Pawn's Log

[Pawn]

I started a starting strength linear progression about 3 weeks ago. I work a desk job and would like to rediscover the strength of my past self. (Football, farmboy, some strongman training but with limited access to barbells)

I plan to use this to log weekly updates and milestones.

Male
32
6'4''
393 lbs
39% body fat

Starting Lifts: (June 27, 2017)
Squat: 235
OHP: 75
Bench: 135
Dead: 275

Today's Lifts: (July 13, 2017)
Squat 275
OHP: 100
Bench: 170
Dead: 330

I am currently having issues with wrist/eblow/shoulder mobility in regard to the front rack. Hopefully power cleans will be added to the list shortly. Chins will definitely be awhile.

[carson]

Welcome. You haven't lost all of your strength I see.

What is a "front rack"?

[Pawn]

A 'front rack' is the final position of the power clean or one of the starting positions of the front squat. You basically need to comfortably touch your collar bone with your index fingers while your palm is up.

I've been stretching my shoulders by placing my elbow on a bar held in the power rack at shoulder height and dropping my hips slightly. Its getting closer, but I still push the bar into my throat.

As a side note I just solved the mystery of slow weight-loss despite a huge calorie deficit (currently eating 2800)... I ran out of whey and picked up a cheapo tub at the walmart... it had creatine in it and I didn't pick up on that. This is a relief due to concerns my coworkers may not appreciate me pulling another 500 calories out and the side-effects that can bring.

[Pawn]

July 15, 2017

First "missed" workout. At the cabin for three days.

Steps taken to improve diet compliance while maintaining a getaway weekend:
- swapped breakfast bacon for ham steaks
- swapped the Heineken and Guinness for rye and Coke Zero
- swapped potato salad for taboule
- swapped potato chips for pita and veggies with hummus and yogurt
- swapped orange juice for milk (2%) to avoid the pure sugar
- meat selection unchanged... because BBQ is BBQ

Noticeable performance increases:
- launching boat solo was ezpz.
- yoinking German shepherd out of the lake also ezpz

Noticeable performance decrease:
- shoulders don't fit in the damn tub anymore... lol

[carson]

I like your sense of humor. Lifting causes all sorts of funny experiences. Keep up the good work. Anyone who can do the olympics lifts is one who is to be admired. Good for you.

[Pawn]

July 16, 2017

Rain in the morning and light traffic... so Sunday workout made it back onto the books.

Squat: 280
OHP: 100
Deadlift: 335

Squats felt good -- easily two left in the tank on each set.
This was the first Overhead Press session that felt 'right'. Everything clicked, but not without some effort. I walked a barbell over to the preacher curl bench -- (curl-bros get more mirrors... and if they get to curl in the power rack, then I get to OHP in the preacher curl bench). Having mirrors on two sides really allowed me to check my grip. It turns out I was WAY too narrow. I was using the inside line of my forearm to create the vertical when i needed to use the outside of the forearm (thats where the bone is). I ended up widening my grip by about one hand-width on each side. No more tightness in the chest and shoulders at the top. Breathing and bracing also felt much better.
I did the deadlifts with alternate grip for the whole set because I was slightly rushed for time. I might starting alternate gripping the deadlift worksets on a regular basis and do some grip work... not sure. It will require some thought.

[Pawn]

July 19, 2017

Squat 285
Bench: 175 [5,5,4]
Deadlift: 340

Squats felt good -- again two left in the tank on each set.
I missed a rep on the bench press... I played with my grip (1 finger wider)... I felt a pinching feeling at the top of my right front delt, so I cut the set short. I'll see how it feels on Sunday with a little narrower grip. Its not a debilitating pinch, but I don't like pinches...
Deadlifts ez. Day one of the grip experiment. Used a double overhand on all warmups with an extra double at 315 -- held at top for 15 seconds. I did my workset alternate after this. I don't think this is the most efficient method. Next time I'll try doing the workset then dropping the weight for a grip set.

[Pawn]

July 21, 2017

Weight: 392 lbs

Diet Compliance
Target Consumption - 2800 calories
Average Consumption - 2772 calories
Average Protein - 226 grams
Average Fat - 120 grams
Average Carbs - 203 grams

Notes: Not too bad for a week that contained a family trip. Protein is a little low. A few too many barley pops this week (work functions).

Squat: 290
OHP: 105
Deadlift: 345

Squats felt heavy, but all reps completed without grinding -- soccer on Thursday definitely something to consider in planning. I'll probably try to avoid workouts the day after soccer. (soccer is a silly game... still don't know the rules, football feels safer but that might just be in my head...)
Pressing felt good... that grip is solid, lockout feels good. The hip-pop timing feels good.
Deadlift felt really solid... doing some grip work after the work set certainly has a good feel.

I worked through the motions on the bench and the right shoulder felt poor. Even with just the bar. I'm going to do overhead press again on Sunday and keep tabs on it.

[Pawn]

July 23, 2017

Squat: 295
OHP: 110
Deadlift: 350

Squats felt heavy again. I actually timed my 'rest' period. I assumed I rested for 5 minutes... which was the target... but I was really resting for 2 minutes. 3rd set felt a lot easier with a 4 minute rest.
Pressing felt good again... last rep of the last set was sloppy as hell... I was ambushed by someone of the female persuasion who finished a spin class with a white top... Turning my head mid-set lost all upper-body tightness. Need to pay attention.
Deadlift again was really solid. I think i need to focus on pulling with the lats a little bit more. I did notice the right side (supinated) of the bar wasn't as close to the shin as the left.

[Pawn]

July 25, 2017

Squat: 300
OHP: 115 [5,3,x]
Deadlift: 355

Good lordy lord everything felt super heavy today. I'm going to take two days off to address this. (I believe it either because I didn't sleep well last night [I got my back waxed for some stupid ass reason and its super tender... also hard to properly cue my back muscles...] or a lacking food earlier in the day [lunch: 4 ounce chicken salad sandwich with 1 cup of potato soup, dinner: 550 grams of chicken, 75 grams whole wheat pasta, 1/2 cup of pasta sauce])

Squats... heavy... back hard to cue causing a slight balance issue in the pocket.... pretty certain I lost count on reps on first set and did 6 or 7.
OHP... it felt good to push some fake 45's. (yes I pulled the 25's off to slap on 35's instead of a pair of 10's) I was having a hard timing cuing my back... its extremely obvious on the OHP when the form is off. Feels super light with solid form... ridiculously heavy with sloppy form.
Deadlift felt heavy but not bad... I am feeling this workout more in the back. Hopefully I will have a better 'feeling' in a couple of days.