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Thread: The Revenge of SA

  1. #1
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    Default The Revenge of SA

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
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    My interest in the iron probably started much the same way as any of you. I wanted to be tough through lifting really heavy shit, while garnering better health. As soon as I realized at 13 that I'd be able to join the local gym I jumped on board. But...

    Like so many others, I knew nothing about nutrition, and probably had even less knowledge on how to train. In short, I made almost no progress, and probably spent more time socializing with the fellas, and ogling chicks than getting any meaningful work done. Fast-forward to my sophomore year of high school...

    I found a book on beginners bodybuilding. I decided to give training a go again. This time I went back at it with a better idea of what to do and what to eat. I actually made some progress. My piss-ass weak bench of 110lbs shot-up to about 170lbs in about seven or eight weeks of slightly informed, unorganized training. The squat rack still scared me, though, and lots of "beach work" ensued with little success. I lost interest again. That aside, I was having too much fun, after a few rough years, tearing up the city with my pals, getting drunk, and listening to Death Metal.

    In university I essentially lost all of my friends to globalism, and being an expatriate growing up, I'd decided I'd lost too many damn friends over the years and was determined to stay in-touch while at the same time walling myself off from other people. I discovered training again out of boredom and frustration. I still wasn't terribly smart or consistent, though. Did I mention I was going psychotic from isolation and unhappiness? Somewhere around my on-off phases, I discovered Starr's 5x5, and then it began. PRs were the absolute shit.

    So, in the last year and a half or so, I've trained quite consistently, and got some decent numbers up. I was benching in the low-mid 300s, squatting in the mid 400s, and had a Deadlift in the low 5s. I'm a big guy, though, so these numbers are somewhat unimpressive to me. In any case, I was still enamored with my progress. And then my back decided to become my enemy...

    This past February I experienced an excruciating prolapsed disc, and until now, I've been essentially out of commission, as up until maybe July or so, just walking for more than five or ten minutes became excruciating. My fat mass has ballooned, and I'm undoubtedly weaker than a girl's thighs on morning after prom night. No more, though.

    Today I begin acting my plan towards vengeance. Training feels too damn good, and there's nothing quite like pulling and getting glared at in simultaneous awe and disgust. Plans will be detailed below...

  2. #2
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    Some Physical Stats:

    Phenotype: Endomorph (Not just because I'm fat, but because I've got an exceptionally wide waist and pair of shoulders and seem to put on muscle with reasonable ease)
    Height: 6'0"
    Weight: 320 (BF% something like 28-30%)
    Age: 21

    Goals:

    1) Get a substantial amount of strength back by 2008 with training largely informed by prior injury and the avoidance of re-aggravation.

    2) Get my weight back down to around 280 or so; I liked being in the 20% range before, although this time I'm going to shoot for 15% in the long-term for health purposes. My back gets the one concession: I'll lose my damn gut. That aside, at my age, I'd rather attenuate any poor dietary habits I've had before lest diabeetus, and heart trouble give me shit in the future.

    3)

    Rough Plan of Attack:

    Training: For the first 8-12 weeks or so, 3 weight training sessions a week, with one session of sprints, and two shadowboxing or heavy bag work sessions. If I get my hands on some Woody Bags, those too for variety.

    Nutrition: Maintenance level calories (around 4000 or so) with a 40/30/30 make-up of protein/carbohydrates/fats

    Supplementation: Multivitamin, B-Complex, Antioxidant Complex, Electrolytes, and Protein Powders will be mainstays. I plan on toying around with compounds that can successfully be used for recomposition, but I'm fairly certain you folks could care less, and prefer training ideas.

  3. #3
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    The Template

    The template is informed loosely by some of the techniques made famous at Westside barbell. Where I deviate, though, is that an ME exercise is a 5 or 3 rep max, while DE work is absent, and the remaining work has more detailed and conservatively programmed progression than the usual recommendations made public. In all honesty, I just really like the organizational method, as I've seen good gains on it before, and the ease of putting together workouts is fantastic.

    Upper A - ME Press w/ Horizontal Plane Emphasis
    1) ME Press
    2) Supplementary Horizontal Press
    3) Supplementary Horizontal LAT Pull
    4) Accessory Medial-Deltoid Raise

    Lower A - RE Squat
    1) RE Squat
    2) Supplementary Posterior-Chain Pull
    3) Accessory Posterior-Chain
    4) Accessory Vertical Pull

    Upper B - RE Press w/ Vertical Plane Emphasis
    1) RE Press
    2) Supplementary Vertical Press
    3) Supplementary Vertical LAT Pull
    4) Accessory Rear-Deltoid Raise or Pull

    Lower A - ME Squat/DL
    1) ME Squat or DL
    2) Supplementary Abdominal
    3) Accessory Posterior Chain
    4) Accessory Horizontal Pull

    A few comments...

    - Direct biceps and triceps work is absent. I'm not terribly concerned with arm growth since firstly, I've been endowed with arms that grow easily, and secondly, because I don't want to add in any work that is unnecessary. I'm being extra careful about recovery this time around.

    - LAT work is done all training days. I've tried this before and liked it. Typically, I'm too tired on any given day to really put any serious intensity into my LAT work after some heavy barbell rows, so this is a good way for me to get some decent volume in without doing sub-par work.

    Programming

    ME Sets

    Weeks 1-3: 3x5 @ 90, 100, 95% of 5RM
    Weeks 4-5: 3x3 @ 90, 100, 95% of 3RM

    Depending on feel, I may add in another 85-90% set for 3-5 reps, or one or two sets in the "hypertrophy range" of 8-10 just to get a feel. And, sometimes, a burn set will be done afterwards. This won't be done for any Deadlift ME work, however.

    ME work is also out of the picture for the final week of the cycle. I've been told to be careful with heavy work for now, so I will be. Ideally, I'd like to always been doing an ME lift, however.

    RE Sets

    Weeks 1-3: 6, 8, 10
    Weeks 4-6: 4, 4, 8, 8


    I've programmed RE work as such because wave-loading is cool, and feigns boredom in the face of repetition. The idea is to hit 24 total reps at varying intensities, with intensity and load increasing, and then reverting back to prior levels.

    Bar weights will be initially timid until I get a better feel of where I'm at.

    Supplementary Sets

    Weeks 1-2: 2x12
    Weeks 3-4: 3x8
    Weeks 5-6: 4x6

    I'll be using this progression scheme for about 12 weeks or so before re-assessing its value. I realize volume is somewhat low, but since calories will begin to decrease, and I'm out of shape, I figured that a conservative approach would be best, and flexible if necessary.

    Accessory Work

    Weeks 1-2: 2x10
    Weeks 3-4: 3x8

    Accessory work is done so as to simply assist, and will not change as frequently as ME work. While progress is a must, it won't be eyed as closely as ME or Supplemental lift progression.

    Programming is four weeks so as to get some decent volume in the 3-4 week portion of the cycle, while reverting back to less work when supplemental volume goes up. Of course, every other six-week cycle will see higher volume during the most intense portion of the supplementary work, but the first run through won't see it, and I'll be able to gauge my ability as such. Again, the conservative approach is the idea.

    Deloading

    There will be no really planned or elaborate deloads, as those are essentially built into every first two weeks of the programming scheme; my deload is also my acclimation and feeling out period. Exercises will change at the end of every six-week cycle. I'm thinking I'll probably need more of a break at the end of every two cycles, however.

  4. #4
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    It is great to see you've started up a journal. I am most definitely in for this one. I really enjoyed the write-up and the in-depth synopsis of your background and plan. Your plan looks really good.

    (I'm mjw8204 from BB.com, if you didn't already know)

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Misanthrope View Post
    It is great to see you've started up a journal. I am most definitely in for this one. I really enjoyed the write-up and the in-depth synopsis of your background and plan. Your plan looks really good.

    (I'm mjw8204 from BB.com, if you didn't already know)
    Glad to see you here, mjw.

    Unfortunately, I found upon arrival that the gym was closed today, so I'll have to postpone my workout until Wednesday since Thursday is a national holiday in Singapore, which would further truncate my schedule. In the meantime, I did a sprint workout today.

    The sprints felt good. They were done in a roughly measured area of the car park at the condominium complex where my family is currently residing.

    6 x 50 meters for a total of 300 meters with about 90 seconds of rest in-between sprints. For now I'm just doing them to get them done, but once I'm a few weeks in I'll start doing them for time, trying to beat PRs, then shortening rest time, and finally adding more volume. I have till about mid-December, though, since I'm hightailing it back to Canada in about a month.

    Here's what today's weight training workout would have looked like:

    Bench Press: 3x5 @ 90, 100, 95% 5RM
    Flat DB Bench Press: 2x12
    Chest-Supported DB Row: 2x12
    Cable Lateral Raise: 2x10

    Weights and performance details will be posted as soon as I get it done.

  6. #6
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    Your a big ol boy, bigger than I thought u where haha.

    Nice job on the layout and background info. I really hope you stick around here.

    Kyle

  7. #7
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    They say you never forget how to ride a bike. I agree. But, they always conveniently leave out the fact that if you haven't done it for a while, there's a significant chance you'll fall on your ass a few times or veer into barriers because although you haven't forgotten how to, you're definitely not what you used to be. If only life were so convenient...

    Upper A - ME Bench Press w/ Horizontal Emphasis

    Bench Press

    Moderate grip, with ring finger on the knurling rings.

    Warm-Up Sets
    10 x 45
    5 x 95
    5 x 115
    5 x 135
    3 x 155
    2 x 175

    Work Sets
    5 x 185
    5 x 205
    5 x 195
    8 x 175

    It's embarrassing to be handling such small weights now. Nonetheless, I figured it'd be better to start light. The last weights felt heavy, although they went up with relative ease. My palms hurt now on account of not having a barbell in them for so long, but that's the way it goes.

    I should re-acclimate rapidly, and be back to pushing decent weight. The hard part will be remaining disciplined not too burn out by making big jumps.

    Dumbbell Bench Press

    10 x 55
    9 x 55
    5 x 55

    These sucked. I was sure I'd throw up 55s with ease for 12. They went up very easily, perhaps too easily. Nevertheless, my chest petered out, after rep 8 or so on each set. It was discouraging because the weight felt like a warm-up weight, but it felt like those scenes you'd read in a comic book where the valiant hero has his power drained by some malevolent force that he later kicks the teeth out of later. I went over my two set prescription because although I didn't hit my set-rep target, I'd have been damned if I didn't at least hit my rep goal.

    Pendlay Row

    Warm-Up Sets
    10 x 45
    10 x 95
    5 x 115

    Work Sets
    12 x 135
    12 x 135

    Again, another ding to the ego. I used to be doing about twice that weight for 5 reps. This time, it wasn't the muscle that shit the bed, though, it was my lungs and CNS. By this point I was starting to feel sapped, and jittery, while the last two reps of every set were agony for the cardiovascular system.

    Afterwards I felt like bumping the reps down, especially on the rows, because who the hell needs back work in the 12 rep range? But then I figured I was starting to rationalize being a wuss. That aside, health and recomposition are imperatives too, so the heavy breathing is merely a side-effect of what I want. That, and again, my ego simply can't let such a small weight get the better of me.

    Cable Lateral Raise

    10 x 30
    10 x 30

    These were perhaps the only easy part of the workout in that everything I felt I had expected to feel. It'll be fun to get the weight back up on these as I enjoy them as a finisher.

    Final Remarks

    The first workout back always sucks. So does the second, but usually not as much. Everything I would have said here I've already said above. I'll note, though, that I find the parallel between my physiology's response to jumping back in, and the rigors and stresses of being initiated into a sport's team or a small, perhaps elite, community of some kind are amusingly similar and enough to perk me up.

    If you'll excuse me, I must now gorge myself with steak and potatoes.

  8. #8
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    For being out of commission 6 months that's a decent start, even though the weights are not what you'd like to be doing. Doing 12 reps on Pendlay rows in particular would make me huff and puff.

    I didn't know that you were in Singapore. I help support a system there, and have a colleague that I've talked to many times, but never in person. I get the impression that there's a pretty large expat community there, maybe a lot petroleum based.

    Anyway, good luck with your "revenge". I'm interested, and plan to follow as time permits.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lifting N Tx View Post
    For being out of commission 6 months that's a decent start, even though the weights are not what you'd like to be doing. Doing 12 reps on Pendlay rows in particular would make me huff and puff.
    I'm thinking it is a decent start because I feel like I was just in a serious fight. And even then, I've never felt quite so beat up after a fight before; my upper body just plain hurts.

    The cardiovascular stuff is my own fault. Despite having not been able to be on my feet for any decent amount of time, I should have purchased a wheel chair or something to whiz around on, and maintain heart health that way (and it's too bad I only thought of that just now, writing this reply).

    Quote Originally Posted by Lifting N Tx View Post
    I didn't know that you were in Singapore. I help support a system there, and have a colleague that I've talked to many times, but never in person. I get the impression that there's a pretty large expat community there, maybe a lot petroleum based.
    I bounce around the world a fair bit. Half my year is spent in Singapore, the other half in Ontario, Canada with visits elsewhere as required.

    But yes, there's a fairly large Western expat community in Singapore; there are quite a few Americans here. Regardless of the Canadian passport, I might as well be American, as I went to an American school with almost a completely American student populace and body of teachers. I know more American history than of my "own" country's.

    What organization are you involved with here?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lifting N Tx View Post
    Anyway, good luck with your "revenge". I'm interested, and plan to follow as time permits.
    Thanks.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Serpens Aeon View Post
    What organization are you involved with here?
    It's a multinational oilfield services company. I used to work for them, now work indirectly for them via an outsourcing company. I'm in systems admin/dba work and for the most part it doesn't matter where the server is located in terms of supporting things.

    I wouldn't mind saying who it is, but prefer to save such information for PMs if anyone is curious, as companies sometimes get weird about things.

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