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Thread: Return of the Rat

  1. #21
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    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    Thursday 20th
    Got some deeply reduced Powerlift 2's and tried these out instead of my VSAthletics. Rather less heel on these, although noticeable how nice the double strap is on the VS.

    Squat 20x2x5, 30x3, 40 x 3x5 Getting the hang of it again I think
    Press 20x2, 23.5 3x5 Microloading from the get-go. Grip etc feels pretty natural.
    Power Clean 32.5 5x3. Getting a nice solid stomp, which I never used to be able to really get. So that's nice.
    F*cked around a bit with some kettlebell swings. 16kg 3x5 dead-stop each rep.

  2. #22
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    Sunday 23rd
    Warm up 1/2 km at 5.5kph, incline 3

    Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 30 x 3, 42.5 3 x 5
    Starting to feel heavy, but moving fine. Remembering how to brace properly.
    Bench 20x5, 30 x 3 x 5
    Moving fast, seem to be remembering leg drive. Try another 2.5 kg increase
    Deadlift
    40x5, 50x5, 65x5
    Even with lower heels, prefer these without shoes. This was a bit hard, but should have another 5kg jump in me

    Negative chins 3 x 1. Less like complete freefall now
    Since I can't do more than 1-2 dips with all the band assist I have, can't get any volume there. So:
    DB bench ~10kg 3x8
    I have loadable DB handles, those plus clips are roughly 5kg ea.

  3. #23
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    Tuesday 25th
    Warm up gentle rowing for 3 mins, stretching

    Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 32.5 x 3, 45 x 3 x 5
    Still going pretty strong but it feels embarrassingly heavy
    Press 20 x 2, 25 x 3 x 5
    Last one was pretty hard but I got them. This is now painfully close the the best my 3x5 press every really got. I never broke the 30 barrier before... Ouch.
    PC 35 x 5 x 3
    Really needing the rest here, not very explosive at all
    Swings 16 kg 3 x 5

    Only 2 weeks in already wondering what to do about pressing. I'd like to get it out of the toilet, but it's always sucked badly. Even 1/1.5kg per time gets to be a struggle. I could get some 0.25 kg plates and go 1/2 kg jumps, or drop to 3s. Not sure. My initial 22.5kg weight really was the one where the bar slowed slightly. Same for bench pressing, but I'm hoping to hit 40 before needing anything special.

  4. #24
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    Thursday 27th
    Out for a curry last night, so a decent few drinks. Couple of pints and then quite a large whisky. Feeling that today.

    Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 35 x 3, 47.5 x 3 x 5
    These felt bloody heavy, but moved fine. Old knee caving issue is still around, but I am working on it. 5 min rests to get these done.
    Bench 20 x 5, 32.5 3 x 5
    Still working on getting the leg drive to work. These also felt damn heavy. I think 1kg jump next time, unless first set flies up.
    Deadlift 40 x 5, 55 x 5, 70 x 5
    This felt legit heavy. Not going to try another 5kg jump, 2.5 from here.

    Finished off with a 1km run. Walked first 300m then the rest at 9kph.

    I've acquired the bits to rig up a pulldown until I can do meaningfully negative chins again. It'll also do nicely for some tricep stuff once I hit that stage.

  5. #25
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    Sunday 30th
    Really tired. Yesterday my shoulders and arms were aching just lifting arms up.

    I tried out some knee sleeves today. 7mm. Might be slightly tight for general purposes, but they felt nice for squatting. Knees nice and warm.

    Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 35 x 3, 50 x 3 x 5
    Put very loose belt on set 2, but too loose, felt all screwy. Used proper belt on set 3, which felt damn solid. No problems with knee cave on any of these.
    Press 20 x 2, 26 x 2x5, 1x4. Missed the last rep. Try this again.
    Power clean 36 x 5 x 3. Felt so heavy.

    Db bench 10s 3 x 10, with BW rows (in lieu of chins) 3 x 3.

    Press is indeed starting to struggle. I'll try 26 again, then consider resetting and 0.5kg jumps, or going triples at 0.5kg jumps. Looking forward to having the real plates back on a squat. That's always a milestone.

  6. #26
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    October 2nd
    Still trucking although got a bit of Freshers Flu, which is nice. Ordered some new plates, which came today, so hauling those out to the garage was already a small workout. 4x20s and 2x10s, 7-hole rubber coated coloured plates. They're pretty nice feeling, not weighed them yet. Along with the bumpers I bought first, that's a little over 210kg. I'd be thrilled if I ever need more than that...

    Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 35 x 3, 52.5 x 3 x 5
    Belt and knee sleeves. Felt pretty good, I think things have mostly come back to me now
    Bench 20 x 5, 33.5 x 3 x 5
    Have always struggled with leg drive, but I think it's coming back
    DL 40 x 5, 55 x 5, 72.5 x 5
    Fine, although definitely feeling heavy

    Did one triple of front squats with the bar to check they made sense.

  7. #27
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    October 4th
    Feeling pretty good today. A little tired, not the ideal time in the month, but not the worst.

    Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 35 x 3, 55 x 3 x 5
    Felt pretty good again. Belt and sleeves. Creeping up on the real plates, eh?
    Press 20 x 3, 26 x 2 x 5, 1 x 6
    Focussed on speeding through the reps, rather than waiting too long which I sometimes do. Seemed to work, I got the third set squarely did one extra rep and I reckon there was another in the tank too.
    PC 37.5 5 x 3
    These felt pretty solid. Not as exhausted as last time and made sure to rest.
    DB bench 11s 3 x 8
    Pulldowns no idea the actual resistance but 15 kg loaded 1 x 8, 20 kg loaded 2 x 8. Add 5kg next time.

    Pulldowns are done with a pulley rig on the rack, plus a loading pin and a nice 4ft handle I bought. It'll be roughly 1-1 resistance, but with a little friction and a little stretch. Doesn't matter, just want to push the weight up until I can chin.

    Will have one session Sunday, then have to miss 2 as I'm away. Hopefully just repeat Sunday and keep pushing up.

  8. #28
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    Saturday 6th
    2mile slow jog
    Bit of kettle-bell mucking about, some clean and press, snatches

    Had a rummage in the wood store and found a 5ft length of 48.5mm, 4mm wall steel scaffolding pole. Got ridiculously excited as with dumbell collars that makes a perfect short axle, weighing just under 7.5kg. Did a bit of clean and press with 20kg on it, and tried one-handed deadlifts. Just about got it off the floor, but balancing it was hard.

  9. #29
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    Sunday 7th
    Warm up 400m at 5.5kph, 3%. Cold tonight, going to need to consider firing up a heater in the garage soon.

    Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 40 x 3, 57.5 3 x 5
    First set felt hellishly heavy. Need to do a bit more warming up I think. Since I first started, I've always found first set hard, second set better. Third set varies, either snappy but tired, or exhausted and grindy. Former tonight, except I was starting to lose the left wrist.

    Bench 20 x 5, 30 x 2, 35 x 3 x 5. Widened grip fractionally more. I reckon it's about 26" between pinkies here. Felt pretty good.

    DL 40 x 5, 60 x 5, 75 x 5 Grip a bit tired. Weighing all my plates yesterday, plus messing with the axle was a fair grip workout.
    Since I've got a few days off now, I couldn't resist a heavy single. Did 90kg with belt. I put it at 90-95% 1RM. Not too shabby for 1 month back.

    Assisted dips, doubled blue band, 3, 5, 3
    Plank 1 untimed, 1x 1min

  10. #30
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    starting strength coach development program
    I am really hoping the home gym will get my bench and press sorted. Uni gyms in the UK are always full of bench and biceps monkeys, so it was always murder to get a bench, and usually ended up rushing through. Didn't seem any point fighting for a bench just to do assistance, so I didn't. Since it's all mine now, maybe it'll work better. Bodyweight bench is still a goal for me.

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