zen and the art of strength training

[kopp]

This is documentation of my attempt to get back into semi-decent shape. I am 25, 6 foot, 160 pounds. In 2008 I found crossfit, and through them Rip. From 2009-10 I did about a year of dedicated strength work and hit some big pr's, including Deadlifting 5x395 and pressing 150. I kept a blog on here during much of that time. In October I began an extended trip through the middle east and India. I came home tuesday, April 12. During that time my only exercise was hundreds of miles of walking and I ate a diet of rice and vegetables. I lost around 25 pounds and all strength gains. I am basically starting over in terms of strength development.

Goals by August 31--- These goals need to take into account a 2 week vacation to spain at the end of May, which I assume will set me right back to where I am now.

Deadlift 5x355
Squat 3x5x245
Press 5x135
Bench 3x5x215

Routine: Until I leave for spain, and then again once i get back for probably a month:
Squat 3x5
Bench/Press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

I am going to stick to the 4 lifts, and deadlift every workout. Since the starting DL weight is going to be around 115 I don't think it will be too taxing to do every workout, at least not for around a month. This first month is more about getting my body not to suck, relearn the movements, and slowly deal with soreness than it is about getting a lot bigger.

Once I need to reset I am going to change to a Greyskull influenced routine, which I prefer over SS:
A: Bench 2x5 1xAMRAP
Squat 2x5 1xAMRAP
Pullups

B: Press
Deadlift
Dips

I am choosing this over SS for several reasons:
1) I like doing repetition efforts
2) I want to be able to give the Pullups and Dips a decent effort, which is tough after three barbell movements
3) I want to deadlift while relatively fresh, which is tough after three sets of squats

[kopp]

Squat 3x5x95
Press 3x5x75
Deadlift 5x 115 135

This was almost comical. It is sort of depressing how weak this is. On the other hand, I see this as a life long hobby so the little set backs aren't a huge deal. Also I have never done a linear progression program from totally detrained before. I had always been goofing around enough that some lifts were in much different spots than others and a pure LP program for all the lifts wasn't possible. so I am excited about getting to do this from the beginning.

Later today I drive to Michigan and will be gone until late Tuesday night. I think Tuesday instead of finding a gym I will throw the Kettlebell around and then start again under the bar thursday. At this point the novice effect is in such full force I think I could do jumping jacks and I would get stronger.

[kopp]

All day in the car, did end up doing some kettlebell stuff. All was with 20kg bell

Front or Goblet squat 3x10
Push press each arm 3x5
Swings 3x10

Not much, but good to move after a whole day in the car. Like I said on the last post, the novice effect is in such full force I could do about anything and get stronger. Thursday the DL and Squat weights will be +15, am still just figuring out the movement patterns again. Hoping to Lift Thurs-Sat-mon-wed-friday, with the goal of squatting 155 and Deadlifting 185 by the end of next week. Should be doable since I am strong enough, it's just a matter of getting used to doing this again.

[kopp]

woke up feeling great and decided to lift, I don't think yesterday's kettlebell screw around session did much.

Squat 3x5x115
Bench 3x5x115
Deadlift 3x5x155

One of my life goals was to be that guy at the gym who benches as much as he squats. Today was that day.
Did three sets of DL because it is still light and I see the extra form work as worth it. Not lifting again until saturday. Bought my first gallon of milk today, a big step in all small males lives. Also my dad bought the shake-a-weight contraption which is so disheartening. I had always wondered what type of people buy things like that, the answer: people in my family.

[kopp]

lifted with Bronan the Barbarian in the garage.

Squat 3x5x135---felt pretty good, a few may have been too deep
Press 3x5x85-probably taking a 5 pound jump next week
Deadlift 3x5x175-these felt pretty solid, my upper back was sore after the deadlifts on wednesday. Going to keep doing 3x5 until these get heavy.

Last night I had my first beef in 6 months since leaving for India. i think it is still in my stomach sitting there like a rock 20 hours later.

[kopp]

weighed myself tonight: 172 pounds! Sort of incredible that I've gained 12 pounds since I came home from India on April 12. My weight has always gravitated toward 170-175 so that it has seemed easy to gain or lose weight to that point. I am interested to see if the continued eating frenzy I have been on for the past two weeks will continue to elicit similar gains, or if they will drastically fall off. I don't really know how it works. I can still see my abs, which is baffling. The weight has come back much faster than I had thought possible, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for the strength to return. Tomorrow I may take another 20 pound jump on squats and DL depending on how the warm ups go. I think the biggest I got lifting regularly last year was 185, though that was eating fairly clean. It would be insane if I got back to that size, a gain of 25 pounds in about 5 weeks, before going to spain on May 23.

[MikeC1]

This doesn't sound that unusual. Your body wants to be at its previous weight and strength level, you aren't completely detrained in that your body still remembers how to lift heavy weights and it is used to operating at the previous weight. You'll regain your strength much quicker than a genuinely new lifter. Your goals for Aug 31 look good except for the squat number which is about 50 lbs light compared to the other numbers. Since you're 6' tall, you might consider slowly eating your way to ~200 lbs by Aug 31, it will probably be a better weight for you and will speed up the process of regaining your strength.

[kopp]

Squat 3x5x155
Bench 3x5x125
Deadlift 3x5x185

Today felt great, may not get to lift again until thursday.

This doesn't sound that unusual. Your body wants to be at its previous weight and strength level, you aren't completely detrained in that your body still remembers how to lift heavy weights and it is used to operating at the previous weight. You'll regain your strength much quicker than a genuinely new lifter. Your goals for Aug 31 look good except for the squat number which is about 50 lbs light compared to the other numbers. Since you're 6' tall, you might consider slowly eating your way to ~200 lbs by Aug 31, it will probably be a better weight for you and will speed up the process of regaining your strength.

I guess what is confusing is that 12 pounds is roughly 40,000 calories, right? I have been eating a lot, but not in excess of 40,000 calories over 2 weeks. It seems odd, the weight doesn't just come out of nowhere, where did it come from? In the past the squat has been my toughest lift, I am not sure why, that is why it is less relative to the others. I agree 200 pounds would be a better weight, I am planning to eat like a superhero until I reach about that weight.

[kopp]

garage lift around 3pm:

Squat 3x5x165
Press 3x5x95
Deadlift 3x5x205

Solid day overall. The squats are starting to feel heavy, I think my form is solid so far. I would like to see these on video, I feel like my knees might be all over the place. Taking 10 pound jumps and then will probably drop to 5 pound jumps in 3-4 workouts. The presses were decently heavy, I may have a few more 10 pound jumps in the bench, but with the presses at least I am dropping down to 5 pound jumps. deadlifts were the strongest part of the workout today, going to make 10 pound jumps on the 3x5 scheme for a while longer. My hope is to finish next week's lifts on the 3x5 DL scheme, up to 245, before dropping down to 2x5, and then 1x5 per workout. Towards the end of this, meaning before I deload and go to the greyskull program I wrote about in the first post, I will probably only DL progressively monday and friday. I am hoping I can take that up to 315+, which I think is doable since 6 months ago I DL 5x395, so we still aren't dealing with heavy weights. My eating the past few days has been solid, lots of meat, sandwiches, eggs, pizza and about 1/2 gallon of whole milk per day. Tuesday was my first day working at a restaraunt where I've been a cook on and off for the past few years. It is exhausting and the 8-10 hour night shifts standing leave my back sore and everything exhausted. I am hoping it doesn't impact recovery. The good part of this is that i have access to vast amounts of food.

[kopp]

garage lift 2pm

Squat 3x5x175
Press 3x5x100
Deadlift 3x5x215
Pullups 3x3--these were actually tough, which is ridiculous since I could do 20 less than a year ago. Hoping to add a set or a few reps, slowly, each workout. These were surprisingly hard, probably because of the pressing and deadlifting already working the relevant muscles

Good day, hit all the lifts. My knees are starting to get sore, though i credit that to standing for many many hours at work in shitty shoes. Didn't have access to a bench, though I managed to get all the press reps. i will bench on monday or tuesday, whenever I lift next. The last set of squats was my best, I slowed the descent way down and tried to stay more in control. I have a problem of sometimes flopping under the weight instead of staying tight throughout. I am hoping to continue making 10 pound jumps up to 205 before slowing it down. That will be contingent largely on my recovery and how beat up I am from working. The deadlifts went well, I think my form on those is really solid. Drank at least 1 1/2 gallons of whole milk in between thursday and today's lift, in addition to three big meals each day. I took a gallon to work to drink during my shift and my coworkers were horrified when I told them my summer project was to gain 40 pounds. To most of the college age girls I work with that is an apocalyptic scenario. I wiill weigh myself when i get up tomorrow, I am hoping to be over 175. Feeling really good about my progress.