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Thread: Barry's "Get Stronger Until I Can't" Log

  1. #1
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    Default Barry's "Get Stronger Until I Can't" Log

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    Hey, my name is Barry. I'm 45 years old, 5'8" tall, 200 lbs, and have been training since July 2014. I've been training pretty consistently during this time and recently got in touch with Andy Baker for some programming help as I was not happy with my squat progress this year. So I figured this was a good time to start a new training log. I'm pretty happy with my progress overall to this point but I have set very challenging goals for myself, and I don't have the luxury of decades to get stronger...at some point my age will hinder progress. So the goal is to get as strong as possible before age prevents any further progress.
    Previous training: Got2Squat Trying to Pick up Heavy Stuff

    Current lifts:
    Squat: 455x1, 405x5
    Bench: 300x1, 260x5 TnGo
    Press: 185x1
    Deadlift: 525x1, 475x5
    Training total: 1280

    I'd like to test again around the end of the year to hit a 1300 training total. My short term goals that I hope to hit in the upcoming year are:
    Squat: 495
    Bench: 315 TnGo, then paused
    Deadlift: 585
    Press: BW(200ish)
    Total: 1400

    So for me, I have a lot of big "milestone" lifts coming up soon. At this point, I feel like I am still just getting started, but I will feel somewhat accomplished once the above goals are met. I know progress will get harder as I go along, so I am willing to invest in more coaching as needed.

    For perspective, I was 156 lbs when I started training in 2014. My beginning worksets, as best as I recall when I started training in 2014, were 70lbs for squat, 135 or so for bench, 225 for deadlift, and around 80 lbs for press. I've spent a lot of money on clothes since then.

    Current programming is a 4 day upper lower split on a 3 week rotation of 5's, 3's, and 1's. This week is my first week of singles on the program, so three weeks in.

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    Friday 11/25/2016

    Had one extra day of rest in part due to Thanksgiving, and in part to knowing that I did not feel recovered enough to lift yesterday. Still had an off day.

    Squat: Rx=385x1x3; medium, 90% of Monday
    385x1x3 Third rep felt the best.
    315x5x2

    Deadlift: Rx=495x1x3
    495x1x2 Too heavy. I'll repeat this next time unless I am feeling very strong.
    455x2x3

    I'll do my normally scheduled upper day Sunday, but will likely push Monday's heavy squat workout to Tuesday for recovery.

    What I cannot figure out is why my abs are sore. They've never really felt sore before from squatting or lifting in general, even after meets...maybe Monday's heavy singles? I dunno. I'm about ready to start shoveling in some food to gain weight or something. I'm ready for some workouts where I feel fresh, strong, and ready to crush weights.
    Last edited by BarryF; 11-25-2016 at 04:47 PM.

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    Sunday 11/27/2016

    Fives week.

    Bench: Rx=247.5x5x3
    Even though this would have been a 3x5 PR, I was feeling strong and hungry for a solid PR, so:
    250x5,5,6 +5 lb PR and obviously enough in the tank for an extra rep on the last set. I'm sure Andy would yell at me had he witnessed.
    225x6x2

    Press: Shoulders have been really bugging me on press for a few weeks, so I decided I would simply warmup to the highest weight that felt comfortable and just get some reps in, no matter how light.
    w/u to 125x1. Little uncomfortable.
    125x5,5,6,7,8 Obviously things felt better as I went along. I resisted the urge to add weight.

    Close grip push ups:
    40,32 haha burned out a bit too much on the first set.

    Felt good about this workout and really looking forward to squats this week(tomorrow). I'm hungry for a 3x5 PR but might not be time yet.

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    Tuesday 11/29/2016

    Squat: Rx=375x5x3
    390x5x3 +5 lb PR Unless my squat strength really explodes, I'll probably drop back down to 375 for next cycle in order to maintain some sensible progression. I was really hungry for a squat PR though and decided to push hard today. This was done in my new "loose" sleeves, I did 385x5x3 in August in my tight mediums. So a solid PR considering. I even bumped the safeties on the last rep of the 2nd set, turning that rep into a bit of a paused squat.

    Chins:
    BWx10 elbows and shoulders felt fine so:
    25x6
    35x6,7

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    Thursday 12/1/2016

    Press:
    135x5x5

    Bench:
    230x5x3

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    Sunday 12/4/2016

    Deadlift:
    w/u to 445x1
    480x5@9 +5 lb PR I feel really good about this since 1) had a rep in the tank, 2) still digging myself out of the recovery hole I dug myself into. The good news is that I know what it is from and will adjust accordingly. Singles week on deads were too heavy, followed shortly after by a brutal 3x5 squat PR(while not recovered).



    Squat:
    w/u to 315x1
    340x1
    315x1 postponing squats until tomorrow or Tuesday.

    Have decided to lay off pressing for a couple of weeks until my shoulders feel 100%. Bench feels completely ok so going to add a lot of bench volume in the meantime. Smolov Jr. cycle since I didn't finish it the last time due to unrelated, non lifting injury.


    I would like to dial back my deadlift intensity to improve recovery and focus more on squats. Pressing (I think?) was also making my back extremely sore. As in, still sore today after 3 days off. It never has before, so we shall see if a short break from pressing improves things.

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    Monday 12/5/2016

    Bench:
    Rx=70%x6x6
    210x6x6

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    Wednesday 12/7/2016

    Squat: Rx=400x3x3
    365x3
    385x3
    405x3 Ramped up because not feeling recovered from Sunday's DL 5RM....could have used another day off so I was happy with this considering. I feel like 400 would have gone smoothly for sets across(with another day of recovery), but its been 9 days since I last squatted and didn't want to wait another day. I am going to ask Andy what he thinks about taking 3 full days off after every squat or squat/deadlift session, rather than trying to fit into a twice/week schedule. My instinct tells me this is the right thing to do, otherwise I feel like I would have to drop intensity quite a bit. Regardless, for some reason I feel like I am on a path to set some solid squat PR's in the upcoming weeks. Fingers crossed.

    Bench:
    225x5x7. Last set @7

    Chins:
    +35x6x3

    DB rows:
    130'sx8x2
    Last edited by BarryF; 12-07-2016 at 08:30 PM.

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    Friday 12/9/2016

    Bench: yes, again.
    240x4x8 taking a short(3-4 week) departure from my 5/3/1 programming for bench only.
    Last edited by BarryF; 12-09-2016 at 07:05 PM.

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    Sunday 12/11/2016

    As I warmed up for squats, and especially on work sets, I was feeling under recovered despite 3 days off since last session. I am hoping that taking 3 full days off after every squat/dl session will be enough to get my recovery on track. If not, I'll drop my deadlift intensity down around 5%. Let's see how squat singles feel on Thursday. Sleep has been adequate but not perfect(7.5+ hrs/night), and bodyweight holding steady. Have increased protein intake via whey shakes and added in frequent doses of BCAA's.

    Squat: Rx=365x3x3
    365x3x2
    335x2

    Deadlift:
    500x3 +5 lb PR This felt way harder than it looked on video, as bar speed looked to be pretty decent.



    Bench: Rx=255x3x10
    255x3x9
    255x5! Haha had two reps in the tank on the last set

    I was a little surprised that I was recovered enough to handle my fourth bench session of the week. Elbows, shoulders, chest all felt perfectly fine. This finishes week 1 of Smolov Jr. I'll be taking 2 days off for recovery instead of 1 as a precaution against injury, so I will be doing three 9-day cycles rather than 3 weeks. To finish, I'll take 5 days or so off and test max, which will be the first week of January. I'll be thrilled to get 15 lbs on my max for 315.

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