Dave's SS Novice LP Log

[Dave_M]

3/19/17 - Sunday

Age: 35
Height: 5' 10"
Program: Advanced Novice

BW: 210.5 lbs.

Squat: 330x3,2, 330x3(f), 295x5

Belt & knee sleeves. Bar was slipping on first work set, stopped after 3rd rep and chalked back. Completed 2 more reps. Failed on 4th rep of next set. Backed off to 295 for final set, no drama.

Press: 127.5x4, 127.5x5x2

Belt. Don't think I rested long enough after last warm-up set. Sets 2 and 3 got better. Will move up next workout.

Supinated Grip Pull-Downs: 220x5x3

LA Fitness. Nowhere to chin. 5's @ BW+10

General notes: I had to force myself into the gym today. Felt exhausted, motivation lacking, and was not at all looking forward to throwing 330 on my back. 3 days of basketball and beer probably doesn't help (and 3 out of 4 of my Final Four teams are out). Will re-group this week.

[Dave_M]

3/21/17 - Tuesday

BW: 212.5 lbs.

Light Squat: 265x5x3 - 80% of Sunday

Belt & knee sleeves. Elbows have been bothering me, so experimented with a light day weight using a thumbs-around grip and wrist wraps. Definitely took the pressure off. Don't think I need the wraps at 265, but wanted to get a feel before I try at heavier work set weight next time.

Bench: 165x5x3

First workout of bench re-set. Good to have a session where I was not frustrated by this lift.

Deadlift: 395x5 - 5-rep PR

Mixed grip, no belt. Speed good. 5th rep got slightly forward and moved slower. Lighter weights in previous lifts helped, felt pretty fresh.

General notes: Community Center. Moved light squat day to Tuesday. Will go heavy Thursday. Saturday will be attending a PC and DL workshop outside Nashville, so the next heavy squat session will fall next Tuesday. Did not want space a full week between heavy sessions.

[Dave_M]

3/23/17 - Thursday

BW: 212.5 lbs.

Squat: 330x5x3

Belt & knee sleeves. Thumbs-around grip. Last set moved slow.

Press: 130x4, 130x3x2

Belt. Looks like 4,5,5 last session was not a green light. AC Joint hurting tonight didn't help.

Chins: 25 total: 6, 5, 5, 3, 3, 3

Trying for more volume since I haven't been getting more than 6 in a set.

General notes: Community center. In a meeting all day at work, then worked late. Didn't leave the gym until nearly 9 PM.

[Dave_M]

3/25/17 - Saturday - Deadlift and Power Clean Clinic

Not a regular log entry. Attended the Deadlift and Power Clean Clinic with SSC Niki Sims in Franklin, TN outside Nashville. There were 7 attendees including my wife and myself, good range of ages, male and female lifters. Everyone went through the teaching progression for each lift, then went through 3 progressively heavier warm-up sets of 5 with coaching (3 for PC) up to a work set weight with coaching. Work sets were kept lighter than next LP progression as we were warming up 5's. Also, I feel that it's harder to process cues when you are pulling a PR set.

Overall, it was a fun morning/afternoon and a good investment. Loads of time under a bar and plenty of time to ask questions. Niki was great to work with. I'd highly recommend it to anyone that wants to work on a specific lift, but doesn't have the time or money to commit to the full seminar or full-time coaching. Here were my personal take-aways.

DL: 315x5

Guy lifting the next most was pulling 300, so went with a work set of 315. Biggest take-away: I should not be pulling in weightlifting shoes. Most people can, and I think this has been discussed on the board at length, but I have long legs (femurs) and a comparatively short torso. At the start of the pull, my back is nearly parallel to the ground in the correct "high-hips" position in heels. Flat-foot gives me a little more of a back angle. This has given me an excuse to buy some new shoes. I have a tendency to be lazy keeping my upper back tight on lighter weights, which carries over to heavier ones. Also have a tendency to have my weight on my toes and not mid-foot.

PC: 155x3

Same take-away as the deadlift with the upper back. I have issues racking the weight in my hands and ending up standing too tall with straight legs. Need to release my grip sooner and commit to getting under the bar quickly with bent knees, slamming my elbows under the bar. Never got one looking perfect, know what to work on. There were some very interesting looking cleans in the group, but several had never attempted a clean before.

[Dave_M]

3/28/17 - Tuesday

BW: 212 lbs.

Light Squat: 270x5x2 ~ 80% of Sunday

Belt & knee sleeves.

Bench: 175x5x2, 175x6

Second workout of bench re-set. Wife informed me I did 6 on the last set.

Chins: 25 total - 7,5,4,4,3,2

General notes:

Trying to get on a consistent Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday schedule and also made some minor adjustments to programming. Moving chins to bench day and DL/PC to press day. Taking sets of light squats down from 3 to 2.

[Dave_M]

3/30/17 - Thursday

BW: 211.5 lbs.

Squat: 335x5x2, 300x5

Planned on making a game time decision on whether to continue with sets across or move to a top set of 5 + 2x5 back-offs @ 90%. Based on how set #2 moved, should have gone with back-offs. Backed-off on set 3. Will continue with 1x5 + 2x5 @ 90%.

Press: 130x4, 130x3, 130x2

Belt. No pain, but worse results than last time. Re-setting. Not going to bang my head against the wall. My fault, should not have moved up from 127.5.

DL: 405x4

4 rep PR. First failure on deadlifts. Per wife: first 3 looked good, upper back rounding on 4th rep but locked it out, rounding again on 5th rep, got to mid-thigh and could not lock out.

General notes: Community Center. Hitting the wall all over the place. Pressed for time, tried starting to warm up next exercise between work sets. Probably not going to do that again.

[JT_]

Really nice deadlifting. That isn't light! Failing lifts really sucks though. Looking forward to see how you navigate the advanced novice stage.

[Dave_M]

Looking forward to see how you navigate the advanced novice stage.

I need to recover better to start. I have a plan as far as programming goes for each lift, we'll see how it works out.

Thanks for the encouragement!

[Dave_M]

4/2/17 - Sunday

BW: 210.5 lbs.

BP: 180x5x3

3rd workout of re-set. All the squat racks were taken, so elected to bench first. Happy with bar speed and perceived effort.

Squat: 340x3, 305x5x2

Not a planned triple. Buried the 3rd rep and had to grind through to get it up. Back-off sets at 305. Repeat 340 Thursday.

Close-grip Pull-downs: 225x5x3

Available equipment made this choice for me. BW +15 lbs.

General notes: LA Fitness. Feeling run down today and had a nagging headache. Took an Excedrin and forced myself to the gym.

[Dave_M]

4/4/17 - Tuesday

BW: 211 lbs.

Light Squat: 270x5x2 ~ 80% of Sunday

Form work.

Press: 115x5x3

First workout of press re-set. Worked on bar path and breathing.

PC: 170x3x5

Still working out racking issues. Inconsistent but getting better. Happy with how these moved though. Haven't cleaned a work set weight since 3/16.

General notes: Community center. Took Monday and Tuesday off work for Opening Day, which is an unofficial city holiday in Cincinnati. Spent several innings in the rain with a beer and whiskey jacket to keep me warm.