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Thread: Convergentsum's log

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    334

    Default Convergentsum's log

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    I'm a mostly untrained 36-year-old. I'd always been a bit flabby, but when I peaked at 100kg (220) last year, it felt like I'd passed a threshold. (Of course after reading this forum for a bit, that sounds like a perfectly sensible weight at 6'2.) So I dieted down to 90kg, then began starting strength last November, progressed up to 102.5kg (225) squats. Since then my weight has hovered between 90 and 95kg.
    Been having trouble with presses and cleans for a couple of weeks since foolishly participating in an arm wrestle, and just been on holiday so took a week off from lifting. This evening, I deloaded a few percent.

    Squat: 20x5, 50x5, 70x5, 90x3x5
    Press: 20x5, 30x5, 40x2x5, 40x3
    Deadlift: 80x5, 110x5

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    334

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    Been nicely sore since the first session back. I'm pleased that presses are possible again, although they've had close to a month off now. Also, I wonder if part of that problem was to do with a poor grip on heavy (for me) squats. I'm concentrating on limiting wrist extension and keeping the upper back tight.

    Squat: 20x2x5 50x5 70x5; belted: 80x3 95x3x5
    Bench: 20x3x5 40x5 50x3 60x3x5
    Power clean: hang: 40x3 from floor: 40x3 50x5x3

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    60

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    Welcome. I was much in the same boat when I started last year. Though my resolve has been spotty, SS has had great effect on my general well-being and health. Hang in there and keep working!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    Thanks Eagle! Yes, definitely. Along with commuting by bicycle for the past few years, it's the best thing I've ever done for my body.
    Not so much soreness now, must be getting used to it.

    Squat: 20x2x5 60x5 70x3; belted: 80x2 100x3x5
    second workset was rough, probably a little high on a couple or reps; but 1st and 3rs sets felt good. Still learning to use the belt.
    Press: 20x2x8 25x5 30x3 42.5x(2x5, 4)
    Deadlift: 60x5 90x3; belted: 105x2 115x5
    Chins: before squats: 5, 4; after deads: 2, 3

  5. #5
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    Jan 2017
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    Played around with grip on the squat today. I have an ongoing form issue with extension on my wrists, so I experimented with width and thumb under / thumb over, hence the eccentric doubled-up warm-up sets. I settled on thumb over for my work-sets (although thumb under felt good enough that it's worth trying again), and concentrated on actively flexing my wrists and forcing my elbows back behind me. I think I feel the benefit: less elbow pain despite heavy (for me) work-sets (equal previous PR).

    squat: (20, 50)x2x5 70x2x3; belted: 80x3, 102.5x3x5

    bench: 20x2x5 50x4 62.5x3x5 -- continued to focus on wrist flexion (or rather anti-extension).

    power clean: hang: 40x3; from floor: (40, 50)x3 52.5x(4+F)x3
    I did a fifth set at 52.5 but I didn't rack any of them properly, they all ended up as bastard curls so they don't count.

    chins: before squats: 4+F, 4; after power cleans: 3
    That failed 5th rep was a real grind, and pretty close to complete. I should really start programming chins more methodically... Training the Chin-Up, Pt 2 | Niki Sims is probably what I need to be doing.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    334

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    Had a longer than usual commute (12.5 miles each way) yesterday so couldn't fit in a workout. Squeezed one in this morning though, and made a PR on the squat!
    The presses were a bit of grind, it was obvious I wouldn't get much volume at 45kg, so backed off to 42.5. My fractional plates (pair of 0.5s) have arrived, so I can experiment with 1kg jumps.

    squat: (20x2, 50)x5, 70x3; belted: 90x3, 105x3x5 (PR)

    press: (20x2, 30)x5, 45x4, 42.5x(5, 2x3)

    deadlift: 60x5; belted: 100x3, 120x5

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    Monday was a public holiday, so worked out this morning instead. Everything felt heavy and difficult, maybe because the gym was too hot, like a sauna. Hot lifting! Power cleans were disappointing as last time I did them it felt like I'd made a breakthrough in form, but this time I caught as many in my hands as I did properly in the rack.

    squat: (20,40)x2x5, 60x5, 80x3; belted: 90x2, 107.5x(2x5, 4) (PR, but I didn't attempt the final rep)

    bench: (20x2, 50)x5 60x2, 65x3x5 (first rep of last set hit the rack, so repositioned and did the remaining 4)

    power clean: hang: 40x3; from floor 50x2x3, 52.5x(3, 2+F)

    chins: before squats: 4, 4; after power cleans: 3

  8. #8
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    Jan 2017
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    Hard to fit them in this week, but managed to squeeze a session in yesterday morning at a gym I'd not been to before. Plenty of cardio that day too, as another long commute.

    squat: (20x2, 50)x5, 70x3; belted 95x2, 107.5x3x5 - repeat of last session's weight, but got all the reps this time.

    press: 20x5, 35x3, 42.5x(2x5, 3+F) - been faffing around at the same weight for a while, maybe triples would drive more progress?

    deadlift: 60x5, 100x3; belted: 110x2, 125x5 - practiced the hook grip, but reverted to overhand for the last 2 reps.

  9. #9
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    Jan 2017
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    squats: (20x2, 50)x5, 75x3; belted: 95x2, 110x3x5
    bench: 20x2x8, 40x5, 55x3, 67x(2x5, 4) - the bench was slightly awkward (forward of the rack) for the last set, a shoddy excuse but I'm sticking to it.
    power clean: hang: 40x3; from floor: 40x3, 50x5x3 - kept the weight low to concentrate on form particularly exploding.

    I posted a video of these squats for a form check:
    Squats form check please
    Last edited by convergentsum; 05-06-2017 at 03:48 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    334

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    starting strength coach development program
    squats: (20x2, 50)x5, 75x3; belted: 95x2, 112.5x2x5

    skipped last set as I felt my right arm going and didn't want to compromise attempt at triples on the press. Think it's time to deload the squat and fix a few form issues; it's not just the wrists, shoulders and upper back, but also back angle, knees and hip drive. I guess that's just about everything!

    press: 20x2x8, 30x5, 45x3x3, 40x7
    these triples were challenging, and I finished it with an amrap backoff set for some volume. I'll see how far I get microloading the triples (I have 0.5 kg plates now).

    deadlift: 60x5, 100x3; belted: 110x2, 125x5
    repeated 125kg as my arms felt fairly beaten up already, and I'm not completely certain that the bar I chose last deadlift day was a full 20kg one (not my usual gym). More hook grip practice, but the reverted to overhand again half way through the workset.

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