Gamedog's Training Log

[gamedog]

I've been doing barbell training since the last week or so in February, 2010. I was doing the StrongLifts 5x5 program, and after I began having difficulty recovering from workouts, I decided to de-load, and then start out with Rip's Starting Strength Novice Program instead.

-STATS-
AGE: 31
HEIGHT: 6'
WEIGHT: 219 lbs

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 135 x 5 x 3
BENCH PRESS: 135 x 5 x 3
DEADLIFT: 135 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
Good workout today. Last week I tweaked my lower back during squats, so I've been resting and missed working out on Friday. It was good to get back in the squat cage today, and I did fine. Today is the first day of doing Rip's Low Bar squat. Previous to this, I kept the bar high up on my traps. I noticed that I had a tendency to round out my back a little at first, when doing it that way. Today I did the Low Bar squats as Rip prescribes, and not only did it make it easier to maintain proper form, it also made my back feel tighter, and stronger. No rounding, and there was NO stress on my lower back (the kind that makes you feel like your lower back is going to split) at all.

I'm sore after working out, but not like I was when I was on StrongLifts. I still feel like I got a good workout, BUT, without all the extra work sets, and all the extra assistance exercises, I don't feel "dead" like before. On StrongLifts I'd finish up, and after my shower I just felt sore and tired, really tired. After my SS workout today though, I was pleased to note that I felt wide-awake, and (I know this sounds stupid) happy. I also noted that for the first time since I started all this, I felt hungry, almost ravenous, right after my workout. Never felt hungry before, though I'd eat anyway because I knew I ought to. After I returned from the gym I ate my spinach salad, two chicken breasts, and two scoops of whey blended into two cups of whole milk.

And I'm still hungry. Gonna eat some cheese now.

[gamedog]

Today I did Workout "B" for the first time. Never did Power Cleans before so I made sure to follow the instructions in the Wiki.

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 140 x 5 x 3
OVERHEAD PRESS: 95 x 5 x 3
POWER CLEAN: 45 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
I paid more attention to my knees today. I was getting a lot of pain just above the patella in my left knee last time. I spread my feet just a little bit further, and made sure to point my toes and knees out. Pointed them out further as well. And I've been stretching my hamstrings as well. No pain at all in my knees at all today, after working out, and any discomfort during my workout was minimal/barely noticeable

[gamedog]

Felt good, getting into the gym today. And the workout went well. Just went from one set to the next, feeling good and working hard. And every time the bar went up, it went up easy.

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 145 x 5 x 3
BENCH PRESS: 140 x 5 x 3
DEADLIFT: 140 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
No notes other than the above for today. I just need to remember to PAY ATTENTION throughout the exercises. So that's it for the day.

P.S.
I thought it'd be fun to attach some photos of my dog.

[mountainmatt]

Nice looking dog. Keep up the good work

[gamedog]

Thanks!

[gamedog]

-STATS-
WEIGHT: 222 lbs

-TODAY'S WORKING SETS-
SQUATS: 155 x 5 x 3
OVERHEAD PRESS: 100 x 5 x 3
POWER CLEAN: 55 x 5 x 3

-NOTES-
Good workout today. I felt like I could add 10 instead of 5, and it was fine. Form got a little wobbly on my last set of overhead presses, but I was able to fix it and complete the set without any slop, so that was good.

Still learning power cleans. Working on the movement with a broom handle for a few sets before going to the bar. It's hard for a tall, gangly motherfucker like me to get the sequence down, and I don't like doing them much, either. But I'm going to keep at it. When I was a kid -9/10/11 years-old- skateboarding, I couldn't ollie. Never learned how to. Always thought "I'm too uncoordinated to learn how" and gave up on skating. That sucks. I enjoyed it, but I gave it up because I wasn't learning the trick I wanted to do. Probably could have learned if I tried harder, but I never did...

So I'm going to keep working on the power cleans, and not give up on them.

Come to think of it, I've given up on a lot of other stuff, when shit got "too technical," too. Girlfriends, various activities, jobs... One long string of shit I gave up on.

I guess I've been a pussy for a while. Oh well. It can't be all bad, I was in the gym again today and I enjoyed it. I'll keep working on it, and get back in there tomorrow for cardio and then again on Wednesday for Workout A again. I enjoy dead lift day.

[Tim Lofton]

Today I did Workout "B" for the first time. Never did Power Cleans before so I made sure to follow the instructions in the Wiki.

Highly recommend you buy the book. It really is good reading...again and again. It's hard to get by just off of the wiki and you'll become more knowledgable in the process. If you are struggling some with power cleans, having the entire chapter in front of you can make a difference. Once you are a bit more form savy and start cleaning some more weight, they get to be pretty fun, in my opinion. Cleaning your presses also gets you some extra work with them. Also, it's a good show of support for the man providing this site and the information we've all come to put to good use. Good luck.

[gamedog]

The wife ordered it for me and it ought to be in the mail on its way out to me as we speak ;-)

[gamedog]

-TODAY'S WORKOUT-

Squats:
45 lbs. x 5 x 2
115 lbs. x 5 x 1
185 lbs. x 3 x 1
225 lbs. x 5 x 3

Bench Press:
45 lbs. x 5 x 2
100 lbs. x 5 x 1
160 lbs. x 5 x 3

Dead Lift:
220 lbs. x 5 x 1

Playlist:
Drink Deep - Rites of Spring
7 - Sunny Day Real Estate
Sort Of - Silversun Pickups
Future Foe Scenarios - Silversun Pickups
Invisible - Modest Mouse
Monkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
Vlad The Impaler - Kasabian
Bigmouth Strikes Again - Smiths
Dream At Tempo 119 - Silversun Pickups
Cashout - Fugazi
Instrument - Fugazi
47 - Sunny Day Real Estate
Where Soul Meets Body - Death Cab For Cutie
Bone Machine - Pixies
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side - Smiths
Alala - CSS
Autumn Beds - Modest Mouse
Common Reactor - Silversun Pickups

Notes:

Dead lifting 220 lbs today was an accident. I was supposed to do 210, and instead of putting on the usual 10 pounds of extra weight for this one I loaded up 20 extra pounds instead. It didn't occur to me what I had done until my 4th rep and I said to myself "This feels a little heavier than usual..." Wasn't bad though. Will pull 230 on Friday, and then continue with the 10 pound increases as normal.

Bench was good today as well. Good bar speed, no pain in the left biceps at all. Will be using 165 on Friday, and 170 the Wednesday after that.

Squats were good too. No aches, no pains.

Yeah, I know ... a lot of post-punk, emo, indie and "indie,"and pop on the playlist today. I can't fucking listen to hardcore, thrash/sludge/doom metal, stoner rock all the time. It just seemed to work for me today.

[MazdaMatt]

Solid workout. Nice deadlift accident. I did the same last time I deadlifted but it put me out of 5-rep territory... loaded 290 instead of 270 (big difference for me!)