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Thread: Novice(ish) with some questions

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    Default Novice(ish) with some questions

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    Hello all. I'll start by saying I have both "Starting Strength", and "Practical Programming...", and have read SS from cover to cover. So the information is in my brain somewhere, but why have a forum if not so people like me can get a shortcut to the information I need!?

    I live in Scotland, so have no access to an SS certified coach. I'm 36, a good deal too fat, albeit probably not quite what you would define as obese. I could spout many excuses, like starting a new desk job, etc... But they would be just so...excuses. We've just had a wee boy (7 months), and that gave me the kick in the butt to get my lazy self into the gym again. I've been 'in' again since November, and had been 'out' for around 3 years. My younger self managed S140kgx5x3, D180kgx5x1, P60kgx5x3, B95kgx5x3, C60kgx3x5, and those are my initial targets. They were attained whilst still in the linear progression phase, but also when I was still a (mature) student, and had a lot more time to concentrate on the gym. I probably still hadn't eeked out the absolute maximum I could from the linear progression though, by the time I got an unrelated ankle injury.

    Currently, I'm at S132.5kgx5x3, D150kgx5x1, P55kgx5x3, B75kgx5x3, C55kgx3x5; and I'm not ashamed to say, it's kicking my arse. I had to take a week off last week because I had a strained oblique (the pain is still there mildly, but I'm fighting through it). I've had serious elbow pain from squatting; I'm delighted to say I think I have fixed this through watching SS videos on youtube. I've narrowed my grip by around 2 fingers width, started using chalk, and using a very slight wrist extension. Last gym day was pain free!

    The other corners of the triangle...My diet could still be better. As a former chef, the food I make probably has too much butter, and too much salt, but I make our own food, so no pre-packaged shit. I'm definitely getting enough protein, and enough water. I probably drink a bit too much alcohol on a Friday night (2 bottles of wine, and about 4 whiskys last night, and that was a light one). I've drastically cut that back though; one night a week now...baby steps.

    Rest; I get decent sleep, despite having a baby. I've recently arranged with work to start at 7am instead of 8am. This means I can finish work at 3.30pm and get to the gym after work before it gets busy, then get home in time to make dinner before Charlie has his bath and goes to bed. I'm normally in bed by 10pm, and up at 5.50am. Occaisionally the dogs will wake me up by barking, so they need a punch on the nose at 2am.

    Now I know the first questions are going to be, "post videos of your form". I don't have a gym buddy, but there are a couple of people I nod and say "alright?" to. So perhaps I'll have the courage to ask them to video my form. I feel like I'm fairly aware of issues in a kinesthetic sense (although I may be incredibly wrong; I really should take videos). I've noticed most recently a rounding in my lumbar spine on the final rep of my 150kg deadlift for example. So:

    1) If I'm consciously aware of a serious poor form on a completed rep...I discount the rep, yes? Do I then move on and consider the whole set a bust. Or should I take a couple of minutes and try to perform the final rep correctly?

    2) As I've hopefully made clear, whilst I'm not particularly struggling to finish most reps, I'm getting to the point where the routine is physically and mentally exhausting. Should I now be moving on to a lighter set on Wednesday, with perhaps some chin ups and back extensions?

    3) Is anyone in Perth, Scotland following this program?

    Thanks all for taking the time to read. Any advice, specific, or general, is most gratefully received.

    Cheers.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
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    120

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    Hi, 1) at your max effort set there will allways be some kind of form creep on all of your lifts. I knew only one guy who could bench 210 kg at 110 kg body weight and every single rep he made was perfect. The only diffrence was the bar speed. But we suspected him to not be human anyway. But yes, a video of your 5RM would be helpfull.

    Also, as a novice, you should be focus on getting every rep as close to standard model technique as possible. It is important and you will benefit from it later in your lifting career.

    2) make sure you eat enough calories and rest enough between the sets. Those two thing are easy to controll.

    Your squats and deadlift are becoming heavy so you should be thinking about deadlifting heavy maybe 3 times/14 days and squating heavy twice a week ? I could not deadlift 3 times a week at 160 kg and 142,5 kg squat @115kg body weight.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    Phoenix, AZ
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    How often are you squatting and deadlifting? Which phase of the program are you in?

    If your rep is performed improperly then you may just want to take it again the next time you deadlift and make sure you get it right.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2016
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    Cologne, Germany
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    Deadlifting and squatting 150kg 3x per week might just be too much. You could change to a light day on wednesday: Squats at around 80% and Deadlift the same or do chins or barbell rows instead.

    That way you only have 2 PRs per week on monday and friday and therefore more time to recover.

    You don‘t need other people to film your sets. I filmed hundreds of sets without asking anyone else. Use gym stuff like benches, other racks or these „box jump boxes“ to put your phone on.

    If you put the phone far enough away, even the floor is better than nothing.

  5. #5
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    Jul 2019
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    Quote Originally Posted by Illgresi View Post
    Now I know the first questions are going to be, "post videos of your form"
    My first question was: When can with expect a Scottish Translation for the blue book?

    There seems to be a large number of Scottish followers of SS.

    Get a small tripod that attaches to your phone to video your form. I, for a period of time, kept my DLs artificially low, because I perceived I was losing tension in my back when I would lift more than 185kg. When I began videoing, I realized I did not actually have any rounding of the back and had not at all lost tension in the back.

  6. #6
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    Oct 2017
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    Uk
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yngvi View Post
    My first question was: When can with expect a Scottish Translation for the blue book?

    There seems to be a large number of Scottish followers of SS.

    Get a small tripod that attaches to your phone to video your form. I, for a period of time, kept my DLs artificially low, because I perceived I was losing tension in my back when I would lift more than 185kg. When I began videoing, I realized I did not actually have any rounding of the back and had not at all lost tension in the back.
    Same here. I got my wife to video a set of heavy doubles and could have sworn I was arched like a cat on the second, but looking at the video it was perfect.

  7. #7
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    Feb 2020
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Yngvi View Post
    My first question was: When can with expect a Scottish Translation for the blue book?

    There seems to be a large number of Scottish followers of SS.

    Get a small tripod that attaches to your phone to video your form. I, for a period of time, kept my DLs artificially low, because I perceived I was losing tension in my back when I would lift more than 185kg. When I began videoing, I realized I did not actually have any rounding of the back and had not at all lost tension in the back.
    A Scottish translation would have an 18yr age limit. We use swear words as terms of endearment. I'm getting married in April and I have two best men. I can count on one hand the number of times I've called them by their first name. Fat c**t and ginger c**t. I've known ginger c**t for 32 years, and fat c**t for 19 years.

    Long story short; don't translate the book to Scottish.

    But please...for the love of spaghetti...get someone in Scotland trained as a SS coach.

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