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Thread: Old(er) guy Novice log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Austin TX
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    Default Old(er) guy Novice log

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    60 years old 5’10” new to SS NP -- though I did buy SS 1st edition about 5 years ago I only kept with it for 6 weeks or so. Made gains and then started doing a bunch of other stuff (at least according to my log, I don’t really remember what happened.) I don't really feel old, but when I see guys in their 30s calling themselves "old" well I guess I am too ...

    I enjoy hiking, climbing, biking and spend summers in Colorado doing this. I was chubby thru my 40s and 50s (but active). Finally committed to getting more fit about 3 years ago and dropped 30+ pound. Ended the summer with week long trip into Wind River mtns with much off trail hiking. Last summer I ended with hike of John Muir trail. At the end of the summers I was a lean 160# (maybe too lean) and both hikes went fairly easily.

    I have exercised (and I use that word with awareness) regularly for much of my life but training is lacking. I see now I need to get stronger and have started on SS older guy novice program; lifting 2x week, conservative increments, trying to gain (some) weight. I am still doing too much extra exercise, it makes me feel good to do but I know intellectually it will probably interfere with recovery soon. Trying to cut back to maybe easy bike ride or hike once or twice a week. I am going to spend month or two in CO this winter xc an downhill skiing so I want to maintain some level of fitness to perform at nearly 9000’.

    I have increased eating and making an effort to get more protein (Rip’s 75g shake, some animal protein 2x/day). I have a serious sweet tooth and can get out of control pretty quickly on eating cookies/candy etc. I have gone from 160->174 and am feeling pretty fluffy around the middle. (I am a pretty small boned guy at least in upper body). I know I need to keep eating but it was a struggle to get weight off and intellectually it is hard to see it go back on.

    Some goals for now, kind of intermediate 181# numbers. These are all significantly higher than 5x PRs from 5 years ago when I was 5 years younger and 25 pounds heavier so we will see how this goes.
    Goals: Squat 270, Pr 140, BP 200, Dead 315


    10.15 Weight: 166
    Squat 5,5,5 @ 125
    Press 5,5,5 @ 80
    Dead 5 @ 185

    10.19 Weight 168
    Squat 5,5,5 @ 130
    Bench 5,5,5 @ 95
    Power Clean 3,3,3,3,3 @ 65
    Pain in left shoulder during Bench, was going to start higher but I’ll just go from here.
    I’m sure PC form is bad though lifts easy, not clear I want to be doing these really. I think just do Pullup/Chinup

    10/22 Weight 168
    Squat 5,5,5 @ 135
    Press 5,5,5 @ 85
    Dead 5 @ 195

    10/26 Weight 169
    Squat 5,5,5 @140
    Bench 5,5,5@ 100
    Pullups unweighted 4,5,5

    10/30 Weight 173
    Squat 5,5,5 @145
    Press 5,5,5 @ 90
    Dead 5 @ 215
    Video -- looks like back rounding on Deads, need to focus on keeping spine
    Squats look good (to me), probably should post, but weight is so low not sure its worth looking at
    Press getting heavy, microplates have arrived so move to 2.5# increments

    11.1 Weight 172
    Squat 5,5,5 @ 145
    Bench 5,5,5 @ 110
    Pullup 4,5,5

    11.5 Weight 172
    Squat 5,5,5 @ 150
    Press 5,5,5 @ 92.5
    Dead 5 @ 225
    Dead form better I think, Thought press might be a problem -- heavy but it went up
    Belt on squat. Have had issues with back tweaks in past, and it felt more solid with the belt.Maybe its just a crutch

    11.7 Weight 174
    Squat 5,5,5@155
    Bench 5,5,5 @ 115
    Pullup 5,5 chinup 5
    Last edited by Ron Goering; 11-09-2016 at 10:25 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
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    Welcome Ron!

    I'm about your age. During the early phases of SS, I've had to discipline myself and put all my "extra exercise" / sports on ice and stay focused on strength/mass gain. As the lifts get heavier, the weight you gain will be good weight. The Stress / Recovery game is a delicate balance to manage even without "extra exercise"...very delicate at our age. Good luck!!!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Walled Lake, Michigan
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    Welcome, young man. I started at age 66. I was 5'10" and weighed 215 when I started. I had lost about 30-35 pounds to get down to 215. I had never done any strength training. It is well worth the effort. I had got down to the 170s when I ran back in the 1980s and 90s but I was really skinny then. If you follow the program you will gain muscle strength and muscle weight. Keep your focus mostly on strength training until you reach your linear progression limit in 6-8 months.

    BTW at 69 approaching 70 my numbers are: Squat 255; Dead 340; Press 117; Bench 167.

  4. #4
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    Oct 2016
    Location
    Austin TX
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    11.14 Weight 177
    Squat 5,5,5@160
    Press 5,5,5 @ 93.75
    Dead 5 @ 235
    Pullup 4,4,4 hard
    Missed a session, but just picked up since light weight still. Press getting heavy so moving to small increments...
    Mountain bike skills camp over weekend. Stopped doing crossfit boot camp so should help recovery.

    11.18 Weight 176
    Squat 5,5,5@165
    Bench 5,5,5 @ 120
    Pullup 6,5,5

  5. #5
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    11/21
    Squat 5,5,5@170
    Press 5,5,5@95
    Dead 5@240
    Chin 4,4,4
    Deadlift form still shaky, good back set (I think), but bar path not consistent
    Video and feedback was squat depth too low, have to find that happy medium, I know my tendency is to be short when gets heavy so working to counteract. Need to see a coach I think.

    11/26 Weight 177
    Squat 5,5,5@175
    Bench 5,5,5@125
    Pullup 7,6,5
    Bench still light, I'll just let the 5lb increments come. Still some left shoulder pain so probably good to be conservative.

  6. #6
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    12/1 Weight 177
    Squat 5,5,5@180
    Press 5,5,5@97.5
    Dead 5@245
    Chin 5,5,5
    New lifting shoes, seem to make squat more stable. Still going up ok. Press also, hard but no fail. DL definitely getting heavy, but I think still some margin.
    Seeing Coach Dr Austin on Sunday; excited to get some real in person feedback. Eating plenty of cals, quality could be better. Doing a bit of mtn biking but have cut way way back on other activity which is hard. Used to doing something pretty physical nearly every day. Need to remember: Stress, Recover, Adapt-> Get stronger. Going to really focus for next couple of months before a bunch of skiing at high altitude will make additional progress challenging.

  7. #7
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    12/4 Weight 179 (enough gain for now I think)
    Squat 5,5,5@185
    Press 5@100 5,5@80 backoff 100 barely went up. Coach suggests moving to advanced novice programming for press.
    Dead 5@250 Still good to keep going up.
    Bench 5@130

    Very productive coaching session with Dr Austin. Some notes to help me remember most of the points:
    Squat -- stance a touch wider and feet pointed out. Knees out hard to help engage to manage depth. Cut the depth off (higher than I think is just right)
    185 went up well, looking forward to continuing progress.

    Press -- Grip right at knurl. Bar across lines in hand. Get all the way under with knees bent to take out. Tighten biceps, elbows in front of bar. Wrists straight.
    Quads tight no knee bend to get rebound. Hit the nose -- watch bar path. Don't hesitate, get rythm going and keep it. No good comes from holding to get last rep.

    DL -- Setup looks good. Knees out. Long femurs so back angle will be flatter. Focus on Thoracic spine tightness up and down. If setup is lost reposition, don't just keep going.

    Bench -- position bench in rack so eyes are looking straight up at bar (at end of hooks). Shoulder blades back and down, Big quick breath at top.

    Programming -- been doing 2x week. At might level of previous activity thought was could add light day. Squat at 60-80%. One of the presses. Keep DL 1x week since seems to be working. Could eventually add DL backoff sets at 8% reduction.

  8. #8
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    12/6 Weight 179
    Squat 5,5,5@155
    Bench 5,5,5@135
    Chins, bw, 6,6,5
    Introducing light squat day. Alternate presses

    12/8 Weight 181
    Squat 5,5,5 @190
    Press 5,5,5@100
    DL 5@255
    Stairmaster HIT 6 rounds 30/60

    Just got press. Need to really microload

    12/11 Weight 179
    Squat 5,5,5@195
    Bench 5,5,5@140
    Pull Up BW 7,7,5
    Stairmaster HIT 6 rounds 60/60

  9. #9
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    12/13 Weight 182
    Squat 5,5,5@155 light day
    Press 5,5,5@101.5
    DL 5@260
    Pullups 7,7,5
    HIT Stairmaster 6 rounds 60/60

    12/15 Weight 182
    Squat 5,5,5@200
    Bench 5,5,5@145
    Chins 5,5,5 tough after bench

    12/18 Weight 183
    Squat 5,5,5@205
    Press 5,5,5@103 5 minute rest between now
    Chins 3,3,3
    Tabata front squat 8x20/10 @55lb

    12/20
    Squat 5,5,5@175 light day
    Bench 5,5,5@150
    Deadlift 5@265
    Chins 6,6,5

    12/23 Weight 182
    Squat 5,5,5@210
    Press 5,4,4@105 Repeat next time
    Cycled a hilly 47 yesterday so that probably had some effect
    and cycled 27 after this workout. Beautiful weather, too hard to resist going outside and playing.

    12/26 Weight 184
    Squat 5,5,5@215
    Bench 5,5,5@155
    Pullups 7,7,6
    HIT Stairmaster 10 rounds 30/60

  10. #10
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    Location
    Austin TX
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    starting strength coach development program
    12/28 Weight 184
    Squat 5,5,5 @ 185 (light day)
    Press 5,5,5 @ 105
    Dead 5@270
    Chin 7,7,6
    Hit 10 rnds SM 30/60

    12/30
    Squat 5,5,5@220
    Bench 3,4,4 @160 5,5 @145 back off, Repeat next time, need to micro load
    10 minutes 30/30 kb swing up to 55#

    1/2 Weight 185
    5,5,5@225 video, some depth issues. go up but only if can achieve depth
    Press @106.5 4,5,5 5@95 backoff, stay same or 107 next?
    Pullup 6,6,5
    6 rnds SM hit 30/60

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