Strength, among other things

[sika]

Hi,
I'm Sigmund and I've been on and off SS a few times. Depending on season, I bike, ski, climb, and train jiu-jitsu so sticking to a full SS program for any length of time has been hard. I'm 37 years old, 6'2" and 198lb (with 2 months of vacation fat).

My last effort is documented in another log. That time around I ended up with:
Squat 245
Bench 185
Deadlift 315
Press 110
Powerclean 150 (shit technique)

This time I plan to start light on SS, then transition to 5/3/1 as it gets heavier so I can keep up with my other sports. Also I'm skipping powercleans until I can get someone to help with my form.

So here it goes, in kg from now on:
Monday
Squat 85
Bench 65
Deadlift 105

Wednesday
Squat 90
Press 35
(Chinups, 8x3)

[sika]

These lifts feel quite easy still. I finished this workout in 40 min and did 15 minutes of stretching afterwards.

Friday
Squat 92.5
Bench 70
Deadlift 110

[sika]

Monday
Squat 95
Press 37.5
(Chins 8,8,9)

I should post a video of the squats while they're relatively easy. I don't completely understand active hip and rebound, and if/when any of these turn into butt winks. It makes sense when I read it, but I can't see the problems others point out on form check videos, let alone identify my own problems.

[sika]

Wednesday
Squat 97.5
Bench 72.5
Deadlift 120

Squat and bench are slowing down a little, deadlift is still easy.

I haven't been to this gym in over 2 years, and now they have "No chalk" signs posted all around the squat racks. I'm starting to need it for the deadlifts though, so I'll buy some liquid chalk and use it sparingly.

I got my max lifts from last year by adding GOMAD (thanks to @belowparallel for the advice). For now I'm on L(itre)OMAD, and I just bought creatine, whey protein and BCAA. I'll read up a bit more on the nutrition forum, but so far I take 60g whey and 5g BCAA post workout. Plus a tsp of creatine morning and night. I'm pretty sure I'll have to get back on GOMAD as I approach my previous lifts.

[sika]

Friday
Squat 100
Press 40 (5,5,7)
Pullup (7,6,-) .. obviously tired from bouldering last night.

[sika]

Monday
Squat 105
Bench 75 (5,5,6)
Deadlift 130

I think I got greedy with the jumps. After getting feedback on Friday's squats, I added 5kg. For a few reps it felt like my torso couldn't quite keep up with my hips out of the hole, resulting in the bar coming forward a little.

10 kg jump on the deadlift felt heavy. A guy on the gym staff came over and talked at length about my lower back rounding a tad. I thought he was gonna bust me for using chalk so all I wanted was to get out of there. He also mentioned my hips come up too fast in my squats. Nice enough guy, but I can't quite follow in Norwegian since I only know English lifting terminology.

[sika]

Wednesday
Squat 107.5
Press 42.5
Wide pullups: 9 + 2x6 asymmetric pullups on climbing board.

Presses are easy. Squats slowed down on the last rep of each set. I'll post an update to my technique thread: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=50967

[Skinny72]

These lifts feel quite easy still. I finished this workout in 40 min and did 15 minutes of stretching afterwards.

Welcome, Sigmund!

You're also doing a lot more next to lifting, as I like it. Gonna watch your log!

One remark: Be careful with stretching, especially AFTER your workouts. From what I've learned in the last months, stretching is quite likely to have no positive effect on performance at all, and it might even have a negative impact. There seem to be some new studies on the way. As usual, you'll find articles and info for all opinions one can have. But I myself made the experience that common wisdom is plain wrong over and over again.

If you want to keep stretching, try to do it another time than your lifting. As an exercise routine of its own. And check how that feels.

Let me know. ;-)

[sika]

Hi man, thanks for stopping by! Flexibility comes in handy for jiu-jitsu and climbing, that's why I'm doing that. I stretch after weightlifting, which I've read won't impact strength gains much if at all. And I'm all warmed up, which my 4th grade gym teacher said was a good thing when stretching. Some bodybuilder told me that stretching helps ganz too by stretching that sack the muscles are trapped in or something. So yeah, I have no credible sources but I definitley feel more limber after stretching

From my previous bout with SS, I found I couldn't do all the sports I wanted at the intensity I wanted. As the weights get heavier, I'll focus more on technique in jiu-jitsu and technique/finger strength in climbing. I'll keep mountain biking as a fun distraction; I won't have the capacity to work on leg endurance when on linear progression.

[sika]

Friday
Squat 110
Bench 77.5
Deadlift 130

Squat was heavy. I tried to keep knees fixed on the bottom half of the squat in the first set, but this totally fucked up my movement. If I'm gonna do that I have to practice with something lighter.

I kept the deadlift the same as last and filmed it for technique review: