25, 30 kg x10

Deadlift – 150kg x5

Moved the deadlift to today, trained alone. I’ve got an issue with my deadlift, the first rep comes up so slowly and I can feel it looks terrible, then the remaining 4 fly up and feel great, I think I saw Rip say something about this being caused by a bad starting position which sorts itself out after the first rep.

I appreciate all constructive criticism and advice and I hope this log proves useful to people.

[Paul Sousa]

With the DL, are you doing a touch and go method, or are you coming to a dead stop between reps? Touch and go could explain why reps 2-5 are easier.

[Grbrs]

Hi paul

They are from a dead stop, at least a seccond on the floor while I re-set then dip down and pull it.

Could also be a mental issue - definitely pull harder after the first rep.

[Paul Sousa]

Possibly CNS related as well. Similar to the trick some people use where they overload for a heavy negative on the bench to try and trick their CNS so the workset seems easier.

[Grbrs]

Wednesday 5/05.10 (Light)

Squat – 105kg x5x3

Bench – 67.5kg x5x3

Press – 55kg x5x3

Back Extensions – 3x10

Chins – 5,3,3 (New e-book coming soon, 5-3-3 for Chinning)

Sit ups – 2x10

This took me about 45 minutes including my usual 5mins on the bike, kept rest periods down between work-sets, pressing was hard (I guess because of benching first) considering my last work set was 70kg x5x3. I’d prefer not to talk about the chin-ups, I am thinking I may get more out of some high-rep DB rows. Weighed in at 95kg.

I guess I should mention I have recently made some changes to my diet, I have transitioned from the see-food and GOMAD approach to adopting some of the principles that JP lays out. This is another factor in my switch to intermediate programming, I am not going to guess a BF% as I have no idea. I have no desire to lose weight, just cleaning things up a touch.

Also, I’m 23 years old

[isis]

I'll be following your log since I'm interested in seeing how this program works. How did you select your starting weights? What do you plan on adding each week?

[Grbrs]

Hey Isis, glad to hear it. I just backed my squat off slightly for the heavy day, last 3x5 weight was 150kg but my hips were feeling real beat up so i deloaded a bit, all the other lifts i'm using my last work sets for the heavy day weights. The medium day comes out about 85-90% of the last heavy workset for each lift while the light comes in around 70%. I basically just used the chart and the example from the back of PPST2 to determine these percentages. I'm tempted to add 5kg (10lbs) a week on heavy and medium days, but i'm gonna add 2.5kg (5lbs) for a while and see how it goes, as i said i feel a little beat up and am seeing the next couple of weeks as a minor deload. Thanks for your interest.

[Grbrs]

Friday 07/05/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 145kgx5x3

Press – 72.5kgx5x3

Deadlift – 155kgx5x1

Sit ups – 2x10

As I said, I train at two gyms, the one I train at during the week at Uni has decent bars, loads of chalk and ancient equipment and the woman at the desk will spot your bench. Its pretty cool and always empty when I go in the day which is good and bad as I never wait for anything and there are no dicks, but there is zero atmosphere.

The gym I use at the weekends (Friday and Sunday) that I used today is part of a sports centre which houses a team GB Olympic training facility, its also where the English football team train often (Bisham Abbey). I have to walk past what is possibly one of the most well equipped strength training facilities in the country (loads of power racks, GHR, reverse hyper, more Eleiko bumpers than I have ever seen in my life, the place is stocked with purely Eleiko bumpers and bars) on my way to the public gym. I’ve never seen more than 2 racks being used at once and there must be at least 10. The public gym isn’t too bad, there’s enough weight but the bars are all chrome plated so they slide about a bit on ones back.

The squats felt pretty solid, GM’d a couple of reps but only slightly, otherwise they all went up pretty fast.

Moved stance on my deadlift in some and pointed feet straight ahead, this has helped a lot, first rep was still slow, but not as slow as before and manages to keep my back set better and my hips didn’t rise too fast.

Thanks for looking

[MazdaMatt]

I have no comments regarding your training, but I love the name of this thread.

[jameson]

I have no comments regarding your training, but I love the name of this thread.

Matt beat me to it. I was going to give you the "Best-Named LogTM" award.

[PVC]

I have never posted before on here because I have found most of the answers to my questions before I needed to ask them by browsing this site, reading the books and applying a small amount of common sense.

You are a good role model.

[Grbrs]

Thanks for the comments guys, you don't need too much imagination to guess what i was doing when i thought that up.

Also, an ab work question (i know there is a thread on it but this is different), i throw in a couple of sets of sit-ups at the end of most sessions, they are taxing, but when i try adding weight to them i sort of topple over backwards and my legs come up (don't laugh), if i anchor my legs i feel as though my hip flexors (correct me if this is wrong) are doing all the work. Any suggestions?

Also Also, i think that the Clarification article has come along just in time because for fuck sake some people are ridiculous!

[Grbrs]

Shit forgot this - ALSO there is a wicked article over on the Elite site at the moment about using a treadmill as a prowler substitute, i am definitely going to be giving this a shot, would love to do it in the week but my gym at Uni has no treadmill. Don't really want to put it between my heavy and medium days, we'll see...

[isis]

...there is a wicked article over on the Elite site at the moment about using a treadmill as a prowler substitute...

I read that and an image flashed in my head of someone pushing a treadmill across a parking lot...

Situps do work the hip flexors, but you should initiate the movement with your abs. Spinal flexion first then hip flexion is another way to think about it.

[Grbrs]

Sunday 09/05/10 (Medium)

Squat – 130kgx5x3

Bench – 82.5kgx5x3

Push Press – 60kgx3, 70kgx3, 80kgx3

DB Row – 20kgx10, 30kgx10, 40kgx10, 52kgx5

Sit ups – unweightedx8, +5kgx8, +10kgx8

Pinched my thumb between two plates on Friday, its swollen and the nail is black so I decided not to clean today (it hurt to hook grip the bar) which sucked. Did some DB rows instead just for fun, grip was the issue on the heavy set.

Thanks Isis for the sit up advice, much better now thank you.

Squats were solid (as they should be), but I could feel the fatigue from Friday trying to creep up on me. I think if I understand correctly, this accumulation of stress over the medium and heavy day is designed to spur the adaptation so this is how its meant to be.

Just felt about with the push presses as I had never done them before. I think I prefer sets of 3 for this but if anyone has any input/suggestions it will be much appreciated.

I’m really enjoying training using this method. I really look forward to the heavy day and after the medium day I feel a bit beat up from the weekends heavier days so I look forward to a light day on Wednesday, after which I’m gagging for the heavy day by Friday!

[Grbrs]

Wednesday 12/05/10 (Light)

Squat – 105kgx5x3

Press – 57.5kgx5x4

Bench – 70kgx5x3

Back Extensions – 3x10

Chins – 4, 3, Lat pull downs – 55kgx15

Sit ups – 2x8 unweighted

Light day today. Took about 2 minutes rest between all work-sets. I think I am going to rotate the pressing exercise on light days from now on, so if I bench on a heavy day I’ll press on the light day, seems to make more sense.

Weighed in at 97kg (214lbs), I ordered Dominos pizza last night, apparently its buy one get one free on Tuesdays so I ended up with 2 large pizza’s, gave 4 slices away and annihilated the rest (ya hear that skinny guy!?) I’m also getting to the point where my belt is on its last notch and it was really a bit to tight today, I know a lot is from the pizza bloat but I need a new belt soon which is annoying. I got my last one from pullum sports, if anyone has any better suggestions (UK) I’m all ears.

[Grbrs]

Friday 14/02/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 150kgx5x2

Bench – 97.5kgx4, 4. 60kgx10

Deadlift – 160kgx5x1

Back to where I started on the squat, I’ve enjoyed the deload though, form is much more solid, feels much better, really helped my confidence when dealing with weights near my max. Failed to get all reps on my bench, I failed this weight on linear progression as well, I’ll try it again in two weeks. I’ve lost a few kilo’s bodyweight (intentionally) which may be somewhat to blame, my bench as always been heavily effected by my bodyweight.

[Grbrs]

Tuesday – 18/05/10 (Medium)

Squat – 135kgx5x3

Press – 65kgx5x3

DB Bench – 21kgx10, 27.5kgx10, 32kgx6

Power Clean – 72.5kgx3x3

Had a manic weekend with Uni work, final deadlines for big project is this week, got in the gym yesterday to hit my medium day. Ate maybe 2 meals all day Sunday and got rubbish sleep the whole weekend so felt like shit, no energy. Just glad I managed to hit everything I came in for. No light day this week unfortunately.

[Grbrs]

Friday 21/05/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 152.5kgx 3, 2

Press – 75kgx5x2

Power-clean – 75kgx3x3

Sit ups – 2x10

What I nightmare, I was shortly to have a rant on my log about there being logs on here which are just pages and pages of failed sets week after week followed by excuses and then I fail my squats today, maybe karma. And yes I have excuses! The bars where I trained today are chrome plated and they slip, I lost grip on my right hand side on both sets and it just kills my power in my legs and hips. My warm-up sets all felt really strong so I was pretty gutted. Next time I go (Sunday) I am covering the bar with athletic tape. Also cleaned as I trained with a friend and he wanted to, will deadlift on Sunday.

On another note, I have exams coming up at uni and I know my sleep this last week was rubbish (another excuse huh) and I know it will be for the next few weeks. I am considering maybe doing a mini diet over these next few weeks rather than just be disappointed with my training due to shit sleep. I feel like a pussy considering this but its been on the cards for a while and this seems like a good time to do it. Currently weighing 99kg (218lbs) Any input on this matter is appreciated, as to training, I thing Gary Gibson has a post here about what he is doing when he diets a bit so I’m gonna look to that for inspiration. I’ll probably try to follow the same sort of rotation as I do at the moment (H/M/L).

As I said and suggestions are warmly welcomed.

[Grbrs]

Sunday 23/05/10 (Medium)

Squat – 137.5kgx5x2

Bench – 85kgx5x2

Push Press – 75kgx3x2

Deadlift – 165kgx0


Friday 28/05/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 140kgx1, 150kgx1, 155kgx2

Bench – 95kgx5

Deadlift – 165kgx5

Leg Raises – 2x10


Sunday 30/05/10 ( Medium)

Squat – 140kgx5x2

Press – 67.5x5x3

DB Bench – 27.5kgx10, 32kgx10, 35kgx5

Power-Clean – 70kgx3x3

This is what I’ve been doing the last couple of weeks, pretty much only training twice a week (at the weekends) to keep the week-days free. I’m slap bang in the middle of my end of year exams, done 3, got 2 to go this week, after that I’ll be back training more consistently. Note the lowering of volume to coincide with the temporary calorie restrictions. Body weight was 94kg (207lbs) on Sunday.

[Grbrs]

Also.... Changed my deadlift start position, failed it on Sunday, was ill for a few days after so i guess i was a bit under the weather anyway. Pulled the bar in much closer for the set on the Friday and it feels better.

[Grbrs]

Friday 11/06/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 150kgx1x3 (3 singles)

Bench – 90kgx5, 95kgx3

Deadlift – 160kgx5

Aim was to just see where I was after the last few weeks of exams and training once a week etc. It only happens twice a year and suffice to say gets priority over training. I think I’ve held on pretty well and from how this felt should be back making gains in no time.

Monday 14/06/10 (Light)

Squat - 120kgx5x3

Dips - BWx5x3

Pull throughs – 65kgx8, 80kgx7, 95kgx8

Chins – 4, 4, 3

[Grbrs]

Wednesday 16/06/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 152.5kgx1x3

Press – 70kgx5x2

Deadlift – 165kgx5

This will be the last time ever go balls out on pull-throughs on a light day, hamstrings were still screwed today, limped into the gym but still managed to do what I planned, repeated press weight by mistake – note to self: be more careful next time.

Friday 18/06/10 (Medium)

Squat – 140kgx5x2

Bench – 85kgx5x2

Power Clean – 65kgx3x3

Push-Press – 60kgx3, 70kgx3, 80kgx2

There are 4 bars at the gym I train in, 3 of them are shit, cheap un-branded crap. One is an Eleiko bar and is wonderful. The crap ones are too thick and shiney polished which makes them a pain in the arse to secure on ones back and to get your hand round when cleaning. The Eleiko one has gone missing, I am trying to track it down, I think it has been stolen by the Olympic training center next door. Its probably an honest mistake but the problem is all the people I made aware of this said it was probably theirs in the first place, this is untrue as It was there before they built the center next door. \Rant

Aside from having to use a shit bar I really enjoyed training today, haven’t felt this good about it in a while, probably on a high from finishing exams etc and I’ve sorted a job out for the summer.

[Grbrs]

Sunday 20/06/10 (Light)

Squat – 120kgx5x3

Dips – 6, 6, 6

Chins – 4, 4, 4, 2

Pull throughs – 65kgx8x2

Leg Raises – 2x8

Hammer Curls 7.5kgx10x2

Took under an hour. Going on a short break tomorrow to Bournemouth for a couple of days with the girlfriend.

[Grbrs]

Thursday 24/06/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 155kgx1x3

Bench – 92.5kgx5x2

Deadlift – 167.5kgx3

Sit ups – 2x10

Curls – 10kgx10x2

Drove back from Bournemouth, picked my kit up and went straight to the gym, girlfriend was over the moon about it!

My back is sunburnt as hell (after giving it the whole “I never burn” thing to my girlfriend), squatting today was a bit nasty, I’m glad I was only doing singles put it that way.

Enjoyed today, bit miffed I didn’t get all 5 reps on the deadlift but what can you do?

[Grbrs]

Monday 28/06/10 (Light)

Squat – 120kgx5x3

Dips – 7, 7, 7

Chins – 5. 3, 3, 3

Pull Throughs – 70kgx8x2

Pull Downs – 35kgx10, 45kgx10, 55kgx10


Wednesday 30/06/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 157.5kgx1x3

Press – 72.5x4x2

Deadlift – 170kgx2

Squat still seems to be progressing despite lack of medium days of late. Going to re-set deadlift. I’m car-less as of tonight so going to be a pain in the arse to get to the gym. Also have to cycle everywhere which is going to bugger up my recovery, hopefully I can be smart enough about it so that there is minimal effect.

[Grbrs]

Friday 2/07/10 (Medium)

Squat – 145kgx5x2

Bench – 87.5kgx5x2

Power-Clean – 70kgx3x3

This was a real slog, I am having to cycle for about an hour every day to get about and my legs felt shit going into todays session. Short for time as well as had to get a lift back from the girlfriends brother.

[Grbrs]

Monday 05/07/10 (Light)

Squat – 125kgx5x3

Dips – 3x8

Chins – 5, 3, 3, 3

Pull Throughs - 70kgx8x2

Pull Downs – 55kgx10, 65kgx10, 75kgx10

Took a while to warm up, standing up for 8 hours a day doesn’t help. Broke the right hand crank off the bike I borrowed already which is a PR.

[Grbrs]

Wednesday 07/07/10 (Heavy)

Squat - 160kgx1x3

Bench – 95kgx3x2

Deadlift – 160kgx3


Friday 09/07/10 (medium)

Squat – 130kgx5x2

Press – 65kgx5x2

Power clean 65kgx7


Monday 12/07/10 (Light)

Squat – 120kgx5x3

Dips – 9,9,9

Chins – 6,5,5,5

Good mornings – 60kgx8, 80kgx8

Hanging leg raises – 10, 10, 10


Wednesday 14/07/10 (Heavy)

Squat – 150kgx3x2

Press – 72.5kgx3x2

Deadlift – 160kgx5


Friday 16/07/10 (Medium)

Squat – 132.5kgx5x2

Bench – 85kgx5x2

Power clean and push press – 60kgx3, 65kgx3, 70kgx3


Got the bar I like back in the gym which is nice. Reset the percentages for my lifts as per the table in PP.

Since I started my diet I have managed to lose about 20lbs in about 8 weeks which isn’t bad, weight still fluctuates a bit as I have a cheat meal over the weekend so I tend to be maybe 4-5lbs heavier on a Monday than on Friday.

I’m still cycling everywhere and having to go to the gym on other peoples terms hence some days I do things a bit different but this seems to be working out ok.

I’m off on holiday in 2 weeks then after that I’m thinking of ditching the diet and running linear progression again…

[Grbrs]

Monday 19/07/10 (Light)

Squat – 122.5x5x3

Dips – 10, 10, 10

Chins – 5, 5, 5, 3, 4, 2

Pull Throughs – 75kgx8x3

Hanging Leg Raises – 10, 10, 8


Wednesday 21/07/10 (Heavy)

Squat - 152.5kgx3x2

Bench – 97.5kgx2x2, 60kgx10

Deadlift – 165kgx3, 140kgx8

Bench and Deadlift sucked today!