CDG Novice Log

[Romain Secco]

Hi! Can I ask you where I can find infos on GGW? Nice job BTW!

[CDG]

Hi! Can I ask you where I can find infos on GGW? Nice job BTW!

Thanks Romain! I got it from SSC Andy Baker:

Garage Gym Warrior ? Andy Baker

[CDG]

5/19

Weightlifting Cardio
Bike: 5 min warmup, 20s on, 140s off for 7 rounds, 10 min cool down.
Made me want to puke.

5/20

GGW Week 1

"Medium" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 185x3 225x6x3
Diet is adjusted, these were easy and deep.

"Heavy" Bench 45x5x2 135x5 160x3 175x6x4 PR
Volume pr. No issues at all, the two sessions benching a week make the technique easier.

"Heavy" Deadlift 135x5 185x5 225x3 275x6 PR
Started losing grip on last two reps. A little round by the feel of my back right now, but 5 of those were legit.

First week went well, learned about my diet and I also learned that I respond better to larger percentages for the light and medium offsets. Next week looks challenging, I can't wait!

In other news, my mother benched 60 pounds for the first time and told me not to touch the bar or she can't count it. Ha.
The wife is back at it after a long illness, but her deadlift form is really good despite the absence.

[CDG]

5/23

GGW Week 2

"Heavy" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 185x3 225x1 255x5x4 PR
All to depth, looked pretty good. Volume PR.

"Medium" Bench 45x5x2 135x5 155x3 175x5x3
Felt easy, I really like the benching volume that I am getting, and I am excited to see the results.

"Medium" Chins BWx8x3
I wasn't feeling the chins today, but I did put on a few pounds. As long as I stay within the 20-50 rep range, I'll keep going forward this way and save my energy for the main lifts.

[CDG]

5/24

Weightlifting Cardio
C2 Rower: 5 min warmup, 20s on 1:40s off (7 rounds), 10 min cool down
Distance: 3500 m

5/25

GGW Week 2

"Light" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 185x3 225x5x2
Easy.

"Light" Press 45x5 75x5 105x3 120x5x4 PR
Last weeks press volume felt very uncomfortable, but I have been working on my tightness through the set and got to see a great pressing tutorial by an SSC built more like me. Today, I felt very strong doing these. Volume PR.

"Light" Barbell Rows 65x5 95x5 135x3 155x6x4 PR
I read up on these in SSBBT3. I wasn't resetting my back for every rep, and my lats got unusually sore last week. This time I pulled the bar better from the mid foot, slammed it into my belly, kept my back from going more than 10 degrees above horizontal, and reset my back between each rep. The result: easy, easy rows and no back twinging.

[CDG]

5/26

Weightlifting Cardio
Bike: 5 min warmup, 20s on 1:40s off (7 rounds), 10 min cool down.

5/27

Bodyweight: 218 lbs.

GGW Week 2

"Medium" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 185x3 225x1 240x5x3
These felt so heavy. I ate a lot of garbage last night and worked out early, before my carb heavy meals. I got them done, but my gluteus on my left side were killing me (muscular pain).

"Heavy" Bench 45x5x2 135x5 175x3 190x5x4 PR
Volume PR. These felt easy, brought the bar out myself.

"Heavy" Deadlift 135x5 225x3 265x2 295x5
I wasn't feeling real good at the beginning, so I opted for a little less volume in the warmups. I felt pretty good with my back and grip until the fourth rep of my workset. It just wouldn't budge. So I used my straps for the last two. I'm not particularly interested in the alternate deadlift grip, and my hands were so tired that the hook didn't seem to hold well. I don't mind using straps to build strength, I only use them in my last set of deadlift.

I finally had that Aha! moment with the GGW program. Next week is the end of the first micro cycle, and it uses less reps with higher intensity. The program is basically a set of smaller cycles rotating between volume and intensity, with each subsequent cycle increasing the starting intensity. It really is well worth the 25$, and downloaded IMMEDIATELY. I highly recommend it for beginner intermediates.

[CDG]

5/30

bodyweight: 222 lbs.

GGW Week 3

"Heavy" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 230x3 250x1 270x4x4 PR (volume)
The gym was packed. I couldn't find an unbent standard bar, so I had to use a 50 lb. bar. It really sucked. I was scheduled to do 275, but I mis-loaded. All to depth.

"Medium" Bench 45x5x2 135x5 155x3 175x4x3
I adjusted the percentage offsets this week for light and medium. I was having recovery issues last week, so with the squats getting to higher intensities I thought I'd back off to my traditional offsets. These were easy, but the heavy day will be much heavier.

"Medium" Chins BWx9,7,7
I'm getting heavier thanks to some diet adjustments, so nothing crazy to report with chins. I'm shooting for 220-230 so that I can continue building.

[CDG]

6/1

GGW Week 3

"Light" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 205x4x2

"Light" Press 45x5x2 75x5 95x3 115x1 130x4x4

"Light" Barbell Rows 65x5 105x5 135x3 155x3 175x4x4 PR

I missed my cardio sessions this week. Readjusted diet and light/medium % offsets feel much better. Too many carbs and not enough rest = sore and fat.

[CDG]

GGW Week 3

6/3

"Medium" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 185x3 225x1 240x4x3
Fine.

"Heavy" Bench 45x5x2 135x5 160x3 180x1 200x4x4
Fine.

"Heavy" Deadlift 135x5 225x3 250x2 275x1 315x4
I re-read the programming and realized I am not getting enough deadlift volume. I will adjust next week by adding the "light" deadlift volume as backoff sets on Fridays.

[CDG]

6/6

GGW Week 4

"Heavy" Squat 45x5x2 135x5 185x3 225x1 255x6x4
Fine.

"Medium" Bench 45x5 95x5 135x3 165x6x3
I am getting bored of this medium bench day. I am thinking about experimenting with the Incline Bench.

"Medium" Chins-ups BWx10,8,8
Chins felt really smooth.