Cloud's Get Strong Log

[jacob cloud]

I used to keep my log on the CF forums, but this makes a helluva lot more sense, so here I am.

Background for those that don't know me: I got off the couch and got into SS a couple years ago, went through some injuries, a surgery, and more injuries. I put myself through intermediate training and have tried a bunch of stuff, including TX Method and Wendler's 5/3/1. I competed in my first meet in Dec 09. @ 6'1", 265 raw, I squatted 440, 485, 507. On the third squat, I was redlit for racking too early but I count it as a PR for all intents and purposes. On DL, I went 474, 501, 523. I performed one measly bench attempt to get a total, and due to a right shoulder injury, only attempted an easy 226. The vid of these lifts is located here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb6llXff4b4

After that, I moved from the Seattle area back to Austin, TX, where I grew up. I've been out of the gym for a couple months and am just getting back into it. I plan on using some linear progression to catch up to where I was, and then most likely going back on 5/3/1. I am aiming to compete next on July 10th, in Spring, TX @ 242 raw. I'd really like to hit about 525/275/550 at that meet. By the end of the year, I'd like to DL 600@220, and hopefully finally bench over 300.

Today was my first serious day of training with the intention of Getting Strong.

@ South Austin Gym (SAG):
Weight: ~250, no belt today
Warmup (WU): bikex3 min
Back Squat (BS): 45xlots (L), 135x5, 225x5, 315x3, 365x1, 405x1
Overhead Press (OHP): 45xL, 95x3, 135x5,5,9
Power Clean (PC): 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 185x3, 195x3
Pullups/Chins: About 10...ugh. Doubles and singles.

Notes on today's workout: I wanted to see how my shoulder reacted to heavy weight on BS, and it felt fine. My legs were weak (especially my quads, which is very strange for me, since I am pretty posterior-dominant on squats), but I had my groove and it felt great to squat again. I should be able to rebound pretty quickly. On press, I was shooting for 10 reps on the last set, but was getting shaky and 9 was tough. PC's felt good to great, even w/o bumpers. I'm really focusing on not bending my arms early and using the hook grip on all sets. Pullups were dismal. No excuses, I suck at them and will be doing a lot more to remedy this.

This was my first workout at SAG and I doubt I'll be back. It's a fine place to lift some iron, and probably a good place to do kickboxing if you're into that, but after really considering my options, I think going back and joining Hyde Park Gym will be my best option to Get Strong. Fuck convenience (SAG is about half the distance and 1/3 the traffic as HPG) and price (SAG is about 1/3 the price). My goal is to Get Strong, and Get Strong I shall. One thing that bugged me and helped guide my decision - when I toured the gym on Friday, they had a bunch of small (25 and 35lb) KBs out and about, which I noticed and discussed with the woman giving me the tour. When I went to find them today for some KB snatches at the end of my workout (to practice for the 70sbig Tactical Strength Challenge), I was told by two employees that they were for use by classes only. Weaksauce. I also mentioned I was considering HPG and one guy tried to sway me by letting me know SAG had more cardio equipment...not the kind of environment I'm looking for.

Anyway, I should be updating this 3x/wk for now, as I plan on lifting every other day while getting back into linear progression. Later I'll probably switch to 4x/wk since I am still unemployed and have lots of time to lift and recover!

[kittenSmash]

Well it's about time you got your ass back into the gym. Thanks for the chance to catch up though, haha. I appreciate it.

[jacob cloud]

I have a lot of catching up to do!

Joined HPG today. Awesome place.

Weight: 250 on their scale

PC: 50kgx3,3, 60x3,3, 80x3,3, 90x2, 100x1,1,1,1,1 (on the minute, done kind of as a warmup, and to see how 100kg felt. Pretty easy, just not racking it very well)

FS: 100kgx1, 110x1, 120x1, 130x1, 140x1 (PR), 150xF

DL: 100kgx3, 140x1 or 2, 170x1, 200x3 (no belt)

BP: 45xL, 135x5,5, 185x3, 205x5,5,5, 185x5

Pull/Chins: 11

Back Ext: 10

Not a bad day! Lifting with bumpers is fun. Lifting around real lifters is fun. Everyone else (all females) in the Oly area was about 100 times better than me technically. Apparently one of their coaches was 9th in the Olympics for Russia. Good environment. I felt like a chump in my Chucks and crappy technique (esp ditching my heavy FS), but it's all good. Kinda warmed up with the PCs. Thought about doing full cleans but was embarassed in front of real lifters. I'll practice them when I'm alone. Didn't push too hard on everything (even ditched the failed FS quickly instead of grinding it out), just finding my starting points for linear progression stuff and getting my groove back. Full deads make me very sore w/o a belt so I only did 3 reps. They were a bit ugly anyway.

My rough plan will be alternating A/B:
A: BS 3x5, OHP 3x5, PC 5x3, Pullups/Chins
B: FS 5x3, BP 3x5, Rack Pulls, Pullups/Chins

I'll probably toss in some extra volume on the pressing movements after 3x5, like max reps with 135 for OHP and max reps with 185 or 225 on BP. I am toying with the idea of just adding 1 chin each workout so that the volume there will add up as well. Once I stop getting crazy sore, I'll add in some tire flipping, sled pushing/dragging, and other fun shit, since I also need to lose about 10 pounds of blubber before the meet.

[PVC]

Nice lifts bro.

[jacob cloud]

Thanks man, I feel like my goals are pretty far off, but it feels damn good to get working toward 'em anyway. Hopefully in about a month I can be in new PR territory on most of my lifts, and then start pushing kitty smasher a bit.

Been awhile since I've been this damn sore, though...although it's not as bad as the tabata DL w/ 315 I did in a buddy's garage a few weeks ago. That was like a trainwreck.

[kittenSmash]

I don't think it will take you too long at all, you 'stache rockin pedo. I am jealous as hell of your gym. I love my garage and all the stuff, but I can't imagine lifting in a gym with alot of serious lifters like that. All I've ever known is Balley's and here. Although being able to lift in my underware only if I like is nice...too much info??

[jacob cloud]

Never too much info! Wait, yes, way too much. I just imagine Kittensmashessexygirlfriend doing the same thing, though. Noice.


I had a friend in town for the past week and we really blew it out this weekend. LOTS of great food, beer, and good times. So after she left today, I sat down and read the new Starr article on split snatches...and halfway through, was changing into my gym clothes and out the door.

Weighed in at 254. I didn't do any split snatches, just normal power snatches, which I'm still terrible enough at. Did a ton of warmups and drills and worked up to 60kg, which is challenging to do with proper form and a good weight for me, for now.

Did 1 rep every minute. On the 16th rep, I missed (pulled short, distracted) but did another rep that was actually pretty good. On the 17th rep, I tore off a callous on my left hand. Doh. I was aiming for 20-30.

Oh well, it was good practice, but I guess I need to work on the finer points of the hook grip. I was rather sweaty and not using much chalk at all. Got the wound all cleaned up, applied New Skin (mother of god, that shit is the devil), neosporin, bandages/tape, and will work hard to get this stupid thing healed up quickly so it doesn't effect my "real" lifting too much.

On another note, the gym was practically empty (which was my goal)...except for a small chick doing pretty heavy Oly lifts with perfect form right next to me. Embarassing, but more importantly, inspiring. I really can't wait to get some heavy back squats in so I don't feel like such a puss.

[Alex Bond]

I feel your pain on the hook grip - with your hands so wide in the snatch it puts a ton of pressure on the thumbs, at least for me. Bright side is if you can snatch then the clean is trivial. You've been missing out on some fun at Eastside - Lonny is of course still doing his crazy benching and with the summer weather we've started running the Prowler in the parking lot. It is an evil thing, but I am hoping if I can get two or three sessions a week in on it I can get my conditioning to the point where I am not breathing hard after doing a short jog or something like that. My main goals involve more weight on the bar of course, but one of my best friends is a bicyclist who could arguably be called 90s small (6'2", ~190#). He makes fun of me for being fat and I make fun of him for being weak, both deservedly so, but to be able to beat him in a run, which would probably have to be short distance, at 50# more bodyweight would be pretty satisfying.

Good to hear that you've settled in and that your gym is rocking.

[ILiftAlone]

Hey Jacob, cool log. Ill be checking this one from time to time.

Hows the shoulder holding up? Im currently on the mend with some shoulder pain myself.

[jacob cloud]

Alex - glad to hear the updates at Eastside! I miss that place, though I am slowly getting accustomed to Hyde Park. Still, it's not quite the same. Saw your numbers, damn! You've gone into full beast mode! I hear ya on wanting to be able to run and "do stuff" as well, I'm the same way. Looking forward to some Prowler time. Right now, just lifting is beating me up enough, though I did do some truck pushing with friends, and that was brutal...

Iliftalone - Shoulder seems to be holding up so far (knock on wood). One thing I learned at my last gym was that I needed to do a lot more rear delt/upper back work to keep my shoulder "tight," if that makes sense. The volume of PC/PSn and chins/pulls lately seems to be keeping it all in balance (rows worked before). So far, so good. What kind of pain are you going through on yours?

Today's Workout
247.2 on my morning scale, 254 @ HPG ~ lunchtime, no belt today

PC: Worked up to a 110kg single (starting with the bar, then 50kg, taking a few reps every 10kg up to 100, then 105, then 110), then 90kg 5x3 every other minute

BS: Worked up to a 405 single, then 315x5,5,5

OHP: 140(+5)x5,5,6

This was a tough workout. I had my left hand all taped up after losing a callous yesterday and did a ton of PC's. I was drenched in sweat by the time I was done with them, and had accidentally ripped a callous on my right hand. Doh. When I got to squats, I immediately had a very strange feeling in my right upper back - very tight, almost cramping. 405 was way harder than it should have been, and so was 315. It was very uncomfortable but I worked through it. Hopefully it was just dehydration from the 6 pack I polished off before bed, and the weight was light enough not to do any harm. Press was off a bit, but not too horrible. I skipped chins since my hands were toast.

I also got some great tips on my PC from a competitive Oly lifter. She had some compliments as well, so my ego wasn't too trashed. Apparently I am not redipping under the PC to catch it - I'm thrusting my hips forward instead of backward. Good stuff to focus on going forward. This is the lady whose coach was in the Olympics.

Not sure if doing PC's first will work as well I thought it would. While it is a great warmup, I was pretty tired by the time I got to squats, and since that's a priority, I might just go ahead and do them first, how Rip normally prescribes 'em.

Now, to go suffer through some more damn New Skin...