sking's log

[sking1001]

Madcow Intermediate Week 4

Squat (light)
150x5, 185x5, 220x5x2

Press (matched PR)
95x5, 115x5, 130x5, 150x5

Deadlift (matched PR)
230x5, 275x5, 320x5, 365x5
Took every bit of gas I had in the tank...wasn't sure if I had enough energy for assistance today.

Sit-ups
3x10

I did two pull-ups and it hurt my shoulder, which is healing nicely. I decided to switch to chin-ups, did 10, and decided to skip them today. I added them as extra to the stock Madcow program anyway.

I haven't felt this utterly exhausted after a training session in a long time. I think it's part of the psychological danger of underestimating the "light" day. If you think about this programming, Wednesdays are only light on squats. I need to prepare for deadlift days more mentally.

[sking1001]

Madcow Intermediate Week 4

Everything felt easy today. This programming is really working.

Squat (PR) - Video
150x5, 180x5, 220x5, 260x5, 305x3, 220x8

Bench (PR)
120x5, 150x5, 180x5, 210x5, 250x3, 180x8

Power Clean
70x5, 80x5, 100x5, 120x5, 140x3, 100x8

Weighted Dips
+65x8x3

Barbell Curls
95x8, 100x8, 105x8

Triceps Extensions
90x8, 100x8, 110x8

[sking1001]

Madcow Intermediate Week 5

Did 1RM testing on squat and bench today, deviating from my programming slightly but not too much. I last tested my 1RM about 3 months ago. I was a bit disappointed. I'll be modifying Wednesday's session a bit to test 1RM on deadlift.

Squat (PR) - Video
155x5, 190x5, 230x5, 265x3, 315x1, 355x0, 355x0, 330x1

Bench (PR) - Video
125x5, 155x5, 190x5, 220x3, 275x0, 275x1, 280x0

Power Clean
70x5, 90x5, 105x5, 125x5, 140x6 (upon video review, miscounted reps)

No assistance today...session was already 2 hours long.

[sking1001]

Madcow Intermediate Week 5

Did 1RM testing on deadlift today. Very pleased.

Squat (light)
155x5, 190x5, 230x5x2

Press (PR)
95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155x5

Deadlift (PR) - Video
275x5, 335x3, 385x1, 405x1, 445x1
A little form breakdown on the heavier sets, but my back is fine.

[sking1001]

Okay, if anyone is reading this, do I have my notation backwards? I feel stupid if I've been doing this wrong the whole time.

...or does everyone just do it differently?

If I do 2 sets of 5 at 230 pounds, I have been writing:
230x2x5.

However, as I look at other's logs, I see it written 230x5x2.

I also see it as 2x5x230.

Maybe I'm just being anal here too. Anal or stupid...you choose.

Is there a standard? If not, I guess I should clarify what I mean.

[Les Hahn]

I do it the way you do. Today I did 3x10 (3 sets of 10). I've seen people do it the other way too, but usually they say something in their log about it.

Grats on the massive DL!!!!! :-)

How long have you been training now (total time... novice to intermediate). What did you do before Madcow?

[hamburgerfan]

I find it's usually either weight-reps-sets or sets-reps-weight.

[sking1001]

I find it's usually either weight-reps-sets or sets-reps-weight.

That's what I'm starting to figure. Thanks for the confirmation.

I do it the way you do. Today I did 3x10 (3 sets of 10). I've seen people do it the other way too, but usually they say something in their log about it.

Well, I only have a couple of entries that way, so I think I'm going to change it more like the above. You lift so much weight, you have earned the right to do it ANY WAY YOU WANT! :-)

Grats on the massive DL!!!!! :-)

How long have you been training now (total time... novice to intermediate). What did you do before Madcow?

Thanks so much. My form broke down quite a bit, but I'll build up to the 400's in my regular program with good back extension. I won't be messing with my program for quite some time to do 1RM testing like I did, but I totaled 1,050 pounds, so fairly pleased at this point. I would really like to compete, but I train totally alone and live in a very small town.

I actually started doing StrongLifts on Feb. 9 of this year, but I didn't start with the empty bar, since I have been lifting on and off for 16 years. I just wasted a lot of time with poor technique on squats and a good deal of isolation stuff. I started SL at 185/95/185/295, squat/press/bench/dead.

I didn't find out about SS until a few months in, at which point I was pretty much at 3x5 on everything anyway.

EDIT: Although I have only logged 6/22/11 on, you can see my novice log here.

[sking1001]

Madcow Intermediate Week 5

Left it all in the gym today. By the time I got to the assistance exercises (what Bill called "Beach Work"), I was quite fatigued and felt pressed for time, so I just did a single higher rep set (practically to failure).

I would appreciate any input to my Power Clean technique. I've been working on technique for a while, and I hope I've got it.
EDIT: hmmm...do I need more hip thrust?
(I included the backoff set of 8 hang power cleans - from below the knee)

Squat (PR)
155x5, 190x5, 230x5, 265x5, 310x3, 230x8

Bench (PR)
125x5, 155x5, 190x5, 220x5, 255x3, 190x8

Power Clean - Video
70x5, 90x5, 105x5, 125x5, 140x3, 105x8

Weighted Dips
+70x11, +70x1 (was pissed that I didn't get 12)

Barbell Curls
100x20

Triceps Extensions
100x15

[Moving_Target]

I almost never want to comment on anyone's technique since I don't think I'm all that qualified but here goes anyway:

It doesn't look like you're hitting mid-thigh (aka bar is a little out in front of you) on the jump. The start is good, the rack is good too (no arm pull as far as I can see), I'm just unsure of the jump point...looks around knee height and you're not grazing your mid-thigh at the jump.