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Thread: Aspiring to entry-level beasthood

  1. #1
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    Default Aspiring to entry-level beasthood

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    Keeping this log so I can report to Matt Reynolds. It also gives me a chance to be accountable to you fools.

    Brief training history:

    Graduated college weighing around 140lbs and being fast and weak. I Crossfat for a few short months (know all the flaws, but credit them with exposing me to "real" training, obviously), then DTP for a while, GOMAD and all. Fooled around with the Greyskull "method" (not that impressed, although the AMRAP set did help my presses), and have generally squatted, pressed, and done heavy things ever since being exposed to Starting Strength. I have been pretty aimless for the past 18 months or so. During the last year, my numbers have slipped because I did 3 long-distance obstacle races at the goading of my runner buddies. In case anyone is wondering, Tough Mudder is fun and the obstacles are all very easy, but the electrocution sucks. Spartan Beast was an order of magnitude harder, less gimmicky, and a better run event. I won't be doing anything like that again for a while.

    All-time PRs (all max singles)
    Bench: 235
    Squat: 425
    Deadlift: 475
    Press: 170

    Current maxes (all hit to start the first 6-week cycle Matt programmed for me):
    Bench: 225
    SQ: 365 (this should have been higher)
    DL: 435 (pretty happy with this, actually, as I have deadlifted very infrequently over the last year)
    P: 165 (pleasantly surprised at this, too)

    I'm 5' 11". My all-time PRs were set at around 195lbs bodyweight. My current weight is about 185.

    I have been dealing with some serious inflammation in my left shoulder. It's been pretty painful when benching and cleaning, and often while sleeping. Been doing some rehab work to try to address it. So far it's mostly manageable - I can train through it.

    I turn 30 on June 5, 2013. Between now and then, I'm aggressively pursuing a few numbers:
    300lb bench
    200lb press
    300lb clean
    <60sec 400m sprint


    I figure the sprint (and clean to some extent) will keep me honest, since I can't just lard my way to the other numbers.

    I welcome any constructive or entertaining posts.

    First logged workout to follow...
    Last edited by bugbomb; 02-18-2013 at 10:34 PM. Reason: more info

  2. #2
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    2/18/2013

    Competition Bench - close grip bench press. Work up to max single, then 85% for two AMRAP sets.
    Supplemental Press - standing dumbell press. 3 hard sets of 4.
    Upper body circuit

    Bench:
    135 x5
    185 x2
    205 x1
    215 x1
    225 - fail
    185 x5
    185 x5

    DB Press:
    45 x4
    45 x5
    45 x5

    Circuit - no rest
    3x10
    Pull ups (gray band)
    Push ups
    40lbs KB snatch (5 per side)
    25lb ball slam

    Notes:
    A recent discovery is that close-grip bench press actually aggravates it more than standard-grip. I think it has to do with my ability to keep my upper back tight - easier to do with your hands farther apart. Worked on adjusting my focus to not allow my shoulders to come forward on the way up. Had a few very painful reps, but a few hours later, everything feels fine (or at least normal).

    Everything else was fine. Pull ups were humbling - used the band just so I wouldn't have to stop.
    Last edited by bugbomb; 02-18-2013 at 10:38 PM.

  3. #3
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    2/20/2013

    Competition Squat
    Supplemental Deadlift
    Lower body circuit

    Squat:
    135 x5
    225 x5
    315 x2
    365 x1
    315 x5
    315 x5

    Romanian Deadlift:
    135 x4
    185 x4
    185 x4
    185 x4

    Circuit - no rest
    3x10

    Sit ups
    KB front squats (40lbs)
    KB swings (40lbs)

    Notes:
    Squat form is rusty. Kind of have settled into a hybrid form with low bar position and high-bar-ish mechanics. RDL is a new movement for me. It was fine. I kept it very light after watching Rip's instructional video (keeping lumbar in hard extension).

  4. #4
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    2/22/2013

    Competition Press
    Supplemental Bench
    Upper Circuit


    Press:
    45 x10
    95 x5
    95 x5
    135 x1
    155 x1
    165 x1 (fail)

    135 x5
    135 x4

    Close grip bench (chains):
    135(+40) x5
    135(+80) x5
    155(+80) x5
    155(+80) x5
    155(+80) x5

    Circuit - no rest
    3x10

    Push ups
    Barbell curls (65lbs)
    Lateral raises (10lbs)

    Notes:
    Did this in a real rush between coming home from work and leaving for a friend's house. Realizing how much of a warmup my presses need; this was not sufficient. It was not a good press day. Bench with chains felt good. I'm estimating how much chain weight was available at the top. Circuit was also shorter than I planned - finished it up with the family already in the car waiting for me...

  5. #5
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    So what is your 400 meter time?

  6. #6
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    2/23/2013

    Clean
    Competition Deadlift
    Supplemental Squat
    Track day


    Clean:
    185 x1
    205 (fail)
    205 (fail)

    Deadlift:
    warmups
    405 x1
    455 (fail)
    455 (fail)
    345 x8
    345 x6

    Squat (chains):
    225 +80 x4
    275 +80 x4
    275 +80 x4
    275 +80 x4

    Notes:
    Clean was miserable. Just had no explosion today. Kept pulling the bar out in front of me, had no pop from the hips. During deadlift 405 flew off the floor. 455 just barely broke the floor on both attempts. Reps were fine.

    Squats with chains was awesome. Super fun. I can see how it helps the whole range because of how hard you have to accelerate through the middle.

    Track workout wound up being no big deal. Some field circuits (lunges, bear crawls, etc), then a few 400s, and a 200. My hamstrings were not really up for it, and tightened up bad halfway through the last 400, kind of messed up the last 200 as well.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by M-Squared View Post
    So what is your 400 meter time?
    I haven't tested in a long time. Last time I did, it was about 1:15. Today I was running with a guy who just ran a 1:13, and I could hang with him for 400m if my hamstrings hold up. I'm planning on ramping this up a little later in the process.

  8. #8
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    I should also clarify that when I ran the 1:15 I wasn't training for it. The speed isn't my problem. I just have to get my conditioning a little meter so I can sustain the output.

  9. #9
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    2/25/2013

    Competition Bench
    Supplemental Press
    Upper circuit


    Floor Press:
    45 x10
    95 x5
    135 x5
    185 x2
    205 x1
    170 x11
    170 x10

    Dumbell Standing Press:
    50 x4
    50 x4
    50 x2, 2

    Upper circuit - no rest:
    4x10

    Chin ups (gray band)
    DB snatch (50lbs)
    Push ups

    Notes:
    First time floor pressing. Enjoyed it. In retrospect, should have made an attempt at 215 or 225. Not used to getting that many reps at 85%...

    Dumbell presses were inconsistent. First two sets were great. Third set, left shoulder was very unstable. Had to drop it, collect myself, and do two more reps.

    Circuit was fine. Added another round. Will add another one next week, most likely. Still using gray bands for pull ups/chin ups so that they can be done (mostly) unbroken with no rest.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    2/26/2013

    Competition Squat
    Supplemental Deadlift
    Lower circuit


    Squat (light band):
    315 +light x1
    335 +light x1
    355 +light x1
    300 +light x3
    300 +light x4

    Romanian deadlift (chains)
    135 +80 x3
    185 +80 x4
    205 +80 x4
    205 +80 x4
    225 +80 x7

    4x10 - no rest
    Air squats
    Situps
    DB side oblique bends (50lbs per hand)

    Notes:
    Crazy low back pump/lactic acid burn, essentially from the start of the squats. Haven't felt that since I was hitting the limits of my linear progression (quite a bit more weight). Took me until the second volume set to "get" squatting against the bands. I think I need to figure out how to have better tension at the bottom, though - they were pretty much slack.

    RDLs were great. Felt better than ever, way more weight than last time. Video shows them really snapping up fast. Last set went a bit harder to see where I was at.

    Circuit was too easy. Add weight to squats next time.

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