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Thread: Novice progress - transitioning from Stronglifts to SSLP

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    7

    Default Novice progress - transitioning from Stronglifts to SSLP

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    I started out December 6th 2018 using the Stronglifts 5x5 app after a google search. I was having a tough time emotionally and financially after separating from my partner and was looking for a way to try and regain some control of my life. As I progressed I was reading articles online and watching YouTube videos for form instruction and eventually came to find Rippetoe and the SSLP. I'm hooked and decided eventually to make the program switch this week after 8 weeks of SL5x5.

    ME:
    6"3, 240lb, 31y/o male, Northern England.

    Always been fluffy, gotten down from 280 body weight in 2015 with food tracking, then carb cutting and eventually intermittent fasting. Averaging 3000 cals per day over the week which maintains 240 with macros about 50% fat and 25% each protien and carbs. Much of that carbohydrate coming from beers.

    Relatively untrained, I did spend a few months in 2015 doing deadlifts, bench press and curls following a Mike Mentzer protocol of 1 set to failure in 8-10 reps with 7 days recovery, which took my Deadlift 1RM to 232 and squat 1RM to 100 but, I wasnt really doing the program (YNDTP) as I was never able to perform a single chin up or dip. I felt the intensity would eventually lead to injury, having never been coached on form and only lifting with other inexperienced friends in a home gym, which as a self employed touring drummer, a 3 month lay off with a tweaked back would leave my band mates unemployed and could probably be the end of my career. So I jacked that in.

    Stronglifts had me begin with bar weights at first without trying to have me find an appropriate work weight, which has definitely stunted my progress somewhat. Some weeks I only trained twice if I needed to recover from an especially physical weekend at work (think hauling drums and speakers up and down fire escapes and not getting to bed till 3am three nights in a row). So here's how the numbers progressed.

    06/12/16 -> 28/01/19
    Number of workouts - 20
    SQUAT 20kg -> 67.5kg
    BENCH 20kg -> 45kg
    DEADL 40kg -> 90kg
    PRESS 20kg -> 35kg
    BB ROW 30kg -> 55kg
    Body weight 240lb -> 247lb

    Lots of stalling out on the press, which I don't think I can attribute to needing rest and food as everything else is going up. I am hoping moving from 5x5 to 5x3 will enable further progressing as it seems a little too early to be micro-loading. It's also a lift I have no experience with so form could definitely be a factor. I tried to implement the press 2.0 technique yesterday but that movement pattern is going to need more work.

    I've switched out barbell rows for the power clean, dropping the weight to a submax 40kg to develop the movement pattern. I suspect I'll be able to make a couple of 5kg jumps until an appropriate work weight is reached.

    Some other things, I now squat with the low bar position, which I'm not confident with so it can be a bit of a fumble at times but when it's done right it makes a huge difference. I'm also noticing that my last reps of the last sets of bench press are already a teeth clenching rp10. For now the weight is still increasing but it may be about to give. I'm hoping to get more progress with the two fewer sets.

    Nutrition wise, I'm aiming to get more protien, 1 - 1.25 grams per lb body weight, which I'm getting better at. I've also just begun supplementing with 5g creatine daily. I've introduced milk and rice back into my diet (I'm not very tolerant of bread) as a work out day carb and have drastically reduced my alcohol, achieving 4 weeks sober from Christmas. Whilst my calorie target is set to 2700 to try and cut bodyfat, Im hungrier these days and still consume 3000 - 3500 on average. Can't tell if I'm prioritizing being strong or just using the excuse to be a pig again. It's also quite hard for me to reach 240g protien without getting the extra fat and carbs that come along with it on a plate. Some days I feel like I only eat meat and protein shakes to come anywhere near. I don't want to live on chicken and egg whites forever. The fasting 16hrs per day has stopped and meal frequency is up to 3-4 per day from 1-2.

    Whilst I don't feel like my body composition has changed too much, some people have commented on it. My thighs are definitely firmer and my biceps feel bigger. Although getting jacked and juicy and tanned has never been the priority it's a nice bonus re-entering the dating scene. My confidence speaking to people is on the rise, I would never have thought I'd be able to join a gym and comfortably workout next to pretty boys with waxed eyebrows, but I did. After outgrowing my cheap catalogue weights in only four weeks of training at home. I'm beginning to focus on other longer term life goals with more clarity and feel motivated to finished my maths/physics degree. I guess feeling like I can be getting stronger for many years has given me hope for the future. And that was the goal. The training reinforces the sobriety too, its not like I was an out of control drunk, but it was a regular and habitual way to socialise.

    So yeah, this is my first forum post, hopefully my newbie status hasn't offended anyone and I haven't over shared too much. Happy to discuss transitioning from Stronglifts with anyone or take any pointers people may have or even just have a general bit craic. I'll continue to update my progress in blocks probably, rather than log every workout, as I plan to stick to the program, and we all know what that looks like.

    Thanks to Mehdi, Rip, Feigenbaum and Alan Thrall for the inspiration.
    Last edited by John.Knox; 02-01-2019 at 01:48 PM. Reason: Dates

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    7

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    Monday 28th Jan
    Squat 67.5kg 5r x 3s
    Bench 45kg 5 x 3
    P Clean 40kg 3 x 5

    Wednesday
    Squat 70kg 5 x 3
    Press 35kg 3/4/4/4 reps
    Dead 90kg 5 x 1

    Friday 1st Feb
    Squat 72.5kg 5 x 3
    Bench 47.5kg 5 x 3
    Clean 45kg 3 x 5

    First week of SS, I've moved to a paper log but I'm also still running the SL app, fudging the entries a little, so I can still have the progression graphs and the rest timer.

    On rest, Stronglifts advise 90sec between sets if the set was easy, 3mins if it was difficult and 5mins if you failed to get 5reps with no rest between exercises. This suit me fine at first but I think I developed a macho attitude about aiming for a 90sec rest time and thus almost missing reps. I've been allowing myself 3-5mins between sets this week after reading about it on the site and I'd say it has improved performance in both press exercises particularly.

    The press overhead is a little sticky right now. I've no doubt I could improve the bar path but I'm not in a position to pay for advice right now. The plan is to plod on SL style, giving myself three attempts to get 5x3. If I miss three days, the SL approach would be to de-load 10%, which I'm reading here isn't optimal, and I will consider micro loading at this point. Honestly, I knew press would give out first, I just didn't expect it so soon.

    Friday's squat weight really gave me the fear, it was a battle mentally to make myself get under it. The reps weren't bad. My gym has 3 squat racks, but only one of them has saftey bars you can squat inside of. That cage is more in the middle of the room, with a platform and bright rubber bumper plates. It really makes me feel on display to use it but honestly, I think it's time to consider safety first. I'm stronger than I've ever been right now, I don't think I've fully acknowledged that.


    Thanks guys, JK out.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    7

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    Wednesday 6 th Feb

    Squat 75kg 5reps 3sets
    Press 35kg 5 x 3
    Dead 95kg 5 x 1


    Friday 8th feb

    Squat 77.5kg 5 x 3
    Bench 50kg 5/4/4
    Clean 50kg 3 x 5

    I rolled my ankle over at work on Saturday... I'd only just recovered from doing the same thing a month before. Didn't have the range of motion to squat or deadlift on Monday so I didn't train. I did take myself for a treacherous walk in the snow to keep it moving.

    Whilst it was okay to train through the pain Wednesday, I was really happy with my deadlift, Friday's workout was not. Power cleans were a bad idea, they've aggravated the injury, making work this weekend miserable.

    I am happy to realise I've passed the 200lb dead and 100lb bench.

    Party on Wayne.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    Monday 11th Feb

    Squat 80kg 5 x 3
    Press 37.5kg. 4/5/5
    Dead 100kg 5 x 1

    Wednesday
    Squat 82.5kg 5 x 3
    Bench 50kg 5 x 3
    Row 60kg 5 x 3

    Friday (Spanish Hotel)
    Squat 75kg + bar 5 x 3
    Press 25kg + bar 5 x 3
    Pulldown 55kg 5 x 3

    Good lift Monday. Ive been warming up the press with a 10kg training bar and feeling more confident with the motion. Going to say the failed 5th rep on the first work set was due to not resting enough after warm up sets and take the sets as a pass.

    Substituted barbell row for power clean Wednesday to avoid further aggravating the still tender ankle injury.

    Friday in Barcelona was a hotel gym work out. I was really fatigued from travelling and walking around and the heat. Couldn't figure out the bar weight and it was psyching me out. Not enough weight to deadlift 100kg. Gave the pulldown machine a go, using a chin up grip, 60kg might have been a better work weight, but I made too small jumps whilst warming up.

    Crazy few weeks of touring ahead, expecting a higgledy piggledy workout schedule, getting them in where I can.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    Thursday 19th Feb

    Had the morning free whilst travelling, my boss suggested we walk to this gym nearby. It was an hour walk and he set a quick walking pace. By the time we arrived I was sweaty and gassed. Did what I could.

    Squat 85kg 4/4/1
    Bench 50kg 3/3/1 (failed 52.5kg)
    Dead 100kg 5 x 1 (felt too weak to push higher)

    Thursday 21st

    Back at my gym.

    Squat 85kg 5 x 3
    Press 40kg 5 x 3
    Dead 102.5kg 5 x 1

    Two deadlifts back to back to re-align the order of things. My grip has started to roll on heavier sets, no one uses chalk at the gym so I've adoped a mixed grip.

    And old form issue has reappeared in my squat. My right knee turns in toward my centre during the push. Not good.

    Fly to the UAE next week, hoping to stay on track at a gym over there.

    Peace.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
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    Im doing my best to keep this log up to date but my posts keep disappearing.

    Im still training, but I cant keep wasting time typing it up on this to have the info disappear.

    Got my squat over 200 and I'm deadlifting body weight.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    66

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    starting strength coach development program
    Hi John
    Awesome job keeping up as much motivation as you did with all that travel. Have you posted any form checks? If not, I'd recommend you get verified and post some, improper form may be hampering your progress in addition to whatever life stressors you have going on.

    In your original post you said you get a lot of carbs from beer, improving the quality of your carbs might be an appropriate way to continue progress as well. What's your diet look like these days?

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